dental flipper Archives - Dr. Duane Delaune's Blog

Boxing and Dental Implants

Posted on July 17, 2021 by writeradmin.

I’m a boxer and recently lost a tooth. Before you ask, yes, I was wearing a mouth guard. Sometimes those hits are just too hard for the guard. I keep hearing that dental implants are the way to go for tooth replacements. I’m just wondering if that is true for boxers. If so, are there any precautions I need to take?

Leroy

Dear Leroy,

That is a great question. Under normal circumstances, I would say get that dental implant. It is the BEST tooth replacement. It is. However, you are in significant risk of having that same implant ripped out again. If that happens, it will take the bone with it and can do some serious bone damage. Because of your unique situation, here is what I am going to recommend.

First, get the dental implant root form but do not have the crown placed yet. This will preserve the bone. Be certain that you get a dentist who has post-doctoral training in dental implants. This is an advanced procedure and it is not taught in dental school. That training will be necessary.

Second, get a temporary tooth replacement for the crown (the visible part of your tooth) to use while you are still boxing. This way if you have another hard hit to the mouth, your jaw will not be affected. Two good options are a dental flipper or a removable partial denture.

Third, once you are done boxing, that will be the time to get the permanent crown secured to your dental implant.

This plan gives you the best of both worlds. You get the best replacement with the implant form, but the safety of the temporary tooth in case of injury.

I would go ahead and get started on this. It won’t take long for your other teeth to begin drifting or tipping into the empty space you have now.

This blog is brought to you by New Orleans Dentist Dr. Duane Deluane.

16 Year Old with a Baby Tooth

Posted on April 30, 2021 by writeradmin.

I have a baby lateral incisor still, even though I am sixteen years old. I would like to replace it so I can have a “grown-up” tooth. Can I replace it with a dental implant? I am planning on having my senior pictures taken in the fall. I’d like to have something that looks nice.

Candace

Dear Candace,

A dental implant is a great tooth replacement option. However, before you do that, two things need to be in place. First, you will want to make sure that you do not have an adult tooth under your gums that is impacted. If you do, a dental implant will not work because there will be no place to put it. The tooth root will be in the way. Instead, you will need to work with your dentist to open the gum and direct the tooth into its proper position. This may require some orthodontics, but if you get on it quickly, you shouldn’t have any trouble getting some beautiful senior pictures.

If, however, you are dealing with a congenitally missing tooth, then it will definitely need to be replaced. While a dental implant is the best tooth-replacement option, you will need to wait until your jaw is completely developed. This will be in your early twenties. Until then, you will not need to go without a tooth there. After you have the baby tooth extracted, I would suggest a temporary tooth replacement, such as a dental flipper.

Finding the Right Implant Dentist

Once it is time to get that dental implant, you want to be careful about who does it. This is the leading area for dental malpractice suits. This is because too many inexperienced (or worse, untrained) dentists do this procedure with horrible consequences for the patient. There are a couple of things you will want to look for in the dentist you choose.

First, their dental implant training. Dental school is not enough. Ask them what type of post-doctoral training they have in the dental implant procedure. If they are offended by that question, it means they don’t have the training and you need to seek a dentist elsewhere. Secondly, you will want to ask them their success rate. It needs to be no lower than 95%. While there will always be some cases that fail, due to no fault of either the dentist or patient, when done by an experienced and skilled dentist most will succeed.

This blog is brought to you by New Orleans Dentist Dr. Duane Delaune.

maryland bridge before a dental implant

Posted on October 9, 2019 by writeradmin.

I’m trying to figure out what to do. My daughter has a congenitally missing lateral incisor. We did orthodontics to open the space. Now we’re working on the temporary tooth replacement. Our dentist decided on a Maryland Bridge. We did non-metal wings because I wanted them to be as natural-looking as possible. The problem we’ve had is the bridge has fallen off twice in just a couple of weeks. After the first time, she (our dentist) tried a different bonding cement, but that didn’t make it any stronger. Now she wants to try doing it with metal wings. Here’s the thing. My daughter is 14. She’s going to have to wear these for a few years. I don’t want her to feel self-conscious. I have two questions:
1. Will these stay on better? 2. Will the metal be a better choice?

Karyn

Dear Karyn,

I’m a little concerned about some things I’m hearing here. First, I would not consider a Maryland Bridge a temporary replacement. This requires tooth preparation, which means you’re reducing tooth structure. If you’re doing that, you might as well stick with a dental bridge and not get a dental implant.

Another thing is the bonding issue. It doesn’t sound like your dentist understands bonding principles. She placed the bridge with a cement and it fell off. Then, she gets (I’m assuming) a stronger cement and it still falls off. Her next thought is to switch to metal wings.

That’s not likely to work out any better for her. The non-metal (zirconia) wings are usually easier to bond than the metal ones. My guess is the problem is with her tooth preparation. If you look at this image on the left. You can see that a groove should be cut into the tooth to support the wings. Without this, she’s likely to have trouble no matter what type of bonding she uses.

While she could go back and make the correct grooves, I am going to recommend a completely different direction. While you can go ahead with the bridge, once she gets her dental implant, you’re going to need another procedure to have these grooves filled in. Why do that when you can instead get a temporary tooth which will not require any modification to her adjacent teeth?

I’m not trying to discourage you from your future plans of getting her a dental implant. It is the best tooth replacement around. It will be a great solution for her when her jaw is fully developed.

I am trying to discourage you from the dental bridge. Instead, I’m going to recommend something else.

A removable partial flipper will be perfect for her situation. When well cared for it can last long enough for her to get her dental implant. Even if something happens, it is significantly less expensive than any other tooth-replacement option. You could replace several of them for the cost of a single Maryland Bridge.

They can be made to look beautiful too, so your daughter won’t look self-conscious.

This blog is brought to you by New Orleans Dentist Dr. Duane Delaune.

When a Tooth is Knocked Out

Posted on October 25, 2018 by writeradmin.

I was at the playground and saw a boy who was hit in the mouth and lost a tooth as a result. His mother just tossed it because it was a baby tooth, but it got me to wondering. What would I do if it was an adult tooth?

Melissa

Dear Melissa,

Whenever a tooth is knocked out, it’s a dental emergency whether it’s a baby tooth or an adult tooth. Even though the baby tooth doesn’t need to be saved the dentist needs to check the pulp of their tooth to make sure no damage was done which will affect the adult tooth underneath.

With an adult tooth, it’s even more serious. You have about 30 minutes to try and save the tooth. Call your dentist right away and let them know what happened. They’ll be available and ready as soon as you get there.

If you don’t have a dentist, you can do an internet search for an emergency dentist. These are general dentists who will see non-established patients in cases like yours. Again, let them know you’re trying to save a tooth so they’ll be prepared. Time is of the essence.

You’ll only want to handle the tooth by the crown (the part which is visible when you smile). Try never to touch the root. Additionally, you’ll want to keep it moist. If you can, put it in a glass of milk. If that’s not available, you can just place it between your gums and your cheek.

If Your Tooth Can’t be Saved

There are times when a tooth can be saved. In that case, you’ll have options for your replacement. Ideally, you’d want a dental implant. That’s almost like having a natural tooth. However, if it’s a teenager or child you’re talking about an implant isn’t possible. Their jaw has to be finished growing.

After a dental implant, the next best option is a dental bridge. This suspends a false tooth between two crowns. There are other options as well if neither of those work for you such as a removable partial denture or a dental flipper. A flipper is only meant to be temporary though, while you are waiting for a better replacement.

This blog is brought to you by New Orleans Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Duane Delaune.