Dr. Shashi Kanth G

What are dental implant? How safe they are? What is the advantage of an implant?

Whenever, there is a missing tooth, earlier the treatment was to replace it with a plastic denture or with a fixed bridge. A denture requires ugly wires to hold it in place and for the bridge process, cutting the neighbouring healthy teeth is required, in order to provide support to it.

Both had limitations with respect to the number of teeth that could be replaced.

A Dental implant is nothing, but a screw made of pure Titanium and is fixed in the jaw bone. They are a 100% safe, provided the surgery is well planned and executed keeping the patient's overall medical health in mind and with specific attention given to the amount of remaining bone in the jaw.

Implants can be used to replace a single tooth or many missing teeth. Even if you have no teeth remaining, implants can be used to support a complete denture, thus making them secure and firm in fit.

The entire procedure is relatively painless as it is done under local anaesthesia and within 3 to 6 months with some additional measurements, your dentist will be able to fabricate custom-made teeth for you that allow you to chew and talk just like before!

Keep in mind that along with regular check up, good maintenance on your part as a patient with good hygiene habits, your implants could last for many years. In our practice we have replaced single teeth, multiple missing teeth and entirely missing sets including those with complete dentures (learn more about Regular Care for Dentures) for patients from the age of 30 to 85! There is no reason for you not to get a satisfactory result with dental implants!

If we think about what attracts us to a person in general, the first thing that we can think of is a great, warm smile. A good set of well-aligned white teeth is an important aspect of this great smile. However, white teeth remain an elusive thing for most of us. Some of the common reasons for discolored teeth are as below.

1. Ageing
2. Hypo mineralized tooth structure
3. Fluourosis
4. Food habits
5. Tobacco smoking/chewing (learn more for Smoking  Effect on Teeth)
6. Side effects of medication (tetracyclines, for instance)

The degree of discoloration varies widely and also is hereditary. Whatever the reasons, there is the option of tooth whitening, which is effective with optimal oral health and good oral hygiene habits. Tooth whitening is not for everybody though, the following are the definite contraindications.

1. Teeth with fillings: The bleaching agents work best on natural tooth structure. Whether it is a crown or a veneer or a bridge, the bleaching agent will not work on these tooth-colored fillings and composite resins. On the contrary, using bleaching agent on a tooth filling can produce uneven whitening. The teeth without fillings will appear lighter than those with fillings. If the person has discoloration due to fluorosis or any other reason, then it is ideal to complete any pending restorative work before initiating tooth whitening procedure. This should be allowed to settle in for about 2 weeks. After that, whitening should be undertaken which will ensure the best results and match with the composite filling/veneer/crowns. In people with multiple restorations, whitening can result in uneven coloration of the teeth and so veneers or crowns would be better suited than whitening.
2. Sensitive teeth: Sensitivity is an indication that the dentin is exposed or is covered by a very thin layer of enamel. Whitening agents will not work very well in these cases.
3. Poor oral health (gingivitis, worn enamel, cavities, and root decay): The whitening agent can irritate the gums or penetrate the existing decay or worn enamel leading to sensitivity. The tooth whitening agent works on the enamel, and as the tooth surfaces do not have enamel, they do not produce a whitening effect.
4. Age: Hydrogen peroxide which is the most common bleaching agent is not safe for use in children below 16 years of age. The pulp chambers are quite high and the tooth is still forming, so bleaching agents are not to be used.

While choosing to go for tooth whitening, one thing to bear in mind is that it is not a permanent solution to discolored teeth and might require repetition of the treatment. Having a detailed discussion will help set realistic expectations and achieve optimal results.
 

Why You Need To Work Upon Your Dental Health?