Benefits of Dental Implants in Tooth Replacement

In our dental practice, we see many patients who deal with tooth loss. Despite all the dental advances seen today, patients are still vulnerable to tooth decay, periodontal disease, injuries, and accidents. All of which can lead to the loss of teeth.

Fortunately, our dentist in Huntington Beach has a solution for our patients who are missing teeth. Dental implants are the very best way to replace missing teeth. Unlike bridges or false teeth, these implants go directly in your jaw providing a secure and natural- looking substitution for your missing teeth. The American Dental Association strongly approves of implants and believes they are one of the most important advances in modern dentistry.

While some patients believe that the implants are mostly for cosmetic improvements, dental implants have benefits to patients beyond aesthetics.

• A practical option – Before dental implants, bridges were common tooth replacements. Although bridges are still a useful part of dentistry, implants are a better choice for tooth replacement because healthy teeth do not need to be modified to help attach a bridge.

• Stop bone loss- When you lose a permanent tooth, your brain believes that the empty space the tooth once occupied is not useful. Because there is no longer a root present, your body permits the jaw bone to deteriorate slowly. The resulting facial bone loss is unhealthy and unattractive. When our dentalimplants dentist positions an implant in your jaw, the body senses it and believes the jaw bone is holding the root of a tooth. So, the implant will halt the process of bone loss.

Getting dental implants is not complicated, but it can take between three and six months to complete the process. The amount of time from start to finish varies between patients because everyone heals at their own pace.

During the two-part procedure, you receive a local anesthetic. First, the dentist places and secures a screw into the site that held your tooth. After three to six months, the screw will fuse to the jaw creating a solid anchor for the upper part of the implant. Next, our dentist attaches an abutment to the screw and cements a permanent crown to the abutment, and the process is complete.

If you are missing teeth, you no longer need to suffer. Contact our office for a no-obligation consultation and love your smile.

Can Porcelain Veneers Cover Stains?

Porcelain dental veneers are consistently popular with both our dentists and our patients. A simple and non-invasive treatment to quickly improve the appearance of teeth, porcelain veneers can correct many cosmetic issues. Many of our patients tell us the choice to see our porcelain veneers dentist was one of their best decisions ever.

A brilliant white smile is not always easy to create. While there are crowns, braces, and light treatments, not all of our patients have the time to commit to these kinds of treatments. Porcelain veneers correct many dental problems such as cracks and chips, wide gaps between teeth, and minor issues with misalignment. The most common reason patients seek treatment from our cosmetic dentist in San Francisco is to cover stains on their teeth.

Applying porcelain veneers is a painless procedure that requires no anesthesia. Often our patients need only one visit to cover their stains effectively.

Our teeth generally start out white and shiny; there are specific factors that lead to strains on teeth:

• AGE
As we get older, we endure many body changes. Our teeth are not immune from age-related changes, and often they discolor as a part of the aging process.

• DRINKS
Dark beverages are often behind the stains on teeth. Daily cups of coffee or tea over a period of years create tough stains. Colas are particularly bad for oral health. They often contain excessively high amounts of sugar which damage tooth enamel and increasing cavities. We suggest that our patients should not consume cola if you do consider using a straw to protect your tooth enamel.

• FOODS
Naturally colorful foods such as beets along with dark artificially colored foods will create stains on teeth. Always brush after eating to try and prevent stains.

• MEDICATIONS
Often patients receiving chemotherapy experience darkening of their teeth. The antibiotic tetracycline and doxycycline are well known to cause dark staining especially if the child is under eight.

• GENETIC PREDISPOSITION
Some people simply have darker tooth enamel than they would like.

Many of our patients believe that their porcelain veneers changed their lives. While not every patient has a life-changing experience with their porcelain veneers, every patient we treat leaves our office with a brilliant and confident smile.