What Happens During Dental Implant Treatment?

Implant treatment is usually performed by a general dentist, oral surgeon, prosthodontist, periodontist or a team of these doctors. At Tavormina Dentistry we are proud to be able to say that we are your dental implant team. We provide both placement of dental implants, restorations for dental implants, sinus lifts and bone grafting procedures related to placing dental implants.  If we receive a referral from a general dentist, we can do bone grafting and implant placement for the general dentist and then the general dentist completes the restorations for his patient. We have also done sinus lifts and bone grafting for periodontists only trained in implant placement.

 To devise the best treatment plan for you we first complete a medical and dental history and a thorough oral examination with x-rays. We want to make sure you are a candidate for dental implants from a dental and medical perspective.

First, a member of your team surgically places the implant in the jaw with the top of the implant just above the top of the bone. Your gums cover the implants. Generally, from three to six months or more is allowed for the bone tissue to grow around the implant and hold them securely in place.

Immediately after surgery we will give you specific post-surgical instructions to assure the best possible healing. We are unique in that we are trained to give you medication to prevent pain, swelling and infection. At the implant placement appointment you may be fitted with temporary dentures or natural-looking teeth to help you function as normally as possible until your dental implants are ready for the final restoration. You may have special dietary and oral hygiene instructions.

Once the jawbone has firmly healed around the implant, a small post is attached to each implant. The post protrudes through the gumline and serves as an anchor for the replacement tooth. After your gums have fully healed, the replacement teeth or dentures are securely attached to the posts.

For information about dental implants or other dental topics please visit DrTav.com

About Dental Implants

The facts about dental implants are helpful when considering replacing your missing teeth. Dental implants are the permanent way to replace missing teeth, with a look and feel that’s as close to your natural teeth that exists today.

Dental implants are metal posts or frames surgically placed into or onto the bone beneath the gums. The implants fuse with the jawbone providing a stable support to artificial teeth, preventing individual teeth, bridges or dentures from shifting in your mouth. They are a high-tech way to replace missing teeth, and offer more stability than traditional bridgework since they do not rely on neighboring teeth for support.

Implant supported teeth allow you to speak, smile, and eat with confidence. Knowing about dental implants and the comfort they provide is an amazing discovery. Teeth supported by dental implants stay in place so you experience comfort and confidence and the freedom to enjoy foods you haven’t eaten for years.

Once you’ve had implant treatment, you need to treat your new smile like you would your own teeth and be vigilant about your oral health. You want to protect your dental implants because they are your new tooth roots, and they may not be subject to decay like your natural teeth, but they are subject to gum disease. We recommend that our patients who have had dental implants visit us every 3 months for check-ups and professional cleanings. We also find that one of the best tools for protecting your dental implants and oral health at home is the Hydrofloss. It is an irrigator that changes the polarity of the water it uses and keeps dental plaque from accumulating under the gums. More about the Hydrofloss and dental hygiene for dental implants in future posts.

For information about other dental topics please visit DrTav.com

What Are Dental Implants?

Dental implants are manmade replacements for missing tooth roots.  They serve as an anchor to replace one or more teeth. Dental implants can be used to anchor a bridge that is fixed, cemented in place, or as anchors for removable teeth.

In most cases dental implants are made of titanium and resemble screws that are placed in the dental bone. Dental implants that are placed in the bone go through a process called osseointegration, which is the process of actually integrating into and becoming part of the dental jawbone. This process actually strengthens the jaw and maintains the dental bone. After teeth are extracted and there’s no more root in the bone, the body doesn’t have a reason to keep the dental bone there, and the dental bone disappears. That’s why it’s important to have dental implants placed soon after tooth loss, before the dental bone is lost. There are procedures to graft dental bone back, but bone grafting cannot be used in all circumstances, and even when bone grafting is possible, the bone grafting procedures add time and money to the end result- replacing the missing tooth/teeth, and making a tooth replacement.

There is also a type of dental implant that sits on the bone instead of in the bone. This type of dental implant is called a subperiosteal implant and is used when there isn’t enough height of dental bone remaining into which implants that are like roots can fit. The subperiosteal implant is recommended, when necessary, for replacing missing teeth in the lower jaw only. There is so much to say about dental implants and we will continue speaking more about them in upcoming posts.

For information about other dental topics please visit DrTav.com

   

How Do Veneers Feel?

    So, how do veneers feel?  Veneers feel like your own teeth, but even better.  When you feel the porcelain veneer with your tongue, there’s nothing smoother- not even your own enamel is as smooth as porcelain!

    And how does it feel to get your veneers?  In most cases no anesthesia is needed because little or no enamel is removed from the teeth.  In most cases because no enamel is removed, there isn’t any drilling and when drilling is needed, in most cases, it’s minimal and in the enamel, so most people are comfortable without getting numb.  If your teeth are sensitive, it’s easy enough to give anesthesia, and we have several tricks to make that experience comfortable for you.

     When enamel is removed and it would be noticeable, temporary veneers are placed so you have a lovely smile while you’re waiting for the laboratory to custom make your veneers and new smile.  It’s exciting for you to have a preview of what your new smile is going to look like.  It’s really exciting to think that your real veneers are going to look even better.  Having temporary veneers also gives you an opportunity to make requests for any changes in size, shape, or color that you would like in the finished veneers.

    When you have your appointment to bond the veneers to the front of your teeth, after removing any temporary veneers, the doctor puts a solution called etching solution on the front of your teeth to make microscopic openings for the bonding material to enter and connect the veneer to your enamel.  When your veneers are bonded on, you have a beautiful, smooth, shiney, bright new smile!

     For information about other dental topics please visit DrTav.com

   

Are Veneers Different From Fillings Or Crowns?

    There’s a hugh difference between fillings, crowns, and veneers.  Fillings are placed within the outside walls of the tooth.  When a tooth has decay, first the decay has to be removed so that there only remains healthy tooth structure.  After the tooth is free of decay, it needs a filling.  In the front teeth, tooth colored filling materials called composite are used.  A filling is used when only a small amount of tooth structure needs replacing or repair. 

    It’s necessary to have enamel on the tooth in order to do a composite filling and to do a veneer, but that’s not the case when it comes to crowns.  A crown is needed when too much tooth has been destroyed by decay and there’s not enough tooth left to fill or when a tooth has had root canal therapy.  When a crown is made, it requires that the dentist remove the remaining enamel from the tooth.  What remains is the inside of the tooth and that is called dentin.  The crown acts like a girdle around the dentin and the crown replaces the missing enamel.

    So, fillings and crowns usually are replacing far more tooth structure than veneers.  Veneers are eggshell thin and are indicated in most cases because we want to conserve and protect the tooth structure.  Sometimes when veneers are filling gaps between teeth or are used to “straighten” crooked teeth, there is more porcelain (the preferred material for making veneers), but usually veneers require little or no removal of enamel.  Enamel is needed so that the veneer can bond onto the surface of the tooth.  A special composite that flows easily is used to attach the veneer to the front surface of the tooth.  So for veneers, composites are used like a glue instead of as a filling material.  Veneers are for teeth that need a “face lift.”

For information about other dental topics please visit DrTav.com

Three Things To Consider When Getting Veneers

    How exciting!  You’re considering getting veneers!  You have no idea how amazing the transformation will be once you’ve enhanced your smile with veneers.  You will have a strong, natural-looking smile that feels great and is color-stable.

   There are always things to consider when making a decision and here are some things we think are important to consider when getting veneers:

1.      What material is the dentist using for the veneers that are being proposed for you?  There are veneers that are made with composite and veneers made with porcelain.  Composite is a tooth-colored filling material that is like a plastic.  The surface of composite is porous and tends to pick up stains.  Composite is less expensive than porcelain, so if the savings are passed on to you, you might consider the immediate savings a benefit, even though you will probably want to replace your veneers in a few years because of the staining.  Sometimes the savings are not passed on to the patient, so be careful you aren’t paying porcelain fees, and not getting porcelain.

2.      How much tooth structure has to be removed for the veneers that are being proposed for you?  Sometimes little or no tooth structure has to be removed to make porcelain veneers.  When your teeth are relatively straight and you want to change the color of your teeth, or fill in gaps between teeth, or fix chipped or broken teeth, the dentist doesn’t have to remove much tooth structure, if any.  If your teeth are crooked, very often the dentist has to remove more tooth structure to even out the smile.  Make sure you understand whether or not your veneers are a reversible procedure because little or no tooth structure has to be removed, or non- reversible, which means enough tooth has to be removed so that you will always have to have a veneer to replace what will be removed.

3.      Does the dentist proposing the veneers have experience in preparing your teeth for both kinds of veneers?  It takes more experience on the dentist’s part to prepare the teeth for non-reversible veneers.

    For information about other dental topics please visit DrTav.com

What Are Veneers?

    Dental veneers are an excellent cosmetic remedy for a variety of dental conditions that affect the appearance of the front teeth.  Veneers are durable and color-stable and in many cases, the perfect way to restore the natural function and beauty of your teeth, so you can smile with confidence.

    Veneers are also known as laminates or facings.  They can be made with plastic-like material called composite, or they can be made with porcelain.  Porcelain veneers produce the most beautiful result, are stronger than composite veneers, and do not stain like composite veneers.

    Veneers are a thin, semi-translucent “shell” that is custom made to fit precisely over an existing tooth.  They are bonded to the enamel surface of teeth so that the back of the veneer adheres to the front of the tooth.

    Though veneers aren’t suitable for every patient, they are a cosmetic alternative for a variety of dental conditions affecting the front teeth.  Veneers are used to close spaces between teeth, restore broken or chipped teeth, cover unsightly stained or washed-out fillings, whiten permanently stained or discolored teeth and correct uneven or crooked teeth.

  For information about other dental topics please visit DrTav.com