The method of using dental implants to replace teeth lost to an accident, gum diseases or tooth decay is becoming popular.
Sreenivas Koka, chair of Mayo Clinic Department of Dental Specialties, discusses the advantages of dental implants and what's involved.
To place an implant, an oral surgeon or periodontist cuts open the gum to expose the jawbone and then drills a small hole in the bone for the metal cylinder that serves as the implant.
All this is done when the patient is under anaesthesia.
"It's almost like drilling a screw into the wall," Dr. Koka said.
It takes three months for the area to heal and for the implant to fuse with the jawbone.
Patients may undergo a second procedure in which a post, called an abutment, is attached or screwed down into the implant. This can be done at the same time the implant cylinder is put in or after the area has healed.
In the final step, the dentist attaches a realistic-looking artificial tooth to the implant or to the post. The entire process takes about four months.
According to Dr. Koka, a big advantage of the method is that an implant acts as a substitute for the roots of a natural tooth.
"If you are missing a single tooth, this allows you to leave the other teeth around it alone," Dr. Koka said.
"With a bridge, you have to cut down the teeth on each side of the empty space so that a false tooth can be held in place by two crowns," Dr. Koka added.
Almost any adult in reasonably good health is a candidate for dental implants.
Dr. Koka says that patients often ask if osteoporosis would prevent them from getting dental implants. It doesn't.
Mayo Clinic research has shown that patients with osteoporosis or those taking oral bisphosphonates used to treat osteoporosis have about the same success rate as other patients.
And the success rates for dental implants are high -- 90 to 96 percent.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Dental implants becoming popular method for replacing teeth
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Teeth Health Tips for Kids
Teeth health begins with proper eating habits and not necessarily with the avoidance of sweets, including chocolate candy, candy cane, candy bar or hard candy, but the clue is getting the balance right. When it comes to choosing the food for your kids, consider sweet candy as part of their diet, teaching them to keep healthy teeth.
Caring for teeth requires your children brush their teeth twice a day, no matter if they eat chocolate candy or just other types of foods during the day. A Candy cane is not a tool to clean their teeth, as many kids believe playing with it in their mouth. Anyone who eats foods high in sugar is required to brush daily.
Sweet candy plays a part in tooth decay. The best way to keep smiling is using fluoride toothpastes. Help children develop a teeth brushing routine, limiting candy bars and hard candy intake during the day, and never after brushing their teeth at bedtime to avoid microorganisms working on their mouth by night.
The American Dental Association has animations and games online aimed to teach children how to brush and other fundamentals of oral health care. They teach kids to be aware of the damage that chocolate candy, candy cane, candy bar, hard candy and other sweet candy may cause in the long run if cleaning regularly is practiced.
The best way to encourage kids' dental hygiene is by providing them with flavored fluoride toothpaste to make brushing a more enjoyable experience. In fact, many dentists recommend changing the taste and appearance of toothpaste on a regular basis for better results.
Research has found children who like to brush twice each day, do it for longer periods of time when the toothpaste is flavored because they associate the taste with sweet candy. Appropriate brushing prevents gum disease, cavities and other dental health issues caused by the consumption of a candy bar or chewable hard candy.
Kid’s age 6 or less should brush using no more than a pea-sized dab of toothpaste to remove plaque. This simple action is enough to provide the necessary fluoride protection against chocolate candy, candy cane and regular food that is stuck to teeth during the day.
Healthy eating habits contribute to healthy teeth, because the snacks that kids eat are basically made of sweet candy, the more they eat the more risk of leading to formation of cavities. Limit your children's snacks is not a good idea because they need food for energy, but substituting candies for nutritious foods such as vegetables sticks are best.
Natalie Aranda writes on family, health http://www.rectonet.com/Health-19/ and child education. Sweet candy plays a part in tooth decay. The best way to keep smiling is using fluoride toothpastes. Help children develop a teeth brushing routine, limiting candy bars and hard candy intake during the day, and never after brushing their teeth at bedtime to avoid microorganisms working on their mouth by night.
