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One of the most appealing reasons to choose dental implants over options such as bridges, partial dentures, and complete dentures is the fact that they function like natural teeth. 

Unlike bridges and dentures, which sit above the gumline, implants are embedded in the jawbone, designed to look like and to work like a natural tooth:

• A cylinder or screw, usually made of bio-compatible titanium, is surgically implanted into the jawbone. After several months, the implant fuses with the bone, a process called “osseointegration.” 
• An abutment is secured inside the implanted piece. This abutment extends above the gumline and serves to connect the implant to a crown. 
• A dental implant crown customized to match surrounding teeth in shape and appearance is securely attached to the abutment.

The result is a tooth that looks and functions just like a natural tooth, with a secure implant acting as a root below the gumline attached to a realistic-looking crown above it. What does this unique design mean for you?

• Implants Are Secure

Because implants are rooted in your jaw, there is no need to worry about loose dental work or difficulties with pronunciation or eating. Dentures stay in place using a mild adhesive or suction, which attaches them to the gum ridge. Bridges are anchored to teeth on either side of the missing tooth or teeth. Implants, on the other hand, are anchored in the jawbone. The post of the implant fuses with the bone in your jaw, functioning just like the root of a natural tooth. 

Implants often are used to replace a single tooth, but if you have lost several teeth, you also have options. Implants are an effective way to hold bridges and dentures in place securely. Several posts are implanted in strategic locations. Once the posts have fused with the jawbone, the bridge or denture is secured to the posts. These appliances can be fixed in place or removable for easy cleaning. 

• Implants Maintain Bone Health

When you choose an implant, you are choosing an option which protects your natural bone health and facial appearance. When a tooth is lost, the jawbone beneath it can shrink over time. This process is called “resorption.” Bone loss can alter facial appearance, especially around the lips, cheeks, and profile. 

Why do we lose bone? The bone in our jaws stays healthy because the stimulation of chewing and biting encourages new bone cell production around the root. Without that stimulation, the jawbone doesn’t replace old bone cells as effectively, and gradually shrinks, even with a bridge or denture. Implants, on the other hand, provide the same stimulation to the bone that natural teeth and roots do, and bone cells regenerate just like they do with natural teeth.

• Implants Don’t Affect Surrounding Teeth

When you choose a fixed bridge to replace a missing tooth or teeth, the neighboring teeth must be shaped to hold the bridge attachment. This is done by removing some healthy tooth structure from each neighboring tooth. Retainer crowns are then placed on these teeth to hold the pontic, or replacement teeth, in position. 

Implants don’t require crowns or other anchoring mechanisms on surrounding teeth. What’s more, implants benefit the teeth around them by helping to preserve the shape and strength of the jawbone holding them in place. 

• Implants Last

Dentures and bridges can be a more cost-effective option initially, but they will need to be replaced every 5-10 years. Implants are the longest lasting tooth replacement. Many implants will last a lifetime. 

How to make sure your implant is successful? Look after your dental hygiene to prevent gum disease, a leading cause of tooth loss in adults. If you grind your teeth, talk to Dr. Joel Hartjes and Dr. Jon Szewczyk about a nightguard. Wear a mouthguard when you play sports. Avoid biting into hard foods like ice and hard candies. Don’t smoke. In other words, protect your implants just like you protect your organic teeth.

• Implants Look Natural

For many of us, the realistic appearance of dental implants is the deciding factor. 

Dental implants are designed to look just like your natural teeth. The crown which sits atop the implant post is carefully fabricated to match the size, shape, and color of your surrounding teeth. You can eat, speak, and smile confidently once again.

If you’re considering tooth replacement, talk to the team at Hartstone Dental in Middleton, WI about which options are best for you. You might discover that a dental implant is the natural choice!

As a patient at Hartstone Dental, your opinion matters! Dr. Joel Hartjes and Dr. Jon Szewczyk and our team love hearing what our patients think about our practice and the services we provide, and now we want to know, what do you think we should blog about?

Perhaps there’s a treatment you’ve always wanted to know about, or you’d like to learn about a specific way to improve your health and smile. Whatever your idea, we’d love to hear about it! You can let us know by posting here or on our Facebook page!

Xylitol is a naturally occurring sweetener found in tree bark, plants, fruits, and vegetables. The human body also produces it in small amounts. It looks and tastes like sugar, so as part of a health regimen, most people require no willpower to use it.

Xylitol is safe (approved by the World Health Organization) because only a small amount is needed for health benefits. With a glycemic index of seven, it is safe for diabetics. It has less than three calories per gram and 40% fewer calories than other carbohydrates. If eaten in extremely large amounts too quickly, it has a laxative effect in humans.

Tooth decay happens when bacteria in your mouth consume the sugars you eat. When you eat food that contains ordinary sugar, it gives energy to the bacteria on your teeth, allowing them to multiply and start making acids that destroy the enamel on the teeth.

Since xylitol is a natural sweetener derived from the fibrous parts of plants, it does not break down like sugar, so it helps maintain a neutral pH level in the mouth. Xylitol also prevents bacteria from sticking to the teeth because they are unable to digest it. That is how it protects the teeth from cavities.

With xylitol, the acid attack is diminished. With less bacteria and acid, your teeth stay healthier. The frequency of xylitol ingestion is important: aim for five grams a day, or one gram every three hours.

Studies of xylitol use as either a sugar substitute or a small dietary addition have demonstrated a dramatic reduction in new cavities. It has also stopped and even reversed some existing cavities. This effect is long lasting and possibly permanent. Low cavity rates persist even years after the trials have been completed.

Xylitol needs to be one of the first ingredients in a product to be effective. It is convenient and easy to use. You can find it in health food stores and specialty grocery stores. Xylitol can be delivered to your teeth in chewing gum, tablets, or even candy and mints.

It also comes in toothpaste, mouth rinse, baby oral wipes, gel and pacifiers, nasal wash, dry mouth spray, a granulated form for cooking, granulated packets to add to drinks, and commercially prepared foods. It can replace sugar on a one-to-one ratio.

Sweet rewards in xylitol are good for the body and the teeth! If you have specific questions please feel free to contact Hartstone Dental. We look forward to seeing you soon!

Whether you’re using the latest note-taking app or old-school pen and paper, it’s a good time to start jotting down your resolutions for a healthier, happier New Year. To help the process along, we have some suggestions for traditional tooth-friendly resolutions—and also some ideas which might surprise you!

The Classics

• Brush and Floss Regularly

If you’re sticking to the “two minutes twice a day” brushing schedule as well as flossing once a day, great work! Often, though, that two-minute window starts to shrink as our brushing routine becomes *too* routine. Try timing yourself while you brush normally. If you’re falling quite a bit short of two minutes, taking just a bit more time will be lots more effective in removing plaque from your teeth.

And since gum disease is a leading cause of tooth loss in adults, commit to flossing once a day to remove irritating plaque and bacteria from between teeth and around the gumline.

• Use Fluoride Toothpaste

Fluoride toothpaste doesn’t just help prevent cavities by cleaning away plaque and food particles. It also helps make our enamel stronger. 

Acids created by plaque bacteria and acids in our diet dissolve minerals from tooth enamel, making it softer and more vulnerable to cavities. Fluoride bonds with the minerals in enamel to create an even stronger protective enamel coating. Check with Dr. Joel Hartjes and Dr. Jon Szewczyk or the American Dental Association’s website for the best toothpaste choices for healthy, strong enamel.

• See Your Dentist Regularly

Dentists typically recommend a full dental exam and cleaning twice each year. Your dental team at Hartstone Dental will take X-rays as needed, examine your teeth, gums, and general oral health, and screen for oral cancer. A professional cleaning will remove any built-up plaque and tartar, which is especially important for gum health.

Being proactive with your dental care means you’ll be sharing your healthy smile all year long—as well as discovering any potential problems before they can develop into major problems!

The Surprises

• Chew (Sugarless) Gum

When you’re not producing enough saliva, you feel the effects of dry mouth, including sore throat, difficulty swallowing, and bad breath. Another side effect? Poorer dental health. 

Saliva helps neutralize the acidic foods we eat, washes away bacteria and food particles, and contains minerals like calcium and phosphorus which remineralize tooth enamel. Chewing sugarless gum encourages saliva production. If you suffer from dry mouth, check with your dentist to see if chewing sugar-free gum can help.

• Don’t Brush Right After Eating

Brushing after a meal is great to remove food particles like sugars and carbs which stick to our teeth—and which the bacteria in plaque thrive on. But if you’ve been eating or drinking acidic foods, it’s best to wait about an hour before brushing. 

Acids in foods, like acids created by bacteria, weaken tooth enamel. Brushing right away can be abrasive and damage enamel, but if you wait for an hour, the minerals in saliva have a chance to remineralize and restore your enamel strength.

• Toss Your Toothbrush

Not that we mean give up brushing altogether! But your toothbrush bristles start to fray and fan out after several months, meaning that you won’t be getting the full cleaning effects of your great brushing technique. Put a note on your calendar to replace your brush every three to four months for the best in plaque removal.

If you’re already following all these suggestions for protecting your dental health, resolve to keep up the good work! If not, give these easy-to-follow recommendations a try. Protecting your dental health is essential to gift yourself a new year filled with happy, healthy smiles in Middleton, WI.