There is no denying the reality that taking care of teeth is not restricted to any age. Just like toddlers and growing teens, elderly women and men also need to take care of their teeth. With age, dental health deterioration takes place and it is natural as part of the aging. While it cannot be stopped, it does not mean tooth loss is inevitable in the elderly either. The age old concept of tooth extraction for solving dental problems prompts many senior citizens to opt for partial or full dentures.

While dentures are deemed convenient by a majority of elderly people, ill-fitting dentures can be a problem. It makes everyday tasks like eating, speaking and even smiling cumbersome in some instances. Fortunately, there is a better solution. Dental implants, invented by a Swedish orthopedic surgeon and scientist, Dr. P.I. Bran mark, have shown a new light of hope for the elderly suffering from various teeth-related issues.

• Nuances Of Dental Implants
• When To Opt For Dental Implants
• Types Of Dental Implants
• Cost Of Dental Implants
• Safety Factor Of Dental Implants

As a matter of fact, dental implants are basically titanium rods placed inside the jawbone. These small implants serve the purpose of human teeth roots. After the implant is performed, they get connected to jawbones within a few months. Then either dental crowns or permanent bridgework can be put on implants.

Dental implants can be particularly useful for securing loosened dentures. Elderly people often find their old dentures do not fit the gums well after prolonged usage. This is where implants come into the picture. Magnet-based attachments make implants all the more patient friendly. They need minimum maintenance and bind denture and implant well.

When to opt for dental implants

There are some situations when you can opt for dental implants:

• If you find dentures to be uncomfortable and convenient, opt for implants
• Dental implants may be used to replace the entire row of teeth on either jaw
• In some instances, doctors may advise using implants for a single tooth replacement. Dentistry has advanced to a stage where artificially installed crowns become hard for others to detect

Types of dental implants

Broadly speaking, you can opt for any of the two kinds of dental implants.

• Root-form implants: This is the most commonplace variant of dental implant. This is implanted on the bone directly. Available in varying heights and widths, Root-form implants resemble a screw.
• Ramus-frame dental implants: This is what the dentist suggests when the person has a very thin lower jawbone. Fix an appointment with your dentist as your dental health and jawbone condition plays a major role behind the selection of implants.
  
  

Cost of dental implants

The cost of dental implants is higher than convention dental procedures. The treatment cost also depends on factors like your dental condition and the dentist you select. Veteran dentists usually offer clients a consultation session prior to the treatment and inform them about any associated cost or follow-up procedure. The price of a single tooth implant will definitely be lower than the cost required for implanting an entire row of teeth. If necessary, you can seek the opinion of more than one dentist on this.

Safety factor

In the last decade, popularity and use of dental implants has increased by leaps and bounds, as per the data available from entities like the American Dental Association. Same can be said about its success rate. The implant process is often computer monitored for accuracy and ruling out risk of errors.

Throbbing tooth pain is likely to set in for people who neglect recommended practices to maintain teeth hygiene. The toothache can be consistent or fitful in nature. The distracting pain can be excruciating and become more pronounced when you try to catch a sleep.

Common indications

Throbbing toothache may become articulated once the blood pressure to the sore region increases. This is more acute when you recline or adopt the sleeping posture. As the tooth pain increases in severity, you will experience a bout of fever, localized gum swelling around the affected area, headache, and noisome discharge from the affected tooth.

You should get in touch with a dentist if the pain continues beyond a day and the symptoms are aggravated. Most people complain about surfacing of intense pain while trying to open the mouth. Pain equivalent to that experienced in mumps also become apparent in the ear region. If immediate medical attention is not sought, the infection may spread to the skull and bloodstream.

What triggers the pain?

Throbbing pain may result from tooth abscess, damaged filling, periodontal diseases, tooth decay or fracture, and teeth motion of repetitive nature like chewing, grinding etc. The tooth may become highly sensitive if the enamel or dentin gradually declines. Enamel represents the tough outer covering of the tooth crown whereas the tissue underneath the enamel is the dentin.

Pulpitis may also induce agonizing dental pain. In this condition, the dental pulp sitting inside the pulp cavity in the middle portion of the teeth suffers inflammation. Pulp refers to the tender connective tissue permeated with nerves and blood vessels. Pain intensifies when the nerves are affected by the decay in the tooth.

Throbbing main may become evident due to other dental complications such as wisdom teeth development, cracked tooth syndrome, gum infections, temporomandibular and bruxism.

Treating the pain

Pain induced by tooth cavity can be addressed through filling or extraction of damaged teeth. The pain and inflamed condition that has infected the neighboring teeth can be cured by cold laser treatment called phototherapy.

Root canal is another option that may be exercised by the dentist in case infection of the tooth nerve is detected. The infection in such cases is triggered by bacterial attack that has reached the tooth’s interiors.

Periodontal infections, earache or fever can be cured by consuming dentists recommended antibiotics. Painkillers, clove oil, paste concocted of lemon juice and asafetida, garlic and onion paste, herbal tea, or wheatgrass mouthwash are also effective in providing relief from Throbbing tooth pain.

Anti-inflammatory medications, like aspirin or ibuprofen, are effective in providing immediate relief as they relieve the pressure on nerve endings. You can also opt for benzocaine rich oral pain relieving gels. It is an effective local anesthetic that momentarily blocks nerve signals from the infected tooth.

Heat has the potential of acerbating the toothache and as such relief can be sought by holding an ice pack against the affected region’s outside cheek. You can soak a cotton ball in garlic / clove oil and apply it to the pain area. This offers more relief compared to chewing raw garlic or clove. A moistened tea bag can be placed against the affected region to get significant pain relief. However, you should exercise caution as prolonged contact with tea can result in teeth stains.

Throbbing tooth pain can be extremely agonizing. You should consult a doctor immediately once the symptoms surfaces.

Dental surgery or even a routine visit to a dentist usually gives jitters to most people. Thankfully, technology is advancing rapidly and so are the ways and means of treatment. Today, a visit to the dentist is nothing to dread anymore. You can visit the dentist, get your treatment and return home without feeling like you have been robbed off your sanity. Modern technological advancements and development have also given way to newer ways and methods to treat the problem. One upcoming and new addition is the advent and increasing use of dental implants by dentists these days.

What exactly are dental implants?

Dental implants are basically anchors used by the dentists to any kind of dental prosthesis like the denture, bridge or crown that interface and bind to the bone or the jaw and provide support to the prosthesis. They are hard and do not cause any harm to the body in any manner. These implants are made of materials like titanium that are easy to be imbibed or in medical terms, “osseointegrate” into the bone structure. Once the dental implant is accepted and adjusted in the body, jaw or skull, then the dental prosthesis is placed on it.

Image Credit : aaid-implant.org

What are the uses of a dental implant and why should one use them?

Dental implants are an invasive treatment, but one that would provide you with a permanent solution to the dental issues without showing any marked variations on the outside. It would help you retain your natural smile and look of your gums and teeth.

• Dental implants assimilate with the existing teeth and no one will know about tooth surgery or treatment
• If there is excessive movement in the denture, lower one, this can be taken care off and addressed by the use of implants with ball and socket retention.
• It can be used to replace a single tooth or multiple teeth.

The next conclusive and obvious question is why should you use dental implants over already existing treatments, the answer is simple, it is better.

• It heals faster and is a permanent treatment to many of your dental problems
• If you have a whole denture replaced, you can start eating all kinds of food without having to worry about pressure on your denture or any kind of inklings in the mouth
• Dental implants are as good as the natural teeth and retain all their abilities and functions
• You do not need to feel embarrassed about having lost a tooth or multiple teeth, as no one will ever know or find out about the implants.
• No need for restoration or repeated follow up visits to doctors
• Limited, reduced or least damage to existing bone structure and jaw

Take the advice of your doctor

Just as these dental implants are effective they could be a cost evaluation option for many of you. So, visit our dentist and make an informed decision in consultation with your dentist. There could be a chance that dental implants would not work for you in case there are certain complexities. While dental implants are the way of treatment in coming future, it is important to consult your doctor before you proceed with them. Your dentist is the best person to guide you in the right direction of treatment.

While it’s normal for a child to lose their teeth, the same cannot be said for an adult. Tooth loss might just be the result of serious tooth decay or an infection. In such cases, you should always consult a good dental implant specialist, who can provide the best care needed for your dental structure.

In case of a tooth loss, the best treatment is a dental implant. However, before getting into dental implants, you need to understand the consequences of a tooth loss.

• The chewing of food is affected due to the gaps in the dental structure, which results in many digestive problems as the stomach is not able to dissolve solid food properly.
• Every tooth in the dental structure has its own function and when a person loses some of their teeth, the others bear the brunt of chewing and grinding. This causes weakening of the other teeth due to the pressure.
• A lost tooth impinges the smile and the self esteem of a person, causing anxiety and self-consciousness.
• Many people do not like to venture outside, as they consider a tooth loss a social embarrassment.
• Clarity of speech not only depends on the tongue, but also on your dental structure. The gaps in the structure due to a tooth loss can cause serious speech issues.
• A lost tooth also pressurizes the jaw line, as it becomes the only medium of support for the face muscles. Many dental patients suffer from a stiff jaw due to tooth loss.

Facts about Dental Implants

It has been seen that 90% of dental patients who visit a dental implant specialist know very little about dental implants. Although, it is the duty of the doctor to guide a patient, there are times when certain basic details about the procedure are overlooked.

A few important facts about dental implants are:

• Although you will find different options for tooth restoration in dentistry, only dental implants look and feel like real teeth.
• Made of titanium, dental implants actually replace the root of the lost tooth, which serves as an anchor for the replaced one.
• Your implant cannot get a cavity; but this should not give you a reason not to follow a healthy and regular oral hygiene.
• Owing to their good support, dental implants preserve the bone health of the dental structure and help in its growth.

Need to know after effects and precautions for a dental implant procedure

With clinical and medical enhancements in dentistry, a dental implant procedure has become almost painless. Your dental implant specialist will conduct various sessions in order to educate you about the procedure in a proper manner.

Post dental implant, it is necessary to follow the instructions of your dental implant specialist. However, knowing the below mentioned precautions and after effects will help you relax a little.

• Swelling and bruising of the surrounding area may occur after the procedure, which is completely normal. However, if you have severe pain as well, you should consult your dentist.
• The crampy tenderness in the gums will remain for 2-6 days after the surgery as the gums and dental structure get used to the foreign body.
• Although your dental implant specialist will take every precaution to ensure less bleeding after the implant surgery, sometimes a little oozing can continue for the next 24 hours. In order to stop that you need to put some gentle pressure on the gauze in your mouth for one hour after surgery.
• Maintaining proper and regular oral hygiene is necessary for implant patients. Your dentist will advise you to rinse your mouth every 4-6 hours with salt water for the next two weeks.
• Avoid brushing the operated area as that might disrupt the stitches. Also, if you find any gumboil in the surgical area, you need to consult your dentist immediately.
• Avoid alcohol and smoking completely during the healing process.  

In order to initiate a proper healing process, it is imperative that you visit your dental implant specialist. He or she can check the progress of your healing and recommend changes in routine medicines, if required.