December 2021 - West Seneca Dentist | Embury Family Dentistry

I have Type 1 diabetes and wanted to get a dental implant for a tooth I am losing. My dentist suggested that I get a bridge instead because diabetes is a contraindication for dental implants. I just wanted to double check that a dental bridge is my best option. Money isn’t an issue.

Craig

Dear Craig,

I want to “correct” something your dentist said. Diabetes is not a contraindication for dental implants. However, it is a big risk factor. My guess is your dentist said that because he is not comfortable placing them. Do not pressure him to do it. If he is hesitant, he does not have the skill set you need.

Look for a dentist with post-doctoral dental implant training and a high success rate. It will be important that you have all pre-procedural diagnostics done, including a CT scan. These are important not just for proper placement of the implants but to ensure that you have enough bone to retain the implants. This is imperative for a successful outcome. You will also need extra precautions throughout the procedure.

If the dentist needs to refer you to an oral surgeon for the implant placement, it is very important that the dentist is the one who determines the placement of the dental implants and not the dentist. Do not let the oral surgeon tell you otherwise.

Follow those precautions and you should be fine.
This blog is brought to you by West Seneca Dentist Dr. Warren Krutchick.

I have been told I need a root canal treatment. This is one of the busiest times of the year for me. How long can I put off getting a root canal treatment without it becoming a problem?

Luke

Dear Luke,

I wish I had more information here. This is sort of a tough one to answer. What I can give you are some general guidelines.

Here are things to look for which mean that you have an active infection and do not need to put this off. In any of these cases, I would consider it a dental emergency in which you need to get the root canal treatment as soon as possible.

It is hurting, even a little
It recently stopped hurting
If you have drainage in your mouth in the area
If you have a pimple on your gums – this is called an abscess

On the other hand, if the tooth has not hurt in a long time, you may be okay to wait. This is called an arrested infection. It does still affect your general well being, but it is not something that has to be dealt with right away. There have been patients who had a latent infection and didn’t even realize it. However, after they had the tooth treated, they realized their body felt better than it had in a while.

I hope this helps.
This blog is brought to you by West Seneca Dentist Dr. Carl Embury.

Diabetes and Dental Implants

How Long Can You Put Off a Root Canal Treatment?

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