IOMSA

Not everyone is blessed with perfect teeth. Many people would tell you they lack the smile they’ve always wanted due to genetics, disease, and sometimes even accidents. Fortunately, we have a solution. With dental implants, you will no longer feel self-conscious about your smile; but rather delight in having a new and improved grin!

What are dental implants?

Technically, dental implants are replacement roots for missing teeth. First, the implant, a titanium screw, is inserted into the jawbone. Next, a removable or permanent replacement tooth is attached to the top of the implant to mirror the appearance of your natural teeth. Currently, over 3 million people worldwide have dental implants and the technology has reached a point where each procedure has a 98% success rate.

Why should I get dental implants?

Beyond simply improving the appearance of your smile, dental implants include many other benefits:

• Oral health: Unlike other restorative procedures, dental implants do not necessitate the reduction or alteration of neighboring teeth, thus resulting in improved oral health overall. Additionally, dental implants do not interfere with access to neighboring teeth, so it is no harder to brush or floss.
• Longevity: While other dental aides such as dentures and bridges inevitably require replacement, dental implants are extremely durable, lasting many more years and in some cases even a lifetime!
• Convenience: Dental implants do not ever need to be removed for activities such as eating, drinking and brushing, and do not require adhesives. They act, look and feel just like natural teeth!

How much do dental implants cost?

Dental insurance does not always cover the cost of dental implants. However, in the long run, dental implants are usually cheaper than other restorative procedures. Because they do not need to be replaced, the initial investment for implants is well worth the price.

Dental implants are becoming a popular trend in the world! Call us to set up an appointment to upgrade your smile!

Dental Implants have become commonplace, with over 3 million people worldwide hosting some sort of implant. Unfortunately, their rising popularity has been accompanied by an increasing number of misconceptions about what they can and can’t do.

Let us help you to understand which of these common messages are true and which are fabricated.

Message #1: Dental implants are more expensive than traditional restorative methods.

Verdict: True and False. While the initial implant installation is more costly than other dental restorative procedures, over time, maintaining dental implants is much easier and cheaper. Other procedures require eventual replacement. For example, dentures require replacement after 5-10 years while dental bridges must be replaced every 7-10 years. So in the long run, dental implants can be less expensive than these alternative procedures.

Message #2: Dental implants are exceedingly painful.

Verdict: False. Like most forms of oral surgery, dental implant installation does involve some discomfort. However, patient accounts reveal that the pain is not worse than any typical tooth extraction as doctors use local anesthesia to address and minimize any discomfort during the procedure.

Message #3: Dental implant placement often fails.

Verdict: False. While dental implants do have the possibility of falling out, it is very rare for this to happen. In fact, reports show that 98% of dental implant surgeries are successful.

Message #4: Only young people should get dental implants.

Verdict: False. There is no reason healthy, elderly patients cannot receive implants. In fact, there are many cases of patients 90 and older undergoing dental implant placement surgery with great success!

Don’t let these common misconceptions get in the way of your decision to get dental implants. Give us a call…we’d be happy to discuss your concerns about dental implants with you to give you a better idea of what this procedure can do for you.

Have you ever thought about the possibility of growing new teeth? Of course, when we are younger, this phenomenon does occur, with adult teeth replacing our missing baby teeth. Many scientists and doctors, however, believed it was impossible, or highly unlikely for adults to ever form new teeth.

Yet only recently, researchers in Sweden have discovered that such a feat may one day become commonplace. While most scientists did know that the pulp in teeth contains a certain amount of stem cells, the Swedish researchers of the Karolinska Institute have discovered the origin of these cells.

These stem cells are typically used to help reform damaged teeth by assisting with the restoration of tooth tissue. Upon further examination, however, the researchers have discovered that these stem cells originally were nerve cells of the tooth. These cells leave the nerves at early stages of development, changing their identity to become part of the connective tissue, which forms dentin underneath the enamel.

The future possibilities for this discovery are almost endless. Using these nerve tissues, it may be possible for scientists to manipulate the stem cells to form new adult teeth. As these teeth will essentially be copies of one’s original teeth, this innovative process may replace veneers and other restorative processes as the best form of teeth restoration.

In fact, the benefits of this discovery may not stop with just teeth. Igor Adameyko, from Sweden’s Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, believes that all types of peripheral nerves, not just the ones found in teeth, “may function as important stem cell reserves.” Adameyko hypothesized that these “multipotent stem cells can depart from the nerves and contribute to the healing and reformation of tissues in different parts of the body.”

To summarize this exciting research, tooth nerve cells may be the key to a new wave of human recovery and restoration, and adult tooth creation is only one of these recently discovered benefits!

How much do you know about dental implants? With the increasing popularity and availability of dental implant surgery worldwide, patients are gaining more and more knowledge about dental implants every day.

But did you know these five important facts?

1. Dental implants are appropriate for almost all ages. Not just for the elderly, dental implants are frequently placed even in the mouths of young adults. As long as the jaw has stopped growing (after puberty; age 16 for girls and age 18 for boys), a dental implant can be placed with great success.
2. The titanium post actually fuses (osseointegrates) with the natural jawbone. They grow together to form a stronger foundation for replacement teeth. So dental implants actually improve the bone structure in the jaw, they don’t just fill it in.
3. The “dental implant” is actually just the titanium post, one of three parts of the whole process. Other parts used in the full procedure that we think of as “dental implant surgery” are known as the abutment (the connector) and the actual replacement tooth itself (the crown).
4. Dental implants preserve jawbone, whereas other teeth replacement options can lead to bone deterioration. Bone is similar to muscle in that it must be used in order to maintain its mass. When a tooth goes missing and the site is left untreated, the jawbone underneath tends to deteriorate. Dental implants eliminate this problem by securing a natural-like tooth right into the jawbone and thus utilizing (and preserving) that area of bone.
5. Dental implants protect their neighbors. By contrast, a traditional, tooth-supported bridge involves the grinding away of the teeth on either side to act as a hammock for the bridge. With dental implants, the jaw is the anchor and support for the artificial tooth.

The bottom line? Dental implants offer a safe and manageable alternative to traditional tooth replacement methods.

We don’t have to tell you: the winter holidays mark one of the busiest seasons of the year. With shopping, parties and vacations jam-packed on the calendar, it’s no wonder that many people take shortcuts when it comes to oral health maintenance during this time. If you are traveling during the holiday season and you want to avoid a January surprise cavity (or worse), here are some simple tooth travel tips to help you keep your smile intact.

1. Don’t leave home with a toothache! If you suspect you have any lurking problems in your mouth, schedule an appointment prior to your travel date so that you don’t end up with a tooth emergency while out of town. Research emergency dental clinics in your destination city and have those numbers handy to ensure that your time off is as relaxing as possible.
2. No one ever regrets buying travel-sized gear. Keeping a travel toothbrush, floss and toothpaste on hand in addition to trial sizes of your favorite toiletries reduces your packing time, and not just during the holidays.
3. Splurge on probiotics! Diseases and germs run rampant in buses, airports and other communal places that you might encounter during your trip. Researchers believe that probiotics are not only good for the gut; they may help maintain optimal oral health too!
4. Toothbrushes don’t last forever! Generally, dentists recommend that you buy a new toothbrush every two to three months when at home. However if you are traveling, your toothbrush is exposed to even more bacteria. It’s best to toss it when you return home and swap it for a fresh brush, even if it hasn’t hit the three-month mark yet.
5. Chewing gum is a limitless oral-health-on-the-go tip! Bringing sugar-free gum with you has multiple benefits; not only does it taste good and make your breath smell fresh, but the gum can help remove food that may be stuck in your teeth as well, acting as a secondary toothbrush.

If you, a friend or a family member have diabetes, you may have heard that this common disease increases a person’s risk of gum disease and other oral health problems. But did you know that this relationship is a mutually distressing one? Not only does diabetes make gum disease worse, but gum disease can actually make diabetes worse too by interfering with blood-glucose management strategies.

Here, we shine some light on the relationship between diabetes and oral health, and what you can do about it.

Diabetes makes it difficult for the body to fight infection. Whether the infection is located in the mouth, the leg or any other part of the body, poor circulation suppresses the immune system, making it harder for the body’s natural infection fighting responders to do their job. This means that if you have diabetes, you are more prone to gum disease, and other oral health problems too such as thrush and dry mouth.

On the flip-side, gum disease can also make diabetes worse. Whenever the body is fighting illness or an infection (such as a cold or the flu or even gum disease), blood sugar spikes are harder to control with regular methods and thus extra monitoring and control-measures are required.

Are you wondering what you can do to minimize this damage? First and foremost, keep your blood sugar under control using the methods that your physician has prescribed. Next, practice good oral health maintenance with regular brushing and flossing. And finally, don’t skip regular trips to the dentist and other oral health professionals. If you have diabetes, you cannot afford to ignore this important part of your body.

Have you been thinking of upgrading your current tooth replacement strategy but aren’t sure where to start?  This is a great time of growth in modern dentistry, especially when it comes to replacing missing teeth!  With the evolution of dental implants, patients don’t have to suffer some of the pains of the past when older, traditional tooth replacement methods were used.

Traditionally, missing teeth were always “fixed” with bridges or dentures.  And while both of those procedures are still in use by dentists and do still serve an important purpose, they often cause unintended problems in the mouth that modern dental implants may be able to alleviate, or avoid completely.

What is a dental implant, you may be asking?  At the most basic level, a dental implant is simply a prosthetic tooth that is mounted to a metal post which is screwed into the jaw bone.  The procedure is typically done in two visits.  During the first procedure, a titanium screw is inserted into the jawbone, where it is allowed to “settle in” and bond, a process that takes about six to eight months.  After that, the dentist creates a prosthetic tooth and attaches it to the titanium post for a fully functional (yet fake) tooth!

The benefit of dental implants is that, unlike dentures, they are almost unnoticeable by the patient.  Anyone who has had dentures knows that they tend to slip and wear down and sometimes even cause mild pain or discomfort.  With dental implants, you will not even know they are there.  They function just like a natural tooth in your mouth, no slipping, movement or separate cleaning required.  Similarly, patients who are used to receiving bridges may benefit by an upgrade to an implant as bridges have a tendency to invite bacteria and infection, requiring additional replacements.

Whatever your concerns about dental implants are, we are here to help.  Give us a call today to see if dental implants might be right for you!

We all know that a little bit of snoring here and there is perfectly normal.  So how do you know when it’s snoring that you’re dealing with and when it’s sleep apnea?

Rest assured, we get this question all the time.   And the answer is that while a formal diagnosis has to be done by us here in the office, you may be able to get a better idea of which scenario you are dealing with simply by answering a few questions at home.

Here are some of the most commonly reported symptoms of sleep apnea.  Do you experience any (or several) of these?  If so, give us a quick call and we can schedule a consultation to diagnose (or rule out) and treat your condition.

• Snoring with pauses, after which choking or gasping follow.  Ask a bed partner to observe your sleep habits or set up a recorder overnight.
• Excessive sleepiness (falling asleep) during the day.   This happens because the breathing pauses during the night cause your brain to repeatedly disturb your sleep just enough to make you start breathing again.  Consequently, you never spend enough time in the restful part of sleep to be fully rested the next day.
• Memory problems, concentration problems
• Headaches, especially in the morning
• Frequent trips to the bathroom during the night
• Dry mouth in the morning
• Moodiness, irritability and depression

While sleep apnea is a fairly common sleep disorder, it is an important one to tackle because it can cause damage to the organs over time.  Treatment options range from CPAP machines that give pressurized oxygen while you sleep to surgery.

If you think that you may have sleep apnea, please don’t hesitate to contact us for a consultation. 

Especially with the younger crowd, this is a question we get time and time again in our office!  And understandably so!  To some, removing the wisdom teeth seems like it should be an elective procedure, not a necessary one.

You have probably heard the statistic that 85% of people have to have their wisdom teeth (also called “third molars”) extracted at some point during their life.  But you may be wondering “Why?”  (As in “Why fix it if it isn’t broken?”)

Well, as it turns out, naming these teeth “wise” demonstrates a very questionable use of vocabulary.  “Wisdom” teeth actually turn out to be more like “trouble makers” for most people, and the common removal of them during the young adult years is done as a necessary preventative measure to avoid much bigger problems down the road.

What kind of problems are we preventing? 

One of the problems wisdom teeth present is that often there is no place for them to grow.  The average mouth is designed to accommodate 28 permanent teeth, not 32.  What ends up happening is that the third molars start to grow horizontally, inward or outward or even into the jaw bone, eventually crowding the nerves and causing pain.

In the case of impacted teeth, they may be “stuck” in the jawbone, only able to partially erupt through the gums.  This can create an inlet for bacteria with the potential to cause serious infection inside the mouth and jaw area.  Furthermore, brushing and flossing becomes a problem, which leads to more problems with decay and infection.

Still not convinced as to why we would perform the procedure now instead of just waiting to see if you develop problems later in life?   Great question!  As it turns out, we have a very good reason for that as well:  In a teen or young adult, the removal of wisdom teeth is much easier to perform with less pain and complications simply because the roots have not fully formed yet.  Once those roots set in the surgery becomes more complicated.

We understand your hesitations about wisdom teeth removal, and we’d be happy to answer any other questions you have about your wisdom teeth, give us a call today!

As with many dental health procedures, the treatment of TMJ (temporomandibular joint) disorders requires a cooperative approach between you (the patient) and me (the doctor).  Once we have diagnosed the condition and narrowed in on the problem, we have many different treatment options to explore together.   And luckily, most cases of TMJ do not require surgery.

Symptoms of TMJ disorder range from an aching jaw and painful ear to difficulty chewing. Oftentimes there is a clicking noise when chewing.  And occasionally, locking of the joint can even occur.

The causes are just as wide-ranging as the symptoms.  Sometimes TMJ disorder is caused by a lack of cartilage, sometimes by a blow or impact injury, and occasionally it can be caused by excessive teeth clenching or grinding.

Once we have diagnosed (or ruled out) TMJ disorder, we can get to work on developing a treatment plan for you.  Here are some common treatment options that we will discuss in the office, divided up by: things we will do in the office and things you can do at home.

In the Office, we may:

• Administer medications to reduce the immediate pain and relax the muscle.
• Provide you with a splint (night guard).  The purpose of this is to keep your teeth apart during the night, allowing the muscles to relax.
• Provide you with an anterior positioning appliance to keep your jaw forward.
• In EXTREME cases, where the jaw can’t open or is dislocated, surgery may be recommended.

At home, we may ask you to:

• Be mindful of keeping your teeth apart and resting your jaw when not eating.
• Use ice and heat packs to comfort the area.
• Eat soft foods.
• Be aware of your posture.
• Try a stress management routine that might include biofeedback.

Whatever type of jaw pain you are having, please give us a call so that we can help you figure out how serious it is and what to do about it!