Monthly Archives: August 2022

Zygomatic implants

Implants

If you are self-conscious because you have missing teeth, wear dentures that are uncomfortable, or don’t want to have good tooth structure removed to make a bridge, talk to your dentist to see if dental implants are an option for you.

Dental implants are a popular and effective way to replace missing teeth and are designed to blend in with your other teeth. They are an excellent long-term option for restoring your smile. The development and use of implants are one of the biggest advances in dentistry in the past 40 years. Dental implants are made up of titanium and other materials that are compatible with the human body. They are posts that are surgically placed in the upper or lower jaw, where they function as a sturdy anchor for replacement teeth.

Zygomatic Implants

Zygomatic implants are dental implants that are anchored in the zygoma or cheekbone. They are prescribed for patients who have moderate, advanced, and even extreme resorption in the maxilla, or the upper jaw. Normally, when needed, zygomatic implants will be used to replace a full set of teeth in the upper jaw for patients who have severe bone loss in the maxilla.

Are Zygomatic Implants Safe?

Yes, when placed by a board-certified maxillofacial and oral surgeon, zygomatic implants are safe, effective, and painless. As these implants come near sensitive parts of the face, including the eyes and sinuses, they must be placed by a qualified and experienced surgeon to avoid serious complications.

The most effective way to understand zygomatic implants is to see them. The animation below illustrates the placement of two zygomatic implants and four traditional implants, an all-on-six implant procedure. The implants support the whole upper bridge.

Zygomatic implants make it possible to sidestep bone loss issues. The extended length of the implant allows it to anchor into a patient’s cheekbone or the zygoma. No bone grafting or sinus lifts are needed. The zygoma is a very dense bone and provides excellent implant support for the lifetime of the patient.

Why Does Losing Teeth Cause Bone Loss?

Like a muscle, bone is a tissue that requires exercise to maintain strength and mass.

A natural tooth is nested within the jawbone. Chewing and biting down regularly works the bone and tells the body to build a healthy jawbone. When the teeth are lost or removed, the surrounding jawbone is no longer stimulated by chewing activity, and this disuse quickly leads to bone loss.

When teeth must be removed, a dental implant is the last resort option to replace the missing or unsalvageable teeth. Quality dental implants, including zygomatic implants, offer a lifetime solution that is comfortable and strong, matching the look and feel of natural teeth.

How Do Implants Work?

The roots of a natural tooth are secured within the root canal of a person’s jawbone. Similarly, conventional dental implants are anchored in place by the jawbone.

Titanium is the preferred material for implants due to effective osseointegration with the patient’s jaw.

A typical implant cannot be securely secured in someone who has severe bone loss in the upper jaw, resulting in further difficulties and chronic pain or discomfort.

How Do Dental Implants Help Prevent Bone Loss?

Dental implants that imitate the natural stimulation of teeth are the most effective method for preventing further bone loss. The titanium root of a new teeth implant duplicates the pressure and stimulation of chewing, matching the natural stimulation of teeth. This gentle action signals the body to continue fortifying the jawbone, significantly reducing the risk of bone loss, and quite often leading to stronger and healthier bones.

Titanium implants imitate the role of a natural tooth root, providing stimulation to your jawbone and allowing osseointegration, and fusion with the bone.

To prevent additional bone loss, implants should be placed immediately following tooth extractions. The sooner the better.

Can You Have Dental Implants If You Suffer from Severe Bone Loss?

Since zygomatic implants can be placed in one day and have a higher success rate than bone grafting, they are the ideal solution for bone loss when receiving a full-arch prosthesis in the upper jaw.

While traditional implants are placed in the jawbone, surgeons utilize the zygomatic implant’s length to securely place them in the patient’s cheekbone, or zygoma. The zygoma is a very dense bone and provides excellent support for the lifetime of the patient.

Where Can You Get Zygomatic Implants?

Although the placement of zygomatic implants is a very safe and effective procedure, it requires the specialization and experience of a qualified oral surgeon. Not many oral surgeons have routine experience placing zygomatic implants. Depending on your location, you may need to travel to have your zygomatic implants placed.

https://www.mouthhealthy.org/en/az-topics/i/implants

Oral Piercings

Body piercing is a popular form of self-expression. Oral piercings or tongue splitting may look cool, but they can be dangerous to your health. That’s because your mouth contains millions of bacteria, and infection and swelling often occur with mouth piercings. For instance, your mouth and tongue could swell so much that you close off your airway or you could choke if part of the jewelry breaks off in your mouth. In some cases, you could crack a tooth if you bite down too hard on the piercing, and repeated clicking of the jewelry against teeth can also cause damage. Oral piercing could also lead to more serious infections, like hepatitis or endocarditis.

If you pierce your tongue, lips, cheeks, or uvula (the tiny tissue that hangs at the back of the throat,) it can interfere with speech, chewing, or swallowing. It may also cause:

• Infection, pain, and swelling. Your mouth is a moist environment, home to huge amounts of breeding bacteria, and an ideal place for infection. An infection can quickly become life-threatening if not treated promptly. It’s also possible for a piercing to cause your tongue to swell, potentially blocking your airway.
• Damage to gums, teeth, and fillings. A common habit of biting or playing with the piercing can injure your gums and lead to cracked, scratched, or sensitive teeth. Piercings can also damage fillings.
• Hypersensitivity to metals. Allergic reactions at the pierced site are also possible.
• Nerve damage. After a piercing, you may experience a numb tongue that is caused by nerve damage that is usually temporary but can sometimes be permanent. The injured nerve may affect your sense of taste, or how you move your mouth. Damage to your tongue’s blood vessels can cause serious blood loss.
• Excessive drooling. Your tongue piercing can increase saliva production.
• Dental appointment difficulties. The jewelry can get in the way of dental care by blocking X-rays.

If you already have piercings:

• Contact your dentist or physician immediately if you have any signs of infection—swelling, pain, fever, chills, shaking, or a red-streaked appearance around the site of the piercing.
• Keep the piercing site clean and free of any matter that may collect on the jewelry by using a mouth rinse after every meal.
• Try to avoid clicking the jewelry against teeth and avoid stress on the piercing. Be gentle and aware of the jewelry’s movement when talking and chewing.
• Check the tightness of your jewelry periodically (with clean hands). This can help prevent you from swallowing or choking if the jewelry becomes dislodged.
• When taking part in sports, remove the jewelry and protect your mouth with a mouthguard.
• See your dentist regularly, and remember to brush twice a day and floss daily.

Of course, the best option is to consider removing mouth jewelry before it causes a problem. Don’t pierce on a whim. The piercing will be an added responsibility to your life, requiring constant attention and upkeep. Talk to your dentist for more information.

Oral Piercing Safety

If you’ve decided to get an oral piercing, make sure you’re up to date on vaccines for hepatitis B and tetanus.

Pick a piercing shop that appears clean and well-run. Look for a piercer who has a license, which means they were specially trained. The piercer should wash their hands with germ-killing soap, wear fresh disposable gloves, and use sterilized tools or ones that are thrown away after one use.

Oral Piercing Care

Once you leave the shop, you’ll need to make sure your piercing heals and doesn’t get infected. Healing usually takes 3 to 4 weeks. During that time, you should:

• Rinse your tongue or lip piercing after every meal or snack and before bed. Use warm salt water or an antibacterial, alcohol-free mouthwash.
• Not share cups, plates, forks, knives, or spoons
• Eat small bites of healthy food.
• Not eat spicy, salty, or acidic foods and drinks
• Not have hot drinks, like coffee, tea, or hot chocolate
• Be gentle. Talk and chew carefully, and try not to click your jewelry against your teeth.
• Check every once in a while to make sure your jewelry is still tight to prevent swallowing or choking.
• Take out your jewelry while you play sports, and wear a mouthguard.

While the piercing heals, you should be able to remove the jewelry for short periods without the hole closing. If you get a tongue piercing, the piercer will start with a larger “barbell” to give your tongue room to heal as it swells. After the swelling goes down, dentists recommend that you replace the large barbell with a smaller one that’s less likely to bother your teeth.

After your tongue has healed, take the jewelry out every night and brush it the way you brush your teeth. You might want to take it out before you go to sleep or do anything active.

https://www.mouthhealthy.org/en/az-topics/o/oral-piercings

Jaw pain or Facial pain

Many adults suffer from chronic jaw and facial pain. Some common symptoms include pain in or around the ear, tenderness of the jaw, pain when biting, or headaches. Many things can cause facial pain, which can make it difficult to diagnose and treat. Your dentist will conduct a thorough exam, which may include X-rays, to determine the cause of the pain.

Possible causes of jaw pain or facial pain include:

• sinus problems
• toothache
• infections
• arthritis
• injury
• tooth grinding/Bruxism
• periodontal disease

Sinus problems

A sinus infection (sinusitis) can cause a toothache. The pain in the upper back teeth is a fairly common symptom of sinus conditions. The sinuses are pairs of empty spaces in your skull connected to the nasal cavity. If you have sinusitis, the tissues in those spaces become inflamed, often causing pain.

Toothache

Toothache occurs from inflammation of the central portion of the tooth called the pulp. The pulp contains nerve endings that are very sensitive to pain. Inflammation to the pulp or pulpitis may be caused by dental cavities, trauma, and infection. Referred pain from the jaw may cause you to have symptoms of a toothache.

Infections

Bacteria can enter the innermost part of the tooth through either a deep cavity or a chip or crack in your tooth. The resulting infection and inflammation can cause an abscess at the tip of the root. A tooth abscess is a pocket of pus that’s caused by a bacterial infection.

Arthritis

Arthritis can affect the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) that opens and closes the mouth, sometimes making it painful to open and close your mouth. Different oral Infections can also occur: Bacterial infections can cause swelling around your tooth or over the jaw, severe pain, fever, and swollen nodes around your jaw

Injuries

Traumatic dental injuries often occur as a result of an accident or sports injury. The majority of these injuries are minor – chipped teeth. It’s less common to dislodge your tooth or have it knocked completely out but these injuries are more severe. Treatment depends on the type, location, and severity of each injury.

Bruxism/ Tooth grinding

Bruxism (BRUK-siz-um) is a condition in which you grind, gnash or clench your teeth. If you have bruxism, you may unconsciously clench your teeth when you’re awake (awake bruxism) or clench or grind them during sleep (sleep bruxism). Sleep bruxism is considered a sleep-related movement disorder

Periodontal disease

Periodontitis is gum disease. It is a chronic inflammatory disease that is triggered by bacterial microorganisms and involves a severe chronic inflammation that causes the destruction of the tooth-supporting apparatus and can lead to tooth loss. It can also lead to other health problems.

Your dentist’s plan for treatment will depend on the source of your facial pain, but recommendations may include:

• mouth protector
• muscle relaxants
• exercises
• anti-inflammatory drugs
• antibiotics
• root canal therapy
• periodontal treatment
• extraction

If you suffer from jaw pain or facial pain, speak with your dentist or physician for diagnosis and treatment.

https://www.mouthhealthy.org/en/az-topics/j/jaw-pain