This blog is a continuation of last week’s post: The Knockout Punch for Oral Infection. We’ll pick up where we left off, adding information about when to remove teeth and how to replace them with comfortably functioning, long-lasting prosthetics.
We’ll explore:
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- Re-claiming good oral health
- Tips to prevent oral infection
- When to remove teeth
- Contemporary replacement teeth
- How to find professional help
How to Re-claim Good Oral Health
Most oral infections are the result of poor oral hygiene practices. If you don’t brush and floss daily, and also visit Dr. Bridges and our hygienists every six months for an exam and cleaning, you’re more likely to develop oral infections.
However, you may brush and floss daily, and see the dentist every six months for preventive care. You may go to the dentist when you notice abnormalities in your mouth. Still, you can develop cavities, gum disease, and other oral infections.
If you have oral infections or any other oral issues that require attention, Dr. Bridges can evaluate, diagnose, and treat the conditions. He offers full mouth restoration (FMR), which involves a phased treatment plan to cure oral infections and dental damage, while also establishing healthy oral function. We offer options to remove teeth and replace teeth with modern prosthetics, including dental implants for single and multiple teeth.
Tips to Preemptively Fight Oral Infection
Before diving into topics about teeth removal and replacement, let’s spend a minute reviewing best practices for oral home hygiene.
Every day, without fail, you should follow this simple home hygiene routine:
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- AM: Brush teeth with fluoridated toothpaste.
- PM: Floss teeth. Brush teeth with a fluoridated toothpaste.
When you brush, hold the toothbrush at a 45% angle to the teeth and use up and down, side to side, and circular motions. Floss teeth before brushing. You may add a tongue scraper to your brushing sessions, to clean bacteria off the tongue. This helps fight bad breath, too. A mouthwash with fluoride can fight bacteria, freshen breath, and strengthen teeth.
Children under three years of age should use UN-fluoridated toothpaste.
Denture wearers and braces patients can use special tools to help make brushing, flossing, and cleaning more effective.
Every six months, you need to visit Dr. Bridges for an exam and cleaning. If gum disease is present, you may need a deep cleaning, which can involve a few visits to complete.
If you notice anything unusual in your mouth, please call our Duncan dental office so that we can schedule an exam.
When to Remove Teeth
Our goal as your dental care provider is to help you avoid dental issues. A solid oral homecare routine and twice-a-year preventive visits at Chisholm Trail Smile Center will go a long, long, long way toward preventing dental issues. However, if you need dental treatment, Dr. Bridges will provide a complete treatment plan to re-establish your good oral health.
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- Impaction
- Crowding
- Gum disease
- Tooth infection
- Irreparable tooth damage
- In preparation for dentures
In some cases, we must remove teeth due to:
Dr. Bridges may remove teeth due to impaction or crowding, in which case replacement teeth aren’t necessary. When he removes teeth because of gum disease, infection, irreparable damage, or in preparation for dentures, the patient will need replacement teeth. Patients who neglect replacing teeth should expect the remaining teeth to drift toward the spaces left behind. This can negatively impact appearance, as well as occlusion (how upper and lower teeth fit together).
Contemporary Replacement Teeth
Dr. Bridges provides patients with traditional replacement teeth, as well as implant-secured prosthetics. A prosthetic is a replacement. This overview of options will help you understand dental prosthetics.
Single Teeth
Traditional bridge: a prosthetic made with crowns on one or both ends and solid replacement teeth in the center; non-removable
Single-tooth implant: one biocompatible implant installed in the jaw holds a single crown; non-removable
+ Teeth in a Row
Traditional bridge (see above)
Implant-secured bridge: two biocompatible implants installed in the jaw to hold a bridge of two or more teeth; non-removable
All Teeth on Top and/or Bottom Arch
Traditional dentures: a full arch of teeth; top dentures are secured with suction or adhesive; lower dentures require adhesive for stability; removable
Implant-retained dentures: four or more implant posts installed in the upper or lower jaw to retain a denture; permanent or removable implant-retained dentures are available
How to Find Professional Help
Dr. Bridges and our team take great pride in how we care for our patients. All restorations and replacement teeth we use are carefully constructed to look natural, feel solid, and function comfortably. Whether Dr. Bridges needs to remove teeth and replace them or simply provide fillings, crowns, and periodontal treatment, you’ll find the services you need at Chisholm Trail Smile Center, your Duncan, OK, dental practice. Give us a call at 580-255-4880 to schedule your exam today.
