When a person looses all of the teeth in either their upper or lower dental arch, implant dentures are often used by cosmetic dentists to replace them.  Implants are small Tivolloy (a titanium allay) posts that are 100 percent biofriendly devices that have screw-like bottoms.  They go directly into the jawbone itself, replacing the roots of lost teeth.  These posts can be used to support porcelain crowns, removable dentures, or a full-arch dental bridge.

Cosmetic dentists now urge all patients with missing teeth to consider this option.  Something must be done when a person loses teeth, because there are so many problems associated with the loss of tooth roots.  The most serious of these consequences is bone loss.  Another consequence is loose and uncomfortable dentures.  Finally, a bone loss will alter a persons face, resulting in a compromised appearance that will make him or her very self-conscious. 

This is all due to the fact that the human jawbone requires the constant stimulation of chewing in order to maintain its shape and strength.  When tooth roots are gone, the bone has nothing to grow around, and it begins to deteriorate, shrink, and recede. 

This bone recession continues to transpire over a period of time.  If a person wears dentures, they will become looser and more uncomfortable.  The lower jawbone will actually shrink so much that eventually nerves located close to the surface of the bone will make it painful to bite down.  

This, in turn, alters the appearance of the persons face.  As the jawbone shrinks, the space between the chin and nose decreases.  This will cause the lips to flatten out and cause wrinkles to form around the mouth.

A full arch can be placed in the mouth, supported by implant dentures, to correct these problems.

In order to make a conclusive diagnosis as to whether or not implant dentures are right for a patient, cosmetic dentists begin with a thorough dental examination.  This examination reviews patient medical history in order to see if any pre-existing conditions exist can interfere with healing.  

Next, dentists perform a visual examination on the persons mouth in order to determine the health of teeth and gums.  To the health of your jawbone, they take panographic x-rays, and, sometimes, possibly CT (computerized tomography) scans.  They will also take impressions of patient teeth and bite registrations in order to create an accurate model of your mouth.

Once dentists obtain and study these results, they can then diagnose implant treatment options are best for the patient. 

A dental implant that supports a full arch bridge or dentures effectively replaces missing teeth.  The implant is placed firmly in the jawbone, and it holds the dentures or bridge securely in the mouth.  This makes tooth replacements feel much more like natural teeth when a person talks or chews. 

An implant also supports the denture by holding your jaws in their correct positions and helping the patient maintain a more youthful look.  Additionally, the artificial teeth are custom-crafted to match or enhance the persons natural smile.  A dental implant is a great way to stabilize your jawbone, keep it healthy, and maintain a stable bite and beautiful smile.

Cosmetic Dentistry is a specialized field that requires extensive knowledge and experience to be done correctly. The Medical Center Dental Group in Houston, Texas brings all of that and more to the direct benefit of each and every patient we treat. Although we are located in the world famous Houston Medical Center at Scurlock Towers, we routinely see dental patients who travel from Austin, San Antonio, Dallas, Beaumont and Midland Texas to see Dr. Dale Brant, Dr. Charles Campbell or Dr. Elizabeth OSullivan-Winslow for their cosmetic denistry services that includes: