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Natal teeth are teeth that are already present at the time of birth.Natal teeth usually occur in pairs and generally develop on the lower gum, where the central incisor teeth will appear. 

The exact etiology is not known. Infection,febrile states, trauma, malnutrition, superficial position of the tooth germ, hormonal stimulation and maternal exposure to environmental toxins have been implicated as causative factors.


Natal teeth are usually not well formed, but they are firm enough that, because of their placement, they may cause irritation and injury to the infant's tongue when nursing. Natal teeth may also be uncomfortable for a nursing mother.


Frequently, natal teeth are removed shortly after birth while the newborn is still in the hospital, especially if the tooth is loose and the child runs a risk of aspiration, or "breathing in" the tooth.

Natal teeth...

               

                                              Few days old infant...my youngest patient.

                                                Natal Teeth...extracted.









                                                                                                     

Dental Quotes...

The Monkey Dentist...

The "RING"...

Source of bone grafts...

Bone augmentation is a term that describes a procedure used to "build" bone so that dental implants can be placed. These procedures typically involve grafting (adding) bone or bonelike materials to the jaw. The graft can be your own bone or be processed bone. After grafting, you have to wait several months for the grafted material to fuse with the existing bone. Synthetic grafted materials either cause surrounding bone to grow into the graft or cause cells around the graft to change into bone.After bone augmentation, dentists usually wait four to nine months before placing implants.

Most bone augmentation procedures involve the use of bone grafts. An excellent choice for a bone graft is your own bone. This most likely will come from your chin or ramus (the back part of your lower jaw). If your dentist cannot get enough bone from these areas, he or she may need to get bone from your hip or shin bone (tibia) instead. The hip is considered to be a better source because the hip bone can provide a large amount of bone.

Synthetic materials also can be used for bone grafting. Newer products, such as bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2), also are available. BMP-2 stimulates certain body cells to turn into bone, without grafting.

Bone grafts

A case of mine...
-extracted #23 to #26 and placed bone graft
-Sutured graft in place with chromic gut 4.0
-Tx planned for dental implant

Types of Implants...

Today, most dental implants are made of titanium. This metal has special qualities that make it useful for implants.Titanium develops a thin film on its surface that protects it from corrosion. It is resistant to acids, salt solutions and oxygen, among other things. Titanium also is almost completely nonmagnetic. It is extremely strong for its weight.Perhaps most important, the body does not reject titanium implants as foreign objects.

There are several types of implants. Your dentist decides which type of implant to use based on certain criteria.

Root-Form Implant
Root-form implants are called endosseous or endosteal implants. This means that they are placed in the bone.

Sub-periosteal Implant
The subperiosteal implant is a custom-made metal frame that sits precisely on top of the bone, but under the gums.

Mini-Implant
These small implants are usually about 2 millimeters in diameter. This is almost half the size of many traditional root-form implants.They are placed in the same way as larger root-form implants.

Significance of Dental Implants

       
Dental implants can positively affect a person’s quality of life by improving:

1. Esthetics
2. Improved Self esteem and Regained confidence
3. Function: Efficient chewing of food enables proper digestion and thus assures good health
4. Speech
5. Role in overdentures:

• Comfort: Dental implants eliminate the discomfort associated with dentures. As the jawbone shrinks, the fit of a person’s dentures change. Since dentures sit on top of the jawbone and gums, this can result in a slipping or rocking sensation. Exposed nerves and irritated gum tissue may contribute to discomfort.
• Speech: With poorly fitted dentures, the teeth become susceptible to slipping. As a result, facial muscles attempt to compensate by tensing up to hold the teeth in place. The result is speech that includes mumbling, slurring, or clicking sounds.
• Eating:The average patient with excellent fitting dentures eats at 15 to 20 percent efficiency, when compared with a person with normal teeth. As the jawbone deteriorates, the chewing efficiency is reduced even more, making it difficult to chew many kinds of food. Dental implants work like normal teeth, restoring efficiency and food selection.
• Reliability:Dental implants have very high success rates. A dental implant can also last for decades, if cared for properly. With good oral hygiene, dental implants may even last a lifetime.