How Dental Implants and Fixed Bridges Were Used to Replace Partial Dentures
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.
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
posted by Dental Expert at
5:40 AM
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