Monthly Archives: January 2012

Tooth Replacement Options

Not a single person wishes to lose their healthy teeth and have to look into replacement options, but mishaps and injuries are an unfortunate factor of life. Thankfully, cosmetic dentistry options have made fantastic strides in recent history, making teeth replacement a possible option for many people. Gone are the days of those loose fitting, flapping dentures; many people are able to obtain dental implants to produce a healthy smile without having unpleasant incidents with their dentures. One constraint of dental implants has been patients whose bone structure is either not big enough or damaged to sustain the depth essential for post implantation. The most recent dental news, however, shows an excellent effectiveness in shorter dental implant posts, giving a solution to people whose bone size recently disqualified them.

As far as teeth replacement procedures go, most NY dental professionals would concur that implants are more advanced than other procedures. Moving dentures may cause eating complications, pinch the gums and cause pain, and in some cases interfere with speech, all issues that are fixed with dental implants. NYC residents have found that implants are significantly more comfortable, look much better, and offer them a boost in self-esteem.

Another significant advantage of dental implants could be a better mouth. Other alternatives usually call for bridges to existing teeth, which probably involves grinding to minimize the dimensions of one’s teeth to make the bridge more effective. Bridges also reduce access to the individual teeth for proper cleaning. Dental implants are designed to stand alone, making it very easy to clean between the dental implants and existing teeth. The result is improved gums, less tooth decay, and better smelling breath. Obviously, you likewise don’t have to stress over misplacing your implants!

With the most current dentistry news, the advantages of dental implants are available to a wider number of people. Research conducted on 6,193 short implants showed a comprehensive effectiveness of 99.1 percent. Success in implants involves bone tissue sticking to the titanium posts and gum bonding. Bone adherence has been thought to be troublesome for people with intensive jaw atrophy or bone loss, but these studies show that even these patients can be helped by dental implants.

Most of these studies were geared toward the use of dental implants as a short-term procedure, yet the study successes show long-term treatment may very well be an excellent option. If you have previously been disqualified from getting dental implants, or if you’ve been putting off some much needed treatment on your teeth, now’s a good time to speak with your cosmetic dentist. New york city is an excellent place to receive the latest in dental treatments.


The Relation Between Gum Disease and Your Health

We’ve been discussing a lot about cosmetic dental work over the holidays, but a bit of news turns our attention to some critical health issues. Inadequate gum health may not just enhance your risk of needing dental implants. NYC residents should be aware of research from Yale University that links gum disease to a larger incidence of pneumonia. Oral health, particularly the health of the gums, has long been connected with various health issues in other parts of the body, including heart disease and diabetes, but this latest dental news reveals that there’s a connection between the mouth and pneumonia.

How does gum health relate to pneumonia? Well the easy explanation is the fact that bacteria in the mouth are breathed into the lungs from the throat, infecting the lungs and causing respiratory illness. This link between oral health and respiratory disease has been established for several years. The science behind it is a a bit more complex, but the basics should be adequate to motivate all of us to take excellent care of our gums. Diseased gums harbor a host of numerous bacteria which can be absorbed into the bloodstream, but they can also be inhaled into your lungs. Dr. Samit Joshi of Yale University suggests that changes occurring in oral bacteria can increase the susceptibility to acquire pneumonia. Increasing symptoms of gum disease are a source of that bacteria change.

Leading British dentists are warning individuals about the risk, pointing to several studies linking oral health and respiratory disease. Both the elderly and the young are especially at risk, and their gum health should be monitored closely. CEO of the British Dental Health Foundation offers some advice:

  • Brush teeth regularly with fluoride toothpaste
  • Reduce sweet food and drink intake
  • Visit a dentist regularly

Sound advice for any situation, but winter months presents a greater cocktail of respiratory germs, with more people locked indoors, and colds and flues on a higher level of incidence, so extra vigilance is a great idea. Things to look for include bleeding from the gums during regular brushing, bad breath, frequent mouth infections, or loose teeth. These are all signs of gum disease, that could contribute to pneumonia.

According to the CDC, pneumonia accounts for about 17.3 deaths per 100,000 people in the United States, so keeping track of your oral health and the oral health of your loved ones is not just about pretty teeth, it’s about protecting lives.