Cosmetic Dentists in Sun City Offer a Fixed Solution to Denture Woes, PART 1

This two-part article series explains the benefits of “All-On-4” dental implants as a far better and more sophisticated solution to missing teeth than removable dentures.

It’s all in the name... the “All-On-4” is a revolutionary teeth replacement treatment that is, in most cases, able to provide patients with new, non-removable teeth in just one day and with just one appointment. Thanks to its tremendous success rate, lower cost, faster treatment time and innumerable benefits over traditional teeth replacement techniques, such as removable dentures, the “All-On-4” has become the firm recommendation of cosmetic dentists in Sun City. In this two-part article series, we shall provide an overview of how this procedure works and the various benefits it offers over and above traditional dentures: a technology that belongs in the previous century.

What is the “All-On-4”?

The “All-On-4” is a dental implant procedure that is typically recommended to Sun City residents who have lost most or all of their teeth to general wear, tooth decay and oral ailments, such as gum disease.

“This procedure offers a fantastic alternative to traditional removable dentures, for one, because your new teeth are fixed permanently in the mouth,” explains a cosmetic dentist in Sun City. “They also look, feel and function like natural teeth, enabling patients to lead a high quality lifestyle without any of the pain, discomfort, embarrassment and low self-esteem that comes with wearing dentures.”

So, how does it work?

The “All-On-4” consists of four dental implants, which are strategically distributed so as to allow for maximum support of a fixed dental bridge. Two dental implants are placed at an angle towards the back of the jawbone, and another two in the front where the bone tends to be a little more resistant to atrophy and therefore typically exists in a greater volume. By carefully determining the implant sites prior to surgery, “All-On-4” specialists in Arizona can almost always:

• Avoid the need for bone grafting,
• Provide patients with a new set of teeth using only four implants per jaw,
• Complete full mouth reconstruction in just one surgery,
• And all at a much lesser cost than traditional dental implant treatment strategies.

What are the Benefits of “All-On-4” Implants?

“The “All-On-4” is a totally different concept to traditional removable dentures,” explains a cosmetic dentist in Sun City. “Instead of relying on the support of the gums, a patient’s new set of teeth is entirely supported by the jawbone, as is the case with natural teeth. There are many benefits associated with this... it feels more comfortable and natural and saves patients the acute discomfort associated with dentures rubbing against and pressing down on their gums.”

“It also saves them from having to repeatedly buy anesthetic ointments to help keep their gums comfortable,” explains the “All-On-4” dentist in Arizona. “Oral sores frequently develop as a consequence of ill-fitting dentures, so it’s a great relief for patients to no longer have to contend with these problems.”

But this is only really the tip of the iceberg...

Stay Tuned for Part 2

To read more about what cosmetic dentists have to say about the many benefits of this breakthrough procedure in fixed oral rehabilitation, stay tuned for the second installment of this article series.

Sun City Dental News: Surprising Facts about Your Toothbrush, PART 2

This two-part article series explores a host of surprising facts you probably didn't know about your toothbrush and it’s importance to the maintenance of smile health.

Welcome to the second installment of this article series on the advice Sun City dental healthcare practitioners have for us regarding the maintenance and usage of that essential cleaning implement: the toothbrush. In Part 1, we looked at the following important facts:

1. You should brush your teeth for two minutes at a time.
2. Those special toothbrush storage caps actually foster an environment conducive to bacterial growth.
3. Never store your toothbrush within 6 feet of a flushing toilet.
4. Replace your toothbrush every three to four months or when the bristles become frayed.

We still have a few more facts to cover, so let’s get started...

5. The state of your toothbrush bristles says quite a bit about how you brush your teeth.

Take a look at your toothbrush. Are the bristles straight or are they slightly bent and frayed? It’s totally normal for this to happen with time and wear, but if your toothbrush starts looking disheveled within a few weeks of using it, you may be brushing way too hard!

“Keep an eye on the state of your toothbrush’s bristles and when they start looking the worse for wear, get a new toothbrush. If they get frayed quickly, lessen up on the pressure,” advise cosmetic dentistry practitioners in AZ.

6. Your toothbrush could be making you sick!

If you don’t store your toothbrush properly, allow it to dry between uses or replace it frequently enough, it could very well be making you sick,” warn Sun City dental healthcare professionals. “Even if you rinse your toothbrush after using it - and you should - bacteria and food debris will get left behind. By allowing your toothbrush to wallow in a puddle of water instead of drying properly between uses, bacteria are encouraged to proliferate in the bristles of your toothbrush. Additionally, leaving it out and exposed to the air in your bathroom, especially there’s a flushing toilet in the same room, could allow harmful pathogens to settle on your toothbrush.”

You should also replace your toothbrush after any viral infection, such as influenza, or you could risk re-infecting yourself.

7. Scrubbing hard doesn't clean better!

“Many people make the mistake of pushing down too hard when they brush,” say Sun City dental professionals. “They think that the more vigorous they are, the better or more efficiently they’ll clean their teeth, but this kind of aggressive brushing can actually do terrible damage to your teeth. Not only does it irritate the gums, causing them to become inflamed, but it can also erode away the protective dental enamel covering your teeth. This causes the softer and more yellow dentine to become exposed, which makes your smile appear dulled and can leave you more vulnerable to cavities and tooth sensitivity.”

The bristles of your toothbrush will provide a good gauge of whether you are brushing too hard or not. If they are terribly frayed and/or become frayed quickly after purchase, then you are likely pushing down too hard. “Ease up on the pressure,” advise cosmetic dentistry practitioners in AZ.

In Conclusion...

Frequent and thorough brushing is absolutely essential to the maintenance of good oral health. By adhering to the advice provided by Sun City dental professionals in this two-part article series, and by reassessing your brushing habits, you can make the necessary changes to get the very most out of those few minutes you spend caring for your teeth every day.

Sun City Dentist News: Surprising Facts About Your Toothbrush, PART 1

This two-part article series explores a host of surprising facts you probably didn't know about your toothbrush and its importance to the maintenance of smile health.

You use it everyday and probably seldom think twice about it, but there is a whole lot to owning, maintaining and using a toothbrush than Sun City residents might think! Because it is something we do everyday and hopefully more than once a day, habits that are developed tend to become entrenched and what we thought might be good or beneficial, could in fact be damaging or deleterious to good oral health. We spoke to an experienced dental implants dentist in Arizona about this most essential of oral hygiene activities and the following surprising facts were revealed...

1. You should brush your teeth for two minutes at a time.

“Most people spend less than one minute brushing their teeth per day,” says the Sun City dentist. “You should brush your teeth for two minutes at a time and do so at least twice a day, morning and night. A quick scrub is not going to remove sufficient oral bacteria and food debris to prevent the build-up of plaque and tartar on your teeth. This could leave you far more vulnerable to cavities, tooth decay and the oral ailment that ultimately leads to tooth loss: gum disease.”

2. Those special toothbrush storage caps actually foster an environment conducive to bacterial growth.

Many big brand names in oral health and hygiene sell toothbrush caps, which are designed to close over the head of the toothbrush, supposedly keeping it safe from bacteria. However, they in effect, achieve the opposite!

“Your toothbrush should be stored in a place where it has the chance to dry between uses, such as a closed, yet aired bathroom cupboard,” advises the Sun City dentist. “Storing it in a toothbrush cap is akin to leaving it on the sink in a puddle of water. Bacteria love warm, moist environments, so by not allowing your toothbrush to dry, it becomes an excellent breeding ground for the kind of organisms that can actually make you sick.”

3. Never store your toothbrush within 6 feet of a flushing toilet.

You may not see it with your own two eyes, but every time you flush the toilet, it sends an ultra-fine spray of water up into the air. And since the water in your toilet is anything but squeaky clean, everything within a 6-foot radius of the toilet can be vulnerable to contamination.

“If your bathroom is very small and if you don’t have anywhere safe to store your toothbrush, then just make sure to close the toilet lid every time you flush. This will help keep your bathroom free of biofilm, which can contain nasty pathogens,” explains the dental implants dentist in Arizona.

4. Replace your toothbrush every three to four months or when the bristles become frayed.

With use, the ends of your toothbrush bristles become dulled and the bristles themselves can become frayed. This really affects the cleaning ability of your toothbrush, which is why Sun City dentists recommend that you replace it every three or four months. Frayed bristles are hopelessly ineffective at removing plaque and food debris from the crowns and at the gum line, so you won’t be getting the clean you need to maintain good oral hygiene and fresh breath.

Stay Tuned for Part 2

Stay tuned for the second installment of this two-part article series in which an experienced Sun City dentist gives us advice on the best and worst tooth-brushing habits.