Lexington dental implants Archives

The Best Temporary Restoration Before Dental Implants for Teens

Posted on June 26, 2019 by writeradmin.

I’m concerned about something my dentist has been having trouble with. She’s got a congenitally missing tooth which we eventually plan on placing a dental implant on. She’s not old enough yet and I understand that. Originally, our dentist bonded a Maryland Bridge on with zirconia wings. They fell off. She tried a different type of cement and it fell off again. Now she wants us to come in to do it again with metal wings. Here’s my concern. She’s at a tender age. Will the metal wings make her teeth look different? I don’t want her insecure.

Marcia

Dear Marcia,

You are right to be concerned, for a few reasons. Your dentist doesn’t quite understand how a Maryland Bridge works. If she did, she wouldn’t consider it a good temporary replacement for your daughter.

In order for this type of bridge to be properly bonded, the tooth needs some groves made for proper preparation. The reason your daughter’s bridge kept falling out is not because of the type of cement or the type of wings. It was because of inadequate preparation of the tooth.

However, this isn’t what you want for your daughter. One of the many benefits of dental implants is that you don’t have to damage any of the structure of the adjacent teeth.

I’m going to recommend instead your daughter gets a dental flipper. This is can look very natural and will serve your daughter well. Even if they need clips, they won’t be visible.

When Your Daughter is Ready for her Dental Implant

Once your daughter is ready for her dental implant, I want you to be prepared ahead of time for a couple of important precautions to take.

First, make sure you go to see a dentist who has training in placing dental implants. Be sure to ask where they received their training. You’ll also want to know how many procedures they’ve done and what their success rate is, which should be at least 98%.

Secondly, because it is a visible tooth, you want to make sure the dentist is an experienced and artistic cosmetic dentist. Matching a single porcelain crown to other teeth requires expertise. You want her false tooth to match with the rest of them. You can check the mynewsmile.com website to find qualified cosmetic dentists in your area.

This blog is brought to you by Lexington Dentist Dr. Fred Arnold.

Premedication for Dental Implants

Posted on April 10, 2019 by writeradmin.

I’m getting mixed messages from dentists. About seven years ago I had a hip replaced. I’ve had no problems with it. Now I’m looking into getting a dental implant. I’ve been to two dentists for consultations. One feels strongly I need to be pre-treated with antibiotics because of my hip replacement in order to have the dental implant surgery. The other thinks that is unnecessary. Is there one answer that is correct?

Liv

Dear Liv,

Either philosphy is fine. However, I’d like you to understand the thinking behind both philosophies.

Until 2012, both the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) and the American Dental Association (ADA) recommended that anyone with hip replacements that is in need of invasive dental treatment (including dental cleanings) should be pre-treated with antibiotics.

The theory behind it was bacteria could be introduced during the procedure which could invade and infect the area where you had surgery. It was a means of protection.

However, in 2012, both organizations have since said there is not enough evidence to make that an across the board requirement. This essentially leaves it up to the patient and dentist.

Infection and Dental Implants

When done by an experienced implant dentist, there is usually a 98% success rate. That’s very good. That last 2% falls in there because sometimes everything can go perfectly, but your body just rejects the implant.

Whether or not you get pre-treated with antibiotics is up to you. Either way, it’s important you keep an eye on the implant site during the healing and integration process. The leading cause of dental implant failure is infection.

At the first sign of any issue, you need to have your dentist look at it and evaluate whether or not an antibiotic is warranted. Don’t wait until there is a full blown infection and you now have a dental emergency on your hands.

This blog is brought to you by Lexington, KY Dentist Dr. Fred Arnold.

Is a CT Really Necessary for Dental Implants?

Posted on January 10, 2019 by writeradmin.

I’m trying to choose between two dentists for getting dental implants. It’s on a top front tooth. One says if I don’t get a CT scan, I’m asking for dental implant failure or other problems. The other dentist says it is unnecessary and expensive. I don’t want to waste money, but I also don’t want to have dental implant failure.

Help!
Linda

Dear Linda,

I’m glad you are checking. I would say the CT scan is extremely important. This is especially true with where your dental implant is being placed. The advantages of a CT scan is it gives a 3D view of the layout for this procedure.

I can’t tell you how many people have ended up with their dental implant perforating the sinus cavity because the dentist didn’t have a great image of the area. I’m a little concerned about the second dentist’s attitude. And if he always does dental implant placement without a CT scan and has never hit a sinus cavity, my guess is he uses shorter implants to prevent that possibility. While you may think that is no big deal, the smaller implants don’t hold up as well.

Good implant dentists care very much what type of implant fixtures they use. Some dentists will buy cheap fixtures to save money. They’ll either charge less to draw in patients or charge the same as other implant dentists to increase their profits. The big problem with using these fixtures is things don’t usually go wrong until later. The patient will have no idea what caused their implant failure.

If you want the safest option, I’d go with the first dentist.

Dental Implants and Teeth Whitening

There are some aesthetics to consider here with it being a front tooth you are replacing. You’ll want to make sure whoever makes your implant is an expert cosmetic dentist. Matching a single crown to a front tooth is something only the best cosmetic dentists can do well. Look for a dentist who is accredited with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry.

A second consideration is the current color of your teeth. The color your crown is made is permanent. If you plan on whitening your teeth in the near future, it makes more sense for you to bleach your teeth before the crown is made. That way you won’t have to replace the crown to match the whiter color. Dental work doesn’t whiten, only natural tooth color.

This blog is brought to you by Lexington Dentist Dr. Fred Arnold.

Dentist Refuses Dental Implants to Smoker

Posted on November 15, 2018 by writeradmin.

I thought you couldn’t refuse service to someone because of prejudice. I went to a dentist who is known for doing dental implants in my area and he said he doesn’t treat smokers and to “come back when I’ve quit.” Is that legal?

Brent

Dear Brent,

While I’m sure you feel you’re being discriminated against, your dentist likely feels like he’s protecting you. Even surgeons will sometimes deny patients a surgery if they feel their body isn’t healthy enough to handle the surgery. They don’t want to put the patient at risk.

When you are a smoker, it puts you at a serious risk of dental implant failure. There are two reasons for that. The first is gum disease. Smokers are at a much higher risk of gum disease than other patients. If you develop gum disease you will definitely not be a candidate for dental implants. They will fall out.

Gum disease causes a lot of problems including tooth loss. Without that being healed you will lose your implants too. A less ethical dentist would go ahead and give you the dental implants and by the time they failed, you’d never know why and the dentist would happily put your money in the bank.

A second issue with smoking is the decline of blood flow in your gums. When you smoke, there isn’t as much circulation in your gums. This makes healing more challenging and often leads to infections. Though many dental implant cases are successful when done with an experienced, skilled implant dentist, infection is the leading cause of failure.

This dentist is trying to protect you from being a statistic and spending all that time and money on a failed solution.

Options for Smokers

If you have no desire to quit smoking, you’ll need to look at alternative treatments unless you want to risk it with a dentist willing to give you implants anyway.

One alternative would be for you to get a dental bridge. This will only be useful if you’re not talking about replacing too many teeth.

If you need quite a few replaced, your next option would be to get a removable partial denture. Obviously, these aren’t as secure, but they will give you false teeth.

This blog is brought to you by Lexington Dentist Dr. Fred Arnold.

Dentist Says there’s Not Enough Bone for Dental Implants

Posted on September 22, 2018 by writeradmin.

I have three missing front teeth. I want to get dental implants, but my dentist says there’s not enough bone there and I should get a removable partial denture. I want solid front teeth. Is there any way around this?

Cato

Dear Cato,

I’m not sure why your dentist didn’t mention the possibility of bone grafting for you. It could be he’s not skilled with dental implants so he’s steering you more toward his strengths. However, bone can be built up through a simple procedure. After that time, you should be able to get the dental implants you’re hoping for.

Some Tips When Getting Dental Implants on Front Teeth

This first tip goes with ANY dental implants. This is an advanced procedure. It’s important that you find an experienced implant dentist. One with lots of post-graduate training and the success rate to back it up. You shouldn’t settle for less than a 98% success rate.

Because you’re talking about front teeth, it will be important that you work with a good cosmetic dentist as well for the creation of the implant crowns. In your place, I’d want an expert cosmetic dentist, preferably someone who is AACD accredited. They’ll give you stunning looking crowns that blend in naturally with your teeth.

If you’re hoping for a white smile, you’ll need to make sure you whiten your teeth before the implant crowns are made. Once they’re done, the color can’t be changed. You want it to match before hand. You’ll end up getting new teeth and a smile makeover.

It sounds like your dentist can’t provide this for you. But that doesn’t mean you have to switch dentists permanently. You can go to a qualified dentist to get your dental implants done and then return to your dentist for your regular care.

This blog is brought to you by Lexington Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Fred Arnold.

Dental Implant Disaster Leads to Dentist Jailed

Posted on July 11, 2018 by writeradmin.

I’m wondering how I can protect myself from a similar situation that I read in the news about a dentist jailed after giving a woman distastrous dental implants. I’ve been considering getting dental implants and now I’m having second thoughts. Is there a way to avoid getting a dentist like this?

Lucy

Dear Lucy,

I understand your concern. Truthfully, the news can be a frightening place sometimes. You’re probably talking about the Mansueto Case, a dentist practicing after he lost his license. He received four years in jail. To put your mind at ease, this was a very rare case and there were some major red flags. Though a victim is never to be blamed and this man must have been very charming and convincing, there are some awareness issues that could have prevented this.

Red Flag #1: Patients Came to His Home

A professional dentist doesn’t invite people to his home for their dental work. Even consultations would be done at the office.

Red Flag #2: He Took Patients Out of the Country

Somehow he convinced his patients to go over the border with him for treatment. In this case, it was Tijuana. My guess is he told them he could save them a ton of money doing it outside of U.S. borders because of all our regulations and high-end products. That is true. You can get cheaper dental care elsewhere and there is a whole dental tourism industry going on right now. But, the results are often disastrous, as was this case.

Mexico is one example. There are no sanitizing guidelines for dentists. It’s up to them to decide what procedures, if any, they take to sanitize their equipment between patients. We’ve heard of patients coming back from there with massive infections and cheap implanted teeth that just snap in half in a few months. Often, patients have zero recourse because it was all done out of the country.

Staying Safe with Dental Implants

Check your dentists credentials.

First, if you’re not familiar with the dentist, there is a website, put out by Illinois, to check a dentist’s licensing and whether there’s been any action taken against them, regardless of the state you’re in. Your state may have one as well, specific to local dentists.

Look for a “specialist”

I put specialist in quotations because there isn’t a recognized specialty in implantology. Instead, dentists have to put forth extra effort post-graduate to get the additional training and practice to become an expert in dental implants. Do not hesitate to ask them what training they have in dental implants, as well as the number of cases they’ve done and their success rate. That should be somewhere around 98%. If they balk at answering any of those questions, I’d move on.

Look at their implant cases

They should have a smile gallery of sorts which shows the cosmetic results of the procedures they’ve done. The last thing you want is a successful dental implant surgery with ugly implant crowns at the top. They need to be a skilled cosmetic dentist as well. For instance, Dr. Arnold is an accredited fellow with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. This means he’s one of the top cosmetic dentists in the world.

Trust your gut

If something seems off to you, go with that. Always follow your instincts when you are dealing with these type of situations.

I hope this helps put your mind at ease. This blog is brought to you by Dr. Fred Arnold. Dr. Arnold offers online consultations for people who want to explore their treatment options before scheduling an appointment.

Three Surgeries…No Dental Implant

Posted on May 26, 2018 by writeradmin.

I lost a tooth and planned on getting a dental implant. My dentist has done the procedure many times with great success so I felt fairly confident. When he attempted the first surgery he realized I didn’t have enough bone structure. He told me I’d need some bone grafting done for it to be successful. I went ahead and had the bone grafting procedure done. Then we tried again for procedure number three. Yet, when he went in again the bone was still too thin. He said it seems like I may be a better candidate for a dental bridge. Is it the dentist failing or am I not a candidate?

Daphne

Dear Daphne,

As you see from the image above, your implant needs the surrounding bone to secure it. That’s why your dentist emphasized the need for the bone grafting. Truthfully, you probably could have had your dental implant if you’d had a dentist more experienced. You still can. Bear in mind, there is not a recognized specialty in implantology. Before we go into what type of dentist to look for, I want to address your current dentist.

I don’t want you to feel too negatively about it. It sounds to me like he has a lot of experience in placing dental implants, but is new to the bone grafting procedure. That’s okay. Every dentist is new at a procedure at some point. And you have a dentist who is consistently improving his knowledge and skill base. That’s a great quality in a medical practitioner.

You also have a dentist with integrity. Some dentists would have placed the dental implant following the bone grafting procedure even though it wasn’t ideal. Then, when your implant failed a few years down the road you’d have no idea why. His integrity prevented that.

Finding an Expert Dental Implant Provider

If you’re tired of dealing with this, a dental bridge is a perfectly acceptable solution to replacing a single tooth. However, if you have your heart set on getting an implant it is still possible. In your case, because you already know you need bone grafting, you will need to find a dentist not just skilled in placing implant, but also very practiced and successful in grafting.

Start by checking out their post-graduate implant training and any awards and fellowships they have in their field. Don’t hesitate to ask about their success rate in both implants and grafting. No truly experienced dentist would be offended by your questions. You don’t just let anyone perform surgery on you.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Fred Arnold.

Dental Implants Turned My Gums Gray

Posted on March 5, 2018 by writeradmin.

I have been very excited to have dental implants. It’s been fantastic to have my bite back. I can even eat steak again. The only thing I’m concerned about is some of my gums look like they’ve turned gray. Do you know what’s going on? Is it an infection?

Ben C.

Dear Ben,

I haven’t examined you, but I don’t think it’s an infection based on your description. An infected implant would be causing you some pain. You certainly wouldn’t be able to eat steak with it. All that is a good sign.

My suspicion is you happen to be someone with thin gum tissue. A good cosmetic dentist or even an expert implant dentist will take that into consideration and make sure to place the dental implants in a way that won’t be visible through the gum tissue. That sounds like something your dentist neglected.

Neglecting proper placement of the implants can result in recession of your gums. In your place, I would talk to an expert in dental implants. They can tell you what options you have.

When Dental Implants are Placed Incorrectly

As it’s quite an advanced procedure there’s a lot which can wrong. When you get your second opinion, if it turns out they were placed improperly, it’s not hopeless. You will be able to eat steak again. It can be fixed. Your first implant dentist should refund your money so that you’ll be in a position to get this fixed.

When implants have to be replaced, you generally need bone grafting done first so that you have enough bone to retain the implants. It’s a simple one-day procedure. This would also be a good chance for you to decide if you love the way your implant crowns look. If not, you can get those replaced as well.

You didn’t mention if you had a full set of implants placed or just a few in various places. If you’ve got a mixture of natural teeth and implants be aware that if you ever want to whiten your teeth, only your natural tooth structure will whiten. So I would have your teeth whitened before having any implant crowns replaced. That way the crowns can be matched to your whiter color.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Fred Arnold.

Are Dental Implants or Removable Partials More Attractive?

Posted on December 20, 2017 by writeradmin.

I’ve got a removable partial denture on the two teeth to the left of my very front teeth. I’ve never liked it. First, there’s the anxiety of people knowing it’s fake by it coming off. But, it doesn’t look just like my regular teeth. I was thinking about switching to dental implants. They’re much more expensive though. Before I make that kind of investment I’m hoping to know whether or not they can look more natural than my current replacements. Can they be beautiful?

Bella L.

Dear Bella,

I am sorry you’ve been uncomfortable with your tooth replacement, especially because they’re in such a visible place. How we feel about our smiles often affects our public confidence, which in turn affects our level of success. First and foremost, I want to give you hope. You can have a gorgeous smile. But, I don’t think you’ll get it from your current dentist.

I say that without even knowing who your dentist is because of how you described your partial dentures. It doesn’t matter which tooth replacement option you get—dental implants, removable partial dentures, a dental bridge, or even a full denture—they can be made to look natural and beautiful. Your dentist didn’t do that with your removables. There’s no evidence getting a more expensive procedure will suddenly make him care about aesthetics.

Finding the Right Dental Implant Dentist

You need two things out of your implant dentist: 1. skill in this advanced procedure 2. An artistic expertise in cosmetic dentistry. The first skill affects the outcome of the implant itself. The second affects the look of the implant crowns. Will it look natural and beautiful?

As for the technical skill. make sure they’ve invested post-graduate training in implants. Don’t hesitate to ask them how many of these procedures they do a year. What’s their success percentage? If it’s not about 95% or higher you should look for a different dentist for this particular procedure.

When you’re choosing a dentist to create a beautiful smile, ideally you’ll want to find a dentist who is accredited with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. These are the top cosmetic dentists in the country. When they create the crowns for your dental implants, they won’t just look natural. They’ll be gorgeous. In fact, almost all of them have a beautiful smile guarantee.

Because of that potential, you may want to consider whether or not you’d like a complete smile makeover. This is useful if there are things about your smile that bothers you. Things you dream about changing or, if you find yourself trying to hide your smile. In that case, it’s worth it (especially if you have an AACD accredited dentist) to get porcelain veneers along with your implants. Then not only will you have stable implants that look natural, but you’ll have a smile that brings you confidence and look forward to sharing with the world around you.

Can I Start Smoking Again Now That I Have My Implant Crown?

Posted on August 8, 2017 by writeradmin.

My dentist would not allow me to get dental implants until I quit smoking. I did, but I have to tell you it was distressingly hard. Going out with my friends became stressful instead of fun. They always smoke and I had to stand there and try hard not to. I’ve gone through the healing period and just got my implant crown. I’m hoping I can start smoking now that all of that is done. Is that okay? I don’t really want to ask my dentist because he keeps telling me how proud he is that I’ve stopped smoking and I’m embarrassed for him to know that I’m starting back.

Stanley H.

Dear Stanley,

It’s fantastic that you made the effort to quit smoking. It greatly increases your chances of a successful procedure. While the healing time span is the most vulnerable, smoking affects your dental implant outcome throughout their lifetime. I’ll list out the risks associated with your implants and smoking and let you make the decision. However, if you do start smoking again, your dentist will know even if you don’t ‘fess up. There are too many signs in your mouth for him not to know.

Here are the risks:

Restricted blood flow: When you smoke, it inhibits the amount of oxygen rich blood available to you. This can lead to a series of problems.
Higher occurrences of gum disease: Smokers have a much higher than normal rate of gum disease. This can be catastrophic to your implants for the following reasons:
- Inflammation: Gum disease causes your gums to swell and bleed. This often leads to infection, which is one of the leading causes of dental implant failure.
- Bone Loss: Gum disease leads to loss of healthy bone in your jaw, which is what anchors the implant. If that progresses, it won’t take long for your implants to just fall out.

You’re an adult, so obviously need to make your own choices. But, you worked so hard to get these implants. I’d hate to see you sabotage everything you’ve accomplished. Quitting smoking is one of the hardest addictions to get past, but I’m confident based on what you’ve done so far you’re someone who’s capable of getting past these rough spots and taking control of your body and health.

It’s a miserable feeling being dependent on something. Think of the freedom you’ll have (and the money you’ll save) when you get past the worst of it. Plus, you’ll get to keep your gorgeous new smile.

If you lose these implants, you’ll not only have to start over but will need expensive bone grafting in order to anchor them. Otherwise, you’ll be left with the option of dentures, which are much less pleasant to live with.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Fred Arnold.