Implant Retained Dentures

People who wear complete dentures tend to lose the bone that supports the denture over years of time. The bone, especially that of the lower jaw, constantly deteriorates without natural teeth in place. This loss of bone makes it difficult for those with dentures to achieve a good fit and maintain it.


Denture wearers learn to keep their teeth in place by positioning their lip, tongue, and cheek muscles for optimal retention. Many people master these techniques for holding their teeth in place quite well, while others have issues with facial posturing and facial tension which can be undesirable.


If dentures move excessively when eating, speaking, coughing, etc., implants can be effectively used to improve denture retention.

Dental implants are most commonly used to replace missing teeth. But another excellent use of implants is in the stabilization of dentures. A couple of implants in the bone can create a button or snap to which the denture can lock. With a denture locked in place and the fear of it shifting is removed, a person can have increased confidence, better nutrition and improved facial esthetics.

When people know they have a denture that will not fall out or shift during function, the facial muscles relax, leading to an improved facial appearance. Implant retained dentures may also create fewer sore spots because the denture is additionally supported by bone, not just soft tissue.

Implants can be retrofitted into an existing denture or planned with the initial placement of a denture. If you are one of the many people for whom dentures can literally be a pain, an implant retained denture may be the answer.

Dentists warn cavities are contagious | savannahnow.com

Dentists warn cavities are contagious savannahnow.com

Whoops! Denture Blunder!

The Bite Runner

The bite or what dentists call “occlusion” refers to the way your teeth come together when you close your jaw. Ideally we want the bite to be balanced, meaning that all the back teeth touch at the same time when biting and swallowing. When touching the biting edges of your top and bottom teeth together, the back teeth should separate. When the teeth do not meet in this manner and interferences with jaw movement result, dental problems like clenching and grinding, excessive tooth wear, and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) issues can arise.

A bad bite can contribute to clenching (usually during the day, holding upper and lower teeth together forcefully) and grinding (usually while sleeping, sliding clenched teeth side to side). Most people who exhibit this behavior are completely unaware that they are doing it and if they are aware, often do not realize that this is abnormal. The daily “clenchers” with bad bites also tend to grind their teeth at night, blissfully unaware that they are causing compounding the damage to their teeth, gums, and TMJ.


The teeth of those people with bad bites tend to demonstrate some common characteristics. Typical problems visible are heavy wear facets where the teeth contact improperly, cracked or fractured teeth, cracked or fractured restorations, notching of the root surfaces (abfractions), and worn down teeth. Teeth naturally wear down with age and use, but with excessive stress teeth wear at an exaggerated rate. The teeth will exhibit “wear beyond their years.”

Gum (periodontal) problems are also exacerbated by a bad bite. Unusual forces or stresses can strain the socket like bone surrounding the teeth. With constant stress the bone breaks down and is lost. When the bone goes, the gums go with it. Over a period of time there is nothing left to support the teeth and they become loose and painful.


Bite problems can cause many TMJ issues. The main symptoms are clicking, locking open or closed, pain in the TMJ and muscles surrounding, muscle tension, and migraine or tension headaches. All these problems occur when the joint is excessively stressed which makes the muscles work harder. The muscles spasm and constrict nerves and blood supply to the sides of the head resulting in headaches.

So how do we fix a bad bite? The solution is determined by the cause of the bite problem. If the bad bite is a result of improper tooth position, braces can be an effective treatment. If the bad bite is a consequence of missing teeth, bridges, partials, dentures, and implants can be used to restore the bite. If the bite problem causes clenching and/or grinding, a bite guard would be an effective treatment to reduce damage to the teeth and TMJ.

LORD OF THE FLOSS

Flossing is an annoying little habit that is so easy to do but so hard to do regularly. Most people would not think of going without brushing twice daily but those same people typically do not floss at all. Ever. Your mother was right. You should floss your teeth every day! Picture this - if you think about the shape of a tooth as a box – you can see that brushing only touches three sides of the box, the top and two of the sides. Flossing is the only way to clean the sides of the box that touch other boxes. Flossing is the only way to clean in between your teeth. Period. You can brush perfectly and use mouthwash and special toothpaste, it doesn’t matter. You will still have plaque and bacteria between your teeth. And between the teeth is where all the problems begin.


Without flossing the gums get red and inflamed, the condition dental personnel call gingivitis. This low grade inflammation causes levels of CRP (C-reactive protein) to increase in the bloodstream. CRP is a marker for inflammation in the body. High levels of this protein are associated with increased risks of premature birth, heart disease, strokes, and most recently, Alzheimer’s disease. The higher the CRP levels, the higher the risk. Of course, gingivitis isn’t the only cause of increased CRP levels. Smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes, and infections all contribute to raising CRP levels. Flossing is just one easy way for anyone to decrease the level of inflammation in the body.

Although the above is scary, most children and teens aren’t concerned with their CRP levels. But this does not mean that flossing isn’t important for them. The bacteria between the teeth can also cause cavities. Although decay is found most commonly on the pits and fissures on the biting surfaces of the back teeth, the second most common place for decay is in between the teeth, where the teeth contact each other. This decay doesn’t hurt and isn’t visible to the eye in the initial stages. It can only be seen on xrays. Without flossing, the contact points between the teeth are never cleaned. Add a little sugar to that bacteria sitting in the tooth and you have the recipe for decay.

When flossing, the floss shouldn’t “snap” between the teeth. Most people just snap the floss between and think the job is done. There is a little more to flossing properly. Wrap floss around your fingers and while moving the floss up, down, back, and forth wipe the side of each tooth in the contact. Angle the floss so it wraps around the tooth in a “C” shape and go below the gumline. Don’t forget to wrap the “C” around the other tooth too to make sure you floss both teeth that are touching. If you have the floss positioned properly, this will not hurt. Wind the floss so a fresh piece of floss can be used for each contact. Floss behind the last tooth too, this is an area that is difficult to reach with brushing. Once you get the hang of it, flossing is easy to do, even without looking in a mirror. Flossing should be a part of your regular hygiene, just like brushing.

The Needle and the Damage Done...

For many people, the fear of receiving a dental injection is enough to keep them away from seeing a dentist, even when they are fully aware that it is a necessity for good health. If you are one of those patients, know that you are not alone. It is estimated that at least 10% of adults have this fear, called Trypanophobia or commonly, needle phobia. Some phobics are afraid of dental injections in particular and some are afraid of all “shots”, avoiding any dental or medical care that involves injections and/or needles, like vaccinations, blood tests, etc. But do note that there are options for needle phobic people to get the health care they need.

     The use of a topical anesthetic prior to injection is very helpful. This numbs the surface of the skin so that the penetration of the needle is not felt. It needs to be on the surface of the tissue for at least a minute or two to have the full effect. For extremely phobic people, there is available a strong topical anesthetic that penetrates deeper into tissue. This type of topical anesthetic, called EMLA, can be used in extremely sensitive areas or on extremely sensitive people. It is not always used in dentistry because it tastes bad, compared to the flavored topical agents that work fine for most people.


Using nitrous oxide (commonly called laughing gas) for relaxation helps many phobics get beyond their fear. This is safe for all ages; the only major contraindication to receiving nitrous oxide is for pregnant women. It induces a calming, relaxing effect that allows the patient to remain fully awake, but with a great reduction in anxiety. Patients who use nitrous oxide report feeling warm and tingly and a general sense of euphoria. They are fully aware of what’s going on around them and are able to get treatment without their fear standing in the way.

Some people find it easier to receive an injection if they keep their eyes closed. Dentists will often talk while giving an injection to keep the patient’s mind distracted. Injections given too fast tend to be more painful, so the slower the injection, the less it will be felt. This runs counter intuitive to most phobic’s fears, because they want it done as quickly as possible. So if you find yourself wondering why it takes so long to give an injection, be aware that it is for increased comfort. Some patients find that wearing head phones with music or an audiobook playing helps keep them distracted. Dentists can usually work around whatever it takes to relax the patient and allow them to receive treatment. The main goal is for the patient to receive the health care they need with a minimal amount of stress and discomfort.