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Posts for category: Dental Procedures

By Sandusky and Lexington Dental Care
January 06, 2021
Category: Dental Procedures
WhetherVotingforaCandidateorWisdomTeethYouCanChooseWisely

During election season, you'll often hear celebrities encouraging you to vote. But this year, Kaia Gerber, an up-and-coming model following the career path of her mother Cindy Crawford, made a unique election appeal—while getting her wisdom teeth removed.

With ice packs secured to her jaw, Gerber posted a selfie to social media right after her surgery. The caption read, “We don't need wisdom teeth to vote wisely.”

That's great advice—electing our leaders is one of the most important choices we make as a society. But Gerber's post also highlights another decision that bears careful consideration, whether or not to have your wisdom teeth removed.

Found in the very back of the mouth, wisdom teeth (or “third molars”) are usually the last of the permanent teeth to erupt between ages 17 and 25. But although their name may be a salute to coming of age, in reality wisdom teeth can be a pain. Because they're usually last to the party, they're often erupting in a jaw already crowded with teeth. Such a situation can be a recipe for numerous dental problems.

Crowded wisdom teeth may not erupt properly and remain totally or partially hidden within the gums (impaction). As such, they can impinge on and damage the roots of neighboring teeth, and can make overall hygiene more difficult, increasing the risk of dental disease. They can also help pressure other teeth out of position, resulting in an abnormal bite.

Because of this potential for problems, it's been a common practice in dentistry to remove wisdom teeth preemptively before any problems arise. As a result, wisdom teeth extractions are the top oral surgical procedure performed, with around 10 million of them removed every year.

But that practice is beginning to wane, as many dentists are now adopting more of a “wait and see” approach. If the wisdom teeth show signs of problems—impaction, tooth decay, gum disease or bite influence—removal is usually recommended. If not, though, the wisdom teeth are closely monitored during adolescence and early adulthood. If no problems develop, they may be left intact.

This approach works best if you maintain regular dental cleanings and checkups. During these visits, we'll be able to consistently evaluate the overall health of your mouth, particularly in relation to your wisdom teeth.

Just as getting information on candidates helps you decide your vote, this approach of watchful waiting can help us recommend the best course for your wisdom teeth. Whether you vote your wisdom teeth “in” or “out,” you'll be able to do it wisely.

If you would like more information about what's best to do about wisdom teeth, please contact us or schedule a consultation. To learn more, read the Dear Doctor magazine article “Wisdom Teeth.”

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By Sandusky and Lexington Dental Care
January 01, 2021
Category: Dental Procedures
Tags: veneers  
DirectVeneersOfferaQuickandAffordableAlternativetoTraditionalVeneers

Orthodontics, veneers and other cosmetic dental techniques can turn a less than perfect smile into a beautiful one—but not always very quickly. For example, porcelain veneers can take weeks from planning to installation, including the meticulous work of an outside dental lab to produce veneers that look natural as well as beautiful.

But you may be able to take advantage of another approach, one that often takes no more than a couple of dental visits. Called direct veneers, it's actually a process of bonding and sculpting life-like composite materials to teeth that are heavily stained, chipped or that contain tiny crevices called “craze lines.”

Unlike the similarly-named traditional method, direct veneers don't involve the creation of layered porcelain veneers fashioned by a dental lab. But this newer process is similar to the older one in that some of the enamel must be removed from the teeth in question to provide a suitable surface for the composite material to adhere. This alteration will be permanent, requiring a restorative covering on the treated teeth from then on.

Right before this preparation, though, a dentist typically makes an impression of the patient's mouth. This will be the basis for creating the procedural plan for the dental work, particularly a “trial smile” from similar composite material that can be applied to the patient's teeth before actual restoration work begins. This temporary application gives both patient and dentist an opportunity to visualize the final look, and make needed adjustments in color and shaping.

Once the work plan is finalized, the patient then returns for the actual restoration procedure. The dentist begins by applying and bonding the composite material to the prepared teeth. Then, using a drill and manual instruments, the dentist shapes and smooths the material into a tooth-like appearance that blends with other teeth. The procedure can take a few hours, but it can usually be completed during a single visit.

Although direct veneers may not last as long as porcelain veneers, the process is less costly and requires less time to complete. Direct veneers could be an economical solution for achieving a more attractive smile.

If you would like more information on direct veneers, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic with a firsthand patient account by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “A New Smile With Direct Veneers.”

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By Sandusky and Lexington Dental Care
December 22, 2020
Category: Dental Procedures
Tags: dental implant  
ReplaceYourTeethinStagesWiththeHelpofDentalImplants

Complete tooth loss is a common condition among older adults, gradually occurring one or two teeth at a time. There often comes a point of realization, though, that all the teeth will eventually be lost.

This can create a dilemma: Do you replace teeth as they're lost, or go ahead and have all of them removed at one time?

Up until recently, the latter choice seemed the most practical and affordable. But most dentists would agree that keeping natural teeth for as long as practical is better for a person's overall oral health and to slow any potential bone loss.

The emergence of dental implants has made this less of a dilemma: We can use this technology to more affordably replace teeth in stages rather than all at once. This is because an implant is technically a root replacement: a dentist inserts a titanium metal post into the jawbone. Because of an affinity with titanium, bone cells grow and adhere to the implant surface, which creates a stronger hold. It also impedes bone loss.

We can, of course, use implants as individual tooth replacements. But the expense of this approach with multiple teeth puts it well out of reach financially for many people. But implants can also be used as connective points between the patient's jaw and other kinds of dental restorations like bridges, partial dentures, and full removable or fixed dentures.

Using this approach, we can adopt a strategy of allowing healthier teeth to remain until it's necessary to remove them. We initially place implants to support a bridge, for example; later we can use the same implants along with additional ones to support a larger restoration, even a fixed full denture.

An implant-supported restoration is typically more expensive than traditional bridges or dentures, but far less than replacing teeth with individual implants. And because the stages of restorations may occur over a long period of time, the cost can be spread out to make it more manageable.

If you're facing a future where it's likely you'll lose all your teeth, you don't have to lose them all at once. Staged restorations with implants could help you hold on to your natural teeth for as long as possible, slow bone loss and make for a healthier mouth.

If you would like more information on the wide array of dental restoration options, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Replacing All Teeth But Not All at Once.”

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By Sandusky and Lexington Dental Care
December 17, 2020
Category: Dental Procedures
WhyKathyBatesChoseThisAlternativetoBracesandsoMightYou

Kathy Bates has been a familiar face to filmgoers since her Oscar-winning performance as Annie Wilkes in Misery. She's best known for playing true-to-life characters like Wilkes or Barbara Jewell in last year's Richard Jewell (for which she earned her fourth Oscar nomination). To keep it real, she typically eschews cosmetic enhancements—with one possible exception: her smile.

Although happy with her teeth in general, Bates noticed they seemed to be “moving around” as she got older. This kind of misalignment is a common consequence of the aging process, a result of the stresses placed on teeth from a lifetime of chewing and biting.

Fortunately, there was an orthodontic solution for Bates, and one compatible with her film career. Instead of traditional braces, Bates chose clear aligners, a newer method for moving teeth first introduced in the late 1990s.

Clear aligners are clear, plastic trays patients wear over their teeth. A custom sequence of these trays is developed for each patient based on their individual bite dimensions and treatment goals. Each tray in the sequence, worn in succession for about two weeks, places pressure on the teeth to move in the prescribed direction.

While clear aligners work according to the same teeth-moving principle as braces, there are differences that make them more appealing to many people. Unlike traditional braces, which are highly noticeable, clear aligners are nearly invisible to others apart from close scrutiny. Patients can also take them out, which is helpful with eating, brushing and flossing (a challenge for wearers of braces) and rare social occasions.

That latter advantage, though, could pose a problem for immature patients. Clear aligner patients must have a suitable level of self-responsibility to avoid the temptation of taking the trays out too often. Families of those who haven't reached this level of maturity may find braces a better option.

Clear aligners also don't address quite the range of bite problems that braces can correct. Some complex bite issues are thus better served by the traditional approach. But that gap is narrowing: Recent advances in clear aligner technology have considerably increased their treatability range.

With that said, clear aligners can be an ideal choice for adults who have a treatable bite problem and who want to avoid the appearance created by braces. And though they tend to be a little more expensive than braces, many busy adults find the benefits of clear aligners to be worth it.

The best way to find out if clear aligners could be a viable option for you is to visit us for an exam and consultation. Like film star Kathy Bates, you may find that this way of straightening your smile is right for you.

If you would like more information about tooth straightening, please contact us or schedule a consultation.

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By Sandusky and Lexington Dental Care
December 02, 2020
Category: Dental Procedures
NoTimeforaMakeoverTryTheseOne-VisitSmileEnhancementsBeforetheHolidays

Despite your best intentions to plan ahead, the holidays have sneaked up on you. And what good intentions you had: presents to buy, halls to deck, parties to throw. Perhaps you even aspired to a little something for yourself to prepare for all the festivities—a more attractive smile!

But, alas, the calendar bell tolls and it tolls for thee—and now you have little time for any major work on your smile. But fear not! Although a full makeover might not be possible right now, there are a few smile enhancements you can get in a single dental visit. And that might be just what you need for a “merry” smile this holiday season.

Here then are three things you can do to get a little smile pizzazz right before the holidays.

Dental cleaning. The main purpose for a dental office cleaning every six months is to prevent disease by removing any plaque and tartar (calcified plaque) you might have missed during daily hygiene. But ridding your teeth of yellowing plaque deposits followed by a bit of polishing can also improve your smile appearance. You can do your dental health and your smile some good with a dental cleaning before the holidays.

Teeth whitening. A whitening procedure can turn a dull, yellowed smile into a bright and beautiful one. Although you can use a whitening kit at home, you can enjoy better results with a trained dentist. A professional whitening tends to last longer, and there's more control over the level of brightness. With a fine-tuned whitening, we can help you get a smile that's subtly natural or Hollywood dazzling.

Bonding. You might think repairing a chipped tooth requires veneers or crowns that could take weeks to get. But we may be able to rectify mild to moderate dental flaws in just one visit with dental bonding. This technique uses a dental material called composite resin that's applied in layers to a tooth in paste-like form. After shaping, it's then hard-cured with a special light to produce a durable finish that looks and feels like a normal tooth.

These simple one-visit procedures could make a big difference in your smile and your confidence this holiday season. Now, about that smile makeover…sounds perfect for a New Year's resolution!

If you would like more information about improving your smile, please contact us or schedule a consultation. To learn more, read the Dear Doctor magazine articles “Teeth Whitening” and “Repairing Chipped Teeth.”

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