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Posts for: June, 2012

By The Hays Dental Group
June 22, 2012
Category: Oral Health
WhatAreBabyTeethAndWhyDoTheyComeOut

Many youngsters look forward to finding a surprise under their pillow after a visit from the “tooth fairy.” This fable may comfort children who wonder why their first teeth come out. Parents need to know that losing baby teeth, also called primary or deciduous teeth, is completely normal, but at the right time and the right “space.”

A child's first set of teeth must be lost to create room for the adult or permanent teeth that have been forming beneath them. The buds of the permanent teeth grow within a child's jawbone just under the baby teeth. The tops, or crowns, grow first, followed by the roots. Then as the roots develop, the permanent teeth push the baby teeth above them up through the gum tissues. As this happens, the roots of the baby teeth are resorbed, or melted away.

With their roots gone, eventually the baby teeth become so loose that they can be easily removed or fall out on their own, making room for the adult teeth to appear. Sometimes, when a baby tooth is so loose, it can be wiggled out. It leaves a little bleeding gum tissue that heals easily. This is also normal.

Besides making sure the tooth fairy comes, parents need to be sure that their children are evaluated to determine whether baby teeth are being lost in the right sequence so they will act as guides for the adult teeth. If teeth are lost prematurely because of decay or trauma, it is important that space is maintained for the adult teeth when they come in.

Contact us today to schedule an appointment or to discuss whether your child's baby teeth are being lost in the right sequence and the adult teeth are coming in correctly. To read more about losing baby teeth, see the article “Losing a Baby Tooth: Understanding an important process in your child's development.”


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By The Hays Dental Group
June 14, 2012
Category: Dental Procedures
DentalImplantsQuiz

How much do you know about dental implants? Test yourself with this quiz.

  1. Earliest recorded attempts at using dental implants were from
    1. Medieval England
    2. The ancient Mayans
    3. U.S.A. in the 1950s
  2. Dental implants are called endosseous. What does this mean?
    1. They fuse with the bone
    2. They are inside the mouth
    3. They are not real teeth
  3. What are most dental implants made of?
    1. Aluminum
    2. Titanium
    3. Steel
  4. What part of the tooth does an implant replace?
    1. The implant is the root replacement
    2. The implant is the root plus the crown
    3. The implant is the crown
  5. What is the success rate of dental implants?
    1. 50 percent or less
    2. 75 percent
    3. 95 percent or more
  6. What could cause an implant to fail?
    1. Smoking or drug use
    2. Poor bone quality and quantity at the implant site
    3. Both of the above
  7. What is a tooth's emergence profile?
    1. The implant and crown's shape as it emerges from beneath the gum line
    2. A measure of the urgency of the tooth replacement
    3. A measure of the time it takes for you to be able to chew on the new implant
  8. What are some of the factors that go into the aesthetics of designing the crown?
    1. Choice of materials
    2. Color matching
    3. Both of the above
Answers:
  1. b. The concept of dental implants goes back to the Mayan civilization in 600 AD.
  2. a. The word endosseous (from endo meaning within and osseo meaning bone) refers to the implant's ability to fuse with or integrate with the bone in which it is placed.
  3. b. Most implants are made of a titanium alloy, a metallic substance that is not rejected by the body and is able to fuse with the bone.
  4. a. The term “implant” refers to the root replacement, which is anchored in the gum and bone. A crown is put around the implant where it emerges from the gumline.
  5. c. The majority of studies have shown long term success rates of over 95 percent.
  6. c. Factors that could cause an implant to fail include general health concerns such as smoking and drug use, osteoporosis, or a compromised immune system; poor bone quality or quantity; and poor maintenance such as lack of proper brushing and flossing.
  7. a. The emergence profile has a lot to do with the implant's natural appearance. It involves the way the crown, which attaches to the implant, seemingly emerges through the gum tissue like a natural tooth.
  8. c. Choices such as materials, color, and position can be worked out in the design of a customized temporary crown, which acts as a template or blueprint for a final crown.

Contact us today to schedule an appointment to discuss your questions about dental implants. You can also learn more by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Matching Teeth & Implants.”


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By The Hays Dental Group
June 06, 2012
Category: Oral Health
Tags: oral health  
OralHealthTipsforSpecialNeedsChildren

If you are the parent or caregiver of a special needs child or a child with a chronic disease, you face additional challenges when it comes to life's everyday routines. This includes establishing and maintaining good oral health so that your child is not at risk for other healthcare issues due to poor oral hygiene. For these reasons, our office has put together real-world advice that will make a difference in the life of your child.

The visit to our office that can make the biggest difference is your child's first one. However, be sure to contact us in advance of your child's appointment to let us know the details of your child's special needs or chronic disease state. This will give us the opportunity to contact your child's primary care physician or one of his/her specialists before starting treatment to obtain any medical information or special instructions. It will also enable us to be prepared so that we can pay special attention to these needs, as well as to make any necessary modifications to our office and/or equipment. Our primary focus is to work with you and your child's healthcare team towards the same goal. We all want your office visit to go smoothly and comfortably so that your child's first dental experience is a positive one.

Depending on the age of your child and his/her special needs, we most likely will start a gentle process of training and education. For example we will teach your child how to brush properly. It is important that you sit in and participate in this educational process so that you can reinforce this training at home. And little things count; before working with your child at home, you should set the stage so that it will be a comfortable setting with adequate light, fresh water for rinsing, and a mirror. You also need to have all of your supplies handy, such as a toothbrush, toothpaste, floss and rubber gloves (if needed).

To learn more tips, continue reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “How To Care for the Oral Health of Children with Disabilities and Special Needs.” Or, you can contact us today to schedule an appointment or to discuss your questions about your child's special oral healthcare needs.


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