Root Canal Therapy at Ardas Family Dental

 

We are experienced providers of tooth restorations at Ardas Family Dental in Parker, but we still work hard to save natural teeth. Although implants, dentures, bridges, and crowns all benefit a patient whose teeth need to be removed, sometimes an injured tooth can be rescued with root canal therapy. This is especially the case with children, whose baby teeth aren’t suited for permanent tooth prosthetics, so to get patients more comfortable with root canals, we wanted to explain more about them.

Our teeth contain chambers of pulp connected to the rest of the circulatory system by blood vessels routed through the tooth roots. If a tooth cracks or suffers severe decay, bacteria can enter the pulp chamber and cause an infection. This would be painful and cause bad breath, but it could get worse if the bacteria spreads further into the bloodstream or builds up at the base of the tooth roots. For this reason, a dentist would remove the infected pulp by performing root canal therapy.

Patients are always numbed during root canals. We also offer sedative options for those who are nervous. During the procedure, the dentist drills a hole into the tooth that the pulp can be removed through. The chamber and incision are then sealed. Sometimes, the damaged crown also needs to be replaced. In a baby tooth, this can be done with a metal cap that can be shaped in the office. For adult teeth, a replacement crown would mean a return appointment, but the finished crown would be permanent and colored like a natural tooth. If the infection recurs, we could consider options such as extraction, in which case an adult tooth might be replaced with an implant and the gap from a baby tooth might be held open with a retainer. But most root canals are successful and leave the patient much more comfortable with their teeth and in better health.

Dr. Roopi Kattaura operates Ardas Family Dental at 10233 S Parker Rd, Suite 205, Parker, Colorado. Call 720-459-8420.

Bridges at Ardas Family Dental

 

Even if you have a lot of damaged teeth, it’s not too late to get them repaired. We frequently perform dental restorations at Ardas Family Dental in Parker, and we offer solutions for patients in a wide variety of circumstances. For many, a classic dental bridge may be the best way to restore multiple teeth, and if they already have a bridge, we’ll be happy to perform maintenance on it.

Dental crowns are the part of the tooth that is visible. To place an artificial crown, a dentist would smooth down the natural tooth into a cylindrical abutment, and then cement the artificial crown on top of it. A bridge is several artificial crowns that have been fused together so they can replace teeth in a row, with the crowns at the end of the bridge being placed over reshaped teeth and the middle crown being suspended between them. Typically, placement would be a multi-appointment process, with the natural teeth being reshaped and an impression taken at the first appointment, and the finished bridge being placed during the second. A patient would wear a temporary bridge during the weeks in between appointments.

Bridges are used when several teeth in a row are broken, decayed, or already absent. Most dentists would not remove a healthy tooth to make room for a bridge, and would instead commission a partial denture with a hole to slide over the healthy tooth. But a partial denture needs to be able to clasp onto mostly-intact teeth on either side of it, so a bridge might be preferable if that’s not an option. Patients with bridges need to learn to floss under the suspended crown using a floss threader, but when cared for properly, dental bridges can last for ten years without needing to be removed.

Dr. Roopi Kattaura operates Ardas Family Dental at 10233 S Parker Rd, Suite 205, Parker, Colorado. Call 720-459-8420.

Dry Socket Prevention in Parker, CO

Tooth extractions aren’t something we recommend lightly at Ardas Family Dental in Parker, but there are a lot of situations in which they are likely to be appropriate. Wisdom teeth, in particular, often need to be removed in order to prevent them from causing malocclusions and soreness or becoming traps for oral bacteria. We have a lot of experience extracting wisdom teeth in pediatric patients and their outcomes are overwhelmingly good, but there are a few things patients need to keep in mind in order to avoid developing a dry socket while they recover.

During a simple extraction, the tooth is wiggled and raised out of its socket. This doesn’t leave any incisions, but the jaw bone at the base of the socket is briefly exposed to air. Usually, a bit of blood will form a scab, sealing the socket off and protecting it from dryness and airborne pathogens. However, there are certain medications that interfere with blood clotting, which is why we ask that patients disclose them to us prior to procedures.

Following the extraction, the patient should avoid eating or drinking anything that could cause the scab to dissolve or be torn loose prematurely. For this reason, they should avoid sucking through straws, and we especially advise adults getting tooth extractions against smoking during this period. Sipping soup could also create a vacuum that might remove the scab. If the socket does dry out, the patient will likely experience a great deal of pain and need to undergo antibacterial treatment. If a patient notices that the scab has broken off before their scheduled follow-up, they should request an emergency appointment. However, following the post-surgical guidelines will usually allow them to make a full and quick recovery.

Dr. Roopi Kattaura operates Ardas Family Dental at 10233 S Parker Rd, Suite 205, Parker, Colorado. Call 720-459-8420.

Understanding Peri-Implantitis in Parker, CO

 

Implants are one of the most reliable means of replacing missing or failing teeth. Not only are they sturdy prosthetics that can last for as long as a decade, they also stimulate the production of new jaw bone tissue, which will stabilize the other teeth and prevent changes in the patient’s face. But implants do need to be cared for, and when they aren’t, they may fail. At Ardas Family Dental in Parker, we dearly hope that all our implant patients will be successful, so we thought we would remind them of how to avoid falling prey to peri-implantitis.

An implant is a metal post that is inserted into the jawbone. The implant supports an abutment, which a prosthetic tooth crown is cemented to. Osseointegration is the process by which jaw bone tissue grows around the implant. When it goes right, which is nearly always, it results in the implant being immovable. However, if osseointegration is failing, the gum pocket around the implant and its crown may become inflamed. This may be due to excess cement from under the crown irritating the gum, but if inflammation develops long after the implant was placed, it is more likely due to infectious disease.

Gum disease is caused by bacteria under the gum line secreting acid. Implant posts are not immune from acid, and like natural tooth roots, they can be eroded. If an implant becomes mobile, it will have to be removed. However, there is usually a period in between when peri-implantitis, as we call this pattern of inflammation, develops, and when an implant has lost too much integrated bone tissue to remain stable. We urge anyone experiencing peri-implantitis to schedule a deep cleaning with us as soon as possible. For all other patients, we encourage brushing and flossing twice a day as well as twice-annual teeth cleanings in order to minimize the risk of gum disease.

Dr. Roopi Kattaura operates Ardas Family Dental at 10233 S Parker Rd, Suite 205, Parker, Colorado. Call 720-459-8420.

Cleaning Dentures in Parker, CO

At Ardas Family Dental in Parker, we believe that everyone is entitled to a smile they feel proud of. People who wear dentures are no exception. But although modern dentures are made to fit well and be indistinguishable from natural teeth, many people still hold an outdated perception of them. It’s true that dentures need to be cleaned daily and that this is an adjustment for people who are new to them, which is why we wanted to provide this reminder on denture hygiene.

Dentures, like natural teeth, will fill up with debris whenever their wearer eats. However, some debris will end up in places that can’t be reached with a toothbrush without removing the denture, such as on top of the upper palette. Although patients are typically told to brush their dentures once a day, it may be a good idea to remove them and rinse them off after every meal. When a denture is being brushed, the patient should gently scrub the entire thing, and not just the bits that resemble teeth. Patients should also use a separate toothbrush to clean the inside of their mouths before bed and before putting their dentures back in each morning.

There are a variety of specialty products made for denture cleaning. Many of them are approved by the American Dental Association, although lots of people get good results from simply soaking their dentures overnight in soap and water. However, patients should not use the same products on dentures that they use on natural teeth, since plastic isn’t as hard as natural enamel and can easily be scratched. Patients should also avoid applying denture cleaning solutions while their dentures are still in their mouths. Dentures should be kept submerged in liquid whenever they’re not being worn, but patients should be careful to avoid exposing them to excessive heat, and never run them through the dishwasher or leave them in a case in the sun.

Dr. Roopi Kattaura operates Ardas Family Dental at 10233 S Parker Rd, Suite 205, Parker, Colorado. Call 720-459-8420.

Getting Inlays and Onlays at Ardas Family Dental

If you’ve suffered a broken or severely decayed tooth, we have solutions at Ardas Family Dental in Parker. Our dental office is equipped to provide restorations ranging from simple fillings to implants and full-mouth dentures. But if you’ve incurred significant damage to the crown of a tooth, you may need something in between a mere filling and a full replacement. Partial crowns come in the forms of inlays and onlays, and although we hope our patients never require them, we want them to feel comfortable with the concepts should the need arise.

Our molars and premolars have to be able to withstand a lot of force. For the most part, they can, with their wide areas distributing the force of a bite, and their raised bits, called cusps, providing traction for grinding up food. But grinding teeth can split, particularly if a patient clenches their jaw in their sleep. Food debris can also get caught in between the cusps, allowing decay-causing bacteria to multiply there until a hole develops on the tooth’s surface. If we have to drill away a decayed indentation, we may use a partial crown called an inlay to replace the missing enamel. If we also have to replace a broken cusp, we would call the partial crown an onlay.

The placement of an inlay or onlay isn’t too different from the placement of a full crown. After removing damaged enamel, we would make an impression of a patient’s mouth and provide them with a temporary crown. Once we receive the custom-milled partial crown from a dental laboratory, the patient would return to have it cemented in. Partial crowns for permanent teeth are made to blend in with the natural enamel surrounding them and they’re meant to last. If a patient brushes their teeth twice a day and wears a night guard to protect their teeth from nighttime jaw clenching, a partial crown could last for ten years.

Dr. Roopi Kattaura operates Ardas Family Dental at 10233 S Parker Rd, Suite 205, Parker, Colorado. Call 720-459-8420.

What Do Sealants Do?

Visiting the dentist isn’t just an opportunity to get your teeth cleaned. As important as that is, at Ardas Family Dental in Parker we provide preventive care in addition to responding to problems. We hope all our patients are brushing and flossing on their own, but almost everybody could benefit from getting sealants. Although mostly associated with pediatric dentistry, sealants can be provided to people of any age, so let’s take a closer look at what this topical treatment does to combat tooth decay before it starts.

Tooth decay occurs when bacteria secrete acid, which gets stuck in saliva and hardens into tartar. Enamel may also be eroded by acid that is introduced to it directly, such as through drinks that contain citrus fruit juices or when stomach acid is regurgitated. We recommend that people brush their teeth after eating in order to remove the bacteria’s food source and that they drink plenty of water so that they can produce large amounts of saliva. But sealants create a physical barrier separating the surface of a tooth from acid in the place where decay is most likely to occur: the grinding surfaces of the molars and premolars.

The process of getting a sealant is simple. After cleaning and polishing the teeth, a dentist will apply a mild acid to them to roughen them enough to increase their surface area. The sealant will then be painted on as liquid plastic and hardened with a light. The patient will soon be eating normally, but with the indentations of their chewing teeth filled in just enough to make them easier to brush. The plastic sealant does not relieve a patient of their responsibility to brush and floss regularly, but it does reduce how quickly acid will be able to create cavities. If a patient maintains their oral hygiene, a sealant can usually last for several years.

Dr. Roopi Kattaura operates Ardas Family Dental at 10233 S Parker Rd, Suite 205, Parker, Colorado. Call 720-459-8420.