Category Archives: Oral health

Why You Should Get Dental Veneers

Have you lost confidence in yourself? Is your smile to blame? Perhaps you have missing teeth or they’re badly decaying and need to be pulled. Chances are, you don’t feel comfortable showing off your smile in the condition it’s in. Have you considered dental veneers park slope? Dental veneers have become a major development in the dental industry and they’ve saved many smiles. There are various reasons you should get veneers if you’re not happy with your current teeth.

Dental Veneers

Increased Confidence

Having a new and improved set of teeth can boost your confidence and make you feel more comfortable smiling. The great thing about veneers is they’re specifically molded for your teeth, which means they look very natural. The color of your veneers can also be close to your natural tooth color, making the change not quite so obvious. This means that you likely won’t have to worry about anyone telling the difference between a veneer and your natural tooth.

Little Maintenance Required

A veneer is bonded to your tooth, which means it takes the shape of your tooth whatever form it’s in. This means that in most cases, there’s no additional drilling or shaping needed. All you need to do is brush and floss as you would normally. You also won’t have to worry about many trips to the dentist per year. This can save you lots of time and allow you to go about your life without having to worry too much about your teeth.

Being able to smile freely without worrying about people judging you is likely important to your mental and emotional wellbeing. You may have some imperfections in your teeth, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get help from a professional. Veneers are a great solution if you want beautiful, natural-looking teeth.

Answering Common Questions About Dental Implants

You may at one time or another have heard mention of the term “dental implants”, and you might have also heard that implants have something to do with replacing missing teeth. But did you ever wonder what implants in clinical dentistry means – what implants are and how they work? Well, you are probably not alone; some modern concepts in dentistry can be complicated and difficult to understand. Here are straight answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about dental implants.

What are Dental Implants?

A dental implant is a small cylindrical metallic post usually made from titanium. The implants are surgically attached directly to the jaw in the position of a mission tooth to form a solid anchor on which to fix a permanent artificial crown. Dental implants can also be used as anchor points for other dental features such as dentures and bridges, but they are mainly used for crowns. Implants have internal screw threads that mesh with the incoming crown.  

How Are Dental Implants Placed?

Dental implants are usually placed in stages depending on the position of the missing tooth, the patient’s gum health, and the purpose of the implant. First, the implant is fixed onto the jaw through a 30-60 minutes surgical procedure. After that, the jaw and gum tissues are allowed to grow around the implant for between 3-6 months to anchor it in place through a process called ossteointegration. Once the implant is permanently and rigidly fixed in place, the new crown can screw into it.

What Are the Risks?

Implants have one of the highest success rates of any dental procedures – between 95% and 98% to be precise. Dental implants have been around for decades and have a proven track record of delivering the desired results. The only risks in getting dental implants are those stemming from the surgical procedure itself and not the implants. Discuss the potential risks with your dentist while considering any underlying health conditions like diabetes, gum disease, and oral infections before installing implants.

Think of a dental implant really as an artificial tooth root. Its purpose is to encore an artificial crown securely and permanently onto the gum as a replacement for a missing tooth. That’s basically all there is to dental implants. 

Tools You’ll Find in a Dentist’s Office

Perhaps the most intimidating thing about walking into a dentist’s office, besides waiting for the bill, is when you are in the room waiting for the dentist to see you. You’re in a fancy space-aged chair and surrounded by unfamiliar equipment. Is that a tray of torture devices? No, it’s just the dentist’s tools! Here’s a guide to some of the unfamiliar tools you might see in a dentist’s office.

Image by MARCIO GUIMARAES from Pixabay

Is That a Toaster Oven?

That box on the counter looks like something you might use to toast up a sandwich, but it’s a sterilizer. Instead of a sandwich, there are dental o rings and gaskets inside. This is used for making sure that the tools they put in your mouth get cleaned and properly sterilized for the next patient.

Is That a Wrench?

Similar to the wrenches you might find in an auto mechanic’s toolbox, dentists also use different types of small wrenches. Adhering braces and other surgical procedures require tightening bolts and other parts and these tiny motorized or manual wrenches are just the tools for the job.

Is That a Tire Pressure Gauge?

What looks like a tool to see if you need more air in your tires is most likely what dentists call a dental handpiece. This is a dentist’s most handy tool, as it is used for everything from drilling to polishing your teeth. It has interchangeable bits for different jobs, similar to an electric drill a woodworker might use.

The dentist’s office is full of unique tools that look like sci-fi movie props. From dental lasers to excavators and forceps to mouth mirrors, you’re bound to encounter some confusing machines and devices. Don’t be scared to ask your dentist or dental assistant about them on your next visit to clear up the confusion. They will be happy to educate you and teach you about the function of all the different equipment.

Taking Care of Your Oral Health For Life

While it is true that you only get one set of natural teeth by the time you have reached adolescence, you will want to focus on maintaining your oral health for the duration of your life. It is important to work hard to keep your teeth and gums as healthy as they can be. However, there are times when you might lose your natural teeth no matter how careful you might be. This could be the result of trauma, bad gums, or simply a run of poor luck. Whatever the case might be, you still have options. Consider implant supported dentures Vero Beach FL as an example. Even if you do not have your natural teeth any longer, you still should take care of your oral health for life.

What Are Implant Supported Dentures?

Most people have heard of dentures. This is often seen as something that the elderly have to look forward to when they have already lost all of their teeth. The reality is that any individual can lose part or all of their natural teeth at any age. Once a natural tooth is gone, it will not grow back. However, many people are leery of dentures because they are not a permanent solution. You end up taking them out at night to clean them, and many people are nervous that they will actually fall out at the most inopportune of times.

Implants Are Secure

Implant supported dentures replicate your natural teeth. They are actually fused into your gums and they perform just like a natural tooth. In fact, others who are close to you will not even know that they are not your natural teeth unless you choose to tell them. You will brush and floss just like normal, and you will not need to take them out at night.

This is just one of the many procedures that your local family dentist can perform for you. There are so many options available today to help you maintain your oral health. You simply need to make that effort to see your dentist on a regular basis and work towards taking care of teeth, or implants, as they may be.