Dental Implants

  Pinhole surgery has been around for about twelve years and it has quickly become a welcome alternative to traditional gum graft surgery. Since its creation in 2006, the primary reason for its success is speed and comfort. Patients have discovered that there are several desirable advantages of pinhole surgery when receding gums need to be repaired.  Reasons for Gum Surgery Gum surgery is a remedy to repair gums that have receded to expose the roots of the teeth. The exposure means that the teeth will soon develop cavities because the roots do not have the same hard enamel that is on the crown of the tooth. Gum disease will also have greater access to the gums if it is not already present.  Understanding the causes of gum recession is important because treatment must deal with the cause, too. There are several causes. The primary one, which affects about half of all adults in the United States, is gum disease. When gum disease is present, it must be eliminated before gum ...

  Traditional gum surgery is a thing of the past. Specially trained dentists now offer patients that need gum surgery the pinhole surgical technique. This new process is fast, has very little pain afterward, and it is permanent.  About the Pinhole Surgical Technique This new treatment for receding gums was invented by  Dr. John Chao , DDS, MAGD. He is a Research Assistant Professor at the University of Buffalo, SUNY.  When developing the process, Dr. Chao wanted a technique that would be minimally invasive and much less painful than traditional surgery. Too many patients who needed the surgery to protect their teeth were refusing it because of what they had heard from others who had undergone the process.  This new process that he created is completely free of scalpels and sutures. There is no cutting involved at all. This fact means that there will be minimal pain and swelling during the recovery period and enables faster healing because no blood vessels are cu...

  Keeping your mouth clean and free of disease is an ongoing job – especially if you like white, beautiful teeth. The bacteria are constantly forming plaque, and, if it is not frequently removed, it will form tartar, which can lead to  gum disease . Another threat to your oral health that many people are not aware of could be the pollution in the air you breathe.  Air Pollution Many people are aware that some cities and places do not have the freshest air. In fact, some of it is horrible. All kinds of pollutants are released into the air at various places. Water pollution could also be affecting your health in some places. If you are close to the source, you can expect to be inhaling or consuming more pollutants.  One  study  in Taiwan found a connection between air pollution and cancer. Previous health databases were examined and compared to various stations that monitored air quality. Several common air pollutants were considered that included carbon mono...

  People with acquired immune deficiency syndrome – AIDS – need dental care on a more frequent basis than those without it. This is because of the low white blood cell count that they experience throughout the disease. Since they now live longer, being able to provide them with dental implants could provide a better quality of life. An experiment was needed to determine if this was practical and to understand the dental implant success rate.   The Experiment  The experiment needed to find out the long-term effect of AIDS on implants. Due to a lack of other studies on the subject, a prospective cohort study was designed that would enable researchers to discover the success of dental implants over a five-year period.   All of the participants in the study were over the age of 18 and had at least one missing tooth. There were 16 adults in the study, 12 of them were males and four females. All of them had a white blood cell count (CD4) that was...

    Bone grafts have been used for some time in dentistry. This technology is especially used when the jawbone needs to be built up so that a dental implant can be placed in the jaw. Oftentimes, a membrane (mesh) of various materials is used to help guide the growth to ensure that the bone will be suitable for the implant.  About Bone Resorption After a tooth is extracted or lost, the jawbone under that tooth will be partially absorbed by the body. This loss could be as much as 25 percent in width, as well as a loss in height. In order for the tooth replacement to be at the correct height, the bone needs to be built back up and given time to adequately heal. This process is called ridge augmentation. Bone loss may also occur as a result of the extraction. Some bone may have been removed for the extraction to take place. The remaining bone may not be enough to satisfactorily support an implant. A bone graft will be necessary to prepare the site for the implant. Types of Bo...

    It is common to think that your mouth and body are two separate entities. In reality, they are two parts of the same body. This means that what affects the body will, in some way, affect the mouth, too. Your oral health and overall health are connected. The opposite is also true. This is why a dentist can look in your mouth and detect signs of some diseases that you may not even know that you have.  Non-dental Problems the Dentist May Find  As the dentist looks into your mouth, they may discover several health problems. These problems may include: Diabetes One of the most common non-dental problems that will be evident in your mouth is diabetes. This health problem is widespread, and as many as 7.2 million people have it but do not yet know it. When diabetes is present, there could be several symptoms that can affect your dental health. They include: Gum disease Dry mouth Oral thrush.  Gum disease treatment  needs to be controlled at the same time as di...

  After an oral surgery of any kind, a big part of the successful recovery is that you follow the diet carefully. If you ignore it, it can result in complications that will likely require you to go back to the dentist. In some cases, it may undo the dentist's work and require it to be repeated.  Foods to Eat After a Wisdom Tooth Extraction A wisdom tooth extraction creates a hole in your gums. It is usually left open to heal and a blood clot will usually form quickly. One problem that may occur after  wisdom teeth removal  is eating the wrong type of foods that could cause the blood clot to be dislodged. This will result in a painful dry socket – something you really want to avoid.  Foods to avoid include foods that are hard, such as bread with hard crusts, nuts, popcorn, European bread, pretzels, and chips. These foods can easily get into the socket, dislodge the clot, or they may cause infection. You also want to avoid eating hot foods or drinks because they m...

  The attractiveness of your smile is affected by the way your gums look. If they are receding, it will make your teeth look longer, and you will look older. One way to restore your smile and a more youthful look is by getting gum grafts. A gum graft will replace the tissue that was lost.   When having a gum graft to repair your receding gums, you will be given some instructions that need to be followed before and after the surgery. Following these tips from the periodontist will help your gums to heal faster and avoid unnecessary pain – and the possibility of having to repeat the surgery.     The Causes of Receding Gums  Gum disease is the leading cause of gum recession. Once it gets into the gums - periodontitis - the bacteria and inflammation start eroding the tissue that supports your teeth and the jawbone. Because it is in your gums, you cannot stop it without the help of a dentist. Over time, if it is not treated, your teeth will become loose and may ...