Dental Implants Are a Popular Solution for Tooth Loss

More people are getting dental implants than ever before. This is because people around the country have discovered that they do not have to live with the stigma of tooth loss. Tooth loss can be extremely traumatic for some people, especially when the tooth loss happens at a young age. Dealing with the embarrassment is compounded by the fact that tooth loss forces people to make lifestyle changes, including how they eat and speak. With dental implants, you do not have to deal with those kinds of changes.

There are numerous technologies and methods for dealing with tooth loss. However, none are as advanced as dental implants. While dentures and bridges address the fundamental problem, which is a missing tooth, they do nothing to brace the tooth or to address the root of the problem. This means that these solutions have to be adhered to the surface of the mouth somehow, typically with wires or dental cement. On the other hand, dental implants focus their attention on the root. In fact, a dental implant is a tiny titanium screw that is placed into the jawbone, taking the place of a natural tooth's root. This provides a strong and stable platform under the gum line, which then allows us to place a dental crown, or tooth, on top of the abutment.

Getting dental implants is a lot simpler than it used to be a few years ago.  Simultaneously, science continues to dispel some of the popular myths that surround dental implants. For the longest time people have been looking at dental implants, and elsewhere around the country, as a purely aesthetic endeavor. This is an understandable misconception. When you get a dental implant, you are going to be getting a perfect tooth that is almost an identical replica of your original one. There are no wires holding it in place, so all you have is a new tooth. In fact, we can give you a tooth, or teeth, that look far better than your original ones.  Naturally this perfection has led to the idea that all we care about is the aesthetics. Nothing could be further from the truth, and science is starting to show this. We know, for example, that when you use a dental implant to replace a lost tooth, the implants acts like a naturally occurring root. It creates a symbiotic relationship with the jawbone, which in turn allows the jawbone to receive stimulation from the prosthetic. This helps the jaw to avoid resorption and also keeps the facial structure from a potential collapse.

There are already 3 million people across the nation that have gotten dental implants. What we know is that the rate of dental implants is increasing annually, but that there are a lot of people still using antiquated technology. In our dentist office, we encourage every one of the 15 million Americans that are using bridges or dentures to consider switching to get the best looking, most effective, longest lasting tooth replacement available today.

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An Invisalign® Dentist Has Solutions For You and Your Teen

As an Invisalign dentist, we are seeing a greater interest in young adults and teens for this alternative means of straightening teeth. Invisalign® has two distinct qualities that make it immensely popular among adults. They are extremely convenient to use, and they are very discrete. The inconspicuous nature of these tooth straightening devices have made them a favorite among adults who want to straighten their teeth without having the slightly embarrassing look that comes from wearing traditional braces. For adults, it is almost revolutionary that they have a discrete path to straighter more beautiful teeth. Sadly, a lot of parents have not made the same leap when it comes to planning a treatment for their teenagers.  They are among the largest group that use braces; they are also a group that depends on their parents to make medical choices for them. As such, there is certainly a strong case to be made for selecting Invisalign® for teenagers.

The makers of Invisalign® have come out with a new product designed specifically with a teenage audience in mind. Similar to adults, teenagers have a lot of peer pressure and the desire to hide their treatment, as they straighten their teeth, is very important to teenagers. When you consider the habits of most teenagers, the food that they prefer to eat, the importance looks play in their social structure, and their busy schedules it becomes clear that parents should be considering Invisalign® Teen as an option for their growing child. It is a stellar alternative to the traditional metal braces.

There are natural advantages to working with Invisalign®, however, some patients have concerns about the effectiveness, and so it is important to note that this product works on exactly the same principle as traditional braces. Traditional braces work to move teeth into a proper alignment by exerting pressure on them. This is achieved using connected brackets, screws, and rubber bands. With Invisalign® the same effect is evident by using a series of progressive aligners, essentially putting a similar amount of pressure on the teeth to make them move. The difference is that with the new technology, this can be achieved without you or your teenager having to have a mouth full of metal and constantly having to visit our office for adjustments.  As an Invisalign® dentist, we find that the conveniences of this solution cannot be understated.

One of the biggest complaints teenagers have against traditional braces, other than the fact that it hampers their looks, is the fact that it comes with a laundry list of foods that can no longer be eaten. Since braces are permanently affixed to the mouth, they have to be protected from damage. As a result your child will not be able to eat anything that is too sticky, too sweet, too sour, or too hard for fear that any of these may damage the wires or brackets in the braces. With Invisalign® there are no such restrictions. The aligners are fully removable and are supposed to be taken out to eat meals. Once you are done eating, rinse out your mouth to clean your teeth, then put the aligners back in.  As an Invisalign® dentist, we can go over all of the benefits with you during a consultation.

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