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October 2013

polygrip-fixodent-drama-with-my-dentures-blog

Polygrip, Fixodent drama with my dentures

By Dentures

I can’t get it right. I don’t know if it’s my dentures, the products or me. I have tried both Polygrip and Fixodent. If I place small strips of adhesive on my dentures as recommended, they consistently fall out or slip. If I use enough adhesive to make the dentures stay in place, it is very difficult to remove them and I am left with a gross amount of adhesive that I have to scrape out of my mouth. This has been going on for two years. I think I have been patient long enough. I am looking for another option or another type of denture. I have spoken with my dentist about it several times and I don’t think he is responsive enough. I need some advice. Thank you. Millie

Millie – Unfortunately, your experience with dentures is common. It is possible that your dentures were not fitted correctly when you first received them. But many people experience problems even when the dentures were correctly sized.

Securing your dentures with dental implants will eliminate the need for denture adhesives. You can get affordable dental implants to give your dentures stability. You won’t have to worry about them slipping, they will look and feel more natural, and your chewing efficiency will improve. The implants are good for your oral health because they help prevent jawbone shrinkage and facial collapse.

Find an experienced implant dentist or prosthodontist to give you an exam. He or she will let you know if you are a candidate for implant dentures, and your options will be explained.

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

My kid’s pediatric dentist yelled at us

By Pediatric Dentist

I have 2 kids. My son is 4 yrs old and my daughter is 8 yrs old. The 4 yr old is afraid of nothing including the dentist. My daughter has always been afraid of the dentist even though to my knowledge she has never had a bad experience. The last 2 dental appointments my daughter had did not go well. She got really nervous and teary both times. On her most recent visit 3 weeks ago, the teeth cleaning went okay because the hygienist was patient, but when the dentist came in he looked at my daughter and said, “What are you crying for? Cry babies don’t get balloons in this office.” I think it scared my daughter so she really started sobbing. I tried to comfort her and the dentist yelled at me and told me that they didn’t need me in the room. He said I was making it worse for my daughter. I didn’t leave the room. I asked him to release my daughter so we could reschedule. We have been going to this dentist for 3 years. Although I was never really thrilled with the dentist, I didn’t dislike him either and we have been very pleased with the hygienists. I didn’t want to make a quick decision on whether or not to return, so I gave it some time. Any suggestions? – Heather

Heather – If your daughter is uncomfortable with dental appointments, her most recent experience has made her even more uncomfortable. Her long-term oral health is too important to allow her to have traumatic dental appointments.

Yelling at patients is unacceptable. You can consider finding a new pediatric dentist. Ask friends for references or do Internet searches to find a few experienced dentists. Request consultations and take your children with you to the appointments. You will be able to see the office, and meet the staff and dentist to help you decide on a dentist with whom you and your children are comfortable.

After your first official appointment, if you or your children are not comfortable, don’t hesitate to move on.

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

Received all on four implants and ready to smoke my cigars again.

By All-on-4 Dental Implants

Hello, I am a social cigar smoker. I am one of the committee members for a local cigar club. Our group also attends regional events. On 10/2 I received all on four implants. I quit cigar smoking three weeks before I got the implants.That was the best I could do. I am told that I have to continue without smoking through the healing process. We have another event coming up for the holidays and I want to be a participant not an onlooker. My dentist said that I need to give it more time before I start smoking again. I want an answer independent from my dentist. Is this really necessary? T.D.

T.D. – Smoking will affect the healing process of your All on 4 dental implants. It can even cause the implants to fail completely. During the two to six month healing process for the implants to become fully anchored in the bone, smoking should be avoided. There are several good reasons:

  • Slower healing – Smoking reduces the oxygen supply in your blood and slows the healing process. It will make it more difficult for your jawbone to heal around your implants, which can lead to implant failure.
  • Inflammation – When you smoke during the healing process, the area around the implants can become inflamed and pockets of pus can develop. The inflammation can interfere with the healing process or completely prevent healing.
  • Increased risk of infection – Smoking can increase the risk of infection in the area of the implants. Your body will have difficulty fighting the infection and the implants can fail.
  • Reduced effectiveness of medication – Smoking inhibits the effects of antibiotics prescribed to help fight infection. If an infection is not eliminated, the risk for losing the implants increases.

Refraining from smoking during the healing process is best to ensure that your implants are successful.

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

I have oligodontia and missing 9 adult teeth. See a dentist or prosthodontist?

By Dental Implants, Prosthodontist

I have oligodontia and am missing 9 adult teeth. When I was a child, my parent could not afford the dental care that I needed. Now that I have my own job and dental insurance I am going to get the work I need done in phases. That’s what I can afford. I don’t have a lot of experience with dentists because as I mentioned, we couldn’t afford dental care when I was young. Is the tooth replacement something that a general dentist can do? I found information about prosthodontists, then I found your website. Thanks. Rob G.

Rob – Prosthodontists have received post-graduate training to specialize in the replacement and restoration of missing teeth. Oligodontia, the term for congenitally missing six or more adult teeth, can be very effectively treated by a specialist who has been trained in tooth restoration. When five or fewer teeth are missing, the condition is referred to as hypodontia.

In addition to missing teeth, people who have this condition often have small teeth, their jawbone may be smaller than normal, and permanent teeth may erupt late. Most general dentists have limited, if any, training in this area.

When hypodontia or oligodontia is detected at an early age, as the parents’ budget permits, planning begins early. Dental implants are placed after jawbone grown is complete, in the late teen years.

The placement of your dental implants requires a thorough examination, careful planning, and possible bone grafting to support dental implants. An experienced prosthodontist will beautifully restore your teeth. The prosthodontist will openly communicate with your general dentist and keep him or her informed of the treatment plan and your progress.

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

Severe toothache but dentist says it’s fine. Am I crazy or is she?

By Toothache

I had a mild toothache that started early this month. The pain increased significantly by mid-month so I made an appointment with my dentist. She examined the tooth, took an x-ray and said everything is fine. No prescription, no follow-up appointment, nothing. So I made a second appointment last week. When she came into the exam room and saw it was me again she shook her head and sighed. She said she would write me a prescription for pain but nothing is wrong with my tooth. So what is the prescription for? Anyway, I told her that I want to know what’s wrong with my tooth not get drugged up with pain meds. Well my tooth still hurts. Could she really think that I have a severe toothache and nothing at all is wrong? I know I’m not the crazy one. Appreciate your help. Tish

Tish – We are not certain why you received this response from your dentist. If you have severe lingering pain in your tooth, the tooth is likely infected and abscessed. An abscess is an infection at the root of your tooth. The infection needs to be cleaned out so it won’t continue to spread into the bone and beyond. Later, the tooth will be protected with a porcelain crown.

Make an appointment with another dentist. He or she will see you right away.

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

Will insurance pay for a tooth implant if I get somebody to knock out my tooth?

By Dental Implants, Insurance

I have a tooth next to my right front tooth that I hate the way it looks. I want an implant to replace the tooth. I am trying to think of a way to get insurance to pay for it so it will be looked at as something I really need and not just for looks. If I pick a fight with one of my homies and get him to knock it out will insurance pay for the implant? J.

J – It is not a good idea to intentionally have a tooth knocked out. You can do much more damage than you want. You can end up causing damage to your face, jaw, or other teeth.

Even when you legitimately lose a tooth, insurance will cover the least expensive forms of tooth replacement—a dental bridge or a partial denture. Some insurance companies provide limited benefits for dental implants.

If you don’t like the appearance of your tooth, a porcelain crown can be made to cover it and give it the appearance that you want. It will look like a natural tooth and people won’t be able to tell the difference.

A prosthodontist who is experienced in cosmetic dentistry can restore your tooth and give you the smile you want with much less pain than you having someone knock it out for you.

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

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