Dental Care News and More...

About Dental Care
Dental Care

Forum Question Of the Week: Partial Denture vs Dental Implants?

doublehippy writes:

"I'm a 63 year old woman, who recently had to have #14 molar removed... a tooth that held a bridge. Very decayed... not a candidate for a root canal. My dentist cut the bridge, salvaging the front tooth that held the bridge, and my oral surgeon was able to extract the bad tooth (with the rest of the bridge attached). This was the only tooth in my mouth I wanted pulled (horrible pain) the other tooth missing on that side was a root canalled tooth with crown. The root cracked and had to be yanked. There's another tooth missing on the other side (upper right jaw) from when I was a teenager (back molar...sorry, don't know the #). I don't want to get involved in bridgework there. Other than that, I have all the rest of my teeth (including 2 wisdom teeth). No fillings/decay at all in any of my front teeth and I even have 2 front molars without any fillings at all.

I looked into implants.... specifically for the upper left jaw where the bridge used to be. Expensive, to say the least. At 63, I really hesitate to spend thousands of dollars. The other option, of course, is an upper partial (3 teeth...2 on the left upper jaw and 1 on the right upper). Obviously, the less expensive option. Too, I'm not sure I want to deal with moving the sinus, bone grafts, etc. - again, lots of $$. This could be a possibility since we're talking upper jaw.

I've been researching partials, and am really not sure I could ever get used to the metal bar that would rest against the roof of my mouth. What's the scoop on the "flexible" partials? What if I were to just do the 2 teeth on the upper left hand side...with metal clips? How stable would that be?

I would appreciate any input/guidance. Thanks so much for reading.

Do you have any advice for this forum member? Should she invest in dental implants or consider a partial denture? Visit the Dentistry Forum, and share your expertise!

Forum Question Of the Week: Partial Denture vs Dental Implants? originally appeared on About.com Dental Care on Thursday, September 2nd, 2010 at 10:58:20.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

I need to thank my dad for alerting me about this...
While I was on vacation, my local news ran a story about the possibility that small amounts of bisphenol A (BPA) could be present in some types of dental filling material. If you are not familiar with the health concerns surrounding BPA, I suggest you read this overview about BPA written by our Guide to Environmental Issues, Larry West.

Before you cast a gigantic stone at amalgam fillings as the culprit for the potential BPA exposure; hold your horses. According to the report, BPA is found in white dental fillings and dental sealants, but in the eye's of the American Dental Association (ADA), the levels of BPA in dental material is insignificant. The ADA's Council for Scientific Affairs released a statement in July of this year that, long story short, declares that BPA is "rarely used as a formula ingredient in dental products," and according to research, the exposure to BPA via six dental sealants for a male child aged 7 to 14 is "two to five times lower than the estimated daily exposure from food and environmental sources."

As with any issue regarding the safety surrounding the materials used in dental fillings, it is in your best interest to discuss any concerns you may have, with your dentist. However, this topic does pose a valid question, not only to dentists, but to the powerful regulatory agencies that provide citizens with a trusted voice on what is and isn't harmful for us and our children:
Does BPA, regardless of the amount, really belong in dental material?

Should You Be Concerned About BPA in Your Dental Fillings? originally appeared on About.com Dental Care on Monday, August 23rd, 2010 at 02:04:04.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

Dental emergencies can occur at anytime but the fact is, many people have no idea how to handle a dental emergency when one occurs. I was at a slow pitch game last weekend, and watched a girl take a line drive right in the kisser. The result? Her upper upper front tooth was completely knocked out. How was it handled? I hate to say it, but I felt really embarrassed watching how this situation was handled. It was very clear that not one person knew what to do in the case of a dental emergency.
Have you ever witnessed a serious dental emergency occur? Do you know what to do with a tooth that has been knocked out? I have put together a comprehensive guide that explains what you should do in the event that a serious dental emergency occurs.

Learn more about serious dental emergencies by reading: What You Need to Know When You Have a Dental Emergency The Hospital Or the Dentist: Where Should I Go When I Have a Dental Emergency?

Do You Know How to Handle a Dental Emergency? originally appeared on About.com Dental Care on Monday, August 9th, 2010 at 18:03:56.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

Randman 76 writes:

Forum Question of the Week: Numbness After a Root Canal originally appeared on About.com Dental Care on Sunday, August 1st, 2010 at 01:12:40.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

I was shocked to learn that 25% of the children in California have never seen a dentist -- or should I say I was a little confused...
The study titled "Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Dental Care for Publicly Insured Children," published in the July issue of the journal Health Affairs, notes that African American and Latino children with various types of insurance, were less likely than Asian American and white children to have visited the dentist in the previous six months -- or even in their entire lifetime. The study examined data from the 2005 California Health Interview Survey. The study contains data on nearly 11,000 children under the age on eleven. Nadereh Pourat, Ph.D., director of research planning at the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, stresses that, "The findings suggest that having insurance isn't always enough," adding, "We need to address the other barriers that keep children from getting the help they need."

Alright, you are probably wondering why I am so confused; right? Well, you see, California is one of the few States where new kindergarten students were required by law to have an oral examination prior to attending school. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed AB 1433 in 2006. I am curious to know how the study would differ if UCLA looked at data after 2006? Granted, kindergarten students account for only part of the 11,000 children in the 2005 data, but you would think the number of children that have seen a dentist would be higher in California because of their kindergarten oral health requirement law.

The numbers will undoubtedly change, now that the kindergarten oral health requirement (AB 1433) in California has been designated a Tier 3 program. Funding for Tier 3 programs was reduced, and districts are no longer obligated to participate in Tier 3 programs. Schools are still encouraged to educate students and parents about the importance of regular dental examinations, and collect and submit AB 1433 data but, as far as I understand, it is no longer required by law to have the dental examination. Could this mean that the percentage of children that have never visited the dentist will rise?

One in Four Children in California Have Never Visited the Dentist originally appeared on About.com Dental Care on Sunday, July 18th, 2010 at 23:46:54.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

Should we also be comparing her dental growth to a child 18 months younger? She lost a front tooth in an accident at 18 months old (huh, now that's a coincidence, that's when her growth slowed) and we're wondering when we can anticipate needing to start visiting the dentist to ensure the replacement has room to grow in?"

Visit the Dentistry Forum if you have experienced something similar with your child, or have professional advice to offer this forum member.

Forum Question of the Week originally appeared on About.com Dental Care on Thursday, July 8th, 2010 at 11:59:28.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

According to our Guide to HIV / AIDS, Mark Cichocki, R.N., there are approximately 1.1 million people living with HIV in the United States. Of those 1.1 million people, 20% have no idea they are infected. Why is HIV testing so important? Cichociki notes in a recent blog post that 70% of the estimated 56,000 new infections that are reported every year are caused by the 20% of infected persons that are unaware of their HIV status.

In order to stop the spread of HIV, we all need to be aware of our HIV status. Understandably, there is a lot of emotion and concern that one feels when making the decision to be tested. Many people would rather go on living their lives oblivious to the fact that they are HIV positive.

There are several ways you can be tested for HIV, but did you know that you can be tested at your dental office? Last year, I interviewed Dr. Catrise Austin, a dentist in New York City that offers HIV testing to her patients. If you are at all nervous about being tested for HIV, I suggest that you read my interview with Dr. Austin on how she incorporated the OraQuick ADVANCE Rapid HIV-1/2 Antibody Test into her dental office.

HIV / AIDS is responsible for a number of dental problems, that only add to the list of physical and emotional concerns persons infected with HIV/AIDS experience. When you are aware of your HIV status, you can begin treatment for HIV that may help to improve your day-to-day quality of life.

National HIV Testing Day is June 27, 2010 originally appeared on About.com Dental Care on Sunday, June 27th, 2010 at 13:12:58.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

Our Guide to Health Insurance, Michael Bihari, MD, is scheduled to interview Secretary Sebelius at The White House tomorrow. Questions in regards to the Health Care Affordability Act will stream live at http://www.whitehouse.gov/live or http://apps.facebook.com/whitehouselive/.

Save the date, and take a few minutes to see if my questions about dental insurance and patients' rights made the cut. It would be nice to finally have the issue of dental insurance (or lack there of) addressed specifically. Good luck tomorrow, Michael!

Kathleen Sebelius, HHS Secretary, Takes Questions From the About.com Community on the Health Care Affordability Act originally appeared on About.com Dental Care on Monday, June 21st, 2010 at 22:30:04.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

About.com has a unique opportunity to interview Secretary Sebelius on the topic of health insurance premiums and patients' rights. This will live-stream on whitehouse.gov and have a later presence on About.com.

Do you have questions for Secretary Sebelius about dental insurance? Do you think dental insurance deserves a stronger backing by the government? Should the United States Government force dentists to treat patients on Medicaid? What about your rights as a dental patient?

If you have any questions specifically on the issue of health insurance and patients' rights for people affected by dental insurance and your rights as a dental patient, please submit them directly to my email: dentistry.guide@about.com before Monday June 21, 2010.

Do You Have a Question for Secretary Sebelius About Dental Insurance and Patients' Rights? Submit Them to Me By Monday! originally appeared on About.com Dental Care on Friday, June 18th, 2010 at 20:27:09.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

Forum member marnitasteeth is very concerned about her granddaughters teeth, specifically the upper four front teeth which, according to marnitasteeth, have dissolved away leaving only the roots. marnitasteeth asks: "What prognosis would be appropriate in terms of these teeth falling out; will they fall out naturally or should they be removed?"

Forum Question of the Week: Will These Baby Teeth Fall Out? originally appeared on About.com Dental Care on Wednesday, June 16th, 2010 at 15:20:06.

Permalink | Comment | Email this