Dental Implant Center Blog

February 24, 2010

Care and Maintenance of Removable Dentures Over Implants

It is important that when you are not wearing your dentures you store them in a denture cleaning solution.

By definition, removable dentures are traditional dentures that are anchored in the mouth by fitting directly over implants or over a bar connected to the implants. For those that have suffered with problems with their bite, removable dentures are often the solution. The removable denture is a wonderful option, however, in order to maintain the health and cleanliness of your mouth, proper care of the denture is critical. Below are the basic steps to denture care:

Handle with Care

Dentures are fragile and should be handled with utmost care. When setting them down, place them on a towel or soft surface. Keep them out of reach of children and away from volatile locations.

Clean Your Teeth

Brushing your dentures is just as important as brushing natural teeth. Brush and clean them daily. There are special brushes that are designed for dentures specifically that are the most effective. Check with your dentist to decide on the best dental cleaner that is ADA approved.

Don’t Let Them Dry Out

When a denture dries out, it can lose its shape. Thus, it is important that when you are not wearing your dentures you store them in a denture cleaning solution. Do not place dentures in hot water.

Keep Them Away From Pets

Animals, especially dogs are attracted to the scent of human saliva. It is common for a dog to pick up a denture and use it as a chew toy.

With proper care of your dentures, you will enhance the durability of your denture and the overall hygiene of your mouth.

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February 19, 2010

The Cone Beam CT Scan and Radiation

At our dental office we are proud of our Cone Beam Scanner and have made an effort to let each of our patients know that we are using innovative technology that will help make their visit better and their treatment more effective. However, no matter how excited we are about our Cone Beam, with innovative technology there are often questions that arise from patients. These questions generally revolve around: the purpose the technology serves and the safety of the tool.

The Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) technology has provided great value to those seeking dental implant surgery. Recently concerns have arisen regarding the safety of radiation for medical scans. In order to bring clarity, we are going to discuss both the purpose that CBCT serves in dental implants as well as shed light on radiation claims for medical CTs and if it applies to CBCT.

What Does the Cone Beam CT Scan Do?

Dental implant placement is most effective when the foundation beneath the gums is prepared and strong. The Cone Beam CT Scan (CBCT) is what analyzes every angle and substance beneath the gum line to determine the health of the mouth and the possibility of effective surgery. It will determine: bone structure, tooth orientation, nerve canals and pathology. The information that the CBCT provides is “imperative to determining anatomical variations that can affect the procedure’s success or failure.” Thus, it is clearly an incredibly useful tool in ensuring that when a patient goes into surgery, it is as quick and effective of a surgery as possible.

Does the Cone Beam CT Scan Create High Amounts of Radiation?

Excess radiation should always be monitored when undergoing scans. Some CT technologies use more radiation than average, but the general goal for radiation is that it follows ALARA protocol. ALARA protocol refers to “As Low As Reasonably Possible”.

In recent articles, concerns regarding medical CT scans and overexposure of radiation have arisen. These reports are in reference to medical CT scans and not dental scans. Medical scans are reported to have 33 times greater radiation exposure than a dental CT. The radiation that is required for dental CT scans is significantly less, meaning that ALARA protocol is in place. Below is a graphic that shows the difference in levels between medical CT scans (where radiation concerns lie) and the CBCT can (that meets ALARA protocol).

Effective-Dose

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For more information on this subject, please visit: http://www.dental-tribune.com/articles/content/scope/specialities/region/usa/section/general_dentistry/id/1311

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February 15, 2010

Dental Insurance: Will it cover dental implants?

When preparing for dental implant surgery, it’s important to know how to minimize your out-of-pocket expenses, as there are many factors that influence insurance coverage.

Recently, there has been an increase in insurance coverage for dental implants, as many health insurance companies have recognized that dental insurance for implants leads to better nutritional health for patients and is a resolution to traumatic events. However, a dentist must have policies in place that best promote aid in providing dental insurance for implants.

Increase Your Chances of Insurance Coverage

A clear, detailed diagnosis. Insurance coverage will always require clear details on the reason for the request for dental implants. The details of the diagnosis will have to clearly lead to the conclusion of a dental implant procedure.

Proper Coding. Dental insurance coverage for dental implants is never guaranteed, but proper coding will increase chances greatly. The dental implant center in which you are having your work done will need to be up-to-date on all new codes in order to code the procedures correctly and minimize your out-of-pocket expenses.

Traumatic Events. Trauma related incidents will always be covered by medical insurance. In order to be covered, these events need to be reported to the ER within 24 hours.

Diabetes. Diabetic patients will be covered by most medical insurance for dental implants, depending on your benefits. However, patients will need to provide a full diabetic history from their physician.

An ideal dental office will be in a position where they can do the research necessary to help patients be able to afford the treatments they need. However, there is never a coverage guarantee until all forms have been filed and processed. We can; however, submit a predetermination letter to a patient’s insurance company detailing the cost of the treatment needed. The insurance company will generally reply in a few weeks with what they are estimated to pay for the procedures. Since many insurance companies will not cover implants, this will help eliminate the element of surprise.

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February 9, 2010

Educating Patients about Gum Disease

Anyone who has visited the dentist has probably heard a dental health professional stress the importance of brushing and flossing. Most of us are pretty good at shutterstock_8517283 remembering the former, but for some reason, most people ignore the latter, or consider it too much of a chore to do consistently. Considering the oral health benefits a person reaps after making flossing a habit, we should all be much more enthusiastic about incorporating it into our dental hygiene routine! The most serious health risk you could avoid by flossing regularly is periodontal disease (informally called gum disease). Advanced periodontal disease can cause receding gums, tooth loss, and bone loss, as well as aggravate a number of existing medical conditions. (more…)

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February 5, 2010

Oral Cancer Screenings at Your Dental Appointments

Oral cancer kills one person every hour of every day. As you saw through the NBC-DFW segment on HPV and its strong association with cases of oral cancer from a previous post, the Fight Oral Cancer Foundation has been raising awareness on the importance of oral cancer screenings. Another purpose of the NBC taping was to bring awareness to the increased spread of oral cancer and the high mortality rate of those that are diagnosed with it. The reason for higher mortality rates for oral cancer than with other types of cancer, such as breast cancer, is the simple fact that oral cancer often goes undetected, until it is too late.

Although our office routinely performs oral cancer screenings for our patients, knowing oral cancer symptoms is important. In order to offer a bit more information on how to self-screen for oral cancer and visit your physician if need be, please see the oral cancer symptoms below:

Sore in the mouth or throat that doesn’t heal
Loose teeth
Lump or thickening in the neck, face, jaw, cheek, tongue or gums
Difficulty swallowing or the sensation that something is caught in the throat
Earache or sore throat that does not go away
Dentures that cause discomfort or do not fit well
Difficulty chewing, swallowing or moving the tongue or jaw
Persistent bad breath
Unexplained weight loss
Change in voice

The symptoms above do not necessarily mean that you have oral cancer. However, they do serve as warning signs to be monitored.

With increased awareness and routine screenings, we can help save lives.

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