Dentistry

Oral Implants for Healthy Smiles

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By Dr. Joseph D. Lim

opinyon-lifestyle

MRS. Manolita S. Silvestre, a businesswoman from Alabang, has a lot to smile about nowadays. Her speech has improved, she looks a lot better than before, and her confidence is up by a hundred percent, “I’m having a good time. I’m not ashamed to face people anymore and my self-esteem is high,” she said. Her secret? Dental implants—artificial teeth that are surgically implanted in the jawbone with the use of tiny screws. This device has helped over two million toothless people worldwide.

The availability of dental implants in the country has improved the quality of life of many Filipinos since they provide a better and more aesthetically pleasing alternative to dentures. Silvestre is one of the many Filipinos who has benefited from dental implants. Her success story has inspired other people to try out this new technology. Prior to her discovery of dental implants, Silvestre had been wearing dentures for years when she decided one day that they were not for her. “I’ve seen people who have lost their teeth and developed facial deformities because of ill-fitting dentures. I couldn’t accept that. I couldn’t imagine myself with an elongated face so I believed dental implants were the answer to my problem, I had read about them in some American journals when a friend of mine said they were being done here,” she recalled.

Although the technology is new, dental implants were used thousands of years ago by the ancient Egyptians. The technique was refined in the 1950s by Swedish orthopedist Dr. Per-Ingvar Branemark. While working in his lab, Branemark observed that titanium could integrate with living bone tissue – a process called Osseo integration. His discovery led to the development of modern dental implants which are widely used today.

Dental implants can be used to replace a single tooth or an entire set of teeth. In the surgical phase, the jawbone is drilled to accommodate the implant. After a few months or sufficient time for the bone cells to grow around the implant and hold it in place, a small metal post or abutment is attached to the implant to serve as an anchor for new teeth. The final stage involves creating new teeth or a prosthesis which is attached to the abutment.

What happened during the operation and how did it change Silvestre’s life? Find out in the second part of this series on Friday. Don’t miss it!
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Dr. Joseph D. Lim is the Dean of the College of Dentistry, National University, President/CEO of Dr. Smile Dental Care & Laser Center and honorary fellow of the Asian Oral Implant Academy and the Japan College of Oral Implantologists. For questions on dental health, e-mail jdlim2008@gmail.com or text 0917-8591515.

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Brushing Prevents Heart Attacks

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by Dr. Joseph D. Lim

(image credit: http://www.positivechoices.com)
(image credit: http://www.positivechoices.com)

At the annual meeting of the European Society of cardiology in Vienna, Austria, French researcher Dr. Nicolas Amabile said that patients with artery disease often had bad teeth caused by periodontitis or periodontal disease.
In this condition, the gums become swollen due to the accumulation of plaque around the teeth. As the gums become irritated they recede and there is pain when eating hot, cold or sweet foods. Untreated, teeth loosen and fall out. This can be prevented with good oral hygiene in the form of brushing, flossing and regular visits to the dentist.

“Your mouth is normally teeming with bacteria. Usually you can keep these bacteria under control with good oral health care, such as daily brushing and flossing. Saliva is also a key defense against bacteria and viruses. It contains enzymes that destroy bacteria in different ways. But harmful bacteria can sometimes grow out of control and lead to periodontitis, a serious gum infection,” warned Mayo Clinic doctors.
Amabile found that the more severe periodontitis is, the greater the risk of heart disease. He arrived at this conclusion after he and his team of French dentists and cardiologists studied 131 patients who were referred to their hospital in Marseille, France.

“The most severe teeth disease was associated with the most widespread arterial lesions. Since periodontitis is easily accessible to treatment with antibiotics and dental care, one might think its treatment could also be beneficial for coronary artery disease. This has to be confirmed with larger studies but may represent a new original approach to handle heart disease in the future,” he told Jenny Hopes of the Daily Mail.
Researchers have yet to discover how gum disease triggers heart disease but they suspect that bacteria from gum disease can enter the bloodstream and travel through the arteries to the heart, posing a risk to cardiovascular health.

“When your gums are healthy, bacteria in your mouth usually don’t enter your bloodstream. However, gum disease may provide bacteria a port of entry into your bloodstream. Sometime invasive dental treatments can also allow bacteria to enter your bloodstream. And medications or treatments that reduce saliva flow or disrupt the normal balance of bacteria in your mouth may also lead to oral changes, making it easier for bacteria to enter your blood stream. Some researchers believe that these bacteria and inflammation from your mouth are linked to other health problems in the rest of your body,” said Mayo Clinic doctors.

To preserve your good health, don’t forget to brush daily, especially after meals. Make it a daily habit to save your heart.
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Dr. Joseph D. Lim is the Dean of the College of Dentistry, National University, President/CEO of Dr. Smile Dental Care & Laser Center and honorary fellow of the Asian Oral Implant Academy and the Japan College of Oral Implantologists. For questions on dental health, e-mail jdlim2008@gmail.com or text 0917-8591515.

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Gums Are Just as Important as Your Teeth

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by: Dr. Joseph D. Lim

IF you are age 40 or over, chances are you will have gum disease.

While it is commonly experienced during middle age, gum recession actually starts during the teenage years.

When a tooth appears longer than normal or the spaces between teeth seem to grow, you are likely to have the malady.

(photo source: http://www.gumrecession.com/)
(photo source: http://www.gumrecession.com/)

Symptoms include teeth that are very sensitive to stimuli (hot or spicy food for example), visible roots of the tooth, notched tooth at the gum line, tooth dislocation and cavities below the gum line.

It is easy to prevent gum disease with simple habits like flossing and brushing, avoiding tobacco, eating properly and not piercing the lip or tongue.

Over-aggressive brushing that cause gum recession may be evaded with gentle brushing with a soft toothbrush.

Regular professional dental cleanings prevent plaque buildup that also causes gum recession. Scaling and root planning may be necessary to clean the teeth and heal the inflammation in the gums caused by tartar.

It is necessary to avoid gum disease because it leads to other serious ailments. #OpinYon #LifeStyle #Gums

read cont | http://bit.ly/1gmjy9R

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Root Canal is Not Painful

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by: Dr. Joseph D. Lim

(Photo source: http://www.dentalfearcentral.org/faq/root-canal/)

WHAT most Americans fear, more than paying taxes and speaking in public, is getting a root canal treatment.

Two of three Americans surveyed by the American Association of Endodontists (AAE) also ranked root canals as the dental procedure they most fear, more than having a tooth pulled or a cavity filled.

The survey reveals that seven out of 10 (70 percent) Americans fear losing a natural tooth. Ironically, the same number also fear root canal treatment, a dental procedure that can save their teeth.

From March 27 to April 2, the AAE is holding its fifth annual Root Canal Awareness Week to dispel long-standing myths about root canal treatment and increase understanding of the procedure as one that is virtually painless. #OpinYon #LifeStyle

read cont | http://bit.ly/16ke5ch

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