Author: Marc

Veneer Types and ChoosingThe Best Option for You

The success of dental veneers is typically based on the preparation design and making the best material and choice of veneer type.

Knowing how to select the best veneers can seem confusing, but with assistance from your cosmetic dentist, you’ll make the right decision. One challenge many patients face is knowing which veneers to ask the dentist for. Or to understand their dentist’s “veneer talk”. This article can help solve that task for you.

Various Types of Veneers offer Advantages and Disadvantages

The advantages and disadvantages vary based on multiple factors. These may include your immediate and long-term dental needs, shape, material, and budget. A talk with your dentist can sort through all of this.

Dental veneers have long been a top requested cosmetic dental procedure for a personalized smile design. They are a popular method to enhance your smile and significantly boost your appearance for good reasons. Whatever has prompted you to consider this service, the end result is improving your smile a few notches (or more).

Whatever prompted you to consider this service, the result is improving your smile a few notches (or more).

Okay! Let’s look at your options.

Comparing Different Types of Dental Veneers

All of the following options are made to match your teeth (or whiten them) and improve your overall smile. Because so many people who request a smile makeover have heard of one veneer type or the other, the following table can help to understand their differences.

Type	Quality	Results	Use	Durability
Porcelain Veneers	Porcelain veneers are wafer-thin, custom-made shells of tooth-colored materials. They are often considered the best quality in terms of glossy aesthetics and functional durability of 10-15 years.	Excellent aesthetic results	Designed to cover the front surface of teeth to improve your appearance	Predictable longevity of the treatment.
Composite Veneers	Composite veneers are engineered resin affixed to the outer-surface. They are a (cost) conservative alternative to porcelain.	They are made from translucent resin, and the result can be a carefully sculpted and hardened veneer (possibly completed in a single appointment).	If you have worn chipped or damaged teeth, then composite resin can be sculpted directly onto the teeth to produce beautiful, lifelike results.	A good conservative option, but with less durability.
Resin Veneers	This type has been around for about 30 to 40 years. They’re more porous, which also may make them more vulnerable to staining.	They can offer great aesthetics but lose overall strength over time.		Resin veneers last half as long as porcelain to match their value. They may work sufficiently for the 5 to 7 years at a lower cost. They can be a cost-effective option to add small changes to teeth.
Removable or Temporary Veneers	Also known as “Snap-on veneers”, they are removable plastic trays that cover tooth imperfections. Also known as reusable, fake, clip-on, or pop-on veneers, snap-on veneers are relatively cheap and available without a dentist.	The result is a less invasive, cost-effective solution that provides many of the same benefits while being easily removed. However, they may discolor, be easily stained, and easily chip or crack.	When a non-permanent veneer is temporarily needed. They may be used to get an idea of how you’ll look with your permanent smile and to have any necessary adjustments made before your treatment is finalized.	They have a short lifespan. Generally, that makes them a poor alternative to porcelain dental veneers.
Palatal Veneers	Also known as “Palatal Onlays”, they are special onlays that is made out of gold, composite materials, or porcelain.		These custom-built veneer (appliances) are most often used to restore anterior teeth when damage by dental erosion or other similar problems have occurred. They are used to improve a person’s bite and protect their gums.

 

There are also blends of the above types. For example, some different types of composite veneers are Renamel® by Cosmodent, and Filtek™ by 3M. We always recommend that you seek a dentist who understands the various types of veneers and has updated skills to produce a lifelike restoration.

You may have heard of Lumineers, which are a specific type of veneer that is sometimes recommended to help reshape your teeth. Let’s circle back a moment to composite veneers, as people ask the following question.

What are the two types of composite veneers?

The two types of composite veneers:

1. Direct composite veneers.
2. Indirect composite veneers.

Direct composite veneers are made up of resin that’s applied directly to the tooth. It’s quick, easy, and a simple dental office procedure. It can often be done in a single appointment. However, these are especially delicate and require extra special care on the patient’s side.side.

Indirect composite veneers are created much the same as porcelain veneers; generally, the resin veneer is formed in a third-party lab and then returned to the dentist’s office. The patient experiences minimal tooth preparation while the veneer is applied in a separate appointment. Indirect composite veneers provide better durability than direct composite veneers, but porcelain is the superior option by far.

What are permanent veneers?

Permanent veneers are the types of veneers that protect and enhance your teeth over a long period of time. If you are considering the cost of veneers, these are the most expensive – but also the most natural and long-lasting.

Dental Veneers Can Fit Many Tooth Shapes

Before beginning the process of installing your dental veneers, your dentist will assess the finer details of your smile design. Different types, styles, and shapes are commonly used in artistic cosmetic dentistry.

The five main categories of veneer shapes:

We admit that we added a fifth to the traditional four types, but often, it ends up giving you that ideal shape and smile you’ll love.

1. Square-shaped veneers: When someone’s appearance lends toward a more angular and boxy appearance. Some consider them a more masculine or assertive aesthetic look. They are also known as “Hollywood-style veneers”.
2. Round-shaped veneers: This veneer shape has softly curved edges when a more gentle and natural look is preferred. Some consider them a more feminine smile design.
3. Oval-shaped veneers: For many people, this is a strong preference as it combines the qualities of both square and round shapes. They have slightly rounded corners that typically result in a balanced, harmonious look.
4. Triangle-shaped veneers: There are so many unique face and tooth shapes; sometimes, a veneer with a pointed or tapered edge is favored. This shape may provide an illusion of a wider smile or even emphasize specific teeth.
5. Natural contour shape: A veneer style and shape that is enhanced and highly customized to look the most like you always have. Your dentist will create symmetry that mimics the shape and contour of natural teeth.

Making a veneer decision based on how vital the tooth is

Study results published by the National Institute of Health (NIH) on Feb 10, 2023, conclude that ceramic veneers showed a satisfactory clinical performance both on vital teeth and non-vital teeth. It also reports a high porcelain veneer survival rate.

“In the present (NIH) study, the porcelain veneers exhibited a higher survival rate of 97.9%–100% after 8 years of performance, which is supported by others reporting survival rate of 91% to 100%. A survival rate varying from 80.1 to 100% was found after a follow-up of less than 5 years and of 47 to 100% after 5 to 7 years of clinical service. In addition, studies with a follow-up of 10 to 12 years presented a survival rate of 53 to 94.4%” – Porcelain Veneers in Vital vs. Non-Vital Teeth: A Retrospective Clinical Evaluation,

If you’re interested in learning if veneers are a great option for your smile, then contact our office, and we’ll be happy to help you choose the perfect type, shade, shape, and style of veneer for you.

When it comes to veneer choices, Montgomery Dental Care can help you make the best selection for your needs. Once your type of veneer is determined, then dentist becomes your smile artist! View our Veneer Gallery and learn first hand how stunning your smile can be.

Call 651-738-1880 and see which type of cosmetic veneers are right for you!

What Impacts Dental Implant Success Rate?

Dental implant success rates have improved along with modern dental implant technology.

People tired of dealing with missing or damaged teeth really like how dental implants can be the perfect solution. However, before you bank on having the procedure, it’s essential to understand the factors that influence the dental implant success rate. From your overall health and the dentist’s expertise level to post-op care, several elements can impact the longevity and effectiveness of dental implants.

Critical elements that influence dental implant durability:

• Implant quality.
• Implant design.
• The surgical technique your dentist uses.
• Occlusion (contact between teeth).
• The patient’s systemic health.
• The patient’s oral hygiene habits.

Good candidates for dental implant success are patients who:

• Practice good daily oral hygiene.
• Visit their dentist regularly.
• Do not smoke or use oral tobacco of any kind.
• Limit or avoid alcohol consumption.
• Floss and maintain healthy gums.
• Communicate well with their dental team from pre-planning through post-surgery care.

Your pre-consultation will include a thorough systemic health history, such as diabetes, existing clotting conditions, or heart disease. While risks do exist if the patient has poorly controlled diabetes or heart problems, because of the dental industry’s technical advancements dental implants can actually protect you from heart disease.

If you have certain heart conditions or orthopedic implants, your dentist may prescribe antibiotics before implant surgery to help prevent infection.

Are Dental Implants Successful More Often if Done in Multiple Stages?

Two-stage dental implant procedures definitely have higher success rates but do require you to return for an additional procedure. We prefer not to rush the process. The one-stage dental implant surgery may be ideal for fast aesthetics but requires that you absolutely DO NOT CHEW HARD ON THE DENTAL IMPLANT!

Dental implant surgery is commonly an outpatient surgery performed in stages to allow for healing time between procedures.

The different steps in the process of placing a dental implant involves:

1. Possible removal of damaged tooth or teeth.
2. Preparing the patient’s Jawbone (which may involve grafting).
3. Placing the dental implant.
4. Time allotment for bone growth and healing.
5. Abutment placement.
6. Artificial tooth placement.

The overall time involved can take months from start to finish. Much of that time is essential for healing and waiting for the growth of new bone in your jaw. If rushed, this may impact dental implant success. For many people, specific procedures or certain steps may work to combined and reduce this time frame.

When Dental Implant Success Depends on Jawbone Grafting

The quality of your jawbone is an essential factor in the success rate of your dental implants. The denser and harder your bone is, the better chance your chances are of having a successful implant. There are several ways to measure the quality of your bone.

If your dental implant specialist deems that it is best to transplant a small portion of bone, this requires sufficient time for it to “take”. A bit of your own jawbone many be borrowed from another site in your upper or lower jawbone. This is done to give the dental implant a solid foundation.

If your jawbone isn’t thick enough or too soft, you may need bone grafting before dental implant surgery. It’s amazing how powerful our mouth’s chewing action is! It often takes exerting great pressure on your bone to chew something hard. This means that you need a foundation that can support the implant. Others, you may be faced with fixing a loose or even failed tooth implant. Bone grafts create a solid base for implants.

Both the patient and dentist are involved in better implant treatment planning. The experience of the surgeon in placing dental implants increases the chance that the surgery will be successful and decreases the risk of complications.

Ways to Reduce Risks of Dental Implant Complication:

Educated dental patients are better informed about what to look for in a qualifying dentist. Once you find a top implant specialist in your area, be open about your oral history and expectations. Your full medical history and any possible complications should be fully discussed in advance.

The risk of implant failure can be decreased through:

• Dentists becoming more selective when it comes to who is a good oral implant candidate.
• Increased patient awareness of systemic issues they may carry that have the potential to lead to complications.
• Ongoing, advanced clinician training to gain more predictable planning, placement, and restoration of implant-supported procedures.

Like Dr. Montgomery, dental implant specialists can sustain learning about new procedures or tool options. It is especially helpful to expand dental implant diagnostic methods. The following are suggestions for the more advanced dentist.

Adoption of modern dental technology and diagnostic tools such as:

• Computed axial tomography (CAT) scans.
• Cone-beam (CB) or CBT scans.
• Surgical guides and technical training in the latest in computer treatment planning.
• Consideration of implants designed for immediate loading.

Implant manufacturers recognized the quandaries and concerns that dentists have. This has led to the introduction of implants with macro- and micro-topographical surfaces that are specifically designed to increase primary stability. Modern implant materials and technology also accelerate osseointegration of the implant.

Placing dental implants in extraction sites, while common, is not always possible in order to gain primary stability. The risk of implant failure increases if sufficient bone quantity or quality is lacking to secure the implant in all dimensions during immediate placement fully.

The good news is that implants may still an option for patients with gum disease. Individuals who manage gum disease can almost always qualify for dental implants after undergoing certain treatments and procedures.

The best bone for dental implants is Type 2 bone; it provides the best osseointegration of implants. Type 2 also provides stability through cortical anchorage and has high vascularity, meaning that you implant can integrate fully into the bone and be functional right away.

What is the number one reason for dental implant failure?

The most commonly occurring reason for dental implant failure is infection or abutment failure. Over the course of implant therapy, a bacterial infection that results in implant failures can occur. It is called peri-implantitis when an inflammatory response with bone loss in the soft tissues surrounding implants happens.

If you closely follow your dentist’s instructions, and don’t have secondary health issues, a failed dental implant is rarely a problem.

Implant therapy success relies on a person’s biological healing and integration capabilities. Recent dental technology advancements assist the dentist; however, a person’s overall health and dedication to follow-up care remain central to implant survival.

The concept of peri-implantitis may encompass plaque-induced infection due to plaque build-up on the exposed surfaces of the implant’s biomaterial. Montgomery Dental Care is a leader in ensuring that the patient’s biomechanical environment is the best way to avoid all potential soft tissue problems.

Why is the jawbone’s condition important for dental implant success?

Every dental implant relies on just as much bone to support it as is needed for a natural tooth. This is why bone grafting can become essential after tooth loss. Missing teeth can change your jawbone to the extent that it can’t support the structure of your face anymore.

You may need several months for your transplanted bone to grow sufficient new bone to support your dental implant. Often, patients need only minor bone grafting, which can be accomplished at the same time as the implant surgery. The condition of your jawbone determines how your dentist will proceed.

Once your implant post is placed in your jawbone, the osseointegration (oss-ee-oh-in-tuh-GRAY-shun) process begins. During this time, the jawbone grows into and infuses with the surface of the dental implant. This can take several months (usually 4-6 months); your dentist will assess your healing progress and establish how long this should be in your case.

Overseeing sufficient bone growth after implant placement is a top priority at Woodbury MN’s Montgomery Dental Care.

Is age a factor in dental implant longevity?

Generally, people are encouraged to avoid placing anterior implants at the age of 18 or younger. The age at which bone growth completes varies widely from patient to patient. The common growth spurt happens at 12 years for girls and at 14 years for boys. However, this age can vary by as much as 6 years. Thus, when planning for the placement of dental implants in a child, this problematic age period extends from 9 to 15 years for girls and 11 to 17 years for boys. ^[1]

Other studies indicate that for some people, the best long-term esthetics will be achieved after reaching the age of 25 when their jawbone has finished growing.

While there is no dental implant age limit for seniors, patients in their late years of life may not find the investment to be appropriate for them. We find that once many folks have retired, they love spending more time socializing, eating food they love, and spending quality time with family and friends. These moments are often more enjoyable with tooth implants, saving them the embarrassment and challenges that dentures may incur.

“No age is too old for dental implants. A reasonably healthy person with even a few years of life expectancy can safely and predictably have dental implants, thereby improving the quality of their life.” – dentalimplantcenter.com ^[2]

What criteria do medical studies use to determine a failing dental implant?

The most common surgical criteria for failure at the implant level are mobility, pain, radiolucency and loss of peri-implant tissues, as well as the absence or presence of peri-implantitis, suppuration and bleeding. ^[3]

Tests Your Dentist May Request to Ensure Dental Implant Success

• Computed Tomography (CT) scan: This is a superior scan, a type of x-ray that creates three-dimensional images of your jawbones. It reveals how dense and strong your bones are, in addition to any weak areas.
• Bone Density Test: This test leverages a special x-ray machine to measure how much calcium is in a small sampling of your jawbone. The more calcium that shows up, the denser your bones are.
• Periotest: A periotest measures the vibrations that pass through your teeth and jawbone. This helps inform your dentist of how dense your bones are; it is determined by the number of vibrations that pass through.

Pre-tests help establish your available bone length for implants. Generally, dentists prefer it when an implant can be at least 1.5 mm from an adjacent tooth and 3 mm from an adjacent implant.

Once your implant surgery is performed, there are other things you can do to reduce implant failure risks.

How can I Protect my Dental Implant from Failure?

The earlier any post implant surgery issue is treated, the better your chances of success.

Immediately after the procedure listen carefully as your dentist gives you instruction and advice. With implants, in addition to your dental professional’s advice, these five tips will reduce your chances of developing an infection as the wound in the mouth heals.

• Like routine care for your natural teeth, keep your implants, artificial teeth, and gum tissue clean. Crowns and Bridge floss is specially designed to help you get under and around dental implants. It has two stiff nylon ends and a fuzzy center which gently cleans the dental implant surface and the porcelain that touches the gumline without being too aggressive.
• Your dentist may recommend an interdental brush that slides between teeth to help clean the nooks and crannies around teeth, gums, and posts.
• Avoid eating food items that have a greater potential of getting stuck around the healing area (corn, nuts with the hulls on, sticky foods, etc.)
• Keep your follow-up dental appointments.
• Use an oral rinse regularly. Infection can occur postoperatively if plaque and tartar are not removed from teeth and gums on a daily basis.
• Avoid strenuous exercise immediately after your implants are placed.

Whether you have dental implant surgery in one or multiple stages, be aware of what typical discomforts you may expect, such as:

• Facial or gums swelling.
• Noticeable bruising on your skin and gums.
• A reasonable pain level at the implant site.
• Minor bleeding.

You may be given pain medications or antibiotics after dental implant surgery to take home with you. If swelling, discomfort, excessive bleeding, or any other issue worsens in the days following surgery, contact your oral specialist immediately.

A straightforward dental implant, Dental patients with good bones and who do not require extensive soft tissue surgery can anticipate a pain level between two and three in the initial 24 to 48 hours. Common over-the-counter medications such as Tylenol or Advil will manage any discomfort they feel.

Will my dental implants fail if I smoke cigarettes?

Dental implant survival rate for smokers will depend on the duration of tobacco use, amount, and type of tobacco use.

Cigarette smoke is widely known to contain harmful chemicals that may damage a person’s gums and bone tissue around the implant. Smoking also impairs healing and alcohol has been found to decrease the chances of osseointegration. Both are common causes of implant failure.

Simply stated, you want to give your implant the maximum ability to heal properly. Prevention is the best way to avoid other complications.

The National Institute of Health reports the ill effects of tobacco on oral health include periodontal, mucosal, salivary glands, implants, and oral cancer. ^[4] These health-related realities can help a smoker gain the willpower to quit.

What is the success rate for implants when a person has no teeth?

“Fully Edentulous” (when a person is missing all of their teeth) dental implants have remarkably improved how the teeth of individuals who are edentulous or partially edentulous can be restored. Implants for the rehabilitation and retention of dental and facial prostheses have graduated from a phase of wishful thinking to one of the most gratifying experiences for patients and treating fraternity alike.

“From 4.3% after five years to 26.4% after 10 years, the frequency of connection-related problems (screw loosening or fracture) increased (in patients who are fully edentulous). “Of the 9% of restorations that were cemented, loss of retention of the restorations occurred in 6.2% within five years and 24.9% within 10 years.” – The Etiology and Management of Dental Implant Failure: A Review by NIH

The high dental implant survival rates reported for single and multiple missing tooth replacements demonstrate the effectiveness of implant-supported restorations as an essential approach for oral rehabilitation.

Table Showing Causes of Early and Late Dental Implant Failure

AIDS: acquired immunodeficiency syndrome

Causes of early failure	Causes of late failure
Poor bone quality and quantity, systemic diseases such as uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, AIDS, osteoporosis, medications such as corticosteroids and bisphosphonates, smoking, infection, lack of primary stability, surgical trauma	Excessive loading, peri-implantitis, bruxism, teeth grinding at night time, retained subgingival dental cement, inadequate prosthetic construction, traumatic occlusion

 

Dental implants open your options back up by offering you one of the most natural ways to replace teeth. They empower you to gain a permanent restoration for recovering or improving your former smile. In this way, the value of dental implants outweighs the cost.

Most people discover that dental implants are a worthwhile investment due to their ability to replicate most of the characteristics of natural teeth.

Read more about why the advantages of dental implants outweigh the disadvantages. Also, here are details on how to care for your dental implant restorations.

CONCLUSION: Increase Your Chances of a Successful Oral Implant Experience

In conclusion, the benefits of dental implants are extensive and impact you in more than one area of your life. While implant failure may occur, most problems can be avoided by taking the above precautionary steps. If you have more questions about what to consider before embarking on an oral implant, schedule a consultation with Marc L. Montgomery, DDS.

Call 651-738-1880 and gain the best in class dental implant care!

Resources

[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7518499/

[2] https://www.dentalimplantcenter.com/blog/am-i-too-old-for-implants-is-age-a-factor/

[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7705497/

[4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9875717/

What is the Remedy for Sensitive Teeth?

Answer From Marc L, Montgomery, D.D.S.

If you notice new or increased tooth sensitivity and it doesn’t go away in about 30 seconds, visit your dentist.

A professional can diagnose the underlying cause and not leave you at risk. A correct and early diagnosis is your best remedy for sensitive teeth. The solution will vary depending on the cause. Feeling sharp or temporary pain in your teeth is your signal to take immediate action. Constant throbbing tooth pain can be a significant distraction and prevent you from doing other things, such as working productively and sleeping. The sharp pain usually requires immediate dental assistance. Don’t wait until it is consistent pain.

To gain the most from this article, we’ll start by answering basic questions.

What is Tooth Sensitivity?

Tooth sensitivity is a type of tooth pain that is often called toothache. It refers to the symptom of discomfort or pain coming from a tooth (or teeth). In the world of dentistry, it is known as dentin hypersensitivity. It is a painful experience that happens when the inner (dentin) layer of your tooth gets exposed.

You can be observant of which daily activities cause you to feel tooth pain. If performing ordinary activities like flossing, brushing, or eating causes unbearable pain, call your dentist immediately.

What makes a person aware of dental hypersensitivity?

Things that may trigger your awareness of a dental hypersensitivity issue:

• When you brush your teeth.
• When you are chewing (and if it is something sticky or hard).
• If you are drinking something hot or cold.
• If air suddenly hits your teeth.
• If touching your cheek near a sensitive tooth.
• If it occurs when the problem tooth touches another tooth (above or below).
• If an older crown is loose.
• A too-aggressive tooth bleaching or whitening process.

Oral sensitivity to hot and cold shouldn’t be ignored since it can be a signal of an abscess, cavity, inflamed tooth pulp, cracked tooth or receding gums.

Will Tooth Sensitivity go Away?

Tooth sensitivity can come and go over time. A person can be misleading about the severity of an issue by relying on over-the-counter desensitizing kinds of toothpaste without seeing their dentist. They can block off the nerve endings in the exposed dentin and leave the cause of your tooth discomfort undiagnosed. In many cases, this means that the source of your tooth pain is likely to get worse over time.

A dental patient may experience some normal teeth sensitivity after fillings, teeth cleanings, a smile design, and dental restoration placement. Sensitivity caused by a dental procedure is common, temporary, and usually goes away in two-four weeks or more. For example, a diabetic patient or someone with an additional health complexity issue may need longer.

Sensitivity following oral procedures may require additional dental appointments to ensure that the healing process is well underway. If not, our dental team may seal or fill around the neck of an exposed tooth at your gum line. By covering exposed dentine, it has a good chance of resolving. In more extensive cases needing restorative dental procedures, it may be helpful to root-fill the tooth.

What Causes Tooth Sensitivity?

Common factors that cause tooth discomfort:

• A cavity.
• Plaque buildup.
• Worn or thinning tooth enamel.
• If something cracked or chipped your tooth.
• An older tooth filling that wears out.
• Receding gums or if you are developing periodontal (gum) disease.
• Tooth sensitivity due to a recent dental implant that is still stabilizing.
• Flossing too aggressively.
• The continuous use of mouthwash that contains acid.
• If something is stuck in between your teeth, or Invisalign aligners.

Dentin hypersensitivity may cause tooth pain when tubules found within dentin become exposed, most commonly caused by gingival recession or enamel wear. Tooth sensitivity is a common complaint of dental patients. “Studies have demonstrated dentinal hypersensitivity to affect 10–30% of the population,” according to Danielle Clark, writing for NIH. The October 31, 2020 Non-surgical management of tooth hypersensitivity article discusses medical theories regarding sensitivity.

For individuals seeking a deeper understanding, the ‘hydrodynamic theory’, proposed by Brannstrom and Astrom, considers the following.

“…thermal, osmotic or physical stimuli create movement of fluid within the dentinal tubules, causing the activation of nerve endings. These nerve endings are thought to be at the border of the dentin and the pulp. The activation of nerve endings causes a distinguishing sharp and rapid pain, and many treatments have been created to relieve these symptoms.”

No one solution fits every person’s needs. At Montgomery Dental Care we review appropriate treatment options for dentinal hypersensitivity that are based on your individual situation. To establish the best treatment plan we consider the initial cause of the sensitivity and your risk factors. As with all oral health conditions, we start with determining the cause and then select the least invasive option available with the highest probability of a successful outcome.

Does Demineralization of Dental Enamel Cause Sensitive Teeth?

Yes. A demineralization process occurs before a tooth begins to decay and form cavities or other problems. Plaque build-up breaks down tooth enamel which contributes to demineralization, which makes the tooth’s interior dentin and sensitive root more vulnerable.

“Tooth demineralization takes seconds to begin, while tooth remineralization can take hours. When demineralization is overtaking remineralization, we risk sensitivity and damage to the tooth structure, especially when acidic foods and drinks contain refined sugar. Statistics show that one out of every eight Americans suffer from teeth sensitivity—otherwise known as dentinal hypersensitivity—but few of us talk to a dentist about it.” – James Keddington DDS, assistant professor and section head of dental conservation and restoration at the University of Utah School of Dentistry

Keddington points out that sour candy often has a pH similar to that of battery acid! If that is your go-to treat, you may want to replace it. The same is true with drinking soda. “Each sip leads to increased demineralization,” according to the 17 December 2017 The Perils of Sensitive Teeth article.

Talk to your dentist if you experience dentinal hypersensitivity

You may be doing everything you can think of to maintain good oral hygiene and eliminate a high intake of acidic foods, and still experience a tooth reacting to hot or cold. Talk with your doctor. Simple solutions and ruling out more serious symptoms can keep you smiling.

What might my Dentist Recommend to Reduce Tooth Sensitivity?

There are several helpful dental procedures that typically reduce sensitivity:

1. Dental bonding is useful to overlay and protect exposed root surfaces.
2. Surgical gum graft.
3. Tooth fluoride varnishes that are professionally applied to your exposed tooth roots.
4. Dentin sealers that add a protective cover to exposed teeth root surfaces.
5. Root canal.

Next, we’ll cover each procedure in more in-depth.

1. Desensitizing or dental bonding:

Occasionally, exposed root surfaces can be treated by applying bonding resin to the sensitive root surfaces. A local anesthetic might be needed. Dental bonding will use that extra layer of the composite coating to keep extreme temperatures away from the enamel, thus eliminating severe sensitivity. The composite resin will bond with the enamel and ensure that it is protected from anything that might cause discomfort or harm.

2. Surgical gum graft:

If your tooth root experiences receeding gum tissue, a small amount of tissue can be taken from elsewhere in your mouth and attached where needed. This can protect exposed roots and reduce sensitivity. Gum grafting surgery is used to permanently covers exposed tooth roots, This helps to reduce discomfort, restore the gum to good health, and improve appearance.

3. Professional tooth fluoride varnishes:

Fluoride treatments come in liquid, gel, foam, or varnish formats. Tooth fluoride varnishes are brushed onto your teeth or placed in a small tray that conveniently fits over your teeth. Fluoride is actually a naturally occurring mineral that helps prevent cavities; it can even reverse the initial stages of tooth enamel breakdown. For people with sensitivity issues, it may be helpful for tooth enamel erosion.

4. Dentin sealers:

Dental erosion happens when the surface quality of a person’s teeth is lost after touching acid. Dental erosion is preventable with a good diet, oral hygiene, and regular dental cleanings. Individuals experiencing more severe dentinal hypersensitivity may have dentin sealers recommended by their dentist. They are thin plastic coatings applied to your molars, root surfaces, exposed dentin, and/or gum recession to reduce sensitivity where food is likely to contact the pits and fissures when chewing.

5. Root canal:

If your sensitive teeth generate consistent and severe pain, and other treatments aren’t effective, your dentist may recommend a root canal. This is a common dental procedure used to treat problems in the tooth’s soft core (dental pulp). Broadly, it’s considered the most successful technique for eliminating tooth sensitivity.

If you are experiencing severe pain or pain in one or two teeth, your dentist may use a process called differential diagnosis. This helps to determine the source of your dental hypersensitivity. Visual exams, X-rays, and CBCT scans for diagnosing tooth problems are part of the process. Differential diagnosis simply means that your dentist will ask you questions about your pain and dental habits. It’s part of the process of elimination to discover the exact tooth — that’s causing the pain and why.

How can I Avoid Tooth Sensitivity?

Ways you can reduce sensitive tooth pain:

• Maintain good oral health.
• Drink only water before bed.
• Try desensitizing toothpastes.
• Avoid grinding your teeth.
• Increase dental checkups as you age.

Most importantly, going forward, take better care of your teeth.

Maintain good oral health: Your dentist will review your oral health history with you. Your daily diet and at-home oral care routine also play a significant role in keeping overly sensitive tooth issues at bay. Consider taking extra care when eating or drinking acidic foods and drinks. If you like carbonated drinks, citrus fruits, coffee, and/or wine — all of these can remove small amounts of tooth enamel over time. If you drink acidic liquids multiple times per day, use a straw to limit contact with your teeth. After consuming an acidic substance, drink water to balance the acid levels in your mouth. Or better yet, go brush and floss your teeth.

Drink only water before bed: Never drink something other than water after you brush before bed and before falling asleep. This can leave something acidic in direct contact with your tooth enamel all night.

Try desensitizing toothpastes: contain compounds such as potassium nitrate or strontium chloride. These ingredients work to reduce pain signals transmitted between the surface of your tooth and the inside nerves. Commonly, several applications of toothpaste are needed before you will feel a noticeable difference. Prescription-strength tubes of toothpaste are an option for more severe and prolonged cases of tooth sensitivity. Ask our dentist to recommend a toothpaste for your needs.

Avoid grinding your teeth: Many people are unaware that they are grinding or clenching their teeth while sleeping. Regular dental checkups help your dentist identify if something signals a protection problem. Your dentist may suggest wearing a mouthguard at night if the problem is tooth grinding.

Increase dential checkups as you age: Tooth sensitivity is a common problem as people age. Tooth enamel naturally thins and can expose a person’s dentin to outside elements. “The risk of cavities, root caries, and more commonly observed tooth sensitivity or dry mouth increases with age,” according to NIH’s article on Oral health in the elderly patient and its impact on general well-being. As gum tissues may recede, good daily dental hygiene is vital to maintain good oral health and quality of life in older people.

SUMMARY

Tooth pain shouldn’t interfere with your ability to enjoy a great day. Dr. Marc L. Montgomery is an expert in the different treatments available and can best decide which treatments are appropriate and when they should be utilized. We’re here to help you determine what’s causing your sensitive teeth and recommend the best treatment to address the issue.

Call 651-738-1880 to gain the right answer for you!

Tips to Care for Dental Implant Restorations

Requests for dental implants are one of the most asked-about advancements in modern dentistry.

Once you’ve made the investment and are enjoying the benefits, taking care of dental implants becomes a priority. For long-term simulation of their proper functioning to improve your appearance and natural chewing functions, this article will help you know what to do. First, anyone eager to talk about dental implants in Woodbury, MN with a trained dentist, may want to understand this from the onset.

Montgomery Dental Care helps ensure that you continue to retain the benefits of your dental implants year after year. However, the care you put into your oral health and hygiene impacts your success. While your dental implants are engineered to last a lifetime, your daily brushing, flossing, and chewing habits have a significant role in ensuring that they remain in premium condition.

Remember, most implant issues that occur can be avoided by taking early preventive steps.

Ongoing Patient Care for Dental Implant Restorations

Adhere to the following ways to protect your oral implants:

1. Adhere to Post-Operative Dental Implant Instructions.
2. Keep Your Routine Dental Appointments.
3. Diligently Brush, Floss, and Rinse.
4. Limit Hard and Sticky Food Intake.
5. Quit Smoking and Excessive Alcohol Use.
6. Keep Post-Implant Surgery Swelling to a Minimum.
7. Alert Your Dentist if Concerns Arise.

Below are several ways to care for one or more dental implants so they can continue to give you the smile of your dreams. Extra care during the first 3-4 days post-implant placement is especially important.

1. Adhere to Post-Operative Dental Implant Instructions

After undergoing dental implant surgery, you will receive a list of post-operative recommendations. These will include anything from what types of food to eat, to what not to do, such as using tobacco products for several weeks. You should follow these instructions to the letter and call a dentist for clarification if you are confused.

If you’re prescribed pain medication after your implant placement – follow instructions to keep the pain at a minimum. You can be comfortable through this entire process. Prioritizing post-op guidelines helps reduce the risk of implant failure due to avoidable infection.

Perhaps the most important thing to remember is to avoid disturbing the wound. Try not to touch the wound or spit for a few days after surgery.

2. Keep Your Routine Dental Appointments

Regular, scheduled oral health checkups ensure that no hidden issues are occurring. Dental implants are highly regarded as sturdy and dependable, yet it is best to have them checked by your implant dentist twice a year. Everything from your teeth, gums, surrounding bone health, inner cheeks, and tongue are evaluated. Your dental cleanings and checkups are your best means of early intervention that keeps your oral health and implant costs in check.

Follow-up dental appointments after dental implant surgery may involve:

• Radiographic CBCT examination of the implants.
• Clinical examination of the peri-implant tissues.
• Evaluating dental implant stability.
• Removing any implant-retained plaque and calculus.
• Establishing maintenance intervals, for example, every 3 months in the first year.

A resonance frequency analysis (RFA) or similar test can measure primary implant stability and monitor implant stability over time. Your dentist not only assesses the stiffness of the bone-implant interface but also makes the detection of any increase or decrease in implant stability easier to detect.

3. Diligently Brush, Floss, and Rinse

This is an essential part of ensuring that your implant investment will keep giving back. The value of simple, proper, and through daily brushing and flossing cannot be overstated. If your dentist recommends an oral rinsing product, follow instructions diligently. Like all positive routines, once a healthy self-care routine is established after receiving dental implants, this home maintenance becomes easy.

The cleaner your teeth and gums are, the healthier your dental implants will be, too. As people age, extra care should be given to both hard and soft tissues in the mouth. A salty mouthwash rise helps to keep bacteria away. Ask your dentist for advice so that you don’t floss or rinse too aggressively. Brushing your teeth and the healing abutments is no problem. That said, be gentle initially with brushing the surgical areas.

Dental floss may also be useful to deliver antiseptic agents to the implant on a daily basis. Floss can be used like a “shoe-shine rag” movement to facilitate optimal home care procedures around the abutment post.

If you are concerned about what exactly is proper oral hygiene practice due to postsurgical fear of causing damage, your dentist can help you strike a balance. Ask questions and learn the difference between overzealous home care trying to stay absolutely plaque-free, and a lack of oral care.

4. Limit Hard and Sticky Food Intake

Some people struggling to overcome habits of biting their nails, chewing on ice, or favoring hard foods are more at risk of damaging their dental implant restorations. Either can cause damage which means potential additional dental appointments for repairs or replacement. In the first few weeks after implant placement, make a strong effort to avoid sticky and hard foods that could disturb the implant(s) placed in your jaw. Examples of food to temporarily avoid are popcorn, hard candies, peanuts, caramel, seeds, and hard nuts.

As a means of added caution, avoid consuming high amounts of acidic foods, such as tomatoes and citrus fruits. It’s best to also temporarily avoid pithy foods that tend to get stuck between your teeth, like fresh grapefruit. Food particles that get “stuck” increase the risk of infection. Aggressively dislodging them within the first few days should be avoided. As always, don’t open packaging, cans, or bottle tops with your implant teeth.

These food types don’t have to be permanently eliminated from your diet. The reason for caution is that although your implants are permanent, the crowns they support are vulnerable to damage by hard foods during the first few weeks after implant surgery. Once they have sufficiently healed and stabilized, you can return to enjoying crunchy foods.

5. Avoid Smoking and Excessive Alcohol Intake

Moderation is the key to much of daily living. However, smoking can not only disrupt your dental implant healing process, but it also compromises your bone structure and how the implants fuse with the bone. For most people, it is acceptable to enjoy alcoholic beverages occasionally, however, drinking excessive alcohol is known to increase chances of oral issues.

6. Keep Post-Implant Surgery Swelling to a Minimum

To speed up your recovery, it helps to minimize swelling around the implant. It may help to use an ice pack. Swelling often peaks by the third to fourth day; then it starts to subside. Apply an ice pack to one side of your face for 10 minutes; transfer it to the opposite side for an additional 10 minutes. Continue icing your jaw for at least 24 hours.

The differences in the supporting structure of the implant make them more susceptible to inflammation, swelling, and bone loss if plaque accumulates.

Some automated/sonic toothbrushes with multiple brush tips may result in gingival abrasion from prolonged or aggressive use post-implant surgery. Your dentist can recommend a toothbrush shown to not cause hard or soft tissue damage, which effectively reduces plaque and inflammation around the adjacent periodontal tissues.

7. Alert Your Dentist if Concerns Arise

In the unusual event that soft tissue surrounding your dental implants becomes red, swollen, or irritated, call your dentist. The sooner loose dental implants are fixed, the better. Dental patients experiencing peri-implantitis typically respond to treatment when solutions are put in place early. As with all aspects of your oral health, it involves a close relationship with a trusted dentist.

Most concerns can be addresses before they become issues. “Preventive maintenance appointments should be scheduled every 3 to 4 months and a periapical/vertical bitewing radiograph at 6 to 8 months should be compared with the baseline to assess crestal bone changes, which occur often during the first year of loading”, Minkle Gulati, wrote in the July 9, 2014 NIH article.

“The long-term success of implants is fundamentally dependent upon both the patient’s maintenance of effective home care and on the dental team’s administration of professional prophylaxis procedures in the dental office. Hence, patients are considered co-therapists in the maintenance therapy and their contribution is indispensable, especially for the long-term success of dental implants.

Dental implants require constant maintenance and monitoring, which further involves assessment of the patient’s general and oral health, professional implant maintenance, and diligent patient home care as critical factors that will ensure the long-term success of implants and a predictable replacement for natural teeth.” – Implant Maintenance: A Clinical Update by the National Institute of Health

Best of Dental Implant Care in Woodbury, MN

The bottom line is that caring for dental implant restorations adequately is vital to increasing their lifespan. Typically, they survive a lifetime of use; and the nice thing is that they can be cared for like natural teeth. Each dental implant restoration appointment has a purpose; you’ll go home with the needed instructions for each step in the process.

Your dental implant investment is a wise choice. Most often, it is a practical and permanent solution for missing or damaged teeth. Whether you received a single implant or a full arch prosthetic supported by multiple implants, your care, and maintenance ensure longevity. This way, you can take pleasure in the advantages of having dental implants for decades.

Are you interested in knowing all your choices when it comes to Dental Implants? Contact your Woodbury, MN dental implant specialist – Marc L. Montgomery, DDS!

Call 651-738-1880 to speak with Dr. Montgomery today!