dental fear Archives - Atlanta Dental Implants

Gums disappearing

Posted on May 25, 2018 by writeradmin.

I don’t go to the dentist much, mostly because they terrify me. However, lately, I’ve noticed my gums seem to be disappearing and going upward. Is this a dental emergency? My gums look healthy other than that. They’re the right color and I’ve only had one cavity in my entire life. I don’t know what’s going on.

Amber

Dear Amber,

You Don’t Have to Fear the Dentist

It sounds like you’re describing receding gums. There are several causes for this. The two main ones are gum disease and aggressive brushing.

A Dentist Can Help Find the Cause of Recessive Gums

Gum Disease

A dental exam can tell you right away if the cause is gum disease. This is the most serious reason for gum recession and it needs to be addressed as quickly as possible. If left untreated, it will lead to your teeth becoming loose and falling out. Then, you’ll need tooth replacement procedures such as dental implants.

I do realize you have dental anxiety. I’d like to help you with that. There are quite a few dentists these days who offer dental sedation. It is a huge help to patients who would rather be anywhere else than a dental chair. It’s so helpful, in fact, that many patients simply sleep through their appointments. Finding a compassionate sedation dentist can switch dental appointments from being something you dread to a time where you look forward to a nice nap.

Aggressive Brushing

If you use a hard bristled brush or press down too hard while brushing your teeth, this can also cause your gums to recede. It wears them down a little at a time.

Pinhole Technique to Restore Gums

There’s a fairly simple solution to restore your gums. There’s a pinhole gum surgical technique which is scalpel-free and suture-free. It’s patient-friendly and you can get back to your life much quicker because you don’t have the same type of healing time needed with more traditional surgical techniques.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. David Pumphrey.

Bone grafts for dental implants

Posted on February 2, 2018 by AllSmiles.

Bone Grafts for Dental Implants

I am in my early 40s, and I recently looked into getting a couple dental implants to replace two front teeth I lost when I was just 18. I have always had two removable false teeth that clipped in behind the two adjacent teeth, and it has always bothered me. So I talked to my dentist about getting a more permanent (and hopefully more aesthetic) solution. He told me I would need a bone graft for the dental implants, so now I’m wondering if it is too much trouble. I really want my front teeth to look more natural, but I feel like a bone graft will be too much pain to go through.

Arabella in Atlanta

Hello Arabella,

Many people who explore the possibility of a dental implant or implants end up needing bone grafting, and while it is one more procedure to go through and heal from, it should not deter you from obtaining the smile you want.

Let’s first talk about the reason you probably need bone grafting at this point, then we’ll talk through the procedure, so you understand what it entails and can calm your fears.

Reason for Bone Grafts

If you’ve had false teeth for 22 years or more, it is likely that your jawbone has atrophied and lost density in the area below those teeth. This is because false teeth, dentures, and bridges only replace the crown or visible part of the tooth without addressing the loss of the tooth root.

The body interprets the loss of a tooth with its root to mean that the supporting bone structure is no longer needed. It begins to absorb the bone-building minerals that once supported the tooth for use elsewhere in the body. This leads to situations like yours in which there is not enough bone structure left to support a dental implant. And in the case of the loss of all of the teeth, it can lead to facial collapse.

That’s why dental implants are a very good choice: they replace both the tooth root and the crown. In fact, a dental implant is a replacement root that is implanted directly into your jawbone, and it is strong enough to support a crown. As you can see from the diagram here, the tooth root form needs enough bone material to be stable. Only then can it support the crown.

Bone Grafting Procedure

So now that you know why, let’s talk about how. It’s easy to fear what we don’t really understand, so hopefully, a little more information will go a long way here. To begin with, the tissue used for the bone graft can be found in your own jawbone, and when this is not possible, it can be obtained from a tissue bank.

Because there have been many recent advances in techniques and technology, bone grafting is now a minimally invasive and safe procedure. Your periodontist will place the new tissue after making an incision, and because your body will recognize the graft material as its own bone, and will gradually replace the graft with more bone-building minerals. This way, through guided tissue regeneration, you end up with more of your own natural bone than you had before the graft.

And modern sedation and pain-relief methods will keep the procedure and healing period for both the bone grafting and the implantation of the tooth root form relatively pain-free.

It is a really good idea to explore all these topics with your periodontist or oral surgeon who will perform the procedures. This will help you build more trust and lessen your fear as well. You can look forward to a permanent and beautiful smile.

Good luck in finding the right solution for a healthy and happy dental future.

This Blog is brought to you by Dr. David Pumphrey of Pumphrey Periodontics in Atlanta.

Can sedation dentistry help me with my dental fear?

Posted on November 14, 2017 by AllSmiles.

I am afraid to go to the dentist, and I’m wondering if sedation dentistry might help me. When I was about ten years old, I had to have oral surgery. It was a pretty traumatic experience because the dentist started operating before I was numb, and when I reacted to the pain, he just said, “What’s wrong?” When I told him he was hurting me, he basically told me I was imagining things. Ever since then, I have been really afraid. Even thinking about it makes me queasy. But I’ve made a resolution that this year I will find a way to get my dental health back. I’ve heard that sedation can really help people like me. Do you think it would be enough?

Jennifer, Florida

Hi Jennifer,

Good for you for reaching out. It takes a lot of courage, as you said, to overcome dental fear enough to even ask about sedation dentistry. But your resolution is going to go a long way to helping you overcome your fear. Once you’ve decided that you no longer have to live with the consequences of someone else’s mistake and are willing to reach out for help, you’re more than half way there.

Overview of Sedation Dentistry

To answer your question in a word, yes. Sedation dentistry and a calm, gentle, and understanding dentist can help, and both are probably equally important. Some people, and you sound like you may be one of them, simply don’t get completely numb with novocaine alone. And the important thing to understand about that is that sometimes sedation can change that. Many patients who don’t get numb with novocaine alone have no trouble if they have nitrous oxide or oral sedation, and for patients whose fear is extreme, IV sedation can remove all anxiety along with any memory of the procedure. So let’s take a look at these three types of sedation.

Nitrous Oxide

Nitrous oxide is a sedative that is breathed in along with oxygen through your nose. It’s often been called “laughing gas” because it produces a very nice relaxed state that can ease any anxiety and help novocaine work more effectively. The great thing about novocaine is that once you stop breathing it, the effects are gone immediately, so you can drive and return to work or other activities quickly.

Oral Sedation

If nitrous oxide doesn’t work well enough for you, oral sedation might. Oral sedation is a pill that you will take about a half hour before your procedure. This is usually a common medication that will give you a deeper sense of relaxation and ease. Many people experience it as a feeling of not caring about anything, and with this type of sedation, you may or may not even remember your time in the dentist’s chair. You will, however, need someone to drive you home afterwards, because you will be too relaxed drive safely.

IV Sedation

IV sedation causes a more profoundly relaxed state, almost like sleep. You will be awake and aware enough to respond to requests to open your mouth, etc., but you will likely not remember anything about the procedure. Again, with this type of sedation, you will need someone to drive you home after your appointment.

Many dentists offer a complimentary consultation for patients who are fearful or who are looking for more extensive work. It’s a great idea to take advantage of this opportunity to speak with a dentist before you decide to have a complete exam. If the dentist is a sedation dentist, it is much more likely that he or she will understand what you need to overcome your fear and begin to enjoy the benefits of regular dental care.

Best of luck to you in finding the right dentist to help you.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. David Pumphrey of Pumphrey Periodontics in Atlanta.

Is bone grafting dangerous? It sounds terrible!

Posted on October 5, 2017 by AllSmiles.

I’m facing bone grafting, and I think it sounds like a terrible ordeal to go through. I have three missing teeth on the lower left side of my mouth, and my dentist wants to to do a bone graft before he places dental implants. I had a bridge there for a lot of years, but it finally broke, and after what I learned about implants, I decided to go that way.

My dentist said I lost bone from my jaw while I had the bridge there and that bone grafting will make that part of my jawbone strong enough to support the implants. But bone grafting just seems like it would be too much for me. My wife laughs at me because I’m so afraid, and I think I could handle the implant surgery, just not the bone grafting part.

John in Georgia

Hello John,

It can be scary to approach a procedure when it sounds strange and unfamiliar. Once you understand more about bone grafting, you’ll probably feel as comfortable with the procedure as you seem to feel with the surgery to place the dental implants.

Let’s start by talking about what a bone graft is, and then we can explore some facts that could make it even easier for you to face. It’s true that we lose bone density when we lose a tooth. Without the tooth root there to signal the body that the the jawbone is needed to support that particular tooth, the body absorbs, or resorbs, as the process is called, the minerals for use elsewhere in the body. So it’s no surprise that you have had some bone loss if you’ve been without those three teeth for many years. The good news it that with bone grafting and dental implants, your bone loss will not grow worse over the years.

The bone used in the grafting procedure can sometimes be taken from your own jaw, and it can also be obtained from a tissue bank, but the most important point to remember is that the grafting materials that are used these days a safe and effective.

The procedure, as rough as it may sound, is minimally invasive. That’s because advanced technology enables something called guided tissue regeneration. This happens because your body recognizes the grafting material as natural bone, and during the healing process, it will bring more bone-building minerals to the site and actually replace the graft with your own bone materials.

And finally, you may not have heard about sedation dentistry. Something as simple as nitrous oxide works to help many patients relax and experience less stress, but if you are really fearful, a good sedation dentist can make sure that you don’t remember your procedure. With the right kind of sedation, you can be aware enough to respond to requests during treatment, but the whole process can be forgotten.

This log is brought to you by David Pumphrey of Pumphrey Periodontics in Atlanta.

I’m facing gum surgery, and I’m terrified.

Posted on August 4, 2017 by AllSmiles.

My parents both had gum disease, so I know what it looks like. I’ve been afraid to go to the dentist for many years, but I know if I do, they’re going to operate because I have the family problem. My mom had gum surgery when I was young, and I remember how painful it was. She was in pain for days. Now I’m facing the same thing. Aren’t there better painkillers now?

Theresa V.
Atlanta

Hi Theresa,
It sounds like your mom had a very bad experience with both gum disease and gum surgery, and that may have contributed to your being afraid and avoiding the dentist. That’s unfortunate, but there’s a very bright side here. Your fear may have kept you away, but during your absence, there have been a lot of advances in the way gum disease is diagnosed and treated. None of them include the kind of pain your mom experienced.

It can be hard to overcome long-lasting fear, but you may be pleasantly surprised. Instead of assuming you need gum surgery, if you allow a qualified periodontist to examine your teeth, you may find out that your dental condition is easily treatable without surgery.

Healthy Gums vs. Periodontal Disease

Let’s break things down a little here. Sometimes straightforward information can be the best prescription for fear and avoidance. To begin with, periodontal disease is caused by plaque and tartar that attach to the tooth root below the gumline where brushing and flossing can’t reach. These pockets of plaque and tartar cause inflammation, which damages the bone structure that keeps our teeth stable. The drawing above shows this process.

Even diagnosing the extent of the inflammation and damage used to be fairly difficult. But a new, high-tech camera, called a perioscope, now allows the periodontist to see how far the damage extends. In addition, the laser technology that uses both heat and water to eliminate pain now enables non-surgical gum treatment to smooth the tooth root and remove bacterial toxins. This procedure is called scaling and root planing, and it does not require incisions, sutures, or a long healing process. In essence, it is a deep cleaning that can be accomplished in one or more appointments, leaving healthy tissue intact.

Here’s hoping you find a solution to your fear and your dental condition soon!

This Blog is brought to you by Dr. David Pumphrey of Pumphrey Periodontics in Atlanta.

My worst nightmare is coming true…I have a loose tooth!

Posted on July 1, 2017 by AllSmiles.

One of my worst nightmares is to dream that one or more of my teeth are loose. I’ve noticed over the past couple of months that my back molar on the bottom left is getting loose. I take pretty good care of my teeth, and my dentists have always said I have good teeth, so I usually go to get cleanings every other year or so. Now I’m afraid to go to the dentist because maybe I’ll need a root canal. Can you help me?

Thanks,
Ray in Florida

Hi there Ray,

There are several reasons your tooth could be loose. You haven’t mentioned whether you are experiencing other symptoms or if you have pain, but your dental routine gives a hint about the possible cause here. It is possible to have “good teeth” as you put it and to take “pretty” good care of them and still experience gum disease.

In fact, one of the most important reasons a dentist recommends a dental hygiene routine that include twice-yearly visits to the dentist is to monitor the health of your teeth and to make sure that gum disease doesn’t go unnoticed and untreated.

There are some situations in which a loose tooth doesn’t point to gum disease. Our teeth are connected to our jawbones with a layer of ligaments, which allow for some movement in the sockets. And if your tooth became loose suddenly or if you experienced an injury, that could also explain the looseness you are experiencing.

More often, though, loose teeth point to gum or periodontal disease. Other symptoms that accompany periodontal disease can include bleeding gums, tender or swollen gums, gums that have pulled away from the teeth, pus between the teeth and gums, persistent bad breath, and changes in the way your teeth fit together. As you can see from the image to the left, periodontal disease breaks down the supporting structures of the tooth.

Whether or not you’ve experienced any of these other symptoms, it’s important to overcome your fear and call a dentist or periodontist at this point. Although you say you fear a root canal, it’s probably more likely that you’ll need non-surgical gum treatment.

Take a look at Pumphrey Periodontal’s Technology page — just scroll down to the bottom to the information on the Perioscope. You mentioned how fearful you are, and the information on this one new piece of technology should help you overcome your fear. The perioscope can help make both diagnosis and treatment much easier than it has ever been before. And please remember that sedation dentistry has come a long way since you were a child.

Best of luck for your continued dental health.

This Blog is brought to you by Dr. David Pumphrey at Pumphrey Periodontics in Atlanta.