Alfredo Montes

It is a small “dome” shape screw that covers the top of the implant to allow the gums to heal nice around the implant base so later on, a crown can be fabricated mimicking a natural tooth contour and emergence profile from the gum.

Yes, this will make sure your dentures are fitting good and in case of discomfort to be adjusted.

It depends of the reason why do you need a crown. Sometimes your tooth could be sensitive up to a month but after that should settle and all come back to normal.

If the cavity is too deep, it could reach the nerve. If this happens, you will end up needing a RCT and a crown.

No need to replace them. As longest you do a good job with your oral hygiene, they will stay with you for the rest of your life. But remember, if you can loose a tooth because of periodontal disease, you can loose an implant for the same reason.

You should go back to see your dentist. If the crown never felt good might be that the bite was off. If the crown is loose either was not well cemented or something broke underneath. Don’t wait too long. It might something minor that can be addressed right away.

Onlays are becoming more popular due to new dental ceramic materials like Zirconia. They are highly aesthetic so now there is no need to prep the whole tooth to hide gray margins. Onlays are more conservative in regards of tooth structure. Less grinding. So they only cover the affected area instead of prepping the entire tooth for a crown that covers All of it.

A dental bridge are crowns splinted together to replace a missing tooth. The bridge is supported by one tooth behind and one in front of the missing one.

If you take care of your teeth by having a good oral hygiene, soft brushing from the gum to your teeth and not biting or chewing into hard things like caramels, candies, really hard nuts or sticky candies they can last for the rest of your life.

Avoid biting into hard and sticky food. Apples cut it in pieces and always bite on the side of your mouth. If you can break a natural tooth, you can break anything in your mouth. Take care of your gums by brushing gently. You don’t want your gums to recede.

Once a year is recommended to visit the dentist when you have dentures to make sure all is fine. You have had those for about 5 years. If they still look good, teeth are not worn down then they just need to be relined. If they are not in good shape, it’s time for new ones.

You need to seek for a dentist who has experience in implants. Prosthodontist are specialized in this area. The first step is to have a consultation and discuss tax plan and steps. Then you will be getting your implants and then they need 4 months for the bone to regenerate and integrate. On the mean time you will be wearing a temporary appliance so you can have teeth. Once implants are integrated your restorative dentist will make impressions to begin fabricating your new crowns.

Mouth lesions can be related to many factors. From Aphthous lesions, herpetic lesions, pemphigus, etc. The treatment will depend of its cause. The best way to determine the cause and treatment, a biopsy should be taken.

If you had TMJ problems before, the sequels of that will remain with you for the rest of your life. A clicking is normal as longest there is no pain and is not getting worse. That popping is the displacement of the disc in the condyle. An advice to you, do not open too wide your mouth because your jaw might locked or the muscles will be in spasms and that is very painful. My recommendation is to see your TMJ specialist to have an occlusal appliance fabricated to protect your teeth and your TMJ. Also to have your TMJ evaluated to make sure the disc is not worn down or you have some kind of arthritis or bone erosion.

Most of the fungal infections (Yeast) are related to wearing removable appliances like partial or full dentures and orthodontic retainers. Also can be related to a disbalance in the normal flora in the mouth like taking antibiotics. Stress can cause also a disbalance. If you are taking medications or you have been under stress like emotional or sometimes a flu or a cold, you should follow up with your physician. If you are wearing a removable appliance you must remove it at night to allow gums to breath and relax. Your appliance should be soak overnight in water and you can add a FEW drops of regular bleach you use for clothes to kill any fungus present in your denture. MAKE SURE TO RINSE WELL IN THE MORNING YOUR DENTURE BEFORE GOES INTO YOUR MOUTH!. You will need to see your dentist also to have an antifungal medication to fight the infection.