If you're like a number of people, years of too much caffeine and sugar has changed the color of your teeth. Thankfully, these types of cosmetic issues can be solved with
cosmetic dentistry. A healthy and dazzling smile can give us confidence and strengthen our self-esteem, which is why dentists perform cosmetic procedures.
Dr. Lechner has the experience and skills necessary to conduct cosmetic procedures that can help provide you with that smile you have always wanted. In the next three blogs, we'll examine a few of the available options, the situations where they are most appropriate, and what they involve.
Crowns
Crowns cover the whole surface of a tooth, enhancing the tooth's shape, stability, and appearance. They can be constructed from one of the various different kinds of materials, and there are several reasons why a patient may need one. They are as follows:
▪ Rebuilding a chipped tooth
▪ Topping a dental implant
▪ Safeguarding a fragile tooth from tooth decay
▪ Protecting a cracked tooth
So, how is a crown installed? To start, Dr. Lechner will perform an X-ray on a tooth he suspects to be at risk for decay or disease. He then will prepare the tooth so that it better fits the crown. Then, an impression of the tooth (which will act as a model for the crown) will be constructed and shipped to a dental laboratory, where the permanent crown will be made. The patient will then be given an impermanent crown to wear until the permanent one gets back from the lab.
With the right care and hygiene, a crown is capable of lasting for many years.
Implants
There is evidence that dental implants have been around since 600 AD. It is believed that the ancient Mayans implanted false teeth by hammering tooth-shaped seashells into the jaw. Thankfully, technology has evolved considerably since then, and modern-day dental implants, produced from titanium, are implanted using modern methods. These titanium implants fuse with the bone through osseointegration. Bone-loss normally happens when a tooth is missing, but the dental implant thwarts this from happening.
Dental implants are an optimal solution for a patient who's missing one or many teeth. The process necessitates some time to finish, as the implants—which function as new tooth roots—are surgically placed into the jawbone and require a little time to heal before a crown is placed on top. Once finished, the implant and crown perfectly mirror the look and function of a natural tooth.
Keep an eye out for the continuation of this blog series on cosmetic dentistry. While you wait, you can schedule an appointment with Dr. Lechner by clicking here, and you can follow us on social media.