Archives for November 2019

Avoiding Dental Implant Failure

Posted on November 30, 2019 by writeradmin.

I am consulting with a couple of different dentists in regard to which I should use to do my dental implants. One wants to do a CT scan and the other does not. My second question is the second dentist uses an implant called Southern Venturi. He says it’s less expensive than other brands and lets him keep his cost down. I’m tempted to go with the second dentist who cuts costs but have this nagging feeling in the back of my mind I should go with the more expensive dentist this one time. Am I worrying over nothing?

Lance

Dear Lance,

I’m very glad you wrote and hope to help you with this decision. Sometimes cheap dental implants end up being very costly. I don’t want you to judge between the two dentists based on cost. Let’s go over the specific questions you have. First, you mentioned the CT scan.

This is actually quite important. Most x-rays are two dimensional. However, the placement of dental implants is a 3-dimensional procedure. If you were to skip any of the diagnostic images, this would be the most important to keep. Precise placement of the implants during surgery is imperative.

One common mistake made by dentists is to place the implants too far in the upper arch and end up perforating the sinus cavity. A CT scan helps prevent that error. Some dentists try to get around it by using shorter implants. This is a mistake. These shorter implants don’t hold up over the long-term. You wouldn’t have any way of knowing they failed because of your dentist using a shorter implant.

The second issue you brought up is the brand of implant. You’re right to take this as a concern. The quality of the implant is an important factor in a successful outcome. I’m not very familiar with this brand, which concerns me. Some dentists use cheap implants to cut their costs and allow them to draw in more patients with a lower price while still maintaining their profit margin.

Some of the better implant brands are the following:

Straumann
Nobel Biocare
3i
BioHorizons
Zimmer
Astrotech

However, the biggest factor in a successful dental implant procedure is the dentist. Make sure you are going to an experienced implant dentist with excellent post-doctoral training and a high success rate.

This blog is brought to you by Decatur, AL Dentists Drs. Drake and Wallace.

Using Invisalign for a Retainer

Posted on November 23, 2019 by writeradmin.

I moved to a new state, because of a job transfer, during the last pair of aligners for my Invisalign treatment. I don’t think I need to find another dentist before finishing them, but will I need a retainer? Do I have to find a dentist right away for that? I’ve got so much on my plate with this move, I wondered if there was a way to get away without it?

Carol G.

Dear Carol,

Congratulations on both your new job and completing your Invisalign treatment. It has a high patient satisfaction rate. As a result, you do not want to sabotage the results by not wearing a retainer. Your teeth aren’t quite used to their correct position yet. If you don’t train them, they will begin to shift. Fortunately, you won’t have to find another dentist at this stage. Your final Invisalign aligners can double as a retainer for you.

How to Wean Off Your Invisalign as a Retainer

Step One:

Start by wearing them, except for meals for one month. After that time period you start backing off.

Step Two:

After one month, you can wear them just at night only for an additional month.

Step Three:

Once you’ve done that you can try only wearing them every other night. If you find when you go to put back on the aligner after two days it is a little more difficult to put back on, you’ll need to go back to every night for another month and then try again. If they’re fine, move on to step four.

Step Four:

When ready, you can gradually back off to once a week or so for a while. Don’t get rid of the aligners though. Keep them around in case the teeth begin to shift.

Getting a Mini Smile Makeover with Your Invisalign Aligners

There is another lovely benefit to keeping your aligners. Even while using them as a retainer, they can also double as teeth whitening trays. Simply ask a dentist for some teeth whitening gel after your next cleaning and you’ll be able to whiten your teeth while doing your treatment.

This blog is brought to you by Decatur, AL Dentists Drs. Drake and Wallace.

Dentist or Oral Surgeon for Dentures?

Posted on November 10, 2019 by writeradmin.

I have avoided the dentist for the majority of my life because of one bad experience. Now most of my teeth are either missing or decayed and broken. I need to get dentures. Do I see an oral surgeon to have the rest of my teeth removed before seeing the dentist for dentures or the other way around?

Ken

Dear Ken,

I’m sorry for your bad experience. You are not alone in this being an issue. For many patients with dental anxiety, the whole thing started when they were young. This is one of the many reasons finding a good pediatric dentist is so important. A positive (or negative) start to dental care impacts the rest of their lives.

In your case, when it comes to dentures, I would see a dentist who does both the extractions and the dentures. Don’t “talk a dentist into that”. Instead, call the office and ask what they normally do. If they refer you to an oral surgeon, see a different dentist. The extraction surgery isn’t a complicated one and any dentist should be able to do it. However, make sure they are used to doing it.

I always think it is important to save as many teeth as possible. Because of this, I’m going to suggest you get a Cu-Sil Partial denture (PICTURED ABOVE) if you have any saveable teeth. If not, then you can just get the traditional dentures.

Dealing with Dental Anxiety

As I mentioned earlier, you are not alone in your dental anxiety. That anxiety won’t go away when you go in for your extractions. Because of that, I want you to be aware of dental sedation. This will enable you to have your procedure done in a relaxed, anxiety-free way.

Many patients who try dental sedation find this is what changes their perception of dental care, enabling them to get the regular care they need to keep a healthy smile.

This blog is brought to you by Decatur, AL Dentist Drs. Drake and Wallace.