What is Peri-Implantitis?

No matter what your dental history, you’ll get high-quality care at Southern Cross Dental in Colorado Springs. Implants are a great way of replacing permanent teeth and restoring the stability of a patient’s facial structure. But they need to be kept clean, or else infection might necessitate their removal. We’ll work together with our patients to prevent peri-implantitis, which is inflammation surrounding an implant post.

Gingivitis, the first stage of gum disease, is characterized by redness, soreness, and bleeding. When it happens in the vicinity of an implant, it may be in response to a foreign object, such as leaking dental cement. The patient may also be one of the few people allergic to titanium. But in most cases, peri-implantitis is a hygienic issue. An implant post will be eroded by oral bacteria’s acidic secretions, just like a natural tooth root. Implants are also dependent on being well-integrated into the surrounding jaw bone matrix, and loss of bone tissue or weakening of the post could cause the implant to come loose. In that case, we’d have to remove it.

Patients with implants must be careful to brush and floss thoroughly twice a day. When people maintain their oral hygiene, peri-implantitis is very rare, but when it’s present, it needs to be addressed professionally. We can provide patients with deep cleanings, but they need to schedule an appointment with us if they are concerned about their oral health.

Drs. Navid and Faranak Rahimpour operate Southern Cross Dental at 1855 S Nevada Ave, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 80905-2516. To schedule an appointment, call 719-471-1717 or visit Southern Cross Family Dentistry and fill out a contact sheet.

 

Treating Deep Dental Stains

Don’t be shy about having stains on your teeth examined. There’s nothing wrong with wanting a nice smile, but in some circumstances, discoloration can also be a sign of a major health problem. Recently, we at Southern Cross Dental in Colorado Springs posted about white spot lesions. Today, we wanted to talk about intrinsic stains: a sign of dental problems in the tooth’s pulp chamber.

Usually, dark stains are a cosmetic issue caused by the teeth being exposed to dark substances, such as coffee or smoke. They can be treated with bleaching and are harmless. An intrinsic stain may be caused by excessive exposure to fluoride or tetracycline antibiotics during the tooth’s formation, in which case it will also be harmless, but may not be treatable with whitening. More often, intrinsic staining is due to infected dental pulp. The infection will likely cause sensitivity and bad breath, and if it becomes severe, it may lead to a facial abscess and sepsis.

An intrinsic stain caused by infection will appear black, red, or purple. We can treat it with root canal therapy, which will eliminate the threat to the patient’s health. Afterward, we may pack the tooth with whitening solution or discuss other cosmetic options with the patient, such as a veneer. We encourage anyone with discolored teeth to come in for an examination quickly; the sooner a stain is treated, the better the outcome.

Drs. Navid and Faranak Rahimpour operate Southern Cross Dental at 1855 S Nevada Ave, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 80905-2516. To schedule an appointment, call 719-471-1717 or visit Southern Cross Family Dentistry and fill out a contact sheet.

 

Denture Stomatitis

When properly fitted and cared for, dentures are comfortable, clean, and aesthetically pleasing. Most of our patients at Southern Cross Dental in Colorado Springs who wear dentures report high satisfaction with their appearance and are in good oral health. But to maintain their oral hygiene, patients need to be on the lookout for denture stomatitis. This type of yeast infection is common, but preventable.

Candida species of fungus are a normal part of the mouth’s biome. Usually, they are kept under control by saliva, which contains enzymes that fight them and helps to remove food debris that could fuel their growth. However, when a person wears a denture, parts of their mouth, such as the roof, may not be exposed to as much saliva. This would give yeast an opportunity to grow.

People with oral yeast infections may not feel any pain, but they can still develop red bumps in the area of infection. Since these sorts of infections most often happen in people with dentures, patients who wear them will have to learn to examine themselves regularly. Fortunately, yeast infections can usually be prevented if the denture is brushed twice a day and kept in a clean container and the patient brushes their mouth before putting the denture in.

Drs. Navid and Faranak Rahimpour operate Southern Cross Dental at 1855 S Nevada Ave, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 80905-2516. To schedule an appointment, call 719-471-1717 or visit Southern Cross Family Dentistry and fill out a contact sheet.