Sunday, March 10, 2013

Wisdom Tooth Extractions and other Dental Treatments

Whenever the term ‘wisdom tooth extraction’ is uttered, it can send anyone into a pit of fear and panic. Of course, when the presence of a dental surgeon is required, you know the dental treatment that is about to take place is of great and serious importance. The need for a wisdom tooth extraction varies from one patient to another. There are people who need to have their wisdom tooth or wisdom teeth extracted because it may overcrowd their already perfectly grown teeth. In instances where the growth of the wisdom tooth is obstructing the roots of an existing molar, then the extraction needs to be done in order to stop the unnecessary pain that is felt. There are also people who do not grow any wisdom teeth at all, and this saves them the time (and the emotions) to undergo the surgery.


However, if you are scheduled for such as extraction, you need not actually worry too much because an anesthetic will be applied. A lot of patients give feedback that their wisdom teeth extraction was not only quick, but it was also rather painless than what they were preparing for. Less pain and a quick procedure can also be anticipated for other kinds of dental treatments such as the placement of dental implants and root canals. Dental implants, like wisdom tooth extraction, are also another form of dental surgery. In this case, screws and an artificial tooth are used in order to replace a missing tooth. Although quite expensive, dental implants are quite popular because the benefits are long term and maintenance is also kept at a minimum. Root canal treatments may scare some people but in essence, there is very minimal pain felt because a local anesthetic is also applied during the course of the entire procedure. 


Aside from these mentioned dental treatments, orthodontic treatments are also quite popular. If you have seen one wearing braces, it might because there is a need to adjust any jaw misalignments or there is a need to correct that person’s bite. Today, the wearing of braces often becomes a fashion statement, and though braces cost quite expensive, a lot of teenagers and young adults can be seen wearing it for practical and aesthetic reasons.

How to Take Care of Your Ceramic Braces

Ceramic braces are technically braces that look as if it is barely there. Compared to metal braces, ceramic braces are lighter in shade and are not as strong as metal bracket and metal wires. Nevertheless, the use of ceramic braces as part of orthodontic treatment is popular because it evolves from a direct dental need to a dental-aesthetic need. Gone are the days when “metal mouth” and “magnetic mouth” are the banter against kids who wear braces. Today, braces can be a lovely appendage to a smile all because of the slight invisibility of ceramic braces.
So how should you handle your braces with tender loving care? Here are a few tips
how:

1. Keep your ceramic braces clean! The danger when one does not keep a regular teeth cleaning habit while wearing braces is the potential for yellow bracket marks. Patients who fall into the trap of yellow bracket marks prove that they were not able to brush their teeth as regularly as they should be during the time they were wearing their ceramic braces. In order to prevent this from happening, always keep a brushing and flossing schedule as strict as possible. Use a specific toothbrush that allows you to brush your brackets and wires in between the bristles so no food particle is left in between. To prevent your ceramic braces from staining, always make it a point to use regular, non-whitening toothpaste as whitening toothpastes have specific components that makes it badly react with ceramic. If you are advised to wear your braces for a full year or two, keep your regular brushing and flossing in check. You will not regret it in the end.

2. Gargle! Not everyone is a fan of mouthwashes, but you might have to learn to like it if you are wearing ceramic braces. Mouthwashes allow you to avoid developing sores around your mouth especially when your braces are freshly placed on your teeth.
3. Follow dentist’s orders! Since your ceramic braces are anchored using clear ligature wires, it is imperative that you have your ligature wires as well as the bands replaced on a regular basis. Normally, your dentist will advise you to visit him or her every 2 weeks to have your wires and bands changed since it has to adjust to the recent movements of your teeth. Missing an appointment may delay your progress, and may compromise the goal of your dentist about your teeth and your ceramic braces.

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Are You a Candidate for Dental Implants?

It is essential that a patient who is a candidate for a dental implant is in his or her best oral health. After all, a dental implant requires a healthy and strong jaw bone in order for the metal to stand erect for years. Any patient, regardless of age, and free of any gingivitis or advanced periodontitis is a candidate for a dental implant. So to set the record straight, what does it take to be a candidate for dental implants?


1. The need to replace a missing tooth or a missing set of teeth. Dental implants are very popular dental solutions if the patient does not want bridgework or a set of dentures to take over his or her missing tooth/teeth. The danger with dentures and bridgeworks is that these are very temporary solutions, and more than that, it requires the person to apply extreme care and caution when brushing, taking off and wearing back the dentures at all times. A dental implant is a very permanent solution to missing tooth or teeth, and it has the capacity to imitate a real tooth or a real set of teeth when done perfectly. Normally, a team composed of a dentist, a dental surgeon and a periodontist will take care of you during your dental implant surgery. All three of them will be in charge of managing your case and suggesting to you the ways by which they will carry your dental implants.

2. A healthy jaw bone, gums and tissues. What happens in a dental implant procedure is that a piece of metal screw is placed on the jaw bone in order for it to hold the artificial tooth or set of artificial teeth. If you are a patient currently facing several periodontal problems, your chances for a dental implant is significantly reduced than a patient who presents signs of general oral wellness. If your jaw bone is brittle and your gums and tissues have a high likelihood for bacteria and infection, you may not be able to withstand the rigors and post-operative requirements of a dental implant procedure. Aside from the possibility of rendering the procedure unsuccessful, it might increase your chances for a more vulnerable jaw line and more possibility towards infections and bacteria in your gums and tissues. Your team of dentists will certainly not let that happen.

3. Physical, mental and financial preparedness. Like in any dental or even medical procedure, there is a level of preparation on the physical, mental and financial aspect that must be set in place. Physical and mental preparation will allow any candidate to go through the surgery without blood level fluctuations or any stress accompanied by both substantiated and unsubstantiated fear. Financially, a dental implant can cost a few thousand dollars depending on how much dental implants one needs, so it is very important that you have a significant amount of money reserved for such as a procedure. Going through a procedure such as a dental implant procedure should not be taken lightly as these have various implications to the patient. However, when all requirements and preparation are met, success in the dental implant procedure is certainly not so far behind.

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Achieving a Good Oral Health

Dental implants, root canals, orthodontic treatments and oral prophylaxis are just some of the many treatments and procedures one can avail of from a licensed dentist. Today, there are a lot of dental clinics that not only offers these out-patient procedures; some clinics also provide surgical dental procedures such as dental implants. Dental implants are rather expensive dental procedures today. As a latest and innovative dental treatment for oral rehabilitation, the cost of dental implants varies from 8 thousand to 10 thousand dollars. Regardless of the material that will be used in the implant and no matter what clinic it will be done, dental implants are costly dental procedures. The need for dental implants is not the same for all individuals across the board.

Such procedures are applicable only to patients who have lost a molar or a tooth. Although the use of dentures and dental jackets can cover for this need, dental implants have a more permanent fix as this is implanted right into the jaw bones of the patient. A root canal procedure is a form of dental rehabilitative treatment for teeth and molars that have been damaged greatly by cavities or deep carries. Such dental treatment is also common for patients who have heavily restored teeth. Instead of having to extract such teeth and molars, a root canal treatment is done to save it. Root canal procedures in the past have become to known a scary and often painful dental treatment. Today, under local anesthetic, root canal treatments can be easy and rather less discomforting for patients. Depending on the presentation of the patient, such dental procedures may require more than one visit to the dentist.

Scaling and teeth polishing are also popular dental treatments today. These procedures are normally done for teeth that have been heavily stained or for teeth that have deep cavities, tartar of plaque despite regular teeth brushing and flossing. There are patients who no matter how religious they are in terms of brushing their teeth can still leave food particles in hard-to-reach areas of their mouth. Normally, scaling and teeth polishing are recommended for patients every 12 months with regular oral prophylaxis treatment every 3 months or 6 months.

Another popular and common form of dental treatment is orthodontic treatment. For patients who have a wrong jaw bite, have irregularly placed teeth and misalignments or those who have disproportional jaws, orthodontic treatment is normally recommended. Like dental implants, orthodontic treatment can cost quite a lot and the rates may vary from one clinic to another and from one patient presentation to another. The wearing of braces is not always for the upper and lower teeth of a patient. Depending on what the orthodontist sees is best, there are cases wherein only the upper part or the lower part of the teeth are required to wear braces. The length of wearing braces also varies from one patient to another. There are patients who may only need to wear braces for 2 years maximum, and there are also those who have to wear braces for more than 4 years. Moreover, braces cost on different factors, still, depending on the patient’s presentation.

Monday, January 28, 2013

The Miracle Relief in Dental Care

Today’s advancements in technology brought breakthroughs in different areas, genres, fields and industries including Dental Care. Imagine living a life wherein you do not have any other choice when you suffer a dental problem but to have your tooth extracted and suffer insecurity due to that loss of tooth that you would not be able flash that gleaming smile; imagine that a simple pus or abscess in your tooth will just end up to be removed because there is no alternative method available. It is really a bit kind of hard to imagine, right? But that is why we say with great pride and joy that our modern world nowadays offer such a “miracle relief” particularly to patients needing to have dental implants for a more natural method of replacing missing teeth, pay for some braces cost to treat an overbite and other related dental disorders, undergo root canal for the improvement of any damaged tooth, or even have wisdom tooth extraction for any impaction or to prevent complications if left undone.

Dental Implants. This can be the option for you if due to some inevitable situations like injury and accidents or you have encountered a periodontal disease cause you to have a missing tooth. What you can do is choose to have this artificial tooth root that will be placed on your jaw firmly to be able to hold the replacement tooth or bridge.

Root Canal. This method is very likely the choice for you in order to help save any tooth that is candidate for extraction. The problem at hand is that the blood supply of the tooth wherein the pulp has been infected by an injury becoming inflamed or a form of decay developed an abscess which your dentist needs to remove such decay.

Wisdom Tooth Extraction. Your dentist or peridontist will recommend for this if there is an evident infection or impaction in your third molar better known as your wisdom tooth.

Braces Cost. More than just for aesthetic purpose, braces are actually used to align or straighten teeth to be able to have a good bite.

Sunday, December 9, 2012

Dental Procedures 101: What Can You Expect Dentist To Do?


Do you ever wonder what dentists are really capable of doing aside from being a source of your unresolved childhood fears? In all honesty, life is certainly less beautiful if there are no dentists to “scare” us once in a while. If you are having problems with an incorrect bite or if you are exhibiting an overbite due to the irregular growth of your teeth, a dentist may recommend you to have braces. Braces cost differently from one patient to another. The cost truly depends on the patient’s need. At the end of the day, there will always be a price to pay for beauty. 


Aside from braces, you can expect dentists to also perform wisdom tooth extraction. Like the need to wear braces, wisdom tooth extraction varies from one patient to another. If it seems like your wisdom tooth’s growth will affect the positions of your other teeth, then an extraction is necessary. This kind of procedure is mostly common among young adults because that is the time when wisdom teeth grow apparent. 

If for instance you lose some of your molars because of cavities, then dental implants may be recommended as well by your dentist.  If it seems like you cannot afford to have a gap in your teeth, then this kind of procedure may be the best fit for you. Of course, there are other alternatives to dental implants, but with the recent advances in technology today, dental implants are now easy to administer and execute. If your dentist advices you to have dental implant done, think about it first and ask for alternatives if you are not sold on the idea.
Other dental procedures that you can expect from dentists are root canals. A root canal is a procedure that may be discomforting and painful, but some patients have to go through it to save a tooth. Of course, there are anesthetics that can be administered to lower or totally eliminate the pain. 

Aside from these rather monumental dental procedures, you can also expect your dentists to perform relatively simpler treatments such as cleaning, prophylaxis, dental fillings, teeth whitening and extractions. Depending on the condition of your teeth, various dental procedures and treatments will be recommended.

Thursday, December 6, 2012

The Gift of Good Oral Health



It really pays to have excellent dental hygiene. We all have that experience when we, as kids, have to brave the dental chair and have our teeth checked by the family dentist. The development of trauma is normal since everyone grew up feeling the pain of having their milk teeth extracted with just a piece of cotton. Some dental experiences may be traumatic, but it does pay to face the fear and proceed with the checkup. For adults who have come to conquer this battle with the dental chair, the benefits can be astounding.
 
It is said that dental hygiene transcends the regular visit to the dentist. Of course, when one brushes his or teeth well before sleeping and in between meals, one can expect less development of plaques and cavities. Aside from the usual teeth brushing and the regular oral prophylaxis from the dentist, flossing and gargling also play a role. This eliminates the possibility of having to go through complex dental procedures such as a root canal, painful tooth extractions and even dental implants. With sound dental hygiene, the benefits are more than just physical. A beautiful smile is a way towards high self-esteem and positive self-concept. 

For kids or adolescents who unfortunately grew up with crooked teeth, incorrect bites, over bite, and other dental irregularities, most dentists advise the procedure of braces or orthodontics. Compared to the relatively older days when braces would mean brackets and wires, today, braces do not necessarily translate that one will be a metal mouth for a good two or three years of his or her life. Advanced technology in orthodontics today can make use of wires and brackets that are hardly obvious; it will be too hard to know if one is wearing braces. 

There are also ways in order to correct these dental irregularities by procedures such as Invisalign. However, most dentists would recommend braces for kids and adolescents with dental irregularities as this is seen more effective in correcting the gaps and the results are more lasting. If you are interested to have your kids wear braces, braces’ cost is relative to the patient’s presentation. The cost will also be dependent on the length and time frame when the braces has to be worn. 

When seeking dental procedures, make sure that you contact and make appointments with a dentist that you trust. If you are new to a city and you want to have a family dentist, ask friends and relatives on dentists that they can recommend to you. Make sure that it is relatively near your home so it will not be a hassle to drive to your dentist’s clinic. If you have kids, it is best that you let them develop the habit of visiting the dentist on a regular basis, and not be afraid to open their mouths for checkups. A healthy attitude towards dental visits is key in developing a sound and healthy oral health. Starting them young will allow them to develop a healthy and helpful response towards their teeth.