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Our Smile Blog

Posts for: March, 2014

By Signature Smiles Dental Care, Ltd
March 24, 2014
Category: Oral Health
Tags: loose dentures  
LooseDenturesCouldLeadtoFurtherBoneLoss

There’s no dispute in most cases that dental implants are superior to removable dentures as a restoration for missing teeth. One area in particular is the effect a removable denture can have on remaining bone and other structures of the mouth, especially if their fit becomes loose.

If you’re a denture wearer, you probably know that loose dentures are a major problem, one that can worsen the longer you wear them. The denture compresses the gum tissue it rests upon to produce forces that are more detrimental than what the jaw normally receives from natural teeth. The underlying bone will begin to dissolve (resorb) under these compressive forces. This in turn changes the dynamic of the denture’s fit in the mouth, and you’ll begin to notice the fit becoming looser over time.

The loose fit can be remedied with either the production of a new denture that updates the fit to the current structure of your jawbone or by relining the existing denture with new material. Relining can be done as a temporary measure with material added to the denture during your visit to the office, or as a more permanent solution in which the material is added at a dental laboratory. With the latter option, you would be without your dentures for at least a day or more.

Even if dental implants for multiple teeth aren’t feasible for you financially, you do have other options. With one particular option, the removable lower denture can be held in place and supported by two strategically placed implants. Not only can this lessen the risk of developing a loose fitting denture, it may also alleviate most of the compression on the gum tissue and reduce the rate of bone resorption. The result is better function for eating and speaking and often a boost in self-confidence, as well as many more years of effective wear from your dentures by limiting bone loss.

If you would like more information on the effects and treatment of loose dentures, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Loose Dentures.”


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By Signature Smiles Dental Care, Ltd
March 21, 2014
Category: Oral Health
Tags: oral cancer  
KickingtheTobaccoChewingHabitaMustforLong-TermHealth

Chewing tobacco, especially among young athletes, is considered fashionable — the “cool” thing to do. Many erroneously think it’s a safe alternative to smoke tobacco — it is, in fact, the source of numerous health problems that could ultimately lead to disfigurement or even death.

Chewing or dipping tobacco is especially linked with the sport of baseball. Its traditions in baseball go back to the late Nineteenth Century when players chewed to keep their mouths moist on dusty fields. The habit hit its greatest stride after the surgeon general’s warning on cigarettes in the late 1950s. Now, players wishing to emulate their major league heroes are prone to take up chewing tobacco at an early age.

But the habit comes with a price tag. Individuals who chew tobacco are more susceptible to oral problems like bad breath, mouth dryness, or tooth decay and gum disease. Users also increase their risk for sexual dysfunction, cardiopulmonary disease (including heart attack and stroke) and, most notably, oral cancer.

Derived from the same plant, chewing and smoke tobacco share a common trait — they both contain the highly addictive drug nicotine. Either type of user becomes addictive to the nicotine in the tobacco; and like smoking, a chewing habit can be very difficult to stop.

Fortunately, many of the same treatments and techniques for quitting smoking can also be useful to break a chewing habit. Nicotine replacement treatments like Zyban or Chantix have been shown effective with tobacco chewing habits. Substituting the activity with gum chewing (non-nicotine, and with the sweetener Xylitol), or even an herbal dip can also be helpful.

Like other difficult processes, it’s best not to try to quit on your own. You should begin your efforts to quit with a consultation with your doctor or dentist — they will be able to prescribe cessation medications and provide other suggestions for quitting. You may also find it helpful to visit a behavioral health counselor or attend a tobacco cessation support group.

Rather than just one approach, successful quitting usually works best with a combination of techniques or treatments, and perhaps a little trial and error. The important thing is not to give up: the improvements to your dental health — and life — are worth it.

If you would like more information on quitting chewing tobacco, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Quitting Chewing Tobacco.”


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By Signature Smiles Dental Care, Ltd
March 12, 2014
Category: Dental Procedures
Tags: orthodontics   braces  
ExtraCareisRequiredWhenTreatingTeenagersWithLostTeeth

Permanent tooth loss at any age greatly affects long-term oral health. But because their jaw and facial structures are still developing, it’s particularly consequential for adolescents. Add to that any planned orthodontic treatment, and a little extra care is warranted when a teenager loses a tooth.

The biggest concern is potential bone loss caused by the missing tooth. Because the mouth structures are still developing, bone loss can be especially problematic for any future restorations of missing teeth. One of the best ways to slow or stop bone loss is to surgically insert bone-grafting material at the time of an extraction. Bone grafts act as scaffolds that the body builds natural bone upon; eventually the natural bone completely replaces the graft material.

When it comes to the matter of orthodontics, the treatment plan will be to either close the space so that future tooth replacement isn’t necessary or maintain the space for future tooth replacement. If the choice is the latter, the orthodontist will maintain enough space during installation of the braces for future replacement. In the meantime, the orthodontist can install temporary, color-matched tooth replacements within the braces to cover the gap. After the braces have been removed, artificial crowns may also be incorporated into the retainers for a more natural appearance until receiving a permanent replacement.

The best choice for that permanent replacement is a dental implant, a “stand-alone” system that encourages bone maintenance and doesn’t interfere or impact adjacent teeth. The only real question for adolescents is when to install the implants.

The mouth’s structural development doesn’t conclude until early adulthood: in males around ages 20, and in females typically a year or so earlier. Your dentist will evaluate your adolescent’s growth and development to determine if he or she is ahead or behind the growth curve. Natural teeth grow and develop along with the corresponding bone growth, but implants are artificial devices that don’t “grow” with the natural bone. It’s important, therefore, to postpone an implant installation until the jaw structure has fully developed — if done too early, the implant crown’s length won’t appear to be proportionally right (especially in relation to natural teeth) as the jaw continues to grow.

If you would like more information on dental implants for teenagers, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Dental Implants for Teenagers.”


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By Signature Smiles Dental Care, Ltd
March 04, 2014
Category: Oral Health
KnowWhattodotoEaseYourChildOutoftheThumbSuckingHabit

Thumb or finger sucking is a normal activity for babies and young children — they begin the habit while still in the womb and may continue it well into the toddler stage. Problems with tooth development and alignment could arise, however, if the habit persists for too long.

It’s a good idea, then, to monitor your child’s sucking habits during their early development years. There are also a few things you can do to wean them off the habit before it can cause problems down the road.

  • Eliminate your child’s use of pacifiers by eighteen months of age. Studies have shown that the sucking action generated through pacifiers could adversely affect a child’s bite if they are used after the age of 2. Weaning your child off pacifiers by the time they are a year and a half old will reduce the likelihood of that occurring.
  • Encourage your child to stop thumb or finger sucking by age 3. Most children tend to stop thumb or finger sucking on their own between the ages of 2 and 4. As with pacifiers, if this habit continues into later childhood it could cause the upper front teeth to erupt out of position and tip toward the lip. The upper jaw also may not develop normally.
  • Replace your child’s baby bottle with a training cup around one year of age. Our swallowing mechanism changes as we grow; introducing your child to a training cup at around a year old will encourage them to transition from “sucking” to “sipping,” and make it easier to end the thumb or finger sucking habit.
  • Begin regular dental visits for your child by their first birthday. The Age One visit will help you establish a regular habit of long-term dental care. It’s also a great opportunity to evaluate your child’s sucking habits and receive helpful advice on reducing it in time.

While your child’s thumb or finger sucking isn’t something to panic over, it does bear watching. Following these guidelines will help your child leave the habit behind before it causes any problems.

If you would like more information on children’s thumb-sucking and its effect on dental development, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Thumb Sucking in Children.”


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