2010年7月30日
I have gingivitis. What denture methods are available to me?
Q. I have had gingivitis for the last 5 or 6 years. I was told by my dentist that I may have aggressive periodontitis so I underwent treatment. However, since then I have already lost a few teeth and a few others are loose. It looks like my bone tissue is too thin for implants. I have gingivitis so what denture methods are available to me? (woman in her 40s)
A. You have already lost a few teeth and your remaining teeth are weak. It is typical that people with gingivitis who get partial dentures covered by health insurance tend to lose more teeth in the immediate future.
It is very important to keep the inside of your mouth clean and to administer daily care. And it is also very important to choose your dentures wisely. That is, some dentures may accelerate tooth loss.
This is because teeth affected by gingivitis are extremely weak against the metal clasps of partial dentures. The clasps focus stress on your remaining teeth and can eventually cause them to fall out.
Our telescope system dentures can fix your teeth in place and prevent wiggling making them ideal for patients who suffer from gingivitis.
The telescope system is a denture system developed in Germany. When in most cases dentures can lead to tooth loss, our dentures actually prevent the loss of remaining teeth. This is the concept behind the telescope system. Using this system we can make dentures that prevent tooth loss and extend the lifespan of remaining teeth.
However, teeth cannot be protected perfectly in all instances. Sometimes tooth loss is simply unavoidable. Usually when this happens it is necessary to have dentures remade from scratch. But with the telescope system, we can predict which teeth are in danger of falling out and design dentures in a way that makes adjustment easy. This special characteristic of our dentures makes it unnecessary to remake dentures from scratch every time the shape of the mouth changes so that you can use your dentures for a very long time.
There are a few different types of telescope systems. The type best suited for you is determined by the condition of your remaining teeth. The telescope system should put our younger patients at ease due to the fact that there are no metal clasps or springs and they are esthetically superior.
2010年7月16日
My teeth are loose due to gingivitis. What treatment options are there?
Q. I was diagnosed with gingivitis. It looks like I am loosing bone throughout my jaw. I was told that I should have my loose teeth removed soon, but I want to know what treatment options are available after that. (woman in her 40s)
A. In cases in which gingivitis has spread throughout the mouth, removing even just one tooth will cause extra stress on all of the remaining teeth. You must be careful as this can lead to rapid tooth loss.
A new concept called 'Minimum Intervention' was recommended in an academic journal at the World Dental Federation (FDI) in 2000.
Minimum Intervention (MI) is the idea that treatment should aim to reduce the filing down of natural teeth as much as possible.
Of course everyone aims to live their entire life with their own teeth intact. That is the greatest joy. And in recent years, preventative medicine has become widely practiced at dental clinics with amazing results. But on the other hand, it is still true that many middle-aged and elderly people suffer from tooth decay and gum disease. If dentists get too caught up in the idea of limiting the amount of tooth filing, they may leave patients suffering in silence without doing anything. In these cases, the patients' conditions will only get worse.
When middle-aged or elderly patients suffer from gingivitis or cavities and it can be assumed that their bite alignment will break down, it is up to dentists to optimistically provide effective treatment and secure the remaining teeth.
Dentists who offer pessimistic treatment intervention run the risk of exposing their patients to concentrated stress on their few remaining teeth which will ultimately lead to further tooth loss and a worsening situation.
In order to avoid such consequences, I believe that along with providing secure fixation throughout the jaw, we must provide functioning long-term oral treatment aimed at stabilizing bite alignment.
In your case, it is necessary to first seek treatment for the gingivitis, decide which teeth can be preserved, and then have your remaining teeth secured in place. (Teeth are very weak against lateral wiggling and loose teeth are bound to get worse.)
Our clinic's treatment options for securing teeth firmly in place include bridges and the telescope system. Please consult with us to learn which method is best for you before you make any decisions.
Juvenile periodontitis and dentures
Q. I am still in my 30s and I have been diagnosed with juvenile periodontitis. I have had symptoms of periodontitis since I was in my teens. At the time, I visited the dental clinic and received instructions on how to use a toothbrush. I can wiggle my teeth by simply pressing my tongue against them. Recently I have been experiencing inflammation and pain, and a few of my teeth already seem as though they are about to fall out. I have a bridge on my molars but the whole thing is loose. If I lose my bridge will I have to get dentures?
A. Juvenile periodontitis (aggressive periodontitis) is a form of periodontitis that occurs in young people in their teens and 20s. It is said that the early appearance of this disease may be genetic or may be due to an abnormality in the immune system. One characteristic of this disease is that a bacteria called Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomiotans is usually present in large numbers.
In your case, it will be necessary to deal with your loose bridge and receive treatment for gingivitis at the same time. It is necessary to consider how you will handle the situation when your loose teeth with deep pockets surrounding them fall out. Frankly speaking, you will need to get false teeth or have dentures made. After that you should receive treatment for your gingivitis. Gingivitis is a disease in which the bone around a tooth becomes loose and eventually the tooth falls out. It is said to usually start when people are in their 20s. By having a dentist examine the inside of your mouth for the existence of bacteria that causes gingivitis, you will be able to get a better diagnosis and receive treatment.
There are 6 types of bacteria that cause gingivitis.
1. Porphylomonas gingivalis
2. Tannerella forsythensis
3. Treponemadenticola
4. Prevotera intermedia
5. Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomiotans
6. Fusobacterium nucleatum
[3DS, a new technique to get rid of gingivitis-causing bacteria in the mouth]
After removing plaque using PMTC (professional mechanical tooth cleansing), a procedure performed by a dental hygienist using specialized technology and equipment, a mouthpiece tray fitted to the patient's tooth alignment is placed in the mouth and medicine is applied to the surface of the teeth and left to sit for a certain period of time. This process is not negatively affected by saliva and antibacterial and fluoride medicine can be safely administered to the teeth.
3DS Method
1. Examine the saliva to determine whether or not bacteria elimination is necessary.
2. Provide ample explanation of the bacteria elimination process to the patient.
3. Take a mold of the patient's teeth for the construction of a mouthpiece tray.
4. Carry out PMTC to remove plaque from the surface of the patient's teeth.
5. Add medicine to the mouthpiece tray and let it sit for 5 minutes to eliminate bacteria.
6. Repeat the bacteria elimination process one week later.
7. Add fluoride gel to the mouthpiece tray at home and hold it in your mouth for 5 minutes twice a day at home (once in the morning and once after brushing your teeth at night before going to bed) in order to strengthen the teeth.
At our clinic we provide an examination report to the patient upon conducting a BML (Inc.) saliva test. The 3DS effect only lasts 4 - 6 weeks so we recommend that you have bacteria eliminated periodically.
When your gingivitis symptoms stabilize you must then secure your teeth to prevent them from wiggling. There is a simple procedures in which you attach loose teeth to the surrounding teeth with a dental adhesive, but if you have already lost many teeth, we recommend the telescope system as a treatment method (dentures developed in Germany).
