Teaching Your Children About the Dentist
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Teaching Your Children About the Dentist

I work as a clerical assistant in a pediatric dental office, and I am commonly surprised by the number of children who are scared of the dentist. Many kids think that cleanings will be painful, and they believe they will be scolded for eating sugary foods. Children are also extremely frightful of the noises made by the water spraying tools and the suction devices. As adults, we know that dental cleanings are easy and free of pain. We need to impart this knowledge to our children so they know not to fear the dentist. I have provided blogs that will help you speak with your child about dental care. Good communication, trips to your own dentist, and online videos can assist you. So will good brushing techniques that will make your child proud to see the dentist. Enjoy my articles so you can help your child build oral care confidence.

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Teaching Your Children About the Dentist

2 Reasons Dental Implants Fail And How To Prevent Them

Alfred Kelley

A dental implant is used as a tooth replacement device. The implant, which is a rod made of biocompatible metal, is placed inside the jawbone of the patient. Over the course of about 2 to 4 months, the dental implant becomes stable within the bone. A healing process called osseointegration causes the cells of the jawbone to fuse with the implanted rod. Even though the implant is as stable and secure as a natural tooth's root once osseointegration has occurred, there are still instances in which a dental implant can fail. Here are a few of them and how they can be avoided: 

Teeth Grinding

Teeth grinding usually occurs at night. The medical term for it is bruxism. As a person sleeps, he or she make clench his or her teeth together and grind them back and forth laterally. This grinding places a great amount of pressure on the patient's teeth. In some instances, the pressure can be so intense that it causes a tooth to become cracked or chipped. The pressure may also impact a dental implant negatively.

Pressure from teeth grinding can actually loosen a dental implant. Once the dental implant becomes loose within the jawbone, the implant fails. Another dental implant can be installed, but the patient has to undergo the entire procedure again.

To avoid having bruxism cause the failure of a dental implant, it is important to wear a mouth guard nightly. Mouth guards that protect the teeth from the pressure of grinding can be purchased at local drug stores. In addition, a customized guard can be obtained from your dentist.

Fluctuations in Blood Sugar

Although the implant failure rate of a person with diabetes is no different than that of a person without the condition, unstable blood sugar can cause a dental implant to fail. When blood sugar is unstable, it can cause a wound not to heal properly or quickly. The delay in healing gives the dental implant more opportunities to be moved out of position before osseointegration is complete. In addition, the soft tissues that help hold the dental implant in place may not heal around the prosthetic device properly.

People with unstable blood sugar are also more apt to develop an infection. If the wound of a dental implant becomes infected, the healing process will be delayed. Thus, if you suffer from issues with your blood sugar, be sure to take any medication that has been prescribed to stabilize it. In addition, adhere to the dietary and exercise recommendations of your physician.

To learn more about dental implants, schedule a consultation with a dentist in your area.


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