What are All-on-4 Full-Arch Dental Implant Bridges?
All-on-4 fixed dental implant bridges can be custom-created for your mouth. When you are missing all of your teeth or need all of your teeth extracted, All-on-4 fixed dental implant bridges be placed as one set of teeth on the top or bottom arch of your mouth.
A Superior Alternative to Dentures
According to The American Academy of Periodontology, when it comes to bone and dental health, full mouth dental implants are vastly superior to dentures. The implants replace some of the tooth roots and integrate with the jawbone, which better preserves the bone.
With conventional dentures, the bone that previously surrounded your tooth deteriorates over time. Implants are securely attached to your jawbone, making them much more stable and comfortable than dentures. They look, feel and function very much like natural teeth.
Should you get a tooth extraction?
Sometimes, getting a tooth pulled is a necessary part of maintaining dental health—especially in cases where leaving the tooth in question could pose an array of other (often much more serious) health concerns.
Here are five reasons you should get a tooth extraction.
Impacted Tooth
Impaction occurs when the growth of one tooth pushes directly against another. The tooth is susceptible to infection, causing red, swollen, tender, or bleeding gums. Typically, the culprit for this condition is the wisdom teeth.
Tooth Decay
The build-up of tartar and plaque causes tooth decay. If the condition gets bad enough, an infection can develop, causing intense pain, swelling, and redness. Once a tooth reaches this point, it may be necessary to completely remove the tooth and replace it with a dental bridge to avoid further health concerns.
How do teeth affect speech?
The oral cavity is a marvel of anatomy, with each part playing a distinctive role in various functions like eating, swallowing, and speech.
Teeth, together with other structures like the tongue, lips, and palate, are integral for the precise formation of many speech sounds. They provide a physical platform against which the tongue and lips create pressure to produce specific sounds, often referred to as consonants. For instance, the 't' sound in "teeth" requires the tongue to contact the upper front teeth, while the 'f' and 'v' sounds are created by the friction between the lower lip and upper front teeth.
When teeth are missing, misaligned, or malformed, it can lead to a variety of speech impediments. Loss of front teeth can affect sibilant sounds (like 's' and 'z') and lisping may occur. Misaligned teeth (or malocclusions) can also impede correct tongue placement and thus affect speech production. Similarly, children with prolonged thumb-sucking habits may develop a dental condition called open bite, which can impact their ability to articulate certain sounds properly.
How often should you see the dentist?
The answer for “how often should I see my dentist?” depends on who you are, your health history, age, diet, oral hygiene, and more. Even if you take excellent care of your teeth at home, it is still crucial for your long-term health to regularly visit your dentist for cleanings and check-ups.
No matter your age or health, most dental problems are not visible to the naked eye and don’t cause any pain initially. Your dentist and dental hygienist are the only ones who see the development of cavities, periodontitis, and oral cancer before it becomes a severe problem. They use a variety of tools that can help clean your teeth in ways a toothbrush and flossing cannot. The hygienist also looks for signs of inflammation and infection, and performs periodontal probing, which measures the depth of the gum pocket.
Needs Vary
No matter your health status or age, every patient should schedule at least two visits per year. Factors that influence the frequency with which you should visit your dentist include:
- Your general health history and medical condition
- The current state of your oral health
- Risk factors as assessed by you and your dentist
When it comes to the frequency with which you should visit the dentist, gum disease is one of the largest factors at play. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) reports that gum disease in the United States affects nearly 47% of adults over 30 years old. And once it starts, the damage is irreversible.
However, you can halt the progression of bone loss and gum recession and prevent it from doing more damage. The key to preventing gum disease is practicing good oral hygiene by brushing twice daily and flossing once a day and if need be, visiting your dentist every three to four months rather than the twice yearly exam and cleaning.
Schedule a Visit to the Dentist
Get into the swing of having two dental appointments per year by scheduling an appointment today.
What are fillings used for?
Dental fillings are used to treat cavities. These cavities are caused by acid waste products from bacteria in your mouth that feed on sugars and starch. One of the primary ways your dentist can go about treating your cavity is by removing the decayed portions of it and then filling it up with material known as dental or tooth filling. But what types of fillings are available?
What are the types of dental fillings?
Having a cavity filled, which is a crucial area of your tooth decay, is a routine part of oral health care. When getting dental fillings, your dentist removes the affected portion of the tooth, leaving a hole or empty space. The space will then be filled to even out the tooth’s surface, making it “feel” right in the mouth and protecting it from further decay.
Silver amalgam fillings
This is the most common type of filling. Silver amalgam is a mixture of minerals that contains 50% silver, 50% tin, zinc, copper, and 50% mercury. It’s a popular filling material among dentists because it’s strong, durable, and inexpensive. A typical silver amalgam filling can last up to 12 years.
What's the difference between tartar and plaque?
Understanding the differences between plaque and tartar is essential for maintaining optimal oral health.
Plaque is a thin, soft, and sticky film that continuously accumulates on the teeth. This film is a biofilm that comprises bacteria, saliva, and food residues. The resident bacteria metabolize sugars from the food we consume, resulting in the production of acids. These acids are responsible for demineralizing the tooth's enamel surface, leading to tooth decay, and can also initiate an inflammatory response, causing gum disease. Due to its colorless nature, plaque detection is often challenging, and the only indication may be a fuzzy coating on the teeth when brushing is neglected.
Tartar, on the other hand, is the hardened or mineralized form of plaque. If plaque is not removed effectively by daily brushing and flossing, it hardens over time, resulting in tartar or dental calculus. Tartar typically manifests as a yellow or brown crust around the gum line. More than a mere aesthetic concern, tartar provides an excellent surface for further plaque accumulation and acts as a barrier that inhibits effective cleaning of teeth surfaces.
How to fix your smile with cosmetic dentistry
For many of us, the reason we don’t smile as much as we might is that we’re unhappy with the way our smile looks. But don’t worry, cosmetic dentistry can get your smile back on the right track.
Shaping Your Teeth
Enamel shaping and contouring removes enamel to shape your teeth into a more pleasing appearance. This can also be combined with bonding, to build up teeth with wide gaps or that are noticeably shorter.
Replacing Missing Teeth
If you have lost teeth in prominent positions, this can have a huge impact on the appearance of your smile. But there is no reason why you can’t replace a missing tooth. This can be by means of a bridge, which is a false tooth or teeth anchored to the surrounding teeth to hold them in place. Or you might opt for dental implants, in which a false tooth is implanted into the bone of the jaw.
What is bruxism?
Bruxism, a term perhaps unfamiliar to many, is a common oral condition characterized by the involuntary grinding, clenching, or gnashing of teeth. Broadly categorized into awake bruxism (occurring during the daytime) and sleep bruxism (occurring during sleep), this condition can lead to a series of oral health complications if left unaddressed.
People with bruxism may be unaware of their condition due to its unconscious nature, particularly in cases of sleep bruxism.
Typically, bruxism is identified through its associated symptoms or by dental professionals during routine check-ups. Symptoms can range from jaw pain and headaches to increased tooth sensitivity and flattening or chipping of teeth.
Top questions parents ask about their children's teeth
New parents have a lot of questions—one important topic is their children’s teeth. We’re here to help you with answers from our team of professionals.
Do baby teeth matter?
The short answer is yes. Usually, we first see the front four teeth around six months during the dreaded “teething” stage. Like adult teeth, baby teeth are used for chewing, speaking, and smiling. But they are smaller and spaced further apart than adult teeth, so they also play an important role in maintaining space for the permanent teeth to come in. So if a baby tooth is lost or knocked out of the mouth prematurely, sometimes there are orthodontic consequences for that child’s future.
Is coffee good or bad for your mouth?
As the favorite morning ritual for many, coffee's potential effects on oral health have stirred up considerable discussion in the dental community.
On one hand, coffee possesses antioxidant properties due to its polyphenol content. These antioxidants can play a role in combatting inflammation, and some studies suggest they may protect against certain oral diseases like periodontitis. Moreover, coffee may also contribute to limiting the growth of certain cavity-causing bacteria, thereby possibly reducing the risk of tooth decay.
However, the relationship between coffee and oral health isn't all positive. One of the most widely recognized impacts of coffee consumption on oral health pertains to tooth staining. Coffee contains tannins, a type of polyphenol that causes color compounds to stick to your teeth, leading to a yellowish discoloration over time.
Do straight teeth matter?
Straight teeth create a beautiful smile, but did you also know there are benefits to your overall health? Here are five benefits of straight teeth you may not have known.
Better Digestion
When your teeth are crooked, you may not be able to chew your food properly. Poorly chewed food makes the intestines work longer and harder to properly digest whatever you've eaten. This issue can reduce the amount of nutrients you receive from your food, and it can also cause stomach issues.
Improved Speech
Crowded teeth or teeth that protrude where they shouldn't make it difficult to form certain sounds or speak clearly. Straightening your teeth can improve your ability to speak clearly and eloquently.