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Monthly Archives

February 2016

Hole in my tooth and drugstore filler won’t stay in

By Dental Fillings, Emergency Dentistry

I have a hole in my tooth but it doesn’t hurt. It was getting sensitive to hot and cold drinks so I got some Dentek from the drugstore. It used to work fine but it started falling out recently. Maybe the hole in my tooth is getting bigger? I don’t know. Can you recommend another product other than Dentek that might hold better now? Nezaida

Nezaida – Over-the-counter dental filler is a temporary repair for a tooth. It doesn’t eliminate the need to go to a dentist to have the tooth examined, x-rayed, and restored.

Although you don’t feel pain, the tooth can still be infected. The infection can affect other teeth, your jawbone, and spread elsewhere in your body. If the pulp (living tissue) inside your tooth dies, the nerves die with it, and you won’t feel pain in the tooth. If that’s the case, a root canal treatment is needed.

Schedule an appointment with your dentist right away to have your tooth examined. If the cavity is too large for composite filling, a porcelain onlay or inlay may be used to restore the tooth. Onlays and inlays preserve tooth structure, and in addition to building up the tooth again, they look completely natural.

A badly damaged tooth may require a porcelain crown. Visit an experienced cosmetic dentist for an examination and to learn about your options. Please don’t continue to try to repair the tooth yourself. If you prolong treatment, the damage to your tooth can progress and make treatment more difficult and more costly.

This post is sponsored by Naperville dentist Dr. Anthony LaVacca.

Looking for buy 1 get 1 half off dentures

By Dentures

My dentures are starting to wear out too fast. I am on my 5th set in life and I have only had these a year and they don’t fit already. I am wondering if there is some place out there that does something like buy one get one half off so I can always keep a spare set. Maybe I can alternate so that neither pair wears out too fast. I am just trying to think of some options to help the denture fit last longer without me replacing them so soon or having to get them relined every time I turn around. Morgan

Morgan – Buy one, get 50% off dentures are not the solution for your loose-fitting dentures. If you are on your fifth set, you have likely worn dentures for a long time.

Your teeth stimulate your jawbone. After years of missing all of your teeth, jawbone shrinkage occurs. Dentures that rest on the bone accelerate shrinkage. As you have experienced, new dentures quickly don’t fit correctly and need to be relined or replaced. We recommend that you speak with a prosthodontist about dental implants to stabilize your dentures.

Over time, implant-supported dentures are more economical than continually buying new dentures. When your dentures really do wear out and need to be replaced, new dentures can be modified to be secured to dental implants. You’ll never have to worry about loose dentures again.

There are various options for stabilizing your dentures, but the more implants you have, the more secure they will be. Find an experienced implant dentist or prosthodontist for a consultation to discuss your options.

This post is sponsored by board-certified prosthodontist and Naperville implant dentist Dr. Anthony LaVacca.

Confused with Clear Choice reviews

By Uncategorized

After wearing dentures for 16 years I have finally given up. I really need implants. I am torn between all on 4 and just getting several standard implant dentures. I have been to a prosthodontist, an implant dentist and Clear Choice. I was very impressed with my Clear Choice visit, but I am confused with their reviews. Either the reviews are great or they are horrible. I don’t see much in between. It’s kind of making me nervous. I was impressed with the reviews from patients for the dentists at the other practices I visited. I know that I can’t depend only on reviews but I think patient comments mean something. I am disappointed because I wanted to be able to choose from 3 different dentists and I may be down to only 2. Doug K

Doug – Clear Choice reviews can be confusing. Reviews vary by location in the country. That’s understandable though, because there are different doctors at each location. The results you get partially depend on the skill of the implant surgeon. Have you been able to research the education, training, and experience for the

If you want to be able to choose from three different dental implant providers, we suggest that you consider getting a fourth opinion. Find a board-certified prosthodontist in a practice independent from those you have already visited.

Board-certification requires a dentist to pass oral and written tests, along with submitting successful cases that he or she has completed from start to finish. Don’t rush your decision. With carefully planning, quality implants, and a great surgeon, dental implants can last a lifetime. Ensure you get the best care possible.

This post is sponsored by Naperville implant dentist Dr. Anthony LaVacca.

How do I verify pediatric dentist’s certification?

By Pediatric Dentist

My gym has a lot of activities for the community. Last night a pediatric dentist was there (I think it was really for advertisement purposes) who spoke about how to help kids take care of their oral health. I have actually been looking for a female pediatric dentist for my kids but I haven’t had a lot of success. There are a few in my area, but I just haven’t been satisfied with the consultations. For some reason, when I did a google search for the dentist that spoke at the gym, she didn’t come up in the web site results. Maybe I didn’t notice her web site, or maybe she doesn’t have a web site because I still can’t find one. I just want to be sure that she is certified. How can I find that out if she doesn’t have a website? Thank you. – Jenny

Jenny – You can start by visiting the website of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. Certification can be verified on that site. If the dentist’s name isn’t listed on that website, you can ask for her contact information from your gym.

The dentist’s office will be able to tell you what kind of certification she has, and you can perform a certification search on the applicable websites.

In addition to certification, be sure to look for online reviews. Physicians’ and dentists’ social media pages often provide reviews. Also consider how long the dentist has been practicing and whether or not he or she is in an office where there are other dentists to consult with and learn from.

Schedule a consultation with the dentist, and bring your children with you to the appointment. This will give you a chance to get a feel for the office environment and how your children respond to the staff and dentist.

This post is sponsored by Naperville dentist Dr. Anthony LaVacca.

What can I eat after dental implant surgery?

By Dental Implants, Mini Implants

After consultations with 4 different dentists I finally decided that I have to do what is affordable for me. So I am going to get 6 mini implants. I figure that should be pretty good for my dentures and better than what I have now. My dentures pretty much lift every time I cough, sneeze or eat anything that isn’t soft. I haven’t made a final decision yet about which surgeon I am going to let do the implants. I am trying to get as much information as I can about what to expect before and after the surgery. There isn’t much information on after care that I got from the brochures the dentists gave me. Specifically I would like to know if my diet will be restricted after implant surgery. Will I have to be on liquids for a while, or what can I eat? Thanks. Danette

Danette – Immediately after your dental implant surgery, your intake will be mainly in liquid form. Drinks or smoothies that contain vegetable and protein will help you maintain your energy level. Be certain to stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water. Drink directly from the cup and do not use a straw. The sucking action from a straw can dislodge the blood clot and prolong the healing process.

Be sure to eat and drink something nourishing. Too much sugar will drain your energy. After a few days, you can eat soft food. Hot food should be avoided. Soup (not too hot), yogurt, pudding, gelatin, or applesauce will not harm the implant site. Crunchy foods can fall into the implant site and cause discomfort, pain, or bleeding.

Be certain to take in enough protein and liquids each day. It will help you feel better and heal faster.

This post is sponsored by Naperville implant dentist Dr. Anthony LaVacca.

Advice on getting All on 4 in Cancun

By All-on-4 Dental Implants

Something has to be done with my dentures. My son warned me about this in a nice way before I ever received dentures. Gum disease got the best of my teeth and the few I had left were pulled in January of 2014. I think my jawbone must have been bad before I ever got dentures because I had so many teeth missing. Now I need implants and am pretty much leaning toward All on 4. My dentist referred me to a surgeon and I saw another implant dentist and Clear Choice on my own. Last week I just happened to see a website from Cancun that lets me save more than half the cost of the implants here. That price includes everything, dentures and all. Even after travel and hotel I am still saving big bucks. I would really like to see these Cancun implant dentists in person though and maybe get second and third opinions from them. Can you recommend 2 more? – Earl

Earl – We are unable to recommend All-On-4 implant dentists outside the U.S. We recommend that you find a reliable way to experience, credentials, and education for each of the dentists in Mexico. Don’t depend on a website to give you the real facts.

Keep in mind that to ensure proper healing, all dental implants require multiple follow-up appointments during the weeks and months after surgery. Your dentists needs to check the implants, your gums, and jawbone for proper healing and any signs of complications. Will you return to Cancun for those follow-up appointments, or depend on a U.S. dentist for them? Most dental implants surgeries from a qualified surgeon are successful. If unanticipated problems arise, are you prepared to extend your stay or return to Mexico to see your dentist there?

The immediate dentures you receive when All-On-4 is first placed are not your permanent dentures. After the healing period, impressions will be taken to ensure your permanent dentures fit correctly. The new dentures will be secured to the implants. Another visit to the country where the implants are placed will be required.

We recommend that you factor in travel expenses for multiple follow-up appointments, an extended stay, or incidentals that may come up during or after the implant surgery. Specifically ask each dentist how many follow-up appointments are required. Remember that those appointments are estimates, provided everything goes well.

Carefully weigh the complete cost, as well as your pros and cons before you make a final decision.

This post is sponsored by board-certified prosthodontist Dr. Anthony LaVacca.

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