(Onick)Welcome to my dental implants blogs. Despite improvements in dental care, millions of Americans suffer tooth loss -- mostly due to tooth decay, gingivitis (gum disease), or injury.

A dental implant is an artificial tooth that replaces a tooth that has been taken out. Implants are natural-looking, can provide support for dentures, and do not affect the teeth bordering them. They are as stable as your real teeth and protect you from the loss of jawbone, which occurs when you lose teeth.

You may need an implant if you have lost a tooth because of tooth decay or an accident. To receive an implant, you need to have healthy gums and enough bone to support the implant.

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Dental Implants (cont.)

How Successful Are Dental Implants?Success rates of dental implants vary, depending on where in the jaw the implants are placed but, in general, dental implants have a success rate of up to 98%. With proper care (see below), implants can last a lifetime. Can Anyone Get Dental Implants?In most cases, anyone healthy enough to undergo a routine dental extraction or oral surgery can be considered for a dental implant. Patients should have healthy...

Dental Implants

 Before Implants     After Implants When a tooth requires replacement there is a choice to be made, as both an implant and a bridge will be able to replace the tooth. As with everything, both options come with pros and cons. We will discuss your individual options during your consultation. While implants may have a greater initial cost, they come with several advantages: Implants avoid the need to drill on adjacent teeth...

Monday, September 10, 2012

After your root canal

After your root canal, your restored tooth with the new crown should work normally and look cosmetically pleasing. If you follow good dental and oral hygiene, your restored tooth could last a lifetime. The first few days after your root canal, the tooth may be sensitive. Over-the-counter pain medications can help. If pain or pressure lasts more than a few days, be sure to talk to your dentist or endodontist....

Final stage of a root canal

The final stage of the root canal is restoring your tooth. Because the tooth typically has a large filling or is weakened from extensive decay, it needs to be protected from future damage and returned to normal function. This is usually done by placing a crown — a realistic-looking artificial tooth. A crown is made of gold, porcelain or porcelain fused to metal. It can be tinted to match the color of your other teeth. Sometimes, a metal post...

Filling the root canals

After cleaning and drying, it's time to fill the interior of the tooth — the empty pulp chamber and root canals. You may not need additional anesthetic for this step. If you had a temporary filling placed, that will be removed to allow access to the inside of the tooth. A sealer paste and rubber compound is used to fill the tooth, followed by a dental filling to make sure the root canals are protected from saliva....

Clearing up root canal infection

After the diseased pulp is removed, the pulp chamber and root canals are flushed and cleaned. The root canals may be reshaped and enlarged to allow better access for filling later. Before permanently filling the root canals, they should be clean of all infection and dried. Medication is sometimes put into the pulp chamber and root canal to clear any infection. The tooth may be left open to drain for several days. If infection has spread beyond...

Getting started on root canal treatment

A root canal is usually done by an endodontist or a general dentist. The root canal usually takes one to three visits. First, you have dental X-rays to check the extent of damage. You also receive a local anesthetic to control pain, which may be more severe if the tooth is abscessed. Then a rubber-like sheet called a dental dam is put in your mouth to keep the tooth clean, protected and free of saliva. Decay is removed, and an opening is made...

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