Here is a guest blog from the well known cosmetic dentist Dr. Bruce Harley, located in the San Francisco CA are.  Dr. Harley and I have had similiar training, and he is respected leader in cosmetic dentistry.  He answers the following questions:

There are two options for chipped teeth.  The first is composite bonding.   This method utilizes tooth colored resins that are shaped and bonded to the tooth.  It is fast (one visit), cost effective, and relatively easy.  The bonding can last up to 7-10 years, but typically can break, discolor, or wear within a few years.

The second option is to consider porcelain veneering of the tooth.  This method restores the tooth with a thin shell of porcelain that is made to fit precisely to the tooth.  It is beautiful and durable, and is resistant to stain and breakage.  The process takes two visits, and is generally more expensive than bonding.  It lasts two to three times as long as bonding.

What is the end result?

Both look beautiful initially, but porcelain will outlast bonding.

2. How do you get rid of spaces between teeth?

Traditional wire braces/orthodontics has been the common way to close spaces.  For adults today, Invisalign orthodontics using clear plastic removable trays is much faster, and easier for adults to use than traditional braces.  For patients that don’t want orthodontics, porcelain veneers and bonding can close spaces as well.  The artistic abilities of the dentist are critical for beautiful results.  Make sure to ask for pictures of cases the dentist has completed and inquire how often they do the procedure.

3. Why can’t smokers undergo certain cosmetic dentistry procedures?

Actually, smokers can have any of the known cosmetic dental procedures.  The risk is that the smoking will stain the teeth.  With veneers, it’s no problem, and the stain will be 90% less than on a natural tooth.  If it’s bleaching or bonding that’s considered, then the whitening effect will not last as long with smokers.

4. What is a veneer?

A veneer is a thin shell of porcelain that is bonded to a tooth with a special resin.  The veneer can be used to restore a broken tooth, a deformed tooth, a discolored tooth, close gaps between teeth, straighten crooked teeth, and change the size of teeth.  It can last decades, and feels like a natural tooth. It takes two visits to accomplish.

5. Are veneers my only option if I want a smile makeover?

Veneers are only one option for smile makeovers.  Many cases can be completed with a combination of cosmetic dental procedures such as bleaching and bonding.  It’s also noteworthy to mention that many smile makeovers can be accomplished with just a few veneers.  Every case is unique! For many patients, veneers can be placed without the need to grind the natural teeth.  It’s called “prepless” veneering, and is a wonderfully conservative option.”

About the Author

Dr. Bruce Harley, DDS has over 23 years of experience specializing in cosmetic dentistry for men and women in the San Francisco Bay Area. For more information seehttp://www.pccd.net.

Bruce and I hope to do future blogs about cosmetic dentistry and dental implants!

1)       Associated with disorders related to mal-nutrition and digestive problems.  The inability to chew food properly relates to poor food choices, inability to digest food properly

2)      Disabilities related with speech disorders and impediments.  Imagine speaking and having your teeth out!  Many people with full dentures don’t even wear their lower teeth.  And the looseness associated with both sets of dentures coming loose is a condition many have to adapt to.  Think also of the bulk of the dentures on the roof of the mouth, or the bulk of denture material constricting the tongue motion.

3)     Disabilities related to socialization—Fear of denture teeth falling out and eating in public is a very real concern for millions of denture wearers.  Any people with even a couple of teeth missing and having that “hillbilly” look is horrify to many people.  Tooth bridges, dental implant, full and complete dentures rectify these concerns most of the time—but all have limitations.

4)     Disabilities relating to esthetics—this could be an entire article in itself.  Besides the ‘hillbilly look” and the stigma of lower socio-economic status.  Teeth loose also causes the front teeth to eventually and progressive flare out.  This is commonly associated with the ‘dumb look.”  Look at how comedians portray this!

5)      Neurological problems.  A recent article in Neurology magazine wows correlation between denture paste and neurologic problems.

6)      Lower mobility—Yes—there are additional correlation between edentulism and tooth loss and mobility.  Poor nutrition probable plays the greatest threat here.

There are limits in all tooth replacements.  Certainly the advantages and disadvantages to all types of replacements such as dental crowns, dental bridges, partial and full dentures.  Dental implant crowns, dental implant bridges, and implant supported or retained dentures are more advanced tooth replacements options.  The implant option is more costly, but has the advantage of comfort and greater security.
Dr. Gibbs shares this information for his patient and people in the Glen Ellyn, Wheation area (Chicago area). He may be located contacted at 603-858-8800, or at his Glen Ellyn dentist website or Google page for Glen Ellyn Wheaton dentist.

Danger #2: Poorly Fitting Partial Dentures Increase Your Risk of Tooth Loss and Gum Disease

When dentures don’t properly fit, bacteria can lie in areas behind them and lead to gum and bone disease.  Partial dentures that don’t fit actually wear through the gum tissue and destroy the bone, causing loose teeth.  The partial denture settles and the opposing teeth shift, making it even more difficult to chew.  If a person with this problem waits too long, the treatment becomes more complex and can cost thousands of dollars more to fix.

Danger #3: Dentures May Reduce Your Life Span.

I know this sounds kind of ridiculous, because who would ever think that your teeth could have an affect on how long you live. But it’s true!  Many people with poor fitting dentures or multiple missing back teeth live shorter life spans of up to 10 years less due to poor eating habits and stomach problems. They tend to eat more processed foods and experience many other health problems related to malnutrition from poorer eating habits. People today now have options to dentures, and one of them is dental implants. People who get dental implants can finally eat the healthy foods they have been missing such as apples, fresh vegetables, corn on the cob, and even steak!

Why “cut down” Good Teeth?

To place a conventional bridge, the teeth adjacent to the site need to be reduced to hold crowns, which then support the missing tooth.  This may be OK if the teeth are already broken down, but if the teeth are healthy—why destroy healthy teeth?

In this case, the patient from Wheaton also wanted to keep the space between the teeth—impossible to achieve with a conventional dental bridge.

for more information on dental implants visit  Smileglenellyn.com and visit other blog articles in this site.
Dr. Gibbs provides sedation dentistry, comfort based dentistry, implant dentistry, and cosmetic dentistry for patients in the Chicago area.  This includes Wheaton, Naperville, Lisle, Glendale Heights, Lombard, Schaumburg, Roselle, Elmhurst, Chicago,  Hoffman Estates, Warrenville, and Downers Grove.  Contact us at SmileGlenEllyn.com

One decision that many patients have to decide upon is whether to replace lost teeth with an implant or bridge.

If you are considering having a conventional bridge, please be aware that your other teeth may be compromised.  To place a conventional bridge, the teeth adjacent to the site need to be reduced to hold crowns, which then support the missing tooth.  This may be acceptable if the teeth are already broken down, but why destroy healthy teeth?  And unfortunately, according to insurance company statistics, the average crown placed in America only has about a five year success rate. The implant not only preserves the adjacent teeth, but is easier to clean—and long term can be a better investment. Dental implants can be a highly esthetic solution even in the front teeth.

A summary of the advantages and disadvantages are as follows:

A dental implant can be thought of as a new root made of pure titanium.  Titanium is the same material used in medicine for hip replacements and is very strong and highly biocompatible.  Implants made of titanium cannot decay and do not require root canal therapy. An advantage of implants is that they stimulate bone growth and thus prevent future bone loss.  Once bone disappears, unfortunately, it can only be replaced with a bone graft.

Implants are placed in the bone on the first clinical appointment and are allowed to heal for a period of three to six months. After this healing time the implants are examined to ascertain their osteo-integration, or degree of fusion to the bone. The implant then can be prepared to accept the final prosthetic components.

Once a dental implant is placed, the implant can be used to hold a crown or used as an anchor for a dental bridge. Implants can be even used with other implants and retainers to support, retain, or even completely replace dentures.

Multiple implants can also be used to replace teeth in a variety of ways. Please refer to our Report entitled “Implant Alternatives to Dentures” for further information.

Low Success Rates for Non-Implant Alternatives

5 % Year Success Rates

• Removable Denture                            83%
• Resin Bonded Bridge                         64%
• Conventional Bridge                           79.3%
• Implant Supported Prosthesis             98%

(Misch C.E, J. Implantology, Vol. 2 1999)

*10 Year success rate for partial dentures diminishes to 50%!

Also, teeth that are behind a lost tooth can tip and move forward, resulting in additional decay problems and possible tooth loss.  Eventually, the entire side of the mouth will collapse.

Most people are not aware that their teeth will shift so much and cause so much damage.  Also see our last blog article on POSTERIER BITE COLLAAPSE.

Again these problems can be prevented with appropriate restoration with dental bridges, dental crowns, partial dentures, and (best option) dental implants.

We have had many patients over the 25 years I have doing cosmetic, implant and sedation dentistry.  Some have absolutely insisted that they have the front teeth restored to beauty first without regard to the back teeth.  Sometimes you have to understand that they may have an impending wedding or business engagement upcoming.  BUT BEWARE OF THIS TRAP—YOU ABSOLUTELY NEED INTACT BACK TEETH FOR THE FRONT TEETH TO SURVIVE LONGE TERM!

Replacing missing back teeth with dental bridges, dental partials, or (best option) dental implants would give support to the front teeth so that they do not splay forward and have large gaps open up in them.  We have done these procedures with patients from all over the Chicago area, Wheaton, Glen Ellyn, Elmhurst, Oak Brook, Lisle, Naperville, Schaumberg, and many other towns.  The lady in these photos eventually had implants for her back teeth, and dental bridges and dental crowns to restore her front teeth with IV sedation.

When a tooth is lost, the surrounding bone begins to wither away, causing a loss in facial height, a change in the chin cress, and a “weak” look as the bones become smaller.

Even more disturbing is the sunken cheeks that result from tooth loss and dentures.

Dental Implants-Aging Face

This sinking in of the cheeks is not from the loss of the physical mass of the teeth, it is from the atrophy of the facial muscles, the loss of bone, and the subsequent loss of facial height.  And, unlike some people may believe, these changes are not normally reversible with the simple addition of “bulkier” dentures.

Will Your Cheeks Sink In?

Even more disturbing is the sunken cheeks that result from tooth loss and dentures.  THIS SINKING IN OF THE CHEEKS IS NOT FROM THE LOSS OF THE PHYSICAL MASS OF THE TEETH, BUT FROM THE ATROPHY OF THE FACIALMUSCLES, THE LOSS OF BONE, AND SUBSEQUENT FACIAL HEIGHT.  It is not normally reversible with the simple addition of “bulkier” dentures.

The use of dental implants can increase chewing ability and the help regain the tone of the facial muscles,  The use of dental implant bridges, all on four dental bridges, teeth in a day dentures, and dental implant crowns allow patients to chew  AND smile again in confidence!

The extraction site will typically heal after a tooth is removed.  The bone, however, will begin to wither away.  40-60% of the bone that once surrounded the root of a tooth will waste away from the area within the first three years after an extraction and the bone loss will continue at a rate of about 1% per year for life.

Another hidden danger of tooth loss involves the sinuses.  If too much bone is lost in the upper posterior tooth areas there is a greater chance that the sinus will expand into—and hollow out– the remaining bone.

Once a tooth is extracted, many patients will often wait too long before deciding upon remedial dental work which often leads to additional procedures and expense.  For example, instead of having a simple bone preservation graft at the time a tooth is extracted, the patient decides to wait and then requires a much more extensive and expensive block or sinus graft. The best time to discuss long term consequences of tooth loss with your dentist is before the extraction.