Month: October 2021

Misaligned teeth are also known as malocclusions. Crowding of the teeth (when the jaw cannot accommodate all of the teeth) or thumb-sucking habits cause malocclusion. There are many instances in which hereditary factors and congenital factors cause an incorrect bite. The growth of the face and genetic factors are also important factors. Additionally, in adults, the problem of misaligned teeth occurs due to gum disease (periodontal disease), tooth loss, and wear and tear.

The effects of malocclusion can be functional and aesthetic, affecting chewing, speech, and our smile and confidence. Malocclusion is a prevalent dental condition. It is generally treated with orthodontic treatment in childhood and adolescence, usually involving one or more braces combined with surgery (if required).

Fixing the Misaligned Teeth
Even though teeth can be corrected if they are misaligned, each case will be unique based on different factors like the shape of the mouth, tooth placement, and placement of other teeth. The following methods are usually used to treat misaligned teeth:

• Orthodontic Treatment: Misaligned teeth are treated with orthodontic treatment with a variety of braces. Dentists examine your teeth and determine the type of braces that will be most effective for you. When dentists examine the severity of the case, depending on the condition of the misalignment of the teeth they might suggest fixed braces, internal lingual (hidden) braces, clear aligners like Invisalign, or combinations of them.
• Orthodontic Surgery: For those patients who have significant abnormalities in the growth of their jaws, it is necessary to consider corrective jaw surgery in addition to orthodontic treatment. Even though such conditions are rare, advancements in orthodontic techniques allow the treatment of misaligned teeth without the involvement of jaw surgery.
• Restorative Treatments: Following the use of braces to realign teeth, some restorative work will likely be needed, particularly if the teeth are malformed or small or if the teeth are decayed, worn, or damaged in adulthood. When the teeth alignment is done, you may notice aesthetic issues that were not present before, such as uneven teeth edges or discoloration.

There are often simpler restorative treatments available such as composite bonding, fillings, and teeth whitening, but more significantly, damaged teeth may require veneers or crowns. As soon as the misalignment has been corrected and the issue has been revealed, your dentist will assess the best solution for your teeth. 

How much time is required to fix the misaligned teeth?
Every treatment solution and every patient will take a different amount of time. Depending on the cause, condition, and severity of the malocclusion, orthodontic treatments can take six months to three years to succeed.

To maintain your newly straightened teeth, you may also need to wear a retainer after the braces are removed. To prevent your teeth from getting misaligned again, you may need to wear a retainer to prevent them from shifting again.

It is very important to maintain good oral hygiene during the orthodontic treatment, and with any braces, brushing well after every meal or snack is recommended.

It is common for children, teens, and adults to have misaligned teeth. Unless they are causing health problems or low self-esteem, they don’t need treatment. You can decide whether or not you want to fix misaligned teeth. Go to your dentist for the best solution. 

Schedule your appointment with a dentist today and get the treatment on time!

The All-on-4 dental implants are cost-effective and a great substitute for lost teeth. In simple terms, a dental implant is an artificial tooth root that is surgically placed into the jawbone underneath the gum line to alternate for a missing tooth. It is a procedure wherein the surgeon places four implants into the maxillary bone. The All-on-4 dental implants involve rehabilitating a completely edentulous or teeth-less jaw with merely four implants and attaching a full-arch fixed prosthesis to these implants on the day of the surgery. 

All-on-4 Dental Implants
In a layperson’s language, the All-on-4 dental implants treatment is a surgical, prosthodontic treatment that entails renewing the teeth-less or edentulous jaw. The four implants support a full-arch prosthesis that comprises 10 to 14 artificial teeth. As the number of implants is fewer, the cost of the procedure becomes lesser. The primary advantages of the procedure are:

1. It is appropriate for patients with fragile and narrow jawbones. There is no requirement to perform bone grafting in the All-on-4 implants technique.
2. The technique is suitable for people with close anatomical structures such as maxillary sinuses and nerves.
3. There is immediate loading of the implants.
4. The All-on-4 implants treatment is the best option for people who have experienced jawbone loss that prevents them from getting conventional implants. 

It is noteworthy that despite the myriad of advantages, the All-on-4 Implants technique is not advisable by professionals during pregnancy when the person is below 18 years of age if the patient is a heavy smoker or drinker or is on drugs. Moreover, the procedure is not recommended if the patient is suffering from the following conditions:

• Uncontrolled diabetes mellitus
• Bleeding disorders
• Immunosuppressive disorders
• Undergoing chemotherapy or radiation therapy

All-On-4 Implants Procedure
The first thing that is done during an All-on-4 implants procedure is that any remaining tooth on the jaw is extracted, and the mouth is immaculately cleaned to remove bacteria and damaged tissue. After that, the dentist will have two or more holes at the front of the jaw to hold the front implants. The process is repeated for the rear jaw – one on each side – to offer more significant support to the rear of the bridge. After the implants are in place, the experts will cleanse your mouth again, and any incisions will be stitched up. Then, on the same day or the following day, you will be having a new set of teeth. 

Aftermath of All-on-4 Implants Surgery 
It is common and normal to experience discomfort after an All-on-4 dental implants surgery. Usually, painkillers efficiently do the job of controlling the pain. Moreover, along with pain, some patients may also experience swelling of gums or face, bruising of the gums, minor bleeding at the surgery site, and so forth. 

Hence, we can safely assert that the All-on-4 dental implants surgery is the optimal option and a boon for people with the edentulous jaw. The procedure is cost-effective, highly safe, and minimally invasive. 

Schedule your appointment with a dentist today and get the treatment on time!

Dental implants have been a successful method for over 40 years. An implanted tooth is a long-lasting discreet solution. When a tooth is missing, eating and speaking becomes more difficult, which can impact your confidence.

Dentures with dental implants are attached to your jawbone with titanium screws that replace your missing tooth root. Once the implant is fitted, the bone around it will fuse with it, keeping it firmly in place. On top of the implant, a false tooth is then placed (a crown or a denture). The false tooth will blend in with your natural teeth without impacting the size, shape, and color of your natural teeth. 

Dental implants: how do they work?

When your tooth loss is severe, you may want to ask your dentist whether dental implants are suitable for you or not. These are surgically inserted in the jawbone and replace missing teeth. Using dental implants, you will be able to replace your teeth more naturally, and a lab technician can assist you in getting the perfect match.

Dental implants are most effective when you have a healthy jawbone that is fully developed. A healthy gum line and jawbone are crucial for implant success.

How Dental Implants Are Placed

Depending on the patients’ particular dental health needs and the amount of surgery required, your dentist will schedule your implant procedure either at his/her office using local anesthesia or at a hospital with general anesthesia, depending on how much surgery is required.

Getting a dental implant involves the following three phases over several months:

• Placement of the implant: First, you undergo surgery to have the implant placed in your jaw, where the gum tissue covers the implant and allows it to integrate into the jawbone for three to six months.
• Attachment of Post: To attach a post to the implant, your dentist attaches a piece of metal and allows the gum tissue to enlarge around it. This process may be done in tandem with implant placement. Both the implant and the post serve as anchors to support the replacement tooth, whether placed simultaneously or not.
• Crown attachment: A customized crown is attached to the implant post by your dentist.

Benefits of Dental Implants

• It looks like natural teeth: After the prosthetic tooth has been fitted to the implant, the result appears completely natural.
• Behaves like natural teeth: Implants provide a level of strength and function that is unmatched by other restorations and behave like natural teeth.
• Prevents bone loss: You lose bone mass around the missing tooth site as a side effect of losing a tooth. Implants stimulate new bone growth by becoming integrated with the jaw bone, a process called osseointegration. As a result, future bone loss can be prevented.
• Easy to maintain: It is easy to take care of dental implants because they should be brushed twice a day, along with regular dental checkups and regular visits to the dentist.

Dental implants are considered a possibility for nearly anyone healthy enough to undergo routine oral surgery or dental extraction. The gums should be healthy and the bone strong enough to hold the implant. In addition to brushing, flossing, using an antibacterial mouthwash, and getting regular dental checkups, dental implants require the same care as natural teeth.

Schedule your appointment with a dentist today and get the treatment on time!

Taking care of dental health is as important as taking care of any part of the body. But, certain factors coupled with negligence can cause numerous dental problems, one of the most common being dental caries. We can define dental caries as the decay of a tooth. In simple words, small holes develop in the teeth as the enamel begins to demineralize due to bacterial attack. Alternately known as cavities, caries is one of the widespread and persistent dental diseases in contemporary times. As per the Center for Disease Control and Prevention statistics, 38.1 percent of American adults have untreated dental caries. Now that you know what dental caries are, the looming question is what causes them and their symptoms. Well, read ahead to find out.

Causes of Dental Caries 

Dental caries can be found on two parts of the teeth: on the top area of the teeth where food particles come in direct contact with the teeth and in between the teeth. The former is known as occlusal caries, and the latter is known as interproximal caries. The leading causes of caries are 

1. Bacteria: They decompose the carbohydrates and produce acidic metabolites that attack the enamel.
2. Carbohydrates: We can call them the food that provides the enamel demineralization bacteria.
3. Poor oral hygiene: The lack of a proper dental hygiene routine promotes the growth of bacteria that forms plaque. 

In simpler terms, when foods rich in sugar accumulate on the teeth’ surface, the bacteria in the mouth decomposes the sugars and produces acidic metabolites. The acids perpetrate the teeth’ enamel and result in the formation of caries. Although dental caries are not hereditary, people whose family members have a history of caries are more susceptible to the condition. 

Symptoms of Dental Caries 

Evidence suggests that dental caries can occur at any point in life. Caries are mainly triggered due to negligence and ignorance, like avoiding teeth brushing, flossing, and mouthwash. Some of the typical symptoms of dental caries are:

• Toothache
• Tooth sensitivity towards hot and cold foods
• Bleeding gums
• Loose gums
• Tooth discoloration 
• Pain while chewing food

Treatments for Dental Caries

In terms of professional help, there are four treatments for dental carie:

1. Fillings: They are the most commonly used method of treating dental caries. A dentist drills into the affected part of the teeth, removes the decayed material inside the cavity and packs the space with appropriate dental fillings.
2. Crowns: They are used when a large proportion of the tooth is destroyed because of cavities. The dentist attempts to salvage the remaining tooth and fit an alloy or porcelain crown covering on it.
3. Root Canal: A dental decay may seep through the enamel and begin to attack the pulp inside. It is in such a context that the root canal procedure comes in. A dentist removes the damaged or dead nerve surrounding the blood vessels and fills the affected area.
4. Extraction: In some cases, when the tooth is damaged beyond repair, extraction remains the sole option.

It is noteworthy that dental caries can be easily avoided by maintaining a proper dental hygiene routine.