Dentures and Dental Implants Seattle

Dental implants are increasingly popular as a way to replace missing or damaged teeth. Their great advantage is that they look natural and feel secure helping you to restore your smile and eat more easily. Implants are an ideal solution for many people but they are not an option for everyone. Placing implants requires some surgery so patients must be in good health, have healthy gums and have adequate bone to support the implant. They must also be committed to taking action to maintain their oral hygiene and to visiting the dentist regularly. The process for placing implants is as follows: First, surgery is performed to place the anchor. This can take up to several hours. Following the surgery, you may need to wait up to six months for the bone to grow around the anchor and firmly hold it in place. Sometimes follow up surgery is required to attach a post to connect the anchor to the replacement teeth. Alternatively, the anchor and post may already be attached and are place...

Sensitive teeth is a common problem that causes many people to feel discomfort with hot or cold foods and drinks. It can also make it uncomfortable to brush or floss the teeth and therefore can lead to further oral problems. However, sensitive teeth can be treated. If you suffer from this, your dentist may suggest that you try a desensitizing toothpaste, which contains compounds that help block transmission of sensation from the tooth surface to the nerve. For desensitizing toothpaste to work, you normally have to make several applications. If the desensitizing toothpaste does not help, your dentist may suggest further solutions. For example, fluoride gel – which strengthens tooth enamel and reduces the transmission of sensations – may be applied to the sensitive areas of the teeth. If the sensitivity is caused by receding gums, your dentist may use bonding agents that “seal” the sensitive teeth. The sealer is usually made of a plastic material. If there is severe hy...

Root canal therapy is an important treatment that can save a tooth with a diseased nerve and which in the past would probably have needed to be removed. Inside each tooth is the ‘pulp’ which runs like a thread down through the root and provides nutrients and nerves to the tooth. It is the soft tissue that contains nerves, blood vessels and connective tissue. If the pulp is diseased or injured, the pulp tissue dies. The most common cause of pulp death is a cracked tooth or a deep cavity. Both of these problems can let bacteria enter the pulp. So, if you don’t remove it, your tooth gets infected and you could lose it. After the dentist – or endodontist (a dentist who specializes in problems of the pulp) – removes the pulp, the root canal is cleaned and sealed off to protect it. Then your dentist places a crown over the tooth to help make it stronger. Most of the time, a root canal is a relatively simple procedure involving one to three visits with little or no discomfort. ...

When diabetes is not controlled properly, high glucose levels in saliva may create problems that lead to an increased risk of tooth decay. Your teeth are covered with plaque, a sticky film of bacteria. After you eat food that contains sugars or starches, the bacteria react with these sugars to release acids that attack tooth enamel. This can cause the enamel to break down and may eventually result in cavities. Brushing twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and cleaning between your teeth with floss or an interdental cleaner helps remove decay-causing plaque. Plaque that is not removed can eventually harden into calculus, or tartar. When tartar collects above the gumline, it becomes more difficult to clean thoroughly between teeth. This can lead to chronic inflammation and infection in the mouth. Because diabetes reduces the body’s resistance to infection, the gums are among the tissues likely to be affected. Periodontal diseases are infections of the gum and bone that hold your...

Oral cancer hits more than 30,000 Americans every year but you can minimize the risk by taking steps to ensure it’s caught early enough. The first indications of oral cancer may be a very small, but dangerous, oral spot or sore that you are not even aware of. In a routine examination, your dentist will carefully examine the inside of your mouth and tongue. If they notice a flat, painless, white or red spot or a small sore, this may be completely harmless. But harmful spots or sores often look the same as harmless ones. To ensure that a spot or sore is not dangerous, your dentist may choose to perform a simple test, such as a brush test. This collects cells from the lesion which can them be analyzed. Any positive results from a brush test must usually be confirmed by a biopsy before deciding the next step. If precancerous cells are found, the lesion can be surgically removed if necessary during a separate procedure. When caught early enough, the chances of preventing the ...

Bad breath – which is also known as halitosis – is a worrying problem that can also be embarrassing. But there’s no need to put up with it. If you suffer from bad breath, your dentist will be able to suggest a range of solutions. Your dentist will be able to spot problems such as gum disease, dry mouth or other disorders. That’s why it’s important to maintain good oral hygiene, schedule regular visits to the dentist and have professional cleaning. Make sure you brush your teeth twice a day and clean between your teeth each day using floss or interdental cleaners. Don’t forget to brush your tongue, too! If your dental check up shows that your mouth is healthy, your dentist may refer you to your family physician as sometimes bad breath can be a sign of other health problems. If the odor is due to periodontal (gum) disease, sometimes professional periodontal cleaning is needed to remove the bacteria and plaque that accumulate. And your dentist may recommend a special antimicrob...

Many patients ask whether wisdom teeth are really necessary since so many people have them removed. The fact is that wisdom teeth are a valuable asset to the mouth when they are healthy and properly positioned. However, problems can occur that sometimes make it better to have them removed. For example, when the jaw isn’t large enough, the wisdom teeth can become impacted – misaligned or unable to grow in properly. They may grow sideways, emerge only part way from the gum or remain trapped beneath the gum and bone. The reasons wisdom teeth may have to be extracted include: – The teeth have only partially erupted. This leaves an opening for bacteria which cause infection. – There is a chance the wisdom teeth will damage adjacent teeth. – A cyst forms which may destroy surrounding structures such as bone or tooth roots. Ask your dentist about the health and positioning of your wisdom teeth. Your dentist will tell you if there are any issues and will recommend any steps needed...