Tag Archives: tooth replacement options

Dental Implant Procedure: New & Improved

Restorative Dentistry, ,

Dental-Implant-Procedure

Where’s the Tooth Fairy when you need her?

When reflecting on childhood memories, one might fondly remember losing those first few baby teeth. Surly the excitement and anticipation of a visit from the Tooth Fairy, and of course the promise of receiving that oh so precious reward under their pillow the next day is enough to put a huge smile on any child’s face! However, as time goes by and we grow into adults, much like Santa and the Easter Bunny, visits from the Tooth Fairy seem to no longer apply. Therefore, when sitting down to enjoy a meal and hearing an unpleasant crunch followed by a sharp pain, clearly the prospect of losing a tooth isn’t what it used to be!

Why Teeth Break?

“If my teeth are meant to last a lifetime, why would they break?”

As silly as it sounds, if you have broken a tooth, you just might find yourself asking that very question; and as simple as the question may be, the answer is actually a bit more complicated. While your natural teeth are certainly strong and durable, there are numerous factors such as accidents, hard foods, acidic substances, or simply neglect and old age, that can seriously damage or even destroy your teeth. Whether it is sudden damage or long-term decay, obviously broken and or missing teeth present a problem in both a practical and aesthetic sense.  Therefore, if you have one or more missing teeth, considering getting the necessary replacements is without question the best course of action.

Dental Implant Procedure: New and Improved!

Although the dental implant procedure has been around for a long time, thanks to the numerous recent improvements within modern dental technology, the dental implant procedure today is much different than it once was. While previous incarnations of the dental implant procedure were sometimes cumbersome and final product occasionally failed to blend in with natural teeth. The modern dental implant procedure makes the look and feel of the finished product less like a synthetic substitute, and more like a natural tooth!

Related Articles:

Affordable Dental Implants are a Healthy Investment

Implants – The Next Best Thing to Your Real Teeth

Dental Implant Procedure

The process of receiving one of these sleek new implants is a relatively straight-forward procedure in which the roots of the tooth are surgically replaced with a metal post that is designed to anchor in the implant.

Once in place, an abutment is attached to each post to connect them with the artificial tooth. Although, abutments all serve a similar purpose, they may vary somewhat depending on the type of implant you are receiving.

Finally, once each abutment is in place and the gums have healed, (usually taking one to two weeks) you are ready to receive the artificial tooth. Much like the abutment, the tooth will vary depending on whether it’s a removable implant that’s designed to be removed for daily cleaning; or whether it’s a fixed implant that is permanently fastened in place. This ceramic, customized synthetic tooth will provide a high quality and seemingly flawless replacement.

Something to Smile About

As an adult, losing any of your permanent teeth is never a desired situation. However, with state-of-the-art new dental implants, having damaged or missing teeth replaced has never been easier or more effective. So if you have experienced that unfortunate situation where you’ve lost or broken a tooth, and the Tooth Fairy simply doesn’t visit you anymore, perhaps a dental implant procedure is the answer for you!

Dr. Charles R. Kimes, DDS and his expert team at Overland Park Dentistry look forward to having the opportunity to care for you and your family with any preventative, restorative or cosmetic needs you or your family may have. To schedule your dental appointment or dental implant procedure consultation with your Overland Park Dentist, contact us at our south Overland Park office at (913) 647-8700 or our north Overland Park office at (913) 341-2380.

Missing: 3 Options for Tooth Replacement

Restorative Dentistry,

tooth-replacement

Tooth Replacement: A Nightmare Come True!

Having a strange or sometimes vivid dream, is something most people experience from time to time. Although dreams often vary from person to person, one of the most common dreams (or nightmares) revolves around losing one’s teeth. Unfortunately for some people however, this nightmare has ended up coming true as they have sustained a severely chipped or damaged tooth, and are now in need of a tooth replacement. However despite this unfortunate and often untimely problem, there are several great tooth replacement options available, if you should find yourself in such a predicament.

Reasons for tooth replacement

While obviously your teeth are very tough, did you know that your teeth are in fact harder than any bone in your entire body! To some this may come as a surprise. To others it makes a great deal of sense, as your teeth have the extremely important task of breaking down your food for consumption. Unfortunately even as tough as your teeth are, there are many factors such as hard foods, acidic substances, or simply neglect and old age, that can potentially damage or completely destroy your teeth. Therefore it is necessary to replace a tooth if damage or decay has begun to occur.

Tooth replacement can be accomplished three different ways depending on the needs of the patient, each of which are capable of providing an effective long-term solution for the user.

Tooth Replacement Options: The Big Three

There are three primary options available when having one or more teeth replaced; each of these options is designed to accommodate different circumstances surrounding the patient’s overall replacement needs.  Each of the three tooth replacement options presents certain advantages and disadvantages, which should be considered upon making one’s section.

Option 1: Removable Partial

Often considered the most economical of the replacement options, the removable partial denture or RPD, is a removable row of porcelain dentures, as its name implies. A RPD can be used both as functional teeth and to serve aesthetic purposes. Despite the RPD’s relative popularity due to it being the least expensive of the options, it is the most accommodating for older individuals who may need several teeth replaced. However, it does present certain drawbacks. Over the years there have been quite a few instances of RPD’s getting lost or going missing, particularly among elderly patients or folks on vacation, thus leading some to seek a more secure solution.

Option 2: Fixed Bridge

A bridge, or sometimes called fixed partial denture, is much like the removable partial. It’s a row of artificial porcelain teeth, fixated within the patient’s mouth. However the differences between an RPD and a bridge are not only the fact that the bridge is fixed (or non-removable) but also that the dental bridge provides greater comfort while chewing, requires less  cleaning, and is as convincing as actual teeth. Although more expensive than the RPD, the bridge is in many ways superior overall, in addition to requiring little time to be created.

Option 3: Dental Implant

The final and perhaps most sought after tooth replacement option is the dental implant. As opposed to the two previous options, the dental implant is more like an actual tooth that has been specifically created to replace your old one. This ceramic, custom-made tooth is strategically placed onto the jawbone of the patient, so that it may slowly be enveloped by the bone and gums over time becoming the permanent replacement for the missing tooth. Although dental implants are more expensive than the previously mentioned options, they require the least amount of maintenance and attention as the others, in addition to providing the authentic look and feel as a natural tooth.

Fill in the gap

Although your teeth are tough and can last a very long time, if time has taken its toll and caused damage or decay, the three above-mentioned tooth replacement options are certainly available to replace your broken teeth, and end your nightmare once and for all.

Dr. Charles R. Kimes, DDS and his expert team at Overland Park Dentistry look forward to having the opportunity to help you if you end up with a missing tooth! Or with any preventative, restorative or cosmetic needs you or your family may have. To schedule a dental appointment, contact us at our south Overland Park office at (913) 647-8700 or our north Overland Park office at (913) 341-2380.