An abscessed tooth is an infection within a tooth that has spread to the root tip or around the root. This infection originates from the tooth's inner chamber, which is called the "pulp chamber." Contained within the pulp chamber are blood vessels and nerves, collectively called the "pulp."

Oral health is a functional, structural, aesthetic, physiologic and psychosocial state of well-being and is essential to an individual’s general health and quality of life."

There is a percentage of patients who can enjoy getting dental implants to replace teeth in a day with one clinical appointment. However, this is not realistic for many and only a prosthodontist with extensive experience will be able to understand the limits and requirements of immediate tooth replacement for you.

We’ve written repeatedly about dentures and denture care here at The Dental Health Blog. There are times however, when we must ensure that we stress the basics, such as how to care for your dentures and how to use denture adhesives.

When you’ve lost all of your teeth, a denture is a removable replacement for them. A partial denture is also used to replace missing teeth, while some natural teeth remain. As with any major change, your new dentures may feel a bit odd at first, until your body adapts to them; requiring the muscles of your cheeks and your tongue become used to keeping your new dentures in place, and you become accustomed to removing and inserting them comfortably. There may also be a bit of gum irritation, slight inflammation, and minor soreness of your gums as you adapt to your new dentures. You may also experience an increase in saliva at first, but you will soon adapt to your new teeth.

One of the most common questions we’re asked at our Littleton area Prosthodontist office is about the cost of dental implants, and whether they are an effective tooth replacement therapy. Since the cost of dental implants can vary greatly between providers, and the insurance coverage for the procedure can be just as varied, understanding the effectiveness of implants for different types of tooth replacement should be helpful if you are considering dental implants.

Many people who wear dentures are unaware of the problems that can develop when their dentures fit poorly. These can include things like ulcerations or fungal infections. Another one we call hyperplasia, where because the denture doesn’t fit the gum properly the gum then becomes irritated, grows to fill that space and then becomes infected.

The popularity of dental implants as a tooth replacement therapy has grown almost exponentially over the past decade or two. The reasons for this are twofold: dental implant technology has advanced to make them far more effective than ever before, the increase in the popularity of dental implants has made them affordable to many more patients, and a national dental office franchise has been relentlessly promoting dental implants as a one-size-fits-all solution to total tooth replacement... However, the facts about dental implants are a bit different.

For a significant number of patients who've lost most, or all, of their teeth, dental implants are often the perfect tooth replacement therapy. When cared for properly, your dental implants should provide you with a lifetime of comfortable eating and beautiful smiles. However, just as with your natural teeth, implants will require daily brushing and flossing, along with regular dental checkups, if you hope to avoid losing your teeth again.

With the growth of nationwide dental implant clinics, clinics which do nothing but dental implants rather than offering complete dental services, it is increasingly true that not all implant specialists are created equal. The technicians who work at these clinics are nothing more than that – dental techs with narrowly focused training and experience. These are not the type of clinic for any patient seeking alternative tooth replacement therapies, for implants will always be the preferred treatment at these clinics, since they offer little else.

Recent research from McGill University has determined there are two common medications which can affect the viability and success of dental implants.

The idea that you can have a tooth, or all of your teeth, replaced in a day has become very popular recently, largely due to the national advertising campaign of a chain of affiliated dental offices; essentially a franchise implant operation. In these advertisements, many happy, smiling patients are shown, expressing joy at having received "teeth in a day." The details are, of course, not mentioned.

Did you know that good oral hygiene and maintaining oral health also is vital for pregnant moms-to-be and her new baby?

Known as total tooth replacement, if you’ve lost all of your teeth we can fabricate an implant-supported full bridge or implant-supported full denture to replace them. Dental implants will be used to replace both your lost natural teeth and some of the tooth roots. As the most experienced specialists for dental implants in Littleton for the past 20 years, we have the experience and technology to make your full mouth tooth replacement therapy as convenient as possible.

A recent briefing to congress in Washington, DC, titled "Oral Health in an Aging Nation: An Unmet Public Health Challenge" focused on the importance of oral health in older Americans. Topics covered included the connection between oral health and systemic diseases, the economic and societal impact from the lack of access to services, and the need for more oral health research.

According to the American Dental Association, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning consumers that homeopathic teething products, such as tablets and gels, may pose a risk to infants and children. The FDA recommends that consumers stop using these products and dispose of any in their possession.

Good oral hygiene helps to prevent dental problems - mainly plaque and tartar (calculus), which are the main causes of gum disease and tooth decay, or dental caries. Good oral hygiene may also help to prevent or delay dental erosion.

Getting older presents a range of challenges, not least of which is maintaining a healthy mouth, teeth, and gums. In fact, the aging process will often impair your sense of taste, while diseases, medications, and dentures can also contribute to this sensory loss. Then of course, as you age, so do your teeth and gums, becoming less resilient and less healthy over time.

According to the Oral Cancer Foundation, more than 48,000 Americans will be diagnosed with oral or pharyngeal cancer this year, causing more than 9,575 deaths. The 5-year survival rate of oral cancer is approximately 60 percent.

Did you know that good oral hygiene and maintaining oral health also is vital for pregnant moms-to-be and her new baby?