We know you’re eager to have your smile back since you’ve asked your dentist in Tamarac all possible questions about the dental implant process. But while you’re all caught up in the excitement, you may forget that getting a dental implant is a surgical procedure that requires recovery.
Not everyone recovers at the same pace since each case is unique. However, knowing the factors that influence recovery can give you an advantage to breeze through it as quickly and hassle-free as possible.
The recovery time can be affected by the location of the implants and the number of implants you plan to have. Patients who do not have sufficient jawbone mass and density may need to undergo bone grafting. A bone graft procedure can prolong the recovery time.
Successful recovery also relies on how well you care for your dental implants. Luckily, it doesn’t require special care. All you have to do is maintain good oral hygiene. However, you should not brush your teeth within the first 24 hours post-op.
You can rinse it with a warm salt solution to keep it clean. After 24 hours, you can slowly and gently brush your teeth to prevent infection. It’s also essential to take your medications as prescribed.
As mentioned, plenty of factors could affect the healing and recovery time. For individuals who did not receive bone grafts and only had one to two implants, recovery time can take up to a few days, but if you received multiple implants plus a bone graft, the recovery time could take up to several weeks. Other factors that could affect healing are hygiene, health, and age.
At TLC Dental, we want you to be proud and confident of your smile. We offer an extensive array of restorative dental treatments to boost oral health and give you a smile you’ve always wanted. Get in touch with us today to request a reservation.
Your dentist in Tamarac mentioned brushing and flossing but did they tell you about the correct order? Most people assume that they're okay as long as they practice good dental hygiene. When it comes to your oral care routine, very few acknowledge the importance of proper sequence, especially if they’ve been doing it for years. Does the order matter? Which should come first – brushing or flossing?
Your oral care routine doesn’t just involve brushing. It has to be coupled with flossing to ensure that almost all surfaces of your teeth are plaque-free. Plaque is a colorless sticky film containing bacteria that coats your teeth. Brushing alone is not enough to remove cavity-causing plaque. Everyone knows brushing and flossing go hand in hand but not many know which comes first. To keep your mouth healthy, dentists recommend flossing first before brushing.
The problem with the brushing and flossing sequence is that food debris, bacteria and plaque removed by flossing can remain in your mouth until your next brushing session. Meanwhile, if you floss and then brush, the brushing action helps remove the dislodged food debris and plaque from flossing, thereby reducing the risk of plaque staying in your mouth. This also helps lower your chances of developing tooth decay and periodontal disease.
If you have more questions about the proper brushing and flossing techniques and their correct sequence, we can answer them. At TLC Dental, we take your oral health seriously. We strive to provide you with the best possible care to meet your dental goals. Our team is happy and ready to assist you. We have the knowledge, skills, and experience necessary to give you the best care. Contact us today for a reservation.
Does malocclusion warrant a visit to an orthodontist in Hollywood? Although it’s not a life-threatening condition requiring urgent care, studies show that it can negatively and significantly impact your quality of life and overall well-being. In malocclusion, the upper and lower teeth do not meet when the mouth is closed. It usually happens when you have crooked or crowded teeth. You can also have malocclusion if your jaws are not properly aligned.
The good news is that malocclusion can be treated with braces. However, if the malocclusion is severe, your orthodontist may suggest surgery. When left untreated, the condition can put you at risk of health problems such as tooth loss, tooth decay, and gum disease.
Sadly, teeth and jaw misalignment can lead to emotional consequences. People who have bad bites find ways to hide their teeth from other people to the point where they’d cover their mouths when they speak or smile. They also develop anxiety and fear when socializing. Some of them prefer to withdraw.
Unfortunately, this can make it difficult for them to build and maintain personal relationships. The condition can also affect their performance at work since they won’t be able to effectively communicate with their employers, officemates, partners, and clients.
Society can be unfair because we tend to judge people based on appearance. Individuals who meet the expectations of society’s aesthetic standards are viewed as more friendly and capable and have more opportunities to achieve tremendous professional success compared to those who do not possess desirable qualities. This alone will prove that your looks can directly influence your quality of life.
Malocclusion is a treatable condition. If you want to know your options, we encourage you to visit our clinic. At TLC Dental, we provide tailored treatment plans to help you achieve your goals! Call us today for a reservation.
Every day, your dentist in North Lauderdale sees numerous patients complaining of tooth pain due to tooth decay. In America, more than one in four adults have untreated tooth decay. Tooth decay occurs when bacteria in plaque release acids that eat away your enamel. It is imperative that you stop plaque buildup. The moment plaque is allowed to accumulate on the surface of your teeth, cavities, tooth decay, and abscess are likely outcomes.
You may or may not experience pain if you have tooth decay. However, most patients do suffer from persistent sharp and shooting pain. Tooth decay also causes tooth sensitivity. You may experience pain or tenderness when your teeth are exposed to sweet, cold, or hot food and drinks.
Furthermore, you may notice black, brown, or gray spots on your teeth, unpleasant breath, and an odd taste in your mouth.
If you suspect tooth decay, your best option is to see a dentist to have it treated before it turns into an abscess. The earlier tooth decay is detected, the easier it is to treat. It’s also more affordable to treat tooth decay during the early stages. To prevent tooth decay, dentists suggest you religiously practice good oral hygiene and visit your dentist for check-ups and cleanings at least once every six months.
Tooth decay is treated depending on how advanced and severe it is. It’s important to let your dentist evaluate the severity and extent of the decay so we can come up with a personalized treatment plan. At TLC Dental, we offer restorative dental treatments at an affordable price. Our goal is to restore your health as soon as possible. Contact us today for a reservation.
Are you struggling to maintain your child’s oral health? If you’re a parent, you can seek help from a children's dentist in Fort Lauderdale. A huge part of your kid’s oral health can be owed to the guidance pediatric dentists offer.
Pediatric dentists not only treat oral health problems, but they also offer patient education so you can teach your child how to improve their oral health at home. Did you know that the reason why children succumb to oral health problems is because of bad habits? Check out some of the habits you need to help them break to protect their teeth.
Pacifiers are designed to help soothe your babies when they continue to cry even though they are not hungry. A pacifier gives them the comfort that sucking does. Although it’s acceptable to use a pacifier during the first few years, excessive use of pacifiers can affect their tooth position and jaw shape.
Breaking this habit can help prevent these problems, especially when permanent teeth emerge. If you ever use a pacifier, make sure you don’t use it to delay meals, tie it around your child’s hand, or substitute it for a bottle nipple.
Children are prone to thumb sucking. They’ll suck their thumb to self-wean. If your child still thumb sucks by four years old, you should talk to your pediatric dentist to help stop the habit. Pediatric dentists suggest you don’t pressure your child into breaking the habit but instead use praises when your child isn’t sucking. You can also offer other activities so that your child can get distracted.
At TLC Dental, we offer an extensive array of dental services tailored to your needs. Our team strives to create, maintain, and restore beautiful smiles with our personalized dental care. Contact us today to request an appointment.
Why do you need to see a dentist in Dania Beach when you’ve lost several permanent teeth? Dentists offer restorative treatments that bring back your smile and improve your oral function. Moreover, restorative dental procedures help keep possible oral health issues at bay. Examples of restorative dentistry are dental implants, crowns, and root canal therapy. Are these treatments necessary? And what value can they add to your oral health?
Restorative dentistry offers dentures, bridges, and dental implants to replace missing teeth. These tooth replacement options may differ in design, but they share the same goal: to improve your oral health by restoring function.
Tooth loss will not only deprive you of a beautiful smile, but according to studies, it will predispose you to tooth decay, cavities, gum disease, further tooth loss, and bone loss. To know what option suits you best, we suggest discussing them with your dentist.
Severe tooth decay does not necessarily require an extraction. If your dentist thinks it’s still salvageable, a root canal procedure is done. In root canal therapy, your dentist will remove the decayed parts of the tooth and disinfect the area to ensure it’s clean before filling the space with gutta-percha.
It will then be covered with a crown to retain its shape, integrity, and strength. The procedure saves your tooth while at the same time stopping the infection and decay from spreading.
If you need restorative dental care, we’re here to assist you. At TLC Dental, we have provided our patients with high-quality restorative dental treatments for years. Our skilled and trained dental team is more than happy to help you achieve the smile of your dreams. Contact us today for a reservation.
Braces in Hollywood effectively treat malocclusion and overcrowding, but the treatment takes time. It doesn’t magically happen overnight. Typically, it can take years to move your teeth and even longer if you have severe malocclusion.
This time scale can seem like an eternity for some patients. If you are growing impatient, it helps to remember that you’ll be able to enjoy a beautiful and healthy smile for the rest of your life once the treatment is over. The following are tips that will help avoid treatment delays.
Did you know that your food choices can affect your treatment time? It sounds ridiculous, but it’s true. If you eat gooey, sticky, chewy, and hard foods, your brackets could come loose, or your wires could bend and break, resulting in delays in your treatment.
To keep your braces in great shape, dentists suggest you stick to soft foods or meals easier to chew. You can ask for a list of foods to avoid during your next dental appointment.
You can enjoy hard foods as long as you cut or slice them into small bite-sized pieces for easy chewing. Examples of these foods are hard bread, apples, and raw vegetables. Again, hard foods can cause your brackets and wires to break or be deformed.
As a result, it may negatively impact how effectively they can straighten your teeth. If your braces break, your orthodontist will have to repair or replace them, which will cause delays in your treatment.
Patience is a virtue if you wear braces. It’s essential to complete your treatment to get the best results. At TLC Dental, we offer an extensive array of dental services ranging from restorative to orthodontic treatments. Our friendly and skilled team is always ready to give you the best smile! Contact us today for a reservation.
Are you worried about unsightly gaps between your teeth? The ideal solution to tooth gaps is braces in Coral Springs. Diastema is the term used to describe the space between two teeth. It usually occurs in your upper front teeth, but a gap can form anywhere in your mouth.
Studies show that tooth gaps affect your smile and oral function, which explains why dentists refer patients to orthodontists when they discover tooth gaps during an oral exam. Why is there a need to correct tooth gaps?
Gum health is one of the reasons why orthodontists urge patients to wear braces. When you have a tooth gap, it will leave your gum tissues exposed and unprotected. This can create problems, especially when eating foods like chips and hard slices of bread.
Another reason tooth gaps must be closed is that they encourage plaque accumulation between teeth, leading to tooth decay and bad breath. It also increases your risk of developing gum disease. Without treatment, gum disease can quickly advance to periodontal disease. In most cases, advanced stage gum disease can lead to tooth loss.
Tiny tooth gaps do not normally cause any problems, but if you don’t like the look of your smile because of it, you can always have the option to close the gap with braces. Tooth gaps can make you feel self-conscious when you smile or talk.
There are many ways to correct tooth gaps. One of the most popular treatments is traditional metal braces. At TLC Dental, we offer a wide range of quality dental services, including orthodontic treatments to restore your smile and oral function in tiptop shape. Contact us today for an appointment.
It’s no secret wearing braces in Tamarac can be uncomfortable, and sometimes it may even cause pain. The discomfort can be due to the rough metal brackets that rub against the soft membranes lining the insides of your mouth. Aside from the brackets, the tight wires will also exert pressure on your teeth, adding to the discomfort. It will take some time for your teeth to get used to this new device.
But you can breeze through the adjustment period by making a certain lifestyle choice. Orthodontists suggest you stick to soft foods while your mouth is still sore. Don’t worry, because as soon as your mouth adjusts to your braces, you can go back to your usual diet.
Unfortunately, you won’t be able to enjoy all your favorites when your teeth are still sore. Some foods will only cause more pain in your mouth. Instead, try making a morning smoothie by mixing crushed ice, your choice of fruits, and some milk. There are plenty of fruit smoothie recipes online.
These drinks are both healthy and palatable. You can also switch the milk with yogurt. And if you’re craving something sweet, you can enjoy a bowl of ice cream. It may be a good idea to ditch the cone for now.
Of course, we will not ask you to bite into an apple because that will only hurt more. However, you can prepare a healthy bowl of fruit salad by slicing soft fruits and mixing them with sweetened cream. You can slice melons, berries, mangoes, and some bananas into bite-sized pieces for easy chewing. This diet is only temporary while your mouth is still adjusting to your metal braces.
Don’t worry too much about your soft diet because it will not last forever. Once your mouth fully adjusts to your new braces, you can go back to enjoying more of your favorite foods in no time! Just make sure they’re not too hard as they may potentially cause your wires to break.
At TLC Dental, we offer a wide array of high-quality dental services to restore your smile and oral health! Contact us today for an appointment.
Applying braces in Hollywood over your teeth can make them more challenging to clean. This can lead to bacterial buildup around the brackets leading to gingivitis. When your gums are swollen, red, and painful, you should not ignore them. Let your orthodontist know about it right away to stop the infection from getting worse. Without treatment, gingivitis will continue to destroy the soft tissues in your mouth and may even damage the bone that supports your teeth.
The leading cause of gum disease is poor oral hygiene. If you don’t brush and floss your teeth daily, plaque and bacteria will build up and cause inflammation. You will notice that your gums will start receding and form tiny pockets between your teeth and gum tissues during the early stages.
These pockets provide more space for bacteria to accumulate. You may also notice that your gums will start to bleed easily, feel painful, and look swollen and red. At this point, seeking treatment is paramount.
The best thing you can do is let your orthodontist know about it. Your orthodontist will treat the infection and monitor your gums with each appointment. You will also receive instructions on the proper way to brush and floss your teeth while wearing braces. Some patients are advised to brush more often until the infection clears up. However, gentle brushing is ideal because if you brush too hard, you might cause more damage to your gums.
AT TLC Dental, our expert dental team will share tips on how to maintain good oral health while on orthodontic treatment. Our dental office uses the latest techniques and technology to give you the best smile possible. Contact us today for a reservation.