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Posts for: April, 2013

By Sandusky and Lexington Dental Care
April 27, 2013
Category: Uncategorized
Tags: dental implants  
WhosAfraidofDentalImplantSurgery

Performing dental implant surgery involves placing a metal post inside the bone of the jaw, and ensuring that it fits so precisely and functions so well that you never notice the tooth replacement — and yet it can last for decades. Does it sound terrifically complex or painful? It's not! In fact, the procedure has a success rate of 95-97%, the highest of any tooth replacement option. Here's what you need to know about dental implant surgery.

A dental implant is designed to replace the root part of the tooth. To replace the visible part of the tooth, a crown, bridge or denture can be attached once the implant is secure — which may be the same day or several weeks later, depending on the individual situation. Dental implants are made of titanium (or its alloys), because this metal has a unique property: it's capable of fusing to bone, a process called osseo-integration.

Before placing the implant, a lot of planning goes on — typically involving X-rays (radiographs), and sometimes CT scans. This ensures that the operation itself goes smoothly. When it's time for the procedure you'll receive a local anesthetic, and we'll make sure you don't feel anything.

Next, we access the bone itself, often by making a small flap-like incision in the gum tissue. The living bone is handled with extreme care as a tiny amount is removed to make space for the implant. After the implant is fitted precisely in the bone, the gum tissue is closed, often with self-absorbing sutures (stitches) that don't need removal. And then the procedure's over.

Is implant placement painful? The simple answer is no — most people feel no pain during surgery and very little discomfort afterward. At most, you may experience some mild vibration during the bone preparation process. If you're nervous about the procedure, it's possible to have a sedative or anti-anxiety medication beforehand. Afterward, taking mild non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication for a day or two is usually all you need to relieve any post-operative discomfort.

If you have questions about dental implant surgery, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can learn more in the Dear Doctor magazine articles “Dental Implant Surgery” and “Dental Implants.”


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By Sandusky and Lexington Dental Care
April 20, 2013
Category: Dental Procedures
TenReasonsforaSmileMakeover

You have only one chance to make a first impression, and a big part of that impression is your smile. For many people, poor self-image starts with being self-conscious and inhibited about their smile.

A great smile is contagious. It can help you win friends and influence people. Conversely, inhibitions about your smile can have a negative impact on your relationships with family and friends, your career goals, and even your love life. If you think that self-consciousness about how your smile looks is holding you back, consider a smile makeover. With cosmetic and restorative dental procedures your smile can be the image of radiant health and happiness that you wish it could be.

A smile makeover is designed to enhance or even transform your self-image by giving you a brighter and more youthful smile, making your teeth look and function better through cosmetic and restorative dental procedures.

Here are ten reasons you may need a smile makeover:

  1. You are self-conscious about spaces and gaps between your teeth.
  2. Your teeth seem too small, and your smile seems “gummy.”
  3. Your teeth make you look older because they are stained or yellow.
  4. Your teeth are crooked, chipped, crowded or worn out.
  5. Your teeth do not work together effectively when you are biting or chewing.
  6. You hide your smile when posing for a photo, and you habitually hold your hand in front of your mouth when speaking or laughing.
  7. When you are interviewing for a new job or networking as part of your current job, your self-consciousness limits your ability to connect with people.
  8. Your friendships and family relations are suffering because of your low self-esteem.
  9. You wish you had a certain celebrity's smile or a friend's smile, instead of your own.

Perhaps most importantly:

  1. Your inhibitions about your smile are affecting other people's perceptions of you in all areas of your life.

If any of the above sound like you, contact us today to schedule an appointment or to discuss your questions about cosmetic dentistry and a smile makeover. You can also learn more by reading the article “The Impact of a Smile Makeover: What does it really mean?” in Dear Doctor magazine.


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By Sandusky and Lexington Dental Care
April 12, 2013
Category: Oral Health
TheValueofMouthguards

Participating in athletic activities offers numerous well-documented health benefits — not to mention instilling the intangible values of discipline, teamwork and goal-setting. Of course, in nearly every sport, the possibility of injury exists as well. But don't let that stop you or someone you love from playing! Instead, you can learn about the potential hazards of dental injury, and take some practical steps to minimize the risk.

It should come as no surprise that injury to the mouth is an ever-present possibility in so-called “collision” sports like football and ice hockey. But did you know that the greatest number of dental injuries result from the games of baseball and basketball, which are often played informally? Even non-contact sports like skiing, bicycling and skateboarding carry a real risk of injury.

Who suffers dental injury? Men are slightly more likely than women — but only by a small percentage. Injury peaks in the teenage years, and seems to decrease afterward — but older athletes tend to have more severe problems. In short, most anyone who participates in sports is subject to possible dental injury.

Besides the obvious aesthetic imperfections, a damaged or missing tooth can also result in functional problems with the bite — a potentially serious condition. If a tooth can't be immediately replanted, restoring it can be expensive: The total cost of each tooth replacement is estimated at $10,000-$20,000 over a lifetime. So tooth damage or loss can cause a multitude of troubles.

The American Dental Association (ADA) has recommended that participants in all of the sports mentioned above — as well as two dozen others — should wear a custom-fitted mouthguard. Why? Because when it comes to dental injury, an ounce of prevention really is worth a pound of cure.

Numerous studies have shown that wearing a custom-fitted mouthguard is an effective way to prevent dental injury. According to the Academy of General Dentistry, mouthguards prevent some 200,000 injuries each year. And the ADA says that athletes who don't wear mouthguards are 60 times more likely to sustain harm to the teeth than those who do wear them.

Off-the-shelf mouthguards in a limited range of sizes are available at many sporting-goods stores. But these can't compare to the superior protection and durability offered by a mouthguard that's custom-made just for you. Using an exact model of your teeth, we can individually fabricate a piece of protective gear that fits correctly and feels comfortable in your mouth. A custom mouthguard may be more economical than you think — yet its real payoff comes in preventing dental injury.

If you have questions about mouthguards or sports-related dental injuries, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can learn more in the Dear Doctor magazine articles “Athletic Mouthguards” and “An Introduction to Sports Injuries & Dentistry.”


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By Sandusky and Lexington Dental Care
April 05, 2013
Category: Oral Health
Tags: tooth pain  
ConfusingToothPain

Is it a root canal problem, a gum infection, or both?

Sometimes it's difficult to pinpoint the source of tooth pain; it can result from an infection of the tooth itself, or of the gum, or even spread from one to the other. Identifying the origin of a toothache is important, however, so we can choose the right treatment and do all that we can to save the tooth.

When a tooth becomes decayed, bacteria can infect the sensitive, living nerve tissue deep inside the tooth known as the root canal. This condition is called an endodontic (“endo” – inside; “dont” – tooth) problem. The infection inside the tooth can spread to the periodontal ligament (“peri” – around; “dont” – tooth) that encases the tooth and attaches it to the jawbone. Occasionally, infection of endodontic (root canal) origin can spread out from the end of the tooth root all the way up the periodontal ligament, and into the gum.

The reverse can also happen: dental pain can originate from periodontal (gum) tissues that have become diseased. Gum disease is caused by a buildup of bacterial biofilm (plaque) along the gum line. It results in detachment of the gums along the tooth surface. In advanced cases, this bacterial infection can travel into the nerve tissues of the dental pulp through accessory canals or at the end of a tooth.

To figure out where pain is coming from when the source is not obvious, we need to take a detailed history of the symptoms, test how the tooth reacts to temperature and pressure, and evaluate radiographs (x-ray pictures).

Unfortunately, once dental disease becomes a combined periodontal-endodontic problem, the long-term survival of the tooth is jeopardized. The chances for saving the tooth are better if the infection started in the root canal and then spread to the gums, rather than if it started as gum disease that spread into the root canal of the tooth. That's because in the latter case, there is usually a lot of bone loss from the gum disease. Effectively removing plaque from your teeth on a daily basis with routine brushing and flossing is your best defense against developing gum disease in the first place.

If you would like more information about tooth pain, gum disease or root canal problems, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this diagnostic dilemma by reading Dear Doctor magazine's article “Confusing Tooth Pain.”


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