What are the latest studies into the advancement of dental implant technology?
Titanium oxide that is now commonly used material in the manufacture of dental implants, and this has shown to reduce infection due to the material’s antibiotic properties. In an attempt to further reduce bone loss in the implant region, coating dental implants with antibiotic substances that dissolve faster immediately following implant placement can also help to reduce infection, especially in the initial stages. Trials have been done to cover the implants with morpheonetic proteins and also with synthetic hydroxyapatite, which enhance the re-growth of jawbone in the implant regions, encouraging faster osseointegration. The latest pioneering research is to find biomaterials which will induce bone cells to act as stem cells that can grow new bone cells.
3D technology to insert dental implants in a single surgical operation:
Imaging the mouth with a 3-D CT scan allows the insertion of a complete dental implant in one day, instead of waiting for six months between placing the implant and the crown. This imaging technique allows the surgeon to locate the exact spot to place the implant. .Immersing the surface of the implant in an acid bath, followed by an anodic electronic charge, creates a porous surface that improves the fixation of the implant to the bone. The new procedure is a faster and less painful solution for missing teeth, and is a more accurate and more natural looking solution for patients wanting eat, drink and smiling with confidence. Patients are put under local anaesthesia during the procedure.
What is 3D computerized tomography (CT) scanning?
CT scans are also known as CAT scans (Computerized Axial Tomography) and are similar to conventional X-ray imaging, but instead of imaging the outline of bones and vital organs, a CAT scan forms a full three-dimensional computer model of the jawbones. This technique enables dentists to plan the restoration from start to finish, before commencing surgery. Looking at the converted CT scan image in a computer software program, dentists can inspect the bone in every direction. It removes the need for the surgeon to loosen the gum around the bone and insert probes the measure the width and density of the bone. Temporary prosthetic teeth can be made before the surgical stage of the procedure. This makes it possible to have a natural-looking dental implant restoration in just one day. There is also less swelling, bruising and inflammation, and in addition less time is spent in the dentist's chair.
How does guided surgery assist in implant placement?
Guided dental surgery based on three dimensional scans, new biomaterials, and what dentists call immediate 'loading' of the crown on a dental implant. It is now possible to get a complete tooth replacement in just one day. The one-day implant is now possible because the surfaces of the implants have been modified to enhance the rate of its fixation to the bone. The implant surface is treated by immersing it in an acid bath, followed by an anodic electronic charge to create a porous surface.
What is soft tissue grafting?
When you lose gum tissue to periodontal disease, your gumline recedes, making your teeth appear longer than normal. Replacing the damaged tissue is usually accomplished by removing a small amount of tissue from your palate and attaching it to the affected site. This helps reduce further gum recession; it covers exposed roots, protecting them from decay and making them less sensitive to heat and cold, and gives your teeth a better aesthetic appearance.
What is bone grafting?
This procedure is performed when disease has destroyed the bone surrounding your tooth root. The graft may be composed of small fragments of your own bone or the bone may be synthetic or donated. Not only does the graft help prevent tooth loss by holding your tooth in place, it serves as a platform for the regrowth of natural bone. In that case, it's usually performed in conjunction with a technique called guided tissue regeneration.
What is guided tissue regeneration?
This allows bone destroyed by bacteria to re-grow. In one approach, your dentist places a special piece of biocompatible fabric between existing bone and your tooth. The material prevents unwanted tissue from entering the healing area, allowing bone to grow back instead. Another cutting-edge technique involves the application to a diseased tooth root of a gel that contains the same proteins found in tooth enamel. This fools your body into thinking that a new tooth is being formed, stimulating the growth of healthy bone and tissue.
What is periodontal disease?
Gingivitis: The early stages of periodontal disease (gingivitis) are seldom painful and causes relatively minor symptoms like red, swollen and bleeding gums. Untreated gingivitis however can progress to periodontitis, a serious infection that destroys the soft tissue and bone that support your teeth, and eventually may cause tooth loss. What's more, long-term periodontitis can lead to even more-serious problems, and is thought to increase risk of heart attack and stroke. Gum disease can even affect an unborn child, so pregnant women with periodontitis are more likely to give birth to premature babies than are women with healthy gums. Yet periodontitis is both preventable and treatable. Although factors such as smoking, medications, lowered immunity and hereditary factors can make a person more susceptible to gum disease. The most common cause is poor oral hygiene, so daily brushing and flossing and regular professional cleaning by a hygienist is recommended to reduce your chances of developing periodontitis.
What are the signs and symptoms of periodontal disease?
In the earliest stages, periodontal disease causes few signs or symptoms, and you may not be aware of a problem until your gums become soft and bleed slightly when you brush your teeth. As the disease progresses, you may notice more-serious changes, including: swollen, bright red or purple gums; gums that feel tender when touched; gums that recede from the teeth, exposing the roots; gaps developing between your teeth; pus between your teeth and gums; persistent breath odour or a bad taste in your mouth, and loosening of the teeth. Because several types of periodontitis exist, you may experience problems that are unique to a particular form of the disease. For instance, aggressive periodontitis, which affects otherwise healthy young people, causes a rapid deterioration of teeth and gums. The condition can also occur with periods of severe disease alternating with periods when signs and symptoms improve or seem to disappear. Other types of periodontitis and their characteristics include: Chronic periodontitis: This most common type of gum disease is characterized by progressive loss of the bone and soft tissues that surround and support your teeth. The damage usually develops more slowly than it does in aggressive periodontitis. Periodontitis as a manifestation of systemic disease: This usually develops at a young age and occurs in conjunction with another health problem, such as diabetes. Necrotizing periodontal disease: A severe form of periodontitis, this causes the death of gum tissue, tooth ligaments and even bone. People suffering from malnutrition or living with HIV/AIDS are especially vulnerable.
What are the causes of periodontal disease?
Periodontitis begins with plaque. This invisible, sticky film forms on your teeth when starches and sugars in food interact with bacteria normally found in your mouth. Although you remove plaque every time you brush your teeth, it re-forms quickly, usually within 24 hours. Plaque that stays on your teeth longer than two or three days can harden under your gumline into tartar (calculus), a white substance that makes plaque more difficult to remove and that acts as a reservoir for bacteria. Unfortunately, brushing and flossing can't eliminate tartar — only a professional cleaning can remove it. The longer plaque and tartar remain on your teeth, the more damage they can do. Initially, they may simply irritate and inflame the gingiva, the part of your gum around the base of your teeth. This is gingivitis, the mildest form of periodontal disease. But ongoing inflammation eventually causes pockets to develop between your gums and teeth that fill with plaque, tartar and bacteria. In time, the pockets become deeper and more bacteria accumulate, eventually advancing under your gum tissue. These deep infections cause a loss of tissue and bone. If too much bone is destroyed, you may lose one or more teeth. Although the destructive cycle that starts with the accumulation of plaque is the most common cause of periodontal disease, a number of other factors can contribute to or aggravate the condition. These include: Tobacco use. Smoking is the most significant risk factor for periodontal disease. Chewing tobacco also contributes to periodontal disease. Tobacco use in any form damages your immune system, putting you at greater risk of periodontal infection. It also creates a favourable environment for harmful bacteria and interferes with the normal mechanisms for limiting bacterial growth in your mouth. Even exposure to second-hand smoke appears to contribute to periodontal disease. And because smoking impairs healing, smokers are less likely to respond to treatment than non-smokers are. Heredity. Sometimes you may do everything right and still develop periodontal disease. In that case, you — along with close to one-third of the population — may have inherited a predisposition to gum problems. Drugs. Hundreds of prescription and over-the-counter antidepressants, cold remedies and antihistamines contain ingredients that decrease your body's production of saliva. Because saliva has a cleansing effect on your teeth and helps inhibit bacterial growth, this means that plaque and tartar can build up more easily. Other drugs, especially anti-seizure medications, calcium channel blockers and drugs that suppress your immune system, sometimes cause an overgrowth of gum tissue (gingival hyperplasia), making plaque much tougher to remove. Diabetes. A number of health problems can take a toll on your gums. One of the most significant of these is diabetes, which makes you more prone to many infections, including gum infections. But the relationship between diabetes and periodontal disease doesn't end there. Gingivitis and periodontitis impair your body's ability to utilize insulin, making diabetes harder to control. And because diabetes and periodontal disease may make you more susceptible to heart attack and stroke, having both conditions increases your risk of cardiovascular disease. Nutritional deficiencies. A poor diet, especially one deficient in calcium, vitamin C and B vitamins, can contribute to periodontal disease. Calcium is important because it helps maintain the strength of your bones, including the bones that support your teeth. Vitamin C helps maintain the integrity of connective tissue. It's also a powerful antioxidant that counters the tissue-destroying effects of free radicals — substances produced when oxygen is metabolized by your body. Heart disease and stroke: Having long-term gum disease may increase your risk of heart attack and stroke, and the more severe your gum problems, the greater the risk. Research suggests that the bacteria responsible for periodontitis could travel via the bloodstream to the arteries in your heart creating a cycle of inflammation and arterial narrowing that could contributes to a heart attack. Oral bacteria could also make you more prone to develop blood clots, increasing the likelihood of a stroke. Complications of pregnancy: Women with periodontal disease may be more likely to give birth to a premature baby than are women with healthy gums. The problem is exacerbated by diabetes, considered at high risk in pregnancy. Uncontrolled blood sugar: Diabetes puts you at greater risk of developing periodontal disease and other infections, as it makes blood glucose levels harder to control. Infection anywhere in your body can raise your blood sugar level, requiring more insulin to keep it under control. Pneumonia: If you have serious gum disease and lung problems, inhaling (aspirating) bacteria from your mouth into your lungs may result in aspiration pneumonia, a condition that's especially common in hospitals where patients may be sedated or have tracheal tubes.
What are the treatments for periodontal disease?
Your gum tissue should fit closely around the teeth, but when periodontitis destroys supporting bone and tissue, your gum tissue weakens allowing bacteria-filled pockets to form around your teeth. Over time, these pockets become progressively deeper and more infected, leading to further gum tissue and bone loss. Periodontitis is treated by cleaning these pockets of bacteria and to prevent more damage. If you have pockets between your gums and your teeth that are 4 mm or less in depth, you may be a good candidate for scaling and root planing, sometimes in conjunction with antibiotic therapy. If you regularly practice good oral hygiene at home, this may be the only treatment you need. Scaling removes tartar and bacteria from your tooth surfaces and beneath your gums, and may be performed using hand instruments or an ultrasonic scaler. Root planing smoothes the root surfaces, discouraging further accumulation of tartar. In addition to these procedures, your dentist may prescribe antibiotics or other medications to help control bacterial infection. Recent advances in topical antibiotic treatment may reduce the need for systemic medications that, in addition to the potential for side effects, increase the likelihood of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Some dentists, for example, recommend antibiotic mouth rinses. Others may insert threads and gels containing antibiotics into the space between your teeth and gums or into pockets after deep cleaning. Although more research is needed, these products appear to lower bacteria levels and may help prevent future problems. Sometimes, though, you may have more advanced periodontitis when the depth of the pockets between your gums and teeth is more than 4 mm so your gum tissue may not respond to non-surgical treatments.
Can periodontal disease be prevented?
The best way to prevent periodontal disease is a program of good dental hygiene throughout your entire life. Brush your teeth at least twice daily; in the morning and evening, and floss at least once a day. Better still is to brush after every meal or snack or as your dentist recommends. Floss before you brush to clean away the loosened food particles and bacteria. Choose the right toothbrush: Select a toothbrush with soft bristles, as stiff or hard bristles can injure your gums. Only the tips of the brush do the cleaning, so there's no need to exert too much pressure. Replace your brush every three to four months, or if the bristles are splayed. Some dentists recommend electric toothbrushes with rotating or vibrating bristles because they may be more effective at removing plaque and maintaining healthy gum tissue. Electric brushes may be especially helpful for people with dexterity problems. But you don't have to invest a lot of money to achieve good oral health, since a manual toothbrush will give good results if used properly. Brush your teeth well: Brushing doesn't do much good if you don't do it correctly. Clean the outer surfaces of your teeth and gums, using short, side-to-side, then up-and-down strokes. Use vertical strokes to clean inner surfaces. To clean the junction between your teeth and gums, hold your brush at a 45-degree angle to your teeth. Flossing: This is the part of oral care that most people tend to ignore. Flossing is a tedious task, which is why most dentists comment that their patients don't floss regularly. However, flossing is an essential part of good oral care. How to use floss: Hold about 14 inches of the floss and bent around each tooth, scraping up and down each side of each tooth and go slightly below your gum-line until you feel resistance. Flossing removes plaque between your teeth and also helps massage your gums. Brushing action: Some toothpastes claim to remove plaque and tartar or to kill the bacteria that cause plaque. The truth is that all toothpastes, including natural ones without additives of any kind, remove plaque if you brush properly. No product can remove tartar below your gum-line, although tartar control toothpastes can help prevent tartar from building up on your teeth. Eat a healthy diet: To help protect your teeth and gums, eat a well-balanced diet containing plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. A potent antioxidant and major player in the synthesis of collagen is vitamin C, which is essential for healthy gums. Many fruits and vegetables, including citrus fruits, berries, melons, broccoli and spinach, are sources of vitamin C, and most natural foods stores and pharmacies carry vitamin C supplements. Calcium is essential for bone health, and experts recommend getting 1-2 grams every day.
Complementary and alternative medicine:
Because nutrition plays a major role in oral health, many complementary and alternative therapies focus on supplying your body with certain nutrients. Some of these include: Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10): This substance, which occurs naturally in your body and in a wide variety of foods, plays a key role in the production of cellular energy. It's also a powerful anti-oxidant, many times more potent than vitamin C. Researchers have studied the potential effect of CoQ10 on a number of conditions, including Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, cancer, cardiovascular disease and periodontal disease. Among other findings, CoQ10 applied to pockets of diseased gum tissue appears to significantly reduce infection, but no studies have measured the effectiveness of oral CoQ10. If you want to try oral CoQ10, you can purchase supplements at natural foods stores and some pharmacies. Look for oil-based capsules, which are far better absorbed and utilized than dry capsules are. Grapefruit seed extract: This natural extract has proven antibiotic qualities. Some people suggest adding a drop to your regular toothpaste every time you brush. Look for grapefruit seed extract in natural foods stores or online. Cranberries: Long known as a treatment for urinary tract infections, cranberries and cranberry juice work by preventing bacteria from adhering to cells that line the bladder. Cranberries may also keep bacteria from adhering to the teeth and gums. Unfortunately, most cranberry products have sugar added, which can undo the beneficial effects. Choose products sweetened with fruit juices instead of sugar.
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