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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.Labels: cosmetic dental implants, cosmetic dentistry Houston, dental implant, dental implants houston, houston dental implants
There are many cosmetic teeth procedures that we can perform for you here at the Houston Medical Center Dental Group. Some are simple, requiring only one or two office visits. Some are more complex, requiring reconstructive dental work to repair or replace damaged or broken teeth.
Cosmetic Dental Bonding
One of our newer, more advanced cosmetic teeth procedures is cosmetic dental bonding. This procedure has basically replaced silver-mercury fillings. A special bio-friendly resin that looks like tooth enamel is used in dental bonding. It fills cavities much better than older amalgams, smoothes out cracks, and whitens tooth surfaces. Because it lasts longer as well, there is little risk that it will fall out.
Cosmetic Dental Bleaching
Another one of our more popular cosmetic teeth procedure is cosmetic dental bleaching. This is done with a bleaching gel. During your initial office visit, the dentist whitens your teeth. You then use another bleaching agent every night, at home, for two weeks. During your second and final office visit, another treatment of bleach is applied.
Cosmetic Dental Veneers
Dental veneers are made of porcelain. They are very hard and very difficult to break. Their color looks like that of natural tooth enamel. Porcelain is resistant to staining, so once veneers are applied, they will retain their color for years.
Veneers are one of the most versatile cosmetic teeth procedures. They can be used to treat a number of conditions. They can cover small chips and pits in tooth surfaces. They can whiten badly discolored teeth which bleach will not work on. They have even been used to correct minor tooth alignment problems.
Cosmetic Dental Porcelain Crowns
Prior to the development of more sophisticated cosmetic teeth procedures, dentists had few choices in treating severely decayed or fractured teeth. When a cavity destroyed more than 40 percent of a tooth, or when a tooth was cracked down to the dentin, the tooth had to be pulled. Prior to the development of dental implants, people no real tooth replacement options beyond traditional bridges or partial dentures. .
Porcelain crowns have introduced a whole new realm of options. While the life of a tooth cannot always be saved, crowns now make it possible to salvage physical structure and function of the tooth. Severely infected or damaged teeth can be cleaned with a standard root canal. Then, they can be capped with a porcelain crown that looks identical to surrounding teeth. Porcelain crowns are much more resilient than natural teeth, so they can restore both aesthetics to the smile and allow you to eat virtually anything.
Cosmetic Dental Implants
For people who have lost teeth, implant dentistry offers the best tooth replacement options. Made from a bio-friendly alloy known as Tivolloy, dental implants screw into the jawbone and act like artificial tooth roots. When the jaw has accepted this implant, the dentist then caps the base with a porcelain crown, effectively creating a whole new tooth where none has existed for years. Labels: cosmetic dentistry, cosmetic dentists Houston, cosmetic teeth whitening, cosmetic tooth procedures, cosmetic tooth whitening, dental imlplants, dental implant, teeth replacements
There was a man we will refer to as Cooper who came to us. Years before, he had lost several teeth in the lower arch of his mouth. He lacked the funding at the time to pay for dental implants, and not knowing much about tooth replacement to begin with, had chosen to take the economical route of removable, partial dentures. He found that they worked to a degree, but caused him to experience difficulty chewing certain foods he liked to eat.
This situation is common for people who wear partial dentures. While they are cheaper than titanium dental implants, they come with a price of their own. Partials are by nature softer than titanium and porcelain (the materials used to make dental implants), and consequently limit what a person can and cannot comfortably chew.
Partial dentures are also a source of embarrassment for many people. Almost no one who dentures has not been caught at some point in time by a child or close relative with his or her teeth in a glass, so to speak. The clicking sound made by dentures while chewing is also embarrassing, because everyone at the table knows where that sound is coming from, and who has false teeth and who does not.
Dental implants, on the other hand, can fool even the most critical of self-styled smile experts. They look identical to natural teeth, and they work even better in some cases due to their rugged constitution. They can also be made very affordable to patients like Cooper through financial plans that allow for payments to be spread out over a period of time. This is a common courtesy we offer to all intake patients like here at the Houston Cosmetic Dentistry Center of the Medical Center Dental Group.
Once Cooper qualified for one of our many financial plans, we scheduled an appointment to make a thorough examination of his mouth. We took x-rays first to assess the condition of his jaw bone. This is standard protocol in implant dentistry, and almost universally the first step we take in replacing missing teeth. The reason for this is because bones begin to recede when teeth fall out or become decayed to the point they must be extracted. Without tooth roots to form around, bone mass deteriorates and flattens.
The degree of bone loss determines just how many cosmetic dental implants we can actually place in the jaw. The lesser the bone loss, the more implants the jaw will support. However, very few people have come to us with an ideal jawbone just waiting to be filled with implants. Most people like Cooper have already experienced severe bone deterioration. These patients, like Cooper, must be treated with a combination of dental implants and fixed bridgework.
In Coopers case, we were able to successfully place four implants at key locations around the bottom of his mouth. We then used these implants as anchors for fixed bridges. The cosmetic dental bridges that we use in full mouth reconstructions are different than the standard bridges used in general family dentistry. Unlike standard bridges, they rarely are affixed to natural teeth, but are made instead to attach directly to the porcelain crowns that cover the titanium implant base. This avoids damaging healthy teeth which can actually lose enamel when bridges are anchored to them.
When we removed the acrylic roof to the partials and replaced the dentures he wore with dental implants and bridges, Cooper was now able to enjoy total freedom of diet for the first time in years. He immediately called us back to thank us not only for expanding his menu, but also for making it possible for him to smile securely knowing that only he knew the true origin of the bright healthy looking teeth that gave him a new face to the world. For more information on dental implants and new forms of dentures, read the following articles on our main site: Dental Implants
Cosmetic Tooth Implants
Dental Implant Procedure
Dental Implant Surgery
Denture Implants Labels: cosmetic dental implants, cosmetic dental procedures, dental implant, dental implant procedures, retained dentures
Two years ago we treated a woman named Susanna, who was in her early sixties. Over forty years ago, she had lost all but 6 of her lower front teeth. At that time, a removable upper denture seemed her most workable and convenient option. True, she did not like having to take it out and clean it in front of her husband and children, and she was embarrassed at times by the sounds it made when she chewed certain foods.
After she retired, however she decided to look into implant dentistry. She called our office and asked if we could help with some kind of payment plan. We told her it is routine for a good majority of our patients to pay for dental implants over a period of time. Susanna was more than happy to come in upon hearing this news, excited to hear that an alternative to dentures had finally presented itself within reach.
It is unfortunate that so many people like Susanna assume that implant dentistry is beyond their budget, and that they must settle for a lifetime of removable dentures. Nothing could be farther from the truth. While it is true that this treatment is certainly much more expensive than other forms of tooth replacement, implant dentistry does not have to be paid for all at once. A full list of financial options can be explored by visiting this link on our main website. Any number of these can be within the realm of possibility for a gainfully employed or comfortably retired person to qualify for. She had very good credit and a comfortable income from her savings and retirement plans, and her credit immediately qualified her for one of our plans.
Susanna was a unique case in that she had lived without her natural teeth for over 40 years. However, she had not experienced the severe bone loss that often ensues after teeth remain missing for a period of time. In most cases like hers, there is seldom enough bone mass to place more than a few implants. The remainder of a full-mouth reconstruction has to be done with fixed bridgework attached to implants that are used as anchor points. In fact, we were a bit shocked at this remarkable condition after looking at the x-rays of her mouth. Susanna simply told us that she took good care of herself by eating healthy and taking daily supplements.
We never complain when a patient is this proactive in self-care. Over the next 18 months, we placed a total of 15 dental implants in Susannas upper jaw. In the few gaps between these implants, we placed porcelain cosmetic dental bridges to completely rebuild her smile.
Susanna reports today that she loves the new freedom she has to eat anything she wants (although she still eats only healthy foods). She also remarked that it is a genuine pleasure to finally be able to brush her upper teeth—something she has not been able to do since her early twenties. Again, it makes us feel good as dentists to hear a patient so passionate about dental hygiene. For more information, visit the following articles on our main website:Dental Implant Procedures Dentures Dental Implants Dental Tooth Implants Dental Implant SurgeryLabels: cosmetic dental implants, cosmetic dental procedures, dental imlplants, dental implant, dental implant procedures, Dental Implants, implant dentistry
What can I expect to pay for four implants in my top gum please. I require to just get an idea of whether it is affordable?
Thanks for your question – it is what everyone wants to know. The problem is that the costs vary widely, according to the different situations that different people present with. The only way that you can get a good answer for YOUR situation is to make an appointment to come in and have a comprehensive exam and x-rays to find out what is possible for you.
After teeth are removed, the gums change drastically as healing occurs. This is something that can be seen to happen over the first few weeks following the surgery. What you cannot see is what has happened to the underlying bone. The function of the bone is to hold teeth, so when the teeth are lost, there is a progressive loss of bone that continues for the rest of your life. The bone gets shorter and thinner -- shorter and thinner – until sometimes there is only a fraction of the bony support left. This is why partials or dentures become loose over time. That bony foundation changes as time passes, and it is different for everyone. Some people have drastic changes, some have slower changes, but everyone has some changes to their bone after losing their teeth.
Our problem is that we need that residual bone to hold the implants. We have different sizes of implants, narrow and wider, shorter and longer, and it is our challenge to design a scheme that works for you. Some cases are easier than others. With a large amount of bone, we can design a very strong restoration for you, with very thin bone, it is much tougher to get a solid foundation. Some people can create enough strong foundation to achieve fixed bridge work, that requires strength, others just do not have enough foundation, even with implants, and different types of restorative options apply to them.
So, with all the variables of your health, bony status, health and condition of your teeth, etc., it is really impossible for us to give you costs without seeing you. It is just more complicated than that. Please come in and have an exam and discussion appropriate to your personal situation. You will learn what your options are, and you will learn what advantages or disadvantages you have. Dental implants are exciting. They provide many more options of care in dentistry, and patients benefit from the use of implants. Come let us teach you about what is best for you.
Chuck Campbell, DDS
713-795-5905Labels: cosmetic dental implants, dental implant, dental implant procedures, Dental Implants
Three weeks ago a patient by the name of David came to us after he had bitten down on a piece of chicken and felt sharp pain on one of his teeth. After that, he had consistently felt pain when he chewed a variety of foods. He even reported the tooth hurt him if he touched it with his tongue. He wondered that maybe he had broken one of his teeth. However, he could not see any fracture on the surface of the tooth when he examined it in the mirror. There was something that felt like a missing piece at the base of the tooth—possibly a filling he had gotten as a child had come loose? We advised him to come to our office, as it was impossible to determine the issue without a closer examination.
Many times a broken tooth does more than crack. A part of it actually splits off. People sometimes recover these fragments, in fact. This is not always the case though. A person like David, for instance, may see nothing wrong with the tooth and simply conclude that the problem lies with an old filling. The pain is nonetheless very acute, because a broken tooth is not something a person can ignore. The one good thing that comes of this situation is that few people procrastinate seeing a dentist. They want the pain to stop, and they usually act quickly enough to get the treatment they need to save the tooth.
David did procrastinate, however, because he tried to diagnose himself. Believing that this was simply a problem with old filling, and not a broken tooth, he assumed he had plenty of time to get the tooth refilled. Then, when the pain got significantly worse, he realized he needed an appointment as soon as possible. We worked him into the schedule, and got him into our office.
The first thing we did was pull his case history up on our computer. We found that the tooth he was having problems with had never been filled. This indicated that the problem indeed was a broken tooth, and that the fracture was located at an angle not possible for anyone to see without dental equipment. Our intraoral camera was able to find it immediately, though, and to show David a full color image of the tooth and the fracture on a high-resolution monitor. We also discovered just how serious the situation really was. The broken part of the tooth had penetrated the gumline and embedded itself in the tissue. The root had been exposed to open air, and infection was beginning to set in as well.
There really was no better course of action than extraction of the tooth. David was very upset with himself when he heard this. He blamed himself for not acting more quickly. We reassured him that more than likely this would have been the course of action recommended, anyway. A tooth that is broken below the gum line is not salvageable with a crown alone. A dental implant can be created that looks natural and healthy, making it look as though the original tooth had never been lost.
Please do not assume because this story ended well that it is ever a good idea to put off calling a dentist if you think you have a broken tooth. If David had waited longer, he may have developed an abscess. A broken tooth is nothing to play guessing games with, and certainly nothing to procrastinate treating.Labels: broken tooth, dental implant, pain while chewing
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