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Why should I replace a missing tooth?
The healthiest thing to do when you lose a tooth is have it replaced. Otherwise, you risk problems with biting, chewing and speaking, headaches, muscle pain and an unattractive appearance.
What are dental implants?
Dental implants serve as the base for many tooth-replacement options, including bridges, dentures and individual artificial teeth. Implants are surgically implanted in the jaw to provide a comfortable, secure fit and a natural look.
What’s involved in dental implantation?
In the first one or two appointments, the post or anchor is implanted in the jaw. The replacement tooth, bridge or denture is fitted and installed when the bone and gums have healed. Surgery may be performed in an office or hospital with local or general anesthesia.
What are veneers?
Veneers are very thin, tooth-colored shells that are custom-fit and bonded to the front sides of teeth to close gaps, cover stains and discolorations, and correct chipped or misshapen teeth to give you a bright, even, attractive smile.
What are crowns used for?
Crowns are used to strengthen and improve the shape, size or color of teeth. They can support broken or weak teeth or those with large fillings; provide a smooth, strong, attractively contoured surface for stained, misshapen or otherwise abnormal teeth; and aid in the implantation of bridges and other implants.
What do bridges do? Are they the same as fixed partial dentures?
Bridges (also called fixed partial dentures) are natural-looking tooth replacements which help maintain facial structure, reduce stress on the jaw and fill in the gaps caused by missing teeth.
Are bridges always made of metal?
Bridges may be made of porcelain, gold, alloys or a combination of these.
Can I take my bridge out and clean it?
Removable bridges can be taken out and cleaned at home, but fixed bridges are implanted in the jaw and bonded to the teeth with crowns or caps and cannot be removed.
What does in-office whitening or bleaching involve?
Bleaching products brighten teeth that have been stained or darkened by food, tobacco use, age, injury or other causes that cannot be corrected with regular brushing or professional cleaning. There are a variety of in-office and take-home whitening products to reduce or eliminate such stains. In-office bleaching, also called chair side bleaching, takes place over a series of one-hour appointments at your dentist’s office. First, your teeth will be examined and cleaned to make sure there are no cavities, loose fillings, gum problems or other issues that may be exacerbated by the bleaching process. You and your dentist will make a custom-fit mouth tray for your teeth. Then the bleaching gel, a hydrogen peroxide solution, is applied to your teeth in the tray, sometimes after another gel or rubber shield is fit over the gums to protect them. An ultraviolet light may be shone on the teeth to facilitate the process.
Why should I consider in-office rather than take-home whitening kits?
Advantages of in-office tooth whitening over take-home whitening include:
- Professional supervision
- Fast
- Safe and simple
- No sensitivity
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