Dr. Brent Ellis Parrott, D.D.S.

I want to get dentures. Do permanent dentures fit better than immediate dentures? There are various versions of an Immediate Denture. They can look as good as definitive/permanent dentures. Most are quite simply less expensively made dentures that are made to wear and look good while you heal from having teeth extracted. Then, after you are completely healed, a new set of dentures is made to fit your healed gums. This new denture would usually be made with more realistic, higher-quality materials (teeth) but doesn't necessarily need to be made with anything different. Because a second denture is made it is possible to learn from the first denture what changes you want and make it better, as a result, it can fit and look better. This results in your purchasing two custom dentures. While the Immediate Denture can be kept as a back up you have still purchased two dentures. An alternative is to have a denture made to wear immediately following the extraction of the teeth and then have that denture relined, made to fit after you have healed. This if often less expensive than purchasing two separate dentures but does not give a "spare" denture or a chance to change much from the first denture. With all immediate dentures, it should be expected to have it relined multiple times after having it made.

I will get immediate dentures. Do immediate dentures look natural? There are various versions of an Immediate Denture. They can look as good as definitive dentures. Most are quite simply less expensively made dentures that are made to wear and look good while you heal from having teeth extracted. Then, after you are completely healed, a new set of dentures is made to fit your healed gums. This new denture would usually be made with more realistic, higher-quality materials (teeth) but doesn't necessarily need to be made with anything different. Because a second denture is made it is possible to learn from the first denture what changes you want and make it better, as a result, it can fit and look better. This results in your purchasing two custom dentures. While the Immediate Denture can be kept as a back up you have still purchased two dentures. An alternative is to have a denture made to wear immediately following the extraction of the teeth and then have that denture relined, made to fit after you have healed. This is often less expensive than purchasing two separate dentures but does not give a "spare" denture or a chance to change much from the first denture. With all immediate dentures, it should be expected to have it relined multiple times after having it made.

Is bridging better than implant? I have a missing tooth and want to replace it. Is bridging better than implant? Each situation is different. An implant is a one tooth solution for a one tooth problem so no other teeth are involved in the solution. If you have or can get the bone and have or can get the space to have an implant placed and restored it would almost always be preferable to involve two more teeth in the problem. A bridge involves attaching the teeth on either side of the space and hanging a replacement crown between them. This is usually done by placing a crown the tooth on each side of the space. If those teeth do not need or already have crowns it would be a shame to modify them radically enough to place a crown. However, if they already have or need crowns it might make more sense to "kill two birds with one stone" just realize that then on since they are all connected if any of those three have a problem the other two also have that problem.

What is the best-selling denture adhesive? I wear dentures and want to change the adhesive. What is the best-selling denture adhesive? A well-fitting upper denture should not need adhesive except in extreme cases where there is minimal bone left. Your dentist should be able to reline your denture to make it fit better. Then adhesive would only be for reassurance, not a necessity. All that said I have seen more patients satisfied with "Secure" denture adhesive than any other brand.

A lot of times a sinus infection and a tooth ache get confused because sinus infections can make your teeth ache and upper tooth infections can cause a sinus infection. To get rid of the pain you need to identify which is the source of the problem, the sinus or the tooth, then treat that first. Teeth don't care what position they are in as far as causing pain. So, if an upper tooth hurts and you notice the pain changes, either gets better or worse, when you change your head position, it is most likely a sinus infection and treating that, usually with antibiotics, will resolve the issue. There is a chance your dentist will prescribe you an antibiotic to help rule out a true tooth infection.

Decay causing a cavity can definitely cause pain. As the decay progresses nearer the nerve there is less insulation to isolate the nerve from temperature extremes. If the tooth is sensitive to sweet that often times indicates somewhere the decay is just reaching or has reached where the enamel connects to the dentin. If the decay is allowed to progress long enough it will eventually irreparably damage the nerve killing the tooth. Often this is painful but not always. Getting the decay removed or arresting it's progression are the only options we currently have to preserve the tooth long term.

An abscessed tooth doesn't necessarily look any different from a healthy tooth. It is dependent on what caused it to become abscessed. Most commonly extensive decay reaches the nerve and blood supply in the center of the tooth causing the tooth to die and an abscess (infected puss pocket) to form. These teeth will usually be black and/or broken. If the tooth died because of trauma, maybe by being hit in the case of a front tooth, it can die with the same resulting infection even though the tooth looks fine.

Changing the position of your front teeth is called orthodontics and is best supervised by a dentist. If you close the gap between your front teeth, what other gap(s) are you going to open? Orthodontics is really just about pressure over time so it is conceivable that you could push your teeth together with your fingers if you applied the pressure long enough. I don't recommend this method, but in theory it would work. You are best to see a dentist who does orthodontics or an orthodontist to make sure closing that gap doesn't cause additional complications.

The difference between dental implants and mini implants is a mater of size and use. Mini implants is the designation used for dental implant less than 3mm in diameter, they are almost exclusively one piece, and are most often used to support or stabilize a denture or for temporary stabilization of something while healing takes place. There are some protocols where final restorations (teeth) are cemented onto mini implants but this is much less common than using regular implants. Dental implants or standard implants are 3mm or larger in diameter and are usually designed with an internal connection so another part can be placed into the implant, then a "tooth" can be placed on that part. Full sized dental implants are typically more expensive and also a lot more versatile.

Typically, infection is not an issue after placement of a dental implant. Frequently, an antibiotic is prescribed for a few days after the procedure and sometimes starting the day of or the day before. This is typically all that is necessary when an implant is placed. Once it has fully integrated, the implant still requires excellent oral hygiene to maintain is since it is still susceptible to gum disease.

Short answer, YES. Root canal therapy treats the inside of the root, or the root canal, to eliminate the source of infection that spreads to the outside of the tooth. Root canal therapy does not affect the little ligaments (think teeny tiny rubber bands) that hold the tooth in the bone. If there is enough bone loss either from gum disease or from the infection that came from the inside of the canal, the ligaments may not be able to recover and could come out. Then, of course, you could knock it out. It is not held in any stronger than before the therapy, however, if all goes well, it should be as good as it was before it got infected and stay in place for many years.

Whether you are referring to local anesthesia or sedation anesthesia or even nitrous oxide (laughing gas), all are very safe when administered properly. Almost nothing interacts with nitrous oxide, it is so safe it can be used on pregnant women throughout all of pregnancy. Local anesthesia, often called Novocain (which we haven't used for many years) has very few interactions with other drugs. The epinephrine put in dental anesthetics will sometimes cause the heart to race for a short period of time, especially if it gets into the bloodstream, after all it is synthetic adrenalin and that is what adrenalin does. While that can be a little scary, it isn't a major health or safety concern. Sedation anesthesia used in dentistry covers a huge range of drugs and the depth of sedation varies dramatically. Many of the drugs used have an amnesiac effect, so you don't remember what went on during the procedure, which enables the person administering the drug to keep it very safe and keep you comfortable.

Both a flipper and a partial are removable appliances that are designed to fill the spaces left by missing teeth. Partials are typically stronger, last longer than flippers, are made for chewing, and are usually more expensive. Flippers are typically entire made of acrylic only, are designed to be a cosmetic replacement for missing teeth but are not designed for chewing (although many do chew with them). There are two basic types of partials: Tooth born which rests on teeth and is the most stable, and a tissue born which fits between teeth.Most dentists treat flippers as a temporary or the least expensive option to replace a tooth, many patients wear flippers much longer then intended and many are very happy with the results they give but they are not as good a solution as a partial or one of the many non-removable options.

There are innumerable variables to consider how long it takes for decay to destroy a tooth. Part of that is dependent on how you define "destroy." Carries or cavities progress at different rates depending on how hard the tooth structure, how aggressive the decay, and the amount of sugar they are given. Usually, cavities do not progress very rapidly if one keeps their mouth clean, but they can progress very fast. The amount of destruction necessary to "destroy a tooth" will also vary by how large the tooth is and how large the destruction.

Many teeth get crowns without having a root canal. A crown is designed to replace and restore missing tooth structure and can be used to reshape or reposition the crown (the part of the tooth that shows in the mouth) of a tooth. Most commonly, teeth that have had a root canal need to have crowns, but all teeth that have crowns do not necessarily need a root canal.

You can drink anything at all while wearing Invisalign, some things are safer and better to drink than others. The safer drinks are less acidic and less staining. Seltzer water has an approximate pH of 4, pH will vary based on the amount of CO2 as well as other minerals in the seltzer and the pH of the water. So, while it is a clear liquid, usually, the acidic nature of seltzer water makes drinking it and leaving the acid on the teeth less than desirable.

Without knowing why you are asking the question, there are a lot of ways to decide if a filling needs to be replaced. That is what a lot of dental education is about. Here is a partial list of why fillings might need to be replaced: If a filling has fallen out. If the borders or margins are deteriorating significantly. If a tooth colored filling has visible shadowing around it or under it.Diagnosing when silver fillings need to be replaced is often more difficult because the process often causes staining of the teeth so it is harder to distinguish when it is stain or decay. Seeing a good, trustworthy dentist and having them evaluate your fillings would be the best way to determine whether it needs replacing.

Without knowing why one would want to brush their teeth with hot water. The only damage that could be done by using hot water would be a result of the water being too hot. Brushing with warmer water would be helpful to soften the bristles of the brush and also could avoid some of the sensitivity caused by cold on sensitive teeth. Brushing with warmer water might actually be a good idea.

Root scaling is usually done by section or fourth (quadrant) of the mouth. The amount of time to clean a quadrant depending on the number of teeth being treated. Typically about an hour is allotted per quadrant and most often two quadrants, or half the mouth, is treated in a single visit. So, complete treatment would usually be two two-hour appointments.

Best results for teeth whitening teeth are achieved over time. There are methods for rapid whitening of teeth, most of them require supervision. Lasting whitening is done with hydrogen peroxide or some version of it. Dehydration will also enhance whitening short term.