Monday, October 26, 2009

Basic Facts About Dental Implants

What are dental implants?
Houston dental implants are permanent tooth replacements.

How do they differ from other tooth replacements?
Dental implants differ from other tooth replacements because they are permanently affixed to the jaw bone itself. Not only does the base of the implant actually attach to the jaw, it eventually becomes a part of it.

What are they made of?
Dental implants are made of three components. The actual implant is basically a titanium-based alloy made from a material called Tivolloy. This is a bio-friendly metal that is easily accepted by the jaw and the gums.

The bottom of the implant is shaped like a screw. This allows it to be twisted into the bone and firmly set within it. This is important, because in order to remain in the mouth, the device must become a part of the bone so it does not originally fall out.

The second part of the dental implant is called an abutment. It is a small metal post the helps anchor and secure the base of the tooth replacement.

The third part is the crown. It is made from porcelain, and it works in the same way that other cosmetic dental crowns work. It both looks and functions like a natural tooth. This is because porcelain is the same color as tooth enamel. It is also because porcelain is extremely hard, and it is capable of chewing any number of foods.

What makes cosmetic dental implants superior to dentures and dental bridges?
There are a number of problems associated with both dentures and dental bridges.

To begin with dentures, the cheaper models often make embarrassing clicking noises when a person chews. They also have to be taken out and cleaned which leaves a person toothless for the time being and often creates embarrassing situations when dentures are found in a glass.

Bridgework can create problems as well. Bridges have to be affixed to anchor points, which in the case of permanent bridgework, means bracketing tooth replacement to surrounding natural teeth. Over time, the stress of chewing can put enough strain on these brackets that they wear down the enamel of natural teeth.

Dental implants overcome both sets of problems. Because they are permanently attached to the jaw, they do not have to be taken out for cleaning. In fact, they can be brushed and flossed just like natural teeth.

Dental implants also go into the jawbone itself and do not affect surrounding, natural teeth in a negative way. In fact, they actually help natural teeth grow straighter because they close the gaps caused by missing teeth.

Are there other benefits besides these?
The greatest benefit they bring, aside from a completely natural-looking smile, is the reversal of bone loss. When teeth are lost, the bones that normally grow around the roots begin to recede. Implanting a tooth replacement directly into the bone reverses this process by giving it something to grow around.

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Thursday, September 17, 2009

Advantages You Can Expect to Receive from The Cosmetic Dentistry Center at the Houston Medical Center Dental Group

If you are looking for cosmetic dentistry in Houston, Texas, no doubt you have already found a multitude of options online that can overwhelm the mind at a glance. Where are they located? What exactly do they do? How much do they cost? Can I get there and back conveniently.

These questions are not always answered in the typical web link. However, we like to be candid and forthright with information about our practice so patients can make an informed decision. The following are just a few of the features, advantages, and benefits that our service offers that warrant strong consideration on behalf of the would-be patient.

  • Convenient location in The Houston Medical Center
    One thing you are going to want if you invest in cosmetic dentistry is a place you can get to from your home or office. No one wants to drive all the way across Houston to get to the dentist. Because of this, we decided to locate our practice in the Houston Medical Center. This central location, world-famous for its excellent medical care, is centrally located to all Houston neighborhoods like River Oaks, Bellaire, West University, Upper Kirby, Rice Village, Memorial, Sugar Land, Clear Lake, The Woodlands, Katy, and Pasadena.

  • Best technology currently available
    One very clear advantage our cosmetic dentistry center offers to Houstonians is access to the most current and sophisticated technology currently available. We are not afraid to use computers in our office for anything from checking medical and dental history to charting out a course of corrective orthodontic care. For persons suffering from gum disease, our LANAP services offers an almost pain-free alternative to gum surgery.

  • A staff with over a half century in combined experience
    The professionals in our cosmetic dentistry center represent some of Houston’s very best medical experts who have a combined experience of over half a century. Two have served in the US Armed Forces as dental practitioners. Our youngest member of our staff still has over 20 years of experience in LANAP and multiple cosmetic corrective treatments. Another member of our staff is one of the few cosmetic dentists in Houston who performs both the surgical aspect of dental implantation and the cosmetic phase of tooth replacement.

    Regardless of who you work with on our team, you are in the very best of hands for your particular form of treatment.

  • Multiple options in cosmetic dentistry for most dental problems
    We believe in the power of choice. We want every patient who comes to our cosmetic dentistry office to feel like they play a role in their own dental care. We do not force specific treatments on any patient. Rather, we explain at great length and in great detail the nature of the problems that we find. Most cases will allow for more than one course of treatment, some being more expensive and complex than others. Financial assistance is also provided to our patients to enable them to choose what is best for them and not feel they have to settle for only what they can afford.

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