FAQ

A: Having regular checkups prevents major problems. Unfortunately, many dental problems occur without any warning. Nothing hurts until there is a significant problem. Before you know it, you’ve got problems. Extensive dental care is often required for patients who delay, postpone and avoid regularly scheduled visits. Prevention is the key to avoiding costly, extensive dental care. Undetected decay, cysts, tumors, and dental abscesses often lie “silently” below the surface – causing no pain or swelling. Why wait for these problems to surface through the onset of a painful experience?

A: 80% of bad breath (a condition called halitosis) comes from tooth decay, gum disease and bacteria on the tongue. Only about 2% comes from certain stomach conditions. Your best bet is to talk to your dentist about this. A complete examination of the teeth and gums is necessary in order to determine the source.

A: As with medical problems, many times you are unaware until there is a significant problem. Undetected dental problems such as decay, abscesses, wear from a misaligned bite, tumors, oral cancer, cysts, and periodontal disease often lie dormant with no signs of pain or swelling. Your dentist can often diagnose these problems before they turn into nightmares! If you are unsure about the diagnosis you’ve been given, tell your dentist. In most cases your dentist will be more than willing to help you to actually “see” the problems through the use of dental x-rays, intra-oral cameras and digital cameras.

A: Periodontal disease (gum disease) is often referred to as a “silent disease” that can lead to bone loss and eventual tooth loss. Although bleeding gums can be an early indication of periodontal disease, bleeding is not always present. A periodontal charting evaluation can be performed to measure the depth of detached tissue around the root structure of your teeth. This measurement will indicate the severity of the gum disease and help your dentist to monitor improvement as periodontal treatment is performed. If you are a smoker, the odds are significant that you will have gum disease and your gums may never bleed. Ask your dentist for an evaluation.

A: The simple answer is that you should have your teeth cleaned as often as your hygienist and your dentist recommends. The more detailed answer is that it depends on the health of your gums and how committed you are to your oral hygiene program.

For example, if your gums are healthy and you follow a sound oral hygiene program, you need to have to have your teeth cleaned every six months. I strongly recommend that everyone come to the dentist twice a year to be checked for oral cancer and signs of other diseases whose symptoms first appear in the mouth.

On the other hand, if someone has moderate to advanced gum disease or isn’t willing to actively participate in a oral hygiene program, it may be necessary—if he wants any hope of keeping his teeth—to have them cleaned every 3 to 4 months.

The actual frequency will depend on the severity of your gum infection and how effective you are at doing your part.

A: IAOMT (International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology) is a trusted academy of allied professionals providing scientific resources to support new levels of safety in dental care. As an accredited member, Dr. Bighiu incorporates current IAOMT guidelines when removing mercury-based fillings. For more information and the used protocol, please see:

iaomt.org/about

http://iaomt.org/for-patients/frequently-asked-questions.

A: Dental implants are artificial tooth roots, that when restored, can replace missing teeth. They are placed directly into your jawbone, just like a natural tooth root. Most dental practices use titanium implants. At Oakville Dental Care we offer also the ceramic (zirconia) dental implants as a biocompatible FDA approved alternative to titanium implants. The bone fuses to the implant like it does to a natural tooth root, a process called Osseointegration. We use Ceraroot and Straumann Pure ceramic implants.

Zirconia(ceramic) is entirely tissue friendly (biocompatible) so there are no reports of allergic reactions, temperature sensitivity, or effect on taste. The material is friendly to gum tissue with minimal inflammation and plaque build-up. Since Zirconia is similar to the color of natural teeth, it is aesthetically very pleasing.

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