Dental implants are an excellent treatment option for people with missing teeth. While bridges and dentures can fill also the gaps left by severe tooth decay or gum disease, dental implants have many advantages over these other techniques. Dental implants, generally made of titanium, act as a replacement root for the missing tooth and are fused to the jawbone. Dental implants become a foundation for replacement teeth designed by a dentist and are the closest thing a dentist can provide to mimicking the root of a natural tooth.
Dental implants have many benefits, among them:
They’re more convenient. Dental bridges require that you clean carefully under and around the bridged tooth. Dentures must be removed and cleaned, and they are held in place by messy adhesives. Dental implants are cleaned and maintained exactly as your natural teeth would be. You never have to worry about slippage or cleaning between the replacement bridge tooth and your gum. The tooth is attached to the gum through the dental implant, which is fused with your jawbone.
They’re more attractive. Dental implants are specially designed to look and feel like your own natural teeth. No one but you and your dentist will know! Because you are looking better, your self-esteem will be higher and you’ll feel better and more confident about your smile.
They’re more secure. Ill-fitting dentures or dental bridges can slip in the mouth, leading to discomfort, slurred speech and difficulties eating. Because the dental implants are permanently fused with the jawbone, they cannot slip. This allows you to eat, speak, and drink with security.
They’re better for your long-term oral health. Dental bridges require that you reduce the surface area and size of your existing teeth in order to support the bridge. Dental implants don’t require that other teeth be reduced, allowing more of your natural teeth to be left intact, improving your overall oral health.
They’re durable. With proper care, your implants can last a lifetime.
Talk to Morehead City family dentist Dr. Winchester today to learn more about dental implants and to see if they’re the right choice for you.
If you’re looking to make some improvements to your smile, you’ll want to visit a skilled cosmetic dentist. A cosmetic dental procedure is any treatment that improves the positive appearance of a patient’s smile, including teeth, gums or bite alignment. While cosmetic dentistry doesn’t always improve how your teeth function, it will improve the way they look and the way your smile appears to others.
Cosmetic dental therapies are extremely popular and widely used. Many are virtually risk-free. You may turn to a cosmetic dentist to correct one or more of the following:
Discolored teeth can be corrected by teeth whitening or dental veneers. Veneers are thin shells of composite resin or porcelain material that are adhered directly to your natural tooth’s surface.
Missing or severely gapped teeth can be replaced with dental bridges or dental implants.
Chipped or cracked teeth can be corrected by bonding, using dental composite material formed carefully into a pleasing shape and hardened and polished. Veneers can also correct this issue.
A gummy smile can be corrected with a gingivectomy, or the removal of gum tissue through a gum lift, giving the illusion of longer natural teeth.
Dark or blotchy gum tissue can be corrected with gum depigmentation.
Restorative work necessary to complete root canal therapy may include a dental crown designed to protect your natural tooth.
A misshapen tooth can be corrected with enameloplasty, or the removal of tooth structure to reshape a tooth to be more attractive. It can correct small chips or can alter the length of an over-long tooth.
If you have any of these concerns regarding your smile, talk to Morehead City cosmetic dentist Dr. Winchester today. You can make a plan together to meet your smile goals so that you can have the even, bright smile you’ve always desired.
If you’re missing some teeth, you can’t get any better as far as replacing them as you can with dental implants. Bridges and partial dentures can fill many tooth gaps, but dental implants are simply the better choice.
Benefits of dental implants include:
Dental implants are made of titanium and are extremely strong. They are placed in the jaw and stimulate the jawbone the way your natural tooth would. This keeps the bone alive and staves off bone shrinkage. Dental implants are durable and are made to last a lifetime.
Dental implants are the most convenient choice for tooth replacement, because you can clean them quickly and easily. Dental implants are flossed and brushed exactly as you would your natural teeth, unlike dentures which must be removed and dental bridges that are complicated to clean around.
Dental implants look better. They are specifically meant to look, feel and function like your own teeth would.
Dental implants are extremely secure. Bridges and dentures can slip in your mouth, leading to speech difficulties or problems eating. Dental implants cannot slip as they are permanently fused to your jawbone.
Dental implants are better for your overall oral health. Dental bridges require the reduction of anchor teeth to support the dental bridge, and neither bridges nor dentures stimulate the jawbone. Healthy, preserved teeth and healthy bones are essential to good oral health.
Talk to Morehead City implant dentist Dr. Winchester to see what benefits dental implants can give to you as you’re reaching for your smile goals. Don’t wait to start enjoying all of the advantages dental implants bring to your oral care.
Your cosmetic dentist will tell you how important the bones in your jaw and face are, and there are treatments that preserve bone rather than cause them to shrink through a process known as resorption.
The bones in your jaw and face are constantly stimulated by the roots of your teeth. If you lose a tooth, that bone is no longer energized and can begin to shrink away. Dental implant posts, typically made of titanium, mimic the role of the tooth’s natural roots, and continually vitalize the bone, preserving it. As part of the dental implant healing process, the implant post fuses directly to the bone. This fusion is called osseointegration.
Osseointegration is dependent largely upon the quantity and the quality of the bone around the implant site. It takes between three and nine months to achieve osseointegration following dental implant therapy. Patient behaviors like smoking or drinking to excess can slow this process and cause complications. Osseointegration provides a very stable anchor point for the replacement tooth and is often the best choice for replacing a missing tooth.
Dental implants preserve bone and prevent resorption. This allows your facial structure to remain the same, ensuring that your facial structure won’t collapse. Missing teeth that are treated with dental implant therapy stave off problems commonly associated with tooth loss, such as surrounding teeth shifting into the open space or other problems with bite alignment and jaw joints.
Resorption begins immediately following tooth extraction, and this shrinkage will continue over the coming year, horizontally as well as vertically in the mouth. The bulk of the shrinkage happens within the first few months following tooth loss. Replacing this missing tooth with a dental implant can reduce resorption significantly.
The only restorative treatment that preserves bone is dental implant therapy. Talk to Morehead City cosmetic dentist Dr. Winchester to see if dental implants are the solution to your dental needs.
Nobody really looks forward to going to the dentist, and most of us are relieved when the appointment is over, but some people suffer from far more deep seated phobias that can prevent them from visiting a dentist altogether. It is estimated that anywhere between 9% and 15% of the population will actively avoid seeking help for dental problems until they are experiencing a lot of discomfort or pain.
Is There a Difference Between Dental Anxiety and Phobia?
Yes, as people with dental anxiety can often manage to keep it under control for long enough to receive essential dental care. Dental phobias are more intense, and people with this phobia can often feel terrified about visiting the dentist. Someone with a dental phobia is more likely to suffer from dental diseases and tooth loss, and this can negatively affect general health. Clinical studies have linked poor oral health to numerous general health conditions.
What Causes Dental Phobia and Anxiety?
Anxiety and phobias can arise due to a number of different factors. Feeling helpless in the dental chair can be more than some people are able to cope with, while others are afraid of pain or are simply embarrassed over the state of their teeth. Some people have had negative experiences in the past, or will have had dental phobias and anxiety passed on to them by their parents.
Your Dentist Can Help
If you do experience anxiety or have phobias over visiting the dentist then talk to your dental clinic about your concerns. Modern dental care is designed to be non-threatening, and sedation techniques can enable even the most nervous patient to receive dental care; there is certainly no need for dentistry to be painful or upsetting. You will find your dentist is sympathetic towards patients who feel nervous or anxious, and there are lots of different techniques that can be used to help you feel more at ease and more in control. Gentle dental care can be provided at a pace you’re comfortable with, helping to restore your oral health.
A cosmetic dentist is someone who has chosen to concentrate on providing cosmetic dentistry techniques and who has a real interesting in creating beautiful smiles. Any dentist can call themselves a cosmetic dentist, so it does pay to shop around and to select someone who has the necessary training and experience required to help perfect your smile.
It can be tricky to find the right cosmetic dentist, so listed below are a few tips to help in your search.
Ask friends, family and colleagues for recommendations as personal referrals are an excellent way to get started. In addition, search online as you should be able to read patient reviews and information about qualifications.
Make sure your dentist has relevant experience and training in specific areas that interest you, and ask if they belong to any professional associations such as the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry.
Book an initial consultation and write down all the questions you want to ask beforehand.
Ask to see before and after photographs, or check out their website as many dentists have a smile gallery.
Trust your instincts, as it is important to select someone you feel comfortable working with. Your chosen dentist in Morehead City should take the time to answer all your questions, and you need to feel confident in their abilities to create your dream smile.
Taking your time picking the right cosmetic dentist in Morehead City will help you find someone with the following attributes:
Your chosen dentist should be current in the latest technologies and will actively pursue continued professional development courses in their chosen specialties.
A good cosmetic dentist will be able to make over your smile in a way that complements your facial structure, your skin tone and even your personality.
Choosing a dentist who has the sufficient experience and expertise will help achieve your goals. You should be able to discuss your aims, see examples of treatments relevant to your needs, and will receive a detailed treatment plan showing a complete breakdown of costs.
