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Are Dental Implants Safe For Kids?

As parents we always think of take caring of kid’s teeth. This can start from good oral care habits. However there are situations that kids may lose their tooth. This is a situation most mommies and daddies worry about. However don’t worry. Nowadays with advancement of science, there are ways to keep your kid’s smile beautiful!

Dental implants are a popular solution for missing teeth however if you look for dental implants for your kid then you should consider many facts. Kids may lose a tooth during play or even due to accidents. However when you contact a professional and well experienced dentist in your area, treating it is not too complex. With dental implant facilities your kid can avoid embarrassment or even low self-confidence status when you help him or her to get the tooth back.

However, most parents are doubtful of such dental implants for kids. They worry thinking ‘are dental implants safe for kids’? If you are one of such parents, here are some information which may help you to take decision.

Is it safe for kids to undergo dental implants?

As per many professional dentists, yes, it is safe for kids to undergo dental implants if they are qualified for it. As per Dr. Brian Levitin of Mile High Smiles who is a dental expert for Lakewood Colorado Dental Implants, kids can undergo such treatment if they are at least 18 years old. But, it is also say that girls should be minimum of 15 years old and boys to be minimum of 17 years old to receive such treatment. However this age limit is just an indication only. Most importantly the kid should have proper jaw development in order to undergo a dental implant. Therefore the age range can be varied too.

If the kid is with right jaw development and he is able to take care of the tooth after the medical procedure is done, there shouldn’t be a problem. However you need to contact your dentist for further advice. If you think your kid is in right age and it is necessary to do a dental implant, check with your dentist. He will check and advice you in further steps!

How To Deal With Tartar Build-Up On Your Teeth

11 07 , 2018 No Comments

Plaque and tartar are something that everyone has to deal with, and for some people, they can be a serious problem threatening the health of their teeth and gums. So what are they? Plaque is a sticky substance made up of bacteria that covers our teeth, especially along the gum line. If the teeth are not cleaned properly, and the plaque is not removed, it can calcify and turn into tartar, which is a hard material that also affects the colour of your teeth. So what can you do about it? The first step to visit your dentist, and then you will need to instil the correct dental hygiene routine to help keep plaque and tartar at bay.

Take A Visit To Your Dentist

If you do not have a regular dentist that you visit, then you will quickly find a reputable dentist using the internet. If you live in an area such as Mitchelton, all you need to do is type “Mitchelton dentist” into your favourite search engine and take a look at the results for your nearest dentists. Choose one and make an appointment for a check-up, as well as a scrape and polish. The dentist will carry out what is known as scaling, which is where the teeth are scraped clean, or an ultrasonic device is used to remove the plaque and tartar from your teeth. Once your teeth are nice and clean, you then need to ensure that you take care of them and maintain a good oral hygiene routine.

Brush After Every Meal

When we eat and drink, there is often residue and fragments of food left over in our mouths. The acid in the food and drink that we consume attacks the enamel of our teeth, and can also lead to staining of them too, so it is vital that we brush our teeth thoroughly after each meal that we eat. If it is not possible to brush your teeth, you should at least try rinsing your mouth out with water thoroughly to try and get rid of any food particles and reduce the acidity in your mouth. At your earliest convenience, you can then brush your teeth and help keep your smile shining white.

Do Not Forget To Floss

Another part of dental hygiene that is essential is making sure that you floss your teeth at least once a day. Brushing often leaves small particles trapped between our teeth, and the most effective way of combating this is flossing your teeth daily. Once you get into the routine of flossing your teeth, the process will only take you a couple of minutes and the time it takes will be worth the effort when you see how you can maintain a beautiful smile.

Eat A Healthy Diet

Many things are in our daily diet which stains our teeth and stops them from appearing as white as they should. These can include foods and beverages such as;

Coffee & Tea
Red Wine
Chewing Gum
Candies
Carbonated Drinks

These and many more can stain your teeth, and smoking is also something that has a notable effect on the colour of your teeth. Try and avoid these things, or at least brush your teeth as soon as you have finished consuming them, and you will help to keep your teeth in excellent condition. You can also get plenty of excellent advice on reliable dental health websites which will help you to keep that winning smile for years to come.

A Guide to Knowing When You Need a Dental Crown

21 06 , 2018 No Comments

Dental crowns are a usual tooth restoration procedure for patients. It is a common solution to a few dental problems. However, it can cost a few hundred dollars to have a crown operation, even with insurance cover, and so a question that we’re often asked is: “Do I really need a crown, or can I get by without it?”

We’re here to iron out some of your queries about getting dental crowns Gold Coast patients prefer, including reasons why they are necessary, how long they last, and any other options. Before getting any crown procedure done, you can understand all your choices and if a crown is really necessary.

Is a Crown Completely Necessary?

Crowns are usually required for tooth cracks. Whilst your teeth are similar to other bones in your body, once you have a crack, the fracture will not heal. In this case, getting a dental crown is absolutely necessary to avoid pain and also limit infection.

You can usually tell if your tooth is cracked as you will experience pain when you bite down. Clearly, this would be a problem every time you eat food. If you have a vertical crack that reaches your gums, you may need a full-coverage crown. Indeed, if the crack goes beyond the gum line you may require root canal surgery, or possibly even tooth extraction. In this case, it is best to treat the problem early on with a crown before it develops into something worse.

However, you should make sure that your tooth really is cracked before applying a crown. Your tooth could just be ‘crazed’, which is not harmful. Craze lines are just simple stress lines and do not affect the structural integrity of your tooth. There are other options to fix them that do not require a crown.

Are There Alternatives to Getting a Crown?

In some instances, a crown may be one of several options. For example, you could go for a filling instead. However, bear in mind that if you do opt for a filling, it may not stop you from needing a crown at a later stage. Also, if you need a big area of your tooth to be filled, the better option is indeed to fix a crown. This is because fillings simply do not give you the same level of protection as a crown does.

Furthermore, if the filling you need is too big, it can cause the tooth to break, which cannot be repaired. In this case, getting a crown as early as possible is definitely the better option.

Do I Need to Get a Crown Immediately?

If you don’t get a crown when you need one and wait to have the procedure done, here are some of the possible outcomes:

Nothing will happen – the best possible scenario.
Your tooth may chip, which means a simple repair.
Your tooth may crack, which would result in definitely needing a crown anyway.
Your tooth may split, in which cases you’d end up needing to get crown lengthening or extraction.
Sometimes, you may wait too long, and the situation requires you to have root canal surgery.

With all these scenarios, we’d simply recommend getting a crown fitted as early as possible. If there is a chance you need a crown, it is best not to wait and see if the problem develops into anything worse. In most cases, you’d need to get a crown anyway, so it’s probably best to get a dental crown sooner rather than later if there is a chance you might need one.

3 Foods and Habits Known to Cause Tooth Discolouration

20 09 , 2017 3 Comments

Our teeth have to endure tremendous punishment from all angles, and the vast array of different foods and drinks we consume only adds to the strain on our precious tooth enamel. To a certain degree, a person’s teeth will gradually discolour over time, as this is part of the natural aging process, yet there are certain substances we should avoid, as they are known to be harmful to our teeth, and if you would like to minimise the risk of fading white teeth, here are some of the harmful things to avoid.

Image by jackwillsion via Flickr

Tea and Coffee – People mistakenly think that due to its dark colour, coffee is the main culprit, when in fact, the opposite is true. Tea, whether brewed hot or served cold, as it contains acids and tannins, which act on the tooth enamel, causing it to break down slightly. The good news is, you would have to drink an awful lot over time, for there to be any noticeable discolouration, but tea and coffee addicts beware! If you do have tooth discolouration and you would like to regain your healthy smile, an Internet search will locate a local clinic, whether you are looking for a Melbourne or Brisbane CBD dentist, and most will offer a range of cosmetic services, which include teeth whitening treatments.

Smoking – Of course, smoking not only causes cancer, it also can bring about teeth discolouration. There are special toothpastes that are said to remove tobacco stains, but generally speaking, the tar in the tobacco smoke will wreak havoc with your tooth enamel, and if the threat of death isn’t enough to make you quit smoking, losing your pearly white smile might just do the trick.

Red Wine – As nice as it is to sip a glass of wine on occasions, it is not particularly good for a white smile. Like tea, wine is very acidic and is packed with tannins, and red wine also has a natural colourisation, which can stain tooth enamel. As a rule, one should always use a mouthwash after drinking wine, as once the majority of wine is removed, it cannot attack your tooth enamel, and if you find red wine too appealing, there are some effective methods to reduce red wine staining on your teeth that you can try. Chromogens are also present in high numbers, which quickly stick to the teeth, and too much, too often is likely to cause some staining. The good news is that this can be removed with suitable oral treatment, and your local dentist would be able to help.

As we age, the enamel on our teeth becomes worn and tiny cracks and crevices appear, and when these are filled with substances contained in food, staining occurs. Modern teeth whitening treatments might not be a cure, but they will restore the whiteness to your smile. If you have recently moved to a new area and have not registered with a dental clinic, an online search will point you in the right direction, and by trying to avoid the above, your teeth should remain healthy and white.

Does My Child Need To See A Pediatric Dentist?

31 03 , 2017 17 Comments

When choosing the right dentist for your child, it is best to choose a pediatric dentist, rather than a general practice. Pediatric dentists specialize in dental care for kids and are specifically qualified to treat the unique dental needs of children ranging from infants to teens, including those with special needs. Here are some reasons to consider a pediatric dentist as your child’s dental care provider.

They have more training than general dentists.

After finishing four years of dental school, pediatric dentists are required to complete two to three years of additional pediatric training that is geared toward caring for a child’s teeth and unique dental issues. Because pediatric dentists are experts in caring for children, they are better equipped to handle the specific problems that kids face, like cavities, decay, wisdom teeth extraction in teens, and even common behavioral challenges, such as fear of the dentist.

They focus on preventive care.

Starting with the first visit, pediatric dentists emphasize the importance of early preventive care and help encourage a lifetime of great oral health for kids. Through early and regular oral exams, many dental issues in kids can be detected and treated before they advance to more serious problems, saving parents time and money down the road. As part of their focus on preventive care, pediatric dentists educate parents and kids on the proper ways for children to brush and floss their teeth along with advice on tooth-friendly nutrition and breaking bad habits, like thumb sucking.

They create kid-friendly environments to make dentistry fun.

Pediatric dental offices are designed with the comfort of children in mind. While adult dental offices may feel intimidating to a child, pediatric waiting areas and exam rooms often feature colorful decor, child-sized furniture, and fun games or activities to help kids feel at ease the minute they walk through the door. When children are greeted by a friendly staff and an inviting office setting, it sets the tone for a positive, safe and relaxed appointment every time they visit the dentist.

They are skilled to ease dental fears in children.

Many adults who are afraid of the dentist can trace their fears all the way back to childhood. For this reason, pediatric dentists strive to create a positive, calm experience for children so that they not only look forward to visiting the dentist, but desire to take care of their teeth throughout their lives. Pediatric dentists and their staff do this by establishing trusted relationships with their young patients at an early age. They are highly skilled at communicating with children of all ages and treat young patients in ways that make them feel comfortable during procedures. For younger children, this may include a lot of hands-on explanations and “show-and-tell” techniques to help kids become comfortable with unfamiliar sights, sounds and smells at the dental office.

Also check : 3 Foods and Habits Known to Cause Tooth Discolouration

Planning your child’s first visit to the dentist.

According to the American Dental Association, a child’s first trip to the dentist should occur approximately six months after his or her first tooth erupts and no later than the child’s first birthday. Children should visit their dentist every six months for preventive cleanings and exams, or more frequently if recommended by the pediatric dentist, to treat developing dental concerns.

The main purpose of the first appointment is to get to know the dentist, which sets the stage for future, positive visits for your child. At the initial appointment, parents can discuss questions and concerns about their child’s dental health. In addition to a thorough exam and cleaning, pediatric dentists will look for signs of decay, provide information about developmental milestones, and demonstrate how to prevent cavities through good oral hygiene practices at home.

Good oral hygiene practices at home is essential to protect kids’ teeth.Read how to Choose the Best Toothpaste for Toddlers and Kids

Pediatric dentists offer a specialized focus on children that most general dentists are not equipped to provide. Ultimately, the best dentist for your child will be one who is highly educated and knowledgeable about dental health for kids and who makes your child feel comfortable during treatment. With the right partner for dental health, you can feel confident that your child is on the best path to a lifetime of good oral health.

Author bio: Dr. Sheila Harris is Owner of Natomas Crossing Dental Care in Sacramento, California. Dr. Harris graduated from Northwestern University School of Dentistry and has been a licensed dentist since 2000. She is a proud member of several dental organizations and has been one of the top general dentists in Sacramento for the past five years.

Finding an Emergency Dentist

07 01 , 2017 No Comments

Image by EthanDenney via Flickr

There is a wealth of information available online about dental care and treatment in New South Wales, and an excellent source of information is the nsw.gov.au website. Sometimes people have dental emergencies meaning that they need treatment outside of regular hours, so in these circumstances, it is important to know what to do, and where to go.

The Different Types of Emergencies

There are many different things that can harm or damage our teeth which may require emergency dental treatment. Some of the reasons that you may require an emergency dentist in the Sydney CBD area are:

Chipped or Broken Teeth
Knocked Out Teeth
Lost Crowns
Lost Fillings
Broken Braces or Wires

If you experience any of the above difficulties, you may wish to contact your local emergency dentist to get the problems fixed as quickly as possible. If you let problems go unfixed, then they could get considerably worse, as well as also becoming more expensive to resolve.

Be Prepared

Ideally, you will want to be prepared in advance of any problem that may arise, and it is worthwhile speaking to your dentist so that you know what to do during a dental emergency. Many surgeries will offer an out of hours’ service, sometimes in collaboration with other dental practices. Ask your dentist about emergency services and see if this is something that they offer. If they do have this type of service available, ask for the details of the service as well as the out of hours contact details. If this is not a service your dentist offers, then you will need to find an emergency dentist for both you and your family.

Finding a Dentist

If you find yourself needing emergency dental treatment, then a good place to start is asking your friends and family for any recommendations that they can offer. Alternatively, you can use the internet to find the closest out-of-hour dentist who will be able to assist you, no matter what your problem is. It is important to ensure that any dentist you are going to visit potentially is properly certified and qualified. Most dental websites will display their accreditations and certificates prominently on their website, and if this is something you cannot see, it is worth the effort to contact them and ask before arranging an appointment.

Check Out Their Reviews

Aside from the recommendations from friends and family, you can also look at all of the online reviews that are available. People love to leave reviews of products and services that they use, whether the experience was good or bad, and it is the same with dentists. Any potential dentists that you are considering using you should be able to find reviews about them online on the various review websites that are available. Read as many of the reviews that you can and compare the potentials dentists with each other.

With all of this information you will be able to choose a reliable dentist that will be able to take care of your teeth, whatever the problem. Just remember to take along your crown, filling, or tooth to them when you visit and they will have you smiling again in no time.