sinus problems

How to Avoid Common Problems with Dental Implants

January 21st, 2016

How to Avoid Common Problems with Dental ImplantsOver the years, dental implant surgery has become better and better. In fact, the procedure currently has about a 95% success rate, according to Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Still, like with any surgery, there are some problems that can occur. Thankfully, almost all of these problems are pretty rare and can be avoided with planning and proper care. Here are five of the most common problems with dental implants and how you can avoid them.

Dental Implants Don’t Properly Bond to Jawbone

One of the most common issues by far is that a dental implant won’t properly bond to the jawbone after surgery. Over the few months after your surgery, your dental implant should begin to securely connect with your jawbone. This process is technically known as osseointegration. If the implant falls out, is loose or too much bone loss occurs, then the implant has failed.
An implant may fail to bond to your jawbone for a variety of reasons, including the following. We will go into more details about the specific dental implant problems below throughout the rest of the article.

  • The implant may have been placed in the wrong position
  • You don’t have enough bone density or volume
  • You have damaged structures around your implant
  • Your implant gets cracked or fractured
  • You receive a sudden blow or injury to your face
  • You are a smoker

Infection

If you develop an infection caused by your dental implant, you may need to have it removed. Infections can be caused by bad hygiene during or after your implant surgery. This is why it’s very important to go to a practiced and proven periodontist or surgeon for your surgery. You also need to make sure to practice proper dental hygiene habits every day. Otherwise, you can easily develop an infection. If you have thin gums, are a smoker, or have diabetes, you may be at more risk of developing an infection.

Smoking

One of the top causes of implant failure that we see at Water Tower Dental Care is smoking. Though many smokers have successful implant surgeries, failure rates are significantly higher in smokers than nonsmokers. Smoking increases your chances of getting an infection, improper bonding between your jawbone and implant, and developing peri-implantitis, a destructive disease the causes inflammation around your gums and the bone surrounding your dental implant. Learn more about how smoking negatively impacts dental implants here.

Nerve Damage

Nerve damage after dental implant surgery can be caused by an inexperienced periodontist or dentist. If an implant is placed too close to your nerve, it can cause permanent or temporary nerve damage. This can lead to numbing, tingling, or chronic pain in your tongue, lips, gums, cheek or chin.

Sinus and Bone Density Issues

Some patients may have problems with dental implants because of their sinuses or jawbone. If sinuses are present when you’re getting an implant in the upper row of your teeth, you may develop an infection. Thankfully, this is an easy issue to fix. A dentist should be able to recognize a sinus issue easily, and it can be fixed with surgery. You should always let your dentist know if you have sinus problems before dental implant surgery.
A strong jawbone with enough volume is key to a successful dental implant. If your jawbone doesn’t have enough mass, a sinus lift or bone graft may be performed to improve bone density, volume and space. You need enough bone to support and bond with an implant.

Damage to Surrounding Tissues

Since your implant will penetrate your gums, it’s inevitable that tissue will be damaged when you receive dental implants. However, this damage typically heals quickly and without complications. If you notice excessive bleeding and pain during your first few days after surgery, or if the bleeding and pain continues after a few days, you should let your dentist know. There may be a problem.

Dental Implant Crack

At Water Tower Dental Care, we work with a titanium post and realistic dental crown to make up your dental implant. These dental implants are incredibly strong. But even so, the implants can be cracked or fractured if you are hit hard in the face or if you grind your teeth a lot over a long period of time. This is very rare, but it’s possible. Once the implant breaks, a new one will need to be inserted.
Interested in receiving a dental implant? Contact Water Tower Dental Care today! We work with talented and skilled periodontists to ensure you’re getting the best service possible.

How Chicago Winter Weather Affects Your Teeth and Mouth

December 10th, 2015

How Chicago Winter Weather Affects Your Teeth and MouthEveryone in Chicago knows that the city’s winter weather can be hard on your commute, skin and nose. But extremely cold weather can also affect your teeth and mouth. Many Chicagoans experience uncomfortable sensations or even extreme pain in their mouth while in icy weather. Let’s take a look at why that happens and what you can do to keep your teeth and mouth feeling great all winter long!

The Effects of Chicago Winter Weather On Your Teeth & Mouth

Since teeth are naturally porous and sensitive, many people experience tooth sensitivity in the cold. Subtle irritation from time to time is normal and usually nothing to worry about. However, constant sensitivity in the same area of your mouth during the winter months may mean that the cold air is revealing a problem with your teeth.
If you have regular discomfort in the same area of your tooth, it could be caused by a variety of issues, including tiny fractures, bigger cracks, thin enamel, teeth clenching habits, or cavities. Each of these problems can lead to sensitive areas of your teeth being exposed, which in turn can cause teeth pain and discomfort all winter long.
Fillings, crowns or bridges that don’t fit your teeth anymore may also cause sensitivity.
Now let’s not let teeth take all of the spotlight here. Gum disease may be the culprit when it comes to your sensitive teeth and mouth. Gum disease can cause your gums to move away from your teeth, exposing your very sensitive roots. Two telltale signs of gum disease are sore and inflamed gums.
Surprisingly enough, a sinus infection can also be the source of your tooth pain. Swollen sinuses put pressure on the roots of your teeth, which can cause your teeth to hurt. This typically occurs in the back top teeth.
Finally, cold sores are known to wreak havoc during the winter thanks to the flu, stress, fatigue, and extreme weather conditions, according to Sitavig.

Tips To Keep Your Teeth & Mouth Feeling Better During The Winter

Now that you know what’s causing your teeth and mouth sensitivity during the winter, it’s time to get to the important part: how to make it better. If you’re experiencing regular irritation, you should visit a dentist to get to the root of your problem. It could be something serious, like gum disease. But until then, here are some tips to hold you over:

  • Breathe in through your nose as much as you can. This way, the cold air won’t be able to reach sensitive areas in your mouth and cause irritation.
  • Try not to clench your teeth when you are cold. Clenching can cause tooth erosion and more pain in cold weather.
  • Drinking something warm, like tea, when you’re out in the cold should help ease any pain caused by low temperatures.
  • Make sure you’re brushing your teeth properly twice a day and flossing once a day.
  • Try using a fluoride mouthwash and toothpaste designed for sensitive teeth twice a day to create extra protection from the cold air.
  • If you have allergies or think you might have a sinus infection, visit a doctor to find out how to treat it.
  • Avoid stress, keep your lips moisturized and wash your hands during the winter months to minimize cold sore breakouts, according to Sitavig. You can also receive laser therapy for cold sores at our offices in Chicago! Laser therapy will help reduce the number of breakouts you have by destroying the herpes simplex virus.
  • If your teeth sensitivity or mouth problems persist or feel abnormally bad, make time to visit your dentist. You may have a dental issue that needs to be addressed before it gets worse.

Want to get rid of your winter mouth and teeth issues once and for all? Visit Chicago’s top general and cosmetic dentistry! We’ll do everything we can to get to the root of your mouth discomfort and tooth sensitivity issues.

6 Surprising Causes of Bad Breath

February 26th, 2015

Surprising Causes of Bad BreathBad breath doesn’t just ruin dates. It can also be a problem that embarrasses you every time you open your mouth to talk to someone. Worst of all, a surprising number of people suffer from bad breath, even if they practice proper oral hygiene.
We all know that onions and garlic cause your mouth to smell. But if you avoid these foods and have tried everything to make your mouth smell more pleasant, you may be surprised by what’s really causing your bad breath. Check out 6 surprising causes of bad breath below to see if you can discover the culprit causing your oral problem.

Your Habit of Not Eating Breakfast

When it comes to your breath, breakfast really is the most important meal of the day. Eating in the morning banishes morning breath by promoting salivation and getting rid of some of the bacteria that causes the stink in your mouth. Try munching on citrus fruits or nuts for the best results. And avoid onions, of course.

Your Sick Nose

Just because you can’t smell it doesn’t mean it’s not there. Sinus problems, like allergies and even a normal cold, can cause bad breath. The mucus in your nose drips down to the back of your throat, which doesn’t make your mouth smell too great. Not only that, but when you have a stuffy nose, it’s likely that you’ll breath through your mouth instead. When this happens, you’re drying your mouth of the saliva that helps to wash away nasty-smelling bacteria.

Your Snoring Problem

Learning that you snore is bad news in itself. Unfortunately, we’ve got even more bad news about your sleeping problem: snoring might be the reason you wake up with horrible breath every morning. When you snore in the middle of the night, it’s likely you’re breathing with your mouth open. Just like with a stuffy nose or sleep apnea, this causes your saliva to dry out and gives you bad breath.

Sticky Food and Candy

When you eat sticky food or candy, you’re not the only one enjoying it. Bacteria love munching on the tasty foods your saliva can’t wash away. Food like peanut butter, gummy bears and laffy taffy can stick around in your teeth for hours, causing bacteria to grow and multiply in hard-to-reach places in your mouth. Try to avoid these kinds of food if you suffer from bad breath regularly.

Your Meds

Though your medications may be helping you with other issues, they might not be helping your mouth smell any better. A dry mouth is a side-effect of many common meds, including antidepressants, antibiotics, and painkillers, like aspirin. When your mouth is dry, your saliva is no longer getting rid of odorous bacteria.

Your Mouthwash

This one is probably the most surprising. Instead of making your mouth smell better, your mouthwash may be the cause of your bad breath. Mouthwash that contains a lot of alcohol can cause your mouth to dry out, promoting the buildup of bacteria. As long as you buy mouthwash that is alcohol-free, you should be fine.
We hope this information helps you to find the culprit of your bad breath. If you still can’t figure out what’s causing your nasty mouth odor, feel free to visit us at Water Tower Dental Care. The problem may be a dental issue. If that’s the case, we can definitely help you out.