What Are Dental Implants?
Dental implants are a titanium screw that fits into your jawbone, and a tooth is then built off that screw. All of our teeth have roots, and dental implants act as the root of your tooth. Implants provide the needed support for artificial teeth or crowns that are placed on top of the implant. Dental implants have been around for over 35 years, but the last 20 years have included the latest advancements, and have brought implants where they are today. Implants are made out of titanium and are manufactured in approximately 15-20 places around the world. Most implant manufacturing is done in Europe. https://vimeo.com/327976933/30d9441b30 The implant manufacturing process is very detailed, and Dr. Jeff Johnston took a course that walked him through the entire manufacturing process. The manufacturing plant for dental implants is 1000 times more sterile than a surgical room, and the process is very precise and detailed. There are around 40-50 companies that make implants, and now most implants are pretty much the same quality from any of the manufacturing companies. Dental implants have threads on them and this is now the implant is able to heal around the jawbone. This healing process is called osseointegration where the bone fuses the implant itself, and provides the necessary support in the mouth. The Dental Implant Process: The dental implant process is done in two steps. The first step includes placing the implant in the jaw bone. Once this is complete, the implant will sit there for around 4 months while the bone heals to the implant. Once the healing process is complete, an abutment or connector is placed on top of the implant, and this allows us to affix the crown on top. Crowns are made to match your teeth color and shape perfectly, giving patients a beautiful natural looking smile. Why get Dental Implants? Dental implants give patients teeth again if they have a cracked, missing, or broken tooth. Implants are strong, and are a reliable tooth restoration option for patients looking for a beautiful smile. If patients have dentures, implants can be added. The denture can be made to clip into the implants to retain the denture and hold it in place. This process can be done to partial dentures as well. Patients can have as many implants added as they need, or we can strategically place them as needed. If you are thinking about getting dental implants, contact Ascent Dental to schedule your appointment. Implants are the best option we offer for tooth replacement, and we are here to answer any questions you have regarding dental implants and how they can benefit you.
Dental Metal Fillings & What You Need to Know
Metal fillings have been around for over 50 years, and many patients have fillings in their mouths that are years old. Most metal fillings can hold up over the years, but some do not. Metal fillings are made of metal shavings or sawdust particles titrated or mixed with a piece of mercury to form the filling. The metal filling is packed inside the tooth and held by retention. When the filling preparation is done we form the filling so the bottom is wide and the top is skinny. This allows the filling to form inside the tooth and be held by mechanical retention. https://vimeo.com/327976579/a8e7b07b95 As our practice is located in Denver, Colorado and most patients here are health conscious and do not want metal fillings in their mouths. Many countries have banned metal fillings, and there are controversies over health risks they may cause by having the fillings in our mouths. The American Dental Association and FDA both still support metal fillings, but they do say to handle them with caution. Due to all the controversy, Ascent Dental has stopped offering metal fillings to our patients. We had a patient ask us how we felt about poisoning our patients, and since then we have decided to stay away from using metal fillings. We want to provide the very best care to our patients, and avoiding metal fillings reassures patients that their health will not be at risk. If a patient has a cracked, or broken filling, or there are cavities around the metal filling, we may recommend filling replacement. Our practice does not remove metal fillings just to replace them. There must be an issue with the current metal filling for us to recommend replacement. Cavities can form under metal fillings over time and are not able to be detected unless the filling is removed. If your filling is over 10 years old, it may be time to evaluate the condition of your fillings and consider replacing them. As far as side effects of metal fillings, more research should be done on whether metal fillings cause issues to our health. If you have questions or concerns about metal fillings in your mouth, please contact us. We are happy to meet with you and discuss your concerns and answer any questions you may have.
My Tooth Doesn’t Hurt
Do You Have to go to The Dentist if Your Tooth Doesn’t Hurt? Many patients think because they do not have pain associated with a tooth, this means the tooth does not need treatment. In most cases, if you wait it will be too late, and the infection or cavity will get worse. Teeth have nerves and blood supply, and our teeth can get attacked in various ways causing issues for patients. Teeth usually do not hurt until the cavity or infection gets too close to the nerve inside the tooth. In many cases, people wonder why you should go to the Dentist when you aren’t experiencing tooth pain and the reason is this, we like to be proactive and take care of the cavity or issue before it progressively gets worse. Treating a tooth helps prevent the patient from a terrible toothache later on. https://vimeo.com/327976608/37c71e2cda We do not want the bacteria inside a tooth to get to the nerve, so we like to catch it before the cavity becomes too large to cause issues. Cracks in teeth also do not cause any pain until the crack grows and becomes inside the nerve space. Periodontal Disease is another issue many patients face that in many cases shows no symptoms or pain. Plaque is under a patient’s gum line, and the bacteria releases acid that deteriorates the bone around the teeth. Many patients live with Periodontal Disease, and because they have no pain they do not realize there is an issue that needs attention. Our body is very resistant to certain issues that cause pain, and our goal at Ascent Dental is to take care of these issues as soon as we see them to prevent the issue from getting worse. After work is complete, many patients begin to complain of pain and this is normal. Removing bacteria structure from a tooth is a mini surgery, and patients may experience pain after a procedure while the area is healing. We want patients to trust us and know we are working in their best interest. Even though there is no pain associated with an issue, fixing the tooth is important to prevent larger problems down the road. To learn more about the services offered at Ascent Dental, contact our office to schedule your appointment.