Like every other type of dental bridge, the replacement tooth in a Maryland bridge is held in place with the support of adjacent teeth. Unlike traditional bridges, however, Maryland bridges do not require Houston dentists to reduce the size of supporting teeth. Only reduction of the back of the teeth is necessary so that the wings of the bridge can be bonded to them.

Dental labs make the wings of a Maryland bridge from metal or resin. In Houston cosmetic dentistry, the actual artificial tooth can be made from porcelain or porcelain fused-to-metal.

It normally takes at least two trips to a Houston cosmetic dentist to get fitted with one of these bridges. The main reason for this is that dental bridges must be made in a laboratory, and the laboratory will need very accurate, personal data on your teeth to make the bridge fit your mouth. To provide them with this, your first visit to your Houston cosmetic dentist will involve having your teeth examined and prepared for a bridge fitting.

We begin by numbing the area around your teeth so we can work on them without discomforting you. We also place a rubber dam in the back of your mouth to prevent any debris from falling into your throat.

Using a handpiece, we then remove decay from the teeth surrounding the gap. We also lightly reduce the surface areas of the backs of these teeth so they can later support the Maryland dental bridge we have made for you.

Most importantly, at this point, we take impressions of your teeth and create a model of your mouth using these impressions. This model is subsequently sent off to a dental lab. The lab, when it receives this model, will use it to create a bridge that provides an exact fit for your teeth and bite.

In the meantime, our Houston cosmetic dentists will fit you with a temporary bridge. This bridge will allow you to eat and speak normally, but you should be careful not to eat any hard foods or rely upon this bridge as you would a permanent one. It is, after all, only temporary.

After the lab has sent us your permanent Maryland bridge, we then call you in for your second appointment. At that time, we place it without bonding it in order to check the fit and the bite. If these things check out fine, we will bond the wings of the bridge to the teeth on either side.

These dental bridges offer several advantages.

--They provide replacement teeth for biting and chewing.
--They help you speak clearly.
--They prevent your teeth from shifting
--Best of all, they only need minor tooth preparation.

Maryland bridges result in stronger teeth, minimized chances of future tooth sensitivity, and healthier gums.

Labels: cosmetic dental bridge, cosmetic dental bridges, maryland bridge, maryland bridges

A three-unit bridge is a good way to replace a missing tooth. A three-unit bridge works by connecting both ends of an artificial tooth on to dental crowns. These crowns are placed over adjacent teeth to hold the bridge in place.

A Houston dentist can make a dental bridge out of gold, porcelain, or porcelain-fused-to-metal. This bridge is custom made just for you in a dental laboratory. In most cases, it take two or more appointments to make the bridge.

On your first appointment, the dentist begins by numbing the gumline around your missing tooth in order to make the procedure comfortable for you. The dentist will also place a device called a rubber dam in your mouth that will keep debris from falling into your throat during the procedure.

The dentist then uses a hand piece to scrape away tartar and decay from the teeth that will later be used to support the three-unit bridge. The dentist then takes impressions of your teeth, which are used to make a model of your entire mouth.

This model is very important. It gives the dental lab something to work with when they are ready to create your dental bridge. Since the teeth in the model are identical to the ones in your mouth, it is possible for the lab to create a tooth replacement that precisely matches your bite.

Since it takes a while for the lab to do its work, your Houston dentist will fit you with a temporary bridge in the meantime. You will wear this until your permanent bridge is ready.

When you return for your second appointment, the dentist removes the temporary bridge and intitates a series of tests to make sure the dental bridge properly fits. The bridge is placed and the bite is tested. The dentist also checks your bite to makes sure that both your natural teeth and your new artificial tooth are all in alignment.

When everything is determined to be as it should be, the dentist bonds the bridge to the teeth so it will remain in place.

There are a number of advantages to three-unit bridges.

• They replace missing teeth for biting and chewing.
• They make it easy for a person to speak clearly.
• The crowns that support the bridge actually help repair adjacent teeth that may have been damaged by cavities.
• Crowns also protect adjacent teeth from new cavities.
• Most importantly, a bridge keeps neighboring teeth from shifting our of alignment.

Overall, a three-unit bridge is an affordable, highly functional, and very attractive tooth replacement that will let a person live a normal life and smile with confidence.

Labels: cosmetic dental bridges, three-unit bridges, tooth replacements

Alternatives to Dental Bridges-BLOG
When you are missing one or more teeth, you have several options.

You can choose to do nothing and delay treatment.
You can choose to get a dental bridge.
You can choose to get dental implants.

Let’s take a look at the advantages and disadvantages to dental bridges and the alternatives to dental bridges.

Delaying treatment
Most people immediately assume they are giving themselves a financial advantage by delaying treatment. After all, not seeking treatment means not having to pay a dental bill.
However, this is only going to cause you more problems. Your health will suffer, and in the long run, your pocketbook will suffer as well. Leaving your teeth as they are will cause them to shift. Over time, your bite will change. This will cause some teeth to become loose, and you will eventually lose them as well.

Choosing a dental bridge
A dental bridge is an excellent way to replace one or more missing teeth and restore stability to your mouth. A bridge is a natural replacement that is attached securely to the supporting teeth. They are dependable, easy to care for, and they look great.

This is why many Houston dentists recommend dental bridges. A bridge fills the space between existing and restores your natural bite and smile.

The disadvantage to a bridge is it has to be anchored to natural teeth and will wear on the enamel, damaging them in the process.

Trying a partial denture
A partial denture is a removable replacement for missing teeth. A partial will work well if several teeth are missing in the mouth because it will in the spaces and keep surrounding teeth in alignment.

The disadvantage to a partial as an alternative to a dental bridge is that dentures of any kind are not as strong as natural teeth and make less than ideal replacements.

Some dentures also make annoying sounds when you eat, and all have to be removed and cleaned at times. Of course, the more you are willing to invest in high quality dentures, particularly fixed partials, or cosmetic removable partial dentures, the better your chance at getting something workable in terms of a tooth replacement.

Still, dental implants are the best alternative to dental bridges if you have enough remaining bone mass to implant them.

Getting implants
Dental implants really are the best form of tooth replacement. They are designed to be permanent and completely assume the function of natural teeth. An implant with a crown can also replace a tooth, and it does not require us to work on the teeth next to the space. Implants stop bone loss and require surgery. Treatment time is somewhat longer, but the outcome is cosmetic and often indistinguishable from natural teeth.

Labels: cosmetic dental bridges, cosmetic dental implants, cosmetic removable partial dentures

Ask The Dentist
The Cosmetic Dentistry Center in the Houston Medical Center Dental Group offers the full range of cosmetic dentistry procedures and general dentistry practices. Every patient is treated as a genuinely unique individual with his or her own set of unique and specific needs. We like to say that no two smiles are exactly alike, so when you come to our office, you can be confident we provide your smile with a restorative or cosmetic solution that is specifically created just for you.

I need full upper dental implants, I was wondering what ballpark price range I would be looking at, and how much recuperation time I would be looking at. I nned the upper teeth pulled as well as the implants put in.

Thank you so much for you time

Barbie Conigliaro
_____________________________________________________________________________

Thanks for the enquiry, Barbie. The questions you ask are the right ones, but they are very hard to answer without seeing you and understanding your needs and wants. Implant cases vary widely according to the dental situation. Simple cases might require 1-2 implants, complex cases might require many more. Another variable is how much bone you have remaining if teeth have been removed or if periodontal disease is present.

By far the best way to understand what your options are is to come in for a complete exam that includes x-rays, photos, and a visual examination. Only with this information can we give you any type of estimate of cost and difficulty.

We would be happy to spend time with you, but it is just not done well blindly. Please set up an exam day and we will spend the time to show you what your options and potential costs are.




Chuck Campbell, DDS


Dale Brant, DDS

Labels: cosmetic dental bridges, cosmetic dental implants

In order for dental implant procedures to be effective, careful examination of the medical history and overall general health of the patient has to be done first. At the Medical Center Dental Group, we leave no stone unturned when it comes to taking stock of the patient’s medical history and current condition. Using our computer to access patient medical records, we check for such things as diabetes and alcoholism. If these conditions are currently present, they can significantly diminish the chances of dental implant procedures being successful. The decision to move forward in such an event is made on a case by case basis between the doctor and the patient.

If advanced periodontal disease is discovered, the dentist will diagnose its level of severity and determine a treatment plan. Some periodontal disease can be corrected with non-surgical treatments. Advanced gum disease will require surgery, which we recommend patients have performed here using our PerioLase® MVP-7 laser engineered specifically for Laser Periodontal Therapy.

Once the patient has become healthy enough for dental implant procedures to have a more than 90 percent chance of success, the dentist will then examine the condition of the jaw bones. The longer teeth are missing from the mouth, the more bone deterioration occurs. The dentist will need to know just how much degradation has occurred in order to determine how many implants can be placed in the jaw. If more than 50 percent of the teeth have been missing for a period of years and severe deterioration has set in, the dentist will have to selectively use implants as anchors for fixed bridgework in a full mouth reconstruction. If bone loss is not so severe, implants can simply be placed where the missing teeth were previously located.

Once these determinations have been made, the dentist will make a mold of existing, healthy teeth. This will function as a template for the size and placement of dental implants. Surgical procedures then follow, with the dentist placing the patient under local anesthetic for one or two implants, or placing the patient under general anesthetic for the implantation of multiple replacements. The actual implants themselves are made of a bio-friendly Titanium alloy. They are shaped like screws at the bottom and set in the jaw itself. Sometimes the dentist will cap the implant to minimize the risk of infection. A 3-6 month healing process then ensues, where the bone grows around the implant and attaches to it. (This is called osseointegration).

After osseointegration is complete, the patient returns to the office to have the final dental implant procedures performed. The dentist will secure the implant with another screw called an abutment, then cap the entire structure with a porcelain crown molded to match the appearance and functionality of a natural tooth.

For more information, visit our website and read the following articles:

Dental Implants
Titanium Dental Implants
Dental Implant Surgery
Dental Tooth Implants
Dentures Dental Implants
Postoperative Instructions for Dental Implants

If you are missing teeth, but feel cosmetic dental implants are out of your price range, call us and ask about our financial plans to help people from all walks of life pay for the winning smile that every person deserves to show to the world.

Labels: cosmetic dental bridges, cosmetic dental implants, dental crowns, implant dentistry

Labels: cosmetic dental bridges, cosmetic dental crowns, cosmetic dental implants, cosmetic dental procedures

A man named Ron, who had a number of missing teeth, came to us when he realized that tooth decay in his remaining teeth would probably cause him further tooth loss. He had no idea why so many of his teeth had failed, and he did not want to lose any more of them. He asked about a procedure he had heard about called a full mouth reconstruction. He wanted to know if it could offer a medical solution to his failing teeth as well as a cosmetic solution to his missing teeth. He also wanted to know if it would be a painful procedure. He told us that by the sound of the term, full mouth reconstruction, he could only imagine the amount of surgery and pain such a process might involve.

We quickly put his fears of pain and surgery to rest. We explained that a full mouth reconstruction was not the same as reconstructive surgery. Rebuilding bone, tissue, or muscle after a major accident is not the same as rebuilding a smile. Rather, a full mouth reconstruction involves strategic use of dental inlays, bonding, or crowns to replace missing teeth and to prevent teeth that are in the process of decaying from failing completely. In cosmetic dentistry, this procedure does not involve drilling or filling teeth with silver-mercury amalgams. All reconstructive work is done with materials that can be sculpted or molded to the existing teeth so that the original color, or whiter appearance if so desired, can result.

Cosmetic dental implants, for example, can be used to teeth that are missing from the upper and lower jaws. Cosmetic dental implants are made from a titanium base that acts like a tooth root. Once the bone adapts around the tooth, a porcelain crown is placed over it, providing an excellent mimic for the translucent whiteness of natural tooth enamel.

But what caused Ron to have such massive tooth loss in the first place? The answer lay in a seemingly unrelated medical problem. Ron had suffered for 10 years from a condition known as sleep apnea. For those same ten years, he had ground his teeth unconsciously in his sleep, and never noticed that cavities were forming in the cracks that resulted. The decay seemed to hit him all at once, and many teeth were lost in a short amount of time. While this was a very sad and severe case, the good news for Ron was that a full mouth reconstruction could still be performed that would restore his smile with an even better look than he had had before. After all, improvement of this sort is what Cosmetic Dentistry is all about.

To systematically accomplish this for Ron, we placed arches in the upper and lower arches of his mouth. We then used these implants, along with healthy natural teeth that remained, as anchor points for fixed porcelain bridges and crowns. Although the procedure took almost 7 months to complete, the Ron says it was well worth the time and money, because he looks and feels almost 20 years younger as a result of his full mouth reconstruction.

Labels: Bruxism, cosmetic dental bonding, cosmetic dental bridges, cosmetic dental crowns, cosmetic dentistry, Dental Implants, full mouth reconstruction