April 2017 - The Dental Place

April 19, 2017

Your tooth hurts, but you don’t know why. The reasons are numerous … there might be something caught between teeth irritating gum tissue; you may have developed decay; or maybe you have cracked your tooth and even cold air sends a zinging sensation that is extremely painful. There may be an easy solution, but if you wait too long and the pain continues, you may require a root canal to save your tooth!

If the discomfort is minor, try flossing and rinsing the area. If pain persists contact your dentist for an appointment as soon as possible. Although a cavity does not form overnight, if it has been a while since your last regular dental appointment, you might be dealing with active decay. If your tooth had been previously treated for a cavity, the filling might have cracked or the cavity has grown larger.

In some cases, patients can break a tooth or develop a hairline crack by biting into something hard. Or if the patient suffers from bruxism (grinding teeth), an opening might have occurred in dentition exposing the nerve. In any case, immediate treatment can be done to relieve pain. Any time there is damage to the nerve of the tooth the solution required is a root canal.

A root canal (endodontic therapy) is a simple procedure where the tooth is segregated by a rubber dam to keep the area dry during the procedure. An access point is drilled into the tooth and a series of endodontic files are employed to remove the contents (nerve, blood, and pulp tissue) of each root of the tooth. An x-ray will have been taken to identify the number of roots involved as it is imperative that each root be treated for a successful root canal.

At the conclusion of the root canal, the access point must be sealed. If infection was present, an antibiotic might have been placed into the canals; or an oral medication may be prescribed. Your dentist might delay sealing the tooth until it has been determined that the infection has been eliminated.

A dental crown is often used to seal the tooth. Root canal therapy has been employed to save your tooth … the only other solution in these cases is tooth extraction. Saving your tooth is always a better remedy than costly and time consuming tooth replacement treatments!

Don’t wait to contact us until the discomfort is too unbearable. Call our team today!

April 5, 2017

Implant dentistry has become fairly standard for restoring tooth loss. The technology for dental implants was discovered by a dentist in Sweden in the 1950’s quite by accident. He had placed a titanium rod in the leg of a rabbit, and when he tried to retrieve the rod he found the rabbit’s bone had fused so thoroughly with the titanium, he could not remove it.

Subsequent testing led to experimenting with a human subject. And working in a smaller area such as the jaw seemed a better idea to the scientists. Coined osseointegration, the fusion of bone and titanium has led us to where we are today … successful dental implants that actually restore dentition to as close to biological teeth as possible.

The patient undergoes preliminary testing to qualify for dental implants, and a review of overall health is completed. A very thorough dental exam includes x-rays to determine bone strength in the jaw where tooth loss has occurred.

Insufficient bone does not automatically disqualify the patient for dental implants. There are procedures that can enhance bone where needed. Tobacco use is detrimental to the success of dental implants and is strongly discouraged. Infection can endanger the implant as well so the patient is encouraged to brush and floss to keep the area clean and healthy.

The procedure gets underway with surgically placing the titanium post in gum tissue where bone loss has occurred. During the healing period, bone fuses to the implant to form a support system for the restoration that will eventually cover the implant. This support works much like the roots of a natural tooth providing the strength and stability needed.

Once healing is completed and x-rays have determined that the post and bone have successfully merged, your dentist will attach an abutment to the implant … the restoration will be permanently cemented to that abutment. The replacement tooth has been made to match surrounding teeth in size, contour, and color. Your implant will blend so naturally no one will be able to tell it is not your natural tooth.

And with your newly restored tooth, you will be able to resume eating all the foods you love. speak without fear of slippage and smile with self-confidence. Implant dentistry has allowed you to appreciate life once again thanks to a procedure that should last a lifetime.

Contact our office today to schedule a consult with our dental team!