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Showing posts from June, 2018

DENTAL RADIOGRAPHY- A Short Note

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Radio graphs (X-rays) are necessary for the evaluation and diagnosis of many oral conditions and diseases. Dentists use radiographs for many reasons: to find hidden dental structures, malignant or benign masses, bone loss, and cavities. They are diagnostic, but they can also be preventative, by helping a dentist diagnose potential oral care issues in a patient’s mouth before they become a major problem. An x-ray is a type of energy that passes through soft tissues and is absorbed by dense tissue. Teeth and bone are very dense, so they absorb X-rays, while X-rays pass more easily through gums and cheeks.X-rays are divided into two main categories, intraoral and extraoral. Intraoral is an X-ray that is taken inside the mouth. An extraoral X-ray is taken outside of the mouth. Intraoral X-rays are the most common type of radiograph taken in dentistry. The benefits of X-rays are well known: They help dentists diagnose common problems, such as cavities, gum disease and some types

TOOTH DISCOLORATION

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Tooth discoloration can be the cause of great embarrassment and can make people feel self conscious about smiling .Teeth Stains, also commonly referred to as  Teeth Discoloration , is caused by substances sticking onto the surface of your tooth or gathering within and contaminating the enamel of your tooth.Nevertheless, important lifestyle factors also play a large part in tooth discoloration and it is important to recognize these. Symptoms include stains on the enamel. They can range from white streaks to yellow tints or brown spots and pits. If the enamel has worn away, and dentin is showing through, you may notice a yellow tint. Some food habits and lifestyle that can cause tooth discoloration:  Food and drink.  Coffee, tea, carbonated beverages and red wine can discolor teeth. Even certain fruits and vegetables can cause stain Poor dental hygiene .  Inadequate brushing, flossing, and rinsing with an antiseptic mouthwash to remove plaque and stain-producing subst

GINGIVITIS

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Gingivitis  means inflammation of the gums, commonly occurs because a film of plaque, or bacteria, accumulates on the teeth. Gingivitis is a  non-destructive  type of periodontal disease, but untreated gingivitis can progress to periodontitis in which the inflammation of the gums results in tissue destruction and bone resorption around the teeth.  Periodontitis  can ultimately lead to tooth loss. Signs of gingivitis include red and puffy gums, that bleed easily when the person brushes their teeth, Bad breath and Swollen gums. The most common cause of gingivitis is the accumulation of bacterial plaque between and around the teeth. The plaque triggers an immune response, which, in turn, can eventually lead to the destruction of gingival, or gum, tissue. It may also, eventually, lead to further complications, including the loss of teeth. Dental plaque  is a biofilm that accumulates naturally on the teeth. It is usually formed by colonizing bacteria that are trying to stic

Titanium as a Bio-Material

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Titanium is a strong and lightweight refractory metal. It is a lustrous  transition metal  with a silver color, low density, and high strength. Titanium is also formidable in its resistance to corrosion by both water and chemical media.It does this by forming a thin layer of titanium dioxide (TiO2) on its surface that is extremely difficult for these materials to penetrate.Having a low modulus of elasticity means that titanium is not also very flexible, but returns to its original shape after bending, resulting in its importance to shape memory alloys. Titanium is non-magnetic and biocompatible (non-toxic, non-allergenic), which has led to its increasing use in the medical field. An ideal biomaterial is expected to exhibit properties such as a very high biocompatibility, that is, no adverse tissue response. Also, it must have a density as low as that of bone, high mechanical strength and fatigue resistance, low elastic modulus and good wear resistance. It is very difficult to

DENTAL IMPLANTS - A Short Note

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Dental implants  are metal posts or frames that are surgically positioned into the jawbone beneath your gums. The dental implant acts as a replacement for the root of a missing tooth .Having a dental implant fused to the jawbone is the closest thing to mimicking a natural tooth because it stands on its own without affecting the nearby teeth and has great stability.The process of fusion between the dental implant and jawbone is called  “osseointegration. Most  dental implants  are made of titanium. The main reason why titanium is often used in the body is due to titanium’s biocompatibility and, with surface modifications, bioactive surface. Dental implants can be used to replace a single tooth, several teeth, or all of the teeth. The goal of teeth replacement in dentistry is to restore function as well as esthetics. STRUCTURE OF DENTAL IMPLANTS  Implants are also  threaded  ; when they are screwed into the bone, they collect bone tissue so that the implant is as stable as po

HALITOSIS

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Hold your hand over your mouth like a mask and exhale....SMELLS BAD? Breath odor affects everyone at some point.General bad breath can be categorized as  halitosis. Odor can come from the mouth, teeth, or as a result of an underlying health problem.Bad breath odor can be a temporary problem or a chronic condition. Although bad breath is often caused by oral problems, other bad breath causes are associated with other health problems.   And bad breath can be a sign of serious disease. 5-10% of bad breath causes are due to disease outside the mouth. That’s 2-5 million people whose bodies are warning them of a serious problem. 90% of bad breath comes from proteins broken down in your mouth. When bad breath is caused by oral problems, it usually smells like rotten eggs.More rarely, dental bad breath can be a fecal odor like odor from the gums or the top of the tongue. Given below are some mouth odors ,which can help you to distinguish various disease.  A  cheesy smell  usually