This article explores the benefits and advantages of dental implants over the more traditional tooth replacement technologies; dental bridges and removable dentures.

Tooth loss is not something one dwells much on until the day comes that one or more become accidentally knocked out or irreparably damaged or decayed. And according to the statistics of tooth loss in the United States, the loss of one or more of our pearly whites between now and our late adulthood is fairly inevitable, say dentists in Boca Raton. While we may clutch our hearts in horror at the thought of missing one or more of our teeth, there are solutions available that are virtually indistinguishable – in function, feel and aesthetics – from any of your natural adult teeth. And the best on the market by far, say dentists in Boca Raton, are dental implants.

Ask Dentists in Boca Raton: What are Dental Implants?

Dental implants are essentially tiny titanium fixtures or screws that are inserted into the jaw bone at the site/s of the missing tooth or teeth. Dentists in Boca Raton then affix a durable and aesthetic ceramic tooth crown to the implant’s abutment. The result is a replacement tooth that looks, functions and feels just like a natural tooth. Unlike traditional tooth replacement technology, dental implants replace both the root and the crown, which not only enables patients to eat all the foods they love, but it also prevents the underlying jaw bone tissue from atrophying as a result of the loss of stimulation by the tooth root. For this very reason, explain dentists in Boca Raton, dental implants offer the most sophisticated and long-term solution to single and multiple missing teeth.

Dentists in Boca Raton: The Benefits of Dental Implants

Dental implants offer patients some incredible benefits. It is always the priority of dentists in Boca Raton to offer solutions and treatments that will maintain the health of the teeth, gums and underlying jaw bone, rather than just addressing smile aesthetics. But with dental implants, every need is catered for. Patients get a new crown that is carefully fabricated to resemble the tooth it is replacing; it also enables them to eat, speak and smile with total confidence. At the same time, dentists in Boca Raton are able to use a technology that maintains the health of the jaw bone and does not in any way damage the neighboring hard and soft tissues in the mouth. This is unlike dental bridges – which call for the sacrificing of the two healthy teeth adjacent to the abandoned tooth socket – and removable dentures, which cause pain and inflammation of the underlying gum tissue.

A Final Note from Dentists in Boca Raton

The most important thing to remember, stress dentists in Boca Raton, is that prompt treatment is of the essence. Even if the tooth you have lost is right at the back of the tooth row where it isn’t quite visible, you absolutely need to seek immediate attention. Without the root of the tooth to stimulate the underlying jaw bone, the hard tissue can waste away. This not only destabilizes the tooth row (risking further tooth loss), but it also increases your risk of oral bacterial activity, say dentists in Boca Raton. If you want to minimize the effects of a lost tooth, book yourself an appointment straight away. Dental implants will have you smiling and eating with confidence in no time!

This four-part article series explores the connection between tobacco-use and the health, aesthetics and longevity of the hard and soft tissues in the mouth.

It has been the goal of this four-part article series to provide more information on the relationship between tobacco-use and your oral health. We began in part one and two by discussing the various effects of this habit upon your overall oral health and hygiene. We then, in part three, began looking at the difference between the various forms of tobacco-use (smoking and chewing), ending up with a discussion of the health benefits afforded by kicking the habit. In this article, the final installment of our four-part series, courtesy of these dentists in Boca Raton, we shall provide some advice on how patients can approach quitting and, in the meantime, minimize the effects of tobacco-use on the health of their teeth and gums.

Advice from Dentists in Boca Raton: How Can I Quit Tobacco?

 

There are really two different facets to an addiction to tobacco-use, say dentists in Boca Raton. First of all, there is the brain’s physical addiction to nicotine and this can quite readily be addressed through the use of medications designed to calm the cravings. If you can’t see yourself kicking the habit without the assistance of medication, it is best to schedule an appointment with your doctor who can either recommend over-the-counter nicotine patches or gum, or a prescription medication such as Zyban.

The other facet of tobacco addiction, say dentists in Boca Raton, is the psychological one. This represents the real hurdle. With sufficient will-power, one can power through the few days of shakiness and moodiness associated with quitting nicotine. But the psychological addiction is one that remains for months and even years, say dentists in Boca Raton. Smokers and tobacco-users are united through their common addiction, and that sense of community can make it difficult to just walk away. Smoking can also be a coping mechanism for many of life’s stresses, leaving those who quit feeling quite unguarded and vulnerable.

Some people decide to quit and do so without any physical or psychological assistance; others find support groups, cessation classes or self-help books to be pivotal in their transition. There are even herbal medications and alternative methods, such as acupuncture and hypnosis! You may not initially find the kind of assistance you need, say dentists in Boca Raton, but keep trying and eventually you’ll find the therapy you need to rid your life of an addiction to tobacco.

Advice from Dentists in Boca Raton: Minimizing the Effects of Smoking on Your Oral Health and Hygiene

 

Obviously, the best way would be to kick the habit altogether, say dentists in Boca Raton. However, sometimes you need to start small and work your way up. If you are a smoker and want to minimize the effects of your habit on the health and longevity of your smile, then the following tips are essential to follow:

• Get in the habit of chewing sugar-free gum (preferably with xylitol): this not only increases saliva production, which protects your teeth and gums against bacteria, but it also helps to mask the smell of smoking, say dentists in Boca Raton.

• Try to cut down on the amount of tobacco you use on a daily basis. Second to quitting, it’s the best course of action you can take.

• Drink plenty of water to keep your mouth hydrated and avoid a sugar-rich diet, say dentists in Boca Raton.

• Smoking increases bacterial activity in the mouth, so you need to take extra care to be as hygienic as possible. Maintain a rigorous home oral hygiene routine and make sure you go for those bi-annual appointments with dentists in Boca Raton.

• Incorporate an anti-bacterial mouthwash into your oral healthcare routine and use it after smoking.

A Final Note from Dentists in Boca Raton

Tobacco-use has no redeeming qualities. It is a habit that degrades both your general and oral health and the longer you continue to indulge your addiction, the worse your risk of developing serious and potentially fatal diseases. Quit today, say dentists in Boca Raton, and you’ll ensure that you keep more than just your smile from the brink of destruction.