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Dr. Anthony LaVacca

Apr 22

Why are my gums bleeding?

By Gum Disease

My gums have been bleeding on and off for the past 3 months. Now it’s getting really bad and it’s scaring me too. I brush my teeth every day. What could be causing the problem? – Razi

 

Razi – Bleeding gums are most frequently related to inadequate removal of plaque between your teeth and gums. Plaque buildup can cause your gums inflammation, or gingivitis. If the bleeding increases and your gums become infected, you have developed periodontal disease, or gum disease.

But bleeding gums can also be the result of aggressive tooth brushing. Certain medications and certain medical conditions can cause your gums to bleed.

Be certain to regularly floss and brush your teeth to remove plaque and prevent bacterial from growing on your teeth. Schedule a dental appointment to have your teeth and gums examined. If there is a plaque buildup, a deep dental cleaning can remove it and prevent you from developing further problems. Until the issue is completely under control, you may have to receive dental cleanings more often.

If your dentist finds that your bleeding gums are not related caused by a dental issue, he or she will refer you to your primary care doctor.

This post is sponsored by Naperville dentist Dr. Anthony LaVacca.

Apr 17

Best way to repair a broken denture without going to the dentist

By Dentures

My dentures keep breaking and obviously my dentist doesn’t know how to fix them because they keep breaking in the same spot. Until I get a new pair, I am going to fix them myself. It can’t be any worse than what she is doing. I am looking online about how to repair them. I know better than to use superglue. So I am looking for a strong seal that is okay for oral use. What’s the best way to repair them? Tom F.

Tom – Your dentures need to be examined by a skilled dentist or prosthodontist to determine why they keep breaking. Until that determination is made, your dentures will likely continue to break.

A dentist may be able to repair the dentures in his or her office, or they may need to be sent to a lab for repair. It is also possible that you need new dentures.

Your attempts to repair your dentures may damage them further, so we recommend that you can a second opinion on the condition on your dentures and have them professionally repaired.

This post is sponsored by Naperville board-certified prosthodontist Dr. Anthony LaVacca.

Apr 14

Can I get my teeth really white if I brush with baking soda 6x a day?

By Teeth Whitening

What if I brushed my teeth say 6 times a day with baking soda? Would they get really white? I want them super white and if I can find a cheap natural way to do it, I will invest the time of brushing my teeth many times a day. – Meghan

Meghan – If you brush your teeth with baking soda, it can help remove surface stains from your teeth. Many brands of toothpaste now contain baking soda. But if there are stains embedded in your teeth, baking soda won’t break them down—neither will whitening toothpastes.

If you decide to use baking soda for brushing your teeth, keep in mind that if you brush too often or to aggressively, you can wear down the enamel on your teeth, and they will look dull. Also, fluoridated toothpaste helps to break down bacterial and fight cavities. Baking soda does not contain fluoride nor any other cavity-fighting agent.

For a safer, more effective way of whitening your teeth, ask your dentist about what options he or she offers for teeth whitening, and how it can be made affordable for you.

This post is sponsored by Naperville dentist Dr. Anthony LaVacca.

Apr 14

Can All on 4 implants be used for upper dentures?

By All-on-4 Dental Implants

My bottom denture is the one that’s really giving me lots of problems. They lift up with I talk, when I chew, when I laugh. It is both annoying and embarrassing. My dentures have been relined but it has not helped a bit. My daughter-in-law convinced me to think seriously about dental implants. I am looking at the All on 4 implants. Are they only for lower dentures or can I get them for upper dentures too? I don’t need them right now but I want to know for the future. Marsha

Marsha – The All-on-4 dental implants procedure can be performed on both upper and lower dentures. You should find a skilled implant dentist to receive diagnostic studies and an exam to find out if this treatment is right for you.

If you are a candidate for All-on-4, the implants will be placed and temporary dentures will be attached to them. After your jawbone fuses to the implants, which takes several months, you will receive customized dentures that look completely natural.

Request a consultation with a few implant dentists to discuss your options.

This post is sponsored by Naperville implant dentist and board-certified prosthodontist Dr. Anthony LaVacca.

 

Apr 04

Our son had cleft palate surgery twice and we see another fistula

By Prosthodontist

Our son was born with cleft palate. The first surgery he had went well but after about 4 months a fistula developed. Then he had a second surgery by the same doctor. Now we see what appears to be a second fistula. We are getting nervous about this. It’s not that we don’t trust the doctor, but will this keep recurring? Thank you. Kimberly

Kimberly,

We understand your concern. In rare cases, a fistula, or opening, will form after surgery has been formed to close the palate, or roof of the mouth.

The opening is a result of inadequate healing of the surgical site. The size and location of the opening are evaluated to determine the best options for treating it.

If a fistula is small, it may be left alone to see if it will heal, or until the child is older. Often a 12-month waiting period is passed before another surgery is performed to close the opening. Large openings will need to be surgically closed. But there may be other options.

You can receive a second opinion for your son from a prosthodontist who is experienced in cleft palate treatment. The second opinion may give you reassurance regarding the current treatment recommendations for your son, or it may give you more information about your options.

This post is sponsored by Naperville board-certified prosthodontist Dr. Anthony LaVacca.

Mar 31

Do most pediatric dentists have children restrained?

By Pediatric Dentist

Our family dentist relocated out of state. I had a dentist recommended to me that I really like, but she doesn’t accept children as patients. I found a pediatric dentist for my son and I was surprised that they restrained him on the first visit. He didn’t panic but he was very concerned and so was I. I don’t like the idea of having my son unnecessarily restrained. He is not afraid of going to a dental appointment. Is restraining a habit at most pediatric dentists’ offices? Thanks. Shelly

Shelly – Many pediatric dentist offices restrain children as a last resort. If you are not comfortable with having your son restrained, call the offices of several other dentists to find out whether or not they restrain children, and under what circumstances children are restrained.

Another option is to find a dental office that treats both children and adults. Some offices have pediatric dentists available. In other offices, you will find dentists who care for the needs of adults, as well as children.

In either case, schedule consultations with a few dentists to get a feel for the office environment and how you are treated by the staff. Bring your son with you to the consultations. The consultations will help you make a decision on the right dental care for your son.

This post is sponsored by Naperville Dental Associates.

Mar 30

Tooth fractured and pulled after dental implant placement and I’m still in pain

By Dental Implant Mistakes, Dental Implant Failure, Dental Implants

After having 2 dental implants placed last November I began to have pain from what seemed like one of the implants. Eventually the pain became severe. I made an appointment with my dentist to take a look at the implant and he said that the pain was coming from the tooth next to the implant. He said that the tooth must have been fractured somehow during the implant placement. He pulled the fractured tooth and said that I should be okay in about 2 weeks. I was really frustrated thinking that now I need a third dental implant. Anyway that was a two months and I am still in pain. Not as much pain, but it is very uncomfortable. I am really dreading going back to this dentist because I am thinking what is going to go wrong next. I know that I can’t stay away from the dentist because of the pain that I feel. I am not sure what to do next. – Regina W.

Regina – We suggest that you make an appointment with an experienced implant dentist to receive a second opinion. It is possible that there is a problem with the implant. It may be pinching a nerve or perhaps it was in some other way incorrectly placed.

At this point, you need an examination and x-ray to determine the cause of your pain. Once the source of the pain is identified, you can decide which implant dentist you would like to resolve the issue.

This post is sponsored by Naperville implant dentist and board-certified prosthodontist. Dr. Anthony LaVacca.

Mar 28

Should my teeth be bleeding after wisdom teeth were pulled?

By Gum Disease

Hi. I got all 4 wisdom teeth pulled yesterday. 2 are still bleeding. Is this normal? B.T.

 

B.T. – After wisdom teeth are extracted, there are common symptoms that you will experience, and light bleeding is one of them.

After the teeth are extracted, you can also expect swelling and mild discomfort. A cold compress will help to decrease some of the swelling. The swelling should improve in three or four days.

Your diet should also be modified. Eat soft foods for the first few days after the extraction. Also, avoid sucking through a straw or excessive spitting. The pressure can dislodge blood clots at the extractions sites and cause the areas to bleed more.

You should call your dentist if you experience any of the following symptoms:

  • the swelling worsens after three days
  • the bleeding increases
  • you have a fever
  • your pain is severe and the pain medication prescribed doesn’t help
  • you have a bad taste in your mouth that doesn’t go away with salt water rinses
  • there is pus or other fluid coming from the extraction site
  • your mouth feels numb

 

Since you received the extractions yesterday, your symptoms should improve over the weekend.

This post is sponsored by Naperville dentist Dr. Anthony LaVacca.

Mar 24

How can I find the best dentures?

By Dentures

I need dentures and I don’t want them to look fake. So many times I see people with dentures and they look generic. What are the best materials for dentures? – Nathan

Nathan – We understand your concern to have natural-looking dentures. But the quality of the denture material is only part of the equation to having dentures that look natural.

The base of a denture is made of acrylic. There are levels of quality in acrylics. Some are stronger than others, retain color better, and resist shrinkage more than others. You should be offered a variety of choices, along with varying costs.

Denture teeth can be acrylic, porcelain, or composite resin. Again, within these materials, there are variations in strength, color, and aesthetics. You should expect to see samples of denture teeth available with variations in color. A dentist should also show you before-and-after photos of his or her patients who have received dentures.

Without the extensive education of a dentist, it is difficult for a patient to assess whether or not a denture base and the denture teeth are appropriate for his or her case. But you can ask questions to address your concerns, and ask to see examples of what you can expect with the dentures you will receive.

We suggest that you have select two or three cosmetic dentists with whom you can have consultations for dentures. You can use this opportunity to ask questions about dentures, the quality of denture materials used, and the steps that are taken to ensure that your dentures will be customized, properly fitted, and natural looking.

This post is sponsored by Naperville implant dentist and board-certified prosthodontist Dr. Anthony LaVacca.

Mar 11

What does the denture go over for over dentures?

By Affordable Implant Dentistry

I’m not a dentist person. Really I haven’t been to a dentist’s office in years. When I get my teeth cleaned I go to the dental school about 30 miles away. I have problems with my teeth and the girls there do a great job cleaning the few teeth I have left. I was talking about getting dentures and she mentioned over dentures. Her explanation wasn’t all that great. What does the denture go over for over dentures? Gordon

Gordon – Overdentures are dentures that are supported by dental implants. The dental implants are surgically placed in your jawbone, and after they heal, the dentures are attached to them.

Overdentures are much more stable than complete removable dentures. You will hear terms such as implant-supported dentures, mini implants, and snap-on dentures. All of these terms are means of securing your dentures to dental implants.

Implants allow you to speak and chew with dentures much more efficiently, and they prevent your jawbone from shrinking. Jawbone shrinkage naturally occurs when all of your teeth are missing. The more implants there are, the more stable the dentures will be. But the stabilization of your dentures can be made affordable by using as few as two mini implants.

If you want to know more about stabilizing your dentures, only select an experienced implant dentist. Do your research. This will help you avoid problems with implant placement, healing, and quality. Many dentists offer a consultation to answer questions before you receive an exam.

This post is sponsored by Naperville implant dentist and board-certified prosthodontist Dr. Anthony LaVacca.

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