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Posts for: November, 2015

By Advance Family Dental Care
November 28, 2015
Category: Dental Procedures
Tags: dental implants   dentures  
ChangesinBoneStructurecanAffectDentureFit

It’s a common problem for denture wearers: after years of a comfortable fit, your dentures now seem to be uncomfortably loose. The reason, though, may have more to do with bone loss than the dentures.

Bone is a living tissue with a life cycle — it forms, it ages, and it eventually dies and dissolves (resorbs). It’s replaced with new bone and the cycle repeats. Additionally, the forces generated when we bite or chew are transmitted from the teeth to the jaw, which helps stimulate new bone growth. When the natural teeth are missing, however, the bone no longer receives this stimulus. Resorbed bone isn’t replaced at a healthy rate, which leads over time to bone loss.

Denture construction can also contribute to bone loss. The denture palate rests for support on the bony ridges that once held the teeth. Over time the compressive forces of the dentures apply damages and reduces the volume of gum tissue and eventually does the same to the bone. Combining all these factors, the reduced gum and bone volume will eventually alter the denture fit.

There are a few alternatives for correcting loose dentures. One is to reline them with new plastic, as either a temporary fix performed during an office visit or a more permanent relining that requires sending your dentures to a dental lab. Depending on the rate of bone loss, a patient could go through several denture relinings to accommodate ongoing changes in the jaw. At some point, though, it may be necessary to create a new set of dentures.

A third alternative that’s becoming increasingly useful is to incorporate dental implants into the denture design. Implants can of course be used to replace individual teeth, but a few strategically placed implants (usually of smaller dimension) can serve as a support platform for a removable denture. This relieves some of the compression force of a traditionally worn denture and can slow bone loss.

If you’re having problems with your denture fit, call us for an appointment. We’ll help you decide on the best alternative to improving the fit and making your dentures more comfortable and secure.

If you would like more information on refitting loose dentures, please contact us today to schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Loose Dentures.”


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By Advance Family Dental Care
November 20, 2015
Category: Dental Procedures
Tags: dental implants  
WithProperManagementDentalImplantscanbeaRealityforDiabetics

Many people with diabetes are hesitant about getting dental implants because they’re under the impression their chances of failure are greater than for non-diabetics. But if you’re one of the 26 million Americans with diabetes, that isn’t necessarily so — with a little extra precaution before, during and after implant surgery.

Diabetes is a group of diseases that affect how the body processes glucose. This simple sugar is used by the body to provide energy to cells, but can also cause damage if its volume level in the bloodstream is too high. The body normally regulates this through the hormone insulin produced by the pancreas.

The pancreas in people with Type 1 diabetes doesn’t produce insulin and so they must receive an outside source of the hormone through daily injections with careful daily monitoring of glucose levels. Those with Type 2 diabetes, the most common form of the disease, don’t produce a sufficient amount of insulin or the body no longer responds to the insulin produced. For either type, abnormal glucose levels — either too high or too low — can have adverse affects on the body, including blindness, nerve damage, gangrene, coma or death.

Diabetes can also slow wound healing, increase the risk of infection, and alter the body’s inflammatory response, all of which are major concerns when placing implants. Because implant placement involves minor surgery in which a wound results, there’s been wide concern that a slower healing process could increase the risk of implant failure.

Recent studies, though, are encouraging especially for patients who have their diabetes under control through medication, diet and exercise. Patients with poor glucose control are at higher risk, because it can take longer for the bone to heal around an implant after placement. For such individuals special considerations to guard against infection may be needed during implant surgery.

In fact, the implant success rate for most diabetics is about the same as for non-diabetic patients, 95%. With proper disease management and a little extra wound care, you can be among the many that experience a favorable outcome and a more attractive smile with dental implants.

If you would like more information on diabetes and dental care, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation.


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By Advance Family Dental Care
November 17, 2015
Category: Oral Health
Tags: dental exams  

It is common knowledge that visiting the dentist regularly is vital to your health. Many people are miffed at the idea of a regular dental exam and avoid them like the plague. Some people claim lack of knowledge of how often they should visit the dentist, so they sidestep dental examaround it. Others do not mind going and have the smile to show for it. No matter the case, Advance Family Dental Care in Naperville, IL is here to set the record straight and help you get on track to a beautiful, healthy smile.

How often should I see the dentist? 

Some people may need to visit the dentist more than others, depending on their risk factors as well as their general and dental health. Typically, you should see your dentist at least every six months for a dental examination. This aids in early detection of problems that may not yet be painful or visible to the naked eye; it also allows your dentist to treat them before they become severe. This saves you time, effort and potentially, pain. Procedures on dental problems detected early are usually less complex and quicker or easier to perform and heal than more severe conditions. During your visit, your dentist will also clean and polish your teeth, ensuring that they are free of cavity causing plaque and tartar. It is critical that these cleanings happen regularly.

How can I keep my teeth healthy between dental exams? 

It is important to dedicate yourself to a dental health routine that consists of brushing with a soft-bristled toothbrush for at least two minutes, two times a day. You should also be flossing at least one, if not two times a day. Many people avoid flossing and assume that brushing is “enough”, but this is absolutely not the case. Flossing reaches down into the depths of your teeth and into small crevices that toothbrush bristles are too large to get to.

If you have questions about your dental routine, or would like to schedule your biannual check up, Advance Family Dental Care in Naperville, IL is here for you. Call (630) 357-2332 today!


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By Advance Family Dental Care
November 12, 2015
Category: Oral Health
ActorDavidRamseySaysDontForgettoFloss

Can you have healthy teeth and still have gum disease? Absolutely! And if you don’t believe us, just ask actor David Ramsey. The cast member of TV hits such as Dexter and Arrow said in a recent interview that up to the present day, he has never had a single cavity. Yet at a routine dental visit during his college years, Ramsey’s dentist pointed out how easily his gums bled during the exam. This was an early sign of periodontal (gum) disease, the dentist told him.

“I learned that just because you don’t have cavities, doesn’t mean you don’t have periodontal disease,” Ramsey said.

Apparently, Ramsey had always been very conscientious about brushing his teeth but he never flossed them.

“This isn’t just some strange phenomenon that exists just in my house — a lot of people who brush don’t really floss,” he noted.

Unfortunately, that’s true — and we’d certainly like to change it. So why is flossing so important?

Oral diseases such as tooth decay and periodontal disease often start when dental plaque, a bacteria-laden film that collects on teeth, is allowed to build up. These sticky deposits can harden into a substance called tartar or calculus, which is irritating to the gums and must be removed during a professional teeth cleaning.

Brushing teeth is one way to remove soft plaque, but it is not effective at reaching bacteria or food debris between teeth. That’s where flossing comes in. Floss can fit into spaces that your toothbrush never reaches. In fact, if you don’t floss, you’re leaving about a third to half of your tooth surfaces unclean — and, as David Ramsey found out, that’s a path to periodontal disease.

Since then, however, Ramsey has become a meticulous flosser, and he proudly notes that the long-ago dental appointment “was the last we heard of any type of gum disease.”

Let that be the same for you! Just remember to brush and floss, eat a good diet low in sugar, and come in to the dental office for regular professional cleanings.

If you would like more information on flossing or periodontal disease, please contact us today to schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Understanding Gum (Periodontal) Disease.”


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By Advance Family Dental Care
November 04, 2015
Category: Oral Health
Tags: infection control  
InfectionControlStandardsKeepDentalPatientsSafefromDisease

The chances of contracting an infectious disease from a dental visit are extremely low, thanks to the stringent safety standards practiced by over 170,000 dental care providers across the U.S. Without these standards, you and your family would be at risk for diseases like hepatitis from even a routine office visit.

The main prevention focus centers on blood-borne diseases in which blood from an infected person is introduced into the body of another through a cut, incision or injection site. While HIV/AIDS (autoimmune deficiency syndrome) is perhaps the most well known of blood-borne diseases, a more common and thus a more threatening disease is hepatitis. Caused by a pair of viruses known as HBV and HCV, hepatitis damages the liver, which disrupts normal bodily function and can even cause death.

The spread of hepatitis and similar diseases is a major concern for blood transfusion and surgical centers that commonly use invasive procedures and intravenous (IV) equipment. It’s also a concern in dental offices where even a hygienic cleaning may result in some bleeding. To reduce the risk of disease, the dental profession has several layers of both mandatory and recommended standards for protection against viral or microbial transmission.

The Center for Disease Control, for example, publishes and regularly updates recommended procedures for equipment sterilization and disinfection. State level dental licensing boards also mandate safety procedures and require continuing education for infection control as a requirement for re-licensing, as often as two years. Professional organizations such as the American Dental Association (ADA) also encourage safety protocols among its members.

The vast majority of dentists place infection control among their highest priorities. These care providers institute and practice daily protocols and procedures for hand washing, use of masks, gloves and other biohazard protection, and disinfection. Through effective infection control you and your family can receive the dental care you need without endangering your general health.

If you would like more information on health safety in the dental office, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Infection Control in the Dental Office.”


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Naperville, IL Dentist
Advance Family Dental Care
1567 N Aurora Road, Ste 143
Naperville, IL 60563
(630) 358-9899
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