Crooked, discolored, or damaged teeth can greatly affect your self-esteem. If your smile is less than perfect, you might be afraid to show your teeth in any way. If you are this self-conscious about your smile, it can have an adverse effect on your quality of life. Veneers can be the answer, providing dramatic results with a relatively simple procedure.

What Are Veneers?

Veneers are very thin porcelain restorations that are affixed to the surface of your teeth. They are custom-made for your mouth and color-matched to your existing teeth. Our cosmetic dentist affixes the veneers with a sealing agent that makes them strong and durable as they bond to your teeth. Veneers can last many years if they are properly cared for, giving you a long-term smile you can be proud of.

Veneers are relatively easy to place, usually requiring two office visits. The procedure is minimally invasive and requires very little alteration to the surfaces of your teeth because veneers are so thin. In the first appointment, your teeth are prepared for the veneers, and the dentist makes a cast from which your permanent veneers will be made. Only a small layer of enamel must be removed from your teeth, so the procedure is simple and sometimes can be performed without anesthetic, depending upon your personal sensitivity. In the second visit, the permanent veneers are affixed with a special bonding agent.

Versatility of Veneers

Veneers can be used to treat several different issues patients often have with their teeth’s appearance. Among these are:

• Severe staining
• Pits, cracks, or chips in the teeth
• Slight misalignment
• Small gaps

Rather than pursue expensive and uncomfortable orthodontic treatment, or have your teeth reshaped to allow a crown to be placed, you can instead opt for veneers. Veneers are relatively easy to care for, and will last for a number of years. Our cosmetic dentists, specializing in veneers in Denver, will provide guidelines regarding long-term care. Please call our offices today to find out how we can give you the stunning smile you’ve always wanted.

In order for dental implant success in Coquitlam patients, those patients must have sufficient bone material to allow the implants to osseointegrate, or fuse with the jaw bone. This aspect of the implant process is of particular concern to edentulous (toothless) patients because the jaw bone can recede significantly when the teeth’s roots are no longer present to hold it in place. Even in cases when a single tooth has been missing for a long time, extensive bone loss may occur, also jeopardizing the implant.

Fortunately, patients with considerable jaw bone loss can still be eligible for dental implants if they first undergo a surgical procedure known as a bone graft. This procedure helps to augment the amount of available bone in the vicinity of the implant.

Depending on the implant’s location in the mouth, different bone graft techniques may be used to prepare a patient for dental implants. Often the patient’s own bone is taken from elsewhere in the body, such as the hip or the chin, and inserted into the implant site. Bone from cadavers and synthetic materials may also be used to supplement the bone.

Another technique is called a sinus lift, which is used for implants at the rear of the jaw. In a sinus lift, bone is added to the floor of the patient’s sinus cavity, essentially increasing the height of the upper jaw. This approach is valuable for implants at the rear of the jaw, where the bone tends to wear away more quickly.

Bone grafts often can be completed in an outpatient setting. However, when a patient needs to have a large amount of bone harvested, that surgery may need to take place in a hospital.

When a bone graft is necessary, the implant patient does face a longer treatment timeline. The patient must heal from the graft before the implant can be placed, and that process may take several months. It is important to consider this when planning the treatment.

The term root canal actually refers to an area inside the tooth that houses the tooth pulp and the nerve that serves the tooth. When a tooth becomes seriously infected or severely decayed, clearing out this area of the tooth can be the best way to preserve it. Without the option of this root canal procedure, the tooth might have to be extracted.

Purpose of a Root Canal

A root canal is used to preserve a tooth that has been severely damaged by infection, decay, or trauma. The procedure removes the infected or decayed tissue, preventing further damage to adjacent teeth, or wider-spread infection. Usually when a dentist recommends a root canal, it is because the only other option is removal of the tooth.

Using a root canal to preserve a tooth helps keep your teeth in proper alignment. If the tooth is simply removed, you run the risk of having teeth shift and move into the empty space, disrupting your bite and possibly leading to uncomfortable side effects such as teeth grinding or temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD).

The Root Canal Procedure

Although the root canal dental procedure has a bad reputation, it is no more difficult or uncomfortable than a filling or a crown. The dentist makes a small hole in the tooth, through which special tools are inserted and used to remove the infected tissue. After the infection and/or decay has been removed, the interior of the tooth is then thoroughly cleansed and filled. After this process, the dentist prepares the tooth for a crown.

After a root canal, there is no feeling left in the tooth, because the nerve has been removed. However, the tooth remains functional so that you can chew normally. With the original tooth left in place, your remaining teeth remain in proper alignment, preventing misalignment that can occur due to tooth loss.

If you feel you might be in need of a root canal to help preserve a damaged tooth, please contact our dentist in Downtown Denver to schedule an appointment or a consultation.

Teeth grinding and clenching, especially at night, are common problems. Though many consider these issues to be more of a nuisance than a serious problem, teeth grinding and clenching can result in damage to the teeth as well as uncomfortable issues with the temporomandibular joint.

Causes of Teeth Grinding and Clenching

Teeth grinding and clenching can occur as a symptom of a variety of other underlying conditions, including:

• Bite misalignment
• Stress
• Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD)

Teeth grinding that wakes you up at night, disturbs your partner, or causes visible chipping and erosion to the teeth should always be brought to the attention of a dentist. Left untreated, teeth grinding can cause extensive damage to your teeth.

Treating Teeth Grinding and Clenching

One common treatment for teeth grinding is a dental orthotic, worn at night to prevent grinding. These mouthpieces are custom made to fit your mouth. Store-bought mouthpieces are readily available, but will not provide the custom fit of an orthotic provided by your dentist. Because teeth grinding can occur as a symptom of misalignment, it is important to use a mouthpiece that will not interfere with your natural bite.

Other treatment can include orthodontic treatment such as braces or a similar alternative. If your teeth grinding occurs as a result of misalignment, this treatment will move your teeth into their proper position, reducing the likelihood that you will grind or clench your teeth. This treatment can also relieve TMD, which can cause teeth grinding.

If teeth grinding and clenching occurs as a side effect of stress, stress management and stress relief techniques can be highly effective in reducing or eliminating this behavior. Some stress relief techniques might include meditation or massage.

The root cause of your teeth grinding will determine the best treatment to pursue. If you are searching for a dentist near Denver and would like to find out the best way to end your habitual teeth grinding, please call our office at 303-832-7789 to schedule a consultation.