Top Ways To Restore Your Smile

Recent surveys showed that more than 180 millions Americans are missing one or more teeth. Many of those people have gone to their dentist to regain their lost smile through a variety of dentistry procedures.

Restorative dentistry is a part of a dentist’s skills that gives them the ability to help patients with damaged or missing teeth. This skill will allow for your smile to regain function, healthy, and esthetics.

The main part of a restorative dentist’s tools comes in the form of dental crowns and dental bridges. However, as dentistry has evolved other services are now available to restore your damaged smile.

Below you will the 3 main ways Dr Marielaina Perrone DDS can help restore and enhance your natural smile.

Dental Crowns (Either Porcelain Or Porcelain Fused To Metal)

Dental crowns have long been the go to solution to restore a damaged tooth or teeth in someone’s smile. A dental crown can strengthen a tooth that has been weakened by tooth decay or trauma. Without a dental crown that tooth would probably eventually need to be extracted.

Dental crowns are a very versatile part of restorative dentistry. They are often being combined with other tooth restoration procedures to restore health to a patient’s smile. A dental crown will almost always be required after root canal therapy to protect the tooth. If you get a dental implant, a dental crown will also be the final step.

It can either be placed with a screw (called screw retained) or cemented in place. Dental crowns are used to build dental bridges. Dental crowns make up a dental bridge by covering 2 natural teeth and allowing for a fake tooth or teeth to be placed in between.

Dental crowns use modern dental materials that are beautiful and indistinguishable from your natural teeth.

Crowns are fabricated with several different dental materials. Most will ask for a custom-made porcelain crown. A modern porcelain crown is custom-made to match your smile in shape and color. Another type of dental crown is called a PFM crown. A PFM crown is porcelain fused to metal understructure.

Finally, a full gold dental crown is also an option but mainly for non-cosmetic areas of the mouth. Porcelain crowns are by far the most popular dental crown used today.

The process of getting a dental crown is pretty straightforward. Your damaged tooth will first receive any necessary dental treatment and preparation, including removing untreated tooth decay. Next, Dr. Perrone will take impressions and images for your new crown and fabricate and fit you with a custom temporary crown.

After about two weeks, you will return for a dental visit to have your beautiful, permanent dental crown placed. Your new crown can last anywhere from 10 to 15 years with proper maintenance of dental hygiene.

Dental Bridges

Dental bridges are another popular restorative solution for replacing lost or missing teeth. Bridges “bridge” the gap between two teeth with a pontic (an artificial tooth on a dental bridge). Dental bridges can be used for a single missing tooth or multiple consecutively missing teeth. As mentioned before, dental bridges are used in conjunction with dental crowns on the anchor teeth.

Dental bridges help with aesthetics and function.

Dental bridges are made of the same materials as crowns and look just like natural teeth. In addition to adding beauty to your smile, they also help improve teeth function. You will need to be careful of very hard or sticky foods, but otherwise, you’ll be able to chew normally and enjoy your favorite foods.

Dental bridges also help prevent teeth from shifting after tooth loss. Natural teeth rely on the support of one another to stay in proper alignment. When a missing tooth or multiple missing teeth, the surrounding teeth can shift to the side or even tilt or twist. With a bridge in place, your teeth won’t distinguish between a pontic and a natural tooth.

The dental bridge procedure is just like a crown.

The process of getting a dental bridge is nearly identical to that of a crown. The only additional step is the design of the pontic. Your treatment timeline will often be the same as a crown as well, with temporary crowns placed until your permanent crowns and pontic is received back from the lab. The permanent crowns have the same lifespan as a single crown, while the bridge itself will last 5 to 15 years.

Dental Implants

Dental implants are a staple of modern dentistry. Implants have a three-piece design:

• The titanium implant post
• An abutment (foundation for the crown)
• A crown to finish.

Dental implants support bridges and dentures.

Most dental implants are used to replace single or even multiple missing teeth. All on 4 dental implants system mean implants can now help with full mouth restorations using just four strategically placed dental implants.

Choosing dental implant support has several benefits (both cosmetic and functional) for patients. For example, traditional bridges keep teeth from shifting, but they cannot prevent bone loss from occurring in the bone like dental implants.

Another example would be the slipping issues of traditional dentures. These issues go away with dental implant support.

Dental implants are an ideal restorative treatment with multiple benefits.

The process of having a dental implant placed is much more intensive compared to dental bridges or dental crowns. The average dental implant treatment timeline generally ranges from 4 to 6 months. This lengthy-time period is necessary for proper osseointegration (the process of the titanium implant post integrating intimately with the surrounding bone structure).

Dental implants are a surgical procedure so that patients can experience a bit more discomfort afterward than a crown or a bridge.

However, the result is worth it as dental implants are one of the best solutions for missing teeth available. Your dental implant can last decades or even for a lifetime of smiles. You will not experience bone loss (as long as the area stays infection-free) or teeth shifting. Also, you will not have to worry about the foods you eat.

Dental implants and the surrounding structures are cared for just like you would your own natural tooth.

Once you are ready to restore your smile, give our office a call to book an appointment.

Your initial appointment with Dr. Perrone will be a consultation to evaluate your current oral health and go over your dental options to see which tooth restoration option will help you get the desired results. From there, you will work with Dr. Perrone to create a treatment plan to enhance and beautify your smile.

Contact Marielaina Perrone DDS at (702) 458-2929 to schedule a no-cost cosmetic consultation appointment if you are ready for a smile makeover. We cannot wait to help you with your smile makeover to create the smile of your dreams in Summerlin, Henderson, and Las Vegas, NV.