Too Old For Dental Implants? No, Unless You Smoke!

Posted on Apr 29, 2015 by William J. Claiborne, DDS MS

Dental Implants are nothing new, having first ‘formally’ emerged in the 1950’s. Over the past few decades, they have been perfected to provide a dependable tooth replacement system. There are now many types of Dental Implants, designed to accommodate various needs and preferences. While Dental Implants are designed to last a lifetime (having up to a 98% success rate), like anything that’s not a natural part of the body, there is a potential for failure.

Dental Implants are highly beneficial, restoring one’s natural ability to bite and chew comfortably. Because they recreate stimulation to the jaw bone like that of natural tooth roots, they also help to halt bone loss. This bone loss can contribute to the loss of neighboring teeth as well as changes in facial appearance. If you’ve seen someone with a mouth that seems collapsed into the face, this ‘granny look’ is a common result of bone loss due to missing tooth roots.

Any age can have a successful outcome with Dental Implants. Extended studies have shown that age is not a factor in implant success, with an equal success rate in younger and older patients. For example, a study of 133 adults over the age of 80 and having no teeth showed that the elderly patients had treatment results comparable to those achieved in younger age groups. The factors that enhance one’s potential to have a successful outcome, at any age, are having healthy gums and enough bone to hold the implant. Patients must also be committed to good oral hygiene and regular dental check-ups.

What is a significant contributor to implant failure is smoking. Studies have shown that smokers have more calculus (tartar) than nonsmokers. Calculus is a cement-like buildup on teeth that is an intense accumulation of oral bacteria. When gum tissues are already battling a bacterial onslaught, their ability to accept Dental Implants and enable successful healing is not good.

In studies, smokers were 3 – 6 times more likely to have gum diseases than nonsmokers. Smoking dries out oral tissues in the mouth and decreases the production of saliva. Likely due to less saliva and constricted blood flow, smokers have less gum bleeding and redness. This can lead to the assumption that they have healthy gums. Smoking also hinders healing in your mouth, making treatment much more difficult.

To illustrate this point, one study found that smokers were twice as likely as nonsmokers to lose teeth in the five years after completing treatment for gum disease. Smokers also don’t respond as well to oral surgery treatments. Dental implants are much more likely to fail in people who smoke, because of poor bone healing.

Researchers who have studies how tobacco smoke affects oral tissues say it appears to interfere with the body’s natural ability to fight disease and promote healing. Apparently, smoking affects the way gum tissue responds to all types of treatment, possibly due to tobacco chemicals that interfere with blood flow to the gums. This slows the healing process and makes treatment results less favorable.

Pipe and cigar smokers and those who use smokeless tobacco are just as likely to have Dental Implant complications than those who smoke cigarettes. According to a study at Temple University, 18% of former cigar or pipe smokers had moderate to severe gum disease, three times the amount found in non-smokers.
Pipe smokers have rates of tooth loss similar to cigarette smokers.

The Surgeon General has good news for those wanting (or trying to) quit smoking. A recent study reported that people who had quit smoking 11 years prior had nearly the same rate of gum disease as those who never smoked.

Can’t quit? Reducing the amount you smoke can also make a difference. One study found that people who smoked over a pack and a half a day were 6 times more likely to develop gum disease than nonsmokers. Those who smoked less than a half pack per day had only 3 times the risk.

While every Dental Implant placed is intended to provide a successful outcome for a lifetime, regardless of one’s age, those who smoke need to accept the risks for failure. The first step is a thorough evaluation of your gums and assessment of bone mass to support Dental Implants. From there, we can help you take the first step towards the ability to eat the foods you love and laugh with confidence! Call (828) 274-9440 for an appointment.

Form A Habit Of Flossing To Prevent Many Problems

Posted on Apr 02, 2015 by William J. Claiborne, DDS MS

As a Periodontist, I’ve heard every reason in the book why people don’t floss. And, for every reason, there is an even better one to make daily flossing a priority!

Flossing removes food particles that become wedged between teeth. It also helps remove the sticky buildup of bacteria that forms plaque. Keeping oral bacteria at a minimum helps to prevent bad breath, cavities, gingivitis and gum disease.

Everyone can floss easily with some basic pointers and a little practice. For easy flossing instructions, read up on these tips:

• Use about 18 inches of floss. Nylon floss (waxed or unwaxed) is inexpensive but can shred between teeth with tight contact points. If this occurs, try the single filament floss (although higher-priced), which slides easily between teeth and is shred-resistant.
• Use a mirror with good lighting so you can see the inside of your mouth.
• Wind the floss around the middle fingers of each hand with a couple of inches hanging loose to work with.
• Stretch the floss between your thumbs and index fingers and slide it in-between your teeth, curving the floss around the base of each tooth and beneath the gumline. Avoid popping the floss down between the teeth. This can tear tender gum tissue. Remove the floss using the same back-and-forth motion, moving it up and away from the teeth.
• About every 3-4 teeth, loosen the floss from fingers and retighten to use clean sections. This will also keep your fingers from becoming uncomfortable.

Do this every night for one week. After seven nights, flossing should be easy enough to do in about half the time it took on the first night. You may also find you no longer need the mirror!

Our Hygienists are terrific instructors. Their goal is to help you avoid problems in the first place. Flossing is definitely an effective means of doing so.

If your gums are tender or bleed when you brush, you already have the beginning stage of gum disease. Call (910) 254-4555 to arrange an examination as soon as possible. Gum disease only worsens without treatment, which can eventually lead to tooth loss.

Catch Gum Disease Early & Save Time & Money!

Posted on Mar 18, 2015 by William J. Claiborne, DDS MS

While your six-month cleanings and exams remove plaque and tartar, many people fail to have an effective routine at home. When a thorough regimen of oral hygiene at home twice daily is not followed, the potential to develop early stage gum disease increases greatly. This can result in symptoms of gum disease before the next visit rolls around.

Gingivitis is the first level of gum disease. This is when bacterial accumulation develops to the point of showing obvious signs of damage to oral tissues. These signs include frequent bad breath, tender gums and gums that bleed easily when brushing. As oral bacteria reproduce, gingivitis will develop into periodontal disease. This occurs when oral bacteria are reproducing at a rampant rate and damaging gum tissues at a more destructive level.

The good news, however, is you CAN reverse the progress of gingivitis before it moves to a deeper level that is more time-consuming and expensive to treat. As soon as you notice signs (as mentioned above), begin a twice-a-day regimen of brushing your teeth a minimum of two minutes, flossing daily, swishing after brushing with an oral rinse and either using a tongue scraper or brushing the tongue to remove embedded bacteria.

Additionally, increase your water intake. A moist mouth supports the cleansing effects of saliva. Avoid or greatly limit between-meal snacking and minimize your intake of sugary foods and beverages.

With proper measures, you should begin to see symptoms subside in a few days. However, that doesn’t mean you should back off! Continue this regimen to maintain a healthy mouth and control bacterial buildup. And be sure to keep your regular hygiene appointments. Those visits will help you have a ‘clean slate’ twice a year so you can avoid problems in the first place.

Once you are in the routine of this oral hygiene commitment, you’ll find it takes very little time and the payoff is well worth it! If you haven’t had regular dental check-ups and feel your gum health needs more than what home care can provide, call us at (828) 274-9440 for an appointment. Gum disease only worsens without treatment and early treatment can save you time and money.

Chain Reaction Of Oral Bacteria

Posted on Mar 05, 2015 by William J. Claiborne, DDS MS

Keeping a clean, healthy mouth should be a top priority for American adults. Yet, it is often taken lightly until something hurts. To illustrate the domino effect of oral bacteria’s buildup in the mouth, follow its typical path:

• Failure to brush and floss on a regular basis allows bacteria in the mouth to reproduce, LEADING TO…

• Plaque, a sticky film on teeth, forms from bacteria accumulation. This hardens into a cement-hard substance known as calculus (or tartar), LEADING TO…

• Calculus eats into tooth enamel and gum tissues, causing cavities and gum disease, LEADING TO…

• Early symptoms of gum disease are frequent bad breath, sore and swollen gums, gums that bleed easily when brushing, and pus pockets, LEADING TO…

• The number one cause of adult tooth loss is gum disease. When teeth are lost, the jaw bone supporting them resorbs, or shrinks in mass, LEADING TO…

• Declining bone from tooth loss contributes to bite misalignment, LEADING TO…

• Chipped and worn teeth, jaw joint disorder, headaches, migraines, ringing ears, dizziness, and facial pain are attributable to bite misalignment, LEADING TO…

• Untreated gum disease hastens the process of tooth loss and discomfort with an increased potential for gum disease bacteria to become bloodborne. Oral bacteria in the bloodstream can LEAD TO…

• Inflammatory reactions can be triggered by the bacteria of gum disease. It has been linked to heart disease, stroke, arthritis, diabetes, preterm babies, impotency and more, LEADING TO…

• Costly and debilitating (even deadly) health problems that originate with oral bacteria can be prevented with good oral hygiene, regular dental check-ups and tending to repairs while problems are still small.

Don’t let the chain reaction of oral bacteria put your health at risk, cost your enormous amounts of money, destroy your smile and make you more susceptible to life long health struggles. Take charge of your overall health by tending to your oral health! Call (828) 274-9440 to arrange a thorough examination. This is your first step to a confident smile and healthier you.