- Dental Implants
- Tooth Veneers
- Teeth Whitening
- Dental Bonding
- Dental Bridges
- Tooth Contouring & Reshaping
- Dental Fillings
- Dental Crowns
- Dental Caps
- Root Canals
Dental implants are fixtures of titanium which are surgically screwed into your jaw bone. The implant is an anchor for a naturally-appearing false tooth or a set of false teeth. The success rate of dental implants depends on where the implants are placed and their purpose. They are typically best placed in the front portion of your lower jaw. Implants are great for replacing missing teeth. It is important that you have enough bone in the area of the missing teeth for the implants to be attached to. Implants are not only used to replace one tooth, but rather people missing most, if not all, of their teeth benefit greatly as well. Implants are increasingly being used to replace certain types of bridges and removable partial denture.
If you're missing one tooth or all of your teeth, implants may well be for you. So long as you have enough bone in the area of the missing tooth to facilitate the anchorage of the implants, this procedure can yield terrific results. If you don't have enough bone for this purpose, a bone graft may be necessary. If you have a small dental bridge or partial dentures (removable type), implants will be a welcome alternative. Implants are an alternative to a fixed bridge. The implant will last a lifetime, but the crown on top of it will last ten to fifteen years.
The implant procedure is a surgical placement of the implant or implants in your jaw bone which requires a three to six month healing period before the implant restoration to replace the missing tooth or teeth. During this healing time, the bone grows in and around the titanium implant creating a very strong support. Dental implants can be rejected. Usually they are replaced with another implant of a slightly larger size. You must go without wearing your dentures for one day to two weeks after an implant placement. After the implant has "taken" and you have sufficiently healed, a very natural crown is placed on the implant.
Types of Procedures
Implants rely on titanium fixtures inserted into the jawbone. Most implants are made of titanium, which is very effective at fusing with living bone (osseointegration). There are three types of dental implants :
Root Form Implant
This screw type implant is shaped like the root of a tooth. This is the most commonly used implant and is used where there is plenty of width and depth to your jawbone. After you've received anesthesia, your dentist will expose an area of your jawbone and prepare the bone for the implant. The implant will be set into place and your gums are closed with stitches. It will take three to six months for healing. After you've fully healed, your implant is uncovered and an abutment is attached.
Plate Form Implant
If your jawbone is too narrow for bone grafting, a Plate Form implant is placed into your jawbone. The Plate Form implant is unique for this purpose as it has a flat and long shape for a better fit into a narrow jawbone. After you've received anesthesia, your dentist will expose an area of your jawbone and prepare the bone for the implant. The implant will be set into place and your gums are closed with stitches. It will take three to six months for healing (some Plate Form implants are immediately ready for restoration without the long healing process).
If there's not enough bone width or height for the Root Form or Plate Form implants, the Subperiosteal implant is recommended. The Subperiosteal implant is custom made to rest on top of your jawbone and under your gums like the Plate Form implant, but the Subperiosteal implant is placed through one of two special methods.
The first method of placement involves your dentist making an impression of your jawbone. After you've received anesthesia, your dentist exposes your jawbone and takes an impression of it. After the custom-fit implant is created the jawbone is exposed and the implant is placed. Your gums are then closed with stitches and replacement teeth are installed.
The second method of placement requires a CAT scan of your jawbone. Through computer modeling techniques, a model of your jawbone is made from the CAT information. The next step is to again expose your jawbone and place the implant. Your gums are then closed with stitches and replacement teeth are installed.
As our life span increases, a permanent dental replacement like implants is increasingly important as we get older. While dentures and removable bridges are usually loose and unstable, implants provide you with dental replacements that are both natural looking and very functional. Implants look much better, and feel better, than traditional removable bridges, and offer the same force for biting as bridges that are fixed in place. Implants will last your lifetime.
Implants are a major investment and not without risk. The extensive use of implants can cost tens of thousands of dollars to achieve a great result. It is also a very time consuming procedure when having many implants placed. For some people there are varying degrees discomfort or pain, which subsides in a couple of days. As with similar types of surgery, bruising and minor swelling might also develop shortly after the procedure. The crown (false tooth placed on top) will need to be replaced in ten to fifteen years.
Veneers, porcelain or plastic, are placed over the front teeth to change color shape of the teeth. Veneers are ideal for teeth that are too small, too big, or have uneven surfaces. It is very common for people to have imperfect teeth, either oddly shaped teeth, chipped teeth, crooked teeth, teeth with small holes in them, or an inappropriate sized tooth or teeth that have an odd appearance. Veneers solve such irregularities and create a durable and pleasing smile.
It is important to "try in" your veneers with temporary cement that is the same color cement as will be used for the permanent attachment. During this "try-in" phase, be sure to look at the veneers in natural light in addition to the office light. Teeth are prepared for veneers by lightly buffing to allow for the small added thickness of the veneer. Veneers are thin like contact lenses, and will usually only need tooth reduction of a small amount. A mold is taken of the teeth, from which the veneers are modeled after. Temporary veneers will be placed and worn until your permanent veneers are ready. Any changes you want will be translated into your permanent veneers, so good communication between you and your dentist is important in achieving your new smile.
The veneers are placed with water or glycerin on the teeth to verify their perfect fit and the shade or color. The color cannot be changed after the veneers are adhered to your teeth. The tooth is then cleansed with chemicals to achieve a durable bond. Once the glue is between the veneer and your tooth, a light beam is used to harden the glue/cement.
Types of Procedures
There are two tooth veneers procedures available that correct discoloration of the teeth by removing the brown and yellow staining.
Composite Veneer Procedure
Composite (direct) veneers can be done in one visit. The procedure is an application of a bond and enamel directly to the tooth's surface.
Porcelain Veneer Procedure
Porcelain (indirect) veneers are a very thin porcelain material. Usually porcelain veneers require two visits and also require a dental laboratory to create the final tooth restoration piece.
Porcelain veneers are common in creating new smiles and smile makeovers. With porcelain veneers, you can have the smile of your dreams in a very short period of time. Typically veneers are difficult to stain, making veneers a very popular solution for many people seeking that perfect smile. Strong and very durable, veneers last from ten to fifteen years, and come in colors that will brighten dark teeth without the worry of them changing color. Veneers are typically done in only two one and a half hour long appointments, and can actually strengthen your tooth.
It takes roughly a week or two of a period of adjustment to get used to your teeth that have been changed in color, size, spacing and shape. While very little tooth is removed in most cases, there are situations where more tooth must be removed which increases the risk of trauma to the tooth.
It is common to have minor sensitivity after your teeth have been prepared for your veneers while wearing the temporary veneers. Some people can experience a difference in speech, usually pronouncing "s" and "f" sounds. Veneers are very reasonable facsimiles of natural teeth, but not perfect replacements for natural teeth. It's common to see slight variations in the color of veneers upon very close inspection, as with natural teeth.
If you suffer from bruxism, clenching or grinding of your teeth, veneers can be damaged, chipped or cracked from this.
Lumineer Porcelain Veneer Procedure
Made of Cerinate porcelain, Lumineers are a new type of porcelain veneers. They are contact lens-thin. Little to no tooth reduction in most cases is necessary with this type of veneer and anesthetics or numbing shots are not needed.
Made of Cerinate porcelain, Lumineers are a new type of porcelain veneers. They are contact lens-thin, roughly .2 mm thick. Little to no tooth reduction in most cases is necessary with this type of veneer and anesthetics or numbing shots are not needed. It is claimed that Lumineers resist micro-leakage and micro-cracking more so than traditional porcelain veneers. Unlike other porcelain veneers, you won't need to wear temporary veneers until the Lumineers are created. Lumineers are expected to last just as long as traditional porcelain veneers. Lumineers are reversible if no tooth reduction was necessary when they were first done. Cost is less than traditional porcelain veneers.
As there is little to no tooth reduction needed for Lumineer porcelain veneers, there is a limit to how much smile correction can be accomplished. This can also lead to bulky appearing and feeling veneers in some cases. Cosmetic Dentists offering Lumineers are specially trained specifically for this type of veneer which means for the time being there are fewer Cosmetic Dentists offering Lumineers.be completely cleaned or filled requiring the procedure to be done again when this area becomes infected.