Monthly Archives: April 2016

Why Implants Are Better Than a Bridge or Denture

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Dental ImplantAs far as missing teeth go, you have three dental options to choose from, namely dental implants, bridges and dentures. Each one of the three has its own set of distinct advantages and disadvantages. However, of all three options, dental implants are considered as a much better option.

Why so?

Why Implants Are Better

Dental implants are permanent fixtures of titanium posts. The posts are anchored to your jawbone and topped off with an all-new replacement tooth or a bridge that’s screwed or cemented into the posts themselves.

Of the three, dental implants are the ones that feel and function like natural teeth.

To further convince you on why implants are just better, let’s talk about the different advantages of both bridges and dentures.

Bridges

Bridges are dental restorations that span the gap left by missing teeth and is connected to the teeth adjacent to the space left behind. Typically, bridges consist of filler teeth, which are anchored or attached, then bonded to a crown or the surrounding teeth.

  • The procedure for bridges is easy and rarely takes no longer than two visits
  • Bridges do not require surgery
  • Dental bridges are cheap, especially when compared to the initial costs of other procedures, such as dentures and implants.

Dentures

Dentures can either be partial or complete and are used to replace the bottom arch or the top arch of your mouth. If the situation requires it, dentures can also be used to replace all of the patient’s teeth.

Unlike bridges, it’s hard to find where dentures hold an advantage when compared to dental implants. This is especially evident when you consider the many issues concerning dentures, such as potential warping and an uncomfortable and loose fit that may lead to embarrassing moments when speaking and/or eating.

Why Implants Are Often The Best Choice 

Dental implants are not always the best choice, which is where fixed bridges and removable dentures come in. However, the majority of the time, dental implants are a better solution because unlike removable dentures, implants do not slip, or make embarrassing clicking sounds when eating or speaking. Also, unlike bridges, there’s no partial cutting involved when it comes to having dental implants placed inside your mouth.

The most important factor, though, as to why dental implants are just better is because dental implants do not put the patient’s teeth at as much of a risk to recurrent decay and gum disease as dental bridges and dentures would.

As an added bonus, dental implants can last for as long as 25 years. This is a full ten years to the 7 to 15 years that fixed bridges and removable dentures can only last for until they need to be replaced.

Getting a Dental Implant

Again, as mentioned earlier, dental implants are not always the best solution and this has often been because a patient is not an ideal candidate for the said procedure.

Ideal candidates for dental implants are those with good general and oral health, as well as having enough bone in their jaw to help support the implant. Although, those who’ve lost bone in their jaws in the past do not have to worry as much as they can still have implants if they go through a bone-grafting procedure first.

If you’re already wearing a partial or full denture, you can choose to have them replaced with dental implants. Or, you can also use implants to help stabilize and secure the denture to ensure a more comfortable fit.

For additional information regarding dental implants, contact Dr. George Kirtley at 317-841-1111 to schedule a consultation today or visit www.smilesbygeorge.com to learn more.

Some Facts You Should Know About Porcelain Veneers

porcelain veneers, ,

porcelain veneerPorcelain veneers are considered among the most beautiful and natural-looking means of improving one’s smile. Many people know how esthetically beneficial these veneers are, but there are a lot more one should know about porcelain veneers.

For example, it’s important that you know if whether porcelain veneers will be placed on all your teeth, or just some of them.

Below is the answer to that question and a few must-know facts about porcelain veneers.

  • The number of teeth requiring porcelain veneers is a case-to-case basis. Though, most cosmetic dentists recommend only 8 to 10 veneers on top since the upper teeth are the ones that show the most when a person smiles. It is also not surprising for most patients to opt for porcelain veneers to be placed only on the upper teeth first, and then completing the lower when they’reUltimately, however, the decision will be based on a number of factors, including the patient’s smile goals, a patient’s smile and how he or she talks, as well as their overall budget.
  • To be placed, cosmetic dentists will have to remove around 0.5 mm of the tooth’s original enamel. For this very reason, porcelain veneers are considered an irreversible form of treatment.
  • The typical fabrication time for porcelain laminate veneers is one week, though this may be cut down considerably with CEREC.
  • Preparation and insertion or cementation of porcelain veneers rarely, if at all, requires the use of local anesthetic.
  • While porcelain is a very strong and durable material, it is brittle and once placed, dentists will recommend making a few necessary changes to one’s lifestyle and diet to prevent damaging the veneer. For example, chewing on hard food, such as nuts, bones and candies are discouraged. The same goes for habits such as clenching and biting one’s na The use of mouth guards when playing contact sports is also highly recommended.
  • Porcelain veneers can last for as long as twenty years. However, treatment for gum line shrinkage may require for the veneer to be removed and even replaced. Veneers may also have to be replaced if it breaks, though it can also only just be rebounded if it chips.
  • Porcelain veneers can withstand stains, but the surrounding teeth cannot. This is why it’s recommended to periodically receive teeth whitening treatment, on top of practicing good oral hygiene at home, to make sure that the veneers do not stand out should staining occur in the surrounding teeth.

 

Generally, having porcelain veneers placed on teeth is a pretty straightforward procedure.

Without CEREC, the whole procedure usually takes two visits, with the first being requires for the fitting and taking of measurements so that the porcelain veneers can be custom-made in a dental laboratory. However, with CEREC, the cosmetic dentist can finish the whole procedure in a single afternoon, so make sure to check in with your preferred dental professional if he or she uses CEREC for dental restorations.

If you’re interested in having your teeth whitened through porcelain veneers, choose only the most reputable cosmetic dentist in your area to make sure that you are getting your money’s worth.

If you would like to transform your smile with the help of porcelain veneers, contact Dr. George Kirtley at 317-841-1111 to schedule a consultation today! Or visit www.smilesbygeorge.com for additional information.

Get The Smile You’ve Always Wanted With A Smile Makeover Treatment!

Smile Makeover, ,

 

pearly whites

They say that first impressions last, and few, if any, makes more of an impression than your smile. This is why it’s important that your smile make as good of an impression as it can.

If you are, however, like most people, you’ve likely dreamt of having a better-looking smile, one that’s straighter, and preferably, whiter.

To get that smile, a process known as a smile makeover may just be what you need.

What Is A Smile Makeover?

A smile makeover is a process whose main goal is to improve the appearance of the smile through a combination of various cosmetic dentistry treatments or procedures. The list of treatments includes, but are not limited to, dental veneers, composite bonding, tooth implants and teeth whitening.

It is similar to a full mouth reconstruction where multiple procedures are involved. However, the two differ in that a smile makeover is elective, while a full mouth reconstruction is necessary.

Smile Makeovers and Your Life

Your smile is an investment whose benefits you’ll be reaping for the rest of your life, and this alone is reason enough to consider getting a smile makeover.

More than being a cosmetic procedure, though, a smile makeover carries a lot of functional and health benefits as well.

For example, those with malocclusions may find it hard to brush and floss their teeth, making them prone to tooth decay and gum disease. Correcting malocclusions through orthodontics can help solve that problem, as well as the other possible complications that come with malocclusion, such as speech impediments, accidental chipping and so on.

This is just one of the many benefits brought about by a smile makeover treatment, making it one of those things that you can do to help significantly change your life for the better!

Is It Worth It?

The fact that a smile makeover can make a huge positive impact on your life alone makes it worthy of, at least, consideration. However, making the choice is quite complicated because getting a smile makeover is far from cheap.

Cosmetic dental treatments alone are expensive enough, which makes it safe to say that a series of such treatments is bound to cost a lot – something that happens in a smile makeover. In fact, it would not come off as a surprise for patients to spend well over thousands of dollars just to get the smile they’ve always wanted.

Thus, this begs the question, is it worth it?

Well, you are the only one who can answer truly that question because you’re the one who’s wearing your smile. If you’re perfectly content with what you have, then good for you. However, if you’re like many others whose personal and professional life is and has been suffering because of how much trouble they have smiling, then you may want to really consider getting a smile makeover treatment.

Yes, a smile makeover is expensive, but as long as you see your smile as something that you’ll own and wear for the rest of your life, it should be easier for you to decide whether it is a worthy investment or not.

If you’re interested in transforming your pearly whites with a smile makeover, contact Dr. George Kirtley at 317-841-1111 to schedule a consultation today! Or visit www.smilesbygeorge.com for additional information.