Got questions about tooth whitening? Want to find out if you’re doing the best you can do to look after your teeth and gums? Your questions are all answered in this four-part FAQ guide to oral health and hygiene.

Welcome back to our four-part article series in which Teeth in a Day specialists in Chicago answer all your frequently asked questions on oral health and hygiene. In our previous article post, we discussed the various habits to avoid when brushing your teeth, why flossing is so important and what the signs and symptoms of gingivitis, or early gum disease are. In this article, the third installment of the series, we’ll shift our focus to address more of your health-related questions.

FAQ: How might I know if I have a cavity?

Answer: Unless you can actually see the little dark spot on your teeth, chances are you won’t know if you have a cavity. This is especially true if it’s only on the surface of your dental enamel. It’s only once the cavity deepens and reaches the pulp chamber that pain and sensitivity alert you to the fact that there’s something wrong. The best way to deal with cavities (and find out if you have one or more) is to go for regular scheduled appointments with the dentist.

FAQ: Is it really all that important to replace missing teeth if they don’t have much of an impact upon your appearance?

Answer: Yes, it is important! Many people feel that a missing tooth at the back of their mouth can be ignored because it doesn’t have much of an influence on their appearance. The importance of replacing missing teeth extends so much further than just a concern for aesthetics!

“Leaving a tooth without replacement with a sophisticated technology like dental implants leaves your mouth vulnerable to all sorts of problems,” explain All On Four dentures specialists in Chicago. “For one, the neighboring teeth become unstable and begin to shift to fill the gap left bare by the missing tooth. This instability then passes along the dental arch in a sort of domino effect.”

Leaving the tooth socket exposed also increases your risk of infection, since food and bacteria can readily become trapped in it. Also, it’s difficult to keep clean because it’s sensitive. Last but not least, the bone at the site of the missing tooth tends to become resorbed by the jaw, resulting in a loss of volume (see image below). This causes further problems for the neighboring teeth and can actually lead to further tooth loss!

FAQ: Why are dental implants recommended over conventional dental bridges?

Answer: Dental implants last twice or even three times as long as conventional dental bridges, they feel far more natural and don’t require the two healthy adjacent teeth to be filed down for support. Implants are also stronger, easier to clean and tend to minimize the risk of further infection, as opposed to bridges, which are associated with an increased risk of tooth decay and tooth loss.

Stay Tuned for Part 4

To read the answers to more Frequently Asked Questions about oral health, hygiene and cosmetics, stay tuned for the final installment of this four-part article series, courtesy of All On Four Denture specialists in Chicago.

This article takes a closer look at the importance of looking after your tooth enamel, thereby protecting your teeth. We supply a list of signs that your tooth enamel may be eroded and what you can do to prevent this erosion from occurring.

Tooth enamel is the strongest matter in the human body and is found on the outer layer of the teeth, serving a vital role in protecting your teeth. This is why it’s extremely important to do what you can to prevent its erosion. Tooth enamel is the protective wall that keeps your teeth safe from daily wear and tear and the destructive effects of acids and chemicals. Teeth in a day specialists in Chicago explain that enamel covers the dentin (the softer and more porous underlying tooth structure). Destroying this protective layer ultimately leads to the entire tooth becoming vulnerable to decay and causes hypersensitivity to temperatures. If you are experiencing sensitivity and discomfort when exposing your mouth to hot or cold temperatures, your tooth enamel has most likely been eroded.

What Causes Dental Erosion?

There are a great amount of factors that can contribute to the erosion of tooth enamel. Implant dentistry specialists in Chicago point out that in most cases this erosion can be linked to a diet that is high in acidic content and a lack of proper oral hygiene. Factors causing tooth enamel to erode include:

• Excessive intake of sugary substances, such as soft drinks or fruit drinks. Bacteria flourish on sugar and the wastes they produce, which are very acidic, can destroy enamel.
• Eating lots of candies and sour foods: Acid tastes sour, so these foods tend to be acid-rich.
• Keeping your mouth moist is vital and conditions such as dry mouth tend to put your tooth enamel at risk. Saliva helps to prevent enamel decay by neutralizing acids in the mouth, cleansing your mouth of food debris and combating bacteria.
• Brushing your teeth too vigorously, grinding your teeth and using your teeth to open bottles or other materials can also lead to tooth enamel being damaged.
• Behaviors that cause frequent vomiting such as binge drinking or bulimia exposes your teeth to destructive stomach acids.

Tooth Enamel: Signs and Symptoms of Erosion

When your tooth enamel is badly eroded, your teeth become susceptible to cavities and decay, which lead to the following symptoms:

• Cracked, chipped, rough or irregular edges on the teeth are common signs of tooth enamel attrition.
• Pain and sensitivity of the teeth when exposed to temperatures (hot and cold).
• Silky, shiny surfaces on the teeth due to mineral loss.
• Enamel erosion can also lead to yellowed and stained teeth.

What Can I Do To Protect My Tooth Enamel?

As with all oral health risks, the best form of prevention is to follow a good, consistent and disciplined oral hygiene routine at home. “Teeth in a Day” experts in Chicago also recommend visiting your dentist regularly for general checkups. Even if you don’t feel like there’s something wrong with your teeth, these visits are crucial for the prevention and early diagnosis of problems that could cause irreversible damage in the long run. A combination of good oral care at home and at your dentist’s office is the key to preventing tooth enamel erosion:

• Try to cut down on acidic and sugary food and drink. If you do drink and eat foods with high acidity and sugar levels, try doing so at mealtimes (as opposed to snacking) and if possible, brush your teeth afterwards to help remineralize your dental enamel and wash away food debris.
• Drinking sodas and juices with a straw can help in bypassing the acidic interaction with your teeth.
• Drinking a glass of milk or eating a piece of cheese after meals can also help protect your enamel as dairy products aid in neutralizing acids.
• Chewing sugar-free gum promotes saliva production, which, as we mentioned earlier, helps to fight bacteria, cleansing your mouth of food debris.

A Final Note

Protecting your tooth enamel means protecting your teeth and a healthy mouth is a happy mouth. By following the advice provided by implant dentistry specialists in Chicago, you can protect your teeth from the destructive forces of cavities and decay. You must also see your dentist regularly for the preventative care that will keep your standard of oral health high.

This article discusses the “All-on-4” dental implant technique and why it has become such an important procedure.

Teeth in a Day Chicago: What Is It All About?

Teeth in a Day, also known as “All-on-4” dental implants, is considered the standard dental care for replacing a full set of missing or failing teeth. Chicago implant dentists confirm that this protocol is the most sophisticated tooth replacement technique available today. This is not only because it delivers an innovative, effective and non-removable teeth replacement solution, but one that is quicker, cheaper and typically pain-free! The “All-on-4” is quite essentially designed to help edentulous (the state of being toothless) and near-edentulous patients regain a beautiful smile!

The ultimate Teeth in a Day Chicago procedure predictably provides patients with a complete set of immediate functional, non-removable and highly aesthetic teeth in as little as a single day and typically without the need for bone-grafting. This is owed to the strategic placement of only four dental implants in regions of the jaw that naturally contain a greater volume of atrophy resistant bone tissue. Prior to the development of this technique, most patients would require as many as 10 dental implants per jaw, multiple placement surgeries and many, many months spent in and out of the dentist's office.

"All-on-4" Dental Implants: Importance

Undeniably, the Teeth in a Day technique is very important for a variety of reasons. It allows people to live a healthier and happier life without the daily challenges of denture wearing. “All-on-4” implants give patients a strong set of non-removable teeth that they can use to eat all of their favorite foods with. Imagine going to a restaurant and not having to scour the menu for soft and suitable foods anymore. “All-on-4” patients don’t have to think of what they can eat, but what they want to eat.

The second essential point associated with this procedure is that it increases self-confidence. Only a few things are more embarrassing than missing teeth and dentures that flop out of the mouth when least expected. The fixed and non-removable “All-on-4” implant solution allows people to regain their beautiful smile and enjoy the confidence of having secure and stable teeth.

Affordability is another important aspect. Getting new teeth in a day with the “All-on-4” technique is on average $25,000 cheaper than traditional dental implant techniques. This is not surprising when you consider that the latter generally require between six and 12 implants per arch and multiple placement surgeries. Obviously, fewer implants translate to lower costs for patients.

Some other significant benefits include the fact that the “All-on-4” can be completed in as little as a single day, with a single surgery and typically without the need for bone grafting. This is a major advantage for edentulous patients, who are generally concerned with the amount of time a dental implant treatment will take before they can have a complete set of teeth again.

Conventional dental implant techniques require many appointments and many surgeries interspersed with months of healing time. As a result, it can take up to 18 months for a patient to get a complete set of teeth again!

A Final Note on “All-on-4” Implants

Thanks to the incredible capabilities of the “All-on-4” protocol, patients can get new teeth in one day in Chicago and save tens of thousands of dollars on the cost of fixed oral rehabilitation. This, along with the many aesthetic and functional benefits of the “All-on-4”, makes this dental implant solution the very best on the market.

In this article, we will be exploring the various do’s and don’ts when it comes to diet and oral health. We focus specifically on foods that aid in your oral health as well as foods that are harmful to it.

When it comes to looking after your teeth, a daily oral hygiene routine and regular visits to your dentist for check-ups and professional cleanings are essential, but on top of this the food you eat and oral habits you entertain will go a long way in determining the state of your oral health. In this article we will be considering the relationship between nutrition and oral health, and along the way we’ll be touching on a few dental habits it is best to avoid.

A dentist specializing in the placement of teeth implants in Chicago tells us that one of the worst things for teeth is acid, which is found in many foods and beverages and is also produced by oral bacteria as waste. This is why foods that neutralise acid are a particularly good addition to your diet, as it helps to maintain the health of your pearly whites. We will also be looking at foods that stimulate saliva production and that contain lots of minerals and vitamins, which help to repair tooth enamel.

The Goodies: Foods and Drinks that Benefit your Oral Health

• Fruits and veggies that are high in fiber: These foods have a cleaning effect as they literally scrub your teeth during eating. More importantly, they help to stimulate saliva, which plays a vitally important role in protecting your mouth. It neutralizes tooth-damaging acids, keeps your mouth full of moisture and contains calcium and phosphates that help rebuild important minerals.

• H2O: Water, being the primary component of saliva is indispensable to oral health. It will help greatly in maintaining your tooth and gum health. Simply using water as a rinse (fluoridated water = even better), will prevent tooth decay and go a long way to strengthening your tooth enamel.

• Nuts: Nuts are filled with all sorts of vitamins and minerals that are friends to your teeth. Almonds, peanuts, cashews and walnuts for instance contain calcium, vitamin-D fiber, magnesium and so on. These properties protect both teeth and gums and stimulate saliva, which will in turn help clean your mouth!

• Dairy: Enjoying dairy without added sugar helps teeth in a variety of ways. Cheeses aid in stimulating saliva, while the calcium helps replace lost minerals in your enamel.

• Foods high in vitamins A, C and D, as well as calcium and phosphates, are always a good addition to your regular diet as they do wonders for your teeth. This list can include beef, fish, eggs, spinach, potatoes, beans and whole grains.

The Baddies: Foods and Drinks that Harm Your Teeth

• Carbonated beverages: Soft-drinks are on top of the list when considering what to avoid; not only when it comes to oral health but general health as well. Most carbonated drinks are packed full of sugar, and the sugar-free drinks contain other tooth-eroding properties such as phosphoric and citric acid.

• Dried fruits: What? Yes, these little pocket sized, road friendly, often considered ‘healthy’ snacks are in fact really bad for your teeth! Fruits are naturally high in sugar. And when they are dried and these sugars become concentrated, their gummy texture causes them to cling to your teeth and get stuck in pockets that are hard to reach. Dried fruits are also filled with non-soluble cellulose fiber, which ends up trapping sugars between your teeth.

• Dry-mouth causing habits: This can be related to alcohol intake, smoking, medication side-effects and the list can go on… bottom-line, dry mouth poses a real danger to your teeth and gums. Take cognizance in keeping your mouth hydrated.

Our teeth are vital to us, not only in the function they serve but also in the confidence that comes with having a beautiful smile. Millions of Americans are facing edentulism and are in need of oral reconstruction. Luckily, modern dentistry offers patients the ability to get new teeth in a day in Chicago, but Chicago dentists advise that nothing can rival your own biological tools!

The result of dental implants is enhanced efficiency to eat your favorite foods, improved speech, enhanced confidence, no loss of bone and no alteration to adjacent teeth.

With dental implant insurance, you can reduce the cost you need to pay for replacing your missing teeth with a dental implant treatment.

Are you suffering from missing teeth? Do you have dental implant insurance coverage?

It is important to know that having dental insurance does not promise that you have coverage for getting a dental implant treatment. Several terms may be present in the dental insurance policies that do not include dental implants either directly or even indirectly. You might be sure that you have Dental Implants in Chicago treatment insurance coverage only if dental implants are clearly stated in the policy as a covered treatment. It is advisable that you must always look for your dental implant insurance coverage before planning for implant treatment; till you are financially ready to cover the dental implants treatment costs yourself.

What are the advantages of dental implants over bridges?

• There is no irritation after the treatment and your teeth look and function naturally.
• Generally, when a bridge retires, loss of one or more teeth can be observed while with dental implants, there is no further tooth loss.
• During the implant surgery, there is no requirement for modifying the adjacent and healthy teeth.
  

What are the benefits of dental implants over dentures?

• Prevents further bone loss
• No need for messy adhesives
• Freedom to eat your favorite foods
• Restored natural beauty
• Permanent solution to missing teeth
• Prevents shrinkage of jawbone making you look young
  

Who are not suitable for a dental implant treatment?

• Small children and pregnant women
• People with undeveloped jaw bones
• Chain smokers
• Individuals with serious illnesses
• Individuals consuming certain medications
• People who habitually grind their teeth
  

Taking care of teeth in a day in Chicago after a dental implant:

While implants are synthetic teeth, it is recommended to provide the same dental care to them as you give to your natural teeth. That means, do regular brushing and flossing and also attend your implant dentist twice in a month. All this would ensure that your dental implant treatment is a lasting success of having teeth in a day in Chicago.

Dental implants are long-lasting and easier to maintain than conventional dentures. It is typically not painful to have these implants placed. Once they’ve healed, they feel comfortable and natural and won’t hurt at all.”

Whether you are missing a single tooth or several teeth, dental implants ensure a long-lasting solution to individuals. Without causing harm to your adjacent teeth, implants once fixed to the jawbone do not drop out or cause any irritation while smiling or speaking. These implants look and function like your real teeth improving your overall confidence and self-esteem.