Month: February 2022

Dentures that can be removed for cleaning and oral hygiene are removable partial dentures that contain a pink or gum-colored base with replacement teeth attached. Metal frameworks often hold these dentures in place in the mouth.

An individual tooth or a few teeth can be replaced with partial dentures, but all the teeth in a jaw will be replaced by full dentures.

Types of Removable Partial Dentures
A cast metal partial denture and an acrylic flipper are the two most common types of removable partial dentures. You can also opt to wear flexible dentures instead. Read on to learn more about these devices.

• Cast Metal Partial Dentures: Alloys such as cobalt-chromium form the base of cast-metal partial dentures. By connecting to your natural teeth, the metal base stays in place. Alternatively, the framework could integrate less noticeable precision attachments. Metal attachments may or may not be visible, depending on the type of attachment.

• Acrylic Flippers: Acrylic flippers, on the other hand, come in a pink color and rest against the soft tissues of your mouth. These removable acrylic flippers can be worn by patients with progressive periodontitis who lose more teeth over time and need custom-made partial dentures as they age.

• Flexible Denture: Flexible dentures, made from a material called Valplast, are another option that is lightweight and attractive. Injection molding of this soft nylon compound fits each patient’s mouth precisely. 

In addition to dental implants and bridges, there are other options to replace a missing tooth. Both procedures are, however, more invasive and more expensive than partial denture fabrication.

Removable Partial Dentures: How to Care for Them
Take good care of your removable partial denture in order to maintain your oral health. Don’t brush Valplast partials as they may scratch the material. For conventional partials, rinse them and soak them in a denture solution overnight. Keep track of your dental appointments, and ensure you visit your dentist twice a year for regular checkups.
Schedule your appointment with a dentist today and get the treatment on time!

This dental treatment can save even an extremely damaged or infected tooth from falling out. Although the term “root canal” may send shivers down a patient’s spine, this treatment is relatively painless and highly efficient when modern techniques are used. In this article, we take a closer look at the three major steps in root canal treatment to delineate the process and what to expect if this tooth-salvaging procedure needs to be done.

The Importance of Root Canal Treatment

To discuss the various stages undertaken with such a treatment of the root canal, it becomes ever so proper to understand the logic that can relate to why such an intervention in the teeth could ever be necessary. Each tooth has a pulp leading the way, which is usually the soft tissue placed within. It contains blood vessels, nerves, and connective tissues.

Infection or inflammation of this pulp due to deep decay, probably some repeated dental procedures, or eventually even a crack in the tooth causes quite a lot of pain, and this might even lead to an abscess. Now, the procedure of root canal treatment is that the pulp is removed, and the interior of the tooth gets cleaned and sealed to protect it from further infection.

Now, let us look at the three stages of root canal treatment in detail.

Cleaning the Root Canal

The first step to root canal treatment is to remove the infected or damaged pulp and clean out the inside of your tooth. During this step, your dentist or endodontist will typically use local anesthesia to ensure you’re comfortable during the procedure.

After you are numb, your dentist will make an access hole into the crown of the tooth. With the opening, they will be able to locate the pulp chamber and root canals. They will then carefully remove the infected or damaged pulp from the pulp chamber and root canals with specialized instruments called files. Removal of the infected pulp—pulpectomy—is the pathway to pain relief and the source of infection.

The dentist will next clean and shape the root canals with the use of small files and irrigation solutions. This is a very critical step to ensure that all remaining debris and bacteria have been removed, and the canals are shaped and prepared to be filled. State-of-the-art techniques, such as the ultrasonic instruments or laser technology, could also be utilized to make sure that all of the finer structures of the canal are properly cleaned out.

At this stage, your dentist may take X-rays to make sure that all the infected material has been removed and see the length and shape of the root canals. This helps ensure that the whole canal system is cleaned and then prepared for the next stage of treatment.

Filling the Root Canal

In the second phase, the cleaned and shaped root canals are filled. This filling process is critical to closing off the canals to avoid re-infection. The most common material used to fill canals today for root canal treatment is a biocompatible rubber compound known as gutta-percha.

Your dentist will dry the canals out with paper points so filling material will adhere to the canal walls. Then, after the canals are dried, the dentist will insert the gutta-percha points into each canal; commonly used is a heated instrument to soften and compress the material. That is what is referred to as warm vertical compaction, which creates a tight seal within the canals.

Your dentist may sometimes use a flowable type of gutta-percha. This gutta-percha can be injected into the canals and fill very irregularly shaped canals, or those with complex anatomy, very effectively.

After the canal is filled, the dentist seals the entrance to the tooth’s crown with a temporary filling material. This will temporarily block off the system of the root canal, thereby safeguarding it from re-contamination while you await the final restoration.

There are occasions when other dentists prefer doing the entire root canal treatment in one go. This depends on how complicated the case is and the condition of the tooth. Most of the time, however, the tooth is allowed to heal nicely for some time between the second and third stages before the final restoration is placed.

Placing a Crown or Final Restoration

The last step in root canal treatment is the placing of permanent restoration over the treated tooth. This step is very essential in the restoration of the functioning of the tooth and also in protecting it from future damage or infection.

In most cases, a tooth that has had root canal treatment should be crowned. This is because the tooth may already have been weakened by the initial decay or damage that required the root canal, together with the treatment. A crown gives it back its full strength, preventing it from fracturing under normal biting and chewing forces.

The procedure to place a crown typically starts with the removal of the temporary filling done previously by your dentist and shaping the tooth in a contour and shape for the crown. Following this, impressions of the tooth would then be taken from which the crown would be fabricated to fit in precisely. In some dental offices fitted with CAD/CAM technology, this process is completed within just one visit using chairside milling machines.

Your dentist is going to put a temporary crown in your tooth while your permanent crown is being made. Following that, one has to visit the dentist, who will install the permanent crown with the help of cement. Next, your dentist will look for a proper fit, make any necessary adjustments, and then check to make sure your bite is perfect before attaching the crown permanently.

In some cases, especially if it is one of your front teeth or has enough healthy teeth left, your dentist might choose another type of restoration — a large filling or a veneer, for example. The choice of final restoration will depend on the individual needs of your tooth and your general oral health.

Though much dreaded, the procedure of root canal treatment is a valuable one in saving a grossly damaged tooth from extraction. Patients who get to know the three stages of the treatment—inquire about cleaning, filling, and restoring—can take up the procedure more amenable to conducting it with less anxiety. Modern techniques and technologies make today’s root canal treatment painless and efficient, allowing patients to retain their natural teeth and maintain oral health for years to come.

Root canal therapy is a common procedure performed in dentistry, and anyone who needs to have it must learn what it entails. Dentists can provide accurate information about root canals and answer any questions patients may have. Root canal procedures are one of the more common dental questions.

Dental patients may try to avoid root canals because they believe they will be painful, but sometimes root canal therapy is necessary.

Is root canal therapy a multi-dental visit procedure?
Typically, two visits. On the first visit, the patient will undergo the actual procedure and on the second visit, they have teeth restored. Dentists usually place a dental crown over their treated teeth, but inlays and onlays are also options.

First Visit
An oral examination will be performed during the first dental visit. The dentist will also take X-rays to determine the exact condition of the tooth. During the procedure, the patient will be given a local anesthetic, so they will not feel anything. An infected nerve tissue will be removed by making a small opening in the tooth. In order to remove infected nerve tissue, the dentist will then make a small opening in the tooth. To make it easier to place temporary dental material inside the tooth, the pulp chamber will be thoroughly cleaned.

Second Visit
The dentist will remove the temporary materials from the treated tooth on the next visit. In order to prevent further damage, a restoration must now be placed on the tooth. There are several types of dental restorations, including dental crowns, dental inlays, and dental onlays. Overall, the purpose is to restore the tooth’s function to its previous state and to prevent it from becoming infected again.

What Is The Best Approach?
You and your dentist should discuss and agree on the best treatment plan. Getting it done within one long visit is harder than making multiple trips for shorter visits. It’s best to choose the one that leaves your mouth the healthiest long-term. The key to maintaining a healthy mouth is to brush and floss twice a day.
Schedule your appointment with a dentist today and get the treatment on time!

the root canal is one of the feared procedures in dentistry. Just the thought of getting your tooth drilled and its nerves removed raises many eyebrows. Also, some may turn their attention to whether there could be some natural ways to heal a tooth that is supposedly in need of a root canal. In this blog post, we will discuss the reality as regards the possibility of naturally healing such a tooth and talk about dental health realities.

What Is Root Canal?

Before examining natural healing processes, it’s important to understand what a root canal is and why it’s prescribed. A root canal is typically recommended when the soft tissue inside the tooth, known as the pulp, becomes infected or inflamed. This happens in cases of deep decay, repeated dental procedures on the tooth, or when there is a crack or chip in the tooth. Inside the pulp, there are nerves, blood vessels, and connective tissue. When one has an effect on this area, it can cause immense pain, and in untreated cases, it leads to an abscess.

Understanding Root Canal Procedure

In the process of root canal treatment, a dentist or endodontist will remove the much-damaged pulp, clean and shape the inside of the root canal meticulously, and then fill and seal the space. This is done to save the natural tooth and prevent further infection. It is a very established treatment with a very high success rate; in most cases, patients can keep their natural teeth for many more years or even throughout their lives.

Is Natural Healing possible?

Perhaps the invasion of a root canal is not such a desirable thing. In a search for the ability to avoid perceived pain and expense, many people turn to supposed natural methods of healing in hopes of circumventing the need for this particular procedure. Interest in these natural alternatives has prompted a number of claims regarding the potential for a tooth to heal itself, even after a dentist has suggested performing a root canal.

Can a Tooth Heal Itself?

This can also be answered by referring to the tooth structure and its self-healing capacity. Basically, as compared to other body parts, teeth have less healing capacity. In a tooth, the outer covering, which is called the enamel, cannot reproduce itself if it is damaged. However, the layer next to it, called dentin, has the capacity to generate a substance called secondary dentin in response to irritation or mild decay.

This very natural defense process does sometimes arrest a tooth’s decay, but cannot reverse major damage or infection that has penetrated to the pulp. Once bacteria have invaded into the pulp, then the tooth’s natural self-healing capabilities are very minimal.

Natural Approaches to Dental Health

Although a tooth that needs a root canal cannot ever fully heal on its own, there are some natural methods to build overall dental health and perhaps prevent the need for root canals in the future:

Diet for Dental Health

Vitamins and minerals can be used to strengthen teeth and enhance oral health. Vitamins and minerals in foods that are rich in calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin D are excellent for the teeth. Some studies have even indicated that vitamin K2 also plays a role in dental health by helping the body utilize or process calcium more effectively.

Oil Pulling

This is an ancient Ayurvedic procedure involving the rinsing of oil—most of the time, coconut or sesame—in the mouth for some minutes. While scientific evidence is limited, some persons have attested to its effectiveness in reducing bacteria in the mouth, hence fostering improved oral health.

Herbal Remedies

Herbs such as echinacea, oregano oil, and neem are believed to possess antibacterial activities that may prove helpful in the maintenance of dental health. These, however, should be given with utmost care and solely under the complete guidance of a professional.

Good Oral Hygiene Practices

The majority of dental issues can be easily avoided with good oral hygiene through regular brushing, flossing, and rinsing with mouthwash. These significantly curb plaque and bacteria, the causative agents for decay and infection.

The Limitations of Natural Healing

While all these natural methods no doubt work towards making one’s teeth healthier, there are some things these methods can’t do. By the time the decay reaches a point that a root canal is required, the natural remedies are not going to reverse such damage. If there is severe infection or inflammation in the pulp, professional intervention in the form of a dentist is called for to protect against further infection and loss of the tooth.

When Natural Healing Isn’t Enough

Now, if a dentist has diagnosed that you need a root canal, trying to heal the tooth naturally can be dangerous. If you wait too long to treat the problem, it will give time to increase the infection, which may result in :

1. More pain and discomfort
2. Further infection of surrounding tissues
3. Abscessing
4. Jaw bone loss
5. Ultimately, loss of your tooth

These consequences can then be more serious and expensive to treat than the root canal itself.

The Need for Professional Dental Care

While exploring alternative ways of dental care can certainly be valuable for general oral health, one does this in conjunction with professionals in this field. Regular check-ups allow dentists to discover issues and attend to them early on. In many cases, this could even prevent needing a root canal treatment.

If a dentist recommends a root canal, then he has professionally judged that the pulp of your tooth is severely damaged or infected. If your tooth is to be saved, this kind of treatment cannot be delayed, lest more serious consequences develop.

While the concept of healing a tooth requiring a root canal naturally might seem very appealing, bad dental conditions often need professional attention. Natural ways to care for dental health can be pretty effective in preventing tooth decay and maintaining overall oral health, but they are always going to be limited in providing treatment for serious dental problems.

All of the above things concerning dental health—good hygiene practices, a proper diet, and regular dental checkups—should all be put together. One could very easily bypass root canals and similar invasive procedures by just adopting a preventive approach to dental care. But if a dental professional says that you need this procedure, it is best to abide by their advice so that there are no bad experiences pertaining to dental health that may affect your overall health.

Keep in mind that your teeth are one of the most important elements of your overall health, and good care can set you up for a better life when older. While natural remedies have a place and can help support dental health, it is not meant to replace professional dental care where there are more serious issues.