The incidence of oral cancer has trended downward in the past thirty years possibly due to all the educational material available and the research pointing to tobacco use as a primary cause of many types of cancer. One major aid for patients is the oral cancer exam provided by your dentist each and every time you’re seen for a professional cleaning and exam.

The exam performed by your dentist is a visual check looking for symptoms that cancer cells may be present. Your dentist will be looking for any abnormal sores or off-colored patches that could indicate the need for further testing.

Your dentist might recommend one of the various types of oral cancer screenings if you use tobacco products or consume alcohol regularly. These are just two of the lifestyles to which many oral cancer sufferers belong.

If your dentist does find a suspicious spot through an oral cancer screening, the next step to determine whether or not it is cancer is with a biopsy. A small sample of the area is removed and sent to a lab for extensive testing.

Just because your dentist might recommend an oral cancer screening for the patient, there is no cause for alarm. Quite often this precautionary measure is taken to rule out oral cancer especially for patients that have a history of cancer or who smoke or drink heavily.

For those patients that are diagnosed with oral cancer, the oral cancer screening may have saved their life. Cancer diagnosed in early stages has a significantly greater cure rate than advanced cancers. And sadly, oral cancer patients seem to have a higher mortality rate than patients diagnosed with other types of cancer.

The oral exam performed by your dental professional is of utmost importance and should be performed at each hygiene visit. A visual exam of the tongue and areas all around the tongue is done. In addition, many dentists have added a gloved examination of the roof of the mouth as well as feeling for any abnormalities on the neck, throat and jaws.

If you would like more information about the oral cancer screening process, contact Governor’s Park Dental Group, serving the greater Denver area, at 303-832-7789 to schedule an appointment.

Some patients automatically rule out dental implants when they hear the upfront cost, but the alternatives may not actually be as budget-friendly as they seem at first.

When you’re calculating the costs associated with each potential treatment option, it’s important to consider all associated expenses throughout your lifetime rather than just focusing on the initial price tag.

Dental implants offer a level of stability that is unmatched by other tooth replacement methods, and this characteristic benefits a patient’s pocketbook in a number of ways. First of all, with dental implants, the jawbone’s structure remains constant, and the appliance will always be a good fit.

In comparison, dentures need to be refitted and relined periodically as the jaw changes shape because the biological teeth’s root structures are absent. Eventually, the jawbone may shift so dramatically that the patient has to spring for a completely new denture.

A dental implant can be a cost-effective replacement for a single tooth, too. For example, it’s harder to keep the gum line clean underneath a fixed dental bridge, so harmful bacteria may collect in that area and lead to periodontal disease, which can require expensive treatments. Tooth and bone loss can result, creating the need for additional restorations or procedures. Dental implants are cleaned and flossed just like biological teeth, eliminating that problem.

It’s understandable that many patients may not have the money on hand to pay for dental implants. To give as many patients as possible access to this treatment, an implant dentist may also offer financing options to help patients spread the cost of a dental implant over a number of years when they can’t afford to pay for it in one lump sum.

Even if you don’t think you can afford a dental implant, keep an open mind and talk to your implant dentist about financing options. Also be sure to consider the lifetime costs of the alternatives, and in doing so, you may find out that dental implants will actually save you money over the long haul.

To learn more about your options, contact the office of Dr. Bernard Jin, serving Surrey and neighboring areas, at 604-229-2824.

Thanks to advancements in the field of cosmetic dentistry, patients today have access to many tools to correct or improve their smile that are affordable, attainable, and can be done in weeks as opposed to years of treatment. [pullquote]A smile makeover to correct misshapen teeth is a boost to your self-confidence…[/pullquote]

Teeth that are uneven, have unsightly gaps, are stained, or have been chipped can be treated with one of many solutions.

Veneers – A dental veneer is a wafer thin, tooth colored shell that is permanently cemented on the front of the teeth that need correction. A veneer may be used to cover one or multiple teeth.

Your cosmetic dentist will be able to match the contour and color of the veneers to precisely match the surrounding teeth, making your dental veneers undistinguishable from your natural teeth.

Since the veneers are placed over your own teeth, this procedure is less invasive and involves removing only a small amount of the enamel of the tooth to be covered. In a couple of brief visits, your cosmetic dentist can virtually make misshapen or stained teeth disappear.

Bonding – For teeth that have sustained intrinsic stains that are not removable with a professional cleaning or whitening, a solution may be dental bonding.

The dentist will prepare the teeth to be bonded by roughing them up a bit to enhance the ability of the bonding agent. A thin amount of tooth colored composite resin material is carefully placed on prepared teeth and hardened with a curing light. The teeth are then smoothed and polished.

Bonding is also used for teeth that may have small chips or to improve the appearance of teeth that have sustained gum recession. The bonding will be placed to cover the bony part of the tooth that has been exposed from brushing too firmly or due to aging. Upon completion, teeth no longer show wear and tear.

Crowns – For teeth that are too severely worn for veneers or bonding to successfully repair the teeth, a crown may be suitable to save a salvageable tooth. A dental crown can be made from many different materials, and depending which tooth is to be treated your dental provider will recommend the most suitable solution.

A smile makeover to correct misshapen teeth is a boost to your self-confidence, and thanks to your cosmetic dentist is easily attainable.

If you are interested in a smile makeover and would like to know what your best options are, call Governor’s Park Dental Group in Denver to schedule an informative consultation.

As with any major dental procedure, the placement of dental implants involves a certain recovery period. Patients can take steps to prepare for this process to make it go more smoothly.

The most important thing to do is talk with your implant dentist so that you’ll know what symptoms are normal and which ones may indicate a problem requiring medical attention. Your dentist can also recommend supplies that you’ll need to have on hand when you return home.

In the hours immediately following the procedure, it is not unusual for patients to continue to experience some light bleeding. You can address this issue by biting down on gauze or black tea bags (the tannins in the tea help to stop the bleeding). An ice pack can also help to reduce bleeding, along with any post-surgical swelling that may occur. [pullquote]Dental implants can be life-changing appliances, and successfully navigating the healing process gives patients a better chance of enjoying those benefits for decades.[/pullquote]

Any discomfort can often be managed with over-the-counter painkillers. If those aren’t effective for you, the dentist can give a prescription-strength medication instead.

Patients are encouraged to stick to a soft diet in the first few days after the surgery. This is both for patient comfort and to avoid disrupting the healing process.

If you smoke, the dentist will request that you refrain from lighting up for at least a week after the dental implants are placed. Ideally, this experience may prompt you to give up the habit for good, as smoking can interfere with the healing process.

A regimen of antibiotics might be prescribed to prevent infection following dental implant placement. If you get a prescription for antibiotics, be sure to take them as directed and for the entire length of time recommended.

After the initial few weeks of healing, the dental implants will fuse with the underlying bone. This osseointegration process gives the implants their permanence, and it requires the patient to be conscientious about a good oral hygiene routine to reduce the presence of plaque and bacteria that may interfere with osseointegration.

Dental implants can be life-changing appliances, and successfully navigating the healing process gives patients a better chance of enjoying those benefits for decades.

For additional information, contact Smiles Unlimited Dental Centre, serving Vancouver and surrounding areas, to schedule your dental implant consultation today.