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

The most notable implant-related discovery came in 1931 when archeologists working in Honduras found the mandible (lower jaw) of a Mayan woman. The mandible, which researchers consider to be that of a woman in her twenties, had three tooth-shaped seashells inserted into the sockets left by missing teeth. For many years, scientists believe that the shells were part of a burial ritual, but then in 1970, a dental academic, Amadeo Bobbio, found that bone had grown around two of the implants. This led him to the conclusion that the shells served as tooth replacements while the woman was still alive.

Other notable dental implant discoveries include thousand-year-old Egyptian mummies who were discovered with gold wires implanted into their jawbones. A pre-Columbian exhibit showcases skeletons with dental implants made from semi-precious stones. In the Middle East, skeletons were found with ivory implants, and most recently, scientists discovered an iron implant in the jawbone of a Roman soldier.

While ancient implants addressed the cosmetic issue of missing teeth, they probably didn’t function as well as today’s modern implants. Backed by decades of scientific research, modern implants are designed to fuse with the jawbone – a process known as osseointegration. When placed by a skilled implant dentist, modern dental implants give you the power to chew foods again, and they can potentially last for a lifetime.

Call Dr. Fitzgerald’s Plano dental office at (469)814-8304 today to discover the benefits of modern dental implants!

Step 1: Take the dentures out of your mouth.

Step 2: Brush the dentures as you would normally brush natural teeth; using a toothbrush and toothpaste, brushing the dentures in a circular motion.

Step 3: Brush underneath the denture. Food and debris can become stuck in the ridge, so it is important to loosen any of the food or debris by brushing underneath.

Step 4: Rinse and dry the denture thoroughly.

Step 5: Using water and denture cleaning solution, put the dentures in a dipping bath overnight.  Do not wear your dentures during the night as they could loosen in the mouth, causing a person to choke.

Step 6: In the morning take the dentures out of the dipping bath, apply adhesive and place them in your mouth.

Cleaning and brushing dentures is a regular part of dental hygiene for those that wear removable dentures.  With a steady routine of cleaning your dentures, your denture experience will be much more pleasing.

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Reasons for Dental Implant Failure
In the event of dental implant failure, there are only a few reasons why that could occur, as failure is uncommon. In most cases when we think of the failure of any surgical implant we might think it is due to an immune reaction or something of that nature. Dental implants generally fail for three reasons: inadequate bone, prosthetic load or infection.

Inadequate Bone
The density of the jaw is the major factor that plays into the success of a dental implant placement.  If there is not enough bone in the area where the implant is placed, failure can occur.

Prosthetic Load
The prosthetic load is when the dental implant cannot support the chewing load. This is often due to improper placement of the implant. Improper placement will cause the biting motion of the person’s mouth to impact the implant. Grinding of the teeth could also cause this. “People with Bruxism, a condition characterized by grinding the teeth at night while sleeping, may not be the ideal candidate for implants.”

Infection
If infection occurs, it is often because of preexisting bacteria in the jawbone. When an implant comes upon this bacteria the patient will get an infection or rejection of the implant.

Existing infection which is found frequently with abscessed teeth may keep the dentist from placing the implant at the same time the teeth are extracted. Placing implants in the presence of infection decreases their success rate.

Although those are some of the facts surrounding dental implant failure, as mentioned, the success rate is 90-95%, still making dental implants a great option for many patients.

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KoR teeth whitening is a deep bleaching system that is used to treat patients for standard whitening treatments and for those that have tetracycline stains on their teeth. For children especially that take the tetracycline antibiotic, it will discolor his or her teeth.  Veneers are not always a viable solution for these patients, but KoR teeth whitening has been found to be an effective solution.  Recently, as I was browsing the KoR website, I came across a great story of what KoR can do for a person with tetracycline stains.

My name is Walter Mick, and I practice in Reynoldsburg, Ohio. KöR Whitening works wonders for tetracycline cases, and, really, all bleaching cases. I’d like to tell you about the most emotional case I’ve ever treated in my practice. This case had a huge emotional impact on the patient and his wife, and my staff will always remember what happened.

Bill presented to my office as a new patient requesting full-mouth extractions and full dentures. He had all his teeth and no periodontal disease whatsoever; however, he absolutely hated his dark tetracycline-stained teeth (see pre-op photo with C-4 and A-4 shade tabs – his teeth were much darker than C-4) and had trained himself to never smile. The effect on his life was just too much for him to bear. He’d looked into veneers, but there was no way possible for him to afford it. Can you imagine the horrible emotional distress he was in to request full-mouth extractions and dentures?

I’d heard of KöR Whitening by Dr. Rod Kurthy, but I’d never tried it. So Bill was my very first case. You can see that the results were nothing less than miraculous – well beyond our expectations. Bill’s smile was incredible now!

When Bill saw himself in the mirror after we completed KöR Whitening, he literally could not speak. His wife was sitting in the operatory, and the sight of Bill’s new white smile brought her to tears. That day was probably the biggest highlight of my entire dental career.

Before KöR Whitening, we used various combinations of in-office and at-home bleaching, all with disappointing results. Since treating Bill, we use KöR Whitening Deep Bleaching^™ for all of our bleaching cases. The results are always dramatic, predictable and have outstanding outcomes.

There is hope for tetracycline stains and for a restored, beautiful smile with the many advances in today’s dentistry.

At the Fitzgerald Implant Center, we use the latest technology to provide patients with the best possible implant experience. With a CAT scan and computer software, we minimize surgery time for patients and deliver more predictable results. Patients and caregivers benefit from the advanced planning that CAT scan technology affords.

A CAT scan is a noninvasive medical test that involves X-rays and sophisticated computer software. The CAT scan gives Dr. Fitzgerald high-quality images of the jaw and sinus cavities, revealing details not seen with traditional X-rays. He can transfer the images to a computer monitor to create 3D models that allow him to plan for surgery.

What does this mean for you?

In the past, dentists and oral surgeons could not see the bone tissue prior to placing the implant. This meant that they would have to adapt to the situation and make adjustments during the surgery. With CAT scan technology, Dr. Fitzgerald can plan the treatment in advance. Benefits include:

• Better safety
• Higher predictability
• Less operation time
• Lower costs
• Increased success rate

Whether you’re a patient receiving implants or you’re caring for someone receiving implants, CAT scan technology will improve the overall experience. Spend less time with the doctor, less time in surgery, and more time enjoying your new teeth! We’re proud to offer innovative solutions at our Plano dental office. Call today to schedule a consultation and learn more about our advanced technology and state-of-the-art implant dentistry.

The All-on-4 Procedure has undoubtedly made a difference in the dental implant world, allowing what can be a time-consuming procedure to become less invasive and more feasible for the person with time constraints.

From Nobel Biocare, this quick solution for dental implant placements allows a fixed denture to be placed using only four dental implants.  This placement eliminates the standard healing time that applies to standard dental implant procedures.

Although the All-on-4 procedure is the right decision for many patients, there are drawbacks for this procedure.  Below we have listed both the benefits and drawbacks of the procedure in order to provide you with a thorough overview as you and your implant dentist make the dental implant decision that is right for you.

Benefits of All-on-4 Dental Implants

• Fewer incisions in the mouth
• Faster recovery time
• Avoids the use of bone graft or nerve transposition techniques
• The costs are lower for the All-on-4 procedure
• Immediate function
• Fixed prosthesis

Drawbacks of All-on-4 Dental Implants

• If one of the dental implants fails, the entire restoration fails.  If this is the case than the procedure will have to be re-done and a more conventional approach using more implants and bone grafting may be required. The success rate for the All-on-4 procedure is 93.5% for the upper jaw and 98% for the lower jaw, which is consistent with standard dental implant procedures.
• All-on-4 can contribute to jaw atrophy in the posterior region of the jaw if used in lieu of conventional implant dentistry. For this reason, the patient will have to be evaluated to ensure that the health of his or her mouth will withstand this procedure.
• Extreme bone loss within the mouth will make this procedure hard to impossible to perform.
• Overweight individuals
• The space available in the mouth will be a determinant if the procedure will work or not.
• Younger or larger framed patients will want to consider a conventional approach using more than four implants to improve long term predictability of their implant prosthesis.
• This procedure has less success in patients who smoke or have a history of periodontal disease.

Researchers at Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine (GSDM) link tooth loss and periodontal disease to cognitive decline in one of the largest and longest prospective studies on the topic to date, released in this month’s issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

There are studies that have found that high inflammation levels (characteristic of periodontal disease) has been found in those with Alzheimer’s.  Dr. Kaye asserts,

“Periodontal disease and caries are infectious diseases that introduce inflammatory proteins into the blood,” she says. “There’s a lot of circumstantial evidence that inflammation raises your risk of cognitive decline and it could be that gum inflammation is one of the sources.”

Risk factors for periodontal disease include:

• Use of tobacco (smoking or chewing)
• Systemic diseases such as diabetes
• Some types of medication such as steroids, some types of anti-epilepsy drugs, cancer therapy drugs, some calcium channel blockers and oral contraceptives
• Bridges that no longer fit properly
• Crooked teeth
• Fillings that have become defective
• Pregnancy or use of oral contraceptives

Thankfully, periodontal disease is preventable. Brushing, flossing and routine dental cleanings will help you to maintain a healthy mouth and help maintain overall cognitive health as well.

Click here for the complete article on Tooth Loss and Cognitive Function.

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Periodontitis is, “Periodontitis is a serious gum infection that destroys the soft tissue and bone that support your teeth. Periodontitis can cause tooth loss or worse, an increased risk of heart attack or stroke and other serious health problems.”

Prostatitis is, “a disease of the prostate gland, can cause pain in the groin, painful urination, difficulty urinating and related symptoms. The prostate gland produces components of semen, the fluid that helps support and transport sperm. The gland, about the size and shape of a walnut, sits directly below the bladder and surrounds the urethra, the tube that transports both semen and urine to the penis.”

According to Science Daily,

“Researchers from Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine and University Hospitals Case Medical Center report initial results from a small sample that inflammation from gum disease and prostate problems just might be linked.”

The research came about due to the fact that heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and diabetes have been linked to periodontitis.

Because periodontitis has been linked to heart disease, diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis, the researchers felt a link might exist to prostate disease as they both produce high inflammation levels.

“Looking at the results, the researchers from the dental school and the department of urology and the Institute of Pathology at the hospital found those with the most severe form of the prostatitis also showed signs for periodontitis.”

Now, you’re probably wondering the purpose of having two sizes of implants and who mini dental implants are for. Mini dental implants were designed to provide temporary support while larger implants were integrated with the bone. However, dentists found that the mini implants often could not be removed, because the bone tissue fused to them so quickly. Now mini implants are used as an alternative for patients who do not have enough bone mass for full implants or who cannot withstand the oral surgery.

Benefits of mini dental implants:

• Minimally invasive placement process
• Immediate denture stabilization
• No cutting or sewing (sutures)
• Minimal post-operative soreness
• Placed in just one visit

You may be asking yourself why, if mini implants are so great, can’t everyone have them. Full-sized dental implants are still the ideal tooth replacement. A larger implant offers optimal support, and they have an extremely long lifespan, lasting a lifetime in most cases. Because mini implants are so small, they’re more likely to cause complications in the future. However, mini implants are still a good alternative for patients with slipping dentures who cannot receive traditional implant therapy.

We use advanced technology, including digital X-rays and the Kodak 9500 cone beam scanner to determine your candidacy for dental implants. Dr. Fitzgerald will explain your options and review all the benefits and risks of implant therapy prior to treatment. With an implant-supported denture, patients can experience newfound confidence and peace of mind.

Call today to reserve your consultation with Dr. Lee Fitzgerald. Our Plano office serves the needs of Frisco, North Dallas, and other parts of the DFW Metroplex.