Taking care of removable partial dentures

If you have removable plastic dentures, its important to look after them carefully.

You should brush them each day to remove food deposits and plaque. This also helps prevent them from becoming permanently stained.

It’s best to use a brush that is designed for cleaning dentures as it has bristles arranged to fit the shape of the denture. But a regular, soft-bristled toothbrush is also acceptable.

Avoid using a brush with hard bristles as these can damage the denture.

When you are handling a denture, hold them carefully. Try standing over a folded towel or a sink of water with them in case you accidentally drop them.

Its advisable to use a denture cleanser which has the American Dental Association seal of acceptance. However hand soap or mild dishwashing liquid are also acceptable for cleaning dentures.

Other types of household cleaners and many toothpastes are too abrasive and should not be used for cleaning dentures.

A denture can lose its proper shape if it is not kept moist. So it should be placed in soaking solution or water at night though one with metal attachments could be tarnished if placed in soaking solution.

As you age, your mouth naturally changes, which can affect the fit of the denture so, if they no longer fit properly, they should be adjusted by your dentist.

See your dentist promptly if your denture becomes loose as this can cause sores or infections.

Dont try to adjust or repair your denture yourself as this can damage the appliance beyond repair.

When you wear a partial denture, you need to continue brushing twice a day and cleaning between your teeth daily. This will help prevent tooth decay and gum disease.

Pay special attention to cleaning the teeth that fit under the denture’s metal clasps. Plaque that becomes trapped under the clasps will increase the risk of tooth decay.

Your Dentist San Juan Capistrano CA or dental hygienist can demonstrate how to properly brush and clean between teeth.

Regular dental check-ups and having your teeth professionally cleaned are vital for maintaining a healthy smile.

Whats involved in getting a dental implant?

Dental implants are increasingly popular as a way to replace missing or damaged teeth.

Their great advantage is that they look natural and feel secure helping you to restore your smile and eat more easily.

Implants are an ideal solution for many people but they are not an option for everyone.

Placing implants requires some surgery so patients must be in good health, have healthy gums and have adequate bone to support the implant.

They must also be committed to taking action to maintain their oral hygiene and to visiting the dentist regularly.

The process for placing implants is as follows:

First, surgery is performed to place the anchor. This can take up to several hours. Following the surgery, you may need to wait up to six months for the bone to grow around the anchor and firmly hold it in place. Sometimes follow up surgery is required to attach a post to connect the anchor to the replacement teeth. Alternatively, the anchor and post may already be attached and are placed at the same time.

After the gums have had several weeks to heal, the next step is to fit specially-made artificial teeth to the post portion of the anchor. This can take a few weeks to complete as several fittings may be required.

Implant surgery can be done either in a dental office or in a hospital, depending upon a number of factors. A local or general anesthetic may be used. Usually pain medications and, when necessary, antibiotics are prescribed.

After your implants are fitted, your dentist will give you tips and advice on maintaining your oral hygiene.

Your dentist can help you decide whether you would be a good candidate for implants.

How sedation and general anesthesia can make your visit to the dentist easier

While local anesthetics are often used in dental treatment, there is sometimes a need for anti-anxiety agents – such as nitrous oxide – or sedatives to help people relax during dental visits.

Dentists may use these agents to induce “minimal or moderate sedation”.

In this case, the patient reaches a relaxed state during treatment but can respond to speech or touch.

Sedatives can be administered before, during or after dental procedures by mouth, inhalation or injection.

More complex treatments may require drugs that can induce “deep sedation”.

This reduces consciousness and causes a loss of feeling which helps to reduce both pain and anxiety.

Sometimes patients undergo “general anesthesia” where the drugs lead to a temporary loss of consciousness.

A dentist may recommend deep sedation or general anesthesia for certain procedures with children or with adults who have severe anxiety or for people who have difficulty controlling their movements.

While these techniques to control pain and anxiety are used to treat tens of millions of patients safely every year, its important that you let your dentist know anything that might affect your ability to benefit from them for example, tell them about any illnesses or health conditions, whether you are taking any medications and if you’ve had any problems with allergic reactions to medications.

How cancer treatment affects oral health

When someone is undergoing cancer treatment, its important that they involve their dentist in their program of care.

They should schedule a dental exam and cleaning before the treatment actually begins and then repeat it periodically during the course of treatment.

Its important that they tell the dentist that they are being treated for cancer and that they also discuss any dental procedures, such as extractions or insertion of dental implants, with the oncologist before starting the cancer treatment.

Its therefore a good idea to ensure that the dentist and oncologist have each others details to enable them to discuss any issues to help the patient.

And the Dentist San Juan Capistrano CA and physician should be informed about any issues such as bleeding of the gums, pain, or unusual feeling in the teeth or gums, or any dental infections.

Maintaining excellent oral hygiene during cancer treatment is vital to reduce the risk of infection and to help aid the treatment process.

The process of installing Invisalign

Invisalign is a system of clear mouthguards that can be used instead of braces to help straighten teeth.

The big advantage is that Invisalign looks better and is more comfortable than braces.

However, not everyone is a candidate for using the system so you with have to check with your dentist.

If an orthodontist certified in Invisalign says you can benefit from the system, they will take impressions of your mouth, write up a detailed specification and then send everything to a high-tech lab.

Next, the lab will show the orthodontist a preview of the appliances.

The lab then makes a series of aligners – depending on the situation, you may need between 12 to 48 aligners.

After the impression of the teeth is taken, it will normally require a visit to the orthodontist every six weeks.

Some patients will be advised to wear metal braces for a period and then switching to Invisalign when their mouth is ready.

For many people Invisalign provides an ideal way of making their smile look better.

Contact your Dentist San Juan Capistrano CA quickly and they will help you take actions to make improvements.