A New Smile For The New Year

The year 2017 is rolling in fast, and that means making New Year’s resolutions! But even if new resolutions start out with the best intentions, it can be difficult to keep track of what’s important. We’ve found that not a lot of patients prioritize dental care on their list, when they really should. By ensuring that your smile is taken care of, you’re guaranteeing a year of healthy smiles and a healthy body. How does this work? Let’s find out.

The Importance of Your Oral Health

If the saying goes that the eyes are the windows to the soul, then the mouth must be the gateway to the body. As a result, whatever happens to your mouth can cause a reaction in the rest of your body.

For example, research has shown that the bacteria that cause gum disease can also affect your cardiovascular health. From your heart to the arteries around it, bacteria from your gum disease can cause inflammation in this vital system.

With results like these, it’s clear to see why taking care of your smile should be a top priority for this new year. Through simple tasks like brushing regularly and visiting the dentist, you can reduce your risk of oral diseases that can lay waste to your mouth and your body.

New Year’s Resolution Tips

Just follow these quick dental tips this year, and you’ll find your oral health improved!

• The 2 By 2 Rule: Brush at least twice a day for two minutes at a time. Don’t be too aggressive with your brushing, and don’t spend less than two minutes.
• Schedule Regular Hygiene Cleanings: Stay up-to-date with your dentist by attending hygiene appointments every six months. Your dentist can keep an eye on your oral health, looking for signs of decay or disease, and clearing your mouth of distressing plaque and tartar buildup.
• Use Softer Tools: When making your toothbrush selection, choose a soft-bristled toothbrush instead of a hard-bristled one. It’ll feel easier on your gums and won’t scrape off any enamel.
• …Or Try New Tools!: Have you ever tried a tongue scrubber or a water flosser? Look around and invest in some new dental tools to help you have an even cleaner smile this year.

What Happens If You Lose A Tooth?

This is the big question, as it’s one of the more devastating things that can happen to your smile. Losing a tooth not only leaves an unsightly gap in your smile, but also exposes your mouth to potential infections.

What’s worse is what could happen if you don’t treat your tooth loss. We’ve had patients before who have lost teeth and neglected to pay us a visit to look into replacements. The longer you go without filling that gap, the more you put your oral health at risk.

After you lose a tooth, the jawbone in that area may start to weaken. As it deteriorates, the neighboring teeth will also start to lose support, and will loosen in their sockets. The longer you let your jawbone reduce in volume, the more teeth you will start to lose. As a result, you’ll notice your face start to change: a hollowing in the cheeks, your chin tilting upwards, and you may find it more difficult to chew or speak clearly. But by investing in tooth replacement treatments early, such as dental implants, you can save yourself from a lot of heartache and expensive treatments in the future.

Why Choose Dental Implants?

Dental implants are one of the top recommended tooth replacement devices, due to the many benefits that they bring.

• Durability: Dental implants are constructed with titanium implements and topped with a porcelain crown. Titanium is a biocompatible, but strong material that can withstand the same pressures and textures that natural teeth do.
• Longevity: Since dental implants are permanently placed, they tend to have a longer average lifespan than other tooth replacement methods. Patients can reap the benefits of implants for as long as 10 years or even a lifetime.
• Beauty: We make sure that each implant is hand-crafted to match your natural teeth perfectly. From the shape of the crown to the shade of white, no detail is left unchecked, and we guarantee even your close friends and family won’t be able to tell the difference.
• Osseointegration: Osseointegration is a unique fusion process to dental implants, and implant-related devices. When titanium makes contact with the jawbone, it triggers the jawbone to regenerate and wrap fibers around the implant, securing it firmly in place.

Candidacy For Dental Implants

The best way to uncover if you’re a fit candidate for dental implants is to have a one-on-one consultation with Dr. Richard Grubb. During this consultation, you’ll be examined by Dr. Grubb using advanced imagery technology to get a better look at your bone density. Afterwards, you’ll sit down for a one-on-one session with Dr. Grubb to ask questions, talk about the treatment process and more.

But what exactly makes a good candidate for implants this new year?

• Missing Teeth: Patients must have one or more missing teeth, or be at risk for losing teeth in order to qualify for implants. We do not recommend extracting healthy teeth to replace them with implants.
• Sufficient Jawbone: Like a building that needs a concrete foundation, dental implants need sufficient jawbone to be embedded into. As a result, we recommend that patients have the proper foundation to get implants. This may require a supplemental procedure such as a bone graft or sinus augmentation to create that foundation.
• An Understanding of the Process: Dental implants have a large variety of benefits, but the timeline of the process itself can take longer than patients realize. That’s because the dental implant must undergo the process of osseointegration during the healing period, which can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months. But understand that once this period is over, the dental implant is permanently in place.

Keep in mind that even if you don’t qualify for dental implants right away, you can still qualify in the future! Speak with Dr. Grubb about how you can become better prepared for dental implants.

Contact Us About Dental Treatments For The New Year

It’s a new year, and the new you deserves a brand new smile. With all the advantages of dental implants, you can restore your smile from the effects of tooth loss. Smile brighter for 2017, so give our office a call in Havre de Grace to schedule a consultation with Dr. Richard Grubb.