The Benefits of Mini Dental Implants

There are numerous benefits to mini dental implants. There is definitely an advantage of implants over dentures and other temporary procedures. Mini dental implants, however, are a much more cost-effective option than standard implants, and may also be a viable option for those who do not qualify for traditional implants.

Consider mini implants if you fall into any of these categories:

Low Bone Density – Whether the problem is caused by aging, health, or habits such as smoking, low bone density can cause your body to reject regular implants. As a result, most dentists will not perform the procedure due to a low rate of success. On the other hand, mini dental implants are placed into the tissue with a procedure that is minimally invasive. This means that bone density is not an issue.

Low Income – If you can’t afford dental implants, mini implants are a more cost-effective option. In fact, a mini dental implant will cost about half the price of a regular implant. Since insurance will usually only cover dentures and not implants, the cost is a major factor for consumers. Another cost factor to consider is that regular implants require multiple visits to the dentist while mini implants can be performed in one day.

Need Fast Results – Mini dental implants can be put in place in one day. In contrast, regular implants require invasive surgery, and the patient needs weeks, perhaps months, to heal before the crowns can be screwed onto the implants. Mini dental implants do not require multiple visits and have a much faster recovery time since the process is non-invasive.

Of course, if money, time, and bone density are not a concern, regular implants provide a more durable option. The larger surface area of regular implants creates an even chewing surface, making it easier to chew and placing less stress on the implants. Mini dental implants, however, are a great alternative for those who cannot get regular implants for one reason or another. Mini implants are certainly superior to dentures that need to be glued in and may shift. For many, mini dental implants are the alternative solution they have been searching for.

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Know Before You Go

With cone beam technology, there’s no estimation involved as far as measurements go for your dental implants. Your dentist already knows the precise measurements needed—the thickness the dental implant needs to be, your bone quality, and the angle the dental implant will need to be inserted at. This information allows your dentist to perfectly place your dental implant. Knowing the best position for the dental implant before insertion means that there’s no risk for hitting a nerve and no estimating the best position for your dental implant. Your dentist can know and see all this will the cone beam imaging. The imaging is painless and only takes a few seconds. It allows your dentist to see your mouth in 3D and color! The dentist then uses this image with computer software to determine the precise measurements and construct your perfect dental implant, which will be inserted in the best possible position in your mouth.

Faster Healing Time

The cost for cone beam technology is reasonable, and in addition to this, the radiation is exposure is lower as well, therefore reducing your risk for any potential problems with this. The technology is easy to use for your dentist and best of all, you’ll have a faster healing time. When your dentist knows the exact placement of your dental implant before the surgery, this means they are able to make a smaller cut in your mouth because they already know where the dental implant is going and they won’t need to look around in your mouth because they’ve already seen everything on the CBCT scan. Your dental implant will be inserted into its proper position, and your healing time will be faster because you’ll only have had a minor incision in your mouth. The smaller incision combined with the accurate placement of the implant increase the chances of success with your dental implant, meaning there’s an even lower risk for rejection or infection if properly cared for.

With cone beam technology, your dentist will be able to assess the bone quality of your jaw, see all your roots, and be able to provide you with the perfect placement for your dental implant with very minimal risks. This new technology is changing the field of dentistry and helping to bring you better, more accurate care for a successful healthy smile!

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Can a Split Tooth Be Saved Intact?

The short answer is no, but before you surf to another site to get a second opinion, give us a moment to explain the difference between a split tooth and a cracked tooth (which can be saved). We will also discuss treatment options for a split tooth that may, depending on the location of the split, be able to preserve part of the tooth.

The Difference Between Split and Cracked

A cracked tooth starts at the surface of the tooth and extends downward vertically. Sometimes the crack may even reach below the gum line! With the help of a root canal and a full crown, the tooth can be salvaged. However, what happens if the crack continues downward and completely through the tooth- separating it into two segments?

This is now called a split tooth. This generally occurs when some has a cracked tooth for a long time, and either ignores it or perhaps never realizes the crack has occurred. Often, extraction is the only treatment option. Endodontic options, however, may be available if the tooth is split off to one side, leaving the majority of the tooth intact. What can be done?

Endodontic Treatment for a Split Tooth

If only a small portion of the tooth is split from the rest, the tooth still cannot be saved intact, but the larger portion of the tooth may be salvaged. The procedure may involve a root canal, gum surgery, removal of the part of the tooth that has broken away, and other forms of endodontic treatment.

In the end, a permanent crown may be able to preserve the larger portion of the tooth. Again, this is entirely dependent on the extent and location of the split. Thus, if you know that you have a cracked tooth, it is far better to take preventative care and visit a dentist early before a situation becomes worse. Your endodontist is hear to help!

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Sugar and starches on the teeth will eventually turn to acid if they are not cleaned properly. Some foods contain acid, even those that are healthy for us such as citrus fruits and many vegetables. Eating a healthy diet and brushing and flossing your teeth regularly are essential to keeping your tooth enamel strong, as well as preventing the buildup of bacteria that can lead to gum disease. You can help to wash away acids after eating by drinking water after meals and not brushing your teeth immediately. Immediately after meals, enamel is rebuilding and can be damaged further if you brush within 20 minutes or so after eating, so save the brushing until a bit later.

Sometimes tooth enamel is damaged by factors that we can’t control, such as illness. Acid reflux disease, dry mouth, and vomiting are some of the health issues that can cause such tooth destruction. It is also beneficial to be cautious of medications and vitamins as there are some that contain high levels of acid (such as aspirin and
Vitamin C).

With all of the acid in even healthy diets, it is impossible to prevent your tooth enamel from eroding. This is why nature designed the re-mineralization process to properly rebuild enamel and maintain a healthy smile. Although our bodies assist us in our oral health care, human nature and lifestyle choices make it necessary to give nature a helping hand in keeping our teeth strong. Brushing with fluoride toothpaste twice a day and flossing at least once a day, limiting sweets and seeing the dentist for checkups twice a year are the best things you can do to prevent enamel erosion and other oral health problems.

When tooth decay does occur, fillings, crowns and other dental restorations can rebuild a damaged tooth to restore its strength and prevent the decay from spreading. If you would like to learn more about tooth enamel and how to prevent erosion that leads to cavities and tooth decay, call our Chevy Chase office for an appointment today.

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There are several different types of dental implants. Individual implants replace one tooth with one implant, and this is a good choice for someone who has just one or two teeth missing. For someone who is edentulous, which means they have no teeth at all, implants would involve the placement of several metal posts that an arch of artificial teeth would then be attached to. One procedure, called All-on-Four, involves only four implants per arch. Full implants usually involve six to eight implants. Mini-implants are a much faster option that under some circumstances can be completely finished in just one appointment.

All of these types of dental implants have crowns (artificial teeth) that are permanently fixed to the implants. This means that unlike dentures, they are not removable and will not slip or shift. You take care of your implants by brushing them the same way you do with natural teeth. There is no need to purchase adhesives, special cleaners or special brushes or cups. While there is no doubt that implants have a higher upfront cost than dentures, remember that with dentures, you will spend the rest of your life repeatedly purchasing cleaners and adhesives, as well as paying for adjustments, relining and replacement dentures.

Getting dental implants is a big step, and before making a decision you should get as much information as you can about different types of implants and the implant procedure that is best for you. If you are in the Washington D.C. and Bethesda area,
contact Prosthetic Dentistry of Washington D.C. to set up an appointment and see if you are a good candidate for implants.

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Root canal saves a tooth by cleaning out diseased and dying tissue from its inner chamber. The chamber is then filled with a strong material, the entire area is sanitized, and then the tooth is reinforced with a filling or crown. A tooth that has been treated with root canal therapy is restored, strong and can last a lifetime.

Having a dying tooth pulled may seem like an easy alternative to root canal, but most people are not aware of the problems that can be caused by a missing tooth. An open space between your teeth can weaken the foundation of the rest of your teeth. Beginning with the teeth that surround the missing one, the other teeth can gradually begin to shift out of position. Losing just one tooth can lead to crooked teeth and bite problems in the future.

Oral hygiene becomes difficult as teeth shift out of position, because gaps are created that can be difficult to clean. The chance of gum disease is increased as food particles are more likely to be left behind.

When a tooth is lost, replacing it can eliminate some of these problems, but saving a natural tooth with root canal is always recommended. A root canal procedure is generally less expensive and less complicated than getting an extraction and replacement like a bridge or implant. The success rates for root canal and implants are about equal, and both are very high; but with root canal, the tooth you have is your own, with its own natural root still intact.

Root canal today is described as painless by the majority of patients who have undergone the procedure. It can be completed in usually just two office visits, with the second one being for the placement of the crown on the tooth.

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After a root canal, the treated tooth should heal and be pain free. You should be able to chew normally and there should be no sensitivity to the treated tooth after a few days of healing. If you still have pain after a root canal procedure or develop pain in the tooth again in the future, this could be a sign that the tooth has been infected again.

Sometimes when a tooth has a complex inner structure, the first root canal may not completely clean out the infection. If the tooth was not properly restored with a crown after a root canal, new infection can enter the tooth. Damage from injury like a broken crown can also expose a restored tooth to bacteria and the possibility of infection. In any of these cases, endodontic retreatment may be necessary.

The retreatment process is similar to the first root canal. The tooth is opened and the canals are cleaned. The filling materials that were placed during the first root canal may have to be removed so that the endodontist can access the canals. After cleaning, new filling materials are placed and the tooth is sealed. The tooth will again need to be restored with a crown.

In some cases, very small canals are not accessible in a root canal procedure. In such a case, endodontic surgery may be recommended. Surgery allows the endodontist to access small or narrow canals.

Root canal has a 95% success rate, so the chance of requiring retreatment is low for most patients. You can increase the chances of a successful root canal the first time by following your endodontist’s instructions after the procedure, returning for follow-up appointments and continuing to brush and floss your teeth regularly and see the dentist for regular checkups.

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In our opinion, this procedure should not be performed without using a CT Scan generated surgical guide, which can help ensure that the implant will be precisely placed at the proper angle and depth in the bone. In many cases, we also insert a healing cap on the same day in an immediate tissue load procedure. This eliminates the need for a second surgery to construct and place an abutment (support) in the implant, then followed by a crown, bridge, or other prosthesis. Surgical time is reduced, making the procedure much more efficient!

Presented here is a case in which we placed an implant in this patient’s upper right quadrant using a CT scan generated surgical guide. She had absolutely no postoperative discomfort or pain. In three to four months, this implant will be ready for restoration.

[media-credit id=15 align=”alignleft” width=”301″]Failing Tooth [/media-credit]

[media-credit id=15 align=”alignleft” width=”301″]Tooth Extracted; Bond Graft Placed [/media-credit]

[media-credit id=15 align=”alignleft” width=”301″]Site Ready for Implant[/media-credit]

[media-credit id=15 align=”alignleft” width=”300″]Implant Inserted After Three Months [/media-credit]

[media-credit id=15 align=”alignleft” width=”301″]Implant and Healing Cap Inserted with Minimal Surgical Tissue Management[/media-credit]

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The material crowns are made of can affect how long the crown lasts. Porcelain crowns are translucent and reflect light in the same way that natural teeth do. For this reason, they are more natural looking than crowns made of other materials; however, they are also more fragile. The bite force you have when you bite into and chew food makes a difference in how long any crown will last, and if you have a particularly strong bite force, porcelain crowns are more likely to break than crowns made of other materials.

Resin crowns are the least expensive crown type, but they are prone to fracture. Metal crowns are strong and durable, but because they are silver in color, they are usually only used for back teeth.

A compromise between durability and appearance can be had with porcelain over metal crowns. These crowns are metal based, but porcelain is fused to the metal to give a natural looking appearance that can be color-matched to your other teeth.

How long dental crowns will last depends on many other factors in addition to the material they are made of. Practicing good dental hygiene by brushing and flossing twice a day will increase the life of your crowns. You can also increase crown life by limiting consumption of hard or crunchy foods. If you tend to clench or grind your teeth, your crowns may not last as long as they would for someone who isn’t “a grinder.” Habitual teeth-grinding is called bruxism, and many people do it while they’re sleeping and don’t even realize it. A dentist can determine if you are a nighttime grinder, and explain how that may affect your crowns.

On average, crowns can be expected to last at least 5 years. It is not unusual for crowns to last from 10-15 years.

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