Dental implant technology has come a long way in the last few
years, but it doesn't guarantee that the treatment will be a
success. On rare occasion, the material or incorrect placement
causes the problem. The most common causes of the failure of
this procedure are the patient's health and lifestyle habits.
Overall, the failure rate only ranges between 0 and 15%
depending on the area of the mouth receiving treatment. By
learning what causes these issues, you can prevent them and give
yourself the highest chance at success.
What Is Considered A Dental Implant Problem
Several characteristics constitute the failure of these types of
treatments. The form doesn't have to fall out to be considered a
problem. Movement is also a bad sign. The dentist will also keep
an eye on the amount of bone loss you suffer. Loss of more than
one millimeter in the first twelve months after the procedure
and more than 0.2 millimeters each year after is a bad sign. In
general, a problem is considered to be anything that shows the
bone did not grow over and attach itself to the implant properly.
Smoking Or Tobacco Use
The largest factor in dental implant failure is the use of any
type of tobacco. These products significantly decrease the
quality and amount of the jawbone available for the device to
attach to, which often leads to a painful problem known as
peri-implantitis. The toxins in these harmful products also
degrade overall oral health making it difficult for the area to
heal properly. Gum disease also has negative effects on these
treatments. In most cases, the dentist will not use this method
to improve oral health until well after the patient has stopped
using tobacco.
Bisphosphonates And Medication
Certain medications such as bisphosphonates that are given to
treat osteoporosis interfere with the bone's ability to attach
itself to the metal plating or pin that holds the replacement
tooth in place. This causes the treatment to remain loose in the
mouth, and even if it were to attach itself, the slightest
pressure could break it loose. Because of the seriousness of the
conditions these medications are prescribed for, it is often
better to live with a missing tooth than to suffer with the
original medical problems.
Grinding Or Bruxism
The conscious or unconscious habit of clenching or grinding your
teeth together is terribly hard on the attachment of the bone to
the metal. These habits are hard on your natural teeth and wear
away the enamel, but it isn't likely to knock them loose because
teeth have a special ligament attached to them that absorbs
pressure and movement. Because replacement teeth don't have this
ability yet, it wears on the bone it is attached too forcing
them to come loose.
Whether you live in New Jersey or New York, dental implant techniques are an excellent way to replace a missing tooth, but they aren't foolproof and are not for
everyone. If you would like to have this treatment and have some
of these issues, you might be able to talk with your doctor or
dentist to deal with them before having the procedure done. You
will further increase your chance at success and enjoy a
flawless smile as a result.
About the author:
Christine O'Kelly is an author for the Manhattan dental implant experts at Smile In The City. These friendly dental professionals use the latest techniques for a wide range of treatments including teeth whitening, laser periodontal services, and New York dental implant technology.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Humidors to the Rescue: A Necessity For Every Cigar Smoker
Perhaps the movies are to blame. All those scenes where the
powerful businessman or politician says to the ingenuous hero,
"May I offer you a cigar," then--without missing a
beat--brandishes a gold-embossed cigar case. A case with no
humidity controls. A case that is not a humidor.
Whatever the reason, many casual cigar smokers--and even fairly
committed lovers of premium cigars--don't realize how important
it is to store your cigars in a humidor.
In fact, if you're like many smokers, you're asking yourself
what a humidor is, and why you should use one. A humidor is,
basically, a box that's designed to maintain your cigars at a
certain level of humidity (near seventy percent) and a proper
temperature (seventy degrees or below) when you're not, you
know, smoking them.
Why exactly is that near-seventy-percent humidity figure so
important? To answer this question, we have to remember what a
cigar is--a set of cut, dried, cured, fermented, rolled-together
leaves. When the cigar maker picked these leaves, allowed them
to dry, and cured them, etc., it put those leaves on a process
that ends in the death of the leaves, and the death of their
flavor. In the open air, these leaves can easily dry out
completely, and the cigar loses its taste. In a too-humid
environment, on the other hand, they get moldy. Basically, the
moment you purchase a cigar, you are in a war with the elements;
your job is to keep the cigar's flavor alive, while the elements
(air, bacteria, etc.) want your cigar to be spoiled.
Humidity is your ally in that battle. The tobacco plant has
evolved to thrive in an environment near seventy percent
humidity--the condition in which you'll most often find it in
nature--and if you can replicate that humidity, your cigars are
in good shape. The best humidors use Spanish cedar or Honduran
mahogany to trap that moisture, and they have a hygrometer--a
device that controls and allows you to monitor moisture levels.
Now that you know why you need one, here are some tips on the
care and feeding of humidors. First of all, new humidors need to
be "seasoned." When you buy your humidor, before using it, wipe
the interior wood with a moist cloth, then leave a small, closed
container of water inside the humidor for 12 hours. After those
twelve hours are up, check to see how much of the closed vial of
water the humidor has "drank." If it's nearly empty, then repeat
the process for another twenty-four hours. Repeat this process
until the water stops evaporating; now the humidor is ready for
your cigars!
You'll also need to fill the hygrometer (the device controls
humidity levels). Use distilled water--or a humidifying solution
(the humidor should come with instructions regarding this
choice). Let the excess water drip from the hygrometer into a
sink, and wipe off the outside of the device. Put it in the
humidor. Another option should you choose not to use a
hygrometer, is a new product that many veteran keepers of the
stick have turned to: Bóveda Packs. Bóveda Packs are an amazing
invention. Each pack is rated for a certain humidity level,
either 72%, 69% or 65%.
Simply place the correct number of Bóveda packets inside your
humidor to maintain a precise relative humidity. Each Bóveda
packet consists of a specially prepared saturated solution of
pure water and natural salt. This saturated solution is
contained within a water-vapor permeable reverse osmosis
membrane. Within a closed desktop humidor Bóveda maintains a
predetermined level of (RH) by releasing or absorbing purified
water-vapor--as needed--through the membrane. Boveda Packs are
only to be used once, they are not refillable. They become very
stiff when the contents are spent. These amazing packs last
around 2 months in an average humidor.
Another recommendation: don't keep your humidor near any home
appliances that tend to affect home humidity, or any places in
the home where these appliances tend to be stored. These might
include heaters, air conditioners, vents, fans, and windows.
Keep it away, also, from sustained direct sunlight; pay
attention to the way that sunlight exposure changes throughout
the seasons, too, because some "safe places" in your home might
be less safe during the summer, when the sun's rays creep
further in and stay longer.
And lastly, know what to do if, in spite of all your
preparations, your cigars suffer an attack of tobacco beetles.
This irritating species preys on tobacco and, in some cases, can
bore through a humidor. First of all, remember not to let the
temperature in your humidor go too high--tobacco beetles
flourish at temperatures over 75 degrees. (So a tobacco-beetle
infestation means you haven't monitored that humidor carefully
enough!) Take out the cigars that have been infested and keep
them in your freezer for 48 hours. Refrigerate them for another
day after that. Now they should be safely returnable to the
humidor--which, in the meantime, should be thoroughly cleaned,
checked for structural integrity, and if necessary, replaced.
Spanish-cedar humidors, by the way, are slightly better for
keeping these nasty beetles out in the first place.
About the author:
CigarFox provides you the
opportunity to build your own sampler of the finest cigars that
include cigar brands like Montecristo, Romeo & Julieta, H
Upmann, Macanudo, Cohiba, Partagas, Gurkha and many more. Choose
from more than 1200 different cigars! Other cigar products
include cigar humidors, cigar boxes, and cigar accessories like
Zippo Lighters.
powerful businessman or politician says to the ingenuous hero,
"May I offer you a cigar," then--without missing a
beat--brandishes a gold-embossed cigar case. A case with no
humidity controls. A case that is not a humidor.
Whatever the reason, many casual cigar smokers--and even fairly
committed lovers of premium cigars--don't realize how important
it is to store your cigars in a humidor.
In fact, if you're like many smokers, you're asking yourself
what a humidor is, and why you should use one. A humidor is,
basically, a box that's designed to maintain your cigars at a
certain level of humidity (near seventy percent) and a proper
temperature (seventy degrees or below) when you're not, you
know, smoking them.
Why exactly is that near-seventy-percent humidity figure so
important? To answer this question, we have to remember what a
cigar is--a set of cut, dried, cured, fermented, rolled-together
leaves. When the cigar maker picked these leaves, allowed them
to dry, and cured them, etc., it put those leaves on a process
that ends in the death of the leaves, and the death of their
flavor. In the open air, these leaves can easily dry out
completely, and the cigar loses its taste. In a too-humid
environment, on the other hand, they get moldy. Basically, the
moment you purchase a cigar, you are in a war with the elements;
your job is to keep the cigar's flavor alive, while the elements
(air, bacteria, etc.) want your cigar to be spoiled.
Humidity is your ally in that battle. The tobacco plant has
evolved to thrive in an environment near seventy percent
humidity--the condition in which you'll most often find it in
nature--and if you can replicate that humidity, your cigars are
in good shape. The best humidors use Spanish cedar or Honduran
mahogany to trap that moisture, and they have a hygrometer--a
device that controls and allows you to monitor moisture levels.
Now that you know why you need one, here are some tips on the
care and feeding of humidors. First of all, new humidors need to
be "seasoned." When you buy your humidor, before using it, wipe
the interior wood with a moist cloth, then leave a small, closed
container of water inside the humidor for 12 hours. After those
twelve hours are up, check to see how much of the closed vial of
water the humidor has "drank." If it's nearly empty, then repeat
the process for another twenty-four hours. Repeat this process
until the water stops evaporating; now the humidor is ready for
your cigars!
You'll also need to fill the hygrometer (the device controls
humidity levels). Use distilled water--or a humidifying solution
(the humidor should come with instructions regarding this
choice). Let the excess water drip from the hygrometer into a
sink, and wipe off the outside of the device. Put it in the
humidor. Another option should you choose not to use a
hygrometer, is a new product that many veteran keepers of the
stick have turned to: Bóveda Packs. Bóveda Packs are an amazing
invention. Each pack is rated for a certain humidity level,
either 72%, 69% or 65%.
Simply place the correct number of Bóveda packets inside your
humidor to maintain a precise relative humidity. Each Bóveda
packet consists of a specially prepared saturated solution of
pure water and natural salt. This saturated solution is
contained within a water-vapor permeable reverse osmosis
membrane. Within a closed desktop humidor Bóveda maintains a
predetermined level of (RH) by releasing or absorbing purified
water-vapor--as needed--through the membrane. Boveda Packs are
only to be used once, they are not refillable. They become very
stiff when the contents are spent. These amazing packs last
around 2 months in an average humidor.
Another recommendation: don't keep your humidor near any home
appliances that tend to affect home humidity, or any places in
the home where these appliances tend to be stored. These might
include heaters, air conditioners, vents, fans, and windows.
Keep it away, also, from sustained direct sunlight; pay
attention to the way that sunlight exposure changes throughout
the seasons, too, because some "safe places" in your home might
be less safe during the summer, when the sun's rays creep
further in and stay longer.
And lastly, know what to do if, in spite of all your
preparations, your cigars suffer an attack of tobacco beetles.
This irritating species preys on tobacco and, in some cases, can
bore through a humidor. First of all, remember not to let the
temperature in your humidor go too high--tobacco beetles
flourish at temperatures over 75 degrees. (So a tobacco-beetle
infestation means you haven't monitored that humidor carefully
enough!) Take out the cigars that have been infested and keep
them in your freezer for 48 hours. Refrigerate them for another
day after that. Now they should be safely returnable to the
humidor--which, in the meantime, should be thoroughly cleaned,
checked for structural integrity, and if necessary, replaced.
Spanish-cedar humidors, by the way, are slightly better for
keeping these nasty beetles out in the first place.
About the author:
CigarFox provides you the
opportunity to build your own sampler of the finest cigars that
include cigar brands like Montecristo, Romeo & Julieta, H
Upmann, Macanudo, Cohiba, Partagas, Gurkha and many more. Choose
from more than 1200 different cigars! Other cigar products
include cigar humidors, cigar boxes, and cigar accessories like
Zippo Lighters.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Ways to Prevent and Eliminate Cigar Breath
Newton's third law puts it this way: For every action there's an
equal and opposite reaction. But the old '70s soul song says it
all much more colorfully: You always have to pay for the fun
you've had.
No matter what your hobby or pet pastime, there's always some
undesirable aspect that has to be dealt with. If you're an
athlete, you may have to spend the occasional Monday morning
icing a pulled muscle. Sports spectators have to deal with hard
bleacher seats, cold weather, and possibly obnoxious bellowing
from the guy in the next row--unless you catch the game on TV,
where you just have to put up with odd camera angles. Or let's
say you like reading: Obsessive readers may end up with slight
vision problems--in fact, graduate students in literature are
often advised that they should expect (and be checked for)
increased nearsightedness with each year of study. Too much TV
can induce apathy and is positively correlated with depression
and obesity (and with infomercials, a far worse fate). And most
everybody enjoys video games, but if you enjoy them too much,
you may--there are documented cases of this--incur a repetitive
stress injury to your thumb. As for pet owners, well, let's not
even talk about all the poop-scooping that becomes part of your
life.
And cigar smokers have their own result of fun to consider.
Specifically, the aromatic scent of their favorite cigar may
attach to unwelcome places such as clothes. In fact, back when
cigar smoking was the universal habit of Victorian gentleman,
many of these smokers would maintain a separate outfit to wear
when smoking, which would absorb the fumes. (Thus the terms
"smoking jacket" and "smoking cap," which we still use.)
But it's the effect of a cigar scent settling on breath that
some cigar smokers may find troublesome. The considerate cigar
smoker is aware of this and plans accordingly. Here are some
suggestions to help you pay for the enjoyment you've
had--without paying too much!
1) Choose good cigars. This may seem like an obvious point, but
the better-made the cigar, the less chemical the odor. Buy
well-made, hand-rolled, long-filler cigars from a quality cigar
outlet or online store.
2) For while you're smoking: Drink tea, or eat. (Mild-flavored
teas are most recommended; as for foodstuffs, consider dark
chocolates or other simple, strong-but-not-too-strong tastes.)
"Cutting" your cigar with food or drink can help absorb both the
aftertaste and the effects on breath.
3) Keep some fresh parsley on hand--or even a parsley plant in
your kitchen or living room, or whatever room is nearest to the
place where you smoke. This herb has traditionally come
recommended for its odor-killing powers.
4) Chew gum. Mint-flavored gums are recommended, the stronger
the better.
5) On that note, try chewing raw mint. As with parsley, you can
keep it around in its herbal form and chew it undiluted after a
cigar. You can also keep strong breath mints on hand.
6) Mouth sprays, as well as mouthwashes specifically intended
for cigar smokers, are available commercially, and can be
purchased from cigar stores or online cigar retailers. These are
highly recommended. They're made by people who understand. Some
of the anti-cigar-breath mouthwashes have the side benefit of
clearing away the tar that might otherwise stain your teeth. If
these mouthwashes aren't available, a typical mouthwash and a
good tooth-brushing will be a lot better than nothing.
7) To avoid breath problems the next morning after a smoke:
After a smoke, never go to bed without eating something. Even if
it's just a tiny, simple snack, it "cuts" the cigar and reduces
breath problems while seeming to absorb and clear away the odors
in your mouth.
So, to recap: enjoy good cigars. Drink tea or eat while you
smoke, or after you smoke. Brush your teeth like Mom said, and
use a good mouthwash--perhaps especially a mouthwash intended
for cigar smokers. And mint and thyme help too, especially for
those days when you have to rush from your smoke to a work
meeting or a date.
About the author:
CigarFox provides you the
opportunity to build your own sampler of the finest cigars that
include cigar brands like Montecristo, Romeo & Julieta, H
Upmann, Macanudo, Cohiba, Partagas, Gurkha and many more. Choose
from more than 1200 different cigars! Other cigar products
include cigar humidors, cigar boxes, and cigar accessories like
Zippo Lighters.
equal and opposite reaction. But the old '70s soul song says it
all much more colorfully: You always have to pay for the fun
you've had.
No matter what your hobby or pet pastime, there's always some
undesirable aspect that has to be dealt with. If you're an
athlete, you may have to spend the occasional Monday morning
icing a pulled muscle. Sports spectators have to deal with hard
bleacher seats, cold weather, and possibly obnoxious bellowing
from the guy in the next row--unless you catch the game on TV,
where you just have to put up with odd camera angles. Or let's
say you like reading: Obsessive readers may end up with slight
vision problems--in fact, graduate students in literature are
often advised that they should expect (and be checked for)
increased nearsightedness with each year of study. Too much TV
can induce apathy and is positively correlated with depression
and obesity (and with infomercials, a far worse fate). And most
everybody enjoys video games, but if you enjoy them too much,
you may--there are documented cases of this--incur a repetitive
stress injury to your thumb. As for pet owners, well, let's not
even talk about all the poop-scooping that becomes part of your
life.
And cigar smokers have their own result of fun to consider.
Specifically, the aromatic scent of their favorite cigar may
attach to unwelcome places such as clothes. In fact, back when
cigar smoking was the universal habit of Victorian gentleman,
many of these smokers would maintain a separate outfit to wear
when smoking, which would absorb the fumes. (Thus the terms
"smoking jacket" and "smoking cap," which we still use.)
But it's the effect of a cigar scent settling on breath that
some cigar smokers may find troublesome. The considerate cigar
smoker is aware of this and plans accordingly. Here are some
suggestions to help you pay for the enjoyment you've
had--without paying too much!
1) Choose good cigars. This may seem like an obvious point, but
the better-made the cigar, the less chemical the odor. Buy
well-made, hand-rolled, long-filler cigars from a quality cigar
outlet or online store.
2) For while you're smoking: Drink tea, or eat. (Mild-flavored
teas are most recommended; as for foodstuffs, consider dark
chocolates or other simple, strong-but-not-too-strong tastes.)
"Cutting" your cigar with food or drink can help absorb both the
aftertaste and the effects on breath.
3) Keep some fresh parsley on hand--or even a parsley plant in
your kitchen or living room, or whatever room is nearest to the
place where you smoke. This herb has traditionally come
recommended for its odor-killing powers.
4) Chew gum. Mint-flavored gums are recommended, the stronger
the better.
5) On that note, try chewing raw mint. As with parsley, you can
keep it around in its herbal form and chew it undiluted after a
cigar. You can also keep strong breath mints on hand.
6) Mouth sprays, as well as mouthwashes specifically intended
for cigar smokers, are available commercially, and can be
purchased from cigar stores or online cigar retailers. These are
highly recommended. They're made by people who understand. Some
of the anti-cigar-breath mouthwashes have the side benefit of
clearing away the tar that might otherwise stain your teeth. If
these mouthwashes aren't available, a typical mouthwash and a
good tooth-brushing will be a lot better than nothing.
7) To avoid breath problems the next morning after a smoke:
After a smoke, never go to bed without eating something. Even if
it's just a tiny, simple snack, it "cuts" the cigar and reduces
breath problems while seeming to absorb and clear away the odors
in your mouth.
So, to recap: enjoy good cigars. Drink tea or eat while you
smoke, or after you smoke. Brush your teeth like Mom said, and
use a good mouthwash--perhaps especially a mouthwash intended
for cigar smokers. And mint and thyme help too, especially for
those days when you have to rush from your smoke to a work
meeting or a date.
About the author:
CigarFox provides you the
opportunity to build your own sampler of the finest cigars that
include cigar brands like Montecristo, Romeo & Julieta, H
Upmann, Macanudo, Cohiba, Partagas, Gurkha and many more. Choose
from more than 1200 different cigars! Other cigar products
include cigar humidors, cigar boxes, and cigar accessories like
Zippo Lighters.
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