Have you ever heard that cracking your knuckles causes arthritis? Some opinions vary widely across people, but it seems that this concept is rather a myth than truth. But what about your restorative dental work? Can a crown or a filling get a cavity? Not if we can help it.
The Significance of Monitoring your Dental Work
No matter when or where you had dental procedures performed, it is extremely crucial to have regular checkups and have your oral condition and health assessed. Without frequent visits to your dentist, you are very likely to develop:
- Decay in, and around crowns and fillings, as well as other restorative dental work.
- Plaque.
Both of them can lead to much more serious problems that can occur at a later time, such as gum disease, whose adverse type results in tooth loss, among other hazardous and life-threatening conditions (i.e. heart disease).
Generally, the lifespan of a crown or filling is shorter than that of a tooth, so some issues with the restorative work are anticipated, especially if you are not taking good care of your mouth. Studies and research have shown that predicting the lifespan of a filling is difficult, considering the numerous factors that affect its lifespan, such as:
- the material used to make the crown or filling,
- the pressure applied on a filling,
- the oral care provided (brushing, flossing, seeing a hygienist),
- habits that promote the wear of the crown or filling,
- the size of the original filling, and
- how frequently are sticky and hard foods consumed, among others.
Of course, they are different in every case, which is why prevention is indeed better than cure. Therefore, when fillings and other dental work get worn or old (hence are more prone to damage), it is paramount to have regular appointments to monitor and catch problems before they become emergencies.
What about Nervous Patients?
Unfortunately, many people have developed dental-related fears mainly due to a negative past experience. Others are just afraid of dentists, dental works, and clinics for a number of reasons that have little to do with the quality of the work done in a dental practice. It is a fear they have cultivated over the years believing that having a treatment will hurt. However, dental techniques have changed dramatically over the last few years. Modern dental treatments can be completely painless and most importantly entirely worry-free. Nervous patients are not only welcomed in clinics where the general attitude is more relaxed than it used to be but also have services delivered via state-of-the-art equipment and much safer procedures.
That aside, there are dentists that have received specialised training and have been certified to provide extra care to patients with dental phobias and make them feel they are truly pampered. The Dental Suite is among the very few clinics in the UK that practice sedation dentistry, where we administer medication to help our patients relax during their dental procedures. That way, our patients are awake but in a very calm state of mind while listening to their favourite music, talking to the staff and dentist working on their case and experiencing the soothing effects of aromatherapy.
Click HERE if you want to find out more about our relaxation techniques and decide which one is best suited to your requirements. For any other questions, queries, or concerns, we are always here for you. Just contact us and let us introduce you to the new, exciting, pain-free, and completely relaxed way to care for your oral health!
