What We Offer | Dental Conditions | Patient Education

Patient Education

Dr. Oaks is committed to helping his patients become educated on dental hygiene, preventative care and dental procedures that will help them live a happy life with a great smile. This section was created to help people get a better understanding of dental related care and procedures that are available to support a healthy dental lifestyle.

Differences between conventional dentures and immediate dentures?

Complete dentures are called "conventional" or "immediate" depending on the time they are made and when they are inserted into the mouth.

Immediate dentures are introduced immediately after the removal of the teeth. To accommodate this, Dr. Oaks takes measurements and makes the model of the patient's jaws during a preliminary visit.

A benefit of immediate dentures is that the patient does not have to be without teeth during the healing period. However, bones and gums can shrink over time, especially during the period of healing in the first six months after the removal of teeth. When gums shrink, immediate dentures may require rebasing or relining to fit properly. A conventional denture can then be made once the tissues have healed. Healing may take at least 6-8 weeks.

What is an overdenture?

An overdenture is a removable denture, which fits over a few of the remaining natural teeth or implants. The natural teeth need to be prepared to provide stability and support for the denture. Dr. Oaks can verify if an overdenture would be suitable for you.

What will dentures feel like?

New dentures can feel awkward for a few weeks until the patient becomes accustomed to them. Dentures may feel loose while the muscles of your cheek and tongue are ‘trained’ to keep them in place.

It is not unusual to experience minor irritation or soreness caused from new dentures. Patients may find that their saliva may temporarily increase as well. As the mouth becomes comfortable to the dentures, these problems should diminish. Patients should schedule follow-up appointments with Dr. Oaks after a denture is inserted. If any problem persists, particularly irritation or soreness consult Dr. Oaks.

Community Water Fluoridation

Fluoride is present naturally in all water sources. Community water fluoridation, has been in affect for over 50 years, and is the process of adjusting the fluoride content of fluoride-deficient water to the recommended level for optimal dental health. The recommended level is 0.7 - 1.2 parts of fluoride per million parts water. Water fluoridation has been proven to reduce decay in both children and adults. While water fluoridation is an extremely effective and inexpensive means of obtaining the fluoride necessary for optimal tooth decay prevention, not everyone lives in a community with a centralized, public or private water source that can be fluoridated. If you do not have community fluoridated water, consult Dr. Oaks for alternative sources.

Dental Implants

Are there alternatives to tooth replacement besides a bridge?

Dental implants are a source of artificial teeth that look natural and feel secure. Dental implants can also be used to attach full or partial dentures. However, Implants are not an option for everyone; patients need to be in good health, have healthy gums, and have adequate bone to support the implant. The patient must also be committed to meticulous oral hygiene and regular dental visits. If you are considering implants, a thorough examination by Dr. Oaks will help determine if you would be a good candidate.

Veneers

Veneers can easily correct gaps in your teeth or with teeth that are stained, badly shaped or crooked. Today a veneer placed on top of your teeth can correct nature's mistake or the results of an injury and help you obtain a beautiful smile.

Veneers are thin, custom-made shells crafted of tooth-colored materials designed to cover the front side of teeth. Typically veneers are designed by a dental technician, working from a model of the patient's teeth provided by Dr. Oaks.

Usually Veneers is an irreversible process, because it's necessary to remove a small amount of enamel from your teeth to accommodate the Veneer shell.

Dr. Oaks may recommend that you avoid some foods and beverages that can stain or discolor your veneers such as coffee, tea or red wine. Sometimes a veneer might chip or fracture, but for many people the results are more than worth it. To find out if Veneers are right for you, consult Dr. Oaks.

Tooth Whitening

Everybody wants a bright white smile, and there are a variety of products and procedures available to help you improve the look of yours.

Many people are satisfied with the results they get from brushing twice daily with fluoride toothpaste, flossing between their teeth and regularly scheduled visits to their dentist’s office. If you decide you would like to go beyond the normal routine to make your smile look brighter, you should investigate all of your options.

Several approaches to whiten your smile include:

• ZOOM! ®
• In-office bleaching
• At-home bleaching
• Whitening toothpaste
• Crest Whitestrips ®