Charmaine Johnson DDS Premier Smile Center

There are several ways to replace missing teeth, but many patients lean toward a dental bridge as their chosen dental restoration. A natural-looking tooth replacement solution, dental bridges are a well-established dental repair that, with proper care and upkeep, can last for a lifetime.

You don’t need to have any major oral health issues going on to consider the benefits of restorative dentistry for your smile. In fact, your teeth and gums may be in excellent condition or you could be doing just fine with your existing repairs and you can still benefit from the transformation of dental restorations. Here are just some of the signs that can make you a great candidate for restorative dentistry.

Dental implants have a very high survival rate. However, even though you will not get a cavity on an implant, you can still get gum disease. Bacteria on the gums that cause gingivitis attack the gums and the bone around the implant. 

Unlike natural teeth, dental implants do not have ligament surrounding it. Consequently, there is direct contact between bone and implant surface.

Plaque The most notable risk factor for peri-implant disease is poor plaque control. 

Previous Periodontal Disease Prospective studies have shown that patients with a history of generalized aggressive periodontitis are more susceptible to peri-implantitis.

Heavy bites Grinding and clenching cause stress on teeth and implants

Diabetes Just as periodontitis is more common in persons with diabetes, poor sugar control is also associated with peri-implant disease. There is increased inflammation in the gum tissue with patients with diabetes. In addition, the blood vessels in the gum tissue constrict more and there is poor blood supply.

Smoking Smoking causes the blood vessels in the gum and bone to constrict and reduce the blood supply to the tissues.

Toothbrushes In general, electro-mechanical toothbrushes have been shown to be more effective in plaque removal than manual toothbrushes.

Mouthwashes There is robust evidence that mouthwash formulations containing chlorhexidine and essential oils have statistically significant antiplaque and antigingivitis activity.42 The same meta-analysis also concluded that the anti-plaque and anti-gingivitis effects of cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) mouthwashes are formulation- dependent. 

Missing a tooth? If you’re considering dental implants and you have more questions about how to properly care for them. Contact Premiere Smile Center in Fort Lauderdale and schedule an appointment with Dr. Johnson.

When it comes to replacing a missing tooth, both a dental implant and bridge are great options however, we want to discuss the differences between the two.

A dental implant is a permanent titanium screw placed in your jaw that acts as the “root” of your tooth and anchors the replacement tooth in place.  The major advantage is that because it mimics a natural tooth, it manages to maintain the bone and tissue and preserve the area in a similar fashion.  They act like natural teeth, so you can bite and chew with confidence.

Implants don’t require any special treatment either for cleaning.  Simply brush and floss as normal to keep the implants clean and healthy.  The potential drawback is the timespan of the procedure as after the implant is surgically placed, it requires three months to heal prior to placing your final crown.  During this time, a temporary cap is placed to protect the implant. 

A dental bridge replaces your missing tooth by anchoring a replacement tooth to your natural teeth on either side of the space for support.  The primary advantage is the timespan of the procedure as it can be completed in a couple of weeks.  However, the disadvantage is that it requires removing tooth structure of the neighboring teeth that may otherwise be in healthy condition.  It also does not protect the bone structure of the missing tooth and therefore you’re at more risk for loss of bone in that area over time.  Dental bridges also require high maintenance to keep clean, using a special floss threader frequently to get beneath the bridge and remove debris and bacteria.    

Other factors such as health history, presence of adequate bone etc. must be taken into account and a proper exam is needed to decide which option is best for you and your unique needs.

See our subsequent blog post 8 Things You Need to Know About Dental Implants to learn more.

If you’re missing a tooth or several teeth, then let’s talk about the best option for you. Schedule an appointment at Premier Smile Center in Fort Lauderdale to learn more.

If you’ve long lived with missing teeth and never done anything about it because you dreaded the idea of dentures, it’s time to get to know dental implants. This wonderful dental restoration completes your smile so your mouth looks, feels, and works better than ever.

Here are just eight things you need to know about dental implants:

1. Permanent: Once an implant is placed in your jaw, the healing process gives it time to fuse with the bone for good. A properly healed implant works so well that it doesn’t feel like anything – it’s simply part of your smile.
2. Titanium: The artificial tooth root of the implant is made of titanium, an incredibly strong, long-lasting solution for tooth replacement. Only you will ever know this, however. The implant is below the gumline and not visible.
3. Prosthetics: The fake tooth that is eventually attached to the implant is either a crown, dental bridge or denture.
4. Quantity: You can use a dental implant to replace just one tooth, but you don’t need a dental implant for every tooth being replaced, especially if you’re replacing an entire arch of top or bottom teeth. In many cases, just four implants are needed to fully complete your smile. Teeth in One Day or the All-On-4 procedure involves the attachment of a dental bridge or denture to the implants.
5. Natural: Not only do finished dental implants look natural, they feel natural too. They act like natural teeth, so you can bite and chew with confidence. Teeth don’t require any special treatment either for cleaning. Simply brush and floss as normal to keep the implants clean and healthy, and see your Fort Lauderdale dentist regularly for check-ups and cleanings.
6. Candidates: Modern innovations to the dental implant process have made it possible for nearly all patients to take advantage of dental implants, even if they have poor bone quality or health issues like diabetes.
7. Preservation: Implants not only replace missing teeth, they do hard work under the gumline too, stimulating the jawbone and doing the work that a natural tooth root would be doing. This prevents the sunken look that can occur for people who have many missing teeth.
8. Confidence: It’s difficult to fully quantify the benefits of dental implants, but one of the biggest benefits of this treatment is the confidence that comes from having a complete smile again. Patients who get implants can speak, eat, and smile without worrying about the condition of their teeth or what might happen in the middle of a meal or conversation.

If you’re ready to talk about completing your smile and learn more about dental implants, contact Dr. Charmaine Johnson at Premier Smile Center, your dentist near Fort Lauderdale to learn more and schedule a visit. Your complimentary consultation or teledentistry visit will include an oral examination, a discussion of your goals and concerns, and a review of all viable treatment options.