Our Blog

Over the years, dental implant surgery has become better and better. In fact, the procedure currently has about a 95% success rate, according to Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Still, like with any surgery, there are some problems that can occur. Thankfully, almost all of these problems are pretty rare and can be avoided with planning and proper care. Here are five of the most common problems with dental implants and how you can avoid them.

Dental Implants Don’t Properly Bond to Jawbone

One of the most common issues by far is that a dental implant won’t properly bond to the jawbone after surgery. Over the few months after your surgery, your dental implant should begin to securely connect with your jawbone. This process is technically known as osseointegration. If the implant falls out, is loose or too much bone loss occurs, then the implant has failed.
An implant may fail to bond to your jawbone for a variety of reasons, including the following. We will go into more details about the specific dental implant problems below throughout the rest of the article.

• The implant may have been placed in the wrong position
• You don’t have enough bone density or volume
• You have damaged structures around your implant
• Your implant gets cracked or fractured
• You receive a sudden blow or injury to your face
• You are a smoker

Infection

If you develop an infection caused by your dental implant, you may need to have it removed. Infections can be caused by bad hygiene during or after your implant surgery. This is why it’s very important to go to a practiced and proven periodontist or surgeon for your surgery. You also need to make sure to practice proper dental hygiene habits every day. Otherwise, you can easily develop an infection. If you have thin gums, are a smoker, or have diabetes, you may be at more risk of developing an infection.

Smoking

One of the top causes of implant failure that we see at Water Tower Dental Care is smoking. Though many smokers have successful implant surgeries, failure rates are significantly higher in smokers than nonsmokers. Smoking increases your chances of getting an infection, improper bonding between your jawbone and implant, and developing peri-implantitis, a destructive disease the causes inflammation around your gums and the bone surrounding your dental implant. Learn more about how smoking negatively impacts dental implants here.

Nerve Damage

Nerve damage after dental implant surgery can be caused by an inexperienced periodontist or dentist. If an implant is placed too close to your nerve, it can cause permanent or temporary nerve damage. This can lead to numbing, tingling, or chronic pain in your tongue, lips, gums, cheek or chin.

Sinus and Bone Density Issues

Some patients may have problems with dental implants because of their sinuses or jawbone. If sinuses are present when you’re getting an implant in the upper row of your teeth, you may develop an infection. Thankfully, this is an easy issue to fix. A dentist should be able to recognize a sinus issue easily, and it can be fixed with surgery. You should always let your dentist know if you have sinus problems before dental implant surgery.
A strong jawbone with enough volume is key to a successful dental implant. If your jawbone doesn’t have enough mass, a sinus lift or bone graft may be performed to improve bone density, volume and space. You need enough bone to support and bond with an implant.

Damage to Surrounding Tissues

Since your implant will penetrate your gums, it’s inevitable that tissue will be damaged when you receive dental implants. However, this damage typically heals quickly and without complications. If you notice excessive bleeding and pain during your first few days after surgery, or if the bleeding and pain continues after a few days, you should let your dentist know. There may be a problem.

Dental Implant Crack

At Water Tower Dental Care, we work with a titanium post and realistic dental crown to make up your dental implant. These dental implants are incredibly strong. But even so, the implants can be cracked or fractured if you are hit hard in the face or if you grind your teeth a lot over a long period of time. This is very rare, but it’s possible. Once the implant breaks, a new one will need to be inserted.
Interested in receiving a dental implant? Contact Water Tower Dental Care today! We work with talented and skilled periodontists to ensure you’re getting the best service possible.

It’s easy to think of teeth simply as a tool for chewing food. But they do a lot more than that. Truth is, studies have shown that the condition and appearance of your teeth can transform your social and professional life. So taking that extra trip to the dentist could help you land that job you’ve been dreaming of or a date with a special someone. Let’s take a look at exactly how a gorgeous smile can improve your life now.

Nail That Job Interview

In a job interview, first impressions are everything. Surprisingly enough, about one-third of Americans say that the first part of a face they notice is teeth, according to a perception study developed by Kelton Research. Even more interesting, 24% say that teeth are the part of the face they remember the most after meeting someone. Bad teeth could leave a bad impression, which means no job for you.
Along the same lines, Americans think that people with straight teeth are 45% more likely to get a job than someone with crooked teeth when competing against a person who has a similar skill set and experience.

Bring Home More Bacon

The benefits of gorgeous teeth in the professional world don’t stop at the job interview. Research by Daniel Hamermesh, professor of economics at the University of Texas, found that people who are better looking than average earn 5 to 10 percent more than people who have average looks. People with average looks earn 5 to 10 percent more than people whose looks are below average. In an article by Deseret News, Hamermesh says that teeth are an important component to physical appearance.

Spice Up Your Love Life

If you’re looking for a spark in your love life, improving your teeth might just be the answer. Kelton Research found that people with straight teeth were seen as 57% more likely to find a date on a dating site than people with crooked teeth based on their picture alone. Nearly two in five Americans would consider not going on a second date with someone who has misaligned teeth.

Become A Social Butterfly

Life isn’t all about work and love. Friends can keep you from feeling lonely and help you stay on the right track. And teeth can help you make friends! Having nice teeth can cause you to appear to be trustworthier and have a good personality. Nearly three in four Americans are more likely to trust a person with a nice smile than someone with a good job, clothes or car, according to Kelton Research. People with straight teeth also are 21% more likely to appear to be happy, 47% more likely to be seen as healthy, and 38% more likely to be viewed as smart. Sounds like a good friend to us!
Who would’ve thought a smile could affect your life in so many ways? If you’re ready to transform your life for the better through your pearly whites, contact Water Tower Dental Care today! As the top general and cosmetic dentist in Chicago, we would love to get your teeth looking better than ever.

When it’s mixed with something, lemon is one of the most refreshing flavors out there. There’s nothing like sipping on a cold glass of lemonade under the sun, or drinking a cup of hot lemon water on a rainy morning. Unfortunately, your enamel doesn’t think lemon is as tasty as your tastebuds do. In fact, your teeth react to it pretty sourly. Though lemon juice can taste good and has some health benefits, it’s pretty bad for your teeth if it comes into contact with them. Let’s take a look at why now.

Why Is Lemon Juice Bad for Your Teeth?

Lemon juice is one of the most erosive ingredients out there. During a study comparing fruit juices and beverages published in the Journal of Endourology, lemon juice had the highest citric acid content of all the juices studied. Acids are your enamel’s biggest enemy. When you eat a lemon or drink lemon juice, the acids from the juice stick to your teeth and wear away your enamel. The acids also help feed bacteria to form plaque and tartar, which lead to cavities.

So What’s A Lemon Good For?

Just because lemons are bad for your teeth doesn’t mean you should avoid them forever. Lemons are very nutritious. Lemon juice contains pectin fibre, calcium and potassium, and is a great source of Vitamin C.

According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, Vitamin C is essential for the growth and repair of tissues throughout your body. It’s also an antioxidant. Antioxidants may help to fight off physical aging and health issues including cancer, arthritis and heart disease. Lemon juice also improves digestion, according to Global Healing Center.

How To Stop Your Teeth From Going Sour Because of Lemon Juice

Because we love your teeth so much, we recommend switching to regular water instead of a beverage with lemon juice for your everyday drink of choice. Lemon juice really can do severe damage to your teeth over time, and you can get the nutrients from someplace else!

If you continue to drink lemon juice regularly, you can easily limit the damage it does to your teeth. Here are just a few ideas!

• Use a straw while drinking beverages with lemon juice. Try to make sure the liquid goes directly into your throat rather than sitting in your mouth. The goal is to keep it from coming into contact with your teeth.

• If you do drink a beverage with lemon juice without using a straw, drink water too. The water should wash away some of the acids that are trying to stick onto your teeth.

• Don’t brush your teeth right after you’re done drinking lemon juice. Since your enamel is weakened by the lemon’s acids, brushing can easily damage your teeth. Instead, wait about 30 minutes to an hour before brushing.

• Immediately rinse out your mouth with water or mouthwash. Since you shouldn’t brush your teeth after consuming lemon juice, washing out your mouth is the next best thing. Swishing with water or mouthwash after you’re done will help to wash away the acids.

• Visit a dentist to see if your lemon juice habits are affecting your teeth. This way, you’ll know whether you should stop. If lemon juice has already significantly damaged your teeth, we can help with Enamel Remineralization Treatment!

Got any more questions about lemon juice and your teeth? Contact Chicago’s number one general and cosmetic dentistry! We’d love to help you keep your teeth as healthy and strong as possible.

The last thing you want is yellow teeth after years of wearing braces. But unfortunately, it’s a very common occurrence. If you don’t take care of your mouth while you’re wearing braces, you might be surprised to see white squares where your braces were on yellow-stained teeth after your dentist removes them. Thankfully, it’s easy to avoid this experience. Here are some reasons why people get yellow teeth after braces and how to prevent this from happening. We’ll also talk about how you can fix stained teeth after braces.

Brush Properly With A Toothbrush Made for Braces

With all the brackets and wires crowding your teeth, it’s easy for plaque to build up in hard-to-reach places. That’s why it’s especially important for you to brush properly when you have braces. When plaque is left to sit on your teeth, your teeth start to decay, causing them to turn yellow.
People with braces should ask their dentist about electric toothbrushes that are specifically designed for mouths with braces. These brushes will have bristles that are made to remove plaque around brackets and get through wires.

Floss Every Day, Getting Those Hard-to-Reach Spots

Having braces can feel like a great excuse to not floss, since it’s harder to reach the spaces between your teeth. But with more bacteria buildup, it’s extremely important to floss with braces. Just like with brushing, flossing every day will help keep your teeth from decaying and turning yellow.
Superfloss is the best type of floss for people with braces. It’s made up of three types of floss: soft spongy floss, a stiffened-end threader, and regular floss. The stiffened-end threader makes it easier to get between your braces, and the large spongy floss helps you clean around your brackets and wires.

Avoid Tooth-Staining Food

Some food and drinks contain colored properties that can stick to your teeth’s enamel and change their beautiful white color to yellow. These include soda and “sports drinks”, hard and gummy candy, red wine, and coffee. It’s best to avoid these teeth-staining foods and drinks as often as possible, or slowly consume them with glass of water. When you do eat or drink them, wash out your mouth and brush afterwards to keep them from staining your teeth.

Don’t Smoke

Smoking is a big culprit of yellowing teeth, along with other horrible diseases and issues. There’s really no good reason to continue smoking. One of the many effects of smoking is yellowing teeth, caused by the nicotine and tar in tobacco. This can occur not just from smoking, but also from chewing tobacco. Tobacco use is one thing you should quit for good - not just when you have braces.

Use Invisalign Instead of Traditional Braces

If you haven’t had braces yet, you should consider using Invisalign instead of traditional braces. Since Invisalign braces are removable, it’s much easier to keep your braces and teeth clean, reducing the chance that your teeth will turn yellow. Brushing and flossing will be exactly the same as when you didn’t have braces!

Receive Teeth Whitening Treatment After Braces

If your teeth begin yellowing while you have braces, you don’t have to say goodbye to your pearly whites for good. Ask your dentist about teeth whitening after braces! At Water Tower Dental Care, we use Zoom! Teeth Whitening to change the color of your teeth dramatically after just one visit. This leading teeth whitening system brightens up your smile up to 8 shades in about an hour. It’s as easy as that.
Don’t settle for a yellow smile. Contact us to learn more about whitening your teeth after braces! There’s no better place to bring back your beautiful smile than at Chicago’s top cosmetic dentistry.