3 Tips For Cosmetic And Restorative Dental Procedures When You Have An Autoimmune Disease
Posted on: 28 March 2016
Many people with autoimmune diseases experience frequent and recurrent dental problems. If you are considering cosmetic and restorative procedures, you must determine which ones will have the least impact on your overall health and ways to minimize the cost of having redundant procedures.
Use Bridges Instead Of Single Implants
For a single missing tooth, you may want a bridge instead of an implant. The bridge will help maintain the integrity of the surrounding teeth without the invasive nature of implants. Since the bridge is anchored with the help of the surrounding teeth, there are fewer additional risks of infection beyond extraction of the damaged tooth. This can be the easiest and least impactful way to restore one or a few damaged teeth.
In some instances, a bridge might be a better option than a crown, even if there is a remaining portion of the tooth that can be salvaged. You may find it is more cost-effective to have the tooth extracted and replaced with a bridge than face the possibility of having the tooth repaired and replaced with a crown, only to need an extraction later.
Consider Dentures
If you have many decaying teeth, dentures may be a better option than having several implants. Although full implants are often ideal since they are anchored to your bone, it can be difficult to safely have an implant when you have a poorly controlled autoimmune disease. There are several factors that can affect the ability to place an implant and its long-term success when you have an autoimmune disease.
Poorly controlled inflammation may cause the implant to fail since it may never heal properly. High levels of systemic inflammation are also correlated with a higher likelihood of gum disease, which can affect your short and long-term chances of sustaining an implant. Additionally, if you are on long-term treatments, such as high doses of corticosteroids or biologics to help suppress your immune system, your risk of infection from the procedure can be extremely high.
Find Better Long-Term Cosmetic Strategies
Some people with autoimmune diseases find they experience many problems with their teeth. In addition to frequent cavities, their teeth may chip or break easily leading to more costly dental needs. If you are experiencing frequent damage to your teeth, it may be time to discuss the options available to minimize costs when you factor in your long-term repair needs.
If you want to improve the aesthetics of your teeth, you likely want a procedure that minimizes the amount of surface area removed from your teeth during the procedure, which can reduce susceptibility to decay. One option is newer forms of veneers with a thinner profile, instead of traditional veneers that require more removal of the tooth's surface. Similarly, veneers may be a better long-term strategy than frequent whitening sessions, which can make your enamel more porous and irritate your gums.
Autoimmune diseases can make repairs and restorative dental procedures more difficult and the results are often more costly because the same teeth may experience subsequent problems. Choosing the procedures that are least impactful to your mouth can reduce the instance of failed procedures and infections. For more information, contact a cosmetic dentist.
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