You Have Dental Implant Questions—We Have Answers

Posted by

little man q&aThere’s strength in numbers, especially when it comes to your teeth. You need a full set for your mouth to operate properly, and if you lose one, then replacing it is more important than just restoring your smile’s appearance. With the unique ability to replace your lost teeth’s roots, and a success rate of over 95%, dental implants have quickly become the preferred solution to replacing lost teeth.

What are dental implants made of?

As the name suggests, a dental implant is a small device that’s surgically inserted into your jawbone. The secret to their success lies in their biocompatible titanium construction, which allows your jawbone to fuse to the implants’ surfaces as it heals. After about 4-6 months, your dental implant(s) will become a part of your jawbone’s anatomy to provide unmatched support for your dental prosthesis.

What if I already wear dentures or a dental bridge?

Although they’ve revolutionized our approach to rebuilding smiles that have suffered tooth loss, dental implants don’t make conventional replacement teeth obsolete. On the contrary, implants serve to improve traditional replacement teeth by adding the support of a prosthetic root. In addition, your dentures will no longer slip and lose their grip, since they’re stabilized by implants instead of dental adhesives.

Do I have to undergo surgery?

By definition, placing dental implants requires surgery to situate the root devices within the jawbone. If you’ve suffered significant jawbone deterioration, which typically occurs following tooth loss, then you may have to undergo prerequisite surgery, such as a jawbone graft, to restore its density and structural integrity.

Will I have to replace my dental implants after a few years?

The benefits of receiving dental implants extend far beyond more stable replacement teeth; replacing lost teeth roots also helps stem the jawbone deterioration that results from lost teeth roots. Dentures most often slip because of a shrinking jawbone and dental ridge, and frequently require replacement. Dental implants, however, can last a lifetime with proper care and maintenance. Your dental crown, bridge, or denture may require replacement after a decade or two of continuous use, but your new prosthesis can be situated on top of your existing implants.

About Your Livonia Implant Dentist:

James Steward, DDS, and our compassionate staff proudly serve patients of all ages from Livonia, Farmington Hills, Plymouth, Northville, Dearborn Heights, Garden City, and all surrounding communities. To schedule an appointment, call our office today at (734) 425-4400.

filed under: Dental Implants, Patient Education, Tooth Loss

Tags: , , ,

How Cavities and Gingivitis Affect Dental Implants

Posted by

mature man brushing his teethLosing a tooth isn’t something you’re likely to forget, but with the right dental prosthesis, your smile can look and function as though it never happened. The most comprehensive tooth replacements are supported by dental implants, which are surgically inserted into the jawbone where your teeth once were. Implants replace your teeth’s roots the way bridges and dentures replace their crowns (top portions), providing a more stable and long-lasting solution to tooth loss. Their longevity, however, depends largely on how well you take care of them, and how effectively you can keep them safe from developing dental diseases. (more…)

filed under: Dental Implants, Oral Health, Tooth Loss

Tags: , , ,

The Beauty, and Function, of Tooth-Colored Fillings

Posted by

beautiful smart smileWouldn’t it be nice if you could treat your cavities or other dental health issues without leaving noticeable evidence? With tooth-colored fillings, you can. For over a century, metal amalgam has been the dental filling material of choice. While the metal fillings are strong, durable, and highly effective, the metallic flash that the fillings add to your smile can diminish its aesthetic value. Instead of amalgam, Dr. Stewart typically recommends tooth-colored dental fillings comprised of innovative, white composite resin, which holds more than just a cosmetic advantage over their metal amalgam predecessors.

What Your Tooth Filling Should Accomplish

The need for a dental filling after treating a cavity stems from the tooth’s inability to repair its own structure when damaged (like bones and other body tissues normally can). Tooth decay is a progressive disease that destroys a tooth’s structure as it advances towards the center. To stop this advancement, Dr. Stewart will remove the decayed tissue, clean out any lingering bacteria and infection, and replace the removed tooth structure with a dental filling to restore its structural integrity. Ideally, the filling should seal and protect the tooth’s vulnerable inside from further bacterial infection while simultaneously reinforcing the tooth to restore its proper function.

Improving an Old Concept

Made from a mixture of silver, mercury, zinc, and other trace metals, amalgam fillings are strong and can last a long time with proper care and maintenance. Like most metals, however, amalgam is subject to hot and cold temperatures, expanding and contracting (respectively) when exposed to either. If an amalgam filling contracts, it can create spaces between the filling and tooth, allowing oral bacteria to reenter the tooth’s interior and finish the destruction it started. If the metal filling expands, the inflexible tooth will be unable to accommodate it and may crack, fracture, or completely break. This flaw, coupled with the unsightly metal flashes when a patient smiles and speaks, can make the traditional restorations less-than-ideal. By contrast, composite resin is tinted to match a tooth’s natural color, and the material is bonded to the tooth’s surface for a more effective seal and improved structural support.

About Your Livonia Dentist:

James Steward, DDS, and our compassionate staff proudly serve patients of all ages from Livonia, Farmington Hills, Plymouth, Northville, Dearborn Heights, Garden City, and all surrounding communities. To schedule an appointment, call our office today at (734) 425-4400.

filed under: Restorative Dentistry

Tags: , , ,

A Dental Prosthetic for Everyone

Posted by

older smileA lost tooth isn’t something you should ignore. Even if it isn’t obvious when you smile, the loss can seriously affect the teeth that remain, as well as the jawbone that once supported it. With every tooth lost, your oral health can continue to deteriorate, and replacing lost teeth with an appropriate dental prosthetic is the only way to preserve your smile. With a variety of comfortable, durable, and long-lasting replacement teeth, Dr. Stewart can help you find the right dental prosthetic to restore your smile’s beauty and function. (more…)

filed under: Restorative Dentistry, Tooth Loss

Tags: , , ,

How Tooth Loss Affects Your Facial Appearance

Posted by

elderly confident smileWith one or more teeth missing, your smile won’t look the same. With your mouth closed, however, the loss might not affect your facial appearance. At least, not at first. When ignored, missing teeth affect more than your immediate smile; the loss can also cause your jawbone to lose density, or deteriorate, from a lack of stimulation. Over time, jawbone deterioration will become more apparent as the structures surrounding your smile begin to sag—a condition known as facial collapse. While replacing lost teeth with a dental bridge, partial, or full denture can restore your smile’s appearance, the traditional dental prostheses only replace the tops of your teeth, and can’t stem the destruction that occurs within your jawbone.

What Happens When You Lose Teeth?

The crowns of your teeth are the visible parts that rest above the gum line, and are what make up the ranks of your smile. Still, a crown is only half of a tooth; the root, which extends underneath the gum line, is embedded in your underlying jawbone. When you bite and chew your food, the roots of your teeth are stimulated by the pressure, telling your body to send your jawbone minerals and nutrients to support them. Losing a tooth means losing a root, as well as the stimulation it provides, and your body responds by sending its nutrients elsewhere.

You Can Stop Facial Collapse

The more teeth you’ve lost, the faster facial collapse can develop. Patients who’ve lost all of their teeth on one or both of their dental ridges often rely on dentures to restore their mouth’s beauty and function. Many of them are also familiar with the need to replace dentures that no longer fit due to a shrinking dental ridge. To prevent facial collapse and better stabilize your replacement teeth, Dr. Stewart may recommend one or more dental implants, which are surgically inserted into your jawbone. Dental implants are made from biocompatible titanium, allowing your jawbone to fuse to their surfaces and restore the stimulation that was lost with your missing teeth’s roots.

About Your Livonia Dentist:

James Steward, DDS, and our compassionate staff proudly serve patients of all ages from Livonia, Farmington Hills, Plymouth, Northville, Dearborn Heights, Garden City, and all surrounding communities. To schedule an appointment, call our office today at (734) 425-4400.

filed under: Dental Implants, Restorative Dentistry, Tooth Loss

Tags: , , ,

Interesting, and Important, Facts About Your Teeth

Posted by

realistic image of teethWhen it comes to your dental health, knowledge is power. If you didn’t know that brushing your teeth everyday was important, then you probably wouldn’t, and your teeth can’t last long in the midst of consistently poor hygiene. Still, there are some things about your teeth that aren’t common knowledge, but knowing them could help you save your smile. For instance, teeth don’t act like other tissues in your body, and when a dental issue develops, it might be more dire of a situation than you realize.

Did You Know?

  • The strongest human bite was once measured at just over 250 lbs. of pressure. The average is less, around 170-200 lbs. of pressure, mostly on the back molars. Keeping your teeth healthy with good hygiene and professional care equates to keeping your teeth and their enamel strong enough to withstand the pressures of biting and chewing.
  • Even though your teeth wouldn’t last long without your attention, they aren’t completely helpless. In fact, good hygiene focuses on supporting your teeth’s formidable defenses. The enamel that surrounds your teeth is so resilient that it has inspired scientists to study its composition for the future of aerospace engineering.
  • Tooth enamel isn’t just the strongest substance your body produces; it’s the second-most resilient substance on earth, besides diamonds. Nevertheless, if enamel or the tooth structure underneath it is damaged, it can’t repair itself. Likewise, after your adult teeth have grown in, you won’t grow any replacements if one or more of them are lost. The importance of restorative dentistry lies in saving teeth that are damaged or diseased from being completely destroyed.
  • Although humans don’t grow an extra set of replacement teeth once the permanent ones have erupted, many people grow more teeth than they need, or can comfortably accommodate. “Wisdom teeth” is the informal name given to the last, or third set, of molars, which erupt between the ages of 17-25 (the age of wisdom). If your dental ridge can accommodate them, then the four extra molars can help increase your bite’s effectiveness. If they become impacted, or impeded by existing teeth, then they’ll likely need an extraction to restore peace to your remaining 28 teeth.

About Your Livonia Dentist:

James Steward, DDS, and our compassionate staff proudly serve patients of all ages from Livonia, Farmington Hills, Plymouth, Northville, Dearborn Heights, Garden City, and all surrounding communities. To schedule an appointment, call our office today at (734) 425-4400.

filed under: General, Patient Education

Tags: , , ,

What Fluoride Does for Your Teeth

Posted by

tooth and fluoride modelFluoride is one of the most popular ingredients in a number of different dental hygiene products. The mineral is well-known for its ability to help ward off cavity development, and can be found in municipal water supplies across the US. Though most people can easily recognize the name, fluoride, not as many people understand how it works to protect teeth from the most common chronic disease in the world. The secret of fluoride’s effectiveness lies in how it interacts with your teeth’s natural defenses, strengthening them against the bacteria that dwell in your mouth. (more…)

filed under: Dental Hygiene, Family Dentistry

Tags: , , ,

Do Primary Cavities Affect Permanent Teeth?

Posted by

young kid with toothacheAlthough cavities are highly-preventable, they remain the most widespread chronic disease among children all over the world. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention, they affect over half of all school-aged children in the US, and cavities are four times more common than asthma in adolescents aged 14-17. With such alarming statistics, protecting your children from cavities isn’t only reasonable; it’s essential to helping them prepare for strong, healthy, permanent smiles as they enter adulthood.

Cavities Among Kids

A cavity is a hole that forms when a tooth is infected with oral bacteria. The infection, called tooth decay, can affect patients of all ages, and if left untreated, it can consume an entire tooth and spread through tissues surrounding it. Though children aren’t more likely to develop cavities than adults, the fact that their primary teeth are bound to fall out anyway can confuse some parents about proper treatment. Dr. Stewart warns that even in baby teeth, which are meant to prepare the way for a child’s permanent smile, cavities can prove highly destructive to the adult teeth growing underneath them.

What About Cavities in Baby Teeth?

Baby teeth, or primary teeth, begin developing while your child is still in the womb, although they don’t erupt until months after birth. Adult teeth grow underneath the primary set, waiting to erupt once the child’s jawbone has developed enough to accept them. As a progressive infection, tooth decay can settle into a primary tooth, and if not treated before the cavity spreads, it can affect the still-developing adult teeth under it. If your child exhibits tooth decay, then Dr. Stewart can advise you concerning the severity of the condition and an appropriate course of treatment to restore your child’s healthy smile.

Professional Cavity Protection

As an experienced pediatric dentist, Dr. James Stewart is highly-skilled at caring for children and their specific dental issues, and advises bringing your child to our office for an initial visit shortly after the first primary tooth erupts. We can help you maximize your and your child’s hygiene routines, and Dr. Stewart can recommend increased cavity protection through dental sealants and/or fluoride treatments.

About Your Livonia Children’s Dentist:

James Steward, DDS, and our compassionate staff proudly serve patients of all ages from Livonia, Farmington Hills, Plymouth, Northville, Dearborn Heights, Garden City, and all surrounding communities. To schedule an appointment, call our office today at (734) 425-4400.

filed under: Children's Dentistry

Tags: , , ,

The Specifics of Senior Dental Care

Posted by

mature woman with beautiful smileAge, by itself, isn’t a significant factor in the state of your oral health. For instance, contrary to popular belief, teeth aren’t naturally lost as you grow older. Nevertheless, time does have an effect on your smile, and dental care for seniors often means taking into consideration circumstances that are specific to our more mature patients.

Time’s Effect on Your Teeth and Gums

Your teeth are more than showpieces that liven up your smile; they’re also responsible for processing your food, enunciating your words clearly, and supporting facial structures that surround them. Over time, teeth and the highly-mineralized enamel that protects them may grow weak from excessive wear and tear, dulling your teeth’s appearance and possibly making them more sensitive. Your gum tissue, which should create a tight seal where they meet your teeth, can also loosen and recede from years of bite pressure, making you more susceptible to destructive gum disease.

What to Watch Out For

As the dynamics of your dental health change, you may experience a number of changes to the visual aspects of your teeth and gums, including;

  • Darkened teeth, usually caused by changes to the bone-like dentin underneath the semi-translucent enamel. Dentin comprises the majority of your tooth’s structure, and is responsible for the pearly-white (or otherwise) shade of your teeth.
  • Dry mouth, or the substantial decline of saliva production, can result from a number of issues, including certain medications and some medical conditions that affect your salivary glands. Saliva is your mouth’s natural defense against oral bacteria, and a lack of it can increase your risk of bacteria-induced issues like cavities and aggressive gum disease.
  • Tooth loss, although not natural, is still common among older patients. In fact, by age 74, approximately 26% of adults have lost all of their permanent teeth, most often due to advanced gum disease.
  • Limited movement, such as in your joints if you have arthritis, can limit your ability to effectively brush and floss your teeth every day. By affecting your dental hygiene practices, conditions that inhibit your full range of movement can also increase your risk of developing a dental disease.

About Your Livonia Dentist:

As an experienced family dentist, Dr. James Stewart is highly-skilled at caring seniors who require special attention, given their particular circumstances. James Steward, DDS, and our compassionate staff proudly serve patients of all ages from Livonia, Farmington Hills, Plymouth, Northville, Dearborn Heights, Garden City, and all surrounding communities. To schedule an appointment, call our office today at (734) 425-4400.

filed under: Family Dentistry, Senior Dental Care

Tags: , , ,

What to Do if You’ve Been Told You Have Gum Disease

Posted by

beautiful confused womanYour reaction to learning that you have gum disease would depend largely on how much you know about the condition. If all you’ve heard is what’s mentioned frequently in mouthrinse commercials, you might just think it’s time to start using mouthrinse. If Dr. Stewart diagnoses your condition, then you’ll know that gum disease warrants more concern than adding mouthrinse to your hygiene cabinet. Even mild gum disease requires professional treatment, such as a deep periodontal cleaning and improved hygiene. In its advanced stages, though, gum disease may require more complex treatment, such as surgery, to keep it under control and prevent the loss of one or more of your teeth. (more…)

filed under: Patient Education, Preventive Dentistry

Tags: , , ,