Posts Tagged ‘teeth’
Types of Dental Implants
There are a variety of types of dental implants available as there are many different circumstances under which patients could require them. As well, no two patients’ mouths are exactly the same. The majority of dental implants on the market today are constructed from an inert metal called titanium. Titanium has been found to work exceptionally well at connecting with live bone tissue in the mouth. The process where titanium fuses with existing bone is referred to as “osseointegration.” Either a periodontist or an oral surgeon who works from the hospital or a private clinic usually undertakes dental implants.
Root form implants are “cylindrical or screw type implants” that greatly resemble the form of a root of a tooth with a surface area that makes for good adhesion to the existing bone. Root form implants are the most commonly used of all dental implants and there are positioned in a patient’s mouth where the depth and width of the jawbone is the greatest. If the patient’s jawbone is deemed either too short or too narrow for root form dental implants then sometimes bone grafting will need to be done before implants can be even considered an option for the patient.
Some patients have jawbones that for one reason or another (such as a very narrow jawbone) make bone grafting impossible therefore an other option must be taken into consideration. This option is called plate form implants. This narrow implant can be positioned directly into the existing bone. In other more extreme cases when there is a great deal of bone loss, another type of implant, known as the subperiosteal implant may be used. This type of dental implant is placed on top of the bone while still being under the patient’s gums.
Another type of implant is an artificial bone substitute which is made of synthetic material land is positioned on top of the existing bone to do two important functions- first to help encourage the rebuilding and regrowth of the ridge that is shrinking and secondly to provide as much support as possible for the fitting of dentures. The material used in this kind of implant is very much like a person’s natural bone therefore it easily affixes itself to the jawbone and begins to grow. An other form of dental implants, known as endosteal implants are placed directly into the patient’s jawbone and take over the function of the root of the tooth.
Root form implants are used in the case of deep, wide bone and their purpose is to provide a foundation for the replacement of one to a number of missing teeth. The shape of the plate form implant is both long and flat as it is designed to fit into the mouths of patients who have narrow jawbones. Subperiosteal implants have two methods for placement in the mouth- the “dual surgery method involves an impression being taken of the bone and later the jawbone is exposed and the implant is put in place; the second is the “single surgery” method whereby a CAT scan is taken of a patient’s jawbone and from that, a model of the jawbone is designed.
There are four types of bone grafts. The first, autografts are taken from the patient’s own body. The second grafts, allografts come from recently deceased human donors. The third type, xenografts are taken from animals, most often cow (called bovine). The fourth type, alloplastic grafts are inert and are constructed from synthetic man made materials.
Dental implants are frequently the best treatment option for replacing missing teeth. Thanks to http://www.dentalimplantsguide.com/
Overcome Your Fear of the Dentist
A fear of the dentist is common
Millions of people suffer from dental phobia. Most people who find out that they are not alone are shocked to see how common this phobia really is.
The fear of the dentist is a strong fear but is actually quite harmless. Mature adults are often aware that there dental phobia is irrational, but this fear is often hard to overcome when just thinking about going to the dentist causes fear, anxiety, and panic attacks. Study show numbers as high as 25% of the population of North America suffers from fear of the dentist
“A fear, or phobia, traditionally defined as an irrational and exaggerated fear of dentists and dental procedures. Some controversy exists with regards to whether the fear is “irrational”, as dentist phobia is most commonly caused by previous bad experiences. Furthermore, there appear to be several subtypes of dental phobia, which to date have not been adequately described and categorized, for example “fear of dentists” versus “fear of specific dental procedures”, needle phobia, and dental phobia resulting from previous, perhaps unrelated, abuse. Not all of these fears can be deemed irrational. Dentist phobia may better be defined as an extreme and persistent fear which results in the individual’s avoidance of attending a dentist at all costs, unless possibly when a physical problem becomes overwhelming. ” Source: wikipedia
It is very common for people suffering from dental phobia to miss their dental appointments. They will come up with any reason to miss it, including mystery illnesses. The problem with this is that without proper dental treatment the problem with your teeth will only get worse. The fear of the dentist usually starts in childhood, often from a dentist who may have accidentally hurt the child, or from a visit to a dentist who is used to working with adults only. It should not be forgotten that a fear of the dentist plays in your mental and emotional states; it can affect your business and your social life.
What you can do to minimize or eliminate a fear of the dentist
Look for dentists who specialize in treating people with anxiety disorders. These dentists often approach their practice from a physiological point of view. This may include relaxation or visualization exercises for the patient.
Many dentists also help reduce patient fears through the use of drugs. This is great for people who can not seem to get over their fears. You simply go in sit down, take a pill and fall asleep. When you wake up your dental work is done, and although you may feel a little sleepy, you are ready to go home without any stressful memories.
Talk to your dentist about your fears, they may not know that you have them, there is nothing to be ashamed of. If this does not help you are always free to shop around. I used to be afraid of the dentist, and then I moved to a new city and found a new dentist who I talked to about my fears. This dentist had worked with many patients who have a fear of the dentist and he helped me to fear safe and relaxed and actually enjoy my trip to the dentist.
Find dentists in your area. Thanks to http://www.fear-phobia.com/uncategorized/fear-of-the-dentist
Proper Dental Hygiene Measures
Dental caries and periodontal disease can be prevented by a successful dental hygiene program. A good dental hygiene program should include the following:
1. Proper regular tooth brushing techniques.
2. Proper eating habits and good diet.
3. The use of fluoride water and other fluoride-containing substances like toothpastes and mouthwashes.
4. Regular visits to the dentist including a thorough dental check-up and prophylaxis.
All these can provide optimum oral health, free from dental caries and periodontal disease.
A well balanced diet and the limited consumption of foods that contribute to dental decay are the first steps to a successful dental hygiene program. Our mouth is naturally inhabited by acid forming bacteria. These bacteria feed on starches and sugars. Acid is formed when bacteria act on starch or sugar. The acid formed causes enamel degradation, which is the starting point of any dental caries. For this reason, it is important to minimize and if possible, avoid foods that are rich in sugar and starch. Examples of these foods are richly filled pastries, doughnuts and peanut butter. These foods are particularly harmful because these tend to stick in the tooth surfaces. Sweetened canned fruits with heavy syrup, citrus-flavored candies and sweetened fruit juices are also high in sugar content. Chewing gums, breath sweeteners and carbonated beverages are harmful not because they contain large amounts of sugar but because of the frequency with which they are ingested. Artificially sweetened foods, drinks and chewing gum are better options.
Regular brushing of the teeth using the proper techniques is the next step in following a good dental hygiene program. It is advised to brush the teeth two or three times a day but if you are keen on keeping to a good dental hygiene program, it is always better to brush after every meal and after taking any food in between. A good brushing technique will remove the food particles lodged in between the teeth and in the natural pits and fissures of the chewing surfaces of the teeth. This can also remove the plaque that sticks to the teeth surfaces. Removing the food particles will also prevent foul breath or halitosis. Halitosis, however, can also be caused by several other factors including a badly decayed tooth, eating certain types of foods like garlic and onions and infections of the tonsils, sinuses or throat. Using dental floss to remove food particles trapped in between the teeth is also a very important part of a good dental hygiene program. Dental floss can remove food particles lodged in between the teeth that sometimes even a good tooth brushing technique cannot accomplish.
Sometimes ill fitting, old and worn out dental appliances like dentures, orthodontic appliances and bridges can be the source of gum irritation. These dental appliances should also be taken cared of in a similar way to natural teeth. All removable dental appliances should be removed after every meal or snack and should be cleaned with a special brush. Don’t let food particles accumulate in these appliances. Rinse the appliance with running water when it is impossible to clean it thoroughly with a brush so that food particles can be removed. Soak the appliance overnight once or twice a week in a solution of sodium hypochlorite. This solution helps remove stains on the dental appliance.
The use of fluoride water is another important factor in maintaining good dental hygiene. Most U.S. water systems today are already treated with fluoride. It has been observed that the use water treated with the right amount of fluoride can actually help prevent dental caries. Fluoride is found to strengthen the enamel. Fluoride can also be topically applied to the teeth to children ages 13 and below. There are also toothpastes and mouthwashes available in the market today that contains fluoride.
The last step in maintaining good oral hygiene is the regular visits to the dentist. This should start around the age of three. A visit to the dentist after every six months is recommended. Your dentist will have all the knowledge on how you can maintain good oral hygiene. He or she will be able to recommend to you any steps or procedures necessary to maintain and continue enjoying good dental health.
Though we all know the importance of dental hygiene, it is still the case that many of us fail to take care of. Thanks to http://dental-guides.com/
How to Find the Best Dental School
You’re out of undergrad and have decided that dentistry is your future. The next step is to select a dental school. Choosing the right dental school can be a vital factor in determining the course of your career. Your dental school will require a serious time and financial commitment, so you want to be sure you are giving yourself the best opportunity possible. Here are some things to consider when choosing a dental school.
Not all dental programs are alike. Are you interested in community care? General practice? Teaching? Research? Each dental program may have a different focus, and you need to know if the focus of the school you are considering fits in with the kind of dentistry you want to practice. Some schools practice a traditional classroom instruction model, while others are organized according to a more broad problem solving pedagogy. You will need to decide which approach offers the best opportunities for learning for you.
You will need to make a decision based on the physical location of the school. Are you looking for something close to home, or are you willing to go far away to study dentistry? Are you prepared to take on the financial burden of not only tuition, but of living expenses in your new location if you choose to go away to school? Do you find the school aesthetically pleasing? This may seem a minor concern, but you will be spending a considerable period at the school that you choose, and at times you may be under intense pressure. Having the right environment may be the difference between graduating on time at the top of your class and a much less appealing alternative.
You should consider what kind of facilities the school has. If you are interested in lots of hands on research, obviously a state of the art laboratory will be desirable. If you are more interested in patient care, a school with access to a large hospital or community service center may be better for you.
You also need to think about the reputation of the school versus the likelihood of your being accepted. You can easily find out the percentage of applicants accepted and their average GPA and test scores for any of the top schools. You obviously want a school with a great reputation, but if it is not a school that is likely to accept you or if you would have too much difficulty meeting the requirements if you are accepted, this can be an unnecessary waste of time and money.
If you can, you should meet with the faculty and students at the programs you are most interested in. Talking with people already involved in the program will give you the best feeling for whether or not it is the right program for you to pursue your dental education.
Choosing a dental school is the first of many decisions that will start you on a path towards a career in dentistry. If you take the time to make an informed, intelligent decision here, the choices that follow will be that much easier for you.
Before applying to dental school, you must determine whether it is the right career choice for you. Thanks to http://careersandeducation.com/
How Do Dental Implants Work?
There are all kinds of dental issues that dental implants are able to solve. If you have teeth that are decaying faster than you can get them fixed, if you were born without all of your adult teeth and your baby teeth have caved in, or if you have severe structural problems in your mouth you might find implant solutions to be the best possible solutions. Younger patients with tooth loss may very well consider the importance of structural support for their gumline.
When you a tooth, the bone structure that is under your gums starts to reshape and you end up with bone loss along the gum line. If you lose numerous teeth, especially those that are right next to each other or front teeth, the structure of the bone starts to sink away, creating a void over a period of time. It may take five years or as long as ten years, depending on whether you smoke, have other bone diseases, or have very low bone density.
Dental implants help protect against bone loss and facial structure. They are also much easier to maintain and have proven to be less of an embarrassment risk than partials or dentures. Your mouth ends up with less bacteria because you don’t have the adjoining plate that holds the teeth against your gums, the roof of the mouth, and up against other teeth. In some cases, the plate riding against the other teeth traps enough bacteria to promote additional tooth decay.
The implantation process will take a few months but it can lead to a permanent smile that you’re proud of and comfortable with. You will find that you aren’t constantly worried about plates slipping or having to take your plate out every night before bed. You can use implants to help dentures and partial retain a much better fit over time or you can use them to help support teeth that are not very strong and may very well cause problems in the future.
The first step in the process is the implantation of the structural support. This is kind of like a stud, so to speak. It is placed under the gum and you have to wait for it to fuse with the bone, your mouth to reshape, and swelling to disappear entirely before moving on.
The part of the implant that was placed under the gum line into the bone should have fused by now and you will be ready to get your restoration teeth. This requires a simple dental impression and the crafting of the new teeth. You’ll probably need several follow up visits in order to make sure that the teeth fit well, are strong enough under pressure, and aren’t causing any additional problems or irritation.
Once you’re done with the process, make sure you completely understand and follow through with your dentist’s recommendations for cleaning. Many dentists like to do a regular cleaning once a year or once every five years that includes removing the implanted teeth to clean them. Some dentists don’t find this method necessary. Ask the question and understand the answer to ensure that you and your dentist are on the same page.
Fortunately, dental implants are more readily available than they were even just a decade ago. They aren’t quite as cost prohibitive as they once were, and the results are even more beautiful. You can feel good about smiling and laughing again.
Toronto Dentist provides advanced cosmetic and general dentistry procedures such as Invisalign Toronto, teeth whitening and more. Professional implant dentist Toronto can help restore your teeth and your smile.
Teeth Whitening Through The Ages
A smile is a universal form of communication. Ever since mankind began, men and women have been obsessed with efforts to keep their teeth clean and bright to enhance their smiles. Some of the methods used were pretty crude by today’s standards but they laid the foundation for the modern approach to oral hygiene. Let’s take a brief look at the history of teeth whitening.
In 3000 BC toothbrushes were known as chew sticks, made of little branches that were frayed at one end. Our forefathers cleaned their teeth with these to remove debris. In the early 1400s the Chinese were the first people to use a toothbrush with a bamboo handle and hog bristles. European traders were very interested in these objects and took them home. From then, many cultures and countries began to use similar toothbrushes.
Louis Pasteur, a French bacteriologist, caused some alarm when he discovered germs. People learned that hog bristles could be responsible for oral infections. Scientists continued to search for a more sanitized substitute, but they were only successful in 1935 when nylon was discovered by Wallace Corothers.
Du Pont, an entrepreneurial company, initiated a massive campaign to market Dr West’s Miracle Tuft Toothbrush throughout the USA. The public were informed about the dangers of hog hair and the numerous benefits of nylon. But Dr West’s toothbrush was ill-fated because it was so stiff that it caused gum damage. Dentists throughout the USA shunned the product. But du Pont persisted and finally, some 20 years later, it presented the Park Avenue soft-bristled nylon toothbrush to the world.
The Squibb Company caused a dental revolution when it introduced the first electric toothbrush in 1961. The product received the stamp of approval from the American Dental Association and, over the coming years, the electric toothbrush became much improved. Today they are battery operated, cordless, and even sonic.
In 2000 BC the Egyptians were the first to start teeth whitening. They used a mixture of crushed pumice stone and wine vinegar which was rubbed onto the teeth using a chew stick. This might sound gross, but wait until you hear what the Romans did – they whitened their teeth with urine! Roman physicians were adamant that urine contained bleaching properties.
History shows that it wasn’t dentists who offered teeth whitening to the public. It was in fact barbers who were often asked to extract rotting teeth. After filing the teeth, they would apply a caustic acid as a whitener. It proved to be effective but, in the process, the enamel was destroyed.
Italian dentists were the first to realize that dental discolorations could be eliminated with fluoride. In the 1840s they recommended that children be allowed to suck sweetened lozenges containing fluoride. The benefits appeared to be so positive that fluoride was added to tap water, mouthwashes and toothpaste. This was discontinued years later when it was found that fluoride was the cause of discoloration of teeth in later life.
Here we are now in the 21st Century and mankind is still making efforts to get the ultimate smile with teeth whitening procedures and products. According to the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry there has been an increase of 300 percent in the last five years in the number of bleaching and whitening procedures. These are a far cry from methods used by our ancestors!
Invisalign braces Toronto is an inexpensive way to straighten and enhance your smile dramatically. Cosmetic dentist Toronto offers various tooth whitening options to help you achieve the look that you want.
Some Information On Invisalign Braces
Are you a person that is in need of straighter teeth? Do you or someone you know have children that need braces? Is the reason you have not seen a dentist about these concerns because of the stress of metal braces? If so, then there is an alternative method you can choose; invisalign braces.
Invisalign braces are different from metal braces because they do not contain any metal at all. They are instead made of thermoplastic material. The aligners are clear and are custom made to fit. They are similar to traditional braces only in the way that they move teeth little by little. Align Technology Inc. Is responsible for making them and the company was founded in 1997.
These clear aligners are a good option for people that fear the anxiety metal braces can cause. The metal version is often seen as not appropriate for their age by adults. Also, it is common to think that metal braces are for children that are in high school or elementary school. In addition to adults, younger people sometimes do not like the idea of metal braces as well due to the look of them. Younger people are more concerned about their looks than others so they see wearing metal in their mouths as embarrassing and unattractive.
Discomfort can be caused by traditional metal braces. Having them put into your mouth means that your teeth will be bound by brackets and wire. Afterward, patients are advised to take painkillers due to the pressure exerted by them onto their teeth. Clear braces do not cause irritation and the process does not cause pain since it does not require tightening them monthly.
To find out if you are a good candidate for clear braces, your dentist will take a bite impression to see if the treatment would be an effective one. Not every case is suited for Invisalign braces as a solution. If you do qualify, you will be fitted will aligners and will have to see your dentist about one time per six weeks to assess your progress. The clear aligners also have to be replaced every two weeks.
Another benefit of invisalign braces is that they can be removed. When you drink, eat, brush, and floss your teeth, you can take them out. Though, they will need to be worn for twenty to twenty-two hours per day. They should only be removed at times for those reasons.
Insurance coverage, the amount of time it takes for your teeth to completely straighten, and the price depends on what your dentist determines. Since every patient is different, it will vary. Not every orthodontic office has clear braces as an option so check which local offices do.
If you are weary of traditional metal braces, then you should consider invisalign braces. They are not painful and they do not require any metal nor metal adjustments. They are a convenient option for those who want to correct the alignment of their teeth. See your dentist with any questions and concerns because they are the only people that can tell you if they will work for you or not.
Dentist Toronto provides advanced cosmetic and general dentistry procedures such as dental implants, Teeth whitening in Toronto and more. Professional implant Toronto cosmetic dentist can help restore your teeth and your smile.