Fun and Interesting Dentistry Facts for Colorado Springs! PART 2

# 4: When last did you replace your toothbrush?

Take a look at your toothbrush… Are the bristles nice and straight? If not, it’s time to throw your toothbrush away and buy a new one!

“Every three months, you should buy yourself a new toothbrush,” say dentists in Colorado Springs. “With use, the bristles can become blunt and frayed and if they’re not sticking out at perfect 90 degree angles, they aren’t doing a good job of cleaning your teeth. We literally have patients whose toothbrushes look more like toilet cleaners, with bristles sticking out in every which direction. What they don’t know is that a frayed toothbrush is horribly ineffective at getting into the cracks and crevasses between your teeth and at cleaning the gum line.”

According to Colorado Springs dentistry professionals, you should also get rid of a toothbrush after a bout of viral infection, such as a cold or flu. The microbes that made you sick in the first place can get trapped in the bristles of your toothbrush and re-infect you after you’ve healed.

# 5: Never use your teeth as tools!

It’s common knowledge that dental enamel is the hardest substance in the human body, but this isn’t license to go ahead and use your teeth for punishing tasks.

“When we treat patients for cracked, chipped or fractured teeth, one of the main explanations for the damage is – I tried to open a bottle with my teeth,” says a Colorado Springs orthodontist. “Using your teeth to pry open containers, twist metal, open bottles and other tasks that aren’t eating and chewing are a no-no! You can very easily crack or chip a tooth using it as a tool.”

A bottle opener costs a few dollars. Dental restoration of a cracked tooth costs a few hundred dollars. You decide which is best.

# 6: How often should you REALLY see your dentist?

“Twice per year” is the advice we’ve all come to know, but did you know that this was more of a catchphrase developed by Pepsodent toothpaste? That’s not to say it’s unfounded advice… seeing your dentist and oral hygienist twice per year is a sterling plan and one that could help you keep your smile beautiful and healthy for life.

Having said that, the standard “twice per year” isn’t always applicable…

“Some of my patients have beautiful, healthy teeth. For them, it may be all right to come back for a check-up again in a year’s time, although we do recommend they see the oral hygienist for a cleaning well before then,” says an orthodontist in Colorado Springs. “Then there are patients who have full-blown gum disease and are in the throes of recovering from an advanced bacterial infection of the gums. These patients will certainly need to come in for appointments more than twice per year. We need to thoroughly clean their teeth and keep an eye on their healing progress, so frequent appointments will be necessary.”

At the end of the day, the number of times you visit your dentist per year should come down to what he or she recommendations, but if you haven’t had a check-up in more than a year, now is the time to book!

Stay tuned for a few last dental facts and stories in the final installment of this three-part article series, coming next week!

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.

Colorado Springs Cosmetic Dentists Explain 10 Smile-Preserving Changes You Could Make Today, PART 4

This four-part article series explains 10 changes anyone can make to their daily routine, lifestyle and habits that can help to extend the life and beautiful appearance of their teeth and gums.

Welcome to the final installment of this four-part article series on the 10 simple changes you could make today to ensure that you keep your teeth healthier and your smile beautiful for decades to come. Over the course of the past three articles of this series, Colorado Springs cosmetic dentists have explained the following eight beneficial changes to one’s routine and lifestyle:

1. Brush your teeth for just a little bit longer each day.

2. Brush your tongue or make use of a tongue-scraper after brushing your teeth.

3. See your oral hygienist for a professional teeth cleaning at least once per year.

4. Chew sugar-free gum after meals and when you want to freshen your breath.

5. Eat chocolate instead of hard, sticky or very brittle candy.

6. Drink water rather than fruit juice, energy drinks or soda.

7. Floss your teeth every day, especially before you go to bed at night.

8. Don’t chew ice: it’s a terrible habit that destroys teeth.

If you would like to keep your teeth beautiful and healthy – moreover, if you’d like to keep your teeth for life or as close to that as possible – then adhering to these tips and the following two is a great start!

Small Changes for Bigger Smiles # 9: Avoid Frequent Snacking

“Every time you eat, the pH level of your mouth drops, which is to say that it becomes more acidic. This is not only because most foods contain acid, but also because sugar and carbohydrates fuel bacterial growth. The byproducts these microorganisms produce are acidic,” says a dentist in Colorado Springs. “So, every time you eat, your dental enamel softens and becomes more vulnerable to cavities and acid erosion, which is why you should try to limit the amount of snacking you do throughout the day.”

Try to have three square meals a day with perhaps one afternoon snack to keep you going. Avoid energy drinks and limit the amount of coffee and sugar you consume between meals. Drink plenty of water instead and chew sugar-free gum to stimulate the production of saliva, which will wash away food debris and curtail bacterial growth. All of this can help prevent the need for new teeth.

Small Changes for Bigger Smiles # 10: Book an Appointment with Your Dentist

Avoiding the need for new teeth begins with the right lifestyle habits and good oral hygiene and ends with frequent professional care received from your oral hygienist and dentist. Routine dental appointments are crucial. You may be wholly unaware of any oral problems, such as cavities, decay or even gum disease and this is because they don’t typically present with any pain; especially in the beginning stages.

Your dentist will recognize the early signs of a wide variety of oral ailments and will provide treatment before they have a chance to progress to the point of doing permanent damage. Just because you don’t have a toothache doesn't mean you don’t have decay that could eventually cause you to need new teeth! So frequent professional attention is crucial for good lifelong oral health and a beautiful smile.

Dentists in Colorado Springs Explain 10 Smile-Preserving Changes You Could Make Today, PART 3

This four-part article series explains 10 changes anyone can make to their daily routine, lifestyle and habits that can help to extend the life and beautiful appearance of their teeth and gums.

Welcome to the final installment of this four-part article series on the changes you could make today to preserve long-term oral health. In our previous post, Part 2, dentists explained the following two changes that Colorado Springs residents should all make to their daily routines and habits:

1. Chew sugar-free gum after meals and when you want to freshen your breath. Try to choose sugar-free gum that contains Xylitol, because this helps to strengthen teeth and neutralize pH levels in your mouth after eating.

2. If you have a sweet tooth, eat chocolate instead of hard, sticky or very brittle candy.

We’ve covered half of the tips that could prevent you from needing new teeth earlier in life, so let’s take a look at the remaining five of 10…

Small Changes for Bigger Smiles # 6: If You’re Thirsty, Drink Water

Soda, fruit juice and energy drinks should NOT be viewed as thirst quenchers, say Colorado Springs dentists. They are packed with sugar and highly acidic, so if you find yourself thirsty, grab a cold glass of water. It’s much better for your body and it’s much better for your teeth. These beverages are treats and should be indulged in sparingly if you care to preserve smile health.

Small Changes for Bigger Smiles # 7: Floss Your Teeth!

Flossing removes the food, bacteria and plaque that accumulate between your teeth every day. It is an essential part of keeping your teeth clean and healthy and yet we see very few patients doing it frequently enough. It is then no wonder that the most common location tooth decay sets in is between the teeth.

“If you don’t floss your teeth you are leaving 35% of your tooth surfaces unclean and this can have serious long term consequences for your oral health,” say dental implant dentists. “Floss your teeth every day or else you run the risk of eventually needing new teeth!”

Small Changes for Bigger Smiles # 8: Stop Chewing Ice!

Whether you’re one of those people who, on a hot day, purposefully fish ice out of the freezer so that you can suck on it, or you like to crunch and chew your way through the ice in your soda, you’ve got to give this habit a rest! According to Colorado Springs dental implants surgeons, chewing ice does tremendous damage to the biting surfaces of your dentition and can actually end you up needing new teeth.

“We’ve seen the kind of damage ice can do to teeth and have had to perform several root canals and other restorative procedures to repair hairline cracks, fractures, chips and cracks caused by biting down on ice,” say dental healthcare professionals. “Your teeth are not intended to be able to manage something as hard and brittle as ice, so try to avoid chewing it as far as possible.”

Stay Tuned for Part 4

To read more about the small changes you could make today - changes that could keep your smile beautiful and help to prevent you from needing new teeth – stay tuned for the final installment of this four-part article series.

Want New Teeth? A Look Into The Cosmetic Dentist’s Repertoire For Working Magic On Colorado Springs Residents’ Damaged Teeth, PART 4

This four-part article series takes a closer look at the various technologies and techniques available for the repair and replacement of damaged, worn and discolored teeth.

Welcome to the final installment of this four-part article series on the various tools, treatments, techniques and technology available for the perfection of smiles. So far, our panel of Colorado Springs dentists has explained the following incredible techniques for really improving upon the smile aesthetics of previously unhappy patients:

• Professional Teeth Cleaning
• Teeth Whitening
• Dental Veneers
• Dental Bonding and Tooth Colored Fillings
• Dental Implants
• Dental Crowns (Tooth and Implant-Supported)
• Dental Bridges (Tooth and Implant-Supported)

In our previous article post, Part 3, we introduced dental implants as an excellent solution for Colorado Springs residents who have lost one or more of their natural teeth to decay or accidental trauma. Now, in this our final article installment, we shall take a look at the versatility of this revolutionary dental technology.

Single dental implants

As it was explained in our previous article post, dental implants can be used to replace one or more isolated missing teeth. By supporting a customized ceramic tooth crown, they are virtually indistinguishable from natural teeth and function very similarly too. Perhaps most noticeably, new teeth implants typically feel like natural teeth, which is a great benefit when you consider that one of the key complaints with other dental technologies is that they feel foreign and uncomfortable.

If cared for properly and placed by reputable and experienced dental implants surgeons, Colorado Springs residents can look forward to getting many decades of use out of their new teeth implants with little need for repeat expenses and additional costs.

Full Mouth Reconstruction

Gone are the days when the only teeth replacement option open to patients who had lost most or all of their original dentition to decay was the traditional removable denture. Nowadays, dental implants are routinely used to reconstruct a patient’s entire dentition, from the back molars to the front incisors. There are a variety of techniques designed to achieve full mouth reconstruction, but the one with the greatest share of the limelight is the “All-on-4,” which has successfully undercut the cost of traditional new teeth implant methods by tens of thousands of dollars. It’s also typically able to provide Colorado Springs residents with beautiful new, non-removable teeth almost always in just one day! This is a feat that is unprecedented in the field of dental implantology, hence the popular status of the “All-on-4.”

The “All-on-4” works by the careful and precise placement and angulation of only four dental implants in the top and/or lower jaw, depending on the patient’s needs. Each of these implants is strategically placed in regions of the jaw that are bulkier than others, so that the dentists can avoid the need for bone grafting surgery, even in patients who have lost a fair amount of bone volume to atrophy over the years. A customized prosthetic dental bridge is then firmly attached to these four implants, thereby providing the patient with dental implants and a beautiful set of teeth and gums, which they can typically use right away!

In Conclusion

You’re not alone if you dream of having new teeth. The great news is that there is a fantastic suite of options for you to choose from and with the wide availability of dental financing there is little excuse not to book an appointment with your dentist right away!

Cosmetic Dentists in Colorado Springs Explain 8 Healthy Habits to Protect Your Enamel, PART 4

This four-part article series explains eight changes you can make to your diet and lifestyle to keep your dental enamel healthy, thereby helping to prevent tooth loss in the long run.

Keeping all of your original teeth in beautiful condition is a lifelong commitment. It requires a high standard of oral hygiene, the right eating habits and regular professional attention from your dental healthcare team.

Over the course of this four-part article series, we have presented the advice of a panel of experienced cosmetic dentists in Colorado Springs on the things we can do to help protect our dental enamel against decay and acid erosion. These included:

Tip # 1: Decreasing the amount of sugar in your diet,

Tip # 2: Increasing your intake of calcium-rich foods,

Tip # 3: Not over-brushing your teeth or pressing down too hard when brushing,

Tip # 4: Getting treated for conditions such as acid reflux, heartburn or bulimia,

Tip # 5: Being careful of chlorinated pools,

Tip # 6: Avoiding substances that cause dry mouth, such as smoking and alcohol.

Let’s take a look at the two final fundamental tips for great enamel health…

Healthy Enamel Tip # 7: Don’t Grind Your Teeth!

 

Teeth grinding, also known as “Bruxism” and jaw clenching are two habits we are mostly completely unaware of doing and yet they have the potential to do terrible damage to our teeth. The exact cause of teeth grinding and jaw clenching is unknown, although they are believed to share a connection with stress and anxiety.

According to our panel of cosmetic dentists, most of the Colorado Springs residents who do suffer from Bruxism grind their teeth at night while they are fast asleep, and so they have no idea that they’re doing it. The only way to really tell is from the wear patterns on the biting surfaces of the teeth. Some people can completely grind their teeth down to the underlying dentine at which stage restoration using a crown may become necessary.

Over time and without any preventative measures, teeth grinding and jaw clenching can utterly destroy your teeth. In addition to the erosive action of the grinding, the unnatural force of clenching your jaw can cause the teeth to become fractured and cracked, leaving them far more vulnerable to decay.

What’s the Solution?

“If your dentist diagnoses evidence of this kind of nocturnal activity, it is imperative that you have a custom mouth guard or retainer fitted, which you should wear to bed at night,” say dentists to Colorado Springs residents. “This will prevent your teeth from coming together and will help to preserve the protective enamel covering them.”

Healthy Enamel Tip # 8: See the Dentist Every Year

The preventative dental healthcare provided by your dentist and oral hygienist will ensure that your teeth are kept in the best possible condition and that any problems – such as enamel erosion, cavities, decay and gum disease – are diagnosed well before they have a chance to do permanent damage.

Colorado Springs residents should see the dentist once every six months, unless he or she has been told that they are in peak dental health and can return again for an appointment in one year. Routine fluoride treatments are also essential for good enamel health and should your dentist believe that you could benefit from any additional hygiene measures, he or she will make the necessary recommendations.