Fun Facts from the Pueblo Dentist!

This article presents a number of really interesting and useful facts concerning oral health and oral hygiene care.

 

Your smile is an incredibly important physical and social asset. What makes a smile beautiful are healthy teeth and gums, so let’s take a look at some super interesting facts about oral health and healthcare that could bring you closer to understanding what it takes to keep your smile gorgeous and confident.

Fun Dental Fact 1: What do people first notice about you when they meet you?

According to a survey of more than 1,000 Pueblo residents, almost half (47%) said that the very first thing they notice about someone is their smile. The rest said:

• 31% eyes
• 11% smell
• 7% clothes
• 4% hair

So, the next time you spend money on new clothing and a fancy haircut rather than seeing the Pueblo dentist for a check-up, think again! You’re investing in the wrong attribute!

Fun Dental Fact 2: Red wine, in moderation, is good for your teeth!

As if we needed another reason to love red wine, Pueblo CO dental implant surgeons come along with the revelation that red wine contains certain chemicals that prevent oral bacteria from sticking to your teeth and gums! While it’s not recommended that you brush your teeth with red wine, that glass at dinnertime just became more enjoyable!

Fun Dental Fact 3: Orthodontic treatment is important for more than just straight teeth and a pretty smile…

Straight teeth aren’t only prettier and more aesthetically pleasing, they also tend to be healthier, because they’re easier to clean. According to many dentists in Pueblo Co, skew and overlapping teeth trap food and bacteria more easily and this can lead to a greater risk of cavities and tooth decay.

Straight teeth also facilitate better speech, better chewing function and more confidence at school or the professional working environment.

Fun Dental Fact 4: Coconuts are super good for your teeth

Coconuts contain certain chemical agents that are known for their anti-bacterial properties, which is why their oil is the preferred choice of those who like “oil pulling.” For everyone else, they’re a delicious and healthy snack – buy them fresh and enjoy!

Not-so Fun Dental Fact 5: Gum disease can make you VERY sick

According to dental implant surgeons in Pueblo, at least 80% of American adults have gum disease. Gum disease has systemic effects and leaves you more vulnerable to a shocking variety of illnesses, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, dementia and liver and kidney disease.

In fact, according to one Harvard study, having gum disease can increase your risk of kidney and pancreatic cancer by 62%! It also increases your risk of oral cancer. By receiving prompt treatment for gum disease, you can extend your life by an average of 6,2 years.

Fun Dental Fact 6: Chewing gum is good for your teeth

Chewing sugar-free gum with xylitol is actually really good for your teeth and gums, because it encourages the production of saliva, which contains anti-bacterial properties. Saliva also helps to wash away food debris that might be encouraging the growth of oral bacteria and it aids in the remineralization (strengthening) of your dental enamel after eating.

Fun Dental Fact 7: Electric vs. manual toothbrushes?

There isn’t much difference between electronic and manual toothbrushing. What’s important, say Pueblo dentists, is how frequently and thoroughly you brush. No amount of fancy technology can rival a good brushing technique and good diligence.

Fun Dental Fact 8: Bleeding gums isn’t normal

It’s not normal for your gums to bleed when you brush! This could either be a sign that you’re brushing too hard, in which case you should invest in a soft-bristled brush and ease up on the pressure, or it could be a sign of gum infection (gingivitis) and gum disease (periodontitis). Better book an appointment with your dentist to be sure!

Dental Implants Cheaper Than Dentures? Colorado Springs Cosmetic Dentists Explain How! PART 3

In this three-part article series, experienced dentists explain how the once-off cost of dental implants works out to be less expensive than the accrued cost of wearing dentures for many years.

Welcome to the final installment of this three-part article series on how the cost of dentures compare with that of dental implants. Previously, in Part 2, a Colorado Springs cosmetic dentist revealed that wearing dentures comes hand-in-hand with a variety of repeat costs that include:

• Anesthetic gels and ointments: Dentures can cause the gums to become terribly sore and uncomfortable.
• Adhesives strips: To help stabilize dentures and prevent them from slipping around or even falling out.
• Overnight soaking solutions: To keep dentures safe and hygienic overnight while you’re asleep.

But perhaps the greatest of these repeated costs is the need to have removable dentures refitted every few years or so. This becomes necessary as the jawbone atrophies, wastes away and physically changes in shape. So, dentures that may previously have fitted really well become increasingly loose and uncomfortable and eventually, patients will need to see the dentist to have a new set of dentures made.

This initially only happens every few years or so, but the rate of bone loss increases until eventually…

The Point of No Return

“At some stage, your jawbone will become so deteriorated and atrophied and your mouth so sore-ridden and uncomfortable that dentures will no longer be able to provide you with a workable teeth replacement solution. And unfortunately, it is also at this stage that the jawbone will be too thin and weak to support dental implants,” say dentists in Colorado Springs.

This is the terrible irony faced by so many denture wearers: through a fundamental lack of stimulation of the jawbone, dentures will eventually leave you completely toothless and with no viable tooth replacement option!

How Are Dental Implants Different?

The procedures required to have dental implants placed may cost more than having removable dentures fitted – even significantly so – but the outcomes make it entirely worth it. Dental implants function, feel and look like natural teeth and, most importantly, they support a healthy, strong jawbone.

With one surgical appointment, Colorado Springs residents can get a beautiful set of new, non-removable teeth that can last them a lifetime without any additional expense other than the routine professional maintenance needed by anyone. If you look after your new teeth, you’ll never need to spend another cent on replacing teeth – forget costly refittings.

“Where removable dentures simply cannot compete with implants is in the quality of life implants make possible. When you’re able to eat, speak and smile confidently and without any discomfort, your life changes in a way you can never imagine possible,” say Colorado Springs cosmetic dentists. “We routinely see denture patients getting new teeth with implants and it’s one of the most satisfying parts of the job seeing their
lives transform.”

A Final Note on Dental Implants

Without a doubt, dental implants are the most sophisticated and – in the long run – cost effective solution there is to the kind of edentulism caused by untreated gum disease. Dentures may initially offer Colorado Springs residents a workable solution, but it really is only a matter of time before discomfort, pain and repeated costs end up chipping away at your quality of life and confidence.

Dental Implants Cheaper Than Dentures? Dentists in Colorado Springs Explain How! PART 2

Welcome to the second installment of this three-part article series on how the cost of dentures compare with that of dental implants. As it was explained in Part 1, there is an unfortunate misconception that dental implants are prohibitively expensive, which is why many Colorado Springs residents opt to have traditional removable dentures fitted when they are diagnosed with a failing dentition caused by advanced gum disease.

What these patients don’t realize is that foregoing the far more sophisticated teeth replacement solution offered by dental implants in favor of dentures - quite simply because of this misconception - is a mistake that could cost them more than they could ever imagine.

“In the long run, dentures could very well, and often do, cost you more than dental implants,” say dentists in Colorado Springs.

Let’s take a look at how this is possible…

The Real Cost of Removable Dentures

Removable dentures have been around for hundreds of years and they do initially offer patients a workable solution to tooth loss and edentulism (toothlessness). However, there are certain challenges involved in the day-to-day of wearing them.

First and foremost, traditional dentures are not anchored in the mouth; they are removable. As such, they rely on their bulk to keep them stabilized and from moving around excessively or even from falling out entirely. Unfortunately, as dentures become increasingly ill fitting, patients will find themselves needing to buy adhesive strips to keep help secure their teeth in place. But, this is just one of several denture-related products Colorado Springs residents will need to stay stocked up on for as long as they wear dentures.

“Anesthetic gels and ointments are frequently necessary to help patients manage pain and inflammation associated with denture wearing,” says one Colorado Springs cosmetic dentist. “Overnight soaking solutions, storage containers and cleaning agents are others and all of these costs add up to several hundred dollars every year.”

But there is a problem worse than constantly spending money on adhesive strips, anesthetic gels and overnight soaking solutions… it’s the need to buy a complete set of new dentures every few years.

Removable Dentures and Jaw Bone Loss

“Bone tissue, just like the muscles in your body, will atrophy if it isn’t stimulated or exercised,” explains a Colorado Springs cosmetic dentist. “By channeling the eating forces into the jaw bone, the tooth roots perform this very essential function, as do dental implants, which function like tooth roots. Dentures, however, only replace the tooth crowns, so denture wearers typically experience atrophication of the jawbone over time, which is the major driver behind denture problems.”

Initially a set of new dentures will fit quite well, but over time and as the bulk of the jawbone disintegrates, they will become increasingly loose fitting and uncomfortable. Eventually – usually every few years or so – you will need to see your dentist to have a new set of dentures custom-made for you and this is a cost you will have to cover repeatedly.

Dental implants, on the other hand, are typically a one-time expense and in Part 3, we’ll fully investigate why!

Stay Tuned for Part 3

To find out how dental implants - a far more sophisticated teeth replacement solution - can work out to be less expensive than removable dentures, stay tuned for the final installment of this three-part article series.

Dental Implants Cheaper Than Dentures? Colorado Springs Dentists Explain How! PART 1

In this three-part article series, experienced dentists explain how the once-off cost of dental implants works out to be less expensive than the accrued cost of wearing dentures for many years.

Anyone who has looked into the cost of teeth replacement will know that dental implants lie at the higher end of the cost spectrum, while dentures would seem to be the least expensive. What few Colorado Springs residents could ever imagine is that, in the long term, dentures could very well end up costing patients more… much more, not only financially, but in terms of quality of life too!

In this three-part article series, Colorado Springs dentists will explain to us how dental implants differ from traditional removable dentures in their ability to provide patients with a new set of teeth and just how it is the latter could readily work out to be more expensive than implants in the long run.

Aren’t Dental Implants Ridiculously Expensive?

One of the most damaging misconceptions there are about dental implants is that they are prohibitively expensive and that only the more affluent of patients can afford them. As such, the remaining majority of those who has been diagnosed with a failing or terminal dentition, usually as a result of gum disease, would appear to be doomed to a life of wearing removable dentures, which are the cheaper alternative.

“The truth of the matter is that with a little research and investigation, you’ll find that the cost of implants makes perfect sense and that, given what you’re getting for your dollar, it’s totally worth it. The money you spend on replacing a set of failing, decayed teeth with implants is a very important investment, not only in your oral health and general health, but also in your quality of life. Unfortunately, too many patients discover just how much they’ve short-changed themselves after they’ve had dentures fitted.” explains a Colorado Springs dental implant surgeon.

Is Cost Really the Most Important Consideration?

In addition to the misconception that dental implants are prohibitively expensive, many Colorado Springs residents erroneously prioritize cost over any other consideration and would sooner live with uncomfortable teeth than spend the money on a more sophisticated teeth replacement solution. The combination of these two trends has landed tens of thousands of Americans in a very difficult and expensive situation!

“You cannot possibly understand how miserable your life can become until you’ve lost all of your natural teeth and are forced to live with the daily challenges of wearing dentures,” says one Colorado Springs dentist. “Few patients can, which is why they choose dentures over the far more modern teeth replacement technologies and techniques we offer. They then, unfortunately, live to regret this pivotal decision.”

What we’re going to do in this four-part article series is first examine the principle differences (and cost differences) between dental implants and removable dentures. In doing so, we shall explain how the costs involved in having dentures fitted can end up being quite exorbitant over the years. We shall then do the same for dental implants – exposing the costs involved and how it is they are typically a one-time investment.

By comparing the two it is hoped that more Colorado Springs patients will make the smarter teeth replacement decision, thereby allowing them to (1) save money and (2) maintain an excellent quality of life.

Stay Tuned for Part 2

To find out how dental implants - a far more sophisticated teeth replacement solution - can work out to be less expensive than removable dentures, stay tuned for the second installment of this three-part article series.

Everything You Wanted to Know About Dental Implants: A Cosmetic Dentist in Colorado Springs Addresses Your FAQ, PART 4

This four-part article series provides the answers to the common questions and concerns dental implant patients have about this advanced tooth replacement technology.

Welcome to the third installment of this four-part FAQ guide to teeth replacement using dental implants! Previously, in Part 3, an experienced cosmetic dentist in Colorado Springs answered questions regarding the length of dental implant treatment involved, as well as whether procedures are as painful as they are unfairly rumored to be (they’re not.)

Now, let’s take a look at some of your final frequently asked questions…

Question: Am I a candidate for dental implants?

Answer: “Most patients who require a tooth, several teeth or even all of their teeth replaced are candidates for dental implants. Advancements in surgical protocols and techniques mean that nearly everyone can be considered for dental implant treatment. There are only a very few exceptional cases where the loss of bone volume in the jaw has been too extensive, or the patient presents with certain illnesses (such as blood clotting disorders, heart disease, respiratory disease or bone diseases) for which implant surgery would be considered ineffective or too dangerous.

“Your dentist will consider your full medical history and deduce from X-rays and other examinations whether you are a candidate for implants,” explains the Colorado Springs dental implant surgeon. “If necessary, he or she will speak directly with your medical doctor to determine if surgery is a safe option for you. As I explained, most people who need new teeth are candidates, even if they have been previously told by other dentists that they are not.”

Question: How quickly can I get booked in for my procedure?

Answer: “There is a procedure to follow, so don’t expect to get your new teeth at your first dental appointment! First you will need to set up a consultation with a dental implant surgeon. Then you may require one or more treatment planning sessions, during which he or she will study your case, take X-rays and photos and perform examinations. Then a date for the actual procedure will be set. The great news is, most patients can get their dental implants and their new teeth placed on the same day, meaning you’ll walk out of the dentist’s with a beautiful new set of non-removable teeth,” says the cosmetic dentist.

Question: How long will recovery take?

Answer: “You should plan to stay home from work and just take it easy for a week after your procedure, if you’ve had full mouth reconstruction. If you’ve just had one or two teeth replaced, you can go to work the very next day, provided you’re up for it! Full recovery is a process that takes months, but you won’t really know about it because all the “recovery” will be happening beneath the gum line.

“The gums heal within a few weeks, but it’s in the months following your surgery that the jawbone will healing around and bonding to the implant. You should, however, be right as rain within days of your procedure – just make sure to take your medications as prescribed, stay away from strenuous activity and follow the diet recommended to you by your surgeon,” says the Colorado Springs cosmetic dentist.

Everything You Wanted to Know About Dental Implants: A Dentist in Colorado Springs Addresses Your FAQ, PART 3

Welcome to the third installment of this four-part FAQ guide to teeth replacement using dental implants! Previously, in Part 2, an experienced dentist in Colorado Springs tackled questions of cost and why dental implants are worth the additional investment. This is especially true when one considers the capabilities of traditional removable dentures, which cannot compare with the functionality, aesthetics and quality of life made possible by dental implants.

Now, let’s move on to some questions on what Colorado Springs residents can expect from the actual implants procedure…

Question: Dental implants have a reputation for being very painful. Is this true?

Answer: “That’s unfortunate because it’s a misconception that keeps many people from the best possible treatment available for missing teeth! First of all, you won’t feel a thing during the procedure because your gums will be numbed and you will be sedated,” explains a Colorado Spring dental implant surgeon. “Secondly, recovery is hardly an ordeal because you will have prescription painkillers to help manage discomfort and swelling. Most patients return to work a few days after surgery and almost all of them report experiencing very little pain at all.

“One thing that’s important to bear in mind about dental implant surgery is that the entire field is constantly being turned on its head. Every day, esteemed scientists and clinicians work on newer, less invasive and more efficient techniques that can achieve better, less painful, more efficient outcomes. Nowadays, we can literally give patients new teeth in a day with minimal recovery. Instead of getting your information about dental implants from a friend of a friend of a friend, speak to your dentist.”

Question: You mentioned “new teeth in one day.” How long did it used to take to get new teeth with dental implants?

Answer: “Older dental implant techniques could take as long as 18 months to provide patients with a complete set of new teeth,” explains the Colorado Springs dentist. “That’s because, typically, the surgeon would have to perform a bone grafting procedure before implants could even be placed.

“Oftentimes, patients who have been living with dentures and without natural teeth for many years will present with atrophied jawbones. In order to provide sufficient support for implants, bone tissue would need to be grafted onto the jawbone. This would then take a few months to heal and only then would the patient begin the journey to getting new teeth.

Nowadays, we have a sophisticated dental implant technique called the “All-on-4,” (see image below) which makes it possible for us to give patients a complete set of new teeth without the need for bone grafting, in most cases. This saves the patients many months of time and of course the expense of such a procedure. Nowadays, dental implant surgeons in Colorado Springs can give patients new teeth in one day and with one surgical appointment!”

Image Source: www.nobelbiocare.com

Stay Tuned for Part 4

Stay tuned for the final installment of this four-part article series to read a few last answers to your frequently asked questions about dental implants.