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

When you lose teeth, you have problems, and you have options. In fact, you have more than one option when it comes to replacing those missing teeth. Partial dentures are one of these options. Partial dentures are held in your mouth by clasps or special attachments. Depending on the type of partial you get, your supporting teeth need only minimal preparation.

One advantage to partial dentures is they are completely removable. This makes them easier to clean and lets you sleep without them. Nevertheless, there are also some problems that go along with them.

In order to make a truly intelligent decision about which option is best for you, you need to talk to a Houston cosmetic dentist here at the Medical Center Dental Group. We can help guide in making the right choices for alternative forms of tooth replacements which include the following:

• A bridge
• Dental Implants
• Delaying treatment until you have more money

Let’s talk about delaying treatment first.Almost every patient procrastinates to some degree about tooth replacement. This is understandable. Even the most affordable cosmetic tooth replacements—partial dentures—cost money. Money can be hard to come by at times and people often ask us if it will hurt them to wait just a bit longer until they can afford to pay for dental care.

We tell them it will hurt them both medically and financially in the long run.

This is because missing teeth require immediate action. All teeth work in relationship to one another When one or more teeth are lost, surrounding teeth begin to shift. This can cause a variety of dental problems, including bite and alignment problems.

Also, the jawbone starts to shrink now that tooth roots are gone. The longer you wait, the more jaw mass you lose, and the harder and more complicated cosmetic dental treatment becomes. It also becomes more expensive.
If you delay treatment, missing teeth will alter your cheek and lips and your appearance will wrinkle and age prematurely. Speaking and eating properly can also become strained and difficult. All of this adds up to bigger bucks when you do decide to get professional help.

Dental Bridges
Dental bridges are often preferred as alternatives to partial dentures. A dental bridge behaves more like natural teeth. It is fixed in the mouth and is stable and secure. Like dentures, a bridge replaces missing teeth with false teeth. However, these false teeth are stronger and are held in place by anchors placed over neighboring teeth.
We have to be careful not to remove too much surface mass from neighboring teeth because we do not want to make otherwise healthy teeth subject to tooth decay. Otherwise, bridges are a better and more resilient to partial dentures any day of the week.

Dental Implants
Dental implants are the best alternative to partial dentures. Not only are they the strongest, but they also prevent bone loss. Dental implants go into the jawbone like tooth roots and therefore are constantly stimulating the jaw with vibrations that keeps it vibrant and healthy.

Labels: alternatives to partials, cosmetic removable partial dentures, Dental Implants

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
I am 23yrs old and I am terrified of the dentist.

I have alot of teeth missing, and too much work to be done on the ones that are left. I want to get dentures. I was wondering what is the price to put me to sleep and pull the remaining teeth out. I do have insurance, but it is a pre-paid dental services and I am not sure if the cover anything or not. I am willing to pay out of pocket but need an to know a ball park range to start saving.

Thank you.


Misti Scott
________________________________________________________________

Hi, Misti –

Thanks for the note.

http://www.cosmetic-dentistry-center.com/sedation-dentistry-t-27.html

I put the link above to have you read about the possibility of having IV sedation when you have your dental treatment. It is a neat way to avoid the most difficult part of dental treatment. Check it out.

The only way that I can tell you what you need and teach you what your options are and the different cost of different options is to have you come in for an exam and consult. Then you can know exactly what the finances need to be, and we can even contact your insurance carrier and help you to know if they will help you with the bill.

Please give us a call and come for an exam and conversation . You will find that it answers many of the questions and concerns that you have.

Chuck Campbell, DDS

Dale Brant, DDS

(713) 795-5905

Labels: cosmetic removable partial dentures, financial options

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.
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When I was between 15 and 16, my dentist told me that I had soft enamel. She said I would have to basically work twice as hard to take care of my teeth. I have done my best, but now they have gotten much worse.

I have several questions for you.

1. Does having soft enamel prevent me from getting partial dentures?
2. Would I need full dentures instead?
3. What is the average cost of both extraction and the denture cost?

I am not sure if this would help, but I have dental insurance through Aetna.

Thanks,

Benjamin
_________________________________________________________________
Hi, Benjamin.

People with soft enamel, and all people who are more cavity prone, for that matter, definitely spend more time in the dental chair.

The questions you ask are good ones, but it would not be possible to answer blindly without seeing you in the dental office.

I would recommend a complete exam with x-rays and photos to learn what your problems are exactly. Then you can pursue your various options of treatment. You will find many options of treatment that might include periodontal treatment and possibly the inclusion of implants if you are missing teeth. You definitely need to spend some time in a dental office learning what all is going on.

Chuck Campbell, DDS
Dale J. Brant, DDS
713-795-5905

Labels: cosmetic dental implants, cosmetic removable partial dentures, denture costs, full dentures, soft enamel

The Snap-On Smile is a non-invasive, patented dental device that can be used in both restorative and diagnostic applications.
There is no need for any drilling, Novocain shots, or adhesive bonding to install it. In fact, most applications can be completed in as little as one half hour.

The Snap-On Smile can raise the vertical dimension of facial height.
Tooth surfaces diminish after long periods of Bruxism and attrition. Face muscles will eventually begin to sag because of this. Restoring the proper surface areas of teeth will in reverse this drooping effect, create a healthier and more natural looking smile, and prevent further Bruxism at night.

The Snap-On Smile is the most comfortable and attractive cosmetic removable partial denture developed to date.
Tooth loss creates two problems for people. One problem is gaps in the smile. The other problem is the damaged appearance of remaining teeth. By applying a Snap-On Smile, both problems can be corrected at once. The Cosmetic Dentistry Center of Houston can make these cosmetic removable partials in either quadrant or full arch sizes. Patients almost unanimously report these are the best dentures they have ever used. One group of patients in particular—those with a strong gag reflex—especially like these dentures because they cover only the teeth, not the palate.

The Snap-On Smile has consistently proven itself to be a superior form of temporary replacement for people receiving implants.
The unobtrusive nature of the device prevents it from coming from impinging on gingival tissues. Because of its 100 percent tooth-retention, it puts far less pressure on the mouth in general. This makes it far easier for tissues that have received an implant to heal.

This device has also proven to be a very effective surgical template in a number of procedures such as cosmetic gingivectomies. After such a surgery is performed, the near perfect fit that the tooth-retained partials provide provides the gum line with an ideal contour to follow in healing and post-surgical growth.

Many people come to us looking to use The Snap-On Smile for exclusively cosmetic purposes.
There are all types of negatives that can impact the way teeth look. Such issues as midline discrepancies, stains in teeth, worn teeth, chips and small cracks, dark triangles, and even uneven tooth sizes can all be cosmetically altered by this simple device. It is also possible to use these remarkable tooth retained dentures as temporary tooth replacements during full mouth reconstruction work that can take up to 18 months. While bridges and implants are being placed in the mouth, the Snap-On Smile can show a consistently natural and healthy looking face to the world while the dentist works quietly behind the scenes.

Labels: cosmetic dental implants, cosmetic removable partial dentures, cosmetic tooth whitening, dental abfraction, dental tooth implants, full mouth reconstruction, Snap-On Smile