November 2015 - Old Milton Dental

Benefits of Dental Implants

Posted on November 25, 2015June 14, 2017 by Alpharetta Dentist

Dental implants are the method most preferred by dentists for replacing teeth that are missing, or have become too damaged to save by traditional means. Almost any patient can experience the benefits of dental implants as well. The procedure has a success rate that is nothing short of remarkable – 98% – and when cared for in the same way as you would your natural teeth, dental implants can quite literally last you a lifetime. Implants are indistinguishable from your natural teeth both in form and in function, and are in most instances preferable to removable dentures or bridges.

Dental implants consist of two main components – an artificial root made from titanium and a porcelain crown. The root is inserted surgically into your jawbone and in time (usually about six months) bonds to it. Then a crown can be placed on top of the titanium post. One of the main benefits of dental implants is that they look exactly like your real teeth. They’re colored and shaped in the same way, and even textured to match your natural teeth. Implants also help to maintain your facial structure, unlike dentures, which can eventually cause facial sag simply because they’re not always in your mouth. Implants also work to prevent any remaining teeth from shifting and becoming misaligned.

Assuming that your oral health is good, and that you don’t have any medical conditions that could preclude the use of implants – and realistically, such conditions are few and far between – you’re likely to find that implants are a superior solution for damaged or missing teeth. They may need to be adjusted from time to time, but other than that, all you need to do to take care of your implants is to brush and floss, and get regular checkups. Your implants won’t decay, but you still need to be concerned with the health of your gums. As long as you look after your oral health, you can expect to have your implants for the rest of your life, which is a huge advantage over dentures and bridges that usually have to be replaced every ten years or so, and which can get broken, damaged or end up being lost simply because they’re not always in your mouth. Dental implants are reliable and durable, and have none of the disadvantages of removable prosthetic teeth.

If you want more information on the benefits of dental implants, make an appointment at our Alpharetta office by calling 678-624-0370 today! You can also read our dental implants overview blog to learn more about implants.

Benefits of Dental Crowns

Posted on November 18, 2015June 14, 2017 by Alpharetta Dentist

Most patients have probably heard about dental crowns, and have a basic idea of what they are, but they may not fully understand how these little porcelain caps that cover the entire tooth can not only make their teeth look better, but can help them to work better as well. The fact is, dental crowns have a lot of advantages. One of the most important benefits of dental crowns is that they can relieve many uncomfortable conditions. For instance, if you’ve had an infection, an injury to your tooth (like a break or fracture), or if your tooth has become significantly decayed, you may feel pain. With an infection, your pain may be relieved by means of a root canal. With cracking or breaking of a tooth, the injury can be sealed using a tooth-colored bonding material. In some instances, the remaining, untreated part of the tooth could be vulnerable to discomfort or even additional damage. A crown can protect your tooth from more damage, and also prevent discomfort.

A lot of people think that getting dental crowns is a complex procedure, but it actually is not. To prepare your tooth to receive a crown, your dentist cleans the enamel, and then shapes to tooth to be sure that it will hold a crown. Then, an impression is taken of the tooth, and sent to a lab where the dental crown is manufactured. Finally, it’s placed on your tooth by means of a special bonding cement. A crown not only restores functionality to your tooth, it also improves its appearance. Crowns can be perfectly matched to your adjacent teeth, and once installed, they can correct any defects in the shape of the tooth as well as any discoloration or staining. In fact, because crowns are indistinguishable from real, healthy teeth, some patients elect to have crowns placed on all their teeth, as a purely cosmetic procedure.

Because dental crowns are so strong, they don’t really require anything in the way of special care. If you take care of them (in other words, brush and floss regularly, and see your dentist twice a year for checkups and cleanings), your dental crowns could last for decades. The only thing that could harm your crowns would be trauma to the mouth, so if you’re athletic, make sure to use a mouth guard!

If you are in the Alpharetta area and are looking for more information on the benefits of dental crowns, call us at (678) 624-0370. You can also read our Dental Crown overview blog.

Benefits of Porcelain Veneers

Posted on November 12, 2015June 14, 2017 by Alpharetta Dentist

Do you have a smile that perhaps isn’t showing you at your best? If you have gappy, discolored, chipped or cracked teeth, you might be a great candidate for porcelain veneers. Some dentists actually call dental veneers “instant orthodontics” because they can restore even a badly damaged smile quickly and dramatically.

Dental veneers are simply thin shells that are made out of dental ceramic. They’re custom made to suit your particular requirements, and then cemented onto your teeth to mask any number of cosmetic issues. Veneers are considerably less expensive than crowns, but they look every bit as natural, making them one of the most effective cosmetic dental care options available. In fact, in many cases all that’s necessary to give you a movie-star smile is some well-crafted porcelain veneers. One of the best things about veneers is that they blend in completely with the rest of your tooth. That means that even under artificial light, they’ll look totally natural.

The procedure for having porcelain veneers placed isn’t all that complex. It basically involves having your dentist scrape away a bit of your tooth enamel so that the veneers, when installed, won’t feel too thick. With some types of super-thin veneers, this part of the procedure may not even be necessary. Then your dentist will take an impression of your teeth and send it off to the lab where the veneers are made. You’ll be able to make color adjustments so that your veneers will look natural and complement your skin tone. Once the veneers come back from the lab, you and your dentist will do a final quick check to make sure that the color is right, and then they’ll be bonded in place using a special cement.

Your dental veneers will resist staining and discoloration, and of course they won’t decay. Remember, though, that the underlying teeth and your gums are still vulnerable, so you still have to brush and floss every day, and see your dentist for regular cleanings and checkups.

Porcelain veneers can be a great way of correcting dental imperfections and giving you the smile that you want. Sometimes, though, other treatments like crowns or dental implants may be more desirable. Your dentist can tell you about other treatments, and then you can decide whether veneers are right for you.

Find out if porcelain veneers are right for you by contacting our office in Alpharetta at (678) 624-0370. Our dentists will be happy to go over all cosmetic dentistry options with you.

Benefits of Dentures

Posted on November 4, 2015June 14, 2017 by Alpharetta Dentist

For most patients, dental implants are the best way to deal with missing or damaged teeth. However, they’re not always right for everyone, for a couple of reasons. First, in very rare cases, a medical condition could make implant surgery problematic. More often, though, the issue is the expense. Implants can be quite costly, and they’re not always covered by insurance companies.

When implants are impractical for whatever reason, dentures can be the next best alternative. The benefits of dentures are many, the most important one being that you can get a brand new set of teeth that look natural and are comfortable when properly adjusted. If you’ve been suffering the embarrassment of missing teeth, a set of well-made dentures can help to restore your confidence.

Of course if you are having extractions preparatory to creating a set of dentures, there will be a period of adjustment while your gums shrink, but during that time, a dentist can provide you with a set of temporary dentures so you can smile to your heart’s content without fear of embarrassment. Also, this gives you a period during which you can ease in to having dentures in your mouth. Once your permanent dentures are made and fitted, they may need to be adjusted a couple of times. Ultimately, though, you’ll find that your dentures will feel almost as good as your natural teeth, and that you’ll be able to eat pretty much whatever you want, since properly fitted dentures won’t slip or slide.

Modern dentures are nothing like those of years gone by. They’re custom-created to suit your mouth perfectly. Your dentist will take impressions of your teeth and gums, and may even take x-rays too, in order to ensure that the measurements sent to the lab are completely accurate. This is so that you can get the most comfortable fit possible, and the most realistic feel.

With the advances in modern dentistry, the benefits of dentures now far outweigh the disadvantages. They’re considerably more comfortable, highly unlikely to slip, and they also look remarkably natural. You can even have your dentures tinted to match the original shade of your teeth. Or, if you were never totally happy with your smile, you can go a bit whiter if you like. Usually it’s not advisable to go too much whiter, though – brilliant white looks good on camera, but can appear unnatural in real life. Contact our office today at (678) 624-0370 to learn more about the benefits of dentures.

Month: November 2015

Benefits of Dental Implants

Benefits of Dental Crowns

Benefits of Porcelain Veneers

Benefits of Dentures

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