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Cheyenne Advanced Dental Arts
L. Scott Brooksby, DDS, DICOI
Prosthodontist
8960 W. Cheyenne #190
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I try really hard to take care of my teeth, but one of my teeth has started to bleed and is getting loose. I went to a dentist and he told me I needed to clean my teeth better. What more can I do? Frustrated.
Dear Frustrated,
In dental school we were taught that bacteria were the cause of all dental problems from cavities to gum
disease. We have discussed in other articles how decay can be cause not only by bacteria, but also acid saliva and
excess stomach acid. In my thirty years of practice I have met a lot of people that are meticulous in cleaning their
teeth, yet one or two teeth start to have bleeding gums, pus, redness and looseness. Many indicate that one day the
tooth just came out on its own.
I have seen a lot of patients where the tooth was part of a bridge. When we look at the tooth it looks
bad and there is major bone loss evident on the x-rays. In many of those cases when we cut the tooth from the bridge,
the tooth literally pops right out of the mouth with no need for an extraction.
If this is the case, attempting to treat the tooth with antibiotics or leaving it alone to try and milk
the tooth is futile. The longer it stays in the mouth, the more bone it destroys. It is best in this case to remove
the tooth, let the area heal for about 9 months and then replace it with an implant and crown.
Dr. Brooksby,
I have has several consultations regarding dental implants to replace a couple of missing teeth. What,
if anything, do you do different? Inquisitive.
Dear Inquisitive,
Most of my patients come to me because they want teeth that will last a long time and give them the
least amount of hassle. Many offices are advertizing immediate implant placement or placement of minimal numbers of
implants to keep the costs low. Unfortunately these have higher failure rates over the long haul. While there are
times when these are viable options, those times are usually infrequent. We usually wait about nine months after the
extraction for the bone to mature. Implants work better and last longer if they have a solid sound foundation.
We will begin growing more bone sooner if it is needed. We determine this need by using CT scans which
allow us to see the quantity and quality of the bone without resorting to surgery just to get a look see.
There is a saying “penney wise and pound foolish.” For the slightly higher cost why not have something
that will last a long time, require minimal upkeep and be easy to repair.
Dr. L. Scott Brooksby was selected as the Best Proshtodontist in Las Vegas for 2009, 2011 and 2012
by the United States Consumer Association. If you would like to meet Dr. Brooksby or if you have any kind of dental concern and would like a fresh
look at what choices are available
to you call
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Schedule a free consultation and lets see what we can do to help you. If you have questions you would like answered you
can e-mail Dr. Brooksby at scott@lvimplant.com. |