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The Role of Dental Implants in a Smile Makeover

Are you getting a smile makeover? Do you have one or more missing teeth? Your cosmetic dentist will definitely want to replace those teeth during your smile makeover in order to prevent future problems. Issues may result from your teeth shifting to fill the empty spaces that can affect the overall shape of your face. One of the best and most desirable options for tooth replacement is dental implants.

Dental implants are the top-of-the-line choice for tooth replacement. They are the most like natural teeth in both form and in function. No one will know by looking at you that your tooth is an implant, and you might not even be able to tell it yourself when you’re eating! A dental implant is so secure, it can feel just like your natural tooth.

There are two main parts to a dental implant: the screw base and the tooth restoration. The screw-like base is typically made of titanium. This gives it incredible strength and longevity. The implant is placed directly into the bones of the jaw where it begins to function as a natural tooth root. Over time, oseointegration will occur and the implant will fuse with the bone. The tooth portion of the implant is created in a lab where dental artists are careful to replicate the surface texture and translucency of your natural teeth.

Dental implants can also be used to anchor dentures. Because they’re so strong, they give the dentures a stability that adhesives and suction can’t ever provide. Denture-wearers will never have to deal with embarrassing slipping or clacking again when dental implants are utilized with their dentures.

Consult your cosmetic dentist to see what role dental implants can play in your smile makeover. Begin enjoying your new smile as soon as possible.

Our dental office is located in Conyers

Dealing With Pain Following Root Canal Therapy

Root canal treatments are specifically designed to relieve the tooth pain associated with an infected tooth root. Patients come in with pain, and often leave the procedure with less discomfort than before. However, if you’ve recently had a root canal treatment on one or more of your teeth, you might be experiencing discomfort following the procedure. Fortunately, there are things you can do at home to take care of it.

Are your gums sore, tender or swollen surrounding the affected tooth? This is likely the result of the tiny metal clips that affix a rubber dam around the tooth, protecting it and protecting your mouth. The clips are attached along the gum line, and can leave tiny bruises or sometimes small cuts in the soft gum tissue. This pain should alleviate within two days of the treatment.

Is the tooth itself sore? This is a common occurrence and is typically the result of an inflammation of the mouth tissues that encase the tooth root. The tools used by the endodontist to perform the procedure can irritate the tissues.

Both of these types of pain can be dealt with by several over-the-counter analgesics. The ones that are most recommended to treat dental pain are those that possess anti-inflammatory agents: naproxen sodium, ibuprofen or aspirin, etc. If you are also taking narcotics prescribed by your dentist, do not take any further medication, over-the-counter or prescription, until you have checked with your dentist. Dangerous reactions can occur.

If you have been prescribed antibiotics, do not stop until you have completed each recommended dose. This ensures that your tooth remains free of infection and can heal thoroughly.

Ask your endodontist if you have other concerns about treating your post-root canal treatment pain.


If you live in the Conyers area contact us today

Replacing a Tooth with a Dental Implant

Having a hole in your smile is not only embarrassing or unsightly, it also impacts the function of your mouth. It’s much easier to eat and speak with a full set of teeth. In the past, dentures or bridges were the go-to solutions for missing teeth. Not anymore! Dental implants provide a secure and permanent way to restore your smile.

A dental implant is a titanium rod that creates an artificial tooth root in the location that yours is missing. It is surgically implanted into your jaw so that as it heals, it fuses with your jawbone and becomes a permanent part of your body. Once the area has healed, an artificial tooth is placed on top of the titanium rod to give you back a fully functional and attractive tooth.

Dental implants offer many advantages to patients:

  • Permanent
  • No impact to neighboring teeth
  • Attractive and natural
  • Feels like a real tooth
  • Secure
  • Prevents migration of teeth

Implants are installed using local anesthesia, so you will not experience pain during the procedure. Minor swelling may occur afterwards, and any pain can usually be treated with over-the-counter products. Risks are low with dental implants, and long-term results are successful in most cases. Good oral care is important in maintaining your implants, but is no different than your regular brushing and flossing routine. Regular checkups with your dentist will help ensure that your implant remains in your smile forever.

We look forward to seeing you in our Conyers dental office

Dental Implants: A Reason to Smile

Dental implants have become the standard of care recommended by dentists for replacing missing or damaged teeth. Compared to other solutions, many patients are finding that dental implants give them a reason to smile.

Realism:
Dental implants provide a new tooth and root that looks, fits, functions, and feel like a natural tooth. Implants avoid the potential problems associated with some alternatives, such as trouble eating, speaking or laughing.

Durability:
Dental implants can last a lifetime with proper care, making them outlast most of their counterparts which have a lifespan of up to 10 years.

Natural:
Patients are able to retain their natural face shape. Missing teeth can make a person’s face look sunken and saggy, but implants allow you to maintain your proper face shape and smile.

Protective:
Missing teeth may cause jaw bone deterioration or loss, but implants preserve and stimulate the natural bone. The jaw is able to maintain its strength and firmness, protecting your bone structure. Also, neighboring teeth are not affected by dental implants. Healthy adjacent teeth are not damaged and stay exactly where they should be.

Health:
Cavities can’t take hold in a dental implant and crown. Proper hygiene and regular checkups should continue to ensure your mouth is healthy, but that particular tooth will not decay.

Confidence:
Dental implants erase the patient’s embarrassment about their smile and give them the confidence to enjoy life again. No more worries about a big space in the smile, and no concerns that the restoration will loosen or fall out like may happen with dentures.

Convenience:
There are no hassles for the patient to alter their diet because implants allow natural biting and chewing. Favorite foods can still be enjoyed with this restoration.

Our dental office is located in Conyers

Choosing the Right Dentures

No matter how much you want to preserve your real teeth, it’s not uncommon for people to lose teeth. It may occur with age, decay, gum disease, or injury. If this happens to you, there’s no reason to go through life missing teeth in your smile. It’s better to quickly see your dentist for replacement teeth, so that you avoid shifting of your remaining teeth, speech problems, or saggy facial muscles. One solution that your dentist will likely offer to restore your smile is dentures. Here are some tips to help you select the right dentures for you.

Dentist

An important step in the process of getting dentures is making sure you have a qualified and experienced dentist treating you. Most dentists provide dentures as part of their services, or you may choose to go to a prosthodontist. This type of specialist focuses on restorative dentistry. No matter who you choose, make sure that you are confident you will get dentures that meet your specific goals and needs.

Type of dentures

There are several types of dentures available, each with their own attributes. These are the main kinds:

  • Full dentures – an acrylic appliance that replaces all of the teeth in your upper jaw. These are functional and replicate your real teeth, and are usually comfortable when fitted correctly.
  • Partial dentures – these replace one or two missing teeth using a dental arch. Partial dentures are made of acrylic, metal, plastic, or a combination of these materials. These are attached with a clip that holds them in place in your mouth.
  • Permanent dentures – these dentures are permanently attached and require almost no maintenance. They are the costliest of the types of dentures.

Color

Dentures are available in various shades of white so that you can select the color that is most natural for you. Be careful about choosing the brightest white color, which may look unnatural compared to the color of your real teeth. Your dentist will help you find a neutral color that looks best with your smile and complexion.

We look forward to seeing you in our Conyers dental office

A History of Cosmetic Dentistry

The desire for a better looking and better functioning smile has been around since ancient times. As early as 3000 BC, there is evidence that people used sticks to clean their teeth. Early toothbrushes were made of animal hair in the late 15th century.

The earliest forms of cosmetic dentistry are believed to be dentures made from ivory and bone by the Etruscans around 700 BCE. Other dentures were made from animal or even human teeth taken from corpses. Near 200 CE, the Etruscans had moved on to using gold to perform the functions of a dental crown or bridge.

Ancient Egyptians made a whitening toothpaste of vinegar and ground pumice stone, while the Romans utilized the ammonia from urine in their toothpastes, a practice that existed in some form into the 1700s.

Dental implants of human teeth were used in Europe in the 1700s for replacement teeth, but the practice was rejected due to repeated failures. Over the next hundred years, metal was used – and was also subsequently rejected.

The end of the 18th century and the entre 19th century showed great strides in cosmetic dentistry, particularly in the field of prosthetic dentistry, with the success of the porcelain denture. Molds were made of existing mouths with plaster, allowing dentists to provide the greatest denture fit and comfort available to patients thus far.

In the 1840s, the first rubberized material used as a base for dentures was invented, called Vulcanite. The first dental lab created specifically to produce prosthetic dental appliances was established in the 1850s. Porcelain dental crowns gave way to porcelain fused to metal crowns in the 1950s, and Vulcanite gave way to acrylic in the early 20th century, materials we still use today.

Your cosmetic dentist in Conyers is a skilled professional whose techniques have been practiced and refined by those dentists who came before for thousands of years. Today, we are at the pinnacle of the knowledge and expertise of trained cosmetic dentists and with the variety of successful methods and materials that will work for any cosmetic need.

We treat patients from Conyers and the surrounding area