Dental Implants Specialists in Phoenix Explain 12 Extraordinary Things You Never Knew About Dental Health, PART 3

This four-part article series explains 12 interesting and enlightening facts you may not have known about oral health and hygiene.

Welcome to the third installment of this four-part article series on 12 extraordinary dental facts and statistics. In our previous article, cosmetic dentist in Phoenix revealed that 80% of Americans present with some form or stage of gum disease, which is also one of the biggest causes behind rampant tooth loss and edentulism (not having any natural teeth left). They also explained that the vast majority (90%) of systemic diseases have oral ramifications and that the link between poor dental and general health can actually put one at risk of heart attack.

We’re halfway now, so let’s continue with some more dental facts.

Fascinating Fact # 7

This one shouldn't come as any surprise. Doctors and dentists alike lament the health implications of sugar-packed sodas and yet there are still countless Americans who drink three or more glasses of this beverage every day. “Soda or pop is packed with sugar and acid, making frequent exposure to this substance a risk factor for tooth decay and gum disease,” explains a cosmetic dentist in Phoenix. “In fact, those who drink more than three glasses a day account for 62% of the tooth decay, tooth loss and filling cases we address!”

The message here is quite simple. Soda, cola and other sugary beverages should be viewed as treats and not as daily thirst-quenchers. Water should be what you reach for when you need refreshment, according to renowned dentists.

Fascinating Fact # 8

When last did you change your toothbrush? According to the cosmetic dentist in Phoenix, we simply don’t change our toothbrushes enough! You should get a new brush every three to four months or when the bristles start looking frayed. “When bristles become blunt and frayed they stop cleaning as thoroughly as they used to, so even if you brush three times a day you’re not getting a good clean out of your toothbrush,” explains an experienced Phoenix dentist. “Additionally, you should throw away your toothbrush after you've had any kind of viral infection, such as a cold or flu. Otherwise you risk re-infecting yourself.”

Fascinating Fact # 9

It’s happened to countless sports players... being on the wrong end of a flying ball could get one or more of your pearly whites knocked out. The good news is if you’re quick, you can save the tooth and have it placed back in your mouth! “If you or your child or anyone for that matter has had a tooth knocked out, rescue it and put it in a glass of milk,” says a dental implants specialist. “If you don’t have any milk handy, you can actually store the tooth in your mouth. You might want to keep it in your cheek, like a hamster, because it’s probably not very pleasant to have a knocked out tooth rolling around your mouth.”

What then?

Rush straight to your dentist, appointment or not. It’s a dental emergency and time is of the essence. A knocked out tooth starts dying after 15 minutes in the air. Stored in milk or saliva, it can last longer, but you absolutely need professional attention as soon as humanly possible.

Stay Tuned for Part 4

To read more fascinating and educational facts about dental health and statistics, stay tuned for the final installment of this four-part article series.

Teeth Implants Specialists in Arizona Explain 12 Extraordinary Things You Never Knew About Dental Health, PART 2

This four-part article series explains 12 interesting and enlightening facts you may not have known about oral health and hygiene.

Welcome to the second installment of this four-part article series on 12 extraordinary dental facts and statistics. An important part of improving oral health across the United States is promoting greater awareness of the various dental healthcare problems we face. For example, did you know that tooth decay is the second most common disease in the U.S.? Did you know that the average American only brushes his or her teeth for 38 seconds per day in total, when the recommended time is 6 minutes? And did you know that if you skip flossing, you neglect to clean 35% of your tooth surfaces? According to teeth implants specialists in Arizona, all of the above is true and yet, few people realize just how serious the implications of this kind of neglect are for oral health!

Let’s continue with some more dental facts.

Fascinating Fact # 4

Here’s a big one. It’s estimated by cosmetic dentists in Sun City that a staggering 80% of the population presents with some form or stage of gum disease, be it gingivitis or periodontal disease. In other words, if you’re standing in a room with 9 other people, only two people in that room will be in good oral health. The rest are at a risk of losing teeth some time in the short to medium future as a result of gum disease. So, if you don’t brush and floss regularly, the odds are not exactly stacked in your favor.

“This really highlights just how pervasive oral disease is in the United States. We are obsessed with good bodily hygiene, diet, exercise and general health, yet totally drop the ball on oral health,” says a teeth implants specialist in Arizona. “We all want the benefits of a gorgeous healthy smile, yet can’t be bothered to make the effort to keep our teeth healthy. Gum disease is extremely common. Make sure you do what you can to prevent it, or else I’ll be seeing you in my office in the not-so distant future!”

Fascinating Fact # 5

A systemic disease is one that affects most of the body’s major organs and systems. In other words, it doesn’t only have ramifications for a singular system. One of the areas of the body that is almost always affected by systemic diseases, such as diabetes, is the mouth and vice-versa. Did you know that gum disease shares a link with conditions that include:

• Cardiovascular disease
• Respiratory disease
• Cancer
• Risk of stroke
• Diabetes
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Pregnancy complications
• Low birth-weight babies
• Osteoporosis
• Alzheimer’s disease
• Kidney disease
• Liver disease

The list goes on! “Your mouth is a direct portal into the rest of your body,” says a cosmetic dentist in Sun City. “If it’s diseased and unclean, you are exposing your entire body and all its systems to dangerous bacteria. This is done via swallowing, respiration and the blood stream.”

Fascinating Fact # 6

In light of the above-mentioned point and the fact that the health of your mouth and body are so connected, good oral health and hygiene can help to prevent heart problems! It is well documented in the medical literature that cardiovascular disease and gum disease share a very close relationship. Additionally, it has been discovered that people who have had heart attacks have deposits of the same kind of oral disease-causing bacteria in the ventricles of their hearts!

“By going for regular dental cleanings and check-ups, you can keep your teeth free of the bacteria that can increase your risk of cardiovascular disease,” says a dental specialist in Arizona.

Stay Tuned for Part 3

To read more fascinating and educational facts about dental health and statistics, stay tuned for the third installment of this four-part article series.

Sun City Dentistry: 12 Extraordinary Things You Never Knew About Dental Health, PART 1

This four-part article series explains 12 interesting and enlightening facts you may not have known about oral health and hygiene.

There’s so much more to teeth than smiling and toothbrushes. Learning a little about the statistics of tooth loss, the health of your teeth and how problems such as tooth decay affect your body goes a long way in promoting greater awareness and therefore better standards of health and hygiene. In this four-part article series on Sun City dentistry, we learn 12 extraordinary things about dental health!

Fascinating Fact # 1

If asked what the most common disease in America is what would you guess? Well, THE most common ailment comes as no surprise... it’s the common cold and unless you have an infallible immune system, chances are you’ve experienced it personally. The second most common disease is actually tooth decay! According to dental implants specialists in AZ, millions of teeth are lost annually to tooth decay and gum disease. What this means is that people just aren’t taking proper care of their teeth, nor are they seeking the preventative treatment necessary to keep their mouths in excellent health.

Fascinating Fact # 2

How long do you spend brushing your teeth every day? Two minutes in total perhaps? Well, Sun City dentistry professionals recommend that you spend two minutes brushing your teeth at a time. “Everyone should spend about 10 minutes on oral health everyday,” says an experienced Sun City dentist. “Two minutes brushing in the morning, after lunch and again at nighttime and the remainder of that time flossing and rinsing.”

Here’s the shocker... on average, Americans only spend 38 seconds per day brushing their teeth! How clean do you think you could get in a 38-second shower? Not very clean at all, so it stands to reason that you’re not doing a proper job on your pearly whites if you don’t spend a decent amount of time brushing and flossing!

Fascinating Fact # 3

Too lazy to pick up that floss? Do you even own any floss? According to dental implants specialists in AZ, one of the leading causes of gum disease is poor oral hygiene and without flossing, you simply aren’t maintaining a decent enough standard of oral hygiene. So much so, you could be putting yourself at a risk of developing gum disease, if you don’t already suffer from it.

“The teeth are three-dimensional structures,” explains a Sun City dentistry expert. “Brushing takes care of the front, back and biting surfaces of the teeth. The sides, which are pressed tightly together and so are inaccessible by your toothbrush, are essentially neglected. So, it’s no wonder that the contact points between the teeth are the first place tooth decay typically attacks! Flossing is what you should be doing to clean the sides of your teeth your toothbrush cannot. Without flossing, you are neglecting a substantial 35% of your dentition’s surfaces!”

This is why Sun City dentistry professionals always emphasize the importance of flossing. You may not like it; you may find yourself bored doing it, but it is an essential component of any sound home oral hygiene routine.

Stay Tuned for Part 2

To read more fascinating and educational facts about dental health and statistics, stay tuned for the second installment of this four-part article series.

Patients Color Their Way To A Natural Smile With Dental Implants in Glendale

This article discusses the aesthetics of dental implants, paying particular attention to choosing the color that best matches your natural teeth.

There are many factors involved in getting dental implants. Having been around for many years, dentistry specialists have researched and enhanced every aspect pertaining to replacement teeth. Because dental implants are a permanent tooth replacement solution that, with proper care, could last you a lifetime, Glendale dental implant specialists have placed a significant amount of focus on the aesthetics of the replacement teeth. Dental implants are made to look, function and feel nearly identical to your natural teeth, and here is how:

The Color Of The Crown

Each ceramic crown that is fitted to your implants is custom made to fit the size and color of the rest of your teeth in your smile. Your dentist may also give you the option to choose which color you would like. Although you might assume bright white to be the best choice, often it is not. “Over time teeth become stained, making them turn off-white or yellow,” says a dental implant specialist in Glendale.

“It is also important to note that your teeth are not all the same color. Your eyeteeth or incisors tend to be darker than the others, while the front teeth tend to be brightest. These are important factors to take into account when choosing the color of your implants. For the most natural results, we recommend that patients base their choice on the color of the teeth directly adjacent to the missing tooth. We do, of course, help out with the choice, making sure that patients benefit from the most natural and aesthetic outcomes.”

Choosing The Color

Natural teeth do not typically contain only one color; there are multiple colors in each individual tooth. Your dental professional in Sun City will usually show you a shade guide to help decide on the color. Typically the colors are grouped into four ranges: A (red-brown), B (red-yellow), C (gray), and D (red-gray). These ranges then come in varying degrees of lightness and darkness.

Working in accordance with your dental implant specialist in Glendale, you can decide on the color that best suits you.

It Is Not All In The Color

It is not only the color of the implant that keeps it looking natural. Because Glendale residents get their dental implants custom made, texture is also taken into account. Although the surface of your tooth feels smooth in your mouth, there are in fact tiny ridges and scratches that texture the surface of your teeth.

By texturing the surface of the ceramic crown that is attached to the dental implant, Sun City residents’ replacement teeth look very similar to natural teeth. The textured surface breaks up the reflection of light on the porcelain ensuring that it blends in with the surrounding teeth.

What About The Shape?

Before creating your dental implants, a mold of your mouth is taken. This mold is sent to the laboratory where your ceramic crowns are made. The artificial tooth or teeth are crafted in accordance with your existing and surrounding teeth.

The dental implant specialist in Glendale really does have your best interests at heart, which is why there are so many aspects pertaining to your dental implants. Having taken all these aspects into account, you are ensured to have a smile that will not only last you a lifetime, but will have you wanting to smile as much as possible.

Kiss Denture Troubles Goodbye With All-On-Four Dental Implants in Sun City

This article explains what All On Four implants are and discusses why they are preferred to traditional dentures.

When missing most or all of their teeth, many people think that dentures are their only option. In the past, edentulous patients wanting to receive dental implants used to require eight to twelve implants per jaw. What this meant for Sun City residents, was getting new teeth with dental implants was often too lengthy and prohibitively expensive a process to be a viable tooth replacement option. Thus, patients chose dentures and looked no further. However, remarkable innovations in dentistry insist that edentulous or near edentulous patients look again, because “All on Four” dental implants provide Sun City residents with an opportunity to kiss their denture woes good-bye.

So, What Is The Difference?

Replacing each individual tooth with a dental implant typically involves placing a titanium screw at the site of the missing tooth to which a ceramic crown is attached. This would have to be done up to twelve times per jaw in order to give edentulous and near edentulous patients a complete set of teeth again. All On Four dental implants see Sun City residents getting only four implants placed in the jaw (as the name suggests) to which a full set of artificial teeth are attached, cutting down on both time and money and providing patients with a smile that could last a lifetime.

How is This Different to Dentures?

Dentures have been known to cause Arizona residents a multitude of problems. Dentures place pressure on the gums causing pain and discomfort, often resulting in mouth sores and inflamed gums. Atrophy of the jawbone, due to a lack of stimulation provided by tooth roots, causes the mouth to change shape, which results in loose dentures that could fall out at inappropriate moments. Added to this, dentures cause a significant weakening of bite force, making it difficult to eat certain foods. In fact, malnutrition is a common problem amongst the patients who have been wearing dentures for more than 10 years.

With All on Four dental implants, Sun City residents experience none of these problems. Because the set of artificial teeth is attached to four implants, they are strong and secure. This ensures that no pressure is placed on the gums, that your bite force remains strong and that the jawbone remains stimulated, thus eliminating the risk of atrophy.

...And the Cost?

With only four implants needing to be placed, the cost of oral rehabilitation for edentulous or near edentulous patients is dramatically reduced. However, at first glance, All On Four dental implants do appear to cost Sun City residents more than the other tooth replacement options.

It is true that the initial cost of implants is pricier than the alternatives, but in the long run they actually end up costing you less. With proper care and a good oral hygiene routine, dental implants can last a lifetime, while dentures require Arizona residents to replace and refit them every few years causing the costs to pile up. So, in the long run, All On Four dental implants ultimately cost patients less than the alternatives.

It is not hard to see why All On Four dental implants are fast becoming the most popular tooth replacement option. By eliminating all the problems associated with traditional dentures dental implants are becoming the most preferred option in maintaining your beautiful, youthful smile.

Five Reasons Why Phoenix Dentists Prefer Dental Implants

This article discusses five of the benefits associated with dental implants, through a comparison with dentures and traditional bridgework.

So you’ve heard it through the grapevine: dental Implants have fast become Phoenix dental specialists’ most recommended tooth replacement option. Although you trust the dental professionals’ opinions you are not entirely sure as to why implants are considered better than bridges and traditional dentures. Well, in five short steps you will have all the answers you need.

1. There Is More To Dentures Than Meets The Eye

While at first glance dentures appear to fix the problems caused by having missing teeth, there is more to replacing a tooth than simply replacing the crown. The tooth root plays an integral role in maintaining optimal dental health. When chewing, the tooth roots stimulate the jawbone. Without them, the jawbone begins to atrophy and waste away, leading to a weaker bite force, complications with the surrounding teeth and a possible change in your facial aesthetics. Teeth implants solve this problem, as an implant is a titanium screw that is placed in the jawbone, mimicking the tooth root and functioning in exactly the same way as natural teeth.

2. Under Pressure

Dentures rely on the gums for support and apply pressure to them every time you eat or speak. This pressure can lead to mouth sores and irritated, swollen gums. Phoenix residents who receive dental implants don’t have to worry about sore or uncomfortable gums. Dental implants place no pressure on the gums or surrounding teeth as the crown of the tooth is stabilized by the implant.

3. Get One but Lose Two or More

The traditional approach to replacing missing teeth used to be a conventional dental bridge. To fit a bridge, the Phoenix dentist files down the two teeth adjacent to the missing tooth. This process could lead to tooth sensitivity and decay on the supporting natural teeth, causing two perfectly healthy teeth to be destroyed in order to replace one missing tooth. With teeth implants, a titanium screw is placed at the site of the missing tooth, to which a ceramic crown is attached. This process does not typically have any effect on the adjacent teeth, thus allowing no further damage to your mouth.

4. The Ticking Clock

Traditional removable dentures have a relatively short lifespan. Due to wear and tear and the changing shape of your mouth due to atrophy of the jawbone, your dentures will need to be refitted and replaced. This causes the process to be a more costly affair than initially intended. Phoenix residents, who have dental implants, are able to enjoy the replacement teeth for many years, possibly even their lifetime. With proper care and a good oral hygiene routine, many patients enjoy their implants for up to 30 years if not longer; thereby making the initial cost the ONLY cost.

5. Spot the Difference

Although removable dentures are made to resemble a complete set of natural teeth, it is often not the case. They shift around visibly and appear bulky in the mouth. The aesthetics of dentures often cause patients to feel self-conscious about their appearance, leading to a low self-esteem. A dental implant specialist in Phoenix says that implants support replacement teeth that look nearly identical to natural teeth. With dental implants looking and feeling like natural teeth, patients’ self-esteem and social life remain intact, allowing them to continue living their lives with a confident smile.

Put the Glory Back in Your Grin With Dental Implants in Sun City

This article explains what a dental implant is, what the implant procedure entails and who is considered to be a viable candidate.

Happiness is something that most people strive towards throughout their lives. A smile can make a day go from torturous to blissful with a tiny glint of teeth. Unfortunately for some, flashing their teeth in a glowing grin is not a possibility and is a cause for distress rather than joy. Having missing teeth can be extremely traumatic, but with fabulous advancements in dental technology, you can get back the smile confidence you thought you lost with the help of dental implants.

What Is A Dental Implant?

A dental implant is a titanium screw that is placed in the jaw at the site of the missing tooth. After placement, a ceramic replacement tooth is attached to the implant. “Dental implants mimic the form and function of the natural tooth root,” says a dental implant specialist in Sun City, “allowing for optimum function of the jaw and teeth without affecting the teeth adjacent to the missing tooth.”

What Does The Implant Procedure Entail?

The dental implant procedure begins with an initial consultation with your cosmetic dentistry specialist in Arizona. This consultation is done to assess the state of your dental health, take X-rays and decide on an implant procedure best suited to your needs. After deciding on a treatment plan, an appointment is made for the implant procedure.

The next step sees the implants being placed in the jaw. This is a short and pain-free procedure. You will be put under mild sedation to ensure that the implants are placed with ease and that you are kept entirely comfortable. Once the implants are in place, the ceramic crown or fixed prosthetic bridge is attached to the implant/s.

In some cases, the new permanent teeth are fitted on the same day as the implants, but this depends on your specific treatment plan and the state of your dental health. Otherwise, you will receive a temporary tooth or set of teeth until your jawbone has healed adequately. Then you will receive your permanent teeth.

Will Your Implants Be Noticeable?

One of the many benefits of dental implants is that they are virtually indistinguishable from your natural teeth. Due to advancements in technology and innovations in cosmetic dentistry in Arizona, the artificial teeth are custom made in accordance with your natural teeth.

You get to decide on the exact color of the ceramic crown, and, just to make sure the results are very natural, a bit of texture is added to break up the light reflection on the tooth. Working side by side with your cosmetic dentistry specialist in Arizona ensures that no one will be able to tell the difference between your implant/s and your natural teeth.

Can Anyone Get Implants?

It is true that in some cases people do not qualify as viable candidates for dental implants. But with developments in cosmetic dentistry, it is now possible for almost anyone to be a viable candidate. There are many options when it comes to dental implants, and working closely with your dental implant specialist in Sun City it is highly likely that there is an implant solution for you. Imagine, with a few visits to your dentist you could share your happiness with the world in a perfect smile.