Archives for March 2023

Need Sedation Dentistry for Routine Care. Nitrous Isn’t Enough

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I need sedation for routine dental care, and now my new dentist says I need a root canal and four fillings. They gave me nitrous oxide for this past visit, but that’s all the dentist offers, and I will need more potent medication for a root canal and fillings. During Covid, my anxiety over other things increased my dental phobia. Last week I had my first dental appointment since 2019. Unfortunately, I was so concerned about seeing a dentist that I didn’t ask about the kinds of sedation the dentist offers. I can’t get through a root canal on nitrous alone. Should I ask the dentist for something stronger or switch to another dentist? Thank you. Wesley

Wesley,

Thank you for contacting Dentistry by Brooksher in Baton Rouge with your sedation dentistry question. Millions of patients have dental anxiety or phobia and want sedation for routine dental care.

Can You Ask Your Dentist to Increase the Sedation Level?

If you want to increase your sedation level for non-routine dental procedures, you can ask a dentist what levels of sedation they provide. Dentists who only offer nitrous oxide must have moderate-sedation training before administering oral conscious sedation.

According to the American Dental Association (ADA), a dentist must complete the following training to provide patients with moderate sedation:

  • A comprehensive moderate sedation training program that meets the ADA Guidelines for Teaching Pain Control and Sedation to Dentists and Dental Students, or
  • An advanced education program accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation that includes comprehensive and appropriate training to administer and manage moderate sedation according to ADA guidelines, and
  • Current Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers certification, and
  • Current Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS or equivalent) certification, or
  • An appropriate dental sedation/anesthesia emergency management course that matches the ACLS recertification requirements cycle

Schedule a Sedation Dentistry Consultation

Unfortunately, if a dentist only offers nitrous oxide and that is not enough for your anxiety level, you must find another dentist with training in moderate sedation. We recommend scheduling consultations with at least two dentists before you select a provider. The benefits of consultations include:

  • Getting acquainted with the dentist
  • Experiencing the office environment
  • Explaining your dental anxiety and triggers
  • Confirming that the dentist can meet your sedation requirements
  • Reviewing your dental history and discussing your treatment options

Best wishes, Wesley, for successful consultations and sedation care that allows you to relax and restore your oral health.

Baton Rouge dentist Dr. Steven Brooksher sponsors this post. Read about his education and training, and learn what he does to provide some of the best dental care in Baton Rouge.

Is It Too Late for Implants for a Lower Denture?

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After wearing upper and lower dentures for 12 years, nothing worse to help them fit well. My lower denture floats whenever I eat or talk. It’s embarrassing and distracting to hear it click when I talk. I am thinking about implants for the dentures. Is it too late for me to get Implant dentures after 12 years of wearing removable ones? Thank you. Marty from Westlake, OH

 

Marty,

Thank you for contacting Dr. Brooksher’s office. After seeing many patients who are frustrated with dentures and want dental implants, we understand your frustrations.

Is It too Late for Implant Dentures?

Even if you have worn removable dentures for many years, it is still possible to get implant dentures. Although you have experienced bone shrinkage, which naturally occurs in areas of missing teeth, a skilled implant dentist may recommend ridge augmentation first.

What Is Ridge Augmentation?

Ridge augmentation is a surgical procedure to replace missing bone. Your implant dentist or oral surgeon will add bone grafting material in areas of bone shrinkage and cover it with a protective material. According to the 2020 article, Ridge Augmentation in Implant Dentistry, you can expect the following healing time after a bone graft:

  • Autogenous (your own) bone: Four to six months
  • Non-autogenous (donor or synthetic) bone: At least twelve months

Why Is Your Lower Denture So Loose?

A lower denture loosens faster than an upper denture because the lower denture rests on your gums and the bone beneath it. As the jawbone shrinks from lack of stimulation from tooth roots, pressure from the denture accelerates bone loss. In contrast, suction from your palate, or the roof of your mouth, helps retain the denture.

What Are Your Implant Denture Options?

Snap-on denture diagram

Snap-on denture

Two to six dental implants can secure a denture. After reviewing your medical and dental histories, a skilled implant dentist will take a 3-D cone-beam CT scan to measure your bone volume. Your oral health and bone quality affect how many implants you need to support a denture. Options may include the following:

  • Snap-on removable denture – Your denture can snap onto two to four dental implants. A snap-on denture is among the most affordable dental implant options.
  • Clip-on removable denture – A denture base can clip onto a bar supported by dental implants.
  • Screw-on fixed denture – A denture will screw your denture onto implants.

We recommend consulting with a dentist who has completed advanced implant training. After an exam and 3-D CT scan, the dentist will explain your options.

 

Baton Rouge dentist Dr. Steven Brooksher sponsors this post. Dr. Brooksher is a Fellow of the International Congress of Oral Implantologists.

Dentist Says an Implant Won’t Fit Where Tooth Is Missing

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My dentist says a dental implant won’t fit well in the space left from a missing tooth. When I was 15, I lost a tooth in an accident while horseback riding. Replacing the tooth was not an option for my parents. Now that I can afford it, I have seriously considered dental implants. My dentist shut me down on the idea, though. He says that my other teeth have shifted, and now the space is too small for an implant. So he wants to put a dental bridge in. He explained the process to me, and I really don’t like the idea of bothering my other teeth if I don’t have to. I would like to know if there is a way for me to get an implant. – Abell

Abell –

Thank you for contacting Dr. Brooksher’s office. We understand your concerns about getting a dental bridge instead of an implant.

Can You Get Implants If Your Teeth Shifted?

Model of a dental implant with the crown, abutment, and root form labeled

A dental implant mimics a natural tooth and does not need support from other teeth

If your teeth shifted, you may still be a candidate for dental implants. Your dentist may recommend orthodontics first to move your teeth to the correct position.

Reasons for getting braces may include:

  • Creating space. Proper tooth alignment creates space for a dental implant.
  • Correcting your bite. Well-aligned teeth improve your bite (how your upper and lower teeth meet).
  • Preventing other dental concerns. Depending on the factors that cause your teeth to shift, inserting a dental implant in a space may stress adjacent teeth. Although your teeth may move, the dental implant will not.

What If a Space Is Too Small for an Implant?

Dental implants are available in varying diameters that resemble the size of the missing tooth. Sometimes spaces between lower teeth are too small for a standard dental implant. When that happens, a dentist may choose an implant with a smaller diameter.

Dr. Steven Brooksher, a Baton Rouge fellow of implant dentistry, sponsors this post. Request a consultation with Dr. Brooksher today.