A dental implant might sound like a simple tooth replacement. What’s the big deal with placing an artificial tooth into the socket? Why does it have to cost so much?
Some dentists like to explain using the example of completing a home improvement project.
Unlike a new car or phone where you just head off to a store to pick it up, making a change to your home takes many other factors into consideration:
Likewise, getting a dental implant is about far more than just putting a fake tooth in place of the lost one. It takes a good deal of careful planning, which requires a lot of time and the use of costly equipment.
You’d probably agree that especially where your health is concerned, you want to get the job done right the first time. A dentist or oral surgeon who really knows their craft and takes their time to perfectly place dental implants is worth every dollar spent.
A cheap dental implant deal, on the other hand, doesn’t speak well of the quality or experience behind it.
Not to be forgotten are the overhead costs. Your implant fee isn’t going straight to the dentist’s pocket. Dental materials are pricey, dental equipment is expensive, and then there are lab fees, clinic maintenance bills, and employees to be paid.
That’s all taken into consideration when you get billed for an implant.
Ask your dentist how you can get an affordable and high-quality dental implant.
Posted on behalf of:
Gainesville Dental Group
1026 Thompson Bridge Rd
Gainesville, GA 30501
(770) 297-0401
Lots of dental offices advertise sedation dentistry as a way to just sleep through treatment.
Sleep dentistry, however, is actually a term for taking medication that helps you relax during treatment. It doesn’t put you to sleep.
Like any other medical procedure that uses sedation, there are some (rare) risks involved. So the decision to have dental sedation is not one to be made lightly.
Benefits of Sedation Dentistry
Dental patients primarily need sedatives to help them relax if they have incapacitating phobias or anxiety.
Taking a sedative is also a great way to get through a rather lengthy procedure. You may have a hard time keeping your mouth open and staying comfortable through the extraction of all four wisdom teeth, for example.
Sedation may be necessary in any other situation where the patient can’t sit still for long.
Who Should Have Dental Sedation?
Sedation dentistry is usually recommended for:
Is Sedation Right for You?
Talk with your dentist before you pin your hopes on having sedation during your next dental procedure.
Discuss any concerns you have about treatment and review your entire health history. This means going over any and all prescription and over-the-counter medications you’re taking. Medication and even certain medical conditions can rule out some sedative options all together.
Sleep dentistry isn’t exactly the luxury experience it’s made out to be. If you have no problem sitting through dental procedures, then you may not need to bother with sedation, at all. Decide with your dentist whether or not sedation is right for you.
Posted on behalf of:
Feather Touch Dental Care
1175 Peachtree St. NW Ste 1204
Atlanta, GA 30361
(404) 892-2097
After getting a partial denture, you’ll be instructed to not wear it overnight. You might be in the habit of forgetting and falling asleep with your partial in, but it’s an important rule to comply with.
Perhaps you’re in a social situation where you’d feel awkward being seen without your false tooth in, even late at night.
Why is it so important to not wear your partial denture at night?
Your Mouth at Night
If you have a habit of grinding your teeth while you sleep, this could damage your partial. Then you wouldn’t have anything to replace your tooth with when you wake up.
Hygiene concerns also factor in. Your mouth tends to dry out at night while you sleep. Leaving a partial denture in only leaves more space for harmful bacteria to collect. There isn’t that steady saliva flow you have during the day which normally rinses away bacteria.
Lastly, your gums will appreciate having a break from the metal and acrylic frame pressing on them! Give your mouth a chance to “breathe” while you sleep, to avoid infection or bone loss from the pressure.
What to Do with Your Partial at Night
Your partial denture should be cleaned once a day. Right before bed is a great time. Use a denture brush and a mild hand soap or denture cleaner to give them a gentle scrubbing. This removes plaque and debris.
Also brush and floss your remaining natural teeth.
Rinse thoroughly and then store your partial in a container of fresh water or a denture solution overnight. In the morning, pop your partial back in after thoroughly brushing it.
For more tips on keeping your partial denture comfortable for years to come, visit your local dentist.
Posted on behalf of:
Elegant Smiles
1955 Cliff Valley Way NE #100
Brookhaven, GA 30329
404-634-4224
One common belief is that braces may negatively change the shape of your face.
Is there any truth to that idea?
How Braces Improve Facial Structure
Getting braces isn’t the same as facial surgery.
Some people find that something they don’t like about their face is linked to the shape of their smile. Braces can correct some facial profiles by:
Keep in mind that these changes are only noticeable in cases of extremely crooked teeth.
What About Unwanted Changes?
People have complained about a changed face in the past due to having bicuspid teeth removed.
You’ll be happy to hear that this is not a common aspect of getting braces. Teeth only need to be pulled if the jaw is literally too small to comfortably contain all teeth that come in.
Ultimately, if there are any changes to your face after braces, they are likely to be subtle improvements. A very gentle rebalancing, if you will, that naturally follows when teeth are tucked into healthy alignment.
So why bother straightening teeth, at all?
Straight teeth are about far more than cosmetics. Crooked teeth can lead to other oral health issues including:
Many people opt for orthodontic treatment if it means a healthier smile.
If you aren’t sure whether orthodontic treatment is right for you, consult a couple orthodontists in your area to get different opinions. Initial consultations are usually complimentary. Ask your local dentist for recommendations.
Posted on behalf of:
Broad Street Braces
2010 South Juniper Street
Philadelphia, PA 19148
213-234-3030
Dental caps are often placed over teeth with root canals, but that’s not the only reason to get one.
If your car tire gets a small hole in it from driving over a nail, a mechanic can probably patch it up and you can keep using the tire. This is like what your dentist does when you need a filling.
But let’s say that your car’s tire blows out from driving over a larger object. It now needs to be completely replaced. The core structure of the wheel is fine, but you need a new outer component to keep your vehicle in use.
Getting a crown is like getting a brand new tire.
Dental crowns replace most of a tooth’s outer layer. Sometimes, teeth are far too damaged to just patch up with a filling. So the dentist will trim it down to the core structure and cap it off with a strong crown.
The new crown stays on your tooth for good. You use and care for your crowned tooth just like any other.
Crowns are good for teeth because they:
You could get a dental crown made from ceramic, gold, or a combination of porcelain and other metals. Which kind of crown you get will depend on what your teeth need and how you want your smile to look.
The next time you have a fractured, worn, or decayed tooth in need of restoration, talk with your dentist. He or she may recommend crowning it instead of patching it up time and again with fillings.
Posted on behalf of:
Dream Dentist
1646 W U.S. 50
O’Fallon, IL 62269
(618) 726-2699
So you’re one of the lucky few who’ve never had a dental filling.
Whether you attribute your stellar teeth to diet, genetics, or a great flossing routine, you’re grateful you don’t have steep dental bills.
But your dentist still wants to see you on a regular basis. That’s because white teeth are nothing without strong gums to hold them in place.
The Role Gums Play
Your gums protect sensitive tooth roots, but they also are unique in their ability to nourish and cushion teeth. They contain a rich network of blood vessels, nerves, and ligaments. Tooth roots connect to the gums at special junctures which help anchor teeth in place.
Gums are irreplaceable. If something happens to them, your teeth lose valuable support.
How Is Your Periodontal Health?
Your gums and the ligaments that lie beneath are classified as periodontal tissues.
Periodontal damage often happens gradually and it’s usually painless.
Some signs of gum disease are easy to pick up on:
But if periodontal disease sets in, it destroys those ligaments long before you’d notice any of these signs.
Here’s where your dentist comes in.
Only a dental professional can detect and measure periodontal damage before you notice the signs. X-rays and other tools can determine the level of healthy gum tissue you have left.
Regular dental visits aren’t just for the benefit of your teeth. A checkup at the dentist’s is also a chance to find out how your gums are doing.
Besides that, you’ll also get valuable tips from your dentist on how to treat or even avoid gum disease.
Don’t wait! Call today to schedule your periodontal health evaluation.
Posted on behalf of:
Dunwoody Family & Cosmetic Dentistry
1816 Independence Square, Suite B
Dunwoody, GA 30338
(770) 399-9199
Dentists have used amalgam dental restorations which contain silver and other metals to fill teeth for decades.
Metal fillings have been in use so long because they are cost-effective and easy to place. In fact, you can still find some dental offices that offer them.
Such places are becoming scarce, however, for the following reasons:
Amalgam Fillings Contain Mercury
Mercury is an essential part of metal fillings because it’s what enables the filling to be shaped and placed into a tooth before hardening. This mercury stays in place and shouldn’t make you sick. But some people still worry about having a potentially dangerous substance in their mouths.
Metal Fillings Stress Tooth Enamel
Although amalgam fillings last a long time, they can put a lot of wear on teeth.
Metals expand and contract with temperature changes. A metal filling gets slightly larger in warm temperatures and shrinks slightly in cool ones. Your mouth regular experiences extremes in temperature change when you take in hot and cold foods.
The problem with this is that your teeth can’t expand and contract as fast as metals do. With time, the more rapid motions of a metal filling can weaken the enamel and cause tiny cracks that lead to sensitivity, fracture, and cavities.
Silver Doesn’t Look the Best on Teeth
Metal fillings are also falling out of favor just because people don’t like the look of them especially when there are more subtle options like white composite fillings. A tooth-colored filling is much more natural looking and is especially useful for making small cosmetic smile enhancements.
Ask your dentist about which restorative options available in your area are right for your smile.
Posted on behalf of:
Dental Care Center At Kennestone
129 Marble Mill Rd NW
Marietta, GA 30060
(770) 424-4565
Almost everyone would like a straighter smile. But very few adults look forward to getting braces put on.
By way of a disclaimer and warning, you won’t find any DIY orthodontic techniques here. Those are dangerous and we encourage our patients to stay far away from such ideas!
Here you’ll find a few options for tidying up your smile in a completely metal-free manner.
Dental Bonding
Your solution could be as simple as patching up a tooth with a little tooth-colored filling material.
Dental bonding can be used to straighten teeth in an optical illusion kind of way. If you only need to close up a little gap, then a dab of bonding material could give you a brand-new look in a matter of minutes.
Veneers
Dental veneers take the dental bonding idea a step further.
Veneers are very thin layers of porcelain placed over teeth, usually replacing a thin uniform layer of enamel on the front of a tooth.
A veneer can be made thicker on one side than the other to give a twisted tooth the appearance of being straight.
Invisalign
The best way to tackle tooth alignment issues sans metal is to go with a clear aligner. A graduated tray system like Invisalign allows you to gradually nudge a few teeth into a more aesthetically-pleasing alignment.
Invisalign is great because it’s discreet, but it’s also removable. You can take out the trays for meals and any time you don’t want to chance them showing up in your smile during a photo.
Ready to try out braces-free tooth alignment?
Ask your dentist for a professional opinion to find out whether a braces-alternative will get you the smile of your dreams.
Posted on behalf of:
Crabapple Dental
12670 Crabapple Rd #110
Alpharetta, GA 30004
(678) 319-0123
Now that your little one has teeth, you’re wondering if it’s time to introduce flossing to him or her.
Here are a couple ways to know whether your child is ready to start cleaning between in addition to brushing:
When the Teeth Are Touching
Flossing removes food particles trapped between teeth. It also disrupts bacterial growth on the surfaces between teeth where a toothbrush can’t reach. As soon as teeth grow together so that they block out the space between them, they need to be flossed daily.
Early baby teeth don’t usually need flossing. This is because they come in with lots of space to spare. A gentle once-over with a soft toothbrush or clean cloth is enough to wick away plaque from all surfaces.
But by the time your toddler has a full dentition of twenty teeth, they may be cramped for space.
Take a good look at your child’s mouth and see whether any teeth are touching each other. Those are ones that need flossing. You should floss the teeth yourself until your child is old enough to do it herself or himself.
As Much as Your Child Tolerates
The earlier you introduce activities like brushing and flossing, the more likely your child is to tolerate them. Flossing can be tougher than brushing since it’s a more meticulous and time-consuming job.
Take things slow starting out. Don’t force a toddler to sit still while you floss all twenty teeth. Do as much as your child will happily tolerate and praise him or her for their patience and effort. Keep flossing a positive activity and emphasize the health benefits.
Talk with your child’s dentist for more tips on safe and effective flossing for kids.
Posted on behalf of:
Buford Family Dental
4700 Nelson Grogdon Blvd. NE #210
Buford, GA 30518
678.730.2005
Ever wonder why that one annoying tooth keeps catching bits of food?
One of the following situations may be to blame…
Decay
Cavities cause roughness and hollow spots in teeth which trap food debris. You may notice this particularly if the top of a molar keeps getting doughy bread and crackers and pasta wedged into it.
Gum Disease
Inflamed gums pull away from tooth surfaces creating gaps for food and bacteria to accumulate. As the infection progresses, those gaps deepen and form the perfectly-sized slot against the tooth root for popcorn kernels to slip into.
Open Contact
Healthy teeth are supposed to be in snug contact with their neighbors. If you have a couple teeth with a gap between them, no matter how small, food will find its way in. This is especially troublesome when the gap is big enough for food to get stuck, but too small for your tongue to wiggle loose the debris.
Flossing
No, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be flossing. But if you aren’t flossing correctly, you could actually be shoving food particles deeper below your gums every time you do floss.
Make sure that when you floss you wrap it around your tooth crown in a snug C-shape before gently shimmying it below the gum line. Then gently shimmy it upwards to pull plaque and food clear of the gums.
Get some relief by:
To find out what’s causing your dinner time distress, visit your local dentist. You’ll learn the best ways for preventing food from getting trapped in your teeth.
Posted on behalf of:
Bayshore Dental Center
810 W Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd #2900
Seffner, FL 33584
(813) 330-2006
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