Dental implants are artificial tooth roots that are inserted into the jawbone to replace missing natural teeth. Implants and their attached crowns closely mimic the look and function of real teeth. They can make an attractive alternative to dentures and bridges.
Dental implant techniques can replace one or several missing teeth. In some cases, an entire set of artificial teeth can be carried on dental implants.
A dental implant is the metal “root” (implant) that is inserted into the jawbone. The artificial tooth (crown) is attached to the implants by use of an abutment. In some cases, instead of an artificial tooth, an implant can be fitted with special clips or attachments (similar to pressing studs) to hold a denture. he studs will minimize movement of the denture.

Dental implants:
* help to withstand greater bite pressures with dentures
* prevent bone loss in the jaw (this may reduce the risk of adjacent natural teeth becoming loose)
* prevent the formation of hollowed or collapsed cheeks that can occur after tooth extraction (missing teeth cause bone loss in the jaw)
* are usually surrounded by gum tissue like natural teeth
* may prevent gum recession
* unlike bridges, do not require the cutting and reshaping of neighboring healthy teeth
* are firmly secured in the jaws
* are usually more comfortable than dentures
* usually do not require separate routines or special cleaning products, as with dentures or bridges
* like natural teeth, are cleaned by dental floss and brushing with regular toothpaste.

A dental implant is designed to last for many years, but poor oral hygiene can shorten its lifespan. Good oral hygiene is crucial.
Like real teeth, artificial teeth that are not regularly brushed and flossed can develop deposits (plaque and calculus) that eventually lead to dental problems such as bleeding gums, loss of bone, infection and pain.
Properly maintained implants that are anchored by sufficient bone can last for many years, although repairs may be expected like any other dental appliance.
In order to achieve a good outcome, a patient’s case may need to be managed by several practitioners. While this can affect the length of treatment and costs, it is done in the interests of the patient’s well-being.

I had a quick dental check-up yesterday. Actually, I thought the dentist will start to do the root canal treatment, because with my first check-up, she told me that I have a root canal infection that needs to be treated with my next appointment. After a day with what the dentist did with my first check-up, I felt a terrible pain with my affected tooth. Just imagine, I need to wait a week just to book for another appointment because it’s only every Wednesday that she’s there at the clinic. I don’t like the idea of going to another clinic and face another dentist. I want to stick to one that I already used to. So the pain started Thursday and it last until Monday. The pain only stop after taking pain-reliever every six hours. I’m not used to take medicine like anti-pain and etc., but that’s the only choice I have to do just to get rid of the worst pain. I can’t sleep because it bothers me a lot. With five days of pain, I lose weight which is too bad because I’m working on gaining weight. Tuesday, the pain slow down even without pain-reliever until yesterday. So the dentist check my tooth and I explain how I felt. The abscess that keeps coming back and the yucky pus which is always present.
You know what the dentist told me? I have to give up my tooth. It has a crack inside that let the bacteria gets in which is causing the pain. Root canal can do nothing. Tooth extraction is the solution. I felt bad. I don’t want to loose my tooth. Are your teeth guys still complete. Is it still pair with the other side? Oh no. I hate the consequences if my tooth being pulled. All my teeth will start to move and the alignment will be broken. Do you know what it means? Maybe some of you don’t know the reason why losing a tooth is not really good especially if it’s a big one. It’s a big deal for me. I don’t want to lose even a single tooth. I’m always careful with my oral hygiene but why this is happening to me? Arrrg!
This coming Oct.22, I have another 1hour appointment with my dentist. She will pull it out.
Are you familiar with dental implants? A surgery that will replace a missing tooth with a false tooth. The procedure is so scary. I don’t know if I’ll take the risk. I’m so scared. That’s an option anyway and I need $3000-4000 for that procedure. Can you imagine that? I was given an information about dental implants. I’ll gonna post and share the information later on.
I’m still hoping that I can till keep my tooth. I’m feeling fine now. Yesterday was just a free check-up because she only look at it and told me what to do next. I was given an anti-biotic prescription in case the pain will come back. I didn’t buy it because I’m feeling okay. No more pain, no more abscess and no more pus. I’m still hoping that I can go for a root canal treatment. I want to save my tooth. Oh dear…please.

Root canal treatment is a type of surgery on your tooth. It is needed when a dental carie or an old filling that is broken allows bacteria into the tooth. These bacteria may live quite happily in your teeth and eventually damage the tooth pulp and nerve.

As the bacteria continue to kill the pulp in the root of your tooth (in the root canal) you may develop a lump or “gum pimple” which is a build up of pus from the infection.

Root canal treatment removes the dead and damaged tissue in the tooth and fills it, much like a normal filling. Some people may require a crown, which is basically a cover to go over the top of the newly filled root canal.

You may be required to go back to the dentist more than once, so a temporary filling may be used until you can have a crown put on your tooth.
Source:www.emedical.com.au

A root canal infection can become serious and spread to other areas of the face and skull. It is not uncommon for teeth to die and get infected. Since the tooth is dead, blood can’t enter the tooth and bring protective immune cells to kill the infection, so the problem grows. In most cases the infection spreads to the surrounding bone. This causes increases the pressure and the tooth is pushed up out of its socket. The tooth feels high when biting.

The body attacks the root canal infection surrounding the tooth and the area around the tooth becomes inflamed. The inflammation leads to tooth pain. Antibiotics alone do not cure the problem. The dead nerve inside the tooth must be removed and the canals cleaned, otherwise the remaining dead tissue can feed infection. This is why many patients go to the dentist for an emergency appointment, get antibiotic and in a week feel great. Because they feel well, they don’t return. Three months later the problem returns and is much more serious and sometimes life threatening.

Sometimes the body and the root canal infection come to a stalemate and a dental abscess forms. This dental abscess can remain inside a patient’s jaw bone for years and constantly feed live and dead bacteria into this patient’s bloodstream. Keeping the dead tooth is not an option and taking herbs, vitamins, or even prescription antibiotics will not solve the problem. The correct treatment is to perform root canal therapy or a dental extraction.

The root canal infection must be treated with the correct antibiotics to kill the bacteria causing the dental infection. With the constant use of antibiotics over many years, super resistant bacteria have developed that can not be easily killed. This is especially why this problem should be treated soon and treated aggressively.
Source:www.atlantadentist.com

Yesterday I had my first dental check-up here in Australia. I felt a slight pain with my tooth that has a temporary filling. My last dental appointment was November 2007 back in the Philippines. My temporary filling is really overdue. That supposed to be three weeks after being placed, but you know we became busy after then. I had an abscess on the gum that keeps on coming back. The dentist perform the x-ray and remove the temporary filling, clean it and change with a new temporary filling. The dentist told me that an abscess on the gum is caused by an infection of the root canal and if the root canal will not undergo treatment, the abscess will really keep on coming back unless I have to give up my tooth. As for now, it’s under observation. If there’s a good improvement with my next visit, then the root canal treatment will start. But, if it will get worst then bye bye tooth. I’m always careful with my teeth but no matter how we’re careful, tooth will get old, tooth will decay. I also hate the teeth discoloration. You know, dental is too costly especially here in this country. We spent more than 400 bucks including my son’s tooth filling. There’s still more to go. We need to protect the other teeth to avoid paying much more in the future. I don’t like my oldest son’s teeth alignment at present and hopefully it will be corrected after all those milk teeth will gone. Anyway he’s just 8 years old. I don’t have idea yet what is this root canal treatment and how it will be done. I will make a research for it.