How Porcelain Dental Veneers Provide You a Healthy Confidence Boost

Your dental health can be defined by two things. One, how well your teeth function and two, how your teeth appear.

The combination is of function and appearance is a goal of cosmetic dentistry. Ultimately, your teeth must be healthy or aesthetics will be of less or no benefit to you.

Your smile is among the first thing people notice. That makes it all-important that you’re confident your teeth are healthy.

Confidence boost

Porcelain veneers can deliver a confidence boost. The cosmetic dentistry treatment covers your tooth imperfections.

Your dental health can be threatened by gaps, chips, and stains on your teeth. These conditions also have an impact on your willingness to smile confidently.

Dental veneers are thin porcelain layers. The treatment bonds to the front, visible surfaces of your teeth.

Veneers look natural. They create a long-lasting solution for covering your damaged or unattractive tooth issues.

Porcelain veneers are also stain resistant. They require less tooth preparation prior to treatment, unlike dental bonding and/or dental crowns.

What to expect

Your procedure duration will be determined by the severity of your tooth imperfections. Also, the type of veneers you select can have affect the length of your treatment appointment.

I will examine your teeth. Once I have an understanding of your appearance goals and I can create a specific treatment plan that meets your dental health goals.

During your procedure appointment I will prep the surface of your teeth for the application of your veneers. It’s common for portions of your tooth surface to be removed to help assure that your porcelain veneers fit properly.

A mold of your teeth is obtained as well. It will be sent to our selected dental laboratory where your custom-designed set of veneers will be crafted.

We will notify you when your veneers are available from the lab. An appointment will be scheduled for confirmation of fit and color matching prior to your procedure.

Your new porcelain dental veneers will then be bonded to the surface of your teeth with a special curing process once all necessary adjustments are completed. It’s essential that you protect and care for your dental veneers as you would your natural tooth surfaces.

Maintain the health of your teeth and the appearance of your smile with routine preventive dentistry. This includes at-home care and scheduled dental examinations and teeth cleanings.

Contact our Wayne dental office about your cosmetic dentistry questions and goals. Schedule a consultation to discuss porcelain dental veneers for transforming the appearance of your smile.

A Common Question About Dental Implant Treatment

Next to the treatment itself, it’s perhaps the most common question about dental implants. In a way, the answer increases the treatment’s credibility.

The question: “How long does it take for implants to heal?”

Healing duration indicates yet another plus of dental implants. Implant treatment is more than a cosmetic tweak for your missing or damaged teeth.

The healing period following implant placement will vary. The reason is a key to your implant’s overall effectiveness.

Your bone health will primarily determine the speed and quality of your post-placement healing. Also, factor in any required supportive procedures such as a bone graft.

Two to four months is the typical healing period. During this time your bone tissue is adapting to the implant.

Your bone tissue will heal according to that time frame if you follow post-treatment instructions. The main recommendation is to avoid forceful biting on the treated area.

We are learning more about how your bone tissue adapts to the titanium post (implant). Improving the healing time frame is the goal but generally you should expect the two to four month span to be most effective.

Treat it like a new tooth from root to tip

Your tooth function is restored from top to bottom with a dental implant. The surface portion (crown) will naturally get the most attention post healing.

The dental crown is secured to the top of your implant. This forms the new functional tooth.

It’s essential that you care for your dental implant. Its connection to your bone, gums, and surrounding teeth give you reason to do so as you would your natural teeth.

Your implant will not be vulnerable to cavities since it’s a prosthetic tooth structure. But you will be susceptible to gum inflammation.

Improper care of your dental implant and the surrounding tissue can cause problems. Gum inflammation can lead to an infection and eventually, bone loss if you avoid proper treatment.

Periodontal disease affects your gums. In the same way, a condition known as peri-implantitis can occur in the tissue surrounding your dental implant.

This makes it all-important that you stay consistent with at-home dental care. Brush and floss the areas around your dental implant to maintain healthy tissue.

Also, stay consistent with your routine check-ups, x-rays, and teeth cleanings. We will observe the health of your implant and provide you with techniques for keeping it clean and healthy.

The healing period following implant placement is short by comparison to the lifetime of function you enjoy.

Contact our Wayne dental office about dental implant treatment. Schedule a consultation to discuss your tooth replacement options.

How Dental Crowns Help Support the Lifetime Value of Your Teeth

The worth of something can easily be determined by its lasting value. No doubt, your teeth would fit in that category.

Your teeth have lifetime value. This is why you must prioritize their care and maintenance.

Brushing, flossing, dental examinations, and teeth cleanings are fundamental to keeping them healthy for life. But what about the occasional threat to their health?

Lasting yet vulnerable

Your teeth are vulnerable to decay, loss, and damage. Fortunately, you have restorative dentistry treatment options that can restore their health, function, and appearance.

Dental crowns, for example, are a versatile restorative dental treatment. They are also a significant piece of the dental implant treatment I provide as your Wayne dentist.

Dental crowns…

• Secure your dental bridge

• Restore your broken, damaged, decayed, or discolored tooth.

• Protect your tooth from additional damage caused by decay.

And as mentioned…

• Create a new and functional tooth for your dental implant.

Made to last

Dental crowns are created from a variety of materials. Each has their advantages and disadvantages.

For example, a metal crown will require that less of your tooth structure be removed prior to placement. The downside is that they’re more visible alongside your adjoining teeth than a tooth-colored, porcelain crown.

A porcelain crown more perfectly matches your surrounding teeth. Yet, a porcelain crown will not last as long as a metal or resin crown.

Care is essential with your dental crown as it is with your natural teeth. Consistent brushing and flossing along with regular dental check-ups are essential to keep your crown functioning properly.

It’s also important to protect your crown from damage. Hard or sticky foods can loosen or damage your dental crown.

You should expect your dental crown to last. It’s not uncommon for crowns to function effectively for over 10 years.

Contact our Wayne dental office about restorative dentistry and implant dentistry. Ask us about treatment with dental crowns.

Comparisons That Could Save You Dental Treatment Costs

For the most part, it’s a good idea to think ahead. Forward thinking keeps you aware.

Awareness can save you costs on your dental treatment too. With that in mind, it’s always a good time to review your dental insurance benefits and evaluate how much of yours remain before the end of the year.

Cost-savings and cost-effective thinking

I talk a lot about dental implants on this blog. The reasons vary but primarily it’s about two.

1-Dental implants are a superior treatment.

They are superior, in essence, to dental bridges or dentures. Though your dental implant costs are higher, the long-term benefits can equal savings for you and your family.

Dental implant treatment has a confirmed high success rate over other tooth replacement options. The primary reasons include the fact that dental implants do not negatively impact the health of your adjacent teeth like dental bridges, for example.

Bone tissue health is supported with dental implant treatment as well. Your bone tissue can continue to deteriorate over time with denture treatment, another popular tooth replacement solution.

2-Dental implants are cost-effective.

Your dental cost considerations should include how much additional treatment you will require over time. For example, if your tooth-supported dental bridge fails it will typically cost more long-term due to required additional treatment.

A bridge replacement also involves preparation. This can involve removal of your tooth structure and other related fees for treatment.

An implant-supported crown doesn’t compromise adjoining teeth. Thus, you can avoid additional treatment costs with this implant based procedure.

Talk of costs and long-term investment is a good reminder to carefully review your insurance benefits. Consider how much less out-of-pocket expense you would have if your current benefits are substantial enough to begin effective long-term treatment you’ve been postponing.

Ask our front office business team about how your remaining annual insurance benefits can supplement your treatment costs. If you’ve been delaying tooth replacement remember that timing is essential to preserving your bone tissue and your adjoining teeth.

Dental implant treatment could be more possible than you’ve thought. Now is a good time to think ahead and explore your options for long-term, cost-effective treatment for missing tooth replacement.

The Other Area of Your Mouth Where You Can Trust Dental Implants

If you say something will “take-a-backseat-to-no-one” you’re admitting that it’s not lacking in confidence. Trusting your dental implant is like that for missing or damaged tooth replacement.

In fact, speaking of “taking-a-back-seat,” dental implants are equally trustworthy for replacing your back molars.

A high-function zone

There are common functions that a lost or missing tooth affects. Eating, and more specifically, chewing your food, would rank high on the list of functions.

Losing your back or rear molar has a significant impact on your lifestyle. You should also be concerned about the ongoing risk of bone loss in your jaw if you are merely content to adjust your lifestyle to accommodate a missing tooth in that quadrant of your mouth.

Bone loss can lead to greater function loss. This is especially true if your adjoining teeth begin to shift because you delay tooth replacement.

Beware of more rapid bone atrophy

Preserving the bone tissue where you’ve lost a tooth is vital. The quality of available bone can determine the capability or effectiveness of your dental implant.

Jawbone atrophy is known to occur more rapidly in the back portion of your mouth following tooth loss. This is due to thinner bone tissue in that region of your mouth.

A thorough examination of your jaw and targeted x-rays will determine if dental implants can thrive in your available bone tissue. This makes it all the more important to schedule a consultation as soon as possible following your tooth loss.

Back in business

You have options to replace a missing back/rear tooth if bone loss has already occurred. A bone graft can be used to supplement the tissue.

Typically, bone grafts are obtained from your own tissue. Or an outside and compatible source can be used as well.

This necessary step will lengthen the time of your treatment. But it’s worthwhile given the significant functional and aesthetic benefits of a dental implant.

Avoid bone loss and the need for a bone graft. Schedule a consultation within a few days of your tooth loss and allow us to determine if dental implant treatment is your best tooth replacement solution.

A Few Cost-Benefit Facts You Might Not Have Considered About Dental Implants

Demand for products and services can drive cost. One trip to the gas pump or your grocer’s produce department is proof of this economic reality.

Dental implant treatment is in high demand today. And this may prompt you to ask:

“Does demand drive the cost of implant treatment up?”

Or…

“Can I get long-term, cost-effective benefits from dental implants instead of dental bridges or dentures?”

Your questions can indicate that you’re thinking this common oral surgery procedure might be out of your league financially.

Hold that thought.

Relief comes when you begin comparing dental implants to other, popular, tooth replacement options.

Perspective can save you money.

Tooth loss is traumatic. I don’t need to tell you that, right?

When you’re the victim it’s no surprise that you want a cost effective option. And you want something that lasts without added expense alongside a procedure that restores your appearance.

The “Facts” are in your favor.

Fact: Dental implants are more durable than dental bridges and dentures.

Reason: Your implant actually becomes part of your jawbone structure. When it’s surgically inserted into you bone tissue it is absorbed over time, anchoring your surface tooth (dental crown) to your new tooth root (dental implant).

Bonus: Dental implants prevent movement and bone atrophy in your jaw. Bridges and dentures are not secure like implants.

They shift. And their mobility wears away your bone structure over time.

Fact: Dental implants stay put.

Reason: They will not lose “fit” as your jawbone structure changes. Bridges and dentures change the shape of your jawbone when changes occur.

Bonus: Your dental implant(s) require fewer appointments in our dental office. Less follow-up and adjustments translates to cost-savings.

Fact: Dental implants get-along with your surrounding teeth.

Reason: Your implant is independent yet supportive of your adjoining and neighboring teeth. Bridges and dentures require the support of your adjacent teeth. They can wear down your bone tissue and vital surface tooth enamel.

Bonus: Your dental implant(s) are easier to maintain. They can be brushed and flossed in the same period of time as your other teeth.

Don’t be discouraged about the high demand and perceived cost issues of dental implant treatment. Schedule a consultation to ask all your questions and receive answers about the long-term health and cost benefits of dental implants.

Pain-free Dentistry has Arrived

As many of you know, we’ve been talking about the “air abrasion” technology that we now use in the office. I just wanted to take this time to give our new patients and visitors the scoop. Air Abrasion is a technique that solves a lot of people’s dentist fears. By using this technique there is no longer a need to use the scary needle and noisy drill for simple dental procedures.

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