After Dental Implant After Care Procedure

If you have enjoyed the privilege of restoring your smile from a dental implant procedure it is important to follow the aftercare procedures in order to keep your smile healthy and happy. An implant is a surgical procedure where a titanium post is placed into the jawbone below the gum line which then creates a way for your general dentist to mount a replacement tooth. Once the dental implant is complete the tooth is solid in the jaw bone and cannot be removed like a denture. Implants are great because they do not have to be mounted to other teeth.

Implants do not move or shift in your mouth and add a benefit when speaking and eating. Bridges or dentures can move depending on the fit. Once you have your implant complete it is critical that you follow the post-surgical procedure plan in order to keep your implant secure and healing. An implant is similar to your real teeth and requires regular dental care.

Your periodontist will give you after-care procedures that may include utilizing a soft toothbrush for the first few weeks of healing. You will want to eventually begin to floss again, but this may take some time as your gums are healing. Floss is the only way to remove food from between the teeth and is a really important way to keep your smile healthy.

For more information on dental implants and after care procedures, contact Dr. Rice and her team.

4 Ways To Protect Your Gum Health When On Birth Control

Are your gums bleeding when you brush and floss? Are you taking birth control? High levels of hormones can trick your body into believing it is pregnant. With an increase in hormone levels you may be more susceptible to bleeding and inflammation. If you are experiencing this problem, it is best to contact your periodontist and get checked out to make sure you do not have periodontal disease. Here are 4 other ways to protect your gums.

1.     Brush and floss regularly. There is no other way to keep your gums healthy. Brushing and flossing prevents the buildup of plaque. 

2.     Eat healthy foods. Healthy foods tend to be higher in water concentration which removes food from the surface of the teeth between brushing.

3.     Visit your periodontist regularly. If you have inflammation or if your gums are bleeding, ignoring it will not help it go away.

4.     Know your gum health prior to going on birth control. If you know your gums are healthy prior to going on birth control it will allow you to compare before and after.

For more information on healthy gums, contact Dr. Denine Rice and her team today!

Do I have To Floss My Veneers?

A veneer is a thin covering that goes over your teeth. It can help to restore your smile back to a healthy and beautiful one you love to show off. When veneers are applied correctly they can help to reshape your smile and cover up discoloration. Dr. Rice states, “Veneers are adhered to the front of your teeth and replace thinner enamel that has worn down over time.”

Having veneers though does not dismiss your need to brush and floss. Once you have veneers in place, in order to keep them healthy it will be important for you to maintain a regular dental routine of brushing 2x a day, flossing 1x a day and continuing to visit your dentist on a regular basis. Veneers do not protect your gums, and in order to make sure your smile stays healthy looking, the only way to remove food from around your veneers is to floss.

When flossing you will want to do some research and find floss that easily glides between your teeth. Some of your teeth may be closer together and it may be tough to get floss in between, utilizing wax floss can help with this. If this does not work, there are other options such as a water pic. The choice you make isn’t important, it is just important to floss.

For more information on how to floss veneers or for recommendations on floss contact Dr. Denine Rice & her team today

6 Tips That Can Prevent A Dental Nightmare

Dental decay can occur very quickly if food and sugar is left to sit on the enamel of the teeth. These six tips can help prevent decay or correct any problems before they become a major dental headache.

1.     You’ve heard it time and time again, but this tried and true practice never gets old for your teeth: brush twice a day to remove any bacteria or food from your teeth. Food that sticks to the surface of your enamel can turn to sugar, which then eats away at the enamel of your teeth causing cavities.

2.     Floss at least once a day. Dr. Denine Rice says, "there are hard to reach spaces in your mouth." By flossing you can make sure there is not food debris stuck between the teeth.  Cavities and decay can occur between your back molars and in between teeth that are close together.

3.     Increase your water consumption. Water helps rinse away any leftover food particles and helps rinse your mouth between brushing. It also prevents you from getting a dry mouth. When your mouth is dry it is easier for bacteria to spread.

4.     Increase your consumption of fruits and vegetables high in water concentration and low in starch. "Foods that have carbs and starch in them stick to your teeth and turn to sugar," states Dr. Rice. The sugar then turns to decay.

5.     Visit the dentist on a regular basis. Not only can they prevent some cavities and other major dental problems from occurring. They can catch any small problems before they become major dental repairs.

6.     Take care of periodontal disease right away. If your gums are bleeding even a little bit, take care of the problem and don’t let it get worse.

Whole Health and Dentistry

More and more dentists are focusing on the whole health of their patients. “We are frequently the practitioner who sees a patient more often than their MD,” says Dr. Denine Rice, one of your Top Dentists in the Inland Empire. This means that often you will find your dentist checking your blood pressure and making recommendations based on their findings. This also means that your dentist will be well versed in how to live a whole life.

a.     Diet: “Eating fresh vegetables and fruit, and maintaining balance is the key,” says Dr. Rice from her Riverside PeriodontalPractice. “Eating foods as close to their natural form is best.”

b.     Exercise: “Find the exercise that you can maintain and enjoy over a lifetime, whether that be walking or swimming. Exercise is an important element of whole body health,” adds Dr. Rice. 

c.      Stress reduction: “Meditation is a great stress reducer, as are breathing exercises. No one appreciates stress in their lives, but there are ways to control the impact it has on your body.” 

d.     See your dentist: “Seeing your dentist on a routine basis is good for your overall health, as the mouth is a window into what is occurring elsewhere in your body,” says Dr. Rice. According to WebMD (link is: http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/features/oral-health-the-mouth-body-connection) a patient with serious gum disease often has a more chronic condition as well. “These days more and more physicians and dentists are working together to fight disease and help give patients whole health.”

If it has been a while since your dentist has seen you, now is the time to call and schedule an appointment.

Dental Insurance and Your Second Opinion

Many patients feel the need to get a second opinion and that is good. Here are some things for you to know before you head to your 2^nd opinion.

1.     Dental Insurance Providers: If you are seeing a dentist who is contracted with your insurance, the insurance company determines the fee that can be charged for each procedure. “That means that the fees will only be different if materials or procedures recommended are changed,” says Dr.Denine Rice from her Riverside California Periodontal practice. “If the treatment and products are identical, there should be no difference in the fees.”

2.     According to most dental insurance contracts with dentists, the dentist is not supposed to waive a patient’s copay. This could be considered insurance fraud and while it may seem nice, if the dentist is investigated, the patient with knowledge of what was done, could also be charged.

3.     Your dental office is considered a third party. The contract you have with your insurance company is between you and your insurance. While your dentist will assist you by filing claims and calling to check eligibility, they have limited access to information. “If we are contracted with an insurance, they will give us a fee schedule to use and ask that we submit claims for patients, but they do not guarantee any benefits,” adds Lydia, the insurance coordinator at Rice Periodontics. “That’s why, as a patient, it is in your best interest to contact your insurance company to learn more about your dental benefits.”

What to Look for When Getting a 2nd opinion

“For many patients the road to dental health is confusing,” says Dr. Denine Rice, “there may be several options for treatment that all seem the same, but usually are not.”

In any second opinion there should be a few things you are looking for and ask about.

“When you arrive at your appointment for your second opinion, make sure that you have a detailed report of what your 1^st opinion is recommending – that way you will be sure to compare the two plans equally if the recommendation is the same,” adds Dr. Rice of Rice Periodontics. But many times, your 2^nd opinion will also give you a 2^nd option.

“Discuss thoroughly with your dentist your desires and fears regarding the recommended treatment,” says Dr. Rice, “including the types of materials and technology that will be used and why.”

For example: many dentists place implants, be sure to find one that is also recommending an ICAT and not just a regular x-ray to determine if there is sufficient bone. “Implants are an investment that can last and be highly successful, or not. When determining if you wish to proceed, make sure you are doing what you can to improve the outcome.”

Also when discussing treatment with your dentist, ask about the number of procedures that have been completed successfully. “This should always be part of the discussion,” adds Dr. Rice.

Use your second opinion to find someone you feel comfortable with, someone who is knowledgeable, uses proven technology and has completed the procedures a number of times before. Call Rice Periodontics today to schedule your 2^nd opinion.

All on Four

“All on Four” is the name for a procedure where a denture is placed on four implants. This procedure not only provides stability for a denture, but allows a patient to be effectively restored to full dentition in a short amount of time.

“Many patients report that wearing dentures is not at all as they expected,” says Dr. Denine Rice from her Riverside Periodontal and Implant Surgery practice. “They suffer from loose fitting dentures that move about creating embarrassing situations and/or speech difficulties.”

If you are someone who can identify with that statement, perhaps you are a candidate for “All on Four” implant supported dentures.

The first step in the process is sitting down with your dentist and/or periodontist to discuss treatment plan options.  Your dentist working in conjunction with a periodontist will put together a plan designed specifically for you. While most times four implants can be used to effectively support your new denture, your dentist will determine if that’s the case for you, then a denture will be created to fit to your newly placed implants.

 Rice Periodontics and Implant Surgery