4 Things every dental implant patient needs to know when considering treatment.

Dental implants are the standard of care for tooth replacement and can provide you with life-altering results! Before embarking on a dental implant surgical procedure, here are the 4 things that every patient should know.
Why did you lose your teeth?
Your practitioner must evaluate why you lost your teeth to accurately assess if you would be a good candidate for dental implants. A dental implant is a human-made root surgically placed into your jaw bone. The bone has to grow around the implant, to secure it into your jaw. This process is called osseous integration. Osseous integration requires a healthy candidate for ideal healing. If you have active periodontal (gum) disease, then you are not an ideal candidate for dental implants until that disease is better controlled. Your dental professional may recommend non-surgical periodontal therapy, surgical procedures or even a combination of both to eliminate active periodontal disease before your implant surgery. After a period of healing and maintenance, you dental professionals determine when you are ready to take the necessary steps toward implant surgery.

Systemic Health
Your dental professionals may ask questions about your medical health, and as well as the medications that you take, patients often wonder why their medical health is related to their dental health. Science has taught us that many medical conditions are directly related to our oral health, this is called the oral-systemic link. Multiple health conditions and medications affect the outcome of dental procedures, especially surgical treatments. It is imperative to provide your dental professionals with a comprehensive medical history and medication list. A good practice is to have a card in your wallet of the list of medications that you take regularly; prescribed and over the counter. Being well informed about your medical and medication history allows your dental professional to provide you with safe, thorough care. Many medications can affect the jaw bone and compromise the long-term success of implant dentistry. Uncontrolled autoimmune diseases and smoking can compromise and restrict the predictability of implant surgical procedures and prolong post-operative healing.

Are 3D Scans a Scam?
The dental implant industry has gone through great evolutionary growth since its inception in the 1950's. The technological growth of digital dentistry has enabled practitioners to yield even more predictable results for patients. Digital planning is a crucial component to long-term successful dental implant outcomes. A 3D scan, also known as Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT), is essential in the planning phase of your dental implant treatment. Using this technology allows your dental implant team to precisely plan both the surgical and restorative phases of your treatment. The placement of your implant fixture and the final restoration, or prosthetic, is planned with digital planning software. Fabricating surgical guides or stents from CBCT is a crucial step in the surgical planning phase; this technology enables your surgeon precise surgical implant fixture placement rather than performing the surgery freehand. Many dental implant failures result from poor surgical placement. Although it may be an additional cost to have a CBCT to plan your implant case, it is a worthy investment.

Post-Treatment Compliance
A critical factor in the success of your dental implant is the maintenance phase. Even though your dental implants are made of titanium and are not susceptible to decay, they are placed in your jaw bone and are surrounded by gingiva, (gum tissue) which is vulnerable to the many different strains of bacteria present in your mouth. It is imperative to follow the prescribed home care recommendations from your dental professional, using specialty brushes for implant dentistry and regular professional preventative maintenance.

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Back to school preparation can be a tedious task!   There are so many items to purchase for the upcoming school year, schedule to plan for the fall and getting to all your doctor’s appointments before school begins.

When planning your back to school check list, don’t forget about your dental preventative care appointment.  Preventative care is more than “getting your teeth cleaned.”  At NJDC we believe in a thorough approach to dental prevention starting with reviewing your medical history, assessing your oral health, performing multiple screenings for oral cancer and dental diseases, and creating a custom care plan to suite your dental needs for the best long term dental health.

Furthermore, our dedicated team at NJDC believes in the link between oral health and systemic health; regular preventative care appointments can help impact your body’s ability to stay healthy.

Don’t forget to include scheduling your preventative dental care appointment on your back to school check list!  Call us to schedule your appointment today!  (973)627-7934      

Did you know that certain foods, when eaten, will help to keep your teeth clean? They are known as “detergent foods.” Think of them as the closest you can get to brushing your teeth, especially if you’re on the go and can’t actually brush for a while.

Ideally, detergent foods should be the last items you consume during a meal for the best results. A healthy diet is vital for oral health as well as your overall physical health, but here are some special foods that can help keep your teeth and mouth clean and healthy:

• Carrots
• Apples
• Celery sticks
• Cucumbers
• Pears
• Lettuce
• Cheese

It’s easy to see that most of these are firm and crisp. Biting into them exerts a “scrubbing” action on your teeth and gums. Cheese, on the other hand, helps to return the pH in your mouth to 7.0, which is the balance between acidic and basic.

Foods to Avoid

You should avoid foods full of carbohydrates (sugar), which feed the bacteria in your mouth and thereby create an acidic environment, which in turn increases the chance of cavities and decay. Cookies, cakes, breads, crackers, and soft drinks are among the worst offenders. Sticky candy and dried fruits tend to cling to your teeth and encourage the growth of bacteria as well.

When you eat is almost as important as what you eat. Take drinking soda, for example. If you drink it all in one sitting instead of sipping it throughout the day, your saliva can do its job and neutralize your mouth’s pH.

Sugar that is consumed throughout the day creates the perfect environment in your mouth for bacteria to flourish.

Using Detergent Foods

If you know you won’t be able to brush after a meal, save an apple, celery, or carrot sticks to eat at the very end. This will act as your “natural toothbrush” until you are able to brush and floss your teeth properly. It’s also a good idea to incorporate these foods as snacks throughout the day.

Don’t forget, however, that these foods are not a replacement for brushing, flossing, and regular cleanings at our office. You still need good dental hygiene regardless of what you eat!

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