Who is a Good Candidate for Dental Implants?

March 12, 2020May 1, 2020 by drhansen

A dental implant can replace a single tooth or multiple missing teeth in the mouth. Implants are often made of titanium, which allows them to provide you with a strong, durable restoration option. The implant itself can hold onto a single dental crown, a larger fixed bridge or even a full denture plate. There are many benefits to having crowns placed, so it is a restoration you may want to consider if you are currently missing one or many of your teeth.

What Makes Someone a Good Candidate for Implants?

Most patients are viable candidates for dental implants. The implant is embedded deep into the jawbone, where it is given time to fuse with the surrounding bone. This process takes just a few months and once the implant has healed, a crown or other restoration can be made for you. In order for the implant to heal properly, you should have enough healthy, solid bone in the area where it is going to be placed. We will perform an exam and take x-rays to ensure that you do not have areas of bone loss. However, even if you do have bone loss, this doesn’t mean that you cannot have dental implants. It simply means that you will need a bone grafting done prior to having the implants placed.

What Can You Expect During the Procedure?

The procedure will involve sedation or anesthetic of your choosing. We then make an incision through the gums and make a small hole through the actual jawbone. The titanium implant is then placed inside of this hole. It is given time to integrate and fuse with the surrounding bone. This process of osseointegration can take anywhere from about three months to nine months. The amount of time it takes for you to heal will depend on the amount of implants placed and your unique ability to heal from surgical procedures. You can then have a special restoration made that will sit on top of the implant. This might be a crown or a bridge, and some patients even have full overdentures made to restore their smiles. You will feel good in knowing that most implants can last a lifetime and will always provide you with a smile you’ll love.

If you would like to learn more about dental implants and to schedule a consultation appointment, call us today to speak with one of our knowledgeable staff members.

How Long Do Dental Implants Last?

March 12, 2020April 1, 2020 by drhansen

A dental implant is specifically designed to replace one or more teeth within the mouth. Implants are ideal in that they help to correct smile problems without the need for constant repair or replacement. The implant itself will be inserted into the jawbone and given some time to integrate and bond with the surrounding bone. When this happens, it’s a solid part of your smile and can be used to keep crowns, fixed bridges and full overdentures in place.

How Long Will Implants Last?

Most dental implants can last for decades without showing any signs of damage or disrepair. In fact, there are many patients who have dental implants that are four to five decades old that are still going strong. A lot of the reason behind the implant’s longevity has to do with the fact that it bonds with the jawbone itself. Once bonded, the implant becomes a solid part of the bone and can be a wonderful foundation for other types of dental restorations. While there are some factors that can contribute to how long the implant lasts, most patients will have them for many years without needing to get them replaced.

How to Extend the Life of Implants

The best way for you to extend the life of your implants is with proper oral hygiene. Bone loss can and will eventually affect the underlying implant. For this reason, it’s important to prevent bone loss from happening. Because bone loss can be caused by untreated gum disease, careful brushing and flossing are both important to keeping your smile healthy and strong. If you do have gum disease, you should consider treatment options so that it does not get worse. Regular trips into the office will allow us to check on the implant. We will take x-rays to make sure that the implant has healed properly and that there are no signs of it being damaged or loose. If you experience any problems with your implant months after it’s been placed, it is important to come into the office for a follow up visit. This will give us a chance to make sure that the implant was given enough time to heal and that it is bonding with the surrounding bone with little to no problems.

If you would like to learn more about implants, call us today so that our friendly staff members can further assist you.

Everything You Need To Know About Malocclusion

March 3, 2020March 3, 2020 by drhansen

There are oral conditions that can affect your body’s functions such as chewing, talking, the ability to balance, posture and more. In this post, we will tell you everything you need to know about malocclusion.

What is malocclusion?

Dental malocclusion is a problem of the bite or the way the upper and lower teeth fit together. Alterations in maxillary bone growth or that of the teeth is a fairly common condition today. This can affect the aesthetics of your mouth and can also result in chewing disorders, posture balance, and more. This condition is common in children and adolescents. It can be treated through different orthodontic and dental procedures.

Possible causes of dental malocclusion

Malocclusion can be caused by various factors. Genetics happens to be one of the most relevant.
In many families, poor dental positioning is common. Another cause of this condition is the development of sucking habits. These are mainly generated in childhood with breastfeeding, pacifier and finger sucking. Other habits that influence the appearance of malocclusion are atypical swallowing of food. And the interposition of the tongue or the thrust of the teeth through it.

Prolonged breathing through the oral cavity is also an element that is associated with the generation of this pathology. Similarly, the premature loss of baby teeth and the lack of permanent teeth due to a failure in the eruption of it can cause malocclusion.

Consequences of malocclusion

A defective bite in addition to affecting the aesthetics of your smile and your face, can cause different complications.

Wear and tear of dental pieces

Improper positioning of the jaw or teeth can cause friction or poor contact between them. In the long term, this can cause wear or in severe cases fractures in the teeth.

Oral diseases

Crowding of teeth makes dental hygiene a complicated process. Sometimes this does not allow the bristles of the toothbrush to penetrate certain areas. This causes the accumulation of food remains and bacteria resulting in the development of tooth decay and gum infections that can be quite serious and bothersome.

Joint pains

Alterations in the position of the jaw and teeth generate tension in the muscles and tendons of the face. This can cause severe pain in areas such as the jaw, cervical and head joints.

Posture and balance problems

The relationship between an imperfect bite and the general posture of the body is a recent discovery by the Department of Physiology of the University of Barcelona and that of Innsbrurck in Austria.

Bad posture and other motor alterations may be slightly related to malocclusion. This is because the nerves that are responsible for performing functions such as chewing and balance control are affected. Like the muscles of the jaw and the cervical area.

Although in normal conditions the bad positioning of your jaw does not have a very broad relationship with the ability of your body to remain stable. This increases when you find yourself in a situation of much fatigue or instability.

How to prevent malocclusion

Since hereditary factors are one of the main causes, it is best for children to go to a pediatric dentist. This may diagnose the condition early.
Control feeding, dental hygiene and sucking habits, as well as teeth pressure in children, mainly in the most important stages of development.
Be vigilant with maintenance and dental space when a piece is lost. This can be done through the use of special retainers.
In case they detect the malocclusion prematurely, it is best to start treating it with the methods indicated by the orthodontist.

Temporomandibular Joint Surgery (Tmj)

March 3, 2020February 8, 2020 by drhansen

WHAT IS THE TEMPOROMANDIBULAR JOINT (TMJ)?

The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) acts as a hinge connecting the lower jaw to the skull bone. This articulation is located on each side of the face, just in front of the ears. It allows to chew and to speak properly.

WHAT ARE ATM DISORDERS?

When the temporomandibular joint is not functioning properly, symptoms such as pain, crunches, and movement limitation may occur in the joint and associated muscles. A dysfunction of the temporomandibular joint is a set of symptoms that can manifest itself in a very variable way, associating one or more of the following manifestations:

Painful manifestations (ear pain, headaches located in the temples, jaw pain)
Joint manifestations: joint sounds (clicking at the opening of the mouth, screeching), pain limitation or not mouth opening, discomfort with chewing and feeding, sensation of joint instability, and closed mouth blockage or open mouth blockage
Other manifestations such as tinnitus or tinnitus

WHEN TO CONSULT?

Consult a dental professional if you experience the following signs and symptoms:

Throbbing pain in the front of the ear
Difficulty chewing or discomfort during chewing
Facial pain
Difficulty opening and closing the jaw
Click or crunch sensation when you open your mouth or chewing
Change in occlusion (the relationship between upper and lower teeth)

TREATMENTS

In most cases, the pain and discomfort associated with TMJ disorders can be relieved by non-surgical care and treatment. Your dentist will advise you in the choice of treatment and refer you to the appropriate professional. As with most joints, the goal is the most conservative treatment possible to correct the reported symptoms.

Conservative treatments

Tips that can help you understand what is causing your TMJ disorders and behaviors that can make your pain worse, so that you can avoid them. For example, clenching or grinding your teeth, leaning against your chin, or biting your nails. Occlusal Plates: In many cases, people with jaw pain will benefit from a molded plastic denture inserted into the teeth (helps balance the pressure on the teeth and relieve tension in the TMJs). Exercises or physiotherapy sessions are often beneficial to regain proper mobility of the jaw.

MEDICATIONS

In conjunction with other non-surgical treatments, medications that may help relieve the pain associated with TMJ disorders may include anti-inflammatories, painkillers, muscle relaxants, to name a few.

SURGERY

When conservative methods cannot solve TMJ problems, your maxillofacial surgeon may suggest surgical procedures ranging from simple infiltration to more complex surgeries. For cases of arthritis or severe arthro-degenerative disease your maxillofacial surgeon may even propose to replace the joint in question with a metal joint prosthesis.

Dental Bridge Or Implant? Advantages And Disadvantages

March 3, 2020January 3, 2020 by drhansen

When a patient loses a tooth, the same doubts always arise as to how to replace the lost tooth. In the case of a loss of a single tooth, there is the possibility of replacing it with a dental implant or with a dental bridge.

The difference between the two is that with the dental bridge you have to lower the neighboring teeth, making a carving of the teeth to be able to cover them with the porcelain bridge. The fact of having to carve the dental pieces is already an inconvenience, especially if the teeth to be carved are healthy. By carving natural teeth that are healthy, we could weaken them. In the case that the teeth we have to carve are affected by decay or are weakened, then it would be a good option to cover them with the fixed bridge to reinforce them and thus, we would replenish the missing tooth.

The great disadvantage of dental bridges is precisely the fact that, in order to replace a lost tooth, it is necessary to carve neighboring natural teeth. On the other hand, dental implants also have their drawbacks, the first is the economic factor; Dental implants are priced much higher than dental bridges. This factor means that not all patients see the placement of dental implants viable.

Unlike the dental bridge, to place an implant it is necessary to go through surgery, and this can cause pain, swelling or bleeding in some cases. With implants there is a possibility that there will be a rejection of the implant, but they are usually isolated cases. Dental implants have a success rate of around 90% for the upper jaw and 95% for the lower jaw. But in many cases the success of a dental implant is above 90%, as long as it has been done properly and the patient has followed the instructions mentioned by the surgeon.

Dental implants have many advantages such as a treatment that is performed permanently and are durable, for this reason it is usually more profitable in the long run. By placing the dental implants we leave the adjacent teeth intact, there is no need for carving and they will remain healthy in perfect condition. The dental crowns (dental covers) that we place on the implants have a very natural appearance and are very aesthetic, being very similar to natural teeth and are in perfect harmony with natural neighboring teeth.

The best advantage of dental implants is that it is a durable and permanent solution, being a much more stable treatment than any other treatment alternative, they adapt perfectly to the rest of the dental arch. With dental implants, the function of the teeth is completely restored, the patient can again enjoy a chewing ability and a practically perfect bite.

Another advantage of dental implants is the comfort they offer us, this comfort is given to the fact that they feel like natural teeth since they are anchored to the bone and need less care than other treatments; such as dentures. The difference between dental bridges and implants is time, while for the realization of the dental bridge the treatment process can be about 2 or 3 weeks, the procedure for restoration with dental implants can be extended from 3 to 6 months.