Dental Implants

Overview:

There are a myriad of problems that can arise from missing teeth. Mental health issues from a lowered self-esteem or even nutritional impacts due to difficulty chewing and eating can greatly impact your quality of life. Dental implants are an increasingly popular way to restore your smile and bite back to full function. Corbin Dental is proud to offer this great service to our community, right here at home in Franklin.

What is the process like?

Dental implants are used as replacements for missing teeth. Your dentist places a medical-grade biocompatible titanium implant, which resembles a screw. In some cases, a ceramic implant may be used if the patient has a metal allergy. Following a healing period, the implant is ready to restore any teeth are attached. Implants can be used as a sturdy base for either removable dentures (full or partial) or permanent teeth that are fixed to the implant. The fully restored implant looks and acts like a tooth. 

What are the benefits?

Three of the main benefits of dental implants include: improving nutritional health by allowing you to chew better, improving self-confidence, and preventing long-term irreversible damage to otherwise healthy teeth. 

When you have missing teeth, it can be difficult to chew and digest food properly. it's easy to feel bad about your appearance and not smile as often, which can give off the wrong impression. Dental implants offer the best long-term solution for tooth replacement and provide the same function as the teeth they replace. Dental implants restore your smile and bite and give you back the confidence you may have lost. Missing teeth and traditional dentures can cause irregularities in speech patterns and may cause you to mumble or stutter over your words. Because dental implants are secure in your jaw, you don’t have to worry about stumbling over your words because of slipping or missing teeth. A missing tooth can lead to deterioration of the jawbone and other health issues. Placement of dental implants prevents the shifting of teeth when one is missing. Implants can help you look and feel great and restore your smile and bite with a long-lasting solution.

If you’d like to be confident in your smile again, set up an appointment with Corbin Dental today.

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Wisdom Teeth

Between ages 16 and 21, most adults will develop their third set of molars. These molars are more commonly called wisdom teeth. Some people will have their wisdom teeth grow in and not experience any trouble at all, but for the majority, wisdom teeth can create multiple issues. 

Discomfort from the eruption (breaking through the gums) of wisdom teeth comes because of limited space for the teeth to erupt. In some cases, wisdom teeth are impacted (have yet to break through the gums) and can be stuck beneath the gums and/or jawbone.

There are three types of impaction:

1. Soft tissue impaction: There is limited space available for the wisdom tooth to completely erupt and they are covered by the gums either partially or completely. There can still be a small opening near the wisdom tooth that allows food debris and bacteria to surround the tooth. This can lead to inflammation and ultimately infection.

2. Partial bony impaction: The tooth is partially covered by jaw bone and is unable to erupt on its own due to several factors, including position and limited remaining space in the jaw. This situation can lead to several potential problems and the tooth is likely to never become functional.

3. Complete bony impaction: The tooth is completely embedded in the jaw bone and requires more complex surgery to remove it. The position of the tooth and/or the available space for eruption can cause this type of impaction. The tooth is likely never become functional and very well may cause damage to adjacent teeth or jaw structures.

Impacted wisdom teeth can cause symptoms including swollen and tender gums, bleeding gums, jaw pain, swelling or stiffness in the jaw, bad breath, and difficulty opening your mouth. 

Third molars should be evaluated annually from the time the patient is a young adult. 9 out of 10 people have at least one wisdom tooth that can’t break through the gums in an upright position. If left alone, an impacted wisdom tooth can become infected or damage neighboring teeth. It can lead to gum disease, damage to adjacent teeth, development of a cyst, or infection.

It’s best to have wisdom teeth removed before they fully develop. The best window for wisdom teeth to be removed is when the roots are about halfway developed. This can be evaluated by a routine exam and x-ray here at Corbin Dental. As a general rule, healing from surgery is faster and more predictable if wisdom teeth are removed in the young adult years, prior to the age of 25. We offer IV sedation for this procedure to provide comfort during wisdom teeth removal. With Dr. Corbin’s diverse skillset from his unique education and training, we provide several specialty procedures here in Franklin, including wisdom tooth removal and IV sedation. If you have questions or would like a consult to discuss wisdom teeth with your hometown dental professionals, give us a call today at Corbin Dental.

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When To Start Brushing Your Child’s Teeth

Massaging your infant’s gums while teething is not only soothing for the child, but it also begins teaching your child to become familiar with brushing. Wiping a baby's toothless gums with a wet washcloth after feedings can also promote gum health as it removes surface bacteria that can cause inflammation. 

Once your child’s first teeth have come in, use a soft toothbrush, which you can use on both the teeth and the gums. Dr. Matt Corbin with Corbin Dental recommends brushing your child’s teeth twice per day for two minutes with short, circular movements to reach all tooth surfaces.

Knowing when a child is capable of brushing their own teeth effectively can be tricky. Dr. Corbin suggests following the rule of thumb that if a child is capable of tying their own shoes, then they are able to brush their teeth effectively. Until then, parents should do the brushing to make sure all surfaces are reached appropriately. 

Fluoridated toothpaste is one of the best and safest ways we can prevent cavities. Fluoride works to protect teeth by making them stronger and more resistant to cavities and can even help arrest or reverse the early stages of tooth decay. Once those first teeth start coming through the gums, it is safe to begin brushing them using a tiny smear of fluoride toothpaste about the size of a grain of rice. At age 3, use a pea-sized amount of toothpaste and have your child spit after brushing.

For more information about your child’s dental health, call Corbin Dental in Franklin, NC today to schedule an appointment. 

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What are sealants?

Sealants are a fast and easy way of protecting your child’s teeth because they act as barriers to cavity-prone areas. They are applied without having to cut the tooth and are able to cover and seal deep pits and grooves that are more susceptible to cavities. The sealant is painted onto the tooth enamel, where it bonds directly to the tooth and hardens with a special dental light.

While brushing and flossing help remove food particles and plaque from smooth surfaces of teeth, toothbrush bristles may not reach all the way into deep grooves to remove food and plaque. Dr. Matt Corbin at Corbin Dental relies on the use of sealants to protect these vulnerable areas by "sealing out" plaque and food.

As long as the sealant remains intact, the tooth surface will be protected from decay. The sealant alone is not a fix-all and should be used with good oral hygiene as well. Sealants hold up well under the force of normal chewing and typically last for many years.

For more information about sealants and other routine care services at Corbin Dental in Franklin, NC, schedule an appointment today. 

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