A Silver Spring Dental Specialist Gives the Facts About Dental Implants

This article explains why dental implants are the recommended treatment for missing teeth, commenting on the benefits of dental implants and the different options available.

In a world where information is readily available at the click of a button, it is possible to become overwhelmed by the multitude of varying opinions that often tend to contradict one another. With so many differing opinions, how are you to know which one is correct? 

Well, if you’re looking to find out about dental implants, you’ve come to the right place. This tell-all article intends on clearing up all those nagging questions you have about implants, with some straightforward facts.

The Most Recommended Tooth Replacement Option

Dental implants have fast become the most recommended tooth replacement option when it comes to dental reconstruction in Silver Spring. This technology enables dentists to return your oral health to its former glory with replacement teeth that are virtually indistinguishable in fit, function, feel and appearance from your natural teeth.

Why are Dental Implants So Popular?

“Dental implants are designed to replicate your natural teeth from the tip of the crown to the base of the root,” explains an experienced Maryland dental implants specialist. “Other replacement options, such as removable dentures, replace only the crown of the tooth. Although this appears to be a viable solution on the surface level, it is what is happening underneath the gums that is problematic.”

Dental specialist in Silver Spring note that without the presence of the tooth root the jawbone begins to atrophy. This, in turn, causes the mouth to change shape. If the patient has removable dentures, the atrophied jawbone will cause the dentures to become loose and slip and slide in the mouth, often causing pain and discomfort.

How Are Dental Implants Different?

The jawbone functions similarly to the muscles in your body. It requires constant stimulation to maintain its health and volume. This stimulation is achieved through the tooth root via the act of chewing. Atrophy of the jawbone occurs when the tooth root is no longer present.

“Maryland Dental Implants consist of a titanium screw that is placed in the mouth at the site of the missing tooth, where it resumes the function of that missing tooth root. An abutment and ceramic crown are attached to the titanium screw, which provides you with a replacement tooth that is durable, can support a natural bite and, best of all, looks just like a natural tooth.”

Are Implants only Available For Single Tooth Replacement?

No! Although single tooth implants are available, there are also implant options for edentulous (toothless) and near edentulous patients. To replace multiple missing teeth, dental specialists in Silver Spring can perform the All-On-Four dental implant procedure.

This procedure involves placing only four implants at strategic locations in the mouth and attaching a permanent bridge of replacement teeth to the implants. This allows patients to enjoy a full set of permanent replacement teeth that won’t move around in the mouth and never need to come out after meals for cleaning or at nighttime.

So That’s It?

Pretty much! Implant procedures will vary from person to person, so consult with your dental specialist in Silver Spring to find out the best treatment option for you. But one thing that is for certain, there are no conflicting opinions when it comes to dental implants; they most certainly are the best choice when it comes to tooth replacement. 

Eliminate Cavities with the Help of the Dentist in Silver Spring

This article focuses on the how to avoid dental cavities, explaining how cavities are formed as well as the various aspects of the cleaning routine that will help you maintain good oral health.

You often hear of all the brilliant and innovative procedures available for the rehabilitation of your oral health. Dental implants, veneers, Snap-On-Teeth and root canals are all fantastic solutions for missing or damaged teeth, but it is also true that prevention is the best cure. Keep reading to hear from an experienced dentist in Silver Spring about the main causes of tooth decay and how best to prevent it.

Tooth Decay... How It All Begins

Tooth decay is caused by a combination of two things: food and bacteria. “Our mouths are teeming with hundreds of different kinds of bacteria, which multiply and proliferate every time we eat or drink something sugary,” explains the dentist in Silver Spring. “The bacteria feed on the sugars found in the food you eat, producing acidic wastes as a by-product. This has a harmful effect on the health of your teeth, breaking down the enamel and leaving it softer and more vulnerable to erosion and cavity formation.”

Over time, the continual acid attack on tooth enamel ultimately leads to the formation of cavities, compromising the dental health of Silver Spring residents. It is for this reason that having a good oral hygiene routine - to eliminate acid-producing bacteria - is so important.

How to Prevent Cavities

“It is true that some people are more prone to dental caries than others, due to genetic heritage and their predisposition to infection and inflammation,” says the dentist in Silver Spring. “But it is also true that most people can avoid dental cavities through a strict and thorough cleaning routine. Brushing and flossing your teeth regularly is very important in maintaining good oral health. This not only helps to eliminate bacteria and food debris from your teeth, tongue and gums, but is also neutralizes acids.”

So if I Brush, I Won’t Get Cavities?

Unfortunately, brushing and flossing alone are not always enough to totally keep the cavities at bay. When you’re eating, the act of chewing can cause food to be forced inside the pits and fissures in the biting surfaces of your teeth and these are spaces that toothbrushes, floss or even saliva are unable to reach and keep clean.

For this, a dentist in Silver Spring offers an interesting tip, saying that chewing on fiber, such as a celery stick, allows saliva to get to the areas where food has been trapped, and dilutes the sugars that cause the cavity forming acids. Also, if you have particularly deep cusps in your molars, you might want to consider having them sealed to prevent decay.

Not Everything is Do-It-Yourself

No matter how good your cleaning routine is, or how many sticks of celery you eat, good oral care also requires the help of professionals. It is generally recommended that you have your teeth professionally cleaned by an oral hygienist at least once every six months, although this varies from patient to patient.

Depending on the state of the dental health of Silver Spring residents, the dentist might recommend more regular visits. But, one thing is for certain: receiving help from the professionals definitely decreases the likelihood of cavities, tooth decay, gum disease and tooth loss!

Rinse and Repeat

When it comes to the health of your teeth and gums, consistent and frequent attention will help you keep them for a lifetime. It is a misconception that everyone eventually loses their teeth, regardless of how you care for them. According to the dentist in Silver Spring, good oral hygiene is fundamental in the fight against bacteria that cause cavities and decay. Brush, floss and go for check-ups once or twice a year, and your teeth should keep you company for life!

Design the Smile You Want with Dentists in Silver Spring MD

This article talks about the importance of choosing a cosmetic dentist for dental implants, with specific focus on ‘Smile Design’.

There are many different options when it comes to dental implants and choosing the right dentist is most definitely one of the choices you will have to make. You might wonder why it is you can’t just ask your general dentist. Well, if he or she is qualified to place dental implants, then why not? For all intents and purposes, this option is entirely plausible. There are, however, significant benefits to Silver Spring residents choosing a cosmetic dentist to perform the procedure, because ultimately it is all about the smile.

So What’s the Big Difference?

While general dentists in Silver Spring MD might be trained to perform the dental implant procedure, cosmetic dentists have the qualifications and experience to take it one step further. For a lot of people, functionality is not the only important aspect when it comes to replacing missing teeth: appearance also plays an important role if not THE most important role.

You don’t only want to be able to chew your food without difficulty or discomfort; you also want to be able to smile with confidence. The Silver Spring cosmetic dentist is trained to take esthetics into account when designing your new teeth and this includes an extra step in the dental implant process called ‘Smile Design’.

What is ‘Smile Design’?

When you go to the hairdresser and ask for a specific style, you have certain expectations about how you will look when you step out of the salon. There is nothing more disappointing than your reflection in the mirror not matching up to the picture in your head. This is why the Silver Spring cosmetic dentist performs a Smile Design consultation before the implant procedure. This consultation ensures that the patient, working closely with the cosmetic dentist, can convey exactly what it is they expect from their procedure and what it is they would like to change about the quality of their smile. Armed with this information, the dentist ensures that you walk out of his or her office with the same smile that you had in your mind’s eye.

How Does Smile Design Work?

During your smile design consultation, the Silver Spring cosmetic dentist will chat with you about what you hope your smile will look like after receiving dental implants. Often this consultation includes looking through multiple pictures of smiles until you find the one you are looking for.

It is possible for the cosmetic specialist to disagree with your choice, and they might advise you as to want they think would suit you better. Although you should take their thoughts into consideration, the choice is ultimately yours. But whatever you decide, you can be sure that you will climb off of the dentist’s chair with the smile you wanted.

The Cosmetic Touch

Cosmetic dentists place particular importance on physical appearance. Self-confidence plays a major role in how we experience life, and it is for this very reason that cosmetic dentists do what they do. A large portion of one’s self esteem is born from one’s physical appearance: that is why the dentists in Silver Spring MD who have specialized in cosmetic dentistry take particular care in aesthetics.

This does not mean that less attention is paid to the functionality of your teeth or the health of your mouth as a whole. Cosmetic dentists are invested in obtaining success with all aspects of tooth replacement, thus making sure that your smile both looks and feels great.

The Good Old Bad Days are a Thing of the Past with Dental Implants in Silver Spring

This article talks about the benefits of dental implants and the negative aspects of removable dentures.

Change is never an easy thing, but yet it is unavoidable. With each new Silver Spring generation comes a long list of things that are new, are strange and are not the way you remember. Sometimes it takes a little while to adapt. You start by spending most of your time talking about ‘the good old days’ and how things were so much better back in your day. But soon you realize that you can no longer harp on the past, and in fact, have to change with the times.

Although this is not an easy process, change comes with a multitude of benefits. One of the benefits of this new world, and one that will definitely not have you harping on about the good old days, comes in the form of dentistry. Over the years, Silver Spring dentistry has advanced in leaps and bounds, with new research, development and discoveries being made on a regular basis. One advancement that will have Silver Spring residents smiling is dental implants.

But We Had Dentures

Over the years there have been multiple solutions to tooth loss, and for many years removable dentures were your best bet. That is until dental implants in Silver Spring came along. After much research and debate, it was discovered that the tooth root played a very important role in the shape and function of the jawbone. Whilst dentures were successful in replacing the visible portion of the teeth, the crowns, they do not replace the root, which is incredibly problematic for the health of the jaw.

What Are the Downsides of Dentures?

The jawbone functions similarly to that of the muscles in the body, in such a way that it requires stimulation in order to maintain its shape, strength and volume. When all your teeth are intact, the act of chewing stimulates the jawbone. But when you have missing teeth, the stimulation that was once transmitted by the tooth roots into the jaw ceases to exist at the site of the missing tooth, causing the bone to atrophy.

“The atrophied jawbone causes the mouth to change shape,” explain dentists in Maryland. “This, in turn, causes the removable dentures to become loose in the mouth, often causing pain and discomfort.”

How are Dental Implants Different to Dentures?

While dentures replace the crowns of the teeth, dental implants received in Silver Spring, replace the entire tooth, including the root. Replacing the tooth root ensures the continuation of the stimulation achieved through chewing, ensuring that your jawbone remains “exercised” and healthy.

But What if I Need All of my Teeth Replaced?

“There are a variety of options with dental implants, depending on the state of your oral health,” explain dentists in Maryland. “For edentulous (toothless) or near edentulous patients there is the “All-On-Four” dental implant procedure, which allows for a full set of replacement teeth to be attached to just four implants. This means that with just one procedure you can have a full set of non-removable teeth placed that won’t any pain or discomfort and look, feel and function like natural teeth.”

So while many changes are difficult to adapt to, most people will agree that changes to dentistry and tooth replacement is a cause for celebration rather than nostalgia.