Dental Implants Vs Dental Bridges

There are two options available to you if you have lost a tooth - either you can choose a dental implant or dental bridge. Replacing a lost tooth prevents other teeth from moving from their original position, which may cause orthodontic issues later if not treated in a timely manner and enables you to eat and speak naturally and efficiently.

Dental Implants 

This procedure serves the basis for a new artificial replacement tooth. This implant is inserted into the jawbone. With the growth of bone, it blends with the titanium post to consolidate it.

A temporary crown is placed on the implant, while it heals and blends; this healing may take six weeks to 40 weeks, which differs from individual to individual and the placement of the implant. Once it is healed, a permanent crown is created and placed on the implant. In the case of more than one missing teeth, dentures or a bridge can be affixed to one or multiple implants. Know the complete procedure and benefits of Dental Implants.

Bridges 

Bridges are comprised of two crowns that are placed on the two teeth that are adjacent to the gap. The two teeth, to which the bridge is anchored, are termed the abutment teeth. The false tooth or teeth that are between the abutment teeth are termed pontics. Therefore, dental bridges receive their support from implants or healthy teeth.

Traditional Bridges

With traditional bridges a crown is created for the implant or tooth that is adjacent to the area of the missing tooth or teeth, and a pontic fills in the remaining space. This is the type of bridge used most often and it is constructed of ceramics or metal with porcelain fused to it.  

Cantilever Bridges

When there is only one tooth, rather than two, adjacent to the missing tooth, dentists use cantilever bridges.

Resin-bonded Bridges

This type of bridge is constructed from plastic gums and teeth and uses a metal framework for support. Metal wings on opposite sides of the bridge are bonded to the adjacent existing teeth.

Dental Implant Vis-à-vis Bridges 

Dental implants are often not noticeable to onlookers and they offer a more natural feel and look. They also offer more effective and efficient chewing in comparison to bridges, which may slip. A traditional bridge requires sound teeth on either side of the location of the missing teeth, whereas this is not the case in dental implants. The teeth to which a bridge are fixed are permanently altered in the process of crowning. With dental implants, adjacent teeth remain unaltered. If a tooth, to which a bridge is fixed, develops any problem, the entire bridge will be compromised. However, dental implants are normally more expensive than bridges.

Life Span

The life span of a dental bridge is normally up to 15 years and sometimes longer if proper oral hygiene is maintained. Dental implants will often last for the life of the patient, however their crowns may need to be replaced if there is excessive wear. In either case, adequate oral hygiene goes a long way toward ensuring a long life for any restorative dental work.

Interesting Points Regarding Dental Implants

A dental implant, which is embedded in the jaw bone, can actually serve to stimulate the jaw bone during the chewing process. This stimulation inhibits the process of osteoporosis in this portion of the jaw bone, and can actually lead to the growth of the bone. People without adequate jaw bone density, due to osteoporosis, are not good candidates for dental implants. There is ongoing medical research to examine the possibility of bone grafting to make dental implants possible in this population.

Dental implants and crowns are two dental procedures that are used to occupy the space that is vacated by missing teeth. In most cases, an implant will be superior to a bridge in eligible candidates. For people that are not candidates for implants, dental bridges may be a viable alternative. However, implants are generally more expensive than bridges.

If adopted as a cosmetic dental procedure to enhance the appearance of your smile, dental implant definitely wins over dental bridge due to its ability to provide natural look which can’t be noticed easily and functionality delivered after the procedure considering that patient has healthy bones to apply implant successfully.

Reshaping your Gums For Beautiful Smile, Possible Treatments and After Care

So many factors works together to have a perfect smile, including whiteness of teeth, teeth shapes, alignment and perfect combination of the gum’s length. In many cases, the height of the gums is too high that makes the teeth look lengthy or too low that makes the teeth look shorter. To enhance the cosmetic appearance, such patient may needs to undergo through gum contouring surgery in which your dentist set the proper length of the gums a way which get adjusted properly with the length of the teeth or say crown. According to patient’s condition, treatment like crown lengthening, pocket reduction or gum regeneration treatment apply to correct the gum line. As the ultimate goal of the treatment is to enhance the look of your smile, in many cases, it is counted under cosmetic dental treatment and not covered under dental insurance. You need to discuss with your dentist for precise information on cost and insurance options.  

Possible Causes: 

• Excessive gum recession due to general health issue or oral problem 
• Genetic problems, condition like pregnancy or Menopause also cause genetic fluctuation 
• As a side effect due to excessive use of certain drugs 
• Any other kind of periodontal disease that directly impact on gum’s health  

Treatments for Gum Reshaping: 

When Teeth Look too Small: 

In this situation, crown lengthening is applied in which your dentist use instruments or laser treatment which increase the length of your crown and pull the gum tissues back or adjust a way which makes your gum line looks perfect. 

When Teeth Look Too Big: 

As described before, gum recession caused by oral issues makes your teeth look longer; Gum regeneration procedure is required to cover the exposed tooth. Also known as pocket reduction procedure, which is necessary for good oral hygiene purpose as well or bacteria can grow in pocket, leading to further gum disease or loss of soft tissues or gum bone. 

In any situation, treatment initiates by giving you local anesthesia, marking your gum line to have you an exact idea which part will be reduced or regenerated and finally, laser or scalpels is used to perform the surgery. In worst situation, when teeth supporting bone or gum tissues are damaged heavily, it is required to perform additional surgery like gum grafting for ensuring proper oral health. 

Cost of the treatment solely depends on the condition, area of gums which needs the surgery and additional cost of surgery in worst situations. 

Healing Process and Required Diet: 

Once the surgery is performed, it may take few days to heal the gums completely and support of certain medicines are requires boosting the healing process. 

If possible, avoid brushing or flossing on the area which has undergone through treatment for few days and use fluoride based mouthwash. 

Avoid eating hard and spicy food or chewing with the teeth where surgery is performed. Ice-cream, cheese, non-sugary liquid or soups, pasta and any other kind of soft food should be included in diet for few days. 

If you experience bleeding in gums, swelling or any kind of reaction surrounding gums, you need to consult your dentist immediately for avoiding further problems or medicine against it. 

Cosmetic and Oral Benefits: 

• Uneven, longer and shorter gums can be corrected for beautiful smile. 
• When tooth are exposed due to recession, it becomes mandatory to undergo through pocket reduction surgery or it may cause serious periodontal disease leading to tooth loss. 
• Correct position of gum line helps in maintaining oral hygiene with regular good habits like brushing and flossing. 

Most Asked Questions: 

Is it necessary to have this treatment? 

As far as oral health is concern, having high gums isn’t issue other that cosmetic appearance. If it’s too low, there is a risk that the tooth may exposed further over the time and which may lead to periodontal disease which requires immediate consultation. 

Whom to consult? Cosmetic dentist or Periodontist 

If the purpose of gum Contouring is to enhance the appearance, consulting cosmetic dentist will be fine. But if you experience symptoms of any periodontal disease, it is recommended to consult with periodontist for evaluating the base of the problem and required periodontal treatment. 

Does the cost of treatment is covered in insurance? 

The cost of any cosmetic treatment isn’t covered under insurance. Hence, if any of the treatment is adapted due to bad oral hygiene or bacterial infection, it may get covered. Don’t forget to discuss about this with your dentist prior to treatment.

Most asked questions about Teeth whitening

What is tooth whitening and why it is important?

In process of getting a beautiful smile, teeth whitening is one of the most needed and preferred procedure applied at the appropriate stage for beautiful smile depending upon the condition of the patient. If any person doesn’t have any other issues like misalignment, cracked tooth or crowded tooth, teeth whitening can be applied first and helps to get back the natural color and shine of the teeth as before.

Let’s quickly review some facts and most asked questions about teeth whitening.

What are the causes of stained or discolored teeth?

There are many reasons and factors which impact on tooth color, including the type of diet we take, alcoholic cold drinks, coffee, tea and habit of chewing tobacco and cigarette smoking. In certain cases, drinking water with high levels of fluoride or frequent use of mouthwash, toothpaste with high contain of fluoride also causes dark spots on the teeth.

In Kids, not following good oral hygiene habits like brushing regularly is the main reason behind stained or discolored teeth.

Should I opt for teeth cleaning before whitening?

It is advisable to go for teeth cleaning before opting out for teeth whitening as you can be assured of good oral hygiene as well. Depending on your oral hygiene, dentist may or may not suggest teeth cleaning.

What are the methods of Teeth Whitening?

There are various cosmetic dentistry solutions available in the market which you can try at your home. This includes products like bleaching trays, whitening gel or toothpaste and mouthwash.

Your cosmetic dentist may opt for laser teeth whitening which gives you an instant result with little extra cost. Having custom made plastic trays is also a good solution which you can apply at your home with dentist’s recommended paste or gel to use with tray.

Is it safe to use teeth whitening products without consulting Cosmetic Dentist ?

We recommend you to first go for consultation at the initial level and discuss about the product you wish to utilize for teeth whitening.

There are certain whitening products in the market which may give you fast result but may cause side effects like teeth sensitivity or result may not last for longer.

In certain worst conditions, it became necessary to have treatment by cosmetic dentists to diagnose the actual condition of your teeth and adopting a solution which lasts longer without any side effect to your teeth.

How long I should expect to retain the white teeth after treatment?

It solely depends on the products you have used for teeth whitening along with precautions and good habits you have followed for maintaining it.

Generally, dental bleaching done at dental clinic will last for 12-18 months if proper care is followed by you. Hence, it isn’t permanent solutions and result may disappear with frequent use of alcohol, tobacco cigarettes, coffee and other food. Regular visits to the dental clinic every six months and good preventive care can increase the longevity of teeth whitening treatment.

Different Type of Cosmetic Treatments and Its Benefits

People go through cosmetic dentistry for a variety of reasons. The majority of them have been anxious regarding the disfigured arrangement of their teeth. It can have anti-pole effect on the natural deteriorating process of a person’s teeth. People with deformed teeth will hardly enjoy smiling on occasions. Those with a desire of possessing an alluring smile, it can offer a wide range of doctoring.

Enhancing looks of your teeth and gums is very essential for your amenity along with the positive self-image. Cosmetic dental surgery is very important to know about the various treatments provided by dentists. Improving the cosmetic appearance of the teeth also has considerable health advantages. Cosmetic treatment generally means the dental work done on the person’s teeth and gums to make their smile aesthetically pleasing. 

Teeth whitening or dental bleaching achromatize your teeth giving them a natural white color. If your teeth have developed spots due to excessive brushing over the years, corrections can be made by using spot fillings. Most of the people suffer from the disfigurement of teeth which leaves them with unequal sizes. Tooth reshaping will mend the teeth, making them look alike. If the gaps between your teeth halt you from smiling, cosmetic dentistry will fill up those spaces to give you full freedom to beam. Porcelain crowns help in covering the broken teeth. An indirect filling made of composite materials is a long lasting cosmetic way to provide a filling to teeth with a decay or damage. Dental implants embed an artificial tooth in place of a lost tooth.

The dental bridges cover up the gap between two porcelain crowns. While for the teeth suffering the least amount of stress, like the front ones, cantilever bridge is preferred. These bridges help in reducing the danger of gum disease.

In some cases where the teeth do not respond to bleaching, ultra-thin porcelain laminates are attached directly to the teeth. These are known as veneers. The material used for repairing teeth is porcelain or composite materials. They have replaced the old filling materials like gold and amalgam as they precisely mimic the natural appearance of teeth. In contrast with the silver fillings, they are completely mercury free.

Imperfect teeth often make you hesitant to smile. This results in a downfall of self-confidence. If you share this problem along with many others in the world, cosmetic treatment  is the best way to enhance your smile and boost up your ever important self-confidence. Approach a dentist to find out how you can get this treatment done for your teeth.

If you have lost your tooth due to some incidents or any other type of diseases or decay, you should take appropriate treatment at right time before it gets too late. Furthermore, certain issues like decay in tooth pulp o