When They’re Healthy, You’re Healthy

   Having practiced dentistry for over 40 years, I’ve seen lots of patients and lots of changes in dentistry, from materials to techniques.

In those 40 years there’s been one constant, and that is the importance of having your own teeth – for nutrition, health, and appearance.  My appearances on Cleveland WKYC ‘s “Golden Opportunities” TV show has helped me promote dental care for those of us over 50.

Nutrition

It’s clear that our teeth allow us to chew food and to consume necessary nutrients.  When patients lose teeth and replace them with dentures (either partial or full), they often remark that they don’t enjoy their food like they used to, or they mention that they have digestive problems, which are often linked to an inability to properly break up or grind food.

Dentures anchored by implants improve stability but they still don’t have the chewing strength that natural teeth provide. Plus, food often gets caught under the denture.  Today’s partials – often metal-free – look relatively natural, feel tight and are better adapted for chewing, but they still require removal to keep clean.

Implants with single teeth screwed or cemented on can help with chewing and can feel like “they’re my own teeth” but present other complications, including difficulty with cleaning and maintenance.

Heart Issues

Studies associate oral health to overall health.   This includes a strong relationship between periodontal health and heart health.

Oral hygiene – including brushing and flossing after meals to remove food particles that mouth bacteria feed off of – helps maintain teeth and the surrounding bone and tissue.  Gum/periodontal disease allow the proliferation of bacteria, often leading to infection that may move to other parts of the body.  Some research supports the use of a baking soda/peroxide incorporated into toothpaste to help fight the disease and, in fact, is something that we suggest to our own patients.

Health

Replacing Lost Teeth

Dental Implants

By Dr. Steve Marsh

Missing teeth not only detract from your smile, but they can also make you feel uncomfortable.

If you have lost one or more teeth, you should know about dental implants — a technique for restoring the look and feel of natural teeth. Dental implants are extremely successful and quite popular. They can look and feel just like getting your real teeth back.

From the Root Up

You could say that a dental implant replaces your missing tooth from the root up. The first of the three steps required to replace a lost tooth with a dental implant is getting an artificial “anchor” for your missing tooth’s root.

Tiny titanium fixtures (screws) are placed in your jawbone by a specialist or general dentist. Either local or general anesthesia can be used. Very gentle, low-speed placement protects the bone tissue and promotes healing.

Finishing touches

Three to nine months later, the living bone in your mouth has bonded permanently with the dental implant, and it’s time to go to the next step.

The dentist attaches a post to the dental implant. Finally, a crown, bridge or anchored denture can be attached to the post. This replacement tooth will have been carefully shaped to fit in perfectly with the rest of your teeth.

When done properly by a skilled cosmetic dentist, the result is a totally natural-looking smile with strong teeth that you can be completely comfortable with.

Patients tell us they are able to eat foods they avoided before, and are smiling naturally and speaking more clearly.
Dr. Steve Marsh serves patients throughout greater Cleveland. He does all cosmetic dental procedures, including dental bonding, porcelain veneers, teeth whitening, implants, ceramic fillings crowns and bridges, and extreme dental makeovers. Contact him at ClevelandSmiles.com.