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Dr. David A. Smith

David A Smith

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317-597-8748
12188-A North Meridian Street, Suite 355,
Carmel, IN 46032
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    • Why Choose Us?
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    • Teeth Whitening
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    • Dental Cone Beam Scanner
    • Cosmetic Dentistry
    • Dental Crowns and Bridges
    • Dental Implants
    • Dentures
    • Endodontic Therapy
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    • Healthy Heart Dentistry
    • Implant Dentistry
    • Invisalign
    • Oral Sedation
    • Jaw, Headaches & Neck Pain
    • Sedation Dentistry or NuCalm
    • Non-Surgical Facelift
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Dental Implants: Do You Have What It Takes?

By on July 9, 2015

If you’ve lost your teeth, you know that it has a much greater impact beyond your appearance. Your self-confidence will take the first hit, but soon other problems will become apparent. You’ll notice that when you eat, it gets harder and harder to chew, to the point where it is so painful it seems impossible. People have a hard time understanding you when you speak; at first, you try “speaking up” but soon it is apparent that there is something strange in how you sound, and how your mouth feels when talk.

Even worse, one lost tooth can lead to another, and another, because your teeth will be even more vulnerable to the infections that cause tooth loss. Your teeth are designed to fit together in a specific way; if this is altered, your teeth can be damaged (cracks, fractures, and so on). This injuries will invite infection, which if unaddressed will cause you to experience the trauma of tooth loss all over again. Additionally, you lose bone density in your jaw in the area of the tooth loss, and  without your teeth supporting the shape of your face, your face will start to almost collapse as your nose and chin get closer and closer.

Does this sound familiar? If so, you’ve probably heard by now about how dental implants can almost completely restore your ability to chew and speak (much better than more traditional solutions), provide the necessary support to your face shape and appearance, and give you back your smile without the embarrassing or even dangerous drawbacks of conventional treatments (dentures and dental bridges). If you’re interested in dental implants and what they can do for you, we encourage you to make an appointment with us at our Carmel, IN dental practice.

Not All Contestants Will Win

Dental implants are indeed amazing, and can have a life-changing impact on the lives of those who have lost their teeth, or even have had teeth missing for sometime and are tired of having to constantly replace dentures and bridges that only offer a compromised return to normalcy.

However, you must be in good enough health, both orally and generally, to get dental implants. Dentures and dental bridges are prosthetics that only simulate the appearance of healthy teeth, but provide limited functionality because they are designed to work with the structures of your teeth and oral tissues to stay in place. Dental implants are also a type of prosthesis, but they do much more than simulate natural teeth; they are the closest thing to your natural teeth that dental technology has yet devised, and they work as well as they do because they are surgically implanted, directly into your jawbone.

Because the procedure requires intensive, invasive surgery, you must be well enough to endure the procedure, and you must also be well enough to support the implant successfully (otherwise, the implant will fail).

Are These Requirements?

No, the contents of this post should not be considered requirements, but rather guidelines: everyone is different, with different health needs. Your dentist will need to give you a comprehensive examination that takes into account your whole health history to determine your suitability for implants.

What Your Dentist Will Look For

Your dentist will be looking for warning signs, either present in your body or oral cavity, or in your medical history that might make oral surgery dangerous, or if you’re more likely than others to experience dental implant failure (essentially breakage).

In terms of your general health, your dentist will want to make sure that you are able to tolerate general anesthesia. The procedure requires the implantation of an object directly into your jawbone, beneath the gums; needless to say, you’ll want to be “out” while this is happening. However, some people (for a number of reasons) have difficulty with anesthesia, and may even experience potentially deadly complications. Your dentist will definitely want to know if you’ve had problems with general anesthesia in the past.

You must also be free of serious diseases, or at least have them well under control. Diseases such as arthritis, Type II diabetes, high blood pressure, and certain autoimmune diseases and disorders have a high chance of causing complications before and after your surgery, and may even slow the healing process during your recovery (which is critical to the success of the implant).

Your dentist will also want to check your oral health for any signs of serious disease. This is what most people have difficulty with, because statistically speaking it is most likely their tooth loss was caused by advanced gum disease, which degrades your gum tissue as well as the bone density in your jaw, which must be strong enough to support the implant. It is very possible, through interventions such as a bone graft (the transplantation of bone from one part of your body to another), that the ravages of diseases like gum disease can be overcome, but this must take place before implant surgery can begin.

Are You Ready For Dental Implants?

You will only know for certain after an exam from your dentist at Really Smile; in addition to being an expert in placing dental implants, your dentist is also an expert in restoring failed implants. This is added protection for your health and your investment.

Give us a call at 317-582-0884 or click here to reach our online appointment form.

Improve Your Look Without Surgery!

By on July 1, 2015

When it comes to your appearance, your Really Smile dentist (in Carmel, IN) can do a lot for your smile and the look (and health) of your teeth. Of course, your appearance isn’t just about how good your teeth look; there’s a whole face surrounding your teeth!

Over the years, you might have noticed that your face has begun to sag, and your chin and nose even seem to be getting closer together. This is a natural part of aging, but that doesn’t mean you have to live with it. The facelift is one of the most popular plastic surgery procedures, but many people have misgivings about actually going under the knife to improve their appearance.

What if we told you your dentist could make you look years younger without surgery? Your Really Smile Dentist can give you a whole new “lease on youth” with a non-surgical facelift.

What is A Non-Surgical Facelift?

A conventional facelift is an intensive surgical procedure. To eliminate wrinkles and sagging in the face, a plastic surgeon removes “excess” skin from your face and neck, then tightens the skin and tissues that remain.

Sounds pretty gruesome, doesn’t it? The good news is you don’t have to go under the knife! Instead of surgically altering your body’s tissues, we focus on how improvements we can make to your teeth, jaws, and the structures of your face to improve your appearance.

What is the Relationship Between My Teeth and the Look of My Face?

Your teeth are an important part of your anatomy; they play a role in the digestive system (chewing and grinding food), and they also part of what makes you look like you.

Have you ever sat on a wobbly chair? It makes you keep an odd posture to stay upright and It’s not very comfortable. It’s usually because one leg is somewhat shorter than the others, or is missing a foot pad. In a restaurant, your waiter might fix the problem with a book of matches.

Your teeth and face operate on a similar principal. Your teeth are the “legs” of the chair, but over time, your teeth become worn and sustain other damage that affects how they are aligned. If your teeth get sufficiently misaligned due to wear and damage, your face will slowly develop that “collapsed flan” look that is considered a characteristic of extreme old age.

How Does It Work?

Your dentist will need to examine your teeth, face, and other important anatomical structures to determine exactly where the problem areas are. Your dentist will use a number of interventions to create a specific treatment plan just for you. Your Really Smile Dentist is not just a great dentist, but is also a specialist in neuromuscular dentistry. Neuromuscular dentistry is a discipline within dentistry that focuses on how the alignment of the jaws and teeth affect other bodily systems, including the appearance of the face and the maintenance of its shape. This expertise allows us to approach cosmetic dentistry from a holistic, or “whole-face” approach.

While the procedures your dentist might use to resolve your specific issue vary, none of them require invasive surgery; this means healing time is short (if any at all) and you’ll be able to re-enter the world with a beautiful new face without ever setting foot in an operation hall!

Want To Improve Your Looks Without Surgery?

Your Really Smile team is ready to help! We offer a range of cosmetic and general dentistry procedures and services to help you achieve your best look without surgery. Call us for a consultation and learn how we can can help!

Dial 317-597-8748, or click here to reach our online appointment form to book your visit now!

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Business Hours

Monday 7:40 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Tuesday 7:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Wednesday 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Thursday 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
(Friday – Sunday – Closed)

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Services

  • Teeth Whitening
  • Dental Check-Ups
  • Cosmetic Dentistry
  • Dental Implants
  • Natural-Looking Dentures
  • Implant Dentistry
  • Invisalign
  • Oral Sedation Dentistry
  • Dental Sedation Options
  • TMJ

Meet the Doctor

Dr. David A. Smith explains his vision of life-changing dentistry for Really Smile Dental:

“I chose dentistry as my life’s work because I have the privilege to serve people in a way that is truly life-changing. I was honored with the appointment by Indianapolis Woman Magazine as Makeover Dentist 2008."

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Business Hours

Monday: 7:40 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Tuesday: 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Wednesday: 7:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Thursday: 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
(Friday – Sunday: Closed)

Contact us

Really Smile Dental
Phone: 317-597-8748
Fax: 317-815-1636
URL: reallysmile.com
12188-A North Meridian Street, Suite 355
Carmel, IN 46032

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