Month: January 2020

Losing several teeth is very frustrating. It makes you lose confidence in yourself and not to mention how difficult it is to eat without some teeth. It is even worse of you lose all your teeth due to an accident. It makes it almost impossible to communicate.

Luckily, there are always ways to replace lost teeth. One of the most common methods is the use of dentures. Whether you have been using dentures for quite some time or you are considering to start now, you must have some questions about them. This article will help you understand more about them.

What are Dentures?

Dentures are man-made gums and teeth used to replace lost/missing teeth. Dentures can be found in a dentist’s office and can be used to replace a few or all teeth. For partial dentures, they are matched perfectly with your teeth, and no one can know you are using dentures.

Materials Used to Make Dentures

Most dentures are made of porcelain since it is easy to match it with the color of your teeth, and porcelain is quite durable. Other dentures are made of plastic or hard resin.

These materials are prone to chip and breakage, so you should always be very careful with your dentures. The materials also wear off faster than natural teeth, so you may have to replace your dentures after about every five years.

Types of Dentures

Before you choose your dentures, you need to know about the types available in the market. Check out the most common ones.

Partial dentures

These dentures are mostly used if one does not have strong surrounding teeth to hold other teeth replacement methods such as bridges and crowns.

Full Dentures

Complete or partial dentures are used when one has lost all his/her teeth. The dentures are removable, just like partial ones, so cleaning them is not complicated at all.

Overdentures

Overdentures are a type of dentures that can be used if the regular dentures prove to be extremely uncomfortable. These dentures are can only be used if you have several natural teeth left. They are fitted over the roots of your teeth. They are removable as well.

Immediate Dentures

These dentures are used for about six months as you heal from a tooth extraction. They are easy to fit, and they can accommodate changes in your mouth, such as swelling in your gums as you heal. They are disposed of after your teeth are ready for permanent dentures. You might find some dentists referring to these dentures as dental flippers.

Implant-Supported Dentures

These dentures are anchored with dental implants, and they look just like your natural teeth. They usually contain an implant (titanium screw) and a custom crown. They are mostly used for teeth missing on the lower jaw since it is easier to fit them securely on the lower jaw than on the upper jaw. That doesn’t mean it cannot be done on the upper jaw, though. You just need to find an experienced dentist.

Fast Facts about Dentures

Lack of denture cleanliness can lead to dental problems as well as problems with your overall health. Dentures can last up to seven years if you take proper care of them.

You still need to visit your dentist regularly even if you don’t have a single tooth, and you are only using dentures. You should clean your dentures daily, just like you do with your natural teeth. You can use toothbrush and toothpaste, or non-abrasive denture cleanser. Dentures are made to fit your mouth perfectly.

Tips for Dentures

You should use denture adhesive to reduce food accumulation and improve retention of your dentures. Adhesive can also improve your comfort with them which can lead to peace of mind

Soak your dentures in denture-cleansing solutions every day. This helps break down plaque and disinfect your dentures. You should only use a denture-cleaning solution outside your mouth.

Be careful with dentures, and be sure not to drop them while cleaning because they can break if dropped.

Remove your dentures as you sleep to prevent infections and reduce soreness. Only sleep with them if your dentist asks you to.

Conclusion

If you are still not sure whether to go for dentures or not, you can book a session at Dental Arts Seminole. We provide professional dental services to patients from Seminole, FL, and the surrounding areas. Book an appointment or call us to get full information about dentures and other dental services.

Most people cringe when they hear the ‘root canal’. Something about that name sparks feelings of anxiety and phobias. Many patients hold back from visiting a root canal dentist, solely from the fear and anxiety they have built up. Even then, is there anything to be scared of when it comes to root canal treatment? Find out below.

What Is Root Canal?

It is a dental treatment associated with decayed teeth. When a tooth is deeply decayed, it causes pain and aches in different parts of the body, including the mouth, neck, head, and shoulders. A root canal is the internal part of the tooth that connects it to its root. This is why a root canal is used to describe the treatment of this part of the tooth.

When Is A Root Canal Necessary?

It is not every day that a root canal treatment will be recommended for you at the dental arts Seminole. A dentist in Seminole, FL must thoroughly examine your teeth to make sure that no other treatment best suits you than root canal therapy. Usually, the treatment is offered for:

• Advanced tooth decay – one that affects beyond the external structure of the tooth.
• Infected pulp cavity – particularly where the abscess has already built-up.
• Tooth injury – especially one that does not have physical chips or cracks. This could mean that the internal parts of the tooth are damaged.

Myths about Root Canals

While root canal therapy has been proven successful over the years, over 50% of the world’s population still battle with dental anxiety, particularly when the root canal is mentioned. Most people hold on to their anxieties over information that is not true or factual. Some of the myths you should stop believing about Root Canals are:

• It is painful – in the past decades, root canal therapy was a painful process. However, modern technology and innovation have introduced different ways of greeting things done. Most patients of root canal therapy today report feeling very little or no discomfort at all during the procedure. Dentists use local anesthesia to alleviate all discomfort, while technology like lasers makes the process fast and as painless as possible. In fact, the only pain you experience is having your tooth untreated.
• Too many dental visits – other than dental anxiety, the other thing that people dread is the frequent trips to a dental office. Treatments that require more than 2 dental visits are the most dreaded. Thankfully, today’s cutting edge technology ensures that root canal therapy can be done in one or two dental visits. This saves up on time and improves people’s confidence in the dental system.
• It involves removing the roots of the tooth – the name root canal has had people mistaken about what the treatment is about. Some think that the procedure involves removing the root of a tooth to treat it. However, that is far from the truth. The treatment is concerned with taking out the pulp contents of the tooth. When a tooth is injured or deeply decayed, the infection gets into the internal parts. The pulp chamber is the central part of the tooth that composes the nerve endings, blood vessels, and other soft tissues. When it is infected, it increases the sensitivity of the tooth and causes pain. For this reason, root canal therapy is a treatment that removes the pulp to alleviate pain and prevent further infection of the tooth.
• The tooth will come out eventually – some people believe that root canal therapy is not important because the tooth will come out eventually, regardless of the treatment. However, the truth is that a mature tooth can survive without nerve endings and the pulp. After the procedure, what determines the longevity of your tooth is how well you care for it. With proper oral hygiene, good eating habits, and regular dental checkups, such a tooth can last you a lifetime after root canal therapy.
• You only need root canals when in pain – truthfully, root canals are performed on patients who have toothaches following tooth decay or injury. However, even though you are not in pain, an endodontist can suggest the treatment for you. Since they are experts in what they do, they can detect a tooth whose pulp has been infected. Before the pain begins to bother you, you can remove the pulp and extend the life of your tooth.