Month: October 2023

Dental implants are the most lifelike, durable, and cost-effective solution for replacing one or multiple missing teeth. However, to qualify for dental implants, certain criteria must be met. Some conditions might temporarily prevent you from being a suitable candidate until they are addressed.

After reviewing your medical history and evaluating the state of your remaining teeth and gums, the dentist will determine if these conditions apply to you or affect your eligibility for dental implants. Furthermore, your dental X-rays will be examined before finalizing your suitability.

Here are some factors that can influence one’s candidacy for dental implants:

Tobacco Use and Smoking: If you smoke or use tobacco, dental implants might not be the best choice. Tobacco use significantly increases the risk of implant complications. Smoking can delay healing and elevate the risk of infections. For successful implantation, smokers should ideally quit for at least two months.

Advanced Gum Disease: Dental implants aren’t recommended for those with severe, untreated gum disease. This condition can damage the gums, teeth, and jawbone. However, with proper gum disease treatment, dental implants might become a viable option.

Diabetes: Poorly managed diabetes can impede healing and heighten the risks associated with dental implants. However, with well-regulated blood sugar and a healthy lifestyle, individuals with diabetes can still qualify.

Certain Medications and Autoimmune Conditions: Drugs like blood thinners and steroids can complicate the dental implant process. Some autoimmune diseases also increase the risk of implant complications. Always discuss your medical history and medications with your dentist.

Radiation Treatment History: Those who have undergone radiation therapy to the face or neck might not be ideal candidates for dental implants. It’s crucial to consult with your oncologist about this.

Physical Fitness: Dental implant surgery requires the body’s ability to heal. If you have persistent health issues affecting your overall well-being, you might need to wait until your health stabilizes.

Jaw Bone Development: Age plays a role in dental implant candidacy. Young adults and teenagers usually need to wait until their jawbones are fully developed, typically by their early 20s.

Pregnancy: Pregnant women might not be ideal candidates due to potential risks. While dental X-rays are generally safe with precautions, they’re best avoided during pregnancy.

Excessive Alcohol Consumption: Heavy drinking can affect blood clotting, posing surgical risks. If you consume alcohol excessively, your dentist might advise you to reduce or abstain.

Regardless of age, dental implants can be a viable option if you meet the necessary criteria and are looking for a lasting solution for missing teeth. A qualified dentist will evaluate these factors, inform you about potential risks, and determine your eligibility.

Who’s an Ideal Candidate for Dental Implants?

You’re likely a good fit if you’re an adult with:

• Healthy teeth and gums.
• Sufficient jawbone density.
• No smoking habits.
• Overall good health.

In Conclusion

Missing teeth can impact your oral health, overall well-being, and quality of life. Dental implants offer a transformative solution. By considering the factors mentioned above and consulting with a dentist, you can determine if you’re a suitable candidate for this procedure.

What is Tooth Eruption? 

Tooth eruption refers to the natural process where a developing tooth moves from its original position within the jawbone to its final position in the mouth. This positioning enables the tooth to function correctly for biting and chewing purposes. 

Humans are diphyodont, which implies that we have two sets of teeth in our lifetime. The initial or primary set, known as deciduous or baby teeth, starts growing around six months of age. These teeth are replaced by a group of permanent teeth around the age of six, which last a lifetime.

Here are some essential details about the eruption of primary teeth: 

• Babies generally start getting their first teeth at around six months of age.
• Girls usually get their teeth before boys.
• Bottom teeth usually appear before top teeth.
• Teeth on both sides of the mouth usually come out in pairs.
• All baby teeth should be present when a child is 2-3.
• Their jaw and facial bones expand as children grow, creating gaps between their baby teeth. This natural process makes room for adult teeth, which usually start around age six and continue until age 12.

Stages of Tooth Eruption

For a tooth to come out, two things are essential: the removal of bone, primary roots, and soft tissues and a force that pushes the tooth along the path of eruption. Teeth come out in three stages: primary, mixed, and permanent phase. 

1. The first set of teeth, known as the Primary Dentition Stage, emerges around 6-8 months old and continues until 2-3 years of age. This phenomenon is often known as the emergence of baby teeth. These baby teeth remain in the child’s mouth until they age six.
2. The mixed dentition stage refers to a period when both baby and adult teeth coexist. At around six years old, the first permanent tooth, commonly known as ‘six-year molars’, appeared. This marks the beginning of the mixed stage, which ends when the last baby tooth falls out at about 10-12 years of age.
3. As children grow, they eventually lose all their baby teeth, marking the beginning of the permanent dentition stage. This usually happens between the ages of 10 to 12, when 28 teeth will be present in their mouth. By the time they reach 21, the last teeth, also known as “wisdom teeth” or third molars, will emerge, bringing the total number of teeth in the mouth to 32. 

It’s unclear what causes teeth to emerge, but a few factors are believed to contribute. The dental follicle produces signals that may play a role, and the tooth’s root grows and extends, helping to create space in the jaw. The periodontal ligament (PDL) also forms and provides a force that helps push the tooth up and out. 

There are various theories on how teeth come out, but some researchers have proposed essential factors that any theory should meet to be valid:

1. Teeth are moved in a straight line and at different angles.
2. Teeth erupt differently and at varying speeds depending on their stage of development.
3. The position of teeth in our mouths is often inherited from our parents.

Harmful Habits That Affect Teeth Growth

• Finger or Thumb Sucking: Sucking on fingers or thumbs can negatively impact the growth of upper front teeth, causing them to stick out due to the imbalance between the outward force of the tongue on the roof of the mouth and the inward pressure of the cheek muscles.
• Tongue Pushing: Children who push their tongue forward habitually exert too much pressure on their upper front teeth, leading to changes in their growth patterns.
• Lip Biting or Sucking: Regularly biting or sucking on the lips, especially the lower lip, can cause excessive pressure from the lips on the lower front teeth, altering their growth trajectory.

Maintaining healthy primary teeth is essential for creating adequate space for permanent teeth to emerge, enabling proper chewing, biting, speech, and an attractive appearance. Sustaining a nutritious diet and practicing daily dental hygiene is crucial to ensure healthy tooth eruption. 

Your dentist might suggest that you get your teeth scaled. The process also includes root planning for deep dental care. In common terms, it is known as deep cleaning.

Teeth scaling and root planning help to treat gum diseases and infections. The process requires more in-depth cleaning than regular teeth cleaning. Teeth scaling and root planing frequently take more than one dental visit and could require anesthesia according to your dental condition or if you have receding gums. 

When do you want teeth scaling?

The dentist will suggest teeth scaling and root planing if you have severe gum disease or infection. These processes are used for proper oral hygiene and to avoid any harmful issues that can occur in the future.

Receding gums happens when the germs in plaque pull your gums away from your teeth, making enormous pockets between your teeth and gums, and more germs can develop where properly cleaning your teeth can not occur at home.

That is why floss is necessary daily as it reaches problematic areas. Some other issues can be caused if precautions are not taken.

• Loss of bone and tissues
• Tooth decaying
• Loosen teeth
• Weaken teeth enamel

What is the process of teeth scaling?

Teeth scaling and root planing is a short-term process performed by the dentist. Consultation with the dentist is an essential step as it helps to understand the condition of your teeth. 

Your dentist will initially start teeth scaling, and it begins with removing plaque from the teeth using the scratching technique and removing it from the pockets or areas developed between the teeth.

Then, do the root planning in which, with the help of the scaling tool, a smoothing process starts, which smoothens the gums and helps them reattach to the gums.

What are the advantages of this process?

Decreasing the pockets between your teeth and gums through teeth scaling and root planing will remove all the infections or diseases caused by the plaque in the gums and teeth. The advantages are:

• It helps to get rid of bleeding gums
• Remove bad breath
• Cure red and inflamed gums
• Changes the biting intensity
• Strengthen the teeth and gums
• Heal swollen gums

What are the cons of Teeth Scaling?

The dangers of teeth scaling are negligible. You may have an infection; in that case, your dentist may recommend an anti-infection or a special mouthwash for a couple of days or weeks.

It is essential to contact your dentist if you experience any of the following symptoms:

• Unbearable pain
• The area doesn’t heal properly
• High fever
• Bleeding from gums
• Swelling in the affected area

You may experience sensitivity or slight discomfort after the procedure, and there are chances you can have tender gums. 

What are the after-effects of teeth scaling?

In some cases scaling teeth requires more than one visit. In that case, the dentist recommends a follow-up appointment to check the procedure worked well and that you haven’t developed any complications. After scaling and root planing, you can start brushing your teeth twice daily and flossing. 

Lastly, Teeth scaling and root planing are normal techniques to treat gums and teeth sickness. Your dentist can provide you with the best advice that helps you to get relief, and this is the best option the dentist recommends, offering overall oral hygiene. 

To avoid the issue of receding gums, taking precautions prior can help avoid any harmful situation. However, these teeth scaling and root planing techniques offer deep and thorough cleaning of the mouth, which is usually recommended by the dentist, promoting overall mouth care.