Should I Get a Bridge or An Implant?

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Replacing a missing tooth is an important thing you can do to take care of your teeth. Missing teeth can cause various problems, including difficulty chewing, difficulty talking, and feelings of self-consciousness about your appearance.

A missing tooth can even make your remaining teeth misaligned, as teeth will often shift when one tooth goes missing. When this happens, you may experience problems with your jaw, like pain while eating and talking.

Two Potential Options

Implants and bridges are two options for replacing a single missing tooth. Choosing between the two types of prosthetic teeth can be tough, especially because the process for installing dentures and bridges is very different.

Knowing the difference between these two types of prosthetic teeth, including installation, can help you decide if one type of prosthetic tooth is better for you than the other. Yourdentist in Bellbrook, OH, can help with this.

What’s a Dental Bridge?

A dental bridge is a prosthetic tooth that’s held in place by two crowns placed on either side of the tooth. The crowns are attached to the teeth that fit on either side of the gap in your mouth. To install the dental bridge, the dentist must shave down the enamel on the teeth to be fitted with the crowns.

What’s a Dental Implant?

A dental implant is a post that’s drilled into the jaw bone and then fitted with a crown that looks like a natural tooth. Dental implants require you to have a healthy jaw bone for the dental implant to hold its place. If you don’t have a healthy jaw bone, your dentist may need to do a bone grafting procedure before fitting you with the implant.

Is One Better than the Other?

Regardless of the type of prosthetic tooth that you install, when the procedure is over, you’ll have a tooth that looks natural and allows you to eat and talk normally again. If you’re unsure which one is right for you, your dentist at Bellbrook Family Dentistry can help you decide.

Your dentist will evaluate your dental health, including your jaw and the teeth on either side of the gap in your mouth. This will help your dentist make a recommendation. Call us today to learn more about dental bridges anddental implants in Bellbrook, OH.

How Long Does It Take to Heal After a Dental Implant?

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Dental implants can sound like an intimidating procedure for many people. From multiple appointments to the healing process, there are many reasons to avoid it. However, there are also a lot of reasons to learn about what you can expect, particularly if you’re on the fence about whether to move forward. We’ll look at how long it takes to heal and why dental implants in Bellbrook, OH are your best bet if you happen to lose one (or more teeth).

The Timeline

The timeline for healing can vary based on who you are and how your body responds. In general, though, you can expect bruising and swelling to drastically reduce by the end of the first week. You may even notice that by day three, you’ve made a dramatic recovery.

After the end of week two, you should be able to complete your brushing routine as you normally would, even if you’ll still need to avoid the implant site directly. After a few weeks, you should be healed enough to have the final appointment. For the implant to fully integrate into the bone, it may take up to a half year to truly cement itself. Of course, it’s useful to remember that this process won’t really impact you. You’ll typically be able to eat normally, and you won’t have to manage any pain or discomfort.

Dentists in Bellbrook, OH

Dental implants are the closest choice you can make to a real tooth. Because it cements the same way a regular tooth would, this is your best chance to keep your mouth whole, which is the key to preserving your oral health. With a dental implant, you won’t have to worry about removing it or cleaning it, only about brushing and flossing the same way you would with a regular tooth.

If you’re looking for a specialty dentist in Bellbrook who can tell you more about your eligibility for the procedure, the staff at Bellbrook Family Dentistry is here to answer your questions. We work with people who are concerned about everything from the pain levels to the time commitment, and we help them find ways to work it all into their (often busy) schedule.

Are You a Good Candidate for a Dental Implant? What to Know

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When you’re missing a tooth, a dental implant can help restore your smile to its original appearance and beauty. Dental implants are one of the most popular and effective forms of prosthetic teeth for a reason. Implants look natural and also function like natural teeth. To find out more about implants, consult with your dentist in Bellbrook, OH, or read on.

What Is An Implant?

An implant is a prosthetic tooth that’s fused to your jaw. Unlike dentures, implants are permanent. They’re designed to look and function just like the natural teeth in your mouth. The realistic appearance of implants and also the permanent nature of implants makes this a popular option for people seeking prosthetic teeth.

Benefits of Getting An Implant

There are many benefits of getting an implant. Some examples:

Natural appearance. Every implant comes with a crown that’s designed to look just like a real tooth. Your dentist will match the color of the crown to the color of your other teeth, so the implant is virtually indistinguishable from a real tooth.

Restores beauty to your smile. If you’re missing a natural tooth, you might feel self-conscious about your smile. Installing an implant can help restore your smile, so it looks just like it did before you lost a permanent tooth.

Restores functionality to your bite. A missing tooth can impact the way you bite and chew your food. Installing an implant can help you regain the functionality that was lost when you lost your permanent tooth.

Who Is a Good Candidate?

You’re a good candidate for a dental implant if you have good oral hygiene and need a prosthetic tooth. Your dentist will check your mouth for healthy oral tissue.

Your dentist will also take into consideration whether you have any health conditions (or lifestyle habits, like smoking) that could affect the healing process following implant surgery. If you have a history of taking good care of your teeth, there’s a good chance you’re a good candidate for dental implants.

Think You Need an Implant? Next Steps

If you think you’re a good candidate for implants in Bellbrook OH, call your dentist at Bellbrook Family Dentistry to make an appointment.

What Can Be Done for My Open Bite? 

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An open bite occurs when your upper teeth no longer touch your lower teeth. This most often occurs near the front of your mouth, causing an anterior open bite, although it may occur in the back of the mouth as well. This condition is malocclusion, which means the teeth are not properly aligned when your mouth is closed. There are several reasons why this may occur in adults, including missing or shifting teeth, facial trauma, tumors in the jaw or mouth areas, or the presence of extra teeth. If you struggle with an open bite, your dentist in Bellbrook, OH, has solutions.

How Do I Know Whether I Have an Open Bite?

An open bite is easy to recognize because it impedes your quality of life. You’ll have trouble biting into a sandwich, and you may develop a speech impediment. If left untreated, your open bite will begin to affect your appearance as well. This happens when your facial structure begins to change as a result of the misalignment between the teeth and the lower jaw. An open bite can make you appear much older than you are.

What Can Be Done for an Open Bite?

There are several ways your dentist may correct your open bite. Treatments include:

  • Braces
  • Aligners
  • Dental Implants
  • Surgery
  • Veneers

When an open bite occurs in adult patients, surgery is usually required to realign the teeth. This may mean extracting adult teeth that have shifted and replacing them with dentures or dental implants to correct the problem.

Is an Open Bite Really That Serious?

It may not seem serious at the time your open bite first occurs, but as time goes by, the condition will only worsen. It will become more difficult to eat the foods you enjoy, and you may put yourself at greater risk of choking because you’re unable to bite foods, such as spaghetti or bacon strips, into small, manageable pieces for easy digestion. Your speech may change as well, and you may find it difficult to clearly pronounce words with ‘S’.

When you’re ready to fix an open bite in Bellbrook, OH, contact Bellbrook Family Dentistry to schedule an appointment. Our friendly and professional staff has a solution that will work for you.

4 Signs it Might Be Time for a Dental Implant

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Dental implants are structures that get surgically inserted into the surrounding jaw bone in order to provide secure support for crowns, bridges, dentures, and other prostheses. These implants have a very high success rate and can be incredibly beneficial for restoring the integrity and appearance of your smile.

Dental implants are also more common than you may think—about half a million Americans get dental implants every year! Wondering if dental implants are right for you? Here are four common signs we see in our patients that suggest it might be time to explore dental implant surgery.

1. You Have One or More Missing Teeth

It can be embarrassing to be missing a tooth. What many people don’t realize is that the large gap where your tooth used to be can actually change the alignment of your remaining teeth or even lead to the weakening of the jaw bone itself. A dental implant is an excellent way to give you confidence in your smile again while also protecting your remaining teeth and oral tissue.

2. You Have a Tooth That Needs to be Removed

If a tooth is cracked, infected, or damaged and needs to be removed, a dental implant can be inserted as soon as possible following your tooth extraction. You’ll be left with a healthy-looking, natural-looking replacement tooth.

3. Your Dentures Fit Loosely

If you have dentures, you shouldn’t have to worry about them coming loose, feeling uncomfortable in your mouth, or giving you a “sunken in” look on your face. Dental implants provide sturdy anchors for full or partial dentures so you can have greater peace of mind along with a natural-looking smile.

4. You Don’t Like the Mess of Denture Adhesives

Many people simply don’t enjoy the hassle of using dental adhesives. Others might struggle to manage their adhesives and denture care due to issues like impaired fine motor control or low vision. Dental implants essentially eliminate the mess of denture care—you simply treat your implant just like a regular tooth. Brushing and flossing have never been so appealing!

Are you wondering if it’s time to explore dental implants? Call (937) 848-7741 to schedule an appointment at Bellbrook Family Dentistry in Bellbrook, OH.

Is a Dental Implant the Same as a Crown?

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As dental technology has evolved, one of the most significant advancements has been the use of dental implants.  However, since many people are familiar with the terms crowns and caps, they often wonder if a crown and dental implant are one and the same.  If you also have been wondering about this, here are some key facts and differences of which you should be aware.

What is a Crown?

A traditional dental crown, for years commonly referred to as a cap, essentially fits over a portion of a tooth that is no longer healthy due to decay or disease.  However, since the tooth’s root structure is still in place, the crown is supported by this and thus can be placed directly on the tooth once a dentist shapes the remaining tooth structure and fabricates a new crown.

What is a Dental Implant?

When referring to a dental implant, there are in fact many similarities between it and a traditional crown.  While the ultimate goal of both is to improve a person’s smile and ability to chew without pain, there is one key difference that separates dental implants from crowns.  When a dental implant is used, this means the natural tooth is already missing or needs to be removed due to disease or decay.  Thus, if the natural tooth is not there, neither is the root structure that is used for traditional crowns.  Therefore, the implant itself becomes the support system for the new tooth, taking the place of a natural tooth’s root.

How are Crowns and Dental Implants Held in Place?

When a traditional crown is used on a tooth, permanent cement is used to bond it into place on the natural tooth.  As for dental implants, they are usually retained by small screws inserted into a patient’s gums.  Though this may sound very invasive, the procedure is actually quite easy to perform and most patients experience little overall discomfort.

If you have been suffering from teeth that are decaying or have other issues, consider the possibility of crowns or dental implants.  To find out which one may be right for you, schedule a consultation soon with your dentist to discuss both options and learn how you can become pain-free and have a great smile.

 

Brief History of Dental Implants

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If you think dental implants have only been around for a decade or two, you may be surprised to learn they got their start thousands of years ago.  In fact, as far back as 2000 B.C., carved bamboo pegs were used in ancient China to replace missing teeth.  Thankfully, we’ve come a long way since then.  However, the journey has been filled with plenty of variety.

Gems, Seashells, and More

Believe it or not, it was not uncommon in ancient civilizations and even well into the 18th-century for dentists to use almost anything they could to replace a missing tooth.  For those folks who were wealthy, rare gems such as jades were sometimes used to replace a lost tooth. For other individuals, it was common to find their mouths filled with small seashells, rocks, or even the teeth of other people or an animal.  But as you would suspect, all of these methods were prone to infection and discomfort, leading dentists to look for more suitable methods.

Thank the Rabbit

As for how dentists finally got on the right track with dental implants, you can thank a rabbit for helping to show them the way.   In 1952, the femur bone of a rabbit was fused together with a titanium rod, and the process worked so well that the orthopedic surgeon who performed the surgery thought the same method could be applied to dental implants.  Thus, in 1965, the first human volunteer received a titanium dental implant, and the rest is history.

A Quicker Pace

Once the rabbit helped everyone see how well titanium would work with dental implants, researchers hit the fast-forward button and have been going full-speed ahead ever since.  Since titanium took care of the past problems where a person’s body would reject the dental implant, screws can now easily be secured to a person’s jaw and eventually fuse with the jawbone, allowing a crown to be inserted over the screw.

Thanks to digital technology, 3-D printers, and ever-increasing scientific knowledge, today’s dental implants have a success rate of over 97 percent.  Since you now know you won’t have bamboo, seashells, or other strange things in your mouth, make an appointment with your dentist to discuss how you may benefit from dental implants.