Dental Implants
When a tooth is lost the specialized bony process that houses the tooth begins to resorb due to lack of stimulation. This causes a decrease in width and height of the bone in the area the tooth is lost. Neighboring teeth and opposing teeth begin to move into the space. This causes food lodgment, subsequent decay, gum disease and abnormal forces being transmitted to teeth leading to fracture of cusps which may necessitate root canal treatment or extraction. Loss of teeth can also cause the cheek and lips to collapse giving an aged look.
The consequences of tooth loss can be prevented by replacing the lost tooth in a timely manner. Although there are several options to replace a missing tooth the number one choice for replacing lost teeth are dental implants. Implants are tiny titanium screws or posts that are surgically placed in the bone. Once integrated into bone they act like roots onto which small posts are attached which protrude through the gums. These posts provide stable anchors to the replacement teeth. Implants maintain the bone height by stimulation and prevents unnecessary trimming of adjoining teeth for bridge placement. Since implants are titanium posts there is no chance for decay on implants. Implants can service you for several years with regular professional cleaning and proper home care.
Cosmetic Surgical Procedures
Crown Lengthening
This procedure involves the removal of gum tissue (gingiva), bone or both to expose more of a tooth’s structure.
What it’s Used for
Crown lengthening is done when a tooth needs to be restored, but not enough tooth is present to support a crown or a filling
This can happen when a tooth breaks off at the gum line, or a crown or filling falls out of a tooth that has extensive decay underneath. If your dentist wants to repair the tooth using a crown or a large filling, he or she may need to expose more of the tooth by removing some soft tissue and/or bone.
In some cases, a condition called gummy smile, in which an unusually large amount of gum tissue shows around the upper teeth can be treated using crown lengthening.
Wisdom Teeth
Wisdom teeth also referred to as third molars usually erupt between 17-25 years of age. Anthropological studies show that wisdom teeth erupt in order to compensate for the excessive wear and forward drifting of teeth due to the rough diet of early humans. Modern diet is soft and refined and excessive wear of teeth is not observed. As a result there is no room for wisdom teeth to erupt. This causes the wisdom teeth to get impacted.
What is an impacted tooth?
A tooth becomes impacted when there is a lack of space in the dental arch and its growth and eruption are prevented by overlying gum, bone or another tooth. A tooth may be partially impacted, which means a portion of it has broken through the gum, or totally impacted when it is unable to break through the gum at all.
Bone Grafting
Extraction of a tooth causes resorption of the supporting bone. Bone resorption causes a 40-60% decrease in its width during the first three years following extraction. Bone resorption occurs at the expense of the outer plate of bone reducing the width of bone. Then overtime the height of bone is reduced. This becomes critical for anterior implants where ideal esthetics, phonetics and function is desired. In the upper jaw following extraction the sinus floor begins to expand further decreasing the available bone to place implants in the posterior maxilla. In the lower jaw the mandibular nerve runs in the bone limiting the length of the implant placed.
When a tooth is lost the specialized bony process that houses the tooth begins to resorb due to lack of stimulation. This causes a decrease in width and height of the bone in the area the tooth is lost. Neighboring teeth and opposing teeth begin to move into the space. This causes food lodgment, subsequent decay, gum disease and abnormal forces being transmitted to teeth leading to fracture of cusps which may necessitate root canal treatment or extraction. Loss of teeth can also cause the cheek and lips to collapse giving an aged look.
The consequences of tooth loss can be prevented by replacing the lost tooth in a timely manner. Although there are several options to replace a missing tooth the number one choice for replacing lost teeth are dental implants. Implants are tiny titanium screws or posts that are surgically placed in the bone. Once integrated into bone they act like roots onto which small posts are attached which protrude through the gums. These posts provide stable anchors to the replacement teeth. Implants maintain the bone height by stimulation and prevents unnecessary trimming of adjoining teeth for bridge placement. Since implants are titanium posts there is no chance for decay on implants. Implants can service you for several years with regular professional cleaning and proper home care.
Cosmetic Surgical Procedures
Crown Lengthening
This procedure involves the removal of gum tissue (gingiva), bone or both to expose more of a tooth’s structure.
What it’s Used for
Crown lengthening is done when a tooth needs to be restored, but not enough tooth is present to support a crown or a filling
This can happen when a tooth breaks off at the gum line, or a crown or filling falls out of a tooth that has extensive decay underneath. If your dentist wants to repair the tooth using a crown or a large filling, he or she may need to expose more of the tooth by removing some soft tissue and/or bone.
In some cases, a condition called gummy smile, in which an unusually large amount of gum tissue shows around the upper teeth can be treated using crown lengthening.
Wisdom Teeth
Wisdom teeth also referred to as third molars usually erupt between 17-25 years of age. Anthropological studies show that wisdom teeth erupt in order to compensate for the excessive wear and forward drifting of teeth due to the rough diet of early humans. Modern diet is soft and refined and excessive wear of teeth is not observed. As a result there is no room for wisdom teeth to erupt. This causes the wisdom teeth to get impacted.
What is an impacted tooth?
A tooth becomes impacted when there is a lack of space in the dental arch and its growth and eruption are prevented by overlying gum, bone or another tooth. A tooth may be partially impacted, which means a portion of it has broken through the gum, or totally impacted when it is unable to break through the gum at all.
Bone Grafting
Extraction of a tooth causes resorption of the supporting bone. Bone resorption causes a 40-60% decrease in its width during the first three years following extraction. Bone resorption occurs at the expense of the outer plate of bone reducing the width of bone. Then overtime the height of bone is reduced. This becomes critical for anterior implants where ideal esthetics, phonetics and function is desired. In the upper jaw following extraction the sinus floor begins to expand further decreasing the available bone to place implants in the posterior maxilla. In the lower jaw the mandibular nerve runs in the bone limiting the length of the implant placed.
