health&wellness By Karl Smith, DDS, MS
Partials, Dentures and Dental Implant Solutions for Mature Women Replacement teeth can sometimes be the best option for patients who are missing some or all of their natural teeth. They allow us to eat and chew food properly in the absence of natural teeth. How well our teeth fit together and chew determines how many vitamins we get from the foods we eat. It also impacts how well we are able to nourish our bodies to live stronger, longer and healthier lives. What happens when my teeth don’t fit well? Impact on the bone by continuous wear and “hitting” of a denture or partials against the
jaw every time you eat can make the bone underneath the denture shrink away. This causes the replacement teeth to become loose and slip. It may create the need for using a sticky paste or other means to hold the teeth in place. Slipping teeth can make eating certain foods very difficult. How can dental implants help Dental Implants can be placed under your replacement teeth. Implants have offered the possibility of fully replacing teeth for more than 50 years and are very safe, and very effective. When you make a denture or partial stable by “snapping” it onto dental implants,
your periodontist can help to provide a better level of comfort for you. It can create a new strength for eating the foods you love. In fact, dental implants are very much like your natural teeth. They are quite easy to get used to, and they can reduce the amount of stress to the bone and jaw by helping provide an anchor for support. The implant acts as a natural root to help prevent additional bone deterioration and help to deliver long lasting function. Does everyone qualify? This depends on the amount of bone loss that has already taken place. If the denture has been in place for many years and the ridge of bone under it is very thin, you may need to have a special scan done to decide if you are a candidate for the procedure. This scan will also look for any other defects that may be present to make sure you are healthy. A 3D scan is the highest level of care a periodontist can perform for you. How long does a patient have to go without teeth? Never! In many cases, the denture is fitted to the implants the same day as the implants are placed. If the implants cannot be connected the same day, you will still have your replacement teeth, allowing you to smile. This is highly dependent on the amount of bone present and your unique situation. Do dental implants hurt? Most patients have little to no discomfort. The surgery is done in one day, typically in about two hours. There are sedation options available for this procedure for those patients who want to relax through the procedure. Is treatment expensive? The short answer is, yes. Implant treatment, if done well,
is by far the least expensive replacement option. The cost of treatment varies depending on the number of implants, if a new denture needs to be made, if the patient desires sedation, or if there needs to be more bone added to have a good result. Costs are variable and should be weighed against factors such as the education of the doctor, the results from other patient experiences, and the quality of the product you are receiving. There are many types of implants and many treatments. It is best to discuss your personal situation with a highly trained implant periodontist. Make an appointment with a periodontist today to discover the difference dental implants can make for you! Call us at 301-638-4867 or 703-894-4867. We are always happy to provide a no-charge phone consultation about your unique needs.
Dr. Karl Smith has been in dental practice for more than 34 years. He received his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from the University of California, Los Angeles in 1981 and immediately entered General Practice in the US Air Force Dental Corps. He successfully completed three years of advanced education in the specialty of Periodontics with additional training in IV Sedation and Dental Implants in 1992, at the University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio and Wilford Hall USAF Medical Center. He won the John Pritchard Prize for outstanding research which included looking for a vaccine against bacteria that cause periodontal disease. Year after year, Dr. Smith has been consistently voted Top Dentist by Washingtonian Magazine, Northern Virginia Magazine, and Virginia Living.
March/Apri l 2020 | SouthernMarylandWoman.com
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