August 2013 - The Dental Place

August 26, 2013

For some patients, tooth loss is unfortunately inevitable. In some cases, decay or disease is too far advanced to save any of the teeth.

Many patients who find themselves in such circumstances turn to dentures, but some are reluctant to do so because the appliances have earned a negative reputation—undeservedly so.

Patients may have doubts about dentures because they assume that the technology has changed little since their parents and grandparents wore the devices. Indeed, those older appliances often fit poorly and were uncomfortable and ineffective.

Now, the dentist can provide a much higher quality appliance to patients in need of dentures.

The process of getting custom dentures begins with an initial appointment at which the dentist will take models of your mouth to determine the basic shape of the denture. Patients have significant input in this process, and you can specify certain aspects of the denture’s appearance, such as the shade of the teeth.

Because these dentures are made based on models of your unique mouth structure, you will have a good fit with the denture. You will have ample opportunity to try out the denture to make sure that it fits to your specifications. The newer materials are much more lifelike, as well, giving them a more natural appearance. This characteristic also appeals to patients.

Although your dentures will fit quite comfortably in the long run, many patients have an initial adjustment period during which the appliance feels loose or off-target in some other way. If this happens to you, don’t get discouraged. Give it a few weeks, and you should get used to the dentures. If you continue to have problems, bring the appliance back to the dentist for further adjustments that can improve the fit.

Don’t feel that you have to give up comfort and function in order to restore your smile with dentures following tooth loss. Consult with our experts in custom dentures at The Dental Place; you are likely to enjoy better outcomes than you thought possible. Call 972-264-5795 for more information.

August 15, 2013

Many patients who have a gap between their front teeth (a diastema) want to address the problem, but they may not want to endure months or even years of orthodontic treatment to reposition those teeth.

Fortunately, veneers can achieve the desired effect in a much shorter period of time.

A cosmetic dentist can use veneers to conceal any number of unattractive problems, including chips, stains or cracks in the teeth. Additionally, veneers can be used to fill in an empty space between the teeth.

Veneers are thin, tooth-shaped shells, often made of porcelain. They are bonded atop your natural teeth to cover up problems that detract from your smile’s appearance.

The treatment timeline is quite short, and patients usually have their veneers in place within a matter of weeks. At an initial appointment, the cosmetic dentist gathers data used to plan for the shape of the veneers. The teeth may also need to have a thin layer of enamel removed to make room for the veneers.

The information gathered at the initial appointment is then forwarded to the dental laboratory tasked with custom-designing and crafting the veneers. The dentist usually has the veneers back in his or her office within a week or two, and the patient returns to have them placed.

At that second appointment, the dentist may make further adjustments to the shade and shape of the veneer per the patient’s request. In the last step, the veneers are permanently attached to the tooth with a strong dental bonding agent.

Additionally, it’s also important to consider that the porcelain used in the veneers does not respond to teeth whitening treatments in the same way that natural enamel does. If you are planning to have a tooth whitening treatment, do so before the veneers are placed.

If you want to close the gap between your front teeth but are reluctant to pursue orthodontia, consider veneers as an alternative. They can help to improve your smile’s appearance and fill in that gap. Talk to our cosmetic dentists to learn more about your treatment options.

August 4, 2013

Everyone realizes that a missing tooth or missing teeth have a detrimental effect on the smile’s appearance. However, tooth loss also has consequences for your oral health and your overall well-being. Those factors are also compelling reasons to consider dental implants as a treatment for tooth loss.

With dental implants, patients get a structurally complete tooth replacement. The implant is a post made of titanium, which fuses with the jaw. Because the implant osseointegrates, it serves the same function as the missing tooth root. It secures the prosthetic arch and prevents the jawbone from eroding, which happens when the root is absent.

For this reason, your dentist can help prevent further tooth loss by placing dental implants to replace missing teeth. If the jawbone continues to atrophy, the adjacent teeth may be at risk.

Dental implants also benefit patients in terms of nutrition because people who choose implants can enjoy a more complete diet. Dental implants are more effective at chewing due to the connection between the jaw and the prosthetic.

Avoiding a tooth replacement intervention entirely also can have negative outcomes for your oral health. The empty space can offer a welcoming spot for oral bacteria to collect, proliferate and cause tooth decay or gum disease. It can be difficult to keep the space clean, and debris can collect there, providing a food source for those bacteria.

Of course, the aesthetic benefits of dental implants should not be discounted, either. Positive self-esteem and self-confidence are important components of your mental health, and these aspects, too, benefit from dental implants.

Dental implants are appropriate for patients with varying scenarios of tooth loss. They can be used to replace a single tooth or to support a dental bridge or denture when multiple teeth (or even all of them) are missing. These devices have significant advantages for a patient’s health, so talk to our dental team to see if you may be a candidate for dental implants. Call 972-264-5795 today.