potomac-falls-family-dentistry

You Can't Put a Price on a Great Smile: The Complete Guide to Full Mouth Reconstruction

Sun, 21 Apr 2019 14:56:22 GMT

Has your dentist recommended a full mouth reconstruction? Feeling afraid of what's ahead? Use this guide to overcome your fears and know what to expect.

Full Mouth Reconstruction: Overview, Costs, and What to Expect

The U.S. has more than 3,500 practicing prosthodontists: doctors who help repair smiles through methods like full mouth reconstruction.

Are you planning to book an appointment with a prosthodontist? If your dentist suggests that you need full mouth rehabilitation, this is your next step. However, the prospect of something called "full mouth reconstruction" might leave you feeling intimidated.

There's nothing to be scared of: a full restoration can help you get back the smile you love. We're here to clear up your worries with this complete guide. Keep reading to find out what to expect from a full mouth reconstruction!

What Is Full Mouth Restoration?

Full mouth restoration or reconstruction brings the full mouth into proper working order, fixing a number of problems along the way.

In this procedure, any lost teeth will get replaced, while damaged teeth can be repaired. The goal is both form and function. After this procedure, you'll have a better-looking smile and a mouth that functions well.

The procedure can actually involve a number of different techniques to get results. You might get dental implants for your missing teeth, and crowns or dental bridges on the existing ones that need repair. Veneers are also a possibility. In addition to fixing your teeth, you'll also get gum issues and other problems addressed in this procedure.

Who Needs Full Mouth Reconstruction?

Why might your dentist recommend this procedure?

There are a number of different problems that can lead to a need for this solution. For example, certain disorders that people are born with can seriously impact oral health, so restoration is necessary. These include dentinogenesis imperfecta, amelogenesis imperfecta , and ectodermal dysplasia.

Other reasons for a restoration involve events that happened later in life. Trauma can lead to damage to the mouth and teeth. Disease can also damage these areas, including periodontal disease and oral cancer.

If your teeth are severely damaged, and especially if some are missing, a full mouth restoration might be right for you.

How Full Mouth Reconstruction Works

Now, let's take a closer look at the actual process.

1. Consultation

The process begins when you have a consultation with a professional.

Your dentist can help you decide if full mouth reconstruction is right for you. You may also want to have a consultation with a prosthodontist before you decide to move forward, to make sure they're the best person for the job.

2. Dental Exam

You'll need a complete dental exam to give a clear picture of what kinds of treatments you need.

This exam might involve x-rays and other types of imaging, as well as creating models of the inside of your mouth.

3. Treatment Plan

Your prosthodontist will come up with a treatment plan to address your unique needs.

This might include the procedures listed above, like crowns and implants, and anything else your mouth may need. For example, if you have gum issues or sensitivity, you might need soft tissue grafts.

4. Medical History Review

Before you move forward with the treatments, it's important to let the doctor know about your medical history.

They'll need to know of any allergies you have, treatments you've had done before, medications you take, other conditions you have, and so on. This information will help them keep you safe during the reconstruction.

5. Scheduling

The procedures can't all be done at once, so your next step will be working out the best schedule with your prosthodontist.

The process typically takes months, but it will be shorter or longer depending on how many procedures you need and how invasive they are. For example, you may need time to recover after one procedure before the next one can start.

6. Actual Treatment

Your doctor will give you specific instructions to follow, such as what you can eat, drink and do before and after each procedure. You'll need to make sure to follow their rules for your safety, and for the best results.

7. Recovery

After the last treatment, you can turn your focus to recovering and maintaining your results.

Your doctor will tell you what you should do to keep your newly restored mouth healthy -- make sure you follow these guidelines, too. You'll also need to attend some checkup visits to make sure things are still going well.

Full Mouth Rehabilitation Cost

The cost of full mouth rehabilitation varies depending on exactly which procedures you get. The cost tends to be high, because these procedures can be both invasive and delicate, and you may need a lot of them. However, the cost of not getting your oral problems fixed will be still higher.

A prosthodontist can come up with a cost estimate after they've determined which procedures you're going to need.

Many offices will accept a payment plan, so you can pay the full cost in installments over time. If you have insurance, that will also help offset the costs. These procedures are usually considered essential for your dental health, making it easier to get insurance to help pay for them.

Sometimes, if the cost exceeds the dental benefits you have with your insurance plan, you might be able to book appointments across two different years. That way, you have two years' worth of benefits to apply to your treatments, instead of just one.

In rare cases, medical rather than dental insurance might help you pay for this treatment. For example, if you need the treatment due to a disorder, a trauma, or a disease like cancer, your medical insurance could help.

Ready for Your Full Mouth Reconstruction?

If you suffer from issues with your oral health, a full mouth reconstruction can change your life. You'll look better, feel better, eat better, and enjoy all the other benefits of a healthy mouth.

However, it's important to choose the best possible provider for your full mouth rehabilitation. Are you in the Potomac Falls area? We can help -- contact us today to book a consultation.

What It Means When You Have Bleeding Gums When Brushing

Sun, 30 Sep 2018 00:00:00 GMT

It can be concerning to see blood in the sink when brushing. Read on to learn what it means when you have bleeding gums when brushing.

Noticing blood in your mouth after brushing or flossing can be concerning.

Is there something wrong? Did you do something wrong? Should you go to see your dentist immediately?

Bleeding gums aren't something you should ignore or take lightly. They could be a sign of a serious issue like gum disease or bad oral hygiene habits. While you should see a dentist if you notice consistent bleeding, it's helpful to understand exactly what could be causing this issue.

There are a few common things that can cause bleeding gums that you can fix. Keep reading to learn the top reasons why your gums might be bleeding, and what you can do to avoid it.

Aggressive Brushing

If you brush too hard, too often, or with a toothbrush that's too rough on your gums, this can cause bleeding. Healthy gums can usually take somewhat aggressive brushing, so this may be a combination of unhealthy gums (plaque build up, not flossing enough, etc) being treated too aggressively with your toothbrush.

Try not to brush too hard, as this can cause bleeding. You may also be brushing too often. Don't eat too often between meals so you won't have to brush extra times per day.

New Toothbrush

Along the same lines as aggressive brushing is brushing with a toothbrush that's too harsh on your gums. This can often happen when you switch to a new toothbrush. Your old toothbrush is worn in and likely has softer bristles compared to a brand new one with tougher bristles that you're not used to yet.

Be cautious as you transition to a new toothbrush. Be gentle your first few brushes to get used to the new hardness of the bristles.

You should also be sure to get the proper type of toothbrush that's going to work for you and your gums. Everyone has different gum sensitivity, so you need to get a toothbrush that will work well for you.

Different brushes will have different strength bristles. If you have sensitive gums, you may want to go for a "soft" bristle toothbrush. If you don't have particularly sensitive gums and you need a toothbrush that's going to scrub your teeth clean, you may be able to use a harder bristled brush.

Flossing Too Hard/Incorrectly

You've probably experienced, or at least heard of, people's gums bleeding a lot when they visit the dentist. This is usually because people don't floss on their own at all.

Only 30 percent of people floss daily, which is what's recommended. Besides that, many people who do floss either floss too hard or not correctly. This can lead to bleeding gums as the flossing will irritate the tissue and cause it to bleed.

You also want to be gentle as you start a flossing routine. If you've gone from never flossing before to now flossing daily, your gums aren't going to be used to it. This change in routine can also lead to bleeding as your gums get healthier and get used to the constant flossing.

And don't let the bleeding scare you off from regular flossing. Flossing helps to keep your gums healthy. As you floss more, you should notice that your gums bleed less and less and eventually not at all.

Gingivitis

Gingivitis is one of the first stages of gum disease . When you don't floss or brush your teeth correctly or often enough, this causes plaque to build up around your gumline.

This leads to gingivitis which is essentially swollen and inflamed gums. When your gums are inflamed and swollen, they'll bleed very easily when brushing and flossing.

Your dentist will be able to tell whether you have gingivitis. It's important to have regular check-ups to identify this issue before it progresses into the later stages of gum disease.

Pregnancy

Those who are pregnant often experience more bleeding than others. This actually has a name: pregnancy gingivitis .

When you're pregnant, your hormones shift to support the fetus and maintain your health throughout pregnancy. A downside to this hormonal shift is that it alters the amount of blood flow that your gums get, which can lead to tenderness, inflammation, and bleeding.

The hormone shift also affects how your body reacts to and fights off bacteria, like bacteria found in plaque. This leads to the easier buildup of plaque (aka bacteria) in your gums, which leads to gingivitis and bleeding gums.

This type of "gingivitis" will usually clear up after pregnancy as hormones return to normal. However, it's hard to distinguish whether this gingivitis is gum disease or actually caused by pregnancy and hormone shifts.

It's always best to discuss with your dentist to determine the true cause in order to prevent potential gum disease.

Side Effect of Medication

Certain types of medications can cause your gums to bleed more easily when you're taking them. Some examples of these types of medications include:

Blood thinners
Blood pressure medications
Chemotherapy drugs

Other medications can indirectly lead to bleeding gums. Any medication that causes swelling or inflammation in soft tissues (like the gums) can lead to bleeding as well. Some drugs that can do this include:

Immunosuppressant medications
Calcium channel blockers
Seizure medications

These side effects don't happen in everyone, but they can occur. If you're taking any of these types of medications and are experiencing bleeding gums, speak to your doctor or your dentist. You may be able to switch to a different medication, or you may be able to take steps to reduce the negative side effects.

Why You Have Bleeding Gums: Wrapping Up

If you've noticed that your gums are bleeding when you brush your teeth, that's not something you should ignore. While it might just be a sign that you need to be a bit gentler on your teeth when brushing, it could also be a sign that you're in the first stages of gum disease, which is a serious health issue.

Hopefully, this article has helped you understand the cause of your bleeding gums. If you're still confused or want to make sure that you're doing everything you can to prevent this issue from persisting, contact us .

We can give you some advice and get you an appointment with one of our experienced and trusted staff.