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Implant Dentistry

Apr 11

Teeth don’t line up after dental implant bridge

By Dental Implant Bridge, Dental Implant Mistakes, Dental Implants

My teeth are mis-aligned. The left top and bottom teeth don’t match when I bite down. It seems that the left top teeth are way too far left from where they should meet the bottom teeth, if that makes sense. My teeth weren’t always like this though. I noticed the problem after I received a dental implant bridge to replace some missing teeth. I am thinking that this is a big problem. Your thoughts?  Thanks much. – Bridgette P. from Kansas

Bridgette – Your teeth should be aligned. It’s possible that the dental implants were incorrectly restored or incorrectly placed. This problem and various types of implant failure can occur if there is miscommunication between your restorative dentist and the surgeon who places the implants. The restorative dentist needs sufficient knowledge of implant surgery to give the surgeon precise instructions on where the implants should be placed. He or she should make a guide that will snap into your mouth to indicate the exact placement and angle of the implants.

Dental implant treatment is not a recognized specialty, so a dentist can claim to be an implant dentist without having received the extra training required to properly place implants.

Dr. Anthony is a prosthodontist who has received specialized training in tooth replacement and restoration. He performs the entire implant process—both the surgery and the tooth restoration. This prevents miscommunication that leads to implant mistakes.

This blog is sponsored by Naperville implant dentist Dr. Anthony LaVacca.

Feb 29

Getting Snap-on Smile online

By Snap-on Smile

I heard of a company called ____________that lets you get snap on smile online.  They send you the kit to make the impressions at your house and send it to the lab so you don’t have to go to the doctor’s office. The company had some bad reviews about people who paid their money but didn’t get their order. I don’t really trust that company, but wondered what other online company you’d recommend.

Brent W.- Little Rock

Brent,

There is a reason there are bad reviews for a company that says you can get Snap-on Smile online. Any company that tries to sell you that service isn’t being honest with you. There is much more to Snap-on Smile than taking your impressions. But even with just the impressions, there is a lot more to it than this company has led you to believe. The impressions have to be done without any distortions. Not even all dental assistants are capable of doing that.

Impressions aside, there are many other reasons it can’t be done with an at-home kit. Snap-on Smile is made by the Den-Mat Company. You’ll have to tell their lab, the exact shading you want for the smile in dental terminology, as well as how much facial bulk to allow. After that, you’ll need to know how to fit it to your bite. In most cases, even after it comes back from the lab, it isn’t a perfect fit and will have to be adjusted which requires special tools. If a company is telling you that you can get it by buying a kit online and avoiding the dentist, they are lying to you.

There is another reason you shouldn’t order Snap-on Smile from an online company. The Den-Mat company is required by law to only fill orders from licensed dentists. In order for an online company to place an order they would have to misrepresent themselves that you were treated by a licensed dentist. I’d avoid this at all costs.

If price is a consideration for why you’re wanting to skip the dental office, you could shop around and see where you can get them the least expensively. Be aware though that you’re probably sacrificing appearance for price. Generally, the higher priced dentists have more artistic skill and are in higher demand. But, to give you a place to start shopping around, for the six front teeth the lab cost is $250.  For all the upper teeth the lab cost is $400. What each dentist charges above those lab fees varies from dentist to dentist.

This blog is brought to you by Naperville Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Anthony LaVacca.

Feb 08

Dentures make me gag

By Dental Implants

I recently had to get dentures because of some teeth that needed to be pulled. I am having such a hard time wearing it because it makes me gag. Can you help me?

Emily B.-Arkansas

Emily,

Occasionally denture wearers complain about gagging, especially if the plate has to cross their palate. My recommendation is to get dental implants instead. With dental implants, a titanium post is surgically placed into your jawbone to serve as your tooth root, and a crown is placed on top to serve as your tooth. It is an ideal solution for replacing missing teeth, and is the closest you can come to having your own teeth back. There is no gagging, because nothing will cross your palate.

There is an additional benefit too, of preserving your jawbone. Your dentist may have already warned you, but when you have a tooth removed, your body begins reabsorbing the minerals from your jawbone. So, while your denture may last, your jawbone won’t. Placing an implant into the jawbone signals to your body that your tooth is still there and it retains the bone.

Hope this helps.

This blog is brought to you by Naperville Dentist Dr. Anthony LaVacca.

Dec 15

Is this a fair price for a dental bridge?

By Dental Bridge, Dentures

I was told by my dentist that I need a five unit bridge. I have a great deal of bone loss due to gum disease, and my teeth are loose, so my dentist is afraid that a partial will put too much stress on my teeth. I was quoted $5500 in addition to extraction costs. I this a fair and reasonable price?

Tory from Houston

Dear Tory,

The fee seems reasonable for Texas. However, I’m not sure why your dentist is suggesting a dental bridge instead of a removable partial denture. A removable partial is less risky and will place less stress on the adjacent teeth.  Also, a bridge puts much less stress on the teeth it attaches to. You would need to scrap using the dental bridge and start over again if you have an issue with one of those teeth it is resting on. If you go with a partial, then you can add a tooth to it later with much less work and expense.

What I encourage you do is get a second opinion to find out if the bridge is the best way to go.

You can read more about this procedure here on our website.

Oct 21

NDS Care is now offering Snap-on Smile

By Snap-on Smile

Snap-on Smile is an affordable, non-invasive approach to restorative and cosmetic dentistry. Now you can achieve amazing results quickly and for much less cost compared to traditional dental makeovers like porcelain veneers.

The Snap-on Smile is made from crystallized acetyl resin at the Den-Mat laboratory located in Santa Maria, CA. To get started, just schedule your appointment with one of our qualified NDS Care dentists. During your visit with us, we will simply take an impression of your teeth to create a hardened plaster model. Then we send the model and detailed instructions outlining the smile design of your choice to the Den-Mat laboratory.

If properly taken care of, the Snap-on Smile should last up to four years, and it is even durable enough to wear while eating.

Patients who use the Snap-on Smile claim that they have gained higher self-esteem and more confidence.

To learn more about this affordable and quick smile makeover option, call us at (888) 873-4606!

Jun 29

How can I fix my really crooked smile ?

By Dental Implants

I am 35 years old and I have been living with a complicated situation on the upper right section of my smile for almost 20 years now. I have a decaying infant canine which never came out because of the adult canine growing in. The adult grew in the wrong place and never displaced the babyone.

My adult canine #11 grew in over the top of bicuspids #12. Also, I’m told that  #13  is too far away from where it belongs and is too complicated in its root structure to be moved with traditional braces.  # 11 is partially obscuring the two bicuspids behind it and creating a triangular inner area which is difficult to keep clean. It also happens to  be very unattractive.  My general dentist isn’t even sure what kind of decay might be going on up in there, but so far it doesn’t hurt or have an odor so I’m keeping my fingers crossed.

The whole area needs some serious work, but I’m not sure what the best option is. Do I extract the canines and get braces to widen the space where the baby was, so that a full-sized canine implant can be put in?   Or do I extract the canines and get a bridge?   Or… can something else be done with a smaller implant + veneers, or something to create the illusion of normal teeth ?   Please send me some input…I want to start figuring out which road I need to go down to try and fix this finally.

– Rhonda in Pebble Beach

Rhonda,

#12 (your first bicuspid) can be made to look like a canine from the front, so if your canine can’t be moved, I’d consider that option, too, after having the permanent and baby canines extracted. Or one dental implant could work – replacing the baby canine with a permanent canine implant. I wouldn’t do the bridge to replace the canine because your bone will shrink in that position over time if you do that and it will be hard to keep it looking natural. But it’s really tough for me to say without seeing you, seeing the x-rays, and doing a clinical examination. You sound like you have a very interesting case–I’d love to have had you come in my door and be given the opportunity to solve it. 

But if you don’t choose my services,  keep in mind that I recommend that you not ask a  general dentist to do this.  My recommendation – find an excellent cosmetic dentist and trust his or her judgment. 

 

Dr. Lavacca 

 

　

Dec 10

How long do I need to wait before I can get an implant?

By Dental Implants

I was told by my dentist and the endodontist that one of my molars will need to be removed since it is decayed below the gumline and can not be saved. I’d like to get an implant once the molar is removed. How long do I need to wait to do this?

Sheri,

I’m glad you are considering a dental implant to replace your missing tooth. However, make sure that all the infection is gone and the socket has had time to heal before moving forward with this dental implant procedure.

Be patient during the implant process, because you will want to be sure the implant has had enough time to integrate with the bone. Placing the false tooth on the implant too soon could cause risk to the procedure. We recommend that patients usually wait several weeks. During this time you should wear a what is called a flipper. Flippers are merely a basic resin tooth mounted on pink acrylic. This will work well to temporarily hold the space until your implant has healed and it is safe to place the false tooth on the implant.

Some important information to be made aware of is when a tooth is removed, the adjacent teeth have a natural tendency to tip into the open space, which also leads to the opposing tooth to super-erupt into the open space. Our teeth were designed to naturally move this way so that they consistently touch their neighboring teeth and so that all of your teeth meet when you bite. This movement among your teeth can cause serious symptoms. Many people suffer from chronic headaches, bite discrepancies, and TMJ disorder. If treatment for these symptoms is prolonged, it could become very costly in the end.

Read more about dental implants and TMJ on our Naperville Dental Specialists website.

Aug 21

What do you know about dental implants?

By Dental Implants No Comments

Dental implants are one of the most natural, permanent ways to replace missing teeth, but implants are not for everyone. You are a potential implant candidate if you:

  • Are in good general health, and able to tolerate the surgery to implant the root form into the bone of the jaw.
  • Have enough viable bone at the implant site to support the root form, or be a candidate for a bone graft.
  • Are NOT on the drug Fosamax or some other forms of oral bisphosphonate. Dental work during Fosamax may exacerbate a serious condition called osteonecrosis of the jaw.

Only a highly trained and skilled prosthodontist like Dr. LaVacca can help you decide if dental implants are the best choice for you. If you a missing tooth or teeth, visit Dr. LaVacca’s Naperville dentist website to make an appointment today.

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