Month: August 2021

Read on for five important facts to know about dental implants for anyone who has been considering them.
Dental implants are virtually as strong as the natural teeth they replace

Dental implants are the only available tooth-replacement option that closes matches natural teeth in terms of strength and durability. People who have received dental implants experience an ability to bite and chew that is nearly identical to that which they enjoyed with their natural teeth.

Once a dental implant is placed into a patient’s jawbone, the bone fuses around the implant. It is such an incredibly strong bond that it mimics the natural strength of the tooth root that was lost at the implant site.

Dental implant surgery is not complicated or dangerous

Some people may think that because dental implant surgery involves implanting a prosthesis into the bone of the jaw, it is a complicated procedure. However, dental implant surgery is a routine procedure performed by thousands of dentists. Dental implant surgery has a success rate of over 98%. Anyone who is in reasonably good health and has enough jawbone to support a dental implant is a good candidate for the procedure.

It is quite easy to take care of dental implants

Though natural teeth are susceptible to cavities and decay, dental implants are not. Because they are made of materials that are not affected in the same way as natural teeth, dental implants cannot form cavities. Once the site of a dental implant has fully healed, normal brushing and flossing are all that is required to care for them.

Dental implants guard against bone loss

A natural consequence of tooth loss involves the loss of bone that had been supporting the missing tooth. In the absence of the tooth root, the jawbone resorbs or recedes. As the jawbone changes shape, it also changes the shape of the mouth. The loss of bone can result in the mouth looking sunken or concave, and may also cause wrinkles and fine lines to form around the mouth and chin. Dental implants mimic the shape and strength of natural tooth roots and help to preserve the jawbone, preventing these things from occurring.

Dental implants provide health benefits

Dental implants are not just a cosmetic procedure. By restoring a person’s natural ability to bite and chew, dental implants restore the ability to maintain a healthy diet. A study recently found that people who had lost five or more teeth by the time they turned 65 ran a higher risk of diabetes, osteoporosis and heart disease (Dentistry Today).

Do you need dental implants?

Dental implants can do more than just boost a person’s confidence or give them a bright, beautiful smile. Dental implants can actually help preserve and maintain health and a youthful appearance. Contact our office today to schedule a consultation.

In the rush of the last days of summer, it might be tempting to ignore your child’s summer dental exam, but skipping it could mean detention for your child’s mouth.

Back-to-school physical? Scheduled. New clothes and shoes? Bought. But don’t forget about your children’s teeth! It may be tempting while you’re squeezing in every last minute of summer fun to skip their summer dental appointment, but it’s every bit as important as a yearly physical. Plus, most schools require a dentist’s signature verifying your child has a clean bill of dental health.

Scheduling a dental visit before the start of the school year saves time rushing around before or after school, and your child won’t miss any school time. It’s estimated that children miss more than 50 million hours of school each year due to dental visits. Cavities are the most common chronic childhood disease, and early detection is key to simple treatment. By scheduling a dental checkup before school starts, you can beat the rush!

Here Are Some Tips for A Great Checkup (For You and Your Child)

Schedule an Appointment First Thing in the Morning or After a Nap – Schedule appointments when your little one is most cooperative and alert. If your child gets cranky when they’re hungry, try an appointment right after breakfast. If your child has a short attention span, try the first appointment in the morning or right after lunch when there’s less chance of the office running behind schedule.

Keep Your Phobia to Yourself – If you have a dental phobia, try not to let your kids see you sweat. Children are very perceptive, and if they see you cringe the second the instruments come out, they’re going to associate the dentist with being a scary place before they even open their mouths. Smaller children lack the verbal skills to communicate clearly, so they become masters at interpreting visual cues and body language. Try to breathe calmly and avoid language that might scare or intimidate a child. Don’t use the words, shot, drill, or pain or threaten to hold them down if they don’t sit still. Remember that positive experiences as a child are the building blocks for how they will look at the dental visits as they grow up. Keep it light and fun, and they’ll look forward to each visit.

Let an Older Child Lead by Example: If you’ve booked your children’s appointments back-to-back, let the child with the most dental experience go first so they can be a positive role model for the other child/children. Be sure to bring toys or a tablet and headphones to keep your other child occupied when they aren’t in the dental chair.
Don’t Forget Their Oral Appliances: If your child has a sports guard, retainer, or sleep apnea appliance, please bring it with you. Growth spurts and loss of baby teeth alter the way these appliances fit, and now is the perfect time to have them re-evaluated.

Keep the Office Number Handy: Emergencies happen. Make sure to keep your dentist’s number in your phone and remember to take a few business cards with you. Keep one in the car, at work, and tucked in your child’s backpack.

Get into the Groove: As summer winds down and bedtime routines start to get back into the swing, now is the best time to re-establish good at-home hygiene habits. Brushing before school and before bed for two minutes combined with daily flossing can help your child stay healthy between dental visits.

The back-to-school rush can get hectic, and it’s tempting to forgo your child’s cleaning and exam, especially if they don’t complain of pain or show any signs of cavities or other dental problems. But a child’s oral health affects their whole body. Making sure they start the school year with a healthy smile can save time out of school and prevent emergencies that are no day at the beach.