Implants
Conventional treatment options for tooth replacement, fixed partial bridge and full or partial dentures, address the short-term cosmetic problem of the missing teeth, but do nothing to stop the bone loss. Fixed partial bridge also requires that two or more healthy teeth be ground down to serve as abutment s (anchors) for a bridge, leaving them at a much greater risk for cavities and endodontic failure.
With implants, however, healthy teeth are not compromised. Plus, dental implants, like natural teeth, transmit chewing forces to the jaw, stimulating it and halting the bone loss. This is why many leading dental organizations recognize dental implants as the standard of care for tooth replacement.
Implants can be utilized for a number of applications. They can be used for replacing single or multiple teeth. Loose and ill-fitting dentures can be secured by implants which snap in and they are very secure.
Sedation
50% of all people do not seek dental care because of childhood fears or previous unpleasant dental experiences. Unfortunately, this fear and lack of care leads to more complicated and expensive treatment. For these patients, the only means to eliminate their fears is in a controlled, monitored hospital-like environment where they are sedated, creating amnesia (memory loss) of the appointment. Safe, effective, and much less costly than a trip to the hospital operating room, patients can have dental procedures in one or two appointments. Imagine waking up to a brand new smile!
Perhaps you do not have dental fears of this level, yet are a bit apprehensive. Nitrous oxide gas, laughing gas, which gives a euphoric feeling, is available.
Root Canals
The very idea of root canal conjures up images from ‘Little Shop of Horrors’. There have been many advances in the field of endodontics (root canals) which now can be completed in one visit in most cases. With new anesthetics and, if needed, sedation, root canal therapy (RCT) can be completed with little or no discomfort.
When the nerve becomes sick due to infection or trauma, there are two treatment modalities: RCT and extraction. RCT is an excellent option to save the tooth versus the alternative, which is extraction – the loss of the tooth. RCT is a treatment that removes dead or dying tissue (infected nerve and blood vessels) from the interior of the tooth, disinfection of the canals, and then sealing the canals to prevent re-infection.
Periodontal Disease
One out of every two American adults aged 30 and over has periodontal disease, according to recent findings from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In adults 65 and older, prevalence rates increase to 70.1 percent. Periodontal disease is a chronic condition that includes loss of supporting tooth structures which can lead to tooth loss. Periodontal disease has been associated with other chronic conditions like diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Periodontal disease can be control via deep cleaning and higher recall schedules.