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Posts for tag: Dental Implants

By Reno Laser Dentistry
February 28, 2012
Category: Cosmetic dentist

Who doesn’t want a dental makeover! Have you ever thought of getting cosmetic dentistry? Many of us wake up and look at our smile and think only if I could get this done or that. Well, why wait any longer our smile is an important part of our self-esteem. Don’t you think you deserve it!

According to an article at dentalnewsarticles.com, “Many people may feel they need to fix one thing with their smile. Usually it’s to whiten their teeth. Or maybe to fix gaps in between teeth.”

“Still, there are plenty of people who don’t like anything about their smile or their teeth. These people may avoid smiling completely, and get out of as many social situations as they can. A solution for this group is a smile makeover.

A smile makeover is simply a way to get more than one cosmetic dental procedure performed rather than doing so piecemeal. Common problems fixed by a smile makeover include:

  • Crooked teeth
  • Stained or discolored teeth
  • Missing teeth
  • Uneven teeth
  • Chipped or broken teeth
  • Uneven teeth
  • Gummy smiles

Common cosmetic dental fixes for some of these problems may be porcelain crowns or veneers. These can fix gaps, chips, broken teeth, or cover badly stained teeth that teeth whitening alone cannot fix. For more intensive procedures, dental implants are the best solution for missing teeth.

During your smile makeover procedure, your cosmetic dentist will look at your teeth, gums, and bite function. While it is important for you to be happy with the way your smile looks, it is more important that your jaw is in alignment and that your bite is proper. This avoids other problems that can affect your overall health. After it is clear you do not have gum disease or need a root canal before looking at what can be done cosmetically, your cosmetic dentist will speak to you about your options.

Factors for deciding what might be best for your smile makeover depend on length of time for the procedure, your healing, your overall health, and more. While cost is important, many cosmetic dentists offer payment plans, and some will help you with insurance if it is deemed that your health is suffering without getting certain procedures; for example, missing lots of teeth.”Smile makeovers are good at solving lots of dental issues at once.”

Click here to read the entire article from dentalnewsarticles.com:

Whatever the dental issue is Dr. McElhinney located in Reno, is an expert in cosmetic dentistry procedures. Click here to contact Dr. McElhinney’s dental office to set-up an appointment.

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By Reno Laser Dentistry
December 27, 2011
Category: dentist

Missing teeth, should you replace or not? There are three ways commonly used to replace missing teeth. The best method depends on which tooth (teeth) is missing, how many teeth are missing, how strong the other teeth are and the health of the gum and bone around the adjacent teeth.

One method that’s been used for many years is to make a “fixed” bridge. The teeth on either side of the space are shaped for crowns and a false tooth (or teeth) is connected in between the anchor crowns. This is “fixed” because it is cemented to the anchor teeth and doesn’t come out.

Another newer technique for replacing missing teeth in a “fixed” manner is to surgically place metal cylinders in the jaw bone. These replace the roots of your natural teeth. After healing, crowns can be attached to these implants, which are secure and strong and function just like your natural teeth.

The oldest, and least secure method, involves using a removable partial denture. A partial denture uses a metal frame to support teeth. The appliance is held in place by clasps which grip the remaining teeth. This prosthesis is removed to clean it and your remaining natural teeth. Unfortunately, partial dentures trap bacterial plaque underneath and against natural teeth which often leads to tooth decay or gum disease of the anchor teeth. Extra home care is required to maintain the natural teeth in a healthy condition.

If financial costs are an issue, please check with your insurance company and what procedures are covered. Remember that your teeth are like an investment, you want the best for your situation and budget.

Please contact Dr. McElhinney’s office so he can advise you on what would be the best treatment options for your specific situation.

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By Reno Laser Dentistry
December 22, 2011
Category: Dentures

Patients should be aware that your mouth naturally changes with age, especially once the natural teeth are removed. Bone and gum most often recede or shrink, which cause the jaw to align improperly. With any patient that has traditional dentures shrinking gum ridges can cause dentures to fit less securely, chewing difficultly, and may change the appearance of a patients face. Dentures that are fitted improperly can cause health problems such as infections, oral hygiene is essential to maintain adequate oral care. Generally, the looseness problem can be corrected by relining the denture with new plastic.

However, there’s too little bone for an adequate foundation for any denture and remaking the denture only helps to a limited degree. Consequently, the 2nd and 3rd sets of dentures generally don’t provide the same chewing ability as the first. There are several alternatives for denture wearers, and those considering dentures, to protect the bone and make dentures more secure and comfortable, such as saving a couple roots of teeth or placing implants to secure the denture.

If a patient has bad teeth and wants to have dentures, it is advisable to save the canine teeth in both jaws to support and retain the denture. This protects the bone from shrinking and the lower canine teeth can have snap-attachments placed to hold the denture in place. If a person has no teeth, then implants can be used to stabilize and secure a denture. Dental implants offer a variety of alternatives for replacing missing teeth. Dr. McElhinney is an expert on dentures and implants, contact his office for more information.

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