This article describes the symptoms of gum disease so that patients, upon recognizing these signs, can seek prompt attention for this oral ailment in its infancy.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the vast majority of the American population presents with some form or stage of gum infection and disease. “As much as 80% of the population is walking around with an oral ailment that, if left without treatment, could eventually cause them to lose all of their teeth,” explains a specialist in the placement of dental implants in Houston; the dental technology used to replace teeth that have gone missing as a result of tooth decay and gum disease.

80% is a huge number! How is this possible and we don’t even know about it?

A Closer Look at Bacterial Gum Diseases

The problem with bacterial infections of the gums – known as ‘gingivitis’ in the beginning stages and advancing to periodontitis – is that they seldom cause much pain. Other than general sensitivity of the gums, the symptoms of this grave disease can quite easily be ignored for many years. It’s only when the more severe symptoms of tooth loss set in that people are forced to acknowledge that they have a serious health problem, by which stage they face the need for dental implants. This explains why few people, in the beginning stages, go for the prompt treatment they need in order to have a good standard of oral health and hygiene restored.

“Increasing awareness of the signs and symptoms of gum disease is the best place to start if we’re to reduce the incidence of this ailment in our country,” explain dental implant specialists in Houston. “By abolishing ignorance surrounding these major oral health issues, more patients will come for treatment before the disease is allowed to progress to a stage where it can do permanent damage, leaving patients in dire need of rehabilitative techniques, such as All on 4 implants.”

So, what should we be on the lookout for?

Symptoms to look out for

In the initial stages of periodontitis (at which stage the disease is referred to as ‘gingivitis’), patients can present with one or more of the following symptoms:

• Red and inflamed gums,
• Gums that are swollen and have encroached upon the crowns of the teeth,
• Chronic bad breath,
• Gums that tend to tear and bleed easily when brushed.

In the advanced stages of periodontitis (gum disease), patients can present with both the above-mentioned symptoms and any number and combination of the following:

• Visible accumulations of plaque and tartar (calculus) on and between the teeth,
• Gums that have receded abnormally from the crowns of the teeth,
• Oral sores and lesions that take a long time to heal, if at all,
• Brown mottling on the teeth and gums, especially at their margins,
• Loose teeth,
• Ultimately, tooth loss, at which stage dental implants become necessary.

“The important thing to realize is that none of these symptoms are normal. If your gums bleed when you brush them, you could already be on your way to having a serious problem,” explain dental implant experts in Houston. “You should seek prompt professional attention, even if it is just to rule out the possibility that you might have an oral bacterial infection.”

A Final Note: Good Dental Health

The only way to prevent oral bacterial infections is to maintain a rigorous home oral hygiene routine and to seek regular professional attention from your dentist. If you have noticed any of the above-mentioned symptoms, immediately book yourself an appointment with your dentist or you may find yourself facing the immediate need for All on 4 implant surgery!

This article traces the development of the procedures used to give toothless patients a new set of non-removable teeth using dental implants.

Dental implants as we know them today have been around for several decades and for as long as they have, dentists have been trying to find a way to offer edentulous (toothless) and near-edentulous patients fixed tooth replacement solutions. The problem is, the more dental implants you surgically place, the more complicated the procedure becomes and the greater the chance of implant failure. Other problems include the cost of such a procedure, the physical toll it takes on the body and the amount of time it requires for patients to get a new set of teeth again. In the end, removable dentures – as uncomfortable and difficult as they can be to live with – just seem to be the better option!

Then, news of the “All-on-4” dental implant protocol was announced to the world.

In the Beginning, there was Osseointegration

In 1951, Swedish orthopedic surgeon – Per-Ingvar Brånemark – accidentally stumbled across the key that would lead to the conception of the entire field of dental implantology: ‘osseointegration’. It was during a clinical trial using rabbit bone that the professor noticed the complete bio-compatibility of titanium. Instead of being rejected by the body as most foreign materials are, the bone had actually biologically bonded to the surface of the titanium.

Eureka!

It wasn’t long after that the first dental implants were constructed from titanium metal and successfully used to replace teeth. As the years passed, ceaseless research and clinical trials expanded upon the academic understanding behind and practical application of dental implants as a tooth replacement solution. But still… while dental implant dentists could replace one or more missing teeth quite successfully, those who had lost all of their teeth faced a long and painful journey to oral rehabilitation.

Design and Development of “All on 4” Dental Implants

Just think about it: you have 32 teeth in your mouth; 28 minus your wisdom teeth. Can you imagine replacing every single one with dental implants? Can you image the scope of the surgery required to give an edentulous patient a complete set of teeth back?

Such a procedure just isn’t viable, so instead of replacing every single missing tooth with an implant, oral surgeons would use up to 10 dental implants per jaw to provide support for a non-removable prosthetic dental bridge (an artificial set of teeth). Yet still, 10 implants per jaw can require many separate surgeries to place and the expense of such an endeavor costs a considerable amount of time and money.

It was only in the early 1990’s that a protocol, which only required four dental implants per jaw to support a full set of replacement teeth, was developed and clinically tested. This protocol became termed the “All-on-4”. What further set this procedure aside from traditional dental implant procedures was that it was designed to, as far as possible, bypass the need for bone grafting surgery, thus saving patients many months of recovery, tens of thousands of dollars on the cost of surgery and a whole lot of pain and discomfort.

“All on 4” Implants, Here, Today

Nowadays, more and more dentists are receiving the necessary training in what is increasingly becoming regarded as a fundamental rehabilitative dental procedure. And when you consider that All on 4 dental implants in Houston are able to give people a brand new set of teeth in as little as a single day, with a single surgery and at costs that are an average $25,000 lower, it’s no wonder why!

Getting teeth in a day in Houston is a reality. This involves a well-known quick and effective solution for your missing teeth. Since it is completed in a single day, you are able to enjoy an optimum quality of life without any delay.

So, what is the Teeth in a Day Procedure?

Teeth in a day in Houston is considered a perfect solution for missing teeth. The method entails placing dental implants and attaching tooth restorations, like a dental crown – all that in the single appointment in the same day. This method is useful as it discards the waiting period from the time the implants are loaded till the time the teeth restorations are fixed onto those implants. Moreover, this technique can offer you all the benefits of going for replacing teeth solutions in the shortest period of time.

Teeth in a day in Houston is a well-known quick and effective solution for your missing teeth. Since it is completed in a single day, you are able to enjoy an optimum quality of life without any delay – it also gets you back eating all of your favorite foods and smiling in the most positive way possible.

While dentures may also provide the same quick solution to your missing teeth issue; however, the removable aspect of these dental devices further gives way to numerous dental problems in the long run. The dentures over the course of time become loose and tend to slip while you eat, talk or laugh. This can be quite irritating and embarrassing. Thus, dental implants, on the contrary, offer more reliable and long-lasting solutions for eliminating missing teeth issues.

Factors Affecting the Cost for Teeth in a Day in Houston

Once you have made the decision to go for teeth in a day implants for replacing your missing teeth; you will be required to consider several factors that will influence the cost of the treatment. If you are interested in getting same day teeth implants to substitute your missing teeth, you most likely need to look closely at the costs involved in the entire treatment. The treatment costs can be impacted by various related factors. Knowing more about those factors can be useful for you to make the correct choices related to your teeth in a day.

There are various factors to be considered that affect the costs of the complete same day dental implants procedure:

• The dental implant surgeon’s expertise and skills
• Brand and quality of the materials used in the dental restoration phase
• Dental implants procedure, diagnostics, and other treatment methods that are part of the whole implant treatment

Getting Prepared for this Technique

If you have decided to go for this treatment it will entail a thorough assessment and examination executed by your dentist. This prior examination and assessment will allow the surgeon, specialized in dental implant in Houston to determine your aptness for this particular implant placing methodology. Generally, it might also require taking certain diagnostics like getting X-rays, CT scans, and impressions of your entire mouth area. Make sure that you discuss all your needs and expectations from this effective method with your dentist before the procedure to ensure that the result of the suggested treatment is as per your expectation and satisfaction.

This four-part article series provides an in-depth look at periodontal (gum) disease: what it is, how it presents, how it can be prevented and what treatment options are available for those who have it.

Welcome back to our four-part article series in which All On Four dental implants specialists discuss periodontal (gum) disease, its signs and symptoms and what we can do to prevent this frightfully common oral affliction. In our previous post, we took a look at the mouth under the microscope in an effort to better understand the mechanisms of periodontitis. In this article, the third installment of the series, we will be listing the symptoms of gum disease before addressing what can be done to prevent it.

What are the Signs and Symptoms of Periodontal Disease?

In the beginning stages of periodontitis, gingivitis, you may notice one or more of the following:

• Red and inflamed gums,
• Swollen, fleshy and angry-looking gums, especially visible between the teeth,
• Chronic bad breath,
• A bad taste in your mouth that comes back soon after brushing,
• Gums that tear and bleed easily when brushing, flossing and eating crunchy foods.

If left undiagnosed and untreated, gingivitis can progress to periodontitis at which stage the symptoms (in addition to those mentioned above) can include:

• Gums that have receded unnaturally from the crowns of the teeth, causing your smile to appear “toothy”,
• Oral sores and lesions that don’t heal,
• Pus that wells up from under the gums,
• Visible accumulations of plaque and tartar on and between the crowns of the teeth,
• Tooth discoloration and a brown mottling of the gums, especially at the margins,
• Teeth that feel loose,
• Ultimately, tooth loss.

“Never ignore any of these signs and symptoms,” urge dental implant specialists in Houston. “In spite of the damage gum disease is capable of doing, it doesn’t typically cause patients pain, so do make sure that you pay attention to the visible health of your teeth and gums. Your gums should look pink and they should never bleed when you brush or floss them.”

How Can You Prevent Periodontal Disease?

The great thing about periodontal disease is that it is completely preventable. Even if you have a family history and fall within a high-risk bracket for this condition, there are measures you can take to keep your teeth and gums in excellent lifelong condition. Most importantly, you must maintain a rigorous home oral hygiene routine that includes regular and thorough brushing, flossing and rinsing. You could even make use of an anti-bacterial mouthwash to really keep your mouth fresh and clean after daytime snacks.

You must also go for regularly scheduled check-ups with your dentist and cleanings with an oral hygienist. It is recommended that you do so twice a year. Habits to avoid or seek treatment for include:

• Tobacco-use: Smoking and chewing tobacco is known to cause gum disease,
• Excessive drinking,
• Drug-abuse,
• Eating disorders,
• A diet that is high in sugar and starchy foods.

Also, always ask your doctor about the side effects of any chronic medications you may be on. Some are known to cause “dry mouth”, which can leave you at a greater risk of oral bacterial infection. Hormonal fluctuations, such as those experienced during menopause or pregnancy, need to be handled with additional oral hygiene measures and care.

Stay Tuned for Part 4

Stay tuned for the final installment of this four-part article series in which dental implant in Houston specialists explain the various treatment options available to those who suspect that they may have gum disease.