Dentures Vs Implants: Which One Is Best for Me?

Many people underestimate the impact of lost teeth. Teeth that have been knocked out and not replaced in time or an abscessed tooth that gets extracted, won't grow back.

While some people can tolerate those embarrassing gaps left from missing teeth that also make eating and speaking more difficult, most dental patients can't.

Whether you've lost your teeth from an accident, disease, or excessive use you've probably been juggling the idea of dentures and implants. The only problem is that you don't know which one will be the most effective treatment option for your smile.

Only your dentist will be able to recommend the best tooth replacement treatment option for your needs.

Below is some information about dentures and implants you can use when discussing your treatment options with your dentist and help you get a better idea about which option would be best for you:

Dentures

Dentures have been the long-standing tooth replacement treatment that is the best option for patients who are missing most or all their teeth. Dentures have come a long way since your grandparents or even parents' time. While dentures today operate and function the same, most are made with enhanced technology such as 3-D imaging and printing. The result is dentures that fit more securely and comfortably and look more like the patient's natural teeth.

Most modern dentures still require adhesive glue or bond to secure the dentures in place and they need to be removed when eating and overnight for cleaning.

Even partial dentures require time for you to get used to and initial discomfort may occur, even with better-fitting dentures.

Dentures are the best option for patients who have many missing teeth, don't mind the inconvenience of removing them while eating or taking them out to soak and get clean every night.

Dental Implants

While dentures work best for restoring the smiles of patients with many missing teeth, implants are ideal for patients with one or two missing teeth here and there. One prominent gap in a smile is just as embarrassing as having no teeth to show off. Additionally, even having one missing tooth can cause additional dental health issues, like crooked teeth, in the future.

Dental implants are metal screws, usually made of titanium, that is inserted into a patient's jaw and capped with a crown, or fake tooth. Dental implants close embarrassing gaps in one's smile as well as fill in the space to prevent additional dental issues from occurring.

Dental implants can also be a good option for patients missing a couple of teeth in a row. Dental bridges are a series of crowns that are anchored to the jaw on either side by dental implants.

Unlike dentures, dental implants are permanently affixed to the jaw. They can withstand biting, eating, and drinking and they allow one to speak clearly. With dental implants, the patient's mouth will feel and function normally with little to no discomfort.

Dental implants have a fast recovery time, making them a good option for those who want their smile looking beautiful in a hurry.

The only reason a patient won't be eligible for dental implants is that he or she has weakened or damaged jaw bone tissue that reduces the strength of the jaw.

Patients with a couple of missing teeth, who don't want to deal with the inconvenience, discomfort, and possible awkwardness of dentures would be best suited for implants.

A Third Way

For some patients, there is another option: All-on-Four Dentures. This teeth replacement treatment combines dentures and implants to produce permanent dentures that look and function like your natural teeth. You can even care for these dentures like you would regular teeth.

This option is relatively new and is offered in a handful of high-end dental offices. These types of dentures are great for patients who have prematurely lost most or all their teeth, yet have adequate jaw bone mass and strength to support implants.

If dentures and implants are both great ways to fill in the gaps in your smile due to lost teeth. Both have their advantages and purposes. Having a basic understanding of the two can help you in your discussion with your dentist.

The Importance of Proper Dental Hygiene and Care

Ever since you were little, either your parents, dentist, have told you the importance of proper dental hygiene. You know that brushing and flossing your teeth daily will cut down on bad breath and lower your risk of cavities and gum disease.

But what is the big deal? If you develop gum disease or tooth decay, can't the dentist easily fix it at your six-month check-up and cleaning?

Tooth decay and gum disease are bad news and not things to take lightly. Yes, cavities can be treated with fillings and crowns, but these dental procedures will cost you. Crowns, especially can be so expensive and require multiple trips to the dental office.

Most American adults have some form of gum disease. Fortunately, in most cases, the severity isn't that great and the disease can be stopped and reversed with professional dental procedures like deep cleaning, root planing, and scaling, and root canals. Sometimes improved at-home dental oral hygiene may be enough to reverse a patient's gum disease.

Like cavities, treating minor gum disease can be expensive and time-consuming with multiple appointments needed.

What happens when a patient who doesn't practice sufficient, proper at-home dental hygiene has moderate to severe tooth decay and gum disease?

First, the extent and invasiveness of the necessary dental procedures to treat them will increase which means more expenses, more time in the dentist chair, and longer recovery time. A root canal, for instance, will be more expensive, painful and take longer to recover from than a filling or deep cleaning, for example.

There is likely going to be more pain and discomfort and one's ability to chew and bite may be hindered. If you don't daily brush and floss your teeth and the plaque builds up on your teeth and along the gum line, your teeth and gums will become more sensitive and the decay weakens them. Infection-like symptoms such as pain, discomfort, swelling, and bleeding are likely to occur, which can make everyday life miserable. The discomfort can be constant or it can come about with chewing or consuming hot or cold foods and beverages.

If nothing is done about the gum disease or tooth decay and infrequent, poor dental hygiene is continued, tooth loss and the breakdown of the jaw bone can occur. The loss of teeth and the disintegration of the jaw bones will make proper eating and clear speaking difficult. On top of that, one's once proud, bright, straight smile will be destroyed by embarrassing gaps.

Patients may think that a few missing teeth are no big deal, but it is missing teeth that prevent people from smiling and experiencing the positive effects of showing off their beautiful, natural smiles. People who don't smile are seen as unhappy, negative, self-conscious, and anxious. Social and professional opportunities can be missed as friends and others will avoid someone who doesn't smile and bosses will more likely pass over employees who don't smile, and therefore, lack confidence, for jobs and promotions.

Missing teeth can also cause other teeth to grow crooked, which will require even more dental work to be done.

Patients who don't practice daily, proper, dental hygiene risk needing expensive, extensive dental procedures, lower quality of life, missing teeth, and compromised jawbones.

When your dentist stresses the importance and needs for proper dental hygiene, don't ignore it. You will be glad you didn't in the future.

Why Is Gum Maintenance Important?

Often when patients think of oral health, they think of plaque, tartar, and cavities. All effort is put into making sure the teeth are free of staining, and more importantly, cavities. Patients tend to think getting cavities is the worst outcome possible.

The emphasis on maintaining great-looking, healthy teeth could come from the fact that children are told that cavities are the ultimate oral health concern and that proper oral hygiene is necessary to prevent them. It could also come from the fact that teeth are more visible. When you smile, it is the teeth, not the gums, that make the smile beautiful.

Proper dental care, however, involves teeth brushing and flossing. Why is flossing important?

Brushing the teeth and flossing between them are both ways to keep your teeth clean, but flossing below the gum line?

This deep, proper method of flossing is often ignored as it is tedious, time-consuming, and uncomfortable to many patients. This often excluded part of proper oral hygiene has possible serious consequences as the health of one's gums become compromised.

Gum Disease: Nothing to Overlook

While cavities are often emphasized, and rightly so as untreated cavities can spread to other teeth and possibly result in lost teeth, gum disease, especially periodontitis can have equally devastating impacts on one's smile and oral health.

Plaque build-up can occur in the pockets of the gum along the gum line just as easily and quickly as it can on the surface of teeth. When plaque builds up in the pockets of gums between the tooth and the gum tissue, it is harder to remove than that which is on teeth.

While cavities can be treated with fillings and crowns, gum disease requires more extensive dental procedures including gum planing and scaling and in some instances, a root canal. These procedures take longer and often have a recovery time.

It is necessary to have strong and healthy teeth and gums to have a healthy mouth and to preserve one's beautiful smile. If the health of one is lacking, the greater one's chances are of losing teeth, which will not only ruin one's smile and lower one's self-esteem and quality of life but will increase the possibility of additional, more serious oral health issues to occur.

Why Gum Health is Important

While one's teeth are key to making one's smile great, one's gums are necessary to keep one's teeth securely attached to the jaw bone. If the health of the gums is compromised, teeth can become loose and fall out, diminishing one's smile and hindering one's ability to eat, speak, and have self-confidence.

Maintaining and caring for one's teeth is important to one's dental health, smile, and confidence, but it is only half the equation. The most overlooked gum health play just as important role in oral health and maintain one's smile, chewing and speaking as teeth do. It is the gums that keep teeth securely attached to the jawbones which preserve a healthy bite.

Proper flossing may be tedious, time-consuming, and uncomfortable, but your gums, oral health, and ultimately your overall health and well-being will thank you.

How to Get More Water in Your Diet

Water makes up 60% of your body, including 70% of your heart and brain and 80% of your lungs. As such, your body needs an adequate amount of water to function efficiently and properly. Both doctors and dentists recommend that their patients drink at least 8 glasses of water each day.

The Health Benefits of Water

The overall and dental health benefits of water are significant and many. Those who drink an adequate amount of water have healthy body weight, can think clearer, stay focused better, feel better, have more energy, and have clearer skin.

Their mouths are also healthier, with a reduced risk of tooth decay, gum disease, dry mouth, and bad breath.

Good health is something we all want and strive to attain, but if we're honest, most of us don't come close to drinking the recommended amount each day.

We try to make up for the deficiency of water intake by emphasizing a healthy diet and exercise. While good diet and exercise are important and necessary for good health and for warding off sickness and disease, adding an increase in water intake is still crucial for optimal, long-lasting health.

Why don't we drink as much water as we should?

There are many reasons that people fail to drink water including a busy lifestyle. Our days are often characterized by busyness. When we wake up or feel thirsty in the middle of the afternoon at work, we shrug it off and work through. We ignore our body's signal to drink water.

When we do drink beverages, more often than not they are loaded with caffeine and sugar. The chaos of the day wears us down and our automatic source for replenishment and energy comes in the form of a cup of coffee, a can of soda, or a shot of an energy drink.

Water lacks flavor as well as the caffeine and sugar that we crave. We therefore, give it a pass.

Water and Oral Health

It was mentioned earlier that people who drink the recommended amount of water each day have a lower risk of getting cavities, gum disease, bad breath, and dry mouth. But why? Water is the key.

Saliva is your body's natural mouthwash. It is made of water and healthy bacteria. You need saliva to keep plaque and tartar from building up on and between your teeth and along the gum line between brushing and flossing.

Patients with dry mouth have a harder time controlling plaque formation and cavity formation. As a result they also have worse smelling breath.

People don't brush and floss their teeth after every meal or snack consumed throughout the day. This is where saliva comes in to help keep your teeth's surface moist to prevent germs and bacteria from clinging on.

Saliva, however, is not always enough to keep your mouth clean throughout the day. While saliva does help clean your mouth out, if there are food particles that can't be removed, the bacteria in the saliva will react with the bad bacteria to produce smelly breath and initiate the production of sugar that can lead to cavities.

Drinking water will help the saliva remove more leftover food particles, lowering the number of particles that can form into cavities.

How to Incorporate Water Into Your Day

Now that you know how and why water is important to your oral health, here are some tips for incorporating more water into your daily diet:

· Drink a glass of water right when you get up, even if you don't feel thirsty

· Take a sip of water after each sip of coffee or soda

· Limit the amount of coffee, soda, and juice you consume in a day

· Substitute a glass of water for a cup of coffee or soda

· Alternate a glass of water between glasses of soda and cups of coffee

· Drink from the drinking fountain each time you use the restroom

· When you're thirsty, force yourself to choose water

· Fill and bring a water bottle with you wherever you go

· Create a fun competition with friends and family to see who can drink enough water each day. Those who don't drink enough have to reward those who do

· Snack on foods like celery, apples, and watermelon that have a high water content

· Set a daily goal for yourself and reward yourself each time you meet your water consumption goal

· Have an accountability partner who can text, email, chat or call you throughout the day to check in on your water consumption

Water is important to your overall and dental health. There are many small steps you can take to incorporate more water consumption into your day

Signs You're Not Flossing

You have likely heard how necessary daily flossing is. You may have started off with a strong, consistent flossing hygiene regimen, but the busyness of life eroded your flossing dedication and commitment.

Maybe you've never been a fan of flossing. You don't want to set aside the 1-minute each day to floss. Maybe the act of flossing and causing your gums to bleed freaks you out so you just don't do it.

Whatever the reason is that you don't regularly floss, you're putting your dental health at risk and your dentist or dental hygienist looks in your mouth at your next dentist's office visit, they will know you aren't flossing.

Even if you diligently flossed for an entire week before your dentist's office visit, the long-term effects and symptoms will still be obvious.

What are the signs that you're not flossing? Here are the most noticeable ones:

Bad Breath

When you don't floss, leftover food particles will rot and decay in the crevices on and between teeth that your toothbrush can't reach. When anything decays, a foul odor is often an unpleasant result. With germs and plaque building up and decaying between multiple teeth around the inside of your mouth, you can bet your breath will be significantly worse than normal.

And if you think mouthwash will eliminate the smell, think again. The mouthwash may provide temporary clean, fresh breath, but it will eventually subside and the unpleasant smell will return. To completely get rid of the smelly breath, you must get rid of the source, which can only be done through flossing.

Cavities That Spread to Other Teeth

Cavities are not always the result of the failure to floss. They can be caused by improper teeth brushing. If tooth decay, however, spreads from one tooth to nearby teeth, it is an indication of poor flossing habits.

When one daily flosses, plaque is not allowed to build up between teeth that can spread cavities to multiple teeth.

Discoloration Around the Edges of Teeth

When you brush your teeth, you're cleaning only the front and chewing surface and maybe the back of the teeth. Your teeth may be white as snow on the front, but that isn't enough to fool your dentist.

When you don't floss, the edges of teeth, particularly the edges that are between teeth, will be discolored.

This is because your toothbrush can't reach in those tight, small spaces as dental floss can.

Bleeding, Swollen, Inflamed, Sensitive Gums

The most common and obvious telltale sign that you don't floss are weak, sensitive gums. Gums that aren't regularly flossed become more vulnerable to gum disease which can cause them to turn red, become inflamed and bleed easily.

Even if your gums are swollen, inflamed, or red, if they bleed easily or are easily sensitive when your dentist flosses them during your routine cleaning and exam, it will notify them that you don't regularly floss.

Your gums will be sensitive and bleed some when you first begin flossing. The more you floss, however, the stronger your gums will become and they will no longer be irritated by flossing.

Flossing is an important part of proper at-home dental hygiene. By not flossing regularly, you'll increase your risk of gum disease and cavities which can ultimately lead to lost teeth and jaw bone decay.

Sensitive Teeth? You May Have These Dental Issues

It's a chilly day and as you walk by the grocery store, you catch a whiff of yummy French onion soup. As your mouth begins to water, you come to the sobering realization that while the soup may taste good, it will be a pain (literally) to enjoy.

The same kind of intense, dull tooth and jaw ache happen when enjoying overly cold delights such as ice cream.

You probably think you just have sensitive teeth and there's nothing you can do about it. You just keep using sensitive teeth toothpaste and hope for the best.

Your sensitive teeth could be simply that, but it could also be a greater dental problem that your dentist should look at.

Possible Dental Conditions

Sensitive teeth are a telltale sign that the enamel of your tooth or teeth has been worn down and weakened. The tooth enamel is the hard, protective barrier that protects the inside of the tooth, including the tooth pulp. The pulp of the tooth is where blood vessels and nerves of the tooth are. It is also where the tooth roots are that affix the tooth to the jaw.

When the nerves of the tooth pulp are exposed, as when the tooth enamel is weakened, tooth sensitivity and pain often result.

The wearing away of tooth enamel has many causes which prompt a visit to your dentist. The most common dental issues that result in the weakening of tooth enamel include tooth decay, broken or chipped teeth, teeth grinding, and gum disease.

Tooth Decay (Cavities)

Tooth decay is the most common destroyer of tooth enamel. Tooth decay is the result of poor and inconsistent dental hygiene practices, a poor diet, and being a part of a high-risk group, such as those who smoke and who have certain health conditions such as diabetes that can lower one's immune system functionality.

Cavities are formed when germs and bacteria of leftover food particles decay and interact with saliva, producing a sugary substance that eats away at teeth enamel.

Cavities can be easily treated with fillings or a crown (if the tooth decay affects a large area of a tooth).

Broken or Chipped Teeth

Teeth enamel can also be weakened due to injury and trauma such as when a tooth is broken or chipped. Teeth that are broken and/or chipped should be treated by a dentist immediately. Permanent adult teeth don't grow back once they fall out or get broken. The best chance to save the tooth, in either case, is to have a dentist treat it immediately.

If broken or chipped teeth aren't immediately treated, a host of dental treatment options will be employed to preserve what is left of the tooth including crowns, inlays, onlays, and veneers. Many of these dental treatments are considered cosmetic dental procedures and may likely not be covered by dental insurance.

Teeth Grinding or Clenching

Sometimes tooth enamel is worn off by the excessive grinding and clenching of teeth. The rubbing of the teeth surfaces and the extreme pressure put on the surface of the teeth can easily break down the enamel over time.

This condition of clenching and grinding of teeth is called Bruxism. Most patients with Bruxism often clench or grind their teeth at night while they are asleep. Most aren't aware that they have it.

Patients with Bruxism can be treated with the use of specialized mouth guards that are worn at night while the patient sleeps. The soft rubber mouth guard cushions teeth which protect them from further damage of grinding and clenching.

Gum Disease

Sometimes tooth sensitivity is caused by gum disease. Gum recession, (when one's teeth look unusually long) is a sign of moderate gum disease. When there is moderate gum disease, the pockets of gum tissue around the roots of teeth loosen and deepen, causing the gum tissue to pull away from the teeth, exposing parts of the teeth that are normally protected and covered by gum tissue.

As these gum pockets widen and deepen, there is a greater chance that food particles will get lodged inside and begin to infect the roots of teeth (the part of teeth that anchor them to the jaw). If gum scaling and planing aren't performed by the dentist, the gum recession will worsen and lead to teeth being lost and the bone tissue of the jaw becoming weak and compromised.

If your teeth are sensitive, it is important to schedule an appointment with your dentist and find out the source of the sensitivity.

What You Need to Know About Dental Malpractice

Going to the dentist holds its fair share of worries. From worrying about problems with your teeth to stressing about the pain of dental procedures, you might have your plate full. But have you ever considered the outcome of your dentist doing something wrong that causes you more and more pain in the long run? Maybe you find yourself in that situation right now. You may have heard of medical malpractice, but the same can happen in the dental world, too. You need to understand what dental malpractice is, so you can learn how to fight it and receive the compensation you deserve.

What is Dental Malpractice?

The definition of dental malpractice is simple enough. When something your dentist does-or doesn't do-results in your injury, you've been the victim of dental malpractice. Some common examples of dental malpractice may include:

· Delayed or incorrect diagnosis

· No diagnosis

· Unnecessary treatments

· Improper administration of anesthesia

· Severe injury because of treatment

· Treating the wrong tooth

Can You File Suit?

If you think you've been a victim of dental malpractice, you're likely also wondering if you have grounds to file a lawsuit against the dentist that did you harm. In most cases, you can, but you first need to make sure you have a legitimate case of dental malpractice on your hands. Before you can file a lawsuit against your dentist, you'll need to be sure you can perform four things:

1.Dentist-Patient Relationship - This is the easiest step, and is typically not disputed. You need to prove that you had a relationship with the dentist.

2.Medical Standard of Care - Next, you need to establish a standard for the level of care one can expect to receive from dentists in your area for your particular situation. You'll typically need an expert witness to verify this step.

3.Breach of Standard - After you've established the standard, you'll need to prove how your dentist breached that standard of care. This is often the hardest part because you'll need to prove without a doubt that what your dentist did cause your harm.

4.How Serious? - Finally, you'll need to establish how serious the injury was. If the injury was minor, it may not be worth it to pursue a lawsuit.

Should You File Suit?

If you can perform the four steps listed above without a problem, you're likely a good candidate for a dental malpractice lawsuit. But does that mean you should still pursue one? Every situation is different, and it's best if you take the time to consult with an attorney who deals with dental malpractice cases.

The more time you take to prepare yourself for a potential lawsuit, the faster the overall process will go. A seasoned and experienced attorney will be able to help you perform the four steps listed above, and will be able to best advise you on how to proceed.

If you think you've been a victim of dental malpractice, it's best to consider all options before your injury or condition gets worse. That way, you can receive the care you need to fully recover.