Since the late 90s, the All-On-4 dental implant procedure has been refined and made more widely available throughout America and the world. Not only did this procedure prove to be more effective than traditional dentures, but it provided a permanent solution to missing teeth. At Same-Day Implants, we are happy to provide this revolutionary procedure for patients who would benefit. However, before making any final decisions, we always perform a comprehensive exam using state-of-the-art cone beam 3D CT scans, digital x-rays, as well as a full oral exam. Keep reading to learn more about the benefits of All-On-4 dental implants.

What Are All-On-4 Dental Implants?

When a single-tooth implant procedure is performed, the crown is supported by one dental implant. However, oral health experts have discovered that with precise placement of dental implants in the jawbone, a full arch of teeth can be supported by only four dental implants. Not only is this procedure better for patients, but it’s much easier for periodontists to perform, meaning they can often complete the procedure in one day! Let’s take a look at some of the main benefits of All-On-4 dental implants.

Permanent Solution

Above all else, All-On-Four dental implants are a permanent solution to your dental woes. For many people, old and young, tooth decay and tooth loss is a huge threat to their well-being. Although dental implants will fully restore the functionality and feel of your natural teeth, gum disease and peri-implantitis are still very real threats, so it’s important to maintain your implants the same as you would your natural teeth.

High Satisfaction Rate

Most people don’t experience what it’s like to have a brand new set of teeth during their lives, but the ones who do are rarely dissatisfied! According to a study published in SciELO, 91 percent of patients treated with implant-supported prostheses were overall satisfied with their experience while other studies show even higher degrees of satisfaction months and years after their procedure.  

Increased Confidence

It’s never easy living with decaying or missing teeth. Not only do you have to deal with the reduced functionality, but a reduced confidence level as well. Since full-arch prosthetic teeth are pre-made, they are designed to look exactly like your real teeth and blend in seamlessly with your gum line. Most people are surprised to find out that the patient doesn’t have any of their natural teeth which can be a huge confidence booster!

Restored Functionality

The most important reason to have an All-On-4 Procedure done is the restored functionality. Chances are, you have fond memories of being able to eat what you want, when you want it; or, maybe you’ve never experienced this. Either way, All-On-4 is the only effective way to restore the strength and bite force of your natural teeth.

 

What makes the All-On-4 procedure so unique is its ability to restore full functionality with limited intrusiveness. Instead of all implants being placed straight like with single-tooth or multiple tooth replacement, the two outermost implants are slanted, increasing the bite force they are able to withstand. Without this, a full arch prosthesis would need more than four implants to support it.

Facial Restoration

When a tooth falls out, the process of resorption begins. What this means is that bone tissue is lost in the jaw because it’s no longer supporting a tooth. This causes the jaw to have a “sagging” appearance and can only be restored if the teeth are replaced. All-On-4 will increase bone tissue production in the jaw resulting in a more natural shape. Behind functionality, this is often one of the biggest concerns patients have.

Contact Same-Day Implants

You don’t have to live with less than optimal tooth function and appearance. All-On-4 dental implants are the most effective way to restore your natural feeling teeth. The best part of all is that you may qualify for a same-day implant procedure, meaning you could be walking out with a brand new pair of teeth with no downtime, all in the same day as your initial consultation! Don’t hesitate to give us a call and schedule an appointment.

If you’ve ever chipped or broken a tooth, it can be a scary situation. Ideally, you want to hang on to your natural teeth as long as possible unless they’re decaying or have developed periodontal disease, which could compromise your oral health. On the other hand, you don’t want to necessary jump straight to extraction as your only solution. In this blog, we’re going to cover damaged teeth so that you’ll have a good idea of what solutions you have available to you.

What Causes A Damaged Tooth?

There are a number of things that can result in a chipped or damaged tooth. This could include pressure from grinding teeth, biting down on a hard food like nuts or candy, a sports injury, or car injury. Oftentimes, when a tooth becomes damaged, people don’t even notice until someone sees it. However, if the damage is on the top of the crown, you may feel it with your tongue.

Types Of Damaged Teeth

Craze lines are very small cracks in the top layer of your teeth, the enamel. These are not very noticeable and usually do not require any treatment.

A fractured cusp is a crack starts near a dental filling. Since this crack doesn’t affect the pulp of your tooth, it’s almost always painless.

Vertical cracks that haven’t reached the gum line can be serious, but if it has made it to the gum line, you may need to get the tooth extracted. Contact a dentist immediately if you have a vertical crack in your tooth.

Split teeth are very serious medical emergencies and result from a crack that goes all the way from the top of the crown to below the gum line. If the separation is severe enough, you’ll most likely need an extraction.

Root fractures occur below the gum line. Since you can’t see these cracks, you may only discover it because of the pain or because it got infected.

Teeth that don’t need to be removed can be fixed in one of several ways.

Fillings

A filling is just what it sounds like: a way to fill in a missing part of your tooth. Just like when you get a cavity and fill in the decayed area, you do the same with a crack or chip in your tooth. Fillings allow your teeth to regain the strength and durability they had before the incident and prevents bacteria from getting inside.

Crown

A crown or a “dental crown” is placed over a tooth in order to improve its strength, shape, and size. Dental crowns are commonly used when there is a crack in the tooth because it holds it together and prevents it from breaking. However, this is not always the best solution to a broken tooth, especially if it risks being infected.

When Can A Tooth Not Be Saved?

The three most common reasons for removing teeth are disease, trauma, and crowding, according to the American Dental Association. If your dentist indicates that the crack is too severe or there’s a chance it will be infected, you will most likely need to have it extracted. Once you have a tooth extracted, you will have many options for tooth replacement.

Bridge

A bridge is designed to replace one or two teeth. A bridge is designed to be fixed onto surrounding teeth and there is a fake crown that goes over the area where your tooth is missing. What this means is that the new tooth is supported by your surrounding teeth. This is not always ideal because it could damage your natural teeth resulting in more problems.

Dental Implant

A dental implant is the most natural and effective replacement for a natural tooth. The implant goes directly into the jaw and is held in place using the same periodontal function as your natural tooth root. If you are missing a tooth due to an extraction, always go to a periodontist who specializes in dental implants like Same-Day Implants. We’ll perform a comprehensive consultation so that you understand your oral health and what all of your options are moving forward. Give us a call today if you have any questions.

Chances are, you’ve experienced dry mouth at some point in your life. Maybe you went on a long run and didn’t have enough water beforehand, or maybe you drank a lot of coffee throughout the day and didn’t drink enough water. You may have even had trouble speaking, chewing, or swallowing when your mouth was dry.

Although dry mouth (xerostomia) may seem relatively harmless, it can actually cause some pretty severe health conditions if it’s left unchecked. Keep reading to learn more.

What does saliva do?

Talking about saliva is never the most pleasant of conversations you can have, but it’s an important one because saliva actually plays an important role in our health. Our saliva is 98 percent water and is produced in the salivary glands. The other two percent consists of many important substances including electrolytes, mucus, antibacterial compounds and various enzymes. Everyone has three pairs of these glands under and behind the jaw, sublingual, and submandibular. There are also tiny salivary glands all over your mouth and throat.

Since saliva is produced in so many different areas, it must be pretty important, right? Correct! One of the main purposes of saliva is indigestion. These functions including moistening food then forming it into bolus which can be swallowed more easily than dry food. Have you ever tried eating something dry with an already dry mouth? It’s not too pleasant!

Effects of Low Saliva

As aforementioned, saliva is a key part of the digestion process. Even when food reaches the stomach, it helps to break down foods that you’ve consumed. But that’s not the only side-effect of low saliva. Saliva also helps to wash out and fight bacteria that are found on your teeth and gums. Aside from that, it also helps to rebuild enamel on your teeth that is lost through chewing. When the mouth is dry and you consume food, plaque will begin to form immediately and there will be nothing there to break it up and dilute the acidic substances that we consume.

According to the American Dental Association (ADA), oral candidiasis can result from dry mouth. This is a fungal infection that can cause pain and bad breath. Another effect of dry mouth is burning mouth syndrome which is basically what it sounds like. This is a burning feeling in the mouth caused by a lack of saliva production. Although these conditions are mild compared to the effects of low saliva on your teeth, they’re still worth noting.

Preventing Dry Mouth

Now that you know the effects of dry mouth, you’re probably ready to do everything you can to prevent it. The main way to increase saliva production is to simply drink more water. Since saliva production is directly linked to the amount of water you consume, you’ll need to drink a lot more water than you think. It also helps to avoid things like coffee, alcohol, salty and sugary foods, and cigarettes, because these can all make you dehydrated and more susceptible to dry mouth.

If you already have dry mouth, it’s important to take the necessary steps to fix the issue before it results in more serious dental issues like cavities, gum disease, or periodontal disease. First and foremost you should start drinking more water and brush more frequently. This will help to restore the condition of your mouth by rehydrating it and eliminating any bacteria and plaque that built up when it was dry. Additionally, you’ll want to schedule an appointment with a certified dental professional.

Contact Pacific Northwest Specialists In Periodontics and Dental Implants

If you’ve experienced dry mouth for a long time and believe it is taking a toll on your dental health, you should contact a periodontist at Pacific Northwest today. Periodontists specialize in the supporting structures of your teeth. What this means is that if you have an oral condition that has led to deterioration in the supporting structures of your teeth such as your gums, jawbone, periodontal ligament or the tooth itself, a periodontist will be able to work with you to create a plan and restore your oral health allowing you to chew naturally again. If you have any questions, please contact us today.

Hello, and welcome back to our blog here at Same-Day Implants in Seattle. This is part two of our blog series where we take a look at why tooth loss is so prevalent among Americans. Last time, we took a look at the effect of diet and poor oral hygiene on tooth loss, as well as some natural causes that can lead to tooth loss. Keep reading to learn more and contact us today if need to replace one more missing teeth in Seattle.

Tooth Grinding

Grinding of the teeth either due to stress or while sleeping is a much bigger issue than many people realize. This condition is known as bruxism and will damage teeth by wearing away the enamel and can potentially damage the jaw. Since the enamel protects your teeth from bacteria, you’ll be more likely to get an infection.

According to an APA study, 63 percent of Americans report that they’re worried about our country’s future and around the same number report feeling stressed about work or money. This not only has an impact on our general well-being but it can contribute to issues like bruxism that affect people who are stressed or worried more than anyone else.

Genetics

You’ve probably heard before that genetics can have a huge effect on whether you develop medical conditions like cancer or diabetes. With that said, it’s no surprise that you’ll be more likely to inherit oral health conditions as well. The shape, size, and strength of your teeth are all affected by genetics in addition to your susceptibility to infection and cavities. Although this is by no means the final word on your oral health, it could mean tooth loss is inevitable when combined with poor oral hygiene.

Systemic Diseases

Systemic diseases such as diabetes could play a major role in whether we lose teeth at some point in our lives or how soon we lose them. According to the American Diabetes Association, people with diabetes have a higher chance of having serious gum disease than people who don’t have diabetes. As you’re probably aware, gum disease is the first sign of impending periodontal disease and eventual tooth loss. Since around 47 percent of American adults have mild to severe gum disease, it’s not hard to see why systemic diseases like diabetes can contribute to this issue of tooth loss.

Another thing to note is that systemic diseases are a two-way street. Not only will diabetes contribute to the onset of gum disease, but once gum disease is contracted, it can affect blood glucose levels which will worsen diabetes.

Not Seeking Help

Sure, there’s a lot you can do on your own to protect your teeth, but that doesn’t mean everyone is capable of preventing tooth loss all on their own. Many Americans avoid going to the dentist or the periodontist because they either don’t recognize the warning signs of oral health problems or they think their problems will go away. Although bacteria and plaque can be cleaned out of the mouth with good oral hygiene practice, anything beyond that calls for professional help. And living with a missing tooth will only lead to more bone loss in the jawbone and a higher chance of losing more teeth.

Contact Same-Day Implants

Same-Day Implants is proud to provide single-tooth, multiple-tooth, and all-on-4 dental implants for patients in Seattle. Although tooth loss is a common oral health issue, that doesn’t mean you need to live without the functionality and appearance of your natural teeth. Contact us today to learn more or to schedule an appointment.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, out of American adults between the ages of 35 and and 44-years old, 69 percent have lost one or more permanent teeth. Although many people feel ashamed if they lose a tooth, many don’t realize how common this issue is. But the problems don’t stop during middle age. As we age, tooth loss becomes even more common and between the ages of 65 and 74, 26 percent of people have lost all their natural teeth. Many health specialists even list tooth loss as one of the most prevalent and concerning health issues in old age. So what makes tooth decay, tooth loss, and general oral health issues so common? In this blog, we’ll take a look at a look at some of the major culprits as well as what you can do about it.

In the meantime, if you’re looking for a periodontist in Seattle or the surrounding area, don’t hesitate to contact Same-Day Implants.

Natural Tooth Decay

Although there are many preventable risk factors when it comes to tooth loss that we’ll get into shortly, it’s important to note that not all tooth loss is the result of poor oral care habits. Tooth decay and inevitably, tooth loss are the result of aging. Our teeth and gums play a very important role in our general well-being and as we age, their ability to do their job tends to diminish and we become more susceptible to oral health issues. That doesn’t mean that everyone will lose teeth in their old age, but many of us do.

Diet

We tend to think of our own diet as being healthy, but when you take a look at the diet of Americans as a whole, you start to see a lot of problems with the way we eat. When it comes to consumerism, American society is built on immediate satisfaction. Whatever we need is right at our fingertips and that’s no different with unhealthy foods.

The problem with this way of life is that it doesn’t promote great oral health by any stretch of the imagination. What many people don’t realize is that oral health issues don’t usually develop overnight. They’re something that wears down your teeth and gums over a long period of time until you start experiencing pain and inevitably call a dentist or periodontist for help. And one reason why tooth loss is so common is because we don’t ever see our diet as an oral health problem, we see it as an overall health problem.

Be more conscious about the foods you eat and how they impact your oral health. You will thank yourself later in life for this.

Oral Hygiene

There’s no doubt about it, maintaining great oral hygiene practices throughout your whole life is no easy task. And it’s somewhat daunting when you think about how much bacteria has built up in your mouth over the course of your life. Maybe a certain memory comes to mind of a period in your life where oral hygiene wasn’t a huge concern and as a result, you didn’t practice healthy oral hygiene on a daily basis.

Although these mistakes will impact us for the rest of our lives, that doesn’t mean you can’t start to reverse the damage that was done. One of the reasons tooth loss is so common is that people ignore the warning signs and people don’t seek help until their oral health issues have caught up with them and they have a serious issue on their hands. Once you acknowledge that the warning signs start long before tooth or gum pain, you’ll have a better chance of preventing it.

All things considered, there are two main reasons to practice good oral hygiene: to prevent tooth decay and to prevent infection. Although there are many other reasons to brush and floss like preventing bad breath, tooth decay and infection are inevitably what lead to serious oral or systemic health conditions. But preventing tooth loss requires just as much attention on your gums as it does your teeth.

Many of the issues we perceive as tooth problems started in the gums. The reason for that is that our gums are exposed to the most bacteria and if they aren’t able to hold off the bacteria, they will become infected (gingivitis) and that infection will spread to other supporting structures of the teeth. Since your teeth are supported by several different things like your gums, the periodontal ligament, tooth roots, and your jawbone, tooth loss can result from many different conditions.

Contact Same-Day Implants

After taking a look at some of the major causes of tooth loss, it’s not hard to see why so many Americans lose at least one tooth at some point in their lives. Our teeth and gums are constantly exposed to food particles and bacteria that can damage the supporting structures of our teeth and eventually lead to tooth loss.

Here at Same-Day Implants in Seattle, we realize how wide-spread tooth loss is and we don’t want people to feel afraid to seek treatment. In many cases, we are able to perform a same-day implant, allowing you to regain the functionality and appearance of your natural teeth almost immediately. Our oral health experts work hard to create a comfortable atmosphere for you and will work closely with you to ensure your needs are met throughout your entire visit. Contact us today to learn more.

Read part two of this blog to learn more reasons tooth loss is so common.

Hello, and welcome back to our blog. This is part two of our series about why you should contact a periodontist for dental implants rather than another dental health specialist. As we discussed in our previous blog, periodontists have more training, experience, and knowledge of periodontal conditions that result in the need for dental implants. Keep reading to learn more.

Knowledge of Periodontal Disease

There is a multitude of reasons why you may need a dental implant procedure. Maybe you sustained an injury that knocked one of your teeth out, or maybe you’ve experienced enough tooth decay over time to justify having the tooth extracted and replaced with an implant. However, one of the most common reasons someone needs a dental implant procedure done is because of periodontal disease.

Periodontal disease is a serious gum infection that damages the supporting structures of the teeth like the jawbone and periodontal ligament. The reason it’s important to see a periodontist regularly is that they will be able to track the progression of infections like gum disease and periodontal disease. When you’re thinking of getting a dental implant, a periodontist will be able to accurately determine the condition of surrounding teeth as well as the jawbone and gums to see if there will be any complications after the implants are in.

When you contact Same-Day Implants, we never commit to an implant procedure without performing a comprehensive exam. What this means is we’ll consult with you to determine what issues you’re having and how it’s affecting your day-to-day life. Then we’ll take a look at your teeth and gums to see if there is any threat of them being lost to periodontal disease. In certain cases, gum disease can be reversed and you’ll have no need for dental implants. However, if the infection is bad enough, we may recommend dental implants.

 

It’s important to have an accurate diagnosis before committing to dental implants because it may not be necessary and/or lead to unforeseen side effects. It’s always best to consult a periodontist rather than a general dentist about this because they are more knowledgeable about conditions like periodontal disease as well as bone loss.

Contact Same-Day Implants

If you live in Seattle and believe you may need dental implants, contact your board certified periodontists at Same-Day Implants. We perform single-tooth, multiple teeth, and all-on-4 dental implants.

Are you aware that dentists in the United States are allowed to work outside their specialization? What this means is that the doctor you visit regularly may also be performing complex dental implant procedures in addition to their regular dental checkups. However, it’s important to note that there is a wide range of doctors who work with oral health including dentists, periodontists, orthodontists, endodontists, prosthodontists and more. The problem with visiting a dentist for dental implants is that periodontists are better equipped to deal with this type of treatment. Keep reading to learn more.

Training

Like periodontists, dentists study a broad range of dental techniques in addition to dental implants. However, the difference is that periodontists receive far more comprehensive training when it comes to placing implants in the safest and most effective way. Periodontists work with certified professionals in order to master the art of placing implants and in order to receive their certification, must pass rigorous hands-on and written exams. For you and many other patients out there in need of dental implants, this means that you will be receiving the highest level of care in the industry.  

Experience

Not only will your average periodontist have more training with placing dental implants than your average dentist, but they’ll also have more experience. Not only are our periodontists at Same-Day Implants experienced, but they’re also board-certified. Dr. Rapoport and Dr. Schuler are both recognized by the American Board of Periodontology, a status that is earned only after passing a rigorous exam on dental implant procedures and other aspects of periodontics. Only 10 percent of the periodontists in the U.S. have achieved this certification.

If you’d like to speak with us about our certification, training, or experience, please contact us today.

Familiarity With Complications

Although it would be nice to hear that every dental implant procedure goes as planned and that no collateral issues can arise, it simply isn’t accurate. Additionally, there are a number of things that can result in a failed dental implant. Your general dentist may not have the technology or the experience these issues before the procedure leading to a lot of added stress and complications for you.

When you contact a periodontist, your specialist will use all of the latest dental technology to examine the state of your oral health, any complications that could lead to a failure in the implants and do everything possible to increase your chances of a successful procedure. One common issue many patients have is that there isn’t enough bone where the implant is going in to support the crown. Bone is usually restored through a process called bone grafting that will ensure your bone is healthy and strong before the implant goes in.

Contact Same-Day Implants

Same-Day Implants has been serving Seattle and the surrounding areas since 1999. Read part two of this blog to learn more or contact our periodontal specialists today to see if dental implants are right for you.

Hello, and welcome back to our blog here at Pacific Northwest Periodontics. Last time we started talking about gum recession, what causes it, how it happens, and some of the conditions associated with it. In this blog, we’re going to discuss prevention and why it matters. If you have receding gums, you should visit an oral health specialist immediately for an appointment.

Why it matters

People who have receding gums typically either don’t know it, or they don’t know enough about the condition to think it’s a serious issue. But gum recession in and of itself isn’t necessarily a threat to your health, it’s more of a sign that there are bigger problems going on. To an oral health specialist, receded gums are an early sign of tooth loss, tooth sensitivity, poor appearance, and generally poorer periodontal condition.

 

On the contrary, if your gum recession is severe enough, the condition itself may be harmful to your teeth. Gums are supposed to protect your teeth, so if they aren’t completely covering them, they aren’t doing their job. The attached gingiva connects your teeth to the jawbone, and the gingival mucosa protects your gums and cheeks. When the gingival margin is pulled away from the teeth, the roots of the teeth will actually be exposed. Since this part of the tooth doesn’t have any enamel, it will be more susceptible to decay and inevitably, tooth loss.

 

Even if gum recession isn’t currently causing issues for you, you need to take action or you’ll be at serious risk of periodontal disease and tooth loss. A good place to start is by maintaining a better diet and a better oral hygiene routine? Do you floss? If not, this is something you need to start doing at least once a day. Flossing doesn’t remove food particles from in between your teeth, it removes harmful bacteria that can’t be reached by a toothbrush. Without flossing, this bacteria will remain between the teeth and continue to damage it.

Regrowing Gum Tissue

If prevention is no longer an option, you’re going to need to know how to regrow the lost gum tissue. Like we’ve said, bone tissue needs to be remineralized before your gums will start to repair themselves. And unfortunately, gum tissue won’t just return on its own without your help. Treatment options vary depending on how severe the gingival recession and whether you have signs of periodontal disease or not. Two common options for regrowing gum tissue are gum grafting and the Pinhole Surgical Technique (PST). The former involves removing tissue from another area in the mouth that is healthy and replacing some of the damaged gum tissue with it. In the latter, gum tissue is manipulated over the exposed roots which will protect them and help prevent further recession.

If you’re experiencing gum recession, you need to visit a periodontal specialist immediately. Periodontists specialize in treating the supporting structures of your teeth. Many of the worst diseases and conditions related to oral health start or end in these areas and won’t just result in tooth loss, but could lead to other health conditions that affect your whole body.

Contact Pacific Northwest Periodontics

At Pacific Northwest Periodontics and Dental Implants, our highest priority is to create an individualized plan for each patient that will afford them optimal oral health, comfort, and cosmetics. We offer comprehensive examinations, same-day tooth replacement, All-On-Four dental implants and much more in Seattle and the surrounding area. Gum recession isn’t something that happens overnight which makes it all the more important to visit an oral health specialist on a regular basis. Contact us today to learn more or schedule an appointment.

 

With so much information going around the internet these days and by word of mouth, it can often be difficult to tell what’s true and what isn’t. This is especially the case when it comes to health and wellness. In this blog, we hope to eliminate some of the misunderstandings surrounding receding gums. Specifically, what causes it, how it affects you, and how it can be prevented.

Gum Tissue

In order to understand what gum recession is, we first need to understand a little bit about gum tissue. Simply put, gum tissue is the layer of skin that covers bone tissue of the maxilla and the mandible (upper and lower jaw). Assuming the jaw bone is intact, the gum tissue will stay in place on the teeth. Essentially, the only reason for your gums moving away from the teeth is if the bone underneath begins to deteriorate. This process is called demineralization and can affect any part of the body causing diseases such as osteoporosis or tooth decay. In relation to gum recession, the question then becomes, “what causes bone to demineralize in the jaw?”

There are several major causes of bone demineralization so keep reading to learn more.

Causes Of Demineralization

There are four main causes of jawbone demineralization including periodontal disease, bruxism (grinding teeth), trauma, and genetics. Although we have jawbone around the entire circumference of our teeth, that doesn’t mean it’s all the same strength. The layer of bone around the outside of the teeth is actually much thinner than the bone tissue on the inside. This is an important piece of information to note when learning about what causes gum recession.

How It Happens

Now that you know what the main causes are of receding gums, we can take a look at what specifically causes these issues in the first place. As you can imagine, gum recession isn’t something that happens immediately or overnight, it’s a long process. However, that doesn’t mean that certain factors won’t affect the rate at which it happens. Bone is able to remineralize as long as the scaffold-like bone structure remains intact. Once it starts to fall apart, however, the less likely it is to support the tooth and will eventually lead to tooth loss. One important thing to note is that gums will not immediately recede after bone begins to demineralize. Instead, it remains in a fragile state where any small disturbance can cause it to recede. At this point, if you end up brushing carelessly or too vigorously, it could trigger the gum recession.

Causes Of Gum Recession

As we discussed earlier, gum recession only results when the bone underneath has demineralized. So, if you want to learn how to prevent gum recession or reverse it, you’ll need to know what is causing the demineralization. There are a number of things that could be causing this to happen.

Gum Disease

Unfortunately, gum disease is very common nowadays. The worst part about this is that many of the people who have it don’t even know it. According to the Journal of Dental Research, 47 percent of adults age 30 and over have periodontal disease. Periodontal disease is gum disease that has gotten bad enough to the point where it starts affecting the jawbone and other supporting structures of the teeth.

When bacteria begin to intrude and destroy bone tissue, it also causes a reaction in our immune system. When this happens, there is inflammation in the area that’s affected which can further increase the rate at which bone is lost.

Bruxism

Bruxism, or grinding of the teeth, is often a result of stress. However, it is also associated with sleep apnea and other sleeping disorders. Although our teeth need stimulation from chewing in order to promote bone growth in the jaw, grinding your teeth throughout the day will have the opposite effect and instead result in bone loss.

Trauma

It may seem like common sense to immediately see an oral health specialist after a physical injury to the face. However, many people think that if they if they don’t feel any loose teeth or saw no blood at the moment of the incident, there must be no problem. This couldn’t be further from the truth, as many of the tooth diseases caused by trauma go unnoticed until it’s too late.

Genetics

Similar to how we are all born with variations in hair color or texture, the thickness of our jawbones may also be determined by genetics. Although this may have no impact on us early in life, it could make someone more prone to bone loss later in life. Once that happens, your gums are at serious risk of receding.

Contact Pacific Northwest Periodontics

If you’re experiencing gum recession or a chipped or damaged tooth of any kind, you should speak with a periodontist at Pacific Northwest Periodontics immediately. If you’d like to learn more about gum recession, read part two of this blog series.

Oral health is a big concern to many people, and rightfully so. Maintaining your oral health will not only help you prevent cavities, brighten your teeth and eliminate bad breath, it can also prevent tooth loss. Although your parents probably told you to stop eating sweets or your teeth would fall out, in reality, there are a number of things that can lead to tooth loss and some are more common than others. In this blog, we’re going to talk about some of the most common causes of tooth loss and what you can do to prevent it.

Poor oral hygiene

There’s a reason everyone tells you to brush and floss all the time — it prevents tooth loss! What most people don’t understand is that it doesn’t take that much time or effort to maintain a proper oral health routine. When you brush, just make sure to cover all of your teeth and avoid scrubbing your gums too hard because this can lead to other problems. Scrubbing too hard on your teeth can also cause damage to your enamel.

 

Contrary to popular belief, flossing shouldn’t be considered second to brushing, both brushing flossing are crucial for your oral health.

Gum disease

Gum disease (periodontal disease) is a major cause of tooth loss around the world. Although poor oral hygiene can increase your risk of gum disease, there are many other causes such as tobacco, poor diet, stress, and genetics may play a role. Speak with a dentist or periodontist to see what you can do to protect your gums and prevent gum disease.

Trauma

Physical trauma to your mouth or jaw can lead to tooth loss. The problem with trauma to the mouth is that it’s not always immediately evident how severe the issue is. You may experience bruising or bleeding but just shake it off, thinking it’s not a big deal. A good rule of thumb is to treat all injuries to the mouth as serious until speaking with a dental specialist. If there is injury underneath the gums where it’s not visible to you, it could lead to gum disease and later to tooth loss. A periodontist may suggest having the tooth extracted and replacing it with a dental implant.

Cavities

Eating too many sweets isn’t the only cause of tooth loss, but it’s certainly one of them. Cavities aren’t a huge issue as long as they’re treated quickly. And since cavities are a form of tooth decay, they can eventually lead to tooth loss. Make sure you’re visiting the dentist regularly in order to stop cavities before they become a huge problem.

 

Poor nutrition

You need to maintain a well-balanced diet in order to prevent tooth loss. Nutrients that boost your immune system are great for fighting infections that could start in your gums. If you have any specific concerns about how your diet affects your oral health, speak with a dentist.

Smoking

Believe it or not, smoking poses a serious risk to your oral health, not to mention every other part of your body. Studies have shown that people who smoke are significantly more likely to lose teeth at some point in their life. No amount of brushing will save your teeth from the threat that smoking causes to them. Please quit smoking!

Missing teeth

Yes, missing teeth can cause you to lose more teeth! Bone growth in your jaw is stimulated through the act of chewing and pressure put on the area by a tooth. So, if there’s no tooth there to stimulate bone growth, you’ll start losing bone! This not only means that it will be harder to get an implant the longer you wait, but the bone loss could be significant enough that you lose the surrounding teeth.

Contact Pacific Northwest

Are you missing a tooth or multiple teeth and aren’t sure what steps you should take to fix the issue? Your first step should be to call your local Seattle periodontists at Pacific Northwest. We are able to replace individual teeth, multiple teeth, or a full bridge all-on-four dental implant. It’s important that you get your teeth replaced as soon as possible after they’re lost so it doesn’t lead to further bone loss.