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4A Daily News – Tuesday, March 27, 2012 Vitality & health DETROIT (MCT) — She wasn't even wearing heels. But on the sidewalk near the Southfield, Mich., law firm where she works, Arlene Bordman's loafer got stuck in a crack and "I went right over and landed on my mouth." A few weeks later, she felt something rattling and loose in her upper jaw. Her dentist ended up pulling out her upper four front teeth, just six weeks before her son's May 30 wedding. Bordman, 68, of West Bloomfield, Mich., got through the wedding wearing a flipper: fake front teeth attached to a smooth acrylic denture molded to conform — with a little dental adhesive — to the contours of the palate. While it looked good, she felt like she had to relearn how to talk. It didn't give her the strength to bite into chewy bread. "I took it out and I looked like an old, haggard lady. I had no lips," said Bordman, who prides herself on being physi- cally active. Her dentist recommended she visit Dr. Timothy Kosins- ki, a Bingham Farms, Mich., dentist who specializes in den- tal implants. In September, in the space once occupied by the roots of Bordman's front teeth, Kosinski inserted two titani- um implants, screw-like devices, into her upper jawbone. The procedure lasted about 30 minutes with local anesthet- ic. Over the course of the next three months, the screws fused with Bordman's jawbone. Onto the screws, Kosinski threaded an abutment, which holds tightly to four replacement teeth. No more flipping her flipper in and out of her mouth. Bordman has her bite back. "I am like a new person. It's so great. I can eat anything I want to," said Bordman. "I'm a bread person, and I like a good thick roll or sandwich. And I can enjoy it now." Bordman is not alone with her dental woes. Statistics show that 7 out of 10 adults ages 35 to 44 have already lost one tooth due to accident, gum disease, or a failed root canal, according to the American Dental Association. By the time Americans reach their mid-70s, 1 out of 4 has lost all per- manent teeth. Before dental implants, the only alternatives were remov- able dentures or a fixed bridge, which can affect adjacent healthy teeth and often needs to be replaced after several years. Dental implants are growing in popularity because of their long-term durability. With the aging baby boom popu- lation and advances in techniques, dental implants have exploded in use. "Especially in the last 10 years, there's been an exponen- tial growth in the placement of dental implants for missing teeth," said Dr. Monish Bhola, an associate professor and co director for implant dentistry at the University of Detroit Mercy Dental School. "It's really the next best thing to an actual tooth. It's anchored in bone." Most implants last for decades. The small percentage that fail, said Bhola, usually are due to other health issues, such as a patient being diabetic, or a heavy smoker or just not taking care of one's teeth _ be they real or replacement. It can be a costly procedure. In the Detroit area, Bhola said the implant procedure for one tooth can cost about $2,500 to $3,000. Insurance carriers typically haven't picked up implant costs, Bhola said. But that's beginning to change, he said, because of the long-term benefits of an implant compared to a dental bridge. With a bridge, the replacement tooth is secured to adjacent teeth, and that involves filing and cap- ping otherwise healthy teeth to secure the fake tooth in place. That opens the door to weakening the healthy teeth, which can undermine the longevity of the bridge. "There are more chances for these adjacent teeth to devel- op problems because you've cut into them," said Bhola. "If you look at the cost of a bridge with one tooth, it ends up being about the same as an implant." University of Michigan Dental School professor Michael Razzoog said "the biggest thing with implants that a patient needs to hear first is that implants preserve bone." That fore- stalls other future problems, such helping keep teeth aligned Dental implants rebuild smiles fitness MCT photo Dentist Timothy Kosinski holds a dental implant. and reducing gum disease. Implants can replace one tooth or many. In some cases, dentures are screwed securely onto implants, alleviating the tendency for dentures to slip, become dislodged or otherwise embarrass their users. Once it's placed in the jaw bone, the screw-like implant isn't visible. Kosinski, who is a fellow in the American Academy of Implant Dentistry, has been doing them since 1984 and says a work day doesn't go by without him doing an implant. "It's become very routine, because in many situations, it's not traumatic. There are no pain receptors in bone. There's little bleeding, no stitches," said Kosinski. Human bone grows onto the surface metal so it becomes a permanent part of the jaw, said Kosinski. After three to six months of growth, a permanent replacement tooth made out of porcelain is cemented onto the implant. Kosinski said patients who have implants to support their dentures increase their chewing efficiency by 60 percent. "Patients can chew things they couldn't chew before, like lettuce or grapes, because they have more force and stabili- ty," said Kosinski. "And once that happens, they often eat healthier foods." Dr. David Banda's Bloomfield Hills dental practice is now about 50 percent implants, and he said he finds the most satisfaction from doing implants on people who've long struggled with dentures. "I get the most warm fuzzies from denture patients," said Banda. "They withdraw from life as they become dental cripples. They feel they can't sing in a choir because their dentures may fly out. "Once I snap the dentures on the implants, they start walking more upright," said Banda. He recalls one patient who told him what she missed most in life was biting into an apple. On the day Banda final- ly secured her dentures to an implant, he also gave her an apple. "And she started crying," said Banda. Lassen House Assisted Living & Memory Care ★★ FREE FEDERAL BENEFITS SEMINAR★★ NEED ASSISTED LIVING PRESENTS Lic. #525002331 ARE YOU A VETERAN OR SPOUSE OF A VETERAN? Stephen P. DeBoever, Federal Benefits Advocacy 20 years experience with: Social Security Administration Department of Veterans Affairs GOT ALLERGIES? He can answer all your questions He can assist you with the paperwork His services are free to all veterans who have been discharged honorably SATURDAY MARCH 31, 2012 • 1:00PM 705 LUTHER RD., RED BLUFF, CA 96080 (530) 529-2900 705 Luther Road • Red Bluff • (530) 529-2900 www.Emeritus.com James W. 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Auxiliary Easter Sees Candy Sale March 29, Hospital Main Hallway, call 529-8002 Community Diabetes Support Group 6:30pm-8:00pm 4/2 1st Monday Columba Sole Love - Alegria Shoes 9:00am-3:00pm 4/3 Tuesday Low Back and Hip Pain Seminar Grief Support Group See's Easter Candy Sale Cardiac Support Group Childbirth Class Community Basic Life Support Waterbirth Class 10:00am-2:00pm 4/5 Thursday 6:00pm-10:00pm 4/10 Tuesday 6:30pm-8:30pm 4/11 2nd Wed. 6:00pm-8:30pm 4/9 2nd Monday Columba 6:30pm-8:30pm Thursdays Columba Columba Columba 527-5290 6:00pm-7:30pm 4/4 Wednesday Rolling Hills Casino 24-MERCY 3:00pm-5:00pm Thursdays Coyne Center Main hospital hallway 529-8002 528-4207 Main hospital hallway 529-8002 527-5077 529-8026 529-8026 529-8026 Lic. # 525002331 How to introduce oral hygiene to kids (MCT) —Turning good dental practices into habits very early can prevent cavi- ties and many other prob- lems down the road. "It's all about making it a routine, which will last a lifetime," says Dr. Miles Hall, chief dental officer at Cigna. Some tips: Start early. As soon as a child's first tooth appears, begin cleaning it with a brush and water — no tooth- paste yet — and make a den- tal appointment. Introduce toothpaste slowly. Kids usually are ready for toothpaste by age 2 or 3 years old. To keep them from swallowing large amounts, put a pea-sized bead of paste on the brush and squash it down into the bristles. Let kids pick out their toothbrushes. Opting for a favorite color or cartoon character helps them feel in control. Make brushing fun. Put on some great music and do a little dancing as part of the nighttime brush-and-floss routine. Parents can brush at the same time so kids can imitate them. Help with flossing. Kids don't need to floss until gaps between their teeth have closed, but they likely won't be coordinated enough to try it on their own until ages 6 to 8. Before that, it's a parent's job. Expand the tooth fairy's role. She doesn't just need to bring money for lost teeth. She also might leave encour- aging notes and little rewards for good brushing and flossing. Limit sugary snacks. Emphasize regular meals and healthy snacks, but if kids do eat or drink some- thing sugary, teach them to brush or rinse their mouths with water soon afterward. Talk up the dentist. Don't pass on your hatred of dental appointments or details on your fillings and root canals. Keep it positive: the dentist's office is a fun place that helps kids stay healthy.