There are many treatment alternatives for dentures. The most frequent complaint about dentures is the retention and stability of the lower denture.
Treatments can range from as little as two implants to support the lower denture to a full mouth of implants to replace each individual tooth.
Typically implants are strategically placed so that bridges can be placed to replace the missing teeth.
There are 5 general categories that patients fall into which prompts them come to the office to attain the most fabulous smile. Our patients can have any combination of these contributing factors that may need to be improved:
* Patients can have extrinsic stains like stains from food such as wine or coffee.
In this case whitening may be the treatment of choice.
* Patients can have intrinsic stains like stains caused from antibiotics during development, calcifications or hypo-calcifications. In this case the treatment can consist of bonding, veneers or a combination of both.
In this case Invisalign may be a treatment option as well as bonding and veneers to correct these malalignments.
Some patients present with narrow smiles giving the appearance of a small or short smile.
In this case veneers, bonding, Invisalign or any combination of these procedures can be used to create a more full beautiful smile.
In this case periodontal therapy or a deep cleaning is needed to get the gums back to health.
The gums are the foundation to healthy smile. Healthy gums are necessary to ensure healthy, beautiful teeth for the long haul.
Once veneers are bonded onto teeth, it is impossible to remove them without needing to replace them with new veneers. This holds true for non-prep veneers (Lumineers) or traditional porcelain veneers. The good news is that when veneers are done properly and are maintained well, they can last a long time without the need for replacement.
Before pursuing a cosmetic dentistry consultation it is important to have an idea of what you would like to achieve with regards to your smile.
The first consultation is really important. It is an opportunity to hear my patients’ desires to ensure a successful outcome. In this day and age of the Internet, our patients are very well educated and many have an idea of what they’d like to achieve with their smile. On the other hand, many patients present without this knowledge.
I ask guided questions such as: “What is it about your smile that you would like to change?” and “Do you like the appearance of straight white perfect teeth or do you prefer a clean healthy natural appearance?”
After carefully listening to my patients’ desires, I take them through a series of functional analysis to ensure that the mouth is functioning properly. Molds of the mouth and jaw are taken so that the cast of the mouth can be properly mounted on a machine that replicates the function of the individual’s mouth.
Very thorough documentation is taken of the important aspects of the mouth as it exists and a series of photographs are taken. All of the information is used to make a wax up on the mounted casts so our patient are able to see a mock-up of the intended smile. This mock can be transferred to the mouth so that it is possible for the patient to see their actual smile in their mouth before they commit to treatment.
This thorough examination is done when our patient is looking for a smile transformation. Many of my patients may not require such an extensive analysis; often my patients need some whitening and a little bonding to fix an irregularity. In this case they can be out of the office in about an hour or two with their refreshed, beautiful smile.