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Archives for April 2018

Are Dental Implants Really Superior?

April 30, 2018 by writeradmin

I’ve got three teeth that need replacing thanks to a baseball bat that hit me instead of a pinata. The neighbor kid has a swing like you would not believe. Seriously, the Yankees should already be on the phone with his parents. I wanted to get a removable partial denture because it seemed the most in line with our budget. But, my dentist keeps pushing me toward dental implants. He says it’s because the teeth are at the front of my bottom jaw. I looked into it and, yeah, they’re stronger, but I get the feeling he’s saying to get them because he’ll make LOADS more money.

LeeAnne

Dear LeeAnne,

Dental Implant Diagram

If you call the Yankees and it pans out, maybe you’ll get a recruiter fee. Before we get into your treatment options, I wanted to ask whether your dentist had given you a reason in the past to doubt his integrity and think he’s just trying to get you to do the most expensive treatment? It’s important you’re able to trust your dentist. If you have a reason not to feel he can be trusted, you’d be better served to find a different dentist. You want a dentist you can trust.

Now, onto your question. I think your dentist is concerned about the effects of facial collapse on your lower jaw. If you’re missing three teeth in that same area, your jaw will begin to shrink. Dental implants protect you from that. The implanted prosthetic root tells your body teeth are still there and your jawbone is still needed. So, yes, they’re stronger. But, they also protect your jawbone from slowly disappearing.

What Your Dentist Should Provide

Ethically, your dentist should tell you all of your options whether he thinks they’re good options or not. However, he should also recommend which options he thinks are better, along with why. He’ll know the pros and cons of each option and should take the time to share them with you.

The second thing he should provide is answers. You should be able to ask as many questions as you need and he patiently provides answers. It sounds like you were totally unsure about his recommendation. I don’t know if you asked questions and he refused to answer or if you weren’t comfortable asking.

Know when you’re talking about your health and finances, you have every right to ask questions. I know some dentists tend to get offended when you ask questions as if because they’re the dentist they should not be questioned. But that is unfair to patients.

Options for Missing Teeth

  • Removable Partial Denture

These have the obvious downside of not being permanent. Plus, we already discussed facial collapse. As far as quality of life goes, some patients complain of food getting under their denture. Their big benefit is their price.

  • Dental Bridge

These are permanent, but you still have to deal with the facial collapse. Additionally, the more teeth you need to replace on the same bridge unit, the less stable. If one part of the bridge breaks, the whole unit has to be replaced. Where your bridge would have to be placed is especially tricky.

  • Dental Implants

These are permanent, strong, and will protect you from facial collapse. Their biggest drawback is their cost and the fact it requires surgery.

Those options are up to you, though. A dentist can strongly recommend one solution over another, but it is up to you which one you pick.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Ryan Noah.

Filed Under: Glenpool Dentist Tagged With: alternatives for missing teeth, Dental Bridge, dental implants, Dentists from Glenpool, Dentists you can trust, facial collapse, removable partial dentures

DIY Braces

April 17, 2018 by writeradmin

I’ve got a group of girls in my elementary school class who are doing DIY braces with rubber bands. I know this has to be dangerous, but when I told them that they said that “I didn’t know because I’m not a dentist and this was on YouTube with lots of people who’ve done it.” As you’re a dentist. Can you let these girls know what they’re getting themselves into?

Miss Ketchum

Dear Miss Ketchum,

Someone smiling with braces

You sound like a compassionate teacher. I’m glad you’re looking out for these girls. I’m sure their parents will be too. The first thing I’d do, though, is let their parents know what they’re doing at school. It’s very likely they’re hiding this from their folks and this will give them a heads up so they’ll know to keep an eye out for it.

Now, onto what you should show the gals. I’m sure you’ve told them this many times, but you cannot believe everything you see on the internet. I’ve seen the video they’re talking about. There are actually several of them and, for a while, they were very trendy. In this case, listening to whoever uploaded these to YouTube could actually cost them their teeth.

When you get braces from a dentist, it’s a carefully planned treatment. First, the teeth are gently edged into a new position. Then some time is given for the bone to reform around the roots of their teeth. With the rubber bands, their teeth are being tipped inward. While it will bring their teeth closer together, it doesn’t do it properly. However, the way it does do it does not allow the bone to reform properly around them. The danger of that is your teeth don’t have any support. They will become loose. If you continue on with the bands, they will eventually fall out.

There have even been a few cases where some young people slept in their bands and they ended up with the rubber bands worming their way under their gums. The only way keep them from developing a severe infection was to have surgery to dig them out.

Alternatives to DIY Orthodontics

They don’t have to shift their teeth themselves. There are lots of fun options in orthodontics.

  • Traditional Braces

Getting traditional braces can give you an opportunity to express your personality. You can get them different colors or even a mixture of colors. You can even switch your colors at some appointments, so you get the opportunity to mix it up a bit.

  • Invisible Braces

Maybe you’re the type who doesn’t want anyone to know you need braces. In that case, Invisalign is your better option. Instead of the flash of colored braces, you can have invisible ones. Seriously. No one can tell you’re wearing them even at a conversational distance.

These have an added benefit of allowing you to whiten your teeth at the same time you’re straightening them. So, if you gals happen to be big coffee drinkers (shame on you!) then you can get rid of those unsightly coffee stains.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Ryan Noah.

Filed Under: Orthodontics Tagged With: colored braces, DIY Braces, Internet dental trends, Invisalign, rubber bands to close tooth gaps, teeth whitening, traditional braces, Tulsa Dentist, Tulsa orthodontist, YouTube

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