Considering Dental Implants? Dentist Sandy Springs

Important Facts to Help Make Your Decision

Many people are unaware of the consequences of losing their teeth or the effects of wearing partial or full dentures upon their jaws and bones. When teeth are lost, the surrounding bone immediately begins to shrink [atrophy].  Implant treatment, for tooth replacement therapy, can be the optimal treatment plan. Here are some important facts to take into consideration.

• Wearing dentures [plates] accelerates bone loss, and old dentures become loose because of resulting bone loss. It is possible to watch and wait for bone to disappear to the point where treatment success of any kind is doubtful.

• At the end of a five-year period, only 40% are still wearing the original partial denture made for them. This is not a great testimonial to value and utility. Those lucky enough to have a functioning partial denture after 5 years are still losing valuable supporting bone.

• Of those patients who wear a partial denture, 50% chew better without it.

• One study showed that after 8 years, 40% of the supporting teeth [abutments] that the partial hooks onto were lost through tooth decay or fracture.

• Patients with natural teeth can bite with about 200 pounds of force. Denture wearers can bite with approximately 50 pounds of force. Those wearing dentures for 15 years or more can bite with only about 6 pounds of force, and their diet and eating habits have had to been modified accordingly.

• The average lower full denture shifts from side to side during chewing and is a significant problem that new denture wearers must get use to and accept.

• Denture wearers have decreased nutritional intake, a ten year shorter life span, and 30% of denture wearers can only eat soft foods.

• The single tooth implant success rate is above 98%, and unlike a bridge, the teeth adjacent to the implant are no more at risk than if no teeth were missing.

• Implant-supported bridges or dentures have 95% success rates over 10 years without the severe loss of supporting bone.

For bone maintenance, the health of adjacent teeth, the longevity of the restoration and patient comfort, implant therapy is the treatment of choice. Implants can restore chewing function to the equivalent of someone with natural teeth. With our multi-specialty practice, implant placements can be conducted in our office.  If you have questions or want to know if you are a good candidate for implant tooth replacement therapy, please call our office in Sandy Springs.

Novy Scheinfeld, DDS, PC

290 Carpenter Drive, 200A               

Atlanta (Sandy Springs), GA 30328

404-256-3620 

www.rightsmilecenter.com

info@rightsmilecenter.com

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New Directions in Oral Health Care – Dentist Sandy Springs

The hygienist plays an intricate role in your oral health care.  At a minimum the role includes periodontal disease evaluation, taking x-rays and a patient’s periodontal charting.  Traditionally, they engaged in cleaning and flossing the teeth under the theory that at healthy mouth was primarily necessary for the patient to keep their teeth.  While this is still the case,  discoveries in the last decade have uncovered the correlation between periodontal disease and other health related issues such as diabetes, Alzheimer’s, cardiovascular disease, pregnancy related problems that assigns new priorities to the role of the hygienist and your dental visits.  These correlations have caused a new focus on evaluating a dental patient and new signals related to their overall health.   “The American Academy of Periodontology seeks to educate the public about research findings which support what dental professionals have long suspected: Infections in the mouth can play havoc elsewhere in the body. For a long time it was thought that bacteria was the factor that linked periodontal disease to other infections in the body; however, more recent research demonstrates that inflammation may link periodontal disease to other chronic conditions. Research has shown, and experts agree, that there is an association between periodontal diseases and other chronic inflammatory conditions, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer’s disease. Therefore, treating inflammation may not only help manage periodontal diseases but may also help with the management of other chronic inflammatory conditions.” [1]

The U.S. Surgeon General agrees that oral health is a strong indicator of one’s overall health and well-being.[2]  Often, diseases give their first warning signs in the form of a patient’s oral problems.  Without consistent care and monitoring, several oral health problems can result.  Immediate risks include gingivitis, cavities, tooth decay, and other gum diseases which can eventually result in various types oral cancer.  There is a “silent epidemic”[3] that can be avoided by regular treatment at home and dental visits at least twice each year.  While practicing good oral hygiene at home is vital to your health, there is only so much that personal oral maintenance can do.  A normal person can easily overlook conditions that could greatly complicate or even end one's life.  Thus, visiting your dentist for regular checkups is vital to a healthier smile.

"Routine dental exams uncover problems that can be easily treated in the early stages, when damage is minimal".[4]   Now that it is known that gum disease can be a major risk factor for heart disease, stroke, and certain forms of cancer, regular visits to your dentist can help prevent and treat this disease.  By treating conditions early and learning from your dentist how to prevent oral diseases, you can achieve better health and ultimately better quality years of life.

Novy Scheinfeld, DDS, PC

290 Carpenter Drive, 200A

Atlanta (Sandy Springs), GA 30328                                                                                            

404-256-3620

www.rightsmilecenter.com

info@rightsmilecenter.com

Serving residents in East Cobb, Roswell, Alpharetta, Johns Creek, Dunwoody, Buckhead and surrounding communities.

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[1] (www.perio.org).                                                                            

[2] (CDC, 2006).

[3] (U.S. Surgeon General).

[4] (American Dental Association [ADA], 2008).

Healthy smile, healthy you! Dentist Sandy Springs

Regular dental visits do more than just keep your smile attractive; they can tell a dentist a lot about your overall health, including whether or not you may be developing a disease like diabetes.  Recent research suggests that the health of your mouth is a reflection of the condition of your body as a whole.  Meaning, if your mouth is healthy, chances are your overall health is also good.  It’s kind of like hand in glove.  So if you have poor oral health, this may be a sign that you may have other health issues.

There is further indication that a healthy smile may actually prevent certain diseases from occurring, such as gum precipitated heart infections.  As of late, a lot of orthopedic surgeons are requiring a blessing from your dentist before they operate.  According to the American Academy of Periodontology, there is a relationship between gum (periodontal) disease and health complications such as a stroke and heart disease.[1]   Women with gum disease also show higher incidences of pre-term, low birth-weight babies.  Recent studies also have shown that there are microbiologic and immunological findings that strongly support the association.  The studies indicate that periodontal infection can lead to placental-fetal exposure and, when coupled with a fetal inflammatory response, can lead to preterm delivery.[2]

Further research shows that more than 80 percent of all systemic diseases (involving many organs or the whole body) have oral manifestations, including swollen gums, mouth ulcers, dry mouth and/or excessive gum problems. Such systemic diseases include:

·        diabetes

·        leukemia

·        cancer

·        heart disease

·        kidney disease

Since most people have regular oral examinationshttp://rightsmilecenter.com/periodontal-treatment.html, their dentist may be the first line of defense to diagnose a health problem in its early stages.

Failing to take care of your teeth and can actually lead to other health problems, including:

·        Oral and facial pain.  According to the Office of the Surgeon General, this pain may be largely due to infections of the gums that support the teeth and can lead to tooth loss. Gingivitis, an early stage of gum disease, and advanced gum disease affect more than 75 percent of the U.S. population.

·        Problems with the heart and other major organs.  Mouth infections can affect major organs. For example, the heart and heart valves can become inflamed by bacterial endocarditis, a condition that affects people with heart disease or anyone with damaged heart tissue.

·        Oral cancer. Poor oral care can contribute to oral cancer, which now takes more lives annually than cervical or skin cancer.

·        Digestion problems.  Digestion begins with physical and chemical processes in the mouth, and problems here can lead to intestinal failure, irritable bowel syndrome and other digestion disorders.

Seeing a dentist regularly helps to keep your mouth healthy and allows your dentist opportunities to examine developments that may point to other health issues.  A dental exam also can detect poor nutrition and hygiene and growth and development problems. As always, if you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact our office in Sandy Springs for a consultation.

Novy Scheinfeld, DDS, PC

290 Carpenter Drive, 200A

Atlanta (Sandy Springs), GA 30328

404-256-3620

info@rightsmilecenter.com

www.rightsmilecenter.com

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[1]  “Gum Disease Links to Heart Disease and Stroke.” American Academy of Periodontology, May 8, 2008. www.perio.org/consumer/mbc.heart.htm

[2] JADA, 2006, Exploring the relationship between periodontal disease and pregnancy complications

Yiorgos A. Bobetsis, DDS, PhD, Silvana P. Barros, DDS, PhD and Steven Offenbacher, DDS, PhD, MMSc

Older patients have special dental needs – Dentist Sandy Springs

Mouths, like people, are affected by years as well as by genes. If you're over 60, your oral chemistry is changing—and thorough examinations of gums and salivary glands can be a lifesaving early detector of oral cancer or other disease.  Older Americans are becoming a larger segment of our population and suffer disproportionately from oral diseases, with the problem being particularly acute for individuals in long term care facilities.  They generally require multiple medications, and common side effects of the more than 500 medications used to treat their overall health issues usually reduce salivary flow.^[1]   Usually the reduction in saliva can adversely affect their quality of life, the ability to chew, and lead to significant problems of the teeth and their supporting structures.

The elderly may also have difficulty performing routine oral hygiene procedures because of physical limitations, such as Parkinson’s or rheumatoid arthritis.   In addition, oral infection is now recognized as a risk factor for a number of systemic diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, cerebrovascular diseases, diabetes, mellitus, and respiratory disorders.  Also, it is important to note that once people have lost their teeth and are using complete dentures, their oral health needs do not decrease.   Our jaws are not static and may continue to resorb over time.  Besides the continued resorption of bone, improperly fitted dentures can adversely affect chewing, leading to poor nutrition.  In addition, those without teeth remain susceptible to oral cancer, mucosal diseases, and alterations in salivary gland function.

As early as 55, patients are developing twice as many cavities as children do. All these health issues and their medications that create reduced saliva and cause dry mouth have become an open invitation for tooth decay and periodontal disease.  Does the patient have to make a choice between his or her general health verses their oral hygiene?  They shouldn’t have to.

What should you expect from a visit to your dental hygienist?  Along with your dental cleaning you may need professional scaling and root planing to remove harmful plaque and calculus deposits.  Your hygienist should also record the depths of your periodontal pockets (that space between your teeth and gums where decay and periodontal disease flourish).

Keeping track of you is a key part of the hygienist's job. It includes keeping your dental chart and health history current, making preliminary oral inspections, and creating tooth impressions.

Your hygienist is also an educator—someone who can teach you preventive dentistry skills—brushing and flossing techniques that make for healthy, trouble-free gums and teeth, regardless your age or your onset of other health issues. Together, you two can make an unbeatable team!

Specializing in Geriatric Patients, Dr. Scheinfeld was trained in prosthodontics at Emory University School of Dentistry.

Novy Scheinfeld, DDS, PC

290 Carpenter Drive, 200A                                     

Atlanta (Sandy Springs), GA 30328

404-256-3620

www.rightsmilecenter.com

info@rightsmilecenter.com

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[1] Fox PC, Eversole LR. Diseases of the salivary glands. In: Silverman S, Eversole LR, Truelove EL, eds. Essentials of Oral Medicine. Ontario, Canada: BC Decker; 2002:260–276.