January 6, 2022
The Dental Place in Grand Prairie, Texas, has helped numerous patients achieve the important goal of looking and feeling good. A healthy and radiant smile is possible with our dental services.
One of our many services includes helping patients improve their smiles with dental implants. Dental implants are used to replace missing or lost teeth. So, how do they work? How does an artificial replacement work with the current anatomy of the teeth?
(Read More)October 7, 2021
Wisdom teeth is a common term that refers to the third molars. These are the last teeth to erupt and, for many, can create dental problems that warrant having them removed. Your dentist will monitor their progress and advise you on the merits of their extraction.
Very often, the arrival of wisdom teeth results in overcrowding. The jaws are only able to accommodate what they are designed to handle. Teeth can be pushed out of alignment creating protruding, crooked teeth, and an overall unhealthy oral condition. By removing some or all wisdom teeth, your dentist may be able to save you from having to undergo orthodontic treatment.
Wisdom teeth may be impacted. This means they can only partially erupt or stay embedded in gum tissue totally. This condition can be very hard on neighboring teeth as well as increase the likelihood of oral disease and increased inflammation around the wisdom teeth.
When wisdom teeth are impacted, the patient may suffer from the resulting discomfort. Pressure from their presence can result in tooth sensitivity and even more far reaching complications like headaches and jaw pain.
With regular dental visits, your dentist will be able to monitor problems associated with third molars. But in between those dental visits, you may be subjected to things like cysts or tumors associated with impacted third molars. One of the reasons for this problem is that these areas are very difficult to keep clean.
Your dentist is a valuable resource when it comes to making the decision to remove wisdom teeth.
The primary advantages of having third molars extracted include:
Impacted wisdom teeth require surgical removal; recovery can take several days. Follow post-operative instructions carefully to be able to resume normal activities as soon as possible.
For more information or to schedule a consultation, contact The Dental Place today.
July 6, 2021
Many patients who are pursuing tooth replacement treatments prefer options with long-lasting results. Dental implants can be a good choice for these patients because these devices have a number of qualities that make them more durable than alternative restorations.
Dental implants are small cylinders made of biocompatible titanium. This means that the bone tissue at the implant site can form a strong bond with the dental implant after the implant dentist inserts it into the patient’s jaw.
Essentially, dental implants replace the roots of missing teeth, providing patients with a structurally complete prosthetic. This contrasts with conventional bridges and dentures that consist of crowns alone. That root structure plays a number of important roles in the stability of the smile.
One function of the teeth’s roots is to hold the jawbone in place. When the roots are missing after tooth loss, that bone tissue gradually wears away. Dental implants preserve the jawbone’s structure, which keeps the contour of the jaw constant. As such, implant-supported appliances retain their fit over time.
In fact, dental implants can remain in place for decades. They also have a variety of other benefits, including more:
To make the most of your dental implants, however, you must take good care of them and conditions must be suitable for implant placement in the first place.
In order to gain all of the dental implant advantages listed above, you must be conscientious about maintaining those dental implants. Follow the directions provided by your implant dentist for their care and be sure to follow up with your dentist for routine care, which is just as important for dental implants.
Patients must also be good candidates for dental implants to begin with. There must be sufficient bone at the implant site to support the osseointegration of the dental implant. Patients who have a deficiency in jawbone tissue may need to undergo a preliminary bone graft prior to getting dental implants.
There are many compelling reasons to consider dental implants if you are looking to restore your smile after tooth loss. To learn more about the most durable tooth replacement option available to restore your smile, call The Dental Place to schedule a dental implant evaluation.
April 26, 2021
Before diagnostic imaging, oral healthcare professionals had few tools available to evaluate the health of structures not visible to the naked eye. The advent of radiography has made diagnosing and treating dental health conditions easier. One form of advanced technology our dentist utilizes is “cone beam computed tomography (CBCT)”, which has applications in a variety of oral healthcare procedures.
Following is helpful information about how CBCT is used and how it can enhance your dental care.
A conventional X-ray only shows so much. For starters, it’s a two-dimensional image and can only depict hard tissue like bones and joints.
A CBCT, however, produces images of hard and soft tissues alike, including nerve pathways. It also produces three-dimensional images that provide a more comprehensive view of oral anatomy. These images improve the accuracy of diagnoses and the effectiveness of certain dental treatments.
The detailed images that CBCT produces can be used in restorative, endodontic, and cosmetic dental procedures. They can also be used to diagnose oral cancer and the progression of conditions like TMJ disorder and gum disease.
CBCT is advantageous when patients are receiving surgical and reconstructive procedures. Cone beam images are helpful for evaluating the health of bone tissue, particularly when determining where bone grafts or dental implants should be placed. The precise view of bone density can help ensure the likelihood of successful dental implant placement, too.
Some common situations where cone beam scans are helpful include:
Receiving cone beam scans takes less than a minute. The comprehensive images produced by it provide invaluable information to your dentist.
Our practice provides high-quality oral healthcare to patients in our community. Contact our team at The Dental Place if you have questions about advanced technology or would like to schedule a consultation with our dentist.
January 5, 2021
From a very early age, your parents and dentist educate you on the importance of brushing your teeth. But it’s not just about grabbing a toothbrush and swiping at your teeth at night before bed. There are many more aspects to good oral hygiene that make this an incredibly important lesson that will benefit your good health as you advance through life.
Reducing dental decay: While this is certainly challenging, cavities are not mandatory. Their likelihood can be lessened with an oral hygiene regimen that includes brushing twice daily (for two minutes each time) using a fluoridated toothpaste; and flossing every day to remove what your toothbrush did not reach.
Keeping biological teeth for life: No one relishes the idea of tooth loss; and the prospect of having to undergo tooth replacement at any age can be daunting. While some may be genetically challenged, for many this is very doable. Diet and lifestyle habits (like tobacco use) are going to dictate the likelihood of maintaining good oral health throughout the aging process.
Great gum health: Gum disease, in its early stages, is treatable. However, if allowed to escalate, periodontal disease can lead to the need for ongoing treatment and the possibility of tooth loss.
Your dentist has probably educated you on the correlation between your oral health and the risks of developing life altering conditions such as diabetes, stroke, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and certain cancers. Research continues to identify inflammation from gum disease as a component to many of these illnesses.
Visit our team at The Dental Place for cleanings and dental exams every six months or as prescribed.
October 8, 2020
As we get older, some things about our oral health may change, while others definitely stay the same. To take the best care of your smile as you age, it’s important to be able to separate fact from fiction and work with a trustworthy and skilled dentist.
There are special circumstances that can affect your oral health when you age, so you will need to take care to address these specific challenges.
(Read More)July 6, 2020
Your oral health is precious. Investing in achieving a healthy mouth can stave off disease, save you money, and preserve a youthful appearance. From visiting the dentist for regular checkups to practicing great oral hygiene, here are five tips that can help you keep your mouth healthy.
(Read More)April 7, 2020
Many people don’t realize that when you brush you only reach about two thirds of the surfaces of your teeth. The remaining third is located between teeth where your toothbrush can’t reach. That is why flossing is important; dental floss reaches in between teeth removing food debris your toothbrush missed. Your dentist is not nagging when the subject of flossing comes up. When performed daily, the act of flossing cleans between teeth, and when done correctly, invigorates gum tissue helping keep teeth and gum tissue healthy.
(Read More)January 6, 2020
Implant dentistry has come a long way in the past quarter century. Not only is having a dental implant becoming more commonplace, the restorations used to cover implants continue to improve making them more lifelike and virtually impossible to detect from natural teeth!
(Read More)October 7, 2019
How your teeth look is important to maintain a healthy, pleasant appearance. Teeth that are stained, chipped, or missing may prevent you from making a good impression. A consultation with your cosmetic dentist will demonstrate how to overcome many dental maladies.
(Read More)
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