Dental Implant Center Blog

July 28, 2010

The Invention and Maturing of the Modern Day Denture

Dentures have become a common part of health for the elderly. With the technology of the modern-day denture, those that wear the most current advancements do not have significant changes in what they can eat and the overall aesthetic appearance of their smiles. However, this was not always the case. As mentioned in the prior post on the history of the dental implants, history reveals that dental implants have been a part of human history for many years. In today’s post we are going to revisit history once again, discussing the history of dentures.

Early Dentures

The need for dentures generally stems from the effect of sugar on the teeth, causing tooth decay and eventually the loss of teeth. During earlier days tooth decay was also resultant from bread. The milling process of early bread often involved sand. The sand that was found in the bread would wear on the teeth, causing decay. Due to loss of teeth from both sugars and bread, the earliest replacements were found as early as 700 B.C.

Early dentures were purely cosmetic, as lack of teeth signified poor health and hindered the advancement of an individual professionally, socially and romantically. Dentures would be taken out of the mouth before eating. It wasn’t until the middle of the 1700s that dentures were made in such a way that the person could eat while they were still in the mouth.

Whereas today porcelain is the primary substance for crafting replacement teeth, in the early days teeth were crafted from human bone or the teeth of other humans or animals. In fact, it was not uncommon for teeth and bone to be scavenged from the battlefield, quite potentially leading to disease in the denture patient.

When considering early dentures, many think of the famous teeth of George Washington. However, this story is not completely accurate. Due to the types of medicine that George Washington took, he began losing teeth while in his 20s. The dentures that he had during his presidency were actually made from hippopotamus ivory, human teeth and carved elephant ivory.

Modern Day Dentures

full_dentures Over the years technology has changed. Modern dentures are made from porcelain, tinted to reflect a natural appearance and are usually kept in place by jaw implants made from titanium.

Some of the technological advances in materials also include ways they are affixed. From synthetic plastic resins to light metal alloys, the look and durability has improved. Following those advancements dental implants came to be, allowing permanent dentures that are anchored in the jaw to make chewing possible.

Today teeth are designed based on each individual patient. Dental lab technicians look at the mouth’s size and shape along with factor like the shape of the skull, sex, skin color, age and hair color. Dentures of today are literally leaps and bounds ahead of what they were even 50 years ago.

As interesting as it is to learn of how those that lived in early times managed to keep up the appearance of their smile, technology has certainly made the modern-day denture both more functional and more beautiful.

***
Photo Credit: George Washington’s Teeth

Comments (1)

March 3, 2010

International Dental Care

Dental implants are one of the most effective long-term solutions for tooth replacement. Although dental implants are arguably very reasonably priced for the effectiveness in both their esthetic appeal and durability, they are not free. For this reason, there are times that patients will consider having dental implants placed in foreign countries in order to save money on the costs. Although this may initially sound like a legitimate solution, there are many things that a patient must heed if he or she intends to go down this road.

Cost of Travel

The first item to consider is the expense of traveling abroad for dental care. Some specific items to consider include:

Cost of the plane ticket
Cost of travel and lodging while in country
Frequency of trips that will be required for consultation, creating molds, surgery and follow-up care

Risk Factors

The United States is known for having high quality healthcare. For this reason, the quality of treatment at a U.S. dental implant office is more reliable. There are laws that must be abided by and healthcare best practices that are commonplace and enforced. Risking surgery in a country without the same standards of healthcare could be dangerous.

Brands are Crucial to Healthy Implants in the Future

If you are buying a pair of jeans, the reality is that the brand is a perk, not always a necessity. However, when shopping for dental implants, the brand is absolutely crucial. Not all implants are the same and tools may not be available to lesser, inexpensive, off-brand implant parts once returning to the United States. Dental implants require specific tools for placement and for any adjustments that need to be made. If a brand is not common or if it goes out of business, than the tools are difficult, if not impossible to come by. Implants placed from foreign doctors are often not name brands and if something goes wrong, it can become impossible for a doctor to fix whatever has gone wrong for lack of the tools being in existence. This is a primary concern for choosing to use a foreign dentist to perform dental implant surgery, as it could lead to serious problems.

Extensive Care

Most people who travel abroad for treatment are going for extensive care. With more extensive care, no matter where it is done, come more risks. After dental implants are placed problems can and do happen; however, if a patient has already returned to the US, complications can arise. The cost of returning to a foreign country immediately to correct a problem can be expensive and if infection exists, it can be life threatening, making travel impossible.

The risks versus the benefits must be weighed. Not all things should be solely about finances. Make sure your foreign dentist is well trained and that you stay long enough to avoid post-operative complications. If the dentist makes a mistake be aware that you may not have rights as a medical or dental tourist, nor protection under the laws that may exist. Know your options and weigh what is important to you before deciding.

Comments (1)

January 4, 2010

New Year Dental Hygiene Tips

The American Dental Association offers tips on increasing oral longevity and caring for your teeth. As you begin the new year, I am going to bullet point some ways for you to care for your teeth.

Brushing

Brush twice a day.
Use a soft bristled brush that is approved by the ADA.
Replace your toothbrush when it frays or every 2-4 months.
If you have trouble brushing, using an electric toothbrush is also effective.

Flossing

You can use either dental floss or interdental cleaners.
Floss once a day.

Water

“Consuming optimally fluoridated water throughout life helps prevent tooth decay no matter how old you are. If you choose bottled water, check the label for fluoride content.”

Dental Visits

Make sure to visit your dentist for all scheduled appointments.

Comments (1)

January 1, 2010

The Effects of Smoking On Your Teeth

Happy New Year! As you prepare for the New Year, many people are choosing to stop smoking. In an effort to arm you with motivators, we are highlighting the effects of smoking both in dental health and in cosmetic beauty. Many of us are aware of the adverse effect that smoking will have on our overall physical health. However, it’s cosmetic effect on our natural teeth and also on our dental health specifically is extensive. Below we are going to outline the adverse effects of smoking.

Cosmetic Effects

Smoking-Dental-Health Smoking reduces the production of saliva and saliva is effective in cleaning teeth. Thus, the teeth will begin to be discolored. The discoloration is then increased by the tar that is in tobacco as the residue will linger on the teeth. Also, as smoking increases the risk of periodontal disease increases as well. Smoking is also a cause of chronic bad breath and the loss of teeth.

Health Effects

Saliva is also helpful in preventing tooth decay. Thus, with the lessened production of saliva, tooth decay becomes more rapid. Without the ability to heal itself, all infections in the mouth will worsen.

Infected gums get delayed in healing. Blood flow to the gums is restricted due to smoking. Smoking also diminishes the supply of vital nutrients to the gums. It reduces Vitamin C, which helps the gums to stay healthy. A reduced blood flow and Vitamin C, together delay the treatment of gum diseases in smokers.

As you are planning your New Year’s resolutions, consider giving up smoking and the use of tobacco once and for all. You’ll be glad you did.

Comments (3)

December 22, 2009

Oral Longevity – Tips for Healthy Teeth for a Lifetime

dental-health-longevity In over twenty years of practicing dental care, I have seen patients with both beautiful teeth and patients with teeth that were beyond repair. Often times the problems that patients experience in their mouths and with their teeth and gums could have been avoided with a few simple habits. Thankfully, today’s technology can refresh smiles and improve or even replace the teeth. However, because there are ways to maintain oral health, today’s post is going to focus on three basic tips I’d encourage patients to practice in order to increase the longevity of the teeth and gums of both yourself and those you love.

Childhood Training
The fight over brushing and flossing before bedtime is never a fun one. However, periodontal disease is a preventable problem that simple brushing and flossing could remedy. Many parents teach their children to brush their teeth, but flossing is not always included – perhaps because the parents themselves aren’t flossing? Training from childhood will build a habit that will help prevent periodontal disease in adulthood.
Regular Appointments
Regular dental cleanings cannot not be stressed enough. Even the most precise “brusher and flosser” will have areas that have been missed that only professional tools can detect. In addition, yearly x-rays provide a chance for a dentist to locate cavities that can sometimes appear no matter how particular you are in your daily hygiene.
Health Habits
How you eat will not only affect your physical health, but it will affect your dental health. Maintaining a healthy, smoke-free lifestyle will influence the health of your teeth.

Those are just a few tips on maintaining your oral health.

Comments (3)

December 17, 2009

Dental Insurance: Yearly Maximum and Maximizing Your Deductible

dental-insurance Having dental insurance is helpful in alleviating surprising dental bills. However, if you do not take full advantage of your services by the end of the year, you may find yourself paying for more of your dental expenses out-of-pocket than you had originally planned.

You Are Paying for Your Premiums

If you are paying insurance premiums, then you should make sure to always schedule regular cleanings in order to take advantage of the money you are spending in premiums. Dental cleanings are considered preventative care and keeping your mouth healthy now will help curve costs that could occur in the future.

The deductible that you pay for your insurance generally starts over at the beginning of each calendar year. Thus, if you have dental work that needs to be done that may exceed your deductible, you will want to have that done by the end of the year. This will prevent you from having to start over with a new deductible in 2010.

Every year there is a certain amount of money that an insurance company will pay for a client’s dental work. It is called the yearly maximum. The amount will vary from plan to plan and it will generally start over each calendar year. Once again, if you are paying your premiums, then you are going to want to get the biggest bang for your buck. If nothing else, clean your teeth and use as much of your yearly maximum as you can.

Flex Spending Accounts and Health Savings Accounts

Use it or lose it. Familiarize yourself with the expiration date of your specific flex account or HSA as the expiration dates will vary, and you do not want to lose the money in the account.

Comments (2)

November 26, 2009

Care for Your Teeth during the Holidays

First of all, let me start off by saying “Happy Thanksgiving.” Our hope is that your Thanksgiving holiday is full of joy as you reflect on all there is to be thankful for.

As you partake of the many treats during this holiday, there are a few things that you’ll want to remember. The holiday season is laden with sugary treats that not only send you on a flying sugar high, but can send you to the dentist afterwards. In order to make sure that your holidays don’t end with the disappointment of cavities and the beginnings of periodontal disease, remember the following dental care tips:

Brush your teeth and floss consistently. I wouldn’t be in dental care if I didn’t hone in on this point. Sugar is going to be around you and the chances of you consuming more treats than normal is high.

Avoid snacking in between meals. If you can find a way to have your sugar during meals, that will help with your dental care and decrease the chances of increased problems with your teeth.

Have cavities filled and your teeth cleaned pre-holiday feasting. If you are already struggling with one or more cavities, have them filled before the holidays to avoid a worsening issue.

And finally… Have a Happy Thanksgiving! We wish you the absolute best!

Comments (0)

November 19, 2009

Tips for Cleaning Teeth

Anyone that has been to the dentist has heard the infamous spiel regarding the importance of both brushing and flossing your teeth daily. Although any maintenance of your teeth is better than no maintenance at all, there are key factors in the maintenance of the teeth that will ensure the best outcome.

Reason for Brushing and Flossing

Every day your teeth will build up plaque as the residue from your food sits on them. Plaque causes tooth decay, as it is full of bacteria that will break down the tooth. Brushing will help to rid of the mouth of the plaque on the teeth and flossing will rid the mouth of the plaque in between the teeth. Plaque build up will eat away at the enamel of the tooth, cause redness and irritation on the gums and if not taken care of, will eventually cause periodontal disease and the loss of teeth in later years.

Best Practices for Brushing and Flossing

Dentists recommend brushing your teeth twice a day. Although it could be easy for one to think that using a hard bristled brush will clean the teeth the best, it’s actually much harder on the gums surrounding the teeth and not recommended. A soft-bristled brush is the best toothbrush to use while cleaning your teeth.

Flossing is a essential part of maintaining the health of your teeth as well. It catches the areas that are hard to reach and should be performed once a day. Lack of flossing is a leading cause of periodontal disease thus it shouldn’t be ignored.

Mouthwashes are helpful in killing bacteria in the mouth and in the prevention of gingivitis. However, in most cases flossing and brushing are enough and should never be replaced by mouthwash alone.

Professional cleaning appointments should also be scheduled at least twice a year in order to clear the mouth of build up that is missed by brushing and flossing.

For those that have dental implants it is critical that they follow the instructions provided by their dentist and stay up to date on all professional cleaning appointments as well.

Comments (3)

November 16, 2009

Dental Injuries Requiring Assistance

There are several types of dental injuries that will require a trip to the dentist in order to ensure that you don’t suffer from extensive problems in the future. However, with each of the injuries there are particular things that the patient will want to do as they are making their way to the dentist office.

Chipped Tooth

A chipped tooth would be considered a minor issue it is very common. This essentially means that the person has knocked off a portion of the enamel. This can be a painful depending on how deep the chip goes and will sometimes require dental assistance to fill in missing spots. If need be the dentist can smooth the tooth down again so that the person is comfortable.

Fractured Tooth

When a tooth is cracked or a piece of it breaks off completely, it is called a fractured tooth. This can be both painful and esthetically displeasing. If the dentin or pulp is exposed the patient must go to the dentist immediately in order to prevent infection and the mouth will need to be rinsed out with warm water first in order to clear the area of particles before heading to the dentist.

Displaced Tooth

If in the process of the injury teeth move out of place, a dentist visit will be required and immediate. The first course of action is to apply a warm wet cloth and gently moved the teeth back into place. This will likely hurt, but is essential in positioning your teeth for the best outcome. Keep the warm cloth in place holding your teeth in the correct spot. Get to the dentist within 30 minutes.

Knocked Out Tooth

When teeth are knocked out, there is still have a chance of being able to replace them as long as they are placed in the socket in a timely manner so the roots can reattach. Your responsibility once the tooth is knocked out is to locate it and immerse it in milk or a saline or hold it between your cheek and your gum. Do not wash it or do anything that can damage the tooth in anyway. Patients that get to the dentist within 30 minutes of the injury have a higher success rate of reimplanting the tooth.

Advances in dental implants have allowed for any injuries or cosmetic problems in the mouth to be remedied. However, if you find yourself in any of the above situations, taking the correct course of action will increase your chances of the best outcome possible.

Comments (1)

October 12, 2009

Mini Implants the Cheaper Alternative to Conventional Dental Implants: Advantages and Limitations

Dental implants have proven to be a viable and healthy solution for many who suffer from tooth loss as a result of causes ranging from health decisions to genetic misfortune. Mini implants are one of the most advanced and effective solutions for the replacement of natural teeth. They can be a solution for those that have significant bone loss or are looking for a more affordable option to full dental implants.

What Are Mini Dental Implants?

Mini implants are a smaller version of a full-sized dental implant. They are toothpick thin posts that are made from titanium. Most frequently mini implants are used to stabilize the lower denture helping to eliminate the discomfort of a moving denture. Mini implants come with many advantages; however, they also carry with them limitations, as is outlined below.

Advantages of Mini Implants

The surgery is minimally invasive.
The entire process takes only a few hours. The patient can walk in to the office in the morning and out the same day with a full set of teeth.
The quick recovery of a mini implant patient can allow the patient to eat the same day.
It is a solution for patients that have significant bone loss that restrict them from being candidate for full dental implants.
It is a solution for patients that cannot have surgery for medical reasons.
Mini implants requires no sutures or long recovery periods.

Limitations on Mini Implants

Mini implants are not an ideal, long-term solution based on the thinness of the implant.
Non-removable dentures are not an option with mini implants.
Mini implants do not offer the same degree of stability that a normal dental implant does.
Some of the same drawbacks of traditional dentures apply when mini implants are used: somewhat uncomfortable, clicking, and esthetic drawbacks such as bad breath.
They can only be used on the lower arch. The upper arch does not integrate with the implants.
Metal fatigue is a risk with mini implants due to their size, so they can malfunction.

The best long-term option is a full dental implant, however, the cost is higher. Mini implants are a good alternative, but they cannot be seen as a replacement to natural teeth to the same degree that a dental implant is considered.

–

Photo Credit: Braun Dental

Comments (2)

Older Posts »