HOW TO PREVENT LOSING TEETH BEFORE HAVING TO REPLACE MISSING TEETH

I’m compelled to write about the most common situation I’ve come across in the past few weeks which is discussing with patients how to replace missing teeth. In reality, the best approach is to try and avoid losing teeth. In the first place, I have seen more cracked and split teeth recently requiring extraction and in almost every case its directly due to patient clenching and causing the fractures. Just the other day, a patient came in and had all the classic symptoms of severe clenching and after discussing what’s going on in his life, he gave me a laundry list of things he was dealing with that had dramatically increased the stress he was experiencing and this has a direct relationship to his clenching- He was heading toward micro cracks in his teeth which potentially could cause him to lose some teeth. I couldn’t reduce his stress but I could make him an occlusal splint to control the force he placed on his teeth, and hopefully prevent the fractures and loss of teeth.

So the moral to this story is, to prevent talking about how to replace teeth, we need to discuss how to prevent the loss of teeth. If you feel you’re clenching and want to discuss an occlusal splint, please call us and maybe we can avoid discussing replacing missing teeth and keep the teeth you already have.

CLENCHING TEETH? THE IMPORTANCE OF AN OCCLUSAL GUARD

One of the most common things I see in patients in my practice is the presence of clenching. Clenching is a subconscious habit that has a direct correlation to stress. The constant action of pressing the upper and lower teeth together produces consequences.

Initially, one or several teeth will become sensitive to cold and sometimes hot to items (foods, liquids). The affected areas will move and sometimes even disappear. Prolonged clenching can cause micro fractures on teeth which can lead to parts of teeth breaking to involving the nerve requiring root canals, and worst case, the tooth splits requiring an extraction. I personally have experienced all of these things.

How do I stop clenching? It’s actually impossible to stop but the next best thing is to have an occlusal guard made that fits over either top or bottom teeth that protects the teeth from the extreme forces they are exposed to.

My spin on stress is that it’s not the life or death type but the stress  every day responsible people are under. Responsible individuals live on a schedule with deadlines and things to do and places to be. The most common times we clench are when our conscious minds are occupied, i.e., driving, watching television, sleeping, working on computer. These are the times our teeth are most vulnerable and when we should wear our protective occlusal guard.

If you think you might be clenching, please give us a call to be evaluated.

BENEFITS OF USING DENTAL IMPLANTS TO REPLACE MISSING TEETH

Dental materials have greatly advanced in the 36 years I’ve been practicing dentistry, but even with these advances there are very few desirable options when a patient is missing multiple teeth.

With new computerized placement of dental implants, patients can literally have a restoration that is as close to their natural teeth with the same stability and cosmetics as natural teeth.

Our office provides a CBCT which takes a 3D image of the patient and allows us to treatment plan a restoration that the patient wants and we can place the implants to support this restoration accurate to 1mm!! No peeling back of tissue and no stitches! Most implant procedures are completed in one hour or less.

The placement of the implants along with taking advantage of the latest technology in dental materials allows our office to have patients eating and smiling with confidence in no time.

Whether you have one or several missing teeth, dental implants and computerized placement of them could be the answer you’re looking for.

We’d be happy to make a consultation appointment to discuss this treatment option with you!

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