What Is A Dental Bridge?
A dental bridge is a false tooth (called a pontic) that is held in place by the abutment teeth on either side of the gap. Our pontics are made from porcelain to aesthetically blend in with your natural teeth.
There are four main types of dental bridges:
If you are interested in learning more about dental bridges or to schedule a consultation, please do not hesitate to call us at 410-643-5500 or click here to request an appointment.
What Are Dental Crowns?
Dental crowns are fixed prosthetic restorations made to restore a damaged tooth to its original shape and size. They are permanently cemented on teeth that have cracked, extensively decayed, or otherwise been damaged. Although they sometimes extend down onto the root surface, crowns essentially replace the outer aspect of the “crown” part of a natural tooth.
When affixed, the crown fully encases the portion of the damaged tooth that sits above the gum line. Crowns are custom made to fit over each tooth. They can be made of a variety of different materials, including ceramics, porcelain-and-metal, or resin.
When Are Dental Crowns Used?
Crowns are installed to perform several important functions. They protect weak teeth, restore broken teeth, prevent cracked teeth from breaking further, and support teeth that have large fillings. Variants of crowns are also used to hold dental bridges in place. Crown support or replace a structure that no longer works on its own. When teeth are badly damaged, cracked, broken, or misshapen, crowns are the most effective solution. Crowns restore the appearance, shape, and alignment of a damaged tooth. After a crown is cemented in place, it’s usually the only visible part of the tooth. Crowns are made to look like natural teeth, so they don’ t stand out or look odd inside the mouth.
If you are interested in learning more about dental crowns or to schedule a consultation, please do not hesitate to call us at 410-643-5500 or click here to request an appointment.
For some people, ordinary bridges and dentures are simply not comfortable or even possible, due to sore spots, poor ridges or gagging. In addition, ordinary bridges must be attached to teeth on either side of the space left by the missing tooth. An advantage of implants is that no adjacent teeth need to be prepared or ground down to hold your new replacement tooth/teeth in place.
To receive implants, you need to have healthy gums and adequate bone to support the implant. You must also commit to keeping these structures healthy. Meticulous oral hygiene and regular dental visits are critical to the long-term success of dental implants. The American Dental Association considers two types of implants to be safe.
The two types are:
Endosteal Implants are surgically implanted directly into the jawbone. Once the surrounding gum tissue has healed, a second surgery is needed to connect a post to the original implant. Finally, an artificial tooth (or teeth) is attached to the post-individually, or grouped on a bridge or denture.
Subperiosteal Implants these consist of a metal frame that is fitted onto the jawbone just below the gum tissue. As the gums heal, the frame becomes fixed to the jawbone. Posts, which are attached to the frame, protrude through the gums. As with endosteal implants, artificial teeth are then mounted to the posts.
What Is The Key Benefit Of Dental Implants?
The key benefit of dental implants over other tooth replacement systems is that an implant connects directly to the jawbone. It’s obviously not the same as the original connection, but functions just the same. When a tooth is lost, bone loss will eventually occur in that region because the root is no longer stimulating and stabilizing the bone. By using titanium (which biochemically joins to bone) to replace the root, you get a bond that more accurately replicates the one found in nature.
If are interested in learning more about dental implants or to schedule a consultation, please do not hesitate to call us at 410-643-5500 or click here to request an appointment.
What Are Dentures?
Dentures are artificial teeth and gums that are formed to your mouth and created to replace lost or removed natural teeth. Dentures can either be full or partial, meaning they can either replace all teeth on either the top or bottom gum line, or just a few that are missing. Regardless of what kind of dentures you may need, they will be custom designed to fit your mouth, and visually matched to your existing teeth.
Why Wear Dentures?
Dentures not only improve the appearance of a smile that has multiple missing teeth, but they also keep the structure of the mouth sound by supporting the structures around the cheeks and lips. Dentures also make it possible to eat foods that require chewing, making it possible to keep your diet the same and ensure that you are properly nourished. Lastly, dentures are a viable solution to replace teeth that are causing serious pain and oral health issues, such as those with rotted roots or severe damage. Having dentures fitted means that troublesome teeth are eliminated and replaced with a strong and beautiful alternative.
Partial dentures are often used instead of other tooth replacement methods when the surrounding natural teeth are not strong enough to support structures such as dental bridges, or when more than one or two teeth are missing.
The partial dentures are fitted to the part of the gum line that they will sit on, and fasten to nearby natural teeth to keep from falling out of place. They are not permanently fastened, however, and can be easily taken out at any time for cleaning and while sleeping.
Full dentures, otherwise known as complete dentures, are dentures that replace all of your natural teeth. You can have them fitted for your top or bottom gum line, and are held in place by suction and/or the help of an oral adhesive. Just like partial dentures, they are easily removable.
Immediate Dentures & Overdentures
There are some other kinds of full and partial dentures that differ from traditional permanent dentures including a type called immediate dentures. These dentures are created before the teeth that are being replaced with dentures have been removed and are used immediately after tooth extraction and during the healing process, which can be up to six months long. These dentures can be more easily refitted than permanent dentures to accommodate for mouth changes as the swelling in the gums and jaw subsides while healing. The immediate dentures will be disposed of once the healing process is complete and your mouth is ready for permanent dentures.
Overdentures are an alternative that can be used if traditional dentures prove to be extremely uncomfortable or if you have a few natural teeth left. Overdentures are fitted over the roots of natural teeth and either rest on these or on dental implants, if there are no natural teeth to fit over. Some find this type of denture more comfortable and they are also easily removable.
As the name seems to imply, these are dentures which are anchored by dental implants. A dental implant is a permanent fixture that is anchored to the jawbone and can be used to replace any number of teeth. They’re comprised of the implant itself, a metal post (usually titanium), and a custom crown which looks just like a natural tooth.
Implant-supported dentures have a couple of different ways in which they can attach, but should be cared for and treated like traditional dentures.
How To Clean Your Dentures
Regardless of what kind of dentures you may have, all dentures need to be cleaned daily, just like regular teeth. Even though dentures are made up of artificial teeth, bacteria, plaque, and tartar still build up on them and can harm existing teeth and gums.
To clean your dentures, take them out of your mouth and run clean water over them to dislodge any food particles that may be stuck between teeth, along the gum line, or underneath the structure. Then brush the dentures all over with a denture brush or very soft toothbrush using a mild soap or denture cleaner. Be sure not to use any other cleaners, regular toothpaste, or electric toothbrushes as these are all too abrasive and can damage and wear away the denture materials. After cleaning, make sure to rinse them well.
While your dentures are out of your mouth, be sure to clean your gums and any natural teeth with a very soft and wet toothbrush and fluoridated toothpaste if needed.
Preserving Your Dentures
Always remove your dentures before sleeping to avoid damaging them, dislodging them, and to give your gums some time to relax. Submerge your dentures fully in warm, but not hot, water to keep them from drying out and becoming misshapen.
If are interested in learning more about dentures or to schedule a consultation, please do not hesitate to call us at 410-643-5500 or click here to request an appointment.
What Is A Filling?
A filling is a way to restore a tooth damaged by decay back to its normal function and shape. When you get a filling, we first remove the decayed tooth material, clean the affected area, and then fill the cleaned out cavity with a filling material.
By closing off spaces where bacteria can enter, a filling also helps prevent further decay. Materials used for fillings include porcelain, a composite resin (tooth-colored fillings), and an amalgam (an alloy of mercury, silver, copper, tin and sometimes zinc).
Which Type of Filling is Best?
No one type of filling is best for everyone. What’s right for you will be determined by the extent of the repair, whether you have allergies to certain materials, where in your mouth the filling is needed, and the cost. Considerations for different materials include:
If decay or a fracture has damaged a large portion of the tooth, a crown, or cap, may be recommended.
If you are interested in learning more about fillings or to schedule a consultation, please do not hesitate to call us at 410-643-5500 or click here to request an appointment.
Dental veneers (sometimes called porcelain veneers or dental porcelain laminates) are wafer-thin, custom-made shells of tooth-colored materials designed to cover the front surface of teeth to improve your appearance. These shells are bonded to the front of the teeth changing their color, shape, size, or length.
Dental veneers can be made from porcelain or from resin composite materials. Porcelain veneers resist stains better than resin veneers and better mimic the light reflecting properties of natural teeth.
What Can Dental Veneers Fix?
If are interested in learning more about veneers or to schedule a consultation, please do not hesitate to call us at 410-643-5500 or click here to request an appointment.