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Am I a Candidate for Dental Implants?
I am 54 years old and have had dentures since my late teens. I have been told I would not be a candidate for implants. Is this in fact true?Thanks for your enquiry. You may be surprised that you are a candidate for dental implants. The only way to determine if you are is to have a comprehensive dental evaluation. At that time, we will take all of the necessary x-rays, digital photos; perform a neuromuscular exam along with an oral cancer screen. At this appointment we will be able to determine if you are a candidate for dental implants or not. If you do not have enough bone for dental implants, we can talk about bone grafting to increase the amount of bone in order to have implant surgery. Would you like to make an appointment for a consultation?
Dale J. Brant, DDS
Charles Campbell, DDS
713.795.905
888.790.0309
Full Dental Restorations
Full dental restorations are needed anytime a person loses several teeth in their upper or lower arch. Missing teeth are a serious problem. If you do nothing about the fact that some of your teeth are gone, you will eventually have problems with all of your remaining teeth.
That’s why it’s strongly recommended that you contact our office and talk to us about the options you have for tooth replacement. The nature and cost of each of these options varies, but nothing should ever make you think that there is no option for you. Something can be done, and there is always a way to work out financing through one of our many payment option programs for qualified dental patients.
Delaying treatment is never a sound course of action. Your remaining teeth need one another to stay in alignment. Any gap in the upper or lower arch is going to negatively impact the teeth on either side of the gap. Also, the jawbone is going to recede when one or more teeth are lost and tooth roots no longer stimulate the bone through chewing. Speaking and eating will become very hard for you as well.
Your lips and cheeks will lack the support they need for a more youthful appearance. For these reasons, we recommend one of three full dental restorations to help you stay healthy and keep a beautiful smile.
Depending on your medical and your financial situation, you could choose any of the following three options:
· A conventional full denture
· An overdenture
· Cosmetic Dental Implants
Conventional full dentures
When all of your teeth are missing or must be removed, a full dental restoration can be done with a set of conventional dentures. Conventional dentures can fit and function well at the start.
However, when all the teeth in an arch are missing, the jawbone gradually shrinks. This can be prevented by placing dental implants in the gaps to replace the tooth roots, then using the implants to support the dentures. This may be out of your price range, however, but it is something you can do later down the line if you choose.
Another option for full dental restoration is to save the remaining teeth and actually use them to help secure a set of overdentures fill in the gaps.
Overdentures
An overdenture looks the same as a regular denture, but it’s held in place by some of your existing teeth. This allows overdentures to be more secure and feel more natural than conventional dentures. And because some of your natural teeth are left in place, loss of bone in your jaw is slowed significantly.
Implants
Implants are small titanium posts that are placed into the bone of your jaw. They are the best of all full dental restoration options because they replace the roots of missing teeth, they help maintain the health and shape of the jawbone. Like we have already noted, implants also hold dentures, or they can support porcelain crowns.
However, implants require surgery, and they can take months to heal completely.Labels: cosmetic dental implants, cosmetic dentures, full dental restorations, overdentures
When all of the teeth in a dental arch are lost, implant dentures can prove an excellent way of replacing them. These small titanium posts are biofriendly devices that go into the jawbone itself, replacing the roots of missing teeth. They can be used to support porcelain crowns, removable dentures, or a full-arch dental bridge.
Something has to be done when you lose teeth, because there are many problems associated with the loss of tooth roots. Bone loss is the most severe of these. Loose and uncomfortable dentures are another. Last, a compromised appearance that will make you self-conscious is a third.
The human jawbone requires the stimulation of chewing in order to maintain its strength and shape. Without tooth roots, the bone mass begins to deteriorate, and the jawbone begins to shrink and recede.
This bone recession continues to occur over time. If you wear dentures, they will become looser and more uncomfortable. The lower jawbone can actually shrink so much that nerves close to the surface of the bone make it painful to bite down.
This will alter the appearance of your face. As your jawbone shrinks, the space between your chin and nose decreases. This flattens your lips and creates wrinkles around your mouth.
Implant dentures can be used to support a full arch to resolve these problems.
To make a conclusive diagnosis as to whether or not implant dentures are right for you, we first conduct a thorough dental examination. This examination begins by reviewing your medical history in order to determine if there are any pre-existing conditions that can interfere with healing.
Next, we perform a visual examination on your mouth to check the health of your teeth and gums. In order to determine the health of your jawbone, we take panographic x-rays, and, sometimes, possibly CT (computerized tomography) scans. We will also take impressions of your teeth and bite registrations in order to create an accurate model of your mouth.
After we have thoroughly studied these results, we will be able to diagnose discuss which implant treatment options may be best for you.
Implant dentures effectively replace missing teeth. The implant is placed firmly in the jawbone, and it holds the dentures in your mouth. This makes it feel much like your natural teeth when you talk and chew.
An implant also supports the denture by holding your jaws in their correct positions and helping you maintain a more youthful look. In addition, the artificial teeth are custom-crafted to match or enhance your smile. A dental implant is a great way to stabilize your jawbone, keep it healthy, and maintain a stable bite and beautiful smile.Labels: Dental Implants, implant dentures
What year did your sports dentistry relationship with Rice University begin?
1995. We started seeing from the football team who suffered from problems ranging from concussions, to TMJ problems, to issues with mouthguard fit. Since then, our services expanded to provide every aspect of general and cosmetic dentistry to emergency care.
Because we are only steps away from the campus, dental emergency service been one of the most valuable services we provide to Rice University athletics. We also make many custom mouthguards for their teams.
How many students and staff do you see per month?
We see anywhere from 5 to 15 athletes per month.
What feedback have you gotten from the coaches and trainers?
They have consistently thanked us over the years for the superior care and attention we have shown to the unique needs of their athletes. We have to also thank them as well. Rice trainers have been very helpful when it comes to us in giving us clear information on situations that players face in different athletic events and specific sports dentistry needs that different athletes face at different times.
We have a very strong relationship with the trainers as a result. They can call us at any time, because they know that their athletes will be taken care of. The coaches love the fact that this is one less thing that they have to worry about.
What teams do you work for other than the football team?
We provide sports dentistry services for athletes from every sport. A lot of them who remain in the Houston area continue to be our patients.
How many true dental emergencies have you faced with athletes?
We have treated dental emergencies for countless times over the previous years.
How crucial has your handling of dental emergencies been to student health?
It has literally meant the difference between some players keeping their teeth or losing them. From an athletic perspective, emergency spots dentistry limits the time that the player is away from the game.
What improvements to player performance have you been credited by the Rice U. staff?
Trainers have commented that sports dentistry helps an athlete return to the game with as much, if not more, confidence than he or she left the field with. Perhaps getting back in the game quickly and performing that is biggest help to player confidence.
Where do you see this service going in terms of working with other schools?
Yes. The fact that we are located literally steps away from Rice University Campus makes it even more convenient for players to count on us for dental emergency treatments.
Would you be willing to do this for high school and junior high teams?
Yes. In particular, we could fit everyone on their football teams need custom mouthguards. Labels: custom mouthguards, emergency sports dentistry, rice university
All-Porcelain Crowns
New technology has made it possible for tooth-colored crowns to be all porcelain crowns. Previously, porcelain crowns had to be built around a metal core. This was the only way to make the crown strong enough to withstand biting and chewing forces. The problem with this was that the metal core created a dark blue line at the edge of many crowns.
This has all changed, thanks to breakthroughs in adhesives and the development of stronger porcelain materials that allow us to make crowns completely out of porcelain. This new material is completely translucent and almost impossible to distinguish from natural teeth.
All porcelain crowns eliminate the problem of the dark line at the edge of the gum. This allows us to place the edge of the crown above the gum line, which in turn is much better for your teeth and gums.
An all porcelain crown is usually the best corrective, cosmetic treatment option for you if any of the following is the case:
· Your tooth has experienced significant decay. There simply is not enough tooth structure remaining to support a cosmetic dental filling.
· A large part of the tooth has fractured and cannot be rebuilt using traditional composite resins.
· You have a large cavity and decide to go for the additional protection of a crown to prevent further tooth decay.
· You have had a dental implant, and an all porcelain crown provides you with a natural-looking tooth replacement.
· After a root canal, we may recommend a crown to strengthen your tooth.
· If you suffer from bruxism and have a poor diet, the acid erosion may have eroded your teeth to the point that all porcelain crowns are the only way to restore them.
· If any of the above conditions have made you self-conscious when you smile, all porcelain crowns can improve your appearance and restore your self confidence.
These cosmetic tooth restorations have to be custom made in a dental laboratory. That is why it takes more than one trip to our office to get them.
During the first consultation, we remove any decay and reshape the tooth surface. This is done with a special drill under the influence of local anesthesia that will make the procedure painless. Once we have reshaped the tooth to accommodate a dental crown, we then take impressions of your teeth using special dental putty. We send this mold of your mouth over to a dental lab, when then uses it as a guide to make your new all porcelain crowns. In the meantime, we fit your tooth or teeth with a temporary crown to protect them while we wait on the lab to finish its work.
When your crown is ready, we call you back to the office and remove the temporaries. We use a special etching solution to roughen the outer enamel of your teeth. This helps the crown better bond to its surface with dental cement. After trial fitting the crown to make sure all is in order, we permanently cement it in place.
All porcelain crowns should last at least 10 years if you take care of them properly.
Labels: all porcelain crowns, all-porcelain crowns, cosmetic dental crowns
There was a time that silver amalgam was the primary method of restoring damaged or decayed portions of your teeth. In fact, you probably have silver amalgam fillings in your mouth now. However, you do not have to continue getting them, nor do you even have to keep them.
Resin onlays are a much better alternative to amalgam fillings for a number of reasons.
Amalgams are not very attractive because they are glaringly visible. They also expand and contract with temperature changes, sometimes causing teeth to crack. Amalgam fillings can fracture as they age, and this breaks their protective seal. The tooth is once again vulnerable to decay as a result. Once this happens, the tooth will need to be crowned, and this will cost you more money.
Metal in your amalgam fillings can also cause you to get gray stains on your teeth and gums. However, the good news is that resign onlays can provide a safer and much more cost effective alternative to all of this.
Resin onlays bond directly and tightly to the natural tooth structure. This restores your tooth to almost all of its original strength. The actual bonding process requires only a tiny fraction of original tooth mass to be removed—far less than that required to fill your tooth with silver-mercury amalgam.
By minimizing the amount of natural tooth matter that is lost, dentists are able to keep your teeth in much better shape. They are much stronger, and much less likely to crack or break. The chances of you needing to spend more money on a dental crown further down the line are thereby greatly reduced.
Resin onlays are also much better for your gums. Their margins are placed above the gum line and therefore do not irritate gum tissue. Also, they contain fluoride, which helps prevent tooth decay that can sometimes occur at the edges of traditional fillings.
Health benefits aren’t the only thing you receive from these great cosmetic tooth restorations. You also get the added attraction factor of a restoration that matches the identical color of your teeth. Onlays blend right in with the color of existing enamel and cannot be noticed by the average person when you smile.
Whether you replace just one or all of your fillings with resin onlays, you'll be amazed at their natural, beautiful appearance, and you'll be delighted by the difference they'll make in your smile.
It normally takes two dental visits to make resin onlays. During the first visit, molded impressions are taken of the tooth and sent to a dental laboratory. Here, the restoration is custom fabricated to match the tooth.
When you return for your second visit, the onlay is placed on your tooth and bonded in place.Labels: resin onlays
When you lose all of your upper or lower teeth, you may want to consider a full denture for replacing them. There are better tooth replacement options, but for some people on a budget, dentures may be the only course to pursue as an immediate solution to their problem. If this applies to you, there are ways that you can benefit from them.
Full dentures will allow you to eat three meals a day, speak clearly in conversations, and have a smile that is presentable to others.
You will need to be examined by a Houston cosmetic dentist to make sure that dentures will work for you. We will need to perform a full dental examination of your gums and any teeth that remain in your mouth. The examination normally includes taking a set of X-rays to see how healthy your jawbone is. We will also need to take impressions of your mouth in order to make a working model of it.
Finally, we record the positions of the center line and lip line in order to know exactly where to place your dentures. When all this is finished, we talk to you at length in order to agree upon the very best shape and color for your new cosmetic tooth replacements.
The good news is that there are four types of full dentures. Each one offers a different set of benefits to people in different situations. We help you determine which type is best for you.
Standard dentures
These dentures use as much surface area as possible in order to maximize stability and retention. They extend all the way to behind the hard bone in the back of the mouth. Most of the time, they are prescribed for people who have already lost all of their teeth.
Immediate dentures
Immediate dentures are made before natural teeth are extracted. As cosmetic dentists, we prefer to save existing natural teeth rather than to pull them like this.
Implant retained dentures
Full dentures that are retained by implants are the most expensive dentures you can get. However, they are also the very best you can get. The implant itself is a titanium screw that goes into your jawbone to simulate a natural tooth root. This allows your jawbone to retain its shape and original mass.
Overdentures
Overdentures look like regular dentures, but they work differently. They are actually held in place by some of your natural teeth. Overdentures are more stable as a result and feel more natural within your mouth. Because we are able to leave some of the natural teeth in place, you lose less jawbone mass as a result.
The shape of your mouth depends upon a full set of teeth or teeth replacements. Without them, your lips and cheek cave in and your face starts to prematurely wrinkle. Full dentures retain the shape of your mouth and maintain the proper function of your jaw muscles. Dentures with implants will also halt jawbone recession.Labels: full denture types, full dentures
What is at home whitening?
At home whitening is a proven dental system that allows you to restore the natural whiteness of your teeth from the convenience of your own home. The procedure is set up in a dental office, and the materials are provided for you by your dentist. You are given a set of instructions to follow, and you have medical supervision throughout the process without the need to drive into the office more than is convenient.
When would I need at-home whitening?
The simple answer is: when your teeth become visibly yellowed or brown. There are many things that can cause this to happen. Tooth darkening often occurs over the natural course of time as minerals penetrate the outer enamel of the tooth. Beverages can also stain teeth. Some of the most notorious drinks are coffee, colas, tea, red wine, and berry juices.
If you smoke or use smokeless tobacco, you already know what this does to your teeth. The same yellowish color that you see in a cigarette filter goes right into your tooth enamel—and stays there.
We can create an at-home whitening system that will remove these stains and restore the cosmetic attraction factor of your smile. We do this by making a specially formulated whitening gel that is designed to safely and gently force oxygen through the enamel of your teeth. The process practically erases stains and brightens your teeth without doing any damage to your tooth enamel or your gums.
How do you create an at-home whitening system?
We start by doing a full dental examination. This is to make sure your gums, teeth, and surrounding mouth tissues are health. Once the procedure is determined appropriate for your state of dental health, we next take impressions of your teeth to make models. With these models, we create a personalized whitening tray that will fit tightly over your teeth. This lets us achieve the very best results for you.
Once you go home, you follow the instructions that we give you. Placing the tray over your teeth, apply it for several hours each day. You can wear these trays around the house or while you are sleeping. You will see results in a couple of weeks.
This process is monitored by our team from start to finish. We want to make certain that in the process of whitening your teeth that your gums do not become irritated.
What do I do if my gums do become irritated?
Call our office if you notice acute sensitivity. This is normal, but it should not be severe or prolonged. If special toothpaste for sensitivity does not alleviate the problem, we will take other action at that point.
How do I keep my teeth white?
Stay away from food and drinks that will stain your teeth. Brush and rinse your teeth with water after you eat or drink anything you think my have an effect on your teeth. Schedule periodic visits to our office to touch up the white and remove any new stains that form.
Proper fit is essential for dentures to work. Periodically, adjustments and relinements have to be made in order to maintain proper fit. This is because new dentures are made to fit properly at first, but as tissues in your mouth change
New dentures are made to fit properly, but as the tissues in your mouth change over time, your dentures will need to be adjusted, relined, and eventually replaced.
One of the reasons that dentures sometimes need to be adjusted is to relieve the sore spots that develop in the mouth. These adjustments are made in the dentist office.
Relinement of dentures is needed when the denture fit becomes noticeably changed over time. This change in fit is caused by your jaw bone receding. The jaw naturally and continually shrinks when natural teeth are missing. Unfortunately, nothing short of dental implants can stop this. Many people lose up to 60% of their original jawbone mass in the first three years after getting dentures.
Many bad habits can also affect denture fit. Sleeping with your dentures in can cause you to grind your teeth and clench your jaw. This can accelerate shrinkage. Weight loss or weight gain can also affect the shape of your gums.
Once this affects how the base of your dentures fit the surface of your gums, you will need to get a relinement for a better fit. This will probably be within the first several months after you receive your new dentures. This cycle of denture relinement will need to be continued for the life of your dentures.
Denture replacement will have to be arranged every 5 to 10 years or so. This is because your mouth will have changed so much by that time that your old dentures simply will not fit any longer. In some instances, old denture teeth can be fit in a new base. In other instances, we may have to make an entirely new base with all new denture teeth.
You may realize that your denture needs to be replaced when you notice any of the following problems:
You get your dentures relined, but that does not improve the fit.
Your mouth is always sore and irritated.
Your face changes.
You have difficulty chewing certain foods.
Your dentures fall out when you laugh or talk.
The denture teeth become worn, or the denture is broken.
You have headaches or pain in your jaw joints or neck.
Although relinement and replacement are never fun for denture patients, the importance of a good fit cannot be underestimated. When dentures do not fit well, they become loose, and the areas around them become prone to infections, sores, and excess scar tissue. Poorly fitted dentures will make chewing more difficult and affect how much your jaw muscles and joints function.
Dentures that are consistently relined and maintained at a proper degree of fit prevent these problems. They also keep your appearance looking good.
Labels: cosmetic dentures, denture relinement
Silver amalgam was once the mainstay material for tooth fillings. It was used for over a century to fill cavities and to restore parts of the teeth that had been destroyed by decay. It was especially used in back teeth, where the coloration of silver-mercury was less noticeable. The drawback to this material, however, is obvious. If you have to have a tooth in the front filled, its appearance is clearly going to be diminished. White fillings, on the other hand, look identical to the surrounding tooth matter and are much better for your teeth as well.
You see, amalgam, by its very nature, can cause damage to your tooth in the long run. This is because amalgam fillings absorb moisture. They also expand and contract with temperature changes. As an amalgam filling ages, it can actually crack a tooth. At that point, you will have to have the tooth crowned to save it.
White fillings do not expand or contract like this, and they are also moisture resistant.
Silver fillings can also deteriorate due to a process called metal fatigue. This causes them to corrode and to leak over time. The protective seal of the filling gets broken and new decay forms beneath it. This leakage will also make the entire tooth begin to look gray as time goes by.
White fillings made of composite materials are a much better alternative.
Dental science has now evolved to a point that tooth-colored materials can be created that are durable, long-lasting, and cosmetically appealing. New materials such as porcelain and composite resin can give you an attractive, natural look and at the same time restore strength and durability to your tooth.
Both porcelain and composite resin white fillings are directly bonded directly to your tooth. This restores it to nearly 100 percent of its original strength and functionality. Both porcelain and white fillings can be custom-colored to precisely match your teeth. Only trained dentists can see the difference between these cosmetic tooth restorations and the real thing.
The improvement that white fillings make in your smile is invaluable. You no longer have to be self-conscious about how you come across when people see your teeth.
White restorations also preserve more natural tooth matter.
This is because healthy tooth structure must be removed just so an amalgam filling can fit. When a tooth is restored with composite resin, however, we only have to remove the decay itself. The resin easily bonds to the tooth without any of its natural surface area needing to be removed.
By bonding white fillings directly to your tooth, we also help add strength to your tooth.
So if you are seeking for an attractive and effective option for restoring one or more decayed teeth, be certain to ask us about the latest choices in white restorative materials.
Labels: composite bonding resin, white fillings
There are problems with amalgam fillings that dental patients need to be made aware of. Some of these problems are medical in nature, while others are cosmetic in nature. While amalgam fillings did at one time help save many teeth, they have outlived their usefulness. Today’s world of cosmetic dentistry now allows for better materials to be used that produce stronger teeth, a more natural smile, and a better overall health for the long-term dental health of the patient.
But what, exactly, is meant by the term amalgam filling?
Amalgam means that it is a combination of different metals. In the case of amalgams, fillings are composed of 35 percent silver, 15 percent tin (or sometimes tin mixed with copper), traces of zinc, and 50 percent mercury.
Amalgams have been used for decades as restorative solutions to cavities and cracks in teeth. Many health organizations still claim that the mercury used in these fillings is safe because it is atomically bonded to other metals. There are those who disagree, however. They claim that mercury is a toxic heavy metal and should not be trusted in the mouth, period.
Amalgams also expand with heat and cold. This causes them to stress the surrounding tooth mass. If the filling expands enough, it can actually crack the tooth from the inside out.
Corrosion is another problem that people with silver-mercury fillings face. Silver fillings corrode over time and start leaking. When this happens, bacteria get under the filling and decay starts to develop all over again.
Amalgams will also often fracture when a person ages. This breaks their protective seal, and decay ensues again.
Other problems with amalgams include cosmetic detriment to the person’s smile.
Honestly, silver-mercury fillings have never looked that good. They show up as dark spots on a tooth. In the back of the mouth on large molars, this is not a big deal. Few people look in the back of your mouth like that, and if they do, you probably don’t want them to like what they see.
However, the people that you smile at with your front teeth will notice your amalgams. If you have silver-mercury fillings in any of your front teeth, you are probably already self-conscious about this.
They also create unsightly dark gray stains on teeth and gums.
Thankfully, white fillings have now emerged on the scene that allow us to replace amalgams with better, healthier, and more aesthetic alternatives. New tooth-colored materials such as composite dental resin and porcelain allow us to avoid all these medical and cosmetic problems and produce reliable, durable, and natural-looking results. Labels: cosmetic dental resin, cosmetic teeth whitening, white fillings
When you are missing some of your teeth (a condition known as a partially edentulous arch), it is imperative that you do something. Delaying treatment is never a good idea, because the medical impact of doing nothing is worse than you probably assume. Missing teeth will cause other teeth to grow out of alignment. Cheek muscles will cave in and wrinkle. A person can start looking older than they really are, and the jaw bone will begin to deteriorate due to the absence of a tooth root to grow around. You do not want this to happen to you.
Fortunately, you have more than one option. These choices include the following:
· A bridge
· Implant-supported crowns or a bridge
· A partial denture
Bridges
There are several types of dental bridges you can have placed in your mouth to substitute for missing teeth. Before we look at these options, let’s first understand what a dental bridge is.
A dental bridge is an artificial tooth that is attached to the teeth on either side of the gap in your smile. These teeth work as anchors, holding the bridge in place and providing support. A bridge is fixed in the mouth and is therefore more stable and secure.
The problem, however, is the effect a bridge can have on surrounding teeth. In order to place the bridge in the first place, we have to reduce tooth surfaces in order to make it fit. This makes the teeth more vulnerable to decay. In severe cases, root canals eventually have to be done on some of these teeth.
However, getting a bridge requires us to reduce the size of the supporting teeth, and reducing teeth can sometimes lead to decay and the need for root canal therapy.
This type of dental bridge is called a fixed or non-removable bridge. It is commonly used as a restoration for an edentulous arch. A second type of bridge is supported by dental implants. This eliminates the need to use surrounding teeth as brackets. This is better for your teeth, although it is also more expensive.
Implants
You can also get dental implants as replacements for missing teeth. Implants use a titanium post to substitute for the tooth roots of missing teeth. The post supports a porcelain crown that is by all accounts the best possible and longest lasting tooth replacement. Not only does the crown act as a fully functional tooth, but it looks realistic. The post mimics a tooth root just enough to fool the jawbone into thinking a tooth root is still there, so bone recession is prevented.
Implants do require surgery, and recovery time can be several months. They are also expensive.
Partial dentures
Partial dentures can also works as missing tooth replacements. Of course, this is not the very best restoration for a partially edentulous arch, but it may be the most affordable option for you in the beginning. There are several types of partial dentures we can make for you. We can fit you with an all-acrylic flipper, which is a form of provisional partial denture. We can also fit you with a metal-based conventional partial denture if you prefer. For patients that need additional support for their restorations, implant supported dentures are also sometimes used. Labels: cosmetic dental implants, cosmetic removable partial dentures, missing teeth replacements, partially edentulous arch
Homecare Manual for Esthetic Dentistry
Once you have receive an entirely new smile from your Houston cosmetic dentist, remember that it is going to take some time for you to get used to your new bite. Believe it or not, esthetic dentistry home care is simple. It is not about doing something difficult or laborious—it’s simply about doing a few basic things consistently. This will make your new adjustment comfortable for you, and it will ensure the success of your new smile.
Anytime your bit is altered by esthetic dentistry, the position of your teeth change. This causes them to feel different for a few days. The brain will need some time to get used to the changes. If you detect noticeable irregularities in your bite, call us to schedule another adjustment.
Otherwise, expect your teeth to be somewhat sensitive to cold, heat, and pressure for a short period of time. This is because tooth structure must be removed to place restoration materials on your teeth. After several days, this sensitivity should go away. If it does not, call us for another appointment.
You may also notice that your gums appear a bit swollen, and they may feel sore for a few days after esthetic dentistry. The best way to handle this is to rinse three times daily with warm salt water. Use one teaspoon of salt in one cup of water. This should be all it takes to relieve the pain and swelling.
If salt water is not enough, then talk to your dentist about over-the-counter pain medication. This should be enough to dispel the rest of the pain.
You might notice that your speech is affected after an esthetic dentistry treatment. Do not be alarmed, because this is normal. You will find that you will soon be speaking normally again. Salivation may also be affected. Again, this is simply a matter of the brain needing some time to adjust. Within a week, excessive saliva should be gone.
If you play sports, ask your dentist to make you a custom mouthguard to protect your new smile.
Keep in mind that anything you chew on or eat that can damage or crack natural teeth will also damage cosmetic teeth restorations. You should avoid sticky candies and hard substances. Avoid popcorn hulls, peanut brittle, ice, and chewing on your nails.
Try to quit smoking if you do. Any esthetic dental work can be undone in a short period of time if you smoke. Cola, berries, strong coffee, teas, and red wines can also stain your new restorations. Brush and rinse thoroughly after drinking them.
In order to ensure the long-term success of esthetic dentistry, remove daily place with brushing and flossing. Also, see us regularly for professional cleanings. Labels: homecare for esthetic dentistry
An indirect resin is a custom-made, white plastic restoration whose purpose is to bond to a damaged tooth and restore its cosmetic appearance and almost the full amount of its original strength.
One of the biggest advantages offered by an indirect resin is its ability to preserve much more of the original structure of a tooth compared to that of an ordinary filling.
The origin of the term “indirect resin” lies in the tact that this restoration must be manufactured in a dental laboratory instead of it being applied directly to your mouth. The laboratory must first harden the dental restoration through a special process. This involves curing the material with specific amounts of heat and pressure in order to make it much, much more durable.
The actual material used to make an indirect resin is made from either a special type of plastic or plastic material, mixed with glass. This material is tooth colored by nature, and is available in a variety of shades that allows us to closely match its color to the color of your existing, natural teeth.
In order to restore a tooth with an indirect resin, it takes multiple appointments. This first appointment focuses on removing decayed, damaged, or weakened portions of a tooth. We also have to remove old dental fillings if they are still present. We make this procedure very comfortable for you by numbing the around the tooth so that you will not feel pain while we are working.
We next take an impression of your teeth in order to create a working model of your mouth. The lab needs this model so it can accurately manufacture your indirect resin according to the parameters of both your existing teeth and the teeth we have prepared for treatment. By making a model of your entire mouth, we are able to restore the tooth both medically and cosmetically. By treating the tooth as one of many that exist in relationship to one another, we can better correct your natural bit.
We then send this model off to the lab. In the meantime, we must place a temporary restoration in your tooth in order to preserve the preparatory work we have done and to ensure that no further decay ensues in the meantime.
Meanwhile, at the dental laboratory, the resin material is carefully placed into the model. Your indirect resin is then individually designed and colored to match it to your teeth in as much of a lifelike manner as possible.
When you return to our office the second time, we remove the temporary filling and place a conditioning gel on your tooth in order to get it ready for the new resin filling. We then place the bonding agent in the tooth, and use a special, high-intensity light to bond your indirect resin restoration to the tooth.
After removing all excess cement, we adjust your bite, and then we polish the restoration to a high luster.
It is normal for you to have some sensitivity to hot or cold in the area, but this should soon go away after a few days. If you have any more problems, questions, or concerns, just call our office.Labels: indirect resins
What is the goal of esthetic dentistry?
The goal of esthetic dentistry is to completely transform your average or damaged smile into an award-winning smile.
What is the value in paying for this service?
If you don’t think you can show your teeth when you smile, you may feel severely limited in personal encounters and professional settings. The debilitating effect this can have on your life can make you shy and withdrawn, even if you are an otherwise outgoing person.
I’m not so vain as to need a perfect smile.
This is not about vanity, nor have we ever billed a single client for perfection.
Esthetic dentistry is all about individual beauty beyond comparison and self confidence that comes from within. There is nothing vain or ego-driven about this. It is about you being your best and no one else’s.
The psychological impact of this service is only part of the equation, though. Real science goes into making something concrete out of a feeling of new confidence and performance.
In order to do this, we have to carefully examine every aspect of your smile and determine which. esthetic dentistry treatments must be implemented to correct the challenges that confront you.
What are some examples of what you can do to restore my teeth?
A few examples of the many esthetic dentistry services we offer include, but are not limited, to the following:
Crooked teeth that would otherwise need painful and embarrassing metal braces can now be corrected with painless invisible braces.
Teeth with gaps between them can be corrected with cosmetic dental braces, cosmetic dental bonding, or thin veneers placed on the sides of the teeth to fill in the gaps.
Discolored teeth that need to be whitened can be treated by cosmetic resin or professional teeth cleaning.
If your gums are uneven and extend over the tops of your teeth when you smile, we can use a technique called crown lengthening to make your teeth alone visible when you smile without your gums being visibly embarrassing to you.
If your teeth are too long, or too shore, they can be reshaped with special tools or dental bonding to make their edges smoothly follow the curve of the lower lip.
Esthetic dentistry employs a variety of tools, technology, and techniques that are not always used by general dentists. Many of its benefits are purely cosmetic, but others have real medical value as well. Because of this, practitioners of this highly specialized discipline must pursue credentials in licensing in general dentistry as well as cosmetic dentistry so that every patient gets the maximum benefits that any given procedure can provide. Labels: cosmetic dental bonding, cosmetic dental braces, cosmetic dental veneers, esthetic dentistsry
Can Laser Dental Therapy Fix Gaps Between My Teeth?
I am 36 yrs old. I had gum disease and gum recession a few years ago. I was treated professionally with antibiotics put inside the periodontal pocket. However, my both upper and lower front teeth now have a big gap between them. This looks unattractive when I smile, and it has affected my confidence deeply.
Does laser gum treatment close the gap between teeth? If not, is there any other option to help to close the gap between them?
Connie
Thanks for the enquiry. Most likely, we will be able to help you out. If you still have periodontal disease that needs to be treated and we can help you with that. As far as the gaps between your teeth that also can be treated depending on what is needed. We would be happy to help you out, please give us a call.
Dale J. Brant, DDS
Charles Campbell, DDS
713.795.5905
888.790.0309Labels: gaps between teeth, Gum Disease, laser dental therapy
Laminate Veneers cover and protect teeth. They are an excellent, affordable, and highly practical tooth restoration that can solve any number of dental problems. Teeth that are stained can be whitened by thin veneers. Chipped teeth can be smoothed and made to look whole and attractive once more. Misaligned teeth can be straightened without the need for orthodontics.
In light of the more complex and expensive alternatives, laminate veneers are often the best choice for the patient on a budget who wants a lasting solution without the complications and costs of multiple dental visits or dental surgery.
But what, exactly, is a laminate veneer?
It is actually a very thin sheet of porcelain that is designed to cover the front of the tooth. However, it can also be customized to fit the sides of a tooth in order to close a gap. Sometimes as well, a very small piece of laminate can be affixed to the end of a small tooth to increase its length. In some cases, misshapen teeth can be repaired this way as well by applying a smooth, thin veneer to their surface to cover up the asymmetry of the tooth.
The procedure itself is very simple and requires only two visits to the dentist. The first thing the dentist does is to examine your teeth and take x-rays of them. This lets the dentist know if any serious tooth decay or damage lies hidden inside the mouth that may require other corrective treatments or dental procedures.
If nothing is found, the next step is to prepare tooth surfaces in order to make the laminate veneers fit to form without looking thick or bulky. While this does involve removing a small amount of tooth surface, so little is removed that the majority of people do not need an anesthetic.
After the teeth have been prepared, the dentist next takes impressions of your teeth and makes a mold of your bit. This mold is then sent to a lab. Here, dental technicians will make your thin veneers custom-fitted to the exact dimensions of your teeth.
When your laminates arrive back in our office, we call you in to place them on your teeth to make sure they fit. After this, we bond them to the teeth and use a special, high-intensity to harden the cement.
Your bite will then be tested, and any minor adjustments that need to be made will be made. Thin veneers are extremely strong. With the right care, you can expect them to last anywhere from 10 to 15 years. Some even last longer.
It is important that you continue to practice brushing and flossing as always. Although your veneers are tougher than tooth enamel, take care of them as you would your natural teeth. Labels: laminate thin veneers, laminate veneers, porcelain veneers, thin veneers
Sports Dentistry is a vital element of player safety and health. The Houston Medical Center Dental Group works in Partnership with Rice University to meet the dental needs of all the players on the Rice Football Team. We provide the full range of sports dental services to ensure the maximum possible safety of each player, thereby improving team spirit and furthering the pursuit of excellence and accomplishment.Rice University is located only a few steps from our office. Consequently, we provide them with all sports dentistry services pertinent to the needs of their athletes. In particular, we make custom, protective mouthguards for football players. However, there are many other components to sports dentistry that we also provide to people associated with Rice Athletics.
One of the most important elements of our sports dentistry program is the effective management of emergency situations.
One story in particular comes to mind in regards to how vital this service is.
One afternoon 8 years ago, we received a contact from the trainer at Rice University. He explained that he would be brining one of the cheerleaders to our office for a dental emergency. This young lady was a “flyer” in their gymnastics routines. During the course of a practice session, she took a hard fall to the ground and knocked out several of her teeth.
In these situations, in order for emergency sports dentistry treatment to have any chance of saving the teeth, we have to see to it that several critical things are done:
- The teeth need to be kept clean and moist. This can be done by the patient holding them in his or her mouth, or it can be done by immersing the teeth in a sanitary container filled with a saline water solution.
- If teeth are exposed to open air out of the mouth for more than 30 minutes, the chances of re-implanting them slip away quickly
- In most cases, immediate root canal procedures have to be performed.
- After this, the teeth must be re-implanted and stabilized.
The cheerleader who came to us had a total of five front teeth knocked out. Some were upper teeth, and some were lower teeth. The trainer had been informed to keep the teeth moist and clean as noted above. We were able to get these back into her mouth before that critical 30 minutes was up. Over the course of the next year, the management of these teeth was very successful overall. Only one was lost, and it was replaced by a dental implant.
Over the past 8 years later, the remaining four teeth have remained viable and stable. This lady is still a patient of ours since her graduation because of the treatment she received under our sports dentistry relationship with Rice University.
These same services are available to other universities, colleges, and school districts interested in protecting the safety and maximizing the performance of their athletes. Labels: dental emergency service, emergency sports dentistry, re-implanting teeth, sports dentistry
What is tooth bonding?
It is a cosmetic dental service used to repair the structure and appearance of damaged teeth. It can fix decay, chips, cracks, gaps, oddly shaped teeth, and teeth that are too long or too short. Sometimes it can even be used to whiten teeth that are stained. It is also the best way to replace lost dental fillings.
How many types of tooth bonding procedures?
There are two types of bonding. The type that you need will depend on your situation. It will depend on how small or how large of a correction you are going to require.
How long does the process take at the dentist's office?
Tooth bonding can be done in a single visit if all we need to do is replace fillings. When we do more complicated procedures, we may need more than one visit.
For small corrections like replacement fillings or repairs to surface damage can be done in one office visit.
These are one appointment fillings which are color-matched to the tooth and are bonded to the surface for added strength. These are most appropriate for small fillings and front fillings as they may not be as durable for large fillings.
For larger corrections that require dental lab work, we will need to make two appointments. This often happens when bonding is used in conjunction with a procedure like a post and core, or as filling beneath a cosmetic dental crown that has to be custom manufactured and placed
How is tooth bonding done?
A special composite resin is used to improve the condition or color of teeth. The process begins with the application of a special conditioning gel. This gel etches the tooth enamel so it will be easier for the resign to bond with its surface.
The composite is then applied and sculpted into the desired shape. The color of the resin will have been pre-mixed to match the color of healthy, natural teeth. The amount of resin applied depends upon the degree of damage we have to repair.
After we have finished the application and sculpting of the tooth bonding resin, we then harden it with a special high intensity light.
Who is a candidate for tooth bonding?
Anyone with small gaps between their teeth, chips in their teeth, or cracked teeth can benefit from cosmetic bonding. This restoration procedure is also very effective for patients who have discolored teeth, teeth of varying lengths, tooth decay, and even gum recession.
Tooth bonding is very strong and will last for a good long time, improving your teeth’s appearance and functionality. However, if you smoke, keep in mind that cosmetic dental resin is porous and can be stained by cigarette smoke very easily. Labels: cosmetic dental bonding, tooth bonding
Houston Dental Implants
I am very interested in the dental implants. I have had some work done on my mouth but would like for my teeth to be more natural. I also had gum surgery about 7 months ago, so I would really appreciate your opinion on whether or not I could be a candidate for implants.Carolyn
Hello, Carolyn.
Most patients that are missing one or more teeth can benefit by the placement of dental implants. It is very dependent on how much bone you have remaining, but we have different sizes of implants to fit different width of residual bone support.We will contact you and try to answer some of your questions by phone, but the best way for you to learn what your options are is to make an appointment for an implant consultation and come into the office. We will take photos and necessary x-rays and show you what is appropriate for your situation.
Thanks for the inquiry…
Chuck Campbell, DDS
Dale Brant, DDS
713-795-5905Labels: cosmetic dental implants
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