Baton Rouge Dentist

Can I Use Super Glue to Fix My Smile?

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Hi,

My teeth have been loose for ages. One even fell out at the root! I have been gluing my teeth back in place with super glue. However, it smells terrible and has started burning the inside of my mouth. I cannot keep living like this. I want to have a normal life again, and a normal smile.

Hugo from Kansas City, KS

 

Hi there Hugo,

Teeth only begin to fall out at the root in severely advanced cases of periodontal disease (gum disease). With such a case of periodontitis, the only solution is seeing a dentist. At this point, your dentist would probably recommend bone grafts and dental implants as a solution. Getting dental implants would ease the amount of bone loss to the jaw, and give you your smile back.

Super glue will hold a tooth in place inside the mouth, but only for a short time. After that, the tooth will start to wiggle again. It will not stay, as super glue is not a permanent solution.

For a truly beautiful smile, see a cosmetic dentist. A skilled cosmetic dentist can provide you with dental implants or aesthetic dentures, whichever is best for your situation. However, be sure to factor in the cost of materials and surgery when deciding to get implants. Most cosmetic dentists can provide dental payment plans for patients in need of care but lacking funds. However, a general dentist can also provide a practical, less costly solution.

This blog post is brought to you by Baton Rouge affordable dental implant provider, Dr. Ryan Perry.

 

What are the Dangers of Periodontal Disease?

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I’m writing you because my mother has gingivitis and I believe it stems from periodontitis. Over a week ago, she felt extreme tooth pain at the back of her mouth. Twenty-four hours later, she began to suffer from a fever and body aches.

My mother visited her dentist and was told that part of the bone at the back of her mouth has been eaten away. Luckily for her, it was caught early and she didn’t lose her molar. The dentist removed the bacteria, applied oral medicine, prescribed antibiotics, cleaned her mouth and told her to make another appointment for scaling.

Is this is a severe case of periodontitis and has the bone loss been stopped? Also, with the fever and other issues, will this affect her body systems like her heart, etc? I read periodontal disease may cause many health issues. What can be done now?

– Theresa from Louisiana

Theresa,
To answer your question, periodontal disease stems from gingivitis left untreated over a period of time. To educate you a little further, gingivitis happens when the gums bleed easily, become tender, red and swollen. Gingivitis occurs when people lack in their brushing and flossing techniques. If people don’t attend to regular brushing, flossing and cleanings, periodontal disease (gum disease) will happen. Periodontal disease if left untreated, leads to tooth loss.

Your mother’s dentist cleaned around one tooth that was painful but also recommended that your mother get scaling done as well.

Root planing and scaling is recommended to remove debris and bacteria from under the gums on the teeth surfaces in order to prevent the disease from destroying bone around the teeth. Infection must be removed or tooth loss will happen. Without dental x-rays, a clinical exam, and measuring depths of the pockets, it’s a challenge to determine how severe your mother’s periodontal disease is.

If periodontal disease is left untreated, tooth loss may occur and this disease may cause fever as well as affect the heart, diabetes, lung and respiratory system.

We recommend that you speak to your mother’s dentist to determine the severity of the disease and treat it properly to prevent dental and health issues from occurring.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Ryan Perry

Is bone grafting something I should consider?

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When I was 12, I lost all my front teeth (top and bottom) in a boating accident. I’ve worn a dental bridge for years, but now the bone loss is getting very noticeable. I’ve been discussing dental implants with my dentist. He says he can do them, but I am not that excited about his apparent level of confidence. He is not enthusiastic about this procedure, and I think I am going to ask him to refer me to a specialist.

Part of the reason for this is that I think I need a procedure called “bone grafting”. I don’t think most general dentists do that sort of thing, do they? And how do you know if you are a candidate for this or not? My health is a little dicey.

Thanks for your help in this matter.

Shelley in White Plains

Dear Shelley,

The best chance for a successful bone grafting procedure is if your general health is good. “Dicey” doesn’t really offer us much information, so you’ll want to be very specific and detailed with the professional you choose to work with. The doctor will consider your general health, but will also examine your CT scans and x-rays. Decisions about this type of procedure are made on a case by case basis.

If you do need grafting, you would be very smart to seek out the services of a dentist who has strong experience with dental implants. Of all dental procedures, dental implant procedures seem to have the most severe consequences when things go wrong. Look for a doctor that has extensive training after dental school, at facilities such as American Academy of Implant Dentistry or the Academy of Osseointegration.

This blog entry was posted courtesy of the office of Baton Rouge dentist Dr. Perry.