Dr. Rajat Bhargava

A person's looks can be greatly dented by presence of a missing tooth. The effect often trickles to denting their speaking, eating and ultimately their self-esteem. Health wise they will compromise the oral health of a person for there will be increased pressure on the adjacent teeth which may impact negatively on the bone structure that supports it. While there are traditional remedies for countering this such as using crowns and bridges, many users find them uncomfortable and limiting. Besides, they don't avail the permanent function they are expected to as replacement teeth. Thanks to modern science though, dental implant surgery is now possible to provide patients with functional tooth restorations that are long lasting.

What are dental implants?

These are basically artificial tooth roots that are placed into the jaws of patients with missing teeth so that they can hold replacement teeth. The artificial roots will be cemented such that they will blend in with the existing jaw to become a part of your mouth. They are usually placed during dental surgery where titanium will be placed in the jawbone that will then fuse with the existing jawbone to provide a strong foundation for the replacement tooth.

Situation you may need implants...

There are various situations that put people in need of dental implants and replacement tooth. First is when they need to replace a damaged tooth. You could also get one when you want to eliminate weak teeth in your mouth, replace a damaged tooth or want to replace a knocked out tooth that may have experienced trauma. Also, you could get a dental implant when you want to take care of weak teeth that result from bone loss due to any gum disease.

What the procedure involves?

First, the patient has to visit a doctor for assessment on whether he is the right candidate for the procedure. If you are, the doctor will determine if other procedures need to be performed before the surgery such as bone grafting; especially if your bone structure is weak. The doctor may use dental x-rays to determine if the gums are strong enough to withstand implants. Then the bone will be drilled if it's ready to create room for implant placement. Thereafter, the area will be left sutured for about a week so that implants are firmly in place and then removed. After the gum has healed, a metallic post is then placed, which will offer support to the crown that will be laced to act as the replacement tooth.

With proper oral health, dental implants can last a really long time. Brush and floss daily so that no materials accumulate under the implant. For anyone suffering from damaged tooth, dental implants are the solution. If you wish to discuss about any specific dental problem, you can consult a dentist and ask a free question.

Sudden tooth pain is usually a sign of cavities or dental caries. This is the most common form of oral disease that affects people across the world. A cavity can affect a person at any age. Caries can be categorized under two headings: pit and fissure caries and surface caries. The former usually affect the horizontal planes of the molars and the back planes of the teeth in front. Surface caries are usually found at the joints between two teeth and the gum line.

Dental caries are formed over a period of time. The earlier they are addressed, the less the damage caused and the less painful it is. Bacteria is the root cause of this problem. This bacteria causes sugar in your food to turn into acid. When the acid and bacteria are combined together, it forms plaque. This plaque dissolves the minerals in the enamel coating of a tooth and creates pits. These get larger with time and gradually the softer dentin layer below the enamel also gets decayed. This is when the patient feels a toothache. If the tooth is not addressed at this stage, the roots of the tooth can also get decayed leading to the tooth needing to be extracted.

Dental caries usually have no symptoms until the damage is done. The only way to diagnose it in its early stages is by a dental examination. Hence, it is essential to schedule dental exams every six months. If you skipped a dental exam, a toothache or increased sensitivity to hot or cold food can be taken as a sign of a cavity.

The treatment for a cavity depends on the extent of the damage caused.

A filling is the most common form of treatment for a cavity. This involves the removal of decayed tooth material and the use of a material such as silver, gold, porcelain or composite resin to replace it.

Your dentist may also choose to fit a crown on the tooth. This is done is there is extensive tooth damage and only a limited tooth structure is left. As with a filling, the decayed part of the tooth is removed and a crown made of gold or porcelain is fitted over the tooth.

If the cavity reaches an advanced stage where the nerve within the tooth dies; your dentist may want to perform a root canal. This involves the removal of the inner part of the tooth along with all the pulp and nerve cells. A sealant is then filled into the emptied areas. 

Nobody is happy with their teeth and everybody wants whiter, brighter teeth. In the last few decades, tooth whitening is one of the most commonly done cosmetic dental procedures. Majority of these people are in the age of 10 to 25, who are very conscious about their looks.

What needs to be understood is that dental whitening is permissible to a certain extent. Not many people realize this and continue to use teeth whiteners even after the desired result is achieved in an effort to get it a couple of more shades lighter. This is something that we need to watch our for. 

Safety of tooth whitening: Some of the supposedly unsafe aspects of tooth whitening are most products used currently are tested both on patients and in laboratory and are proven to be completely safe. However, overuse or misuse of these products can lead to issues. The active chemical ingredient in most of these products is hydrogen peroxide. Most of the products contain about 10% carbamide peroxide, which breaks into hydrogen peroxide and urea. There are claims that this is carcinogenic. However, this is not the case and there is no strong correlation. Also, if the application is done correctly, there is very minimal exposure to hydrogen peroxide directly.

The second issue that most people associate with tooth whitening is  tooth sensitivity and gum irritation. Both these symptoms are directly related to the percentage of carbamide peroxide. It is shown that products with more than 10% produce more teeth sensitivity and gum irritation than those that contain less than 10%. Improper tray selection can lead to gum irritation. Also, patients who are overzealous and go about whitening their teeth further can end up with severe sensitivity. The explanation in these cases is the enamel is worn off by the chemical leading to exposed dentinal tubules which, even when exposed due to caries, can cause sensitivity.

Listed below are some ways to avoid or reduce sensitivity: 

1. When using the bleaching tray applicator, use it only for the recommended period of time. Do not keep it longer to make the teeth whiter.
2. Use a paste that is meant for sensitive teeth. The potassium nitrate in these will help relieve sensitivity.
3. Use a product with fluoride so that the teeth can remineralize. This can be used before and after tooth whitening for up to 4 minutes.

It is advisable to avoid tooth whitening in some cases like the following: 

1. Pregnancy
2. Breast feeding
3. Ceramic crowns or bridges in the front teeth - these cannot be bleached
4. Gingival disease with gum recession and exposed root - the sensitivity is sure to quite high

To avail the best results, always use clinically proven products under the supervision of a dentist.