In the past, replacing lost teeth meant getting dentures or bridges. Even though these offered the best way at the time to restore your mouth’s appearance and function, technology has improved through the development of dental implants. The main drawbacks of bridges and dentures is that they do not feel or look just like real teeth, and it is difficult to chew tough foods. The advantage of implants is that they look and perform so well that you can’t even tell they are not your natural teeth.
Made from titanium, dental implants are screws that are surgically placed directly into your jawbone. They are light and malleable, but durable and strong. The titanium screws are implanted into your jawbone and given time to heal. Once healing is complete, one or multiple crowns are placed on top of the implant to recreate your missing teeth. One implant can hold more than one screw, so it is possible to attach as many crowns as needed to replace your missing teeth.
Dental implants look so much like real teeth that others won’t even be able to tell that you have any artificial teeth. You might even forget about it yourself, as they feel real as well. Since the implants are securely placed in your jaw, they are as strong as real teeth and you are able to chew and bite anything that you would normally eat. Another great thing about implants is that they don’t impact any of your adjacent healthy teeth. While bridges and dentures can sometimes damage neighboring teeth because those teeth are necessary for support, implants avoid this problem. You are left with a fully restored and comfortable smile.
Our dental office is located in Fernandina Beach
Maintaining a healthy, winning smile is easy with the help of general dentistry. People have all kinds of excuses for avoiding dental checkups. Don’t have the time? Advancements in procedures make treatment faster and more efficient, and extended hours allow patients to better fit appointments in their schedules. Too expensive? Many procedures are reasonably priced and most offices offer financial plans. Afraid of the dentist? General dentistry offers options for maintaining patient comfort and minimizing pain.
Once you realize there is no good excuse for skipping dental treatment, you should go for checkups twice a year for optimum care. Prevention is often the key to having the best oral health. Routine checkups identify early warning signs of issues like tooth decay or gum disease, so that problems can be corrected before becoming severe. Thorough examinations, diagnostic tests like X-rays, and regular professional cleanings are all steps to a healthy smile.
General dentists also teach proper hygiene methods so that you can keep your mouth in good shape between checkups. Routine dental care also may prevent harmful bacteria from entering your bloodstream and damaging other parts of your body.
If problems are diagnosed when you visit your dentist, various treatments can be performed to restore your oral health. General dentists treat all kinds of issues and typically offer dental fillings, root canal therapy, extractions, bonding, crowns, dentures and more. If there are procedures that you need that your general dentist doesn’t perform or would prefer you visit a specialist for advanced treatment, you’ll be referred to a qualified and experienced doctor.
General dentistry can make the difference between a dull, damaged, unhealthy smile and one that will look nice and function well for the rest of your life. Don’t hesitate in visiting your dentist regularly for optimum oral health.
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If root canal treatment has been recommended for you, you’re probably a little nervous. Maybe you’re a LOT nervous, but if you’re thinking about putting off your treatment, don’t. If you need root canal therapy, the underlying conditions that necessitate it will not go away left untreated. In fact, they’ll just get worse and worse over time, causing you more pain and discomfort and potentially leading to more serious complications.
If you don’t treat the infection in your tooth, it will spread. Beginning at your tooth’s roots, it will travel to your jawbone and eventually to your healthy teeth. Your entire jawbone can be put at risk. By treating your infection promptly with root canal therapy, your mouth can be free of infection and you will begin the process of healing.
Serious diseases like heart disease and diabetes have been directly linked to gum disease. During pregnancy, many problems including low birth weight and premature birth can occur as a direct result of infection and bacteria in the mouth. Several types of cancers have all been shown to have a link to poor overall oral health. The mouth is truly the pathway for everything that goes into the body, and if it’s providing a steady stream of bacteria and infection to be spread throughout your body, it’s extremely problematic.
Don’t worry about pain following your procedure. Root canal therapies are meant to relieve pain, not cause it. You’ll be surprised how much better you’ll feel after your mouth is infection-free.
If you ignore your infected tooth for long enough, it may either fall out on its own or need to be extracted. Missing teeth come with a long list of oral issues, including difficulties with bite alignment and speech only corrected with some kind of dental restoration.
Don’t wait to have your root canal treatment. Don’t open yourself up to the myriad of consequences that could result from postponing treatment.
Our dental office is located in Fernandina Beach
Special occasions like class reunions and weddings where photos are going to be taken are important. You will want to look your best, especially when you look back on the photos in years to come. When you look in your mirror, are you noticing that your smile seems less than its best? Could your look use some refreshing?
As time passes, our smiles age. Whether you realize it or not, your teeth are discoloring a little bit every day. Discoloration can come from the food we consume, such as blueberries, beets, blackberries, balsamic vinegar or soy sauce. Drinking tea, red wine, coffee or dark soda can also affect the brightness of your smile. Smoking leaves teeth looking yellow and dingy.
As well as discoloring, our teeth slowly wear away. The outer, whiter layer of enamel will thin with age, revealing the yellower layer of dentin underneath. The length of a tooth is also reduced with age as teeth wear away with natural, everyday use. Short, discolored teeth send a signal of old age whether we intend them to or not.
Composite bonding, porcelain or composite resin veneers and dental crowns can help you achieve a brighter, whiter, more even smile. Veneers can even correct gaps and hide chipped or malformed teeth. Dental implants can be an excellent solution to a missing tooth. A smile that is badly misaligned might require braces or some other kind of orthodontia to achieve optimal results.
Your cosmetic dentist can work with you to determine what steps should be taken to address your particular smile concerns and rejuvenate your smile, making you look younger and more refreshed. You will begin to see the positive responses from people who will be able to see you at your youthful best, allowing you to be your most confident, most comfortable self. The changes you make now can change your smile for years to come.
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Giving some form of a sedative medication to patients during dental treatment is what sedation dentistry is all about. It causes relaxation and decreases anxiety so that the patient is comfortable and the dentist can work safely and efficiently. Sedation dentistry is most popular for those who experience mild to moderate dental anxiety, patients who have dental phobias, and children who are frightened by dental visits.
There are a number of advantages that sedation dentistry offers to both patients and dentists. Here are some reasons that it is popular with patients:
- Pain is diminished so that the patient hardly feels the instruments, needles, or anything else as part of the treatment.
- Awareness is reduced so that that patient doesn’t realize exactly what is happening and doesn’t keep track of the time spent in the dental chair.
- Anxiety is lessened so the patient feels calm and carefree while undergoing treatment that normally might cause upset.
- Side effects are minimal and rare, making sedation dentistry both safe and effective.
- The gag reflex is reduced so patients who might normally have problems gagging during treatment are able to undergo procedures without issues.
- Time is saved for the patient because often all treatments can be performed in one office visit, instead of having to make several trips and miss more time from work or other activities.
Dentists enjoy benefits of sedation dentistry as well:
- Patients are more cooperative and able to sit still during treatment, allowing dentists to get the job done with less trouble.
- Multiple procedures can be done in a single office visit, so the dentist can accomplish more in a single time slot.
- Reflexes of the patient are more controlled so that movement is less haphazard and the dentist can work more efficiently.
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Fear can stop come people from doing certain activities, and sometimes it may impact a person’s health and overall wellbeing. One example is visiting the dentist. You might be surprised at the number of people who completely avoid dental care because they are afraid. As a result, sedation dentistry has become a popular way to allow nervous patients to get the necessary treatment without all of the negative vibes.
Sedation dentistry involves administering drugs to help patients relax. There are various levels of sedation available, depending on the patient’s needs, procedures, age, and medical history. Your dentist can help decide which sedation amount and method is most appropriate for you. It ranges from light sedation to simply take the edge off, moderate sedation that renders you unaware but still awake, or deep sedation that practically puts you to sleep throughout treatment.
There are also a variety of methods for sedation dentistry. Oral medications are swallowed, nitrous oxide gas is administered through a mask over your nose, or medications can be given through an intravenous needle directly into your veins. The method is recommended based on each patient’s needs and situation.
Dental sedation manages pain so that you won’t feel anything during treatment. Most patients do not remember much about what occurred while under sedation. That is especially beneficial for patients with dental fears, because they are more willing to return for future appointments since they don’t have any bad memories from the last one.
Sedation is safe and effective when performed by a trained dentist. Make sure that any dentist who administers your dental sedation is qualified and experienced with the techniques. There is no reason to avoid dental checkups and treatment due to fear or anxiety. It is much better to get care to correct problems before they worsen, or head them off before they start. Sedation dentistry enables patients to comfortably and safely obtain treatment and eliminate dental fears.
We treat patients from Fernandina Beach and the surrounding area
