missing teeth

Save Your Smile And Your Life With Implants

By on June 6, 2016

Welcome back to our oral health blog. At Really Smile, we strive to provide you with high-quality dental work in a compassionate environment. Our Carmel, Indiana office has everything you will need to keep your smile healthy all through life. But we will also be here for you should the unexpected ever happen.

Tooth loss is one of those things. Even if it happens slowly as the result of untreated gum disease or tooth decay, no one ever expects it to happen to them. And when it does, it will rock your world, and not in a good way!

Our team chose the tagline “life-changing dentistry” to sum up our practice, and it couldn’t be more appropriate for the work that we do with dental implants to help adults with missing teeth get back on the good road.

That’s why today we want to talk about implants and how they can save not only your smile, but quite possibly your life.

Keep reading to learn more about this wonderful restorative procedure, and then be sure to follow up with our team to schedule your consultation in our Indianapolis area office.

A Viable Solution For Tooth Loss

Unlike the false teeth of earlier eras, dental implants are stable, permanent, and not dependent on nearby teeth to anchor them. A dental implant actually consists of two parts. It has an artificial tooth root and a crown.

Here’s how the procedure works at Really Smile:

First, your implant post, made from titanium, will be surgically inserted and allowed to fuse into position to serve as the new root.

Once healing has happened, after a few months, you will come back so that a permanent crown can be placed on top. That’s the part that looks like a tooth.

Once that is done, you might just come back again to thank us, but that is not an official step by any means.

You Will Look Better

The crown we place over the implant will look stunning. You will once again have a complete smile and facial structure support. So, there will be no more embarrassing moments moving forward.

You Will Feel Great

Things will feel normal in your mouth, and your smile will be attractive. As such, your confidence will soar. Plus, your health will get a boost too as you go back to a normal diet.

You Will Be Able to Chew

You will have enough biting power to eat whatever you want with confidence. That should make meals more enjoyable and dinner dates a delight.

Take Back Your Life!

The best part about implants is that, with proper care, they will last a lifetime. It is also nice that they will help you look great, feel better and live longer!

We hope you have been inspired by all the possibilities outlined in today’s post to want to learn more about dental implants.

We can determine if you are a suitable candidate for this life-changing procedure when you schedule your consultation. To get started, contact us online or call our Carmel, Indiana office at 317-597-8748. We can’t wait to get to work!

Dentures and Bridges: Are They Worth It?

By on July 12, 2015

Did you know that the average American adult is missing three teeth, or is soon to lose them? The largest contributor to tooth loss is advanced gum disease, or periodontitis: a one-two punch of corrosive organic acids (produced as waste by oral bacteria) and chronic inflammation that destroys your gum tissues and the bone density of your jaw, until finally the teeth begin to come free from their fleshy moorings and either fall out, or are so loose that they cannot be salvaged through dental intervention and must be extracted by an oral surgeon (which even today is a risky undertaking; while we can control the pain you experience during the procedure, the risk of postoperative infection is high; this can be deadly).

To avoid additional (and even more miserable) complications caused by tooth loss (which among other things includes further tooth loss), you need to reach out to your dentist immediately. In our Carmel, IN dental practice, we offer dental implants, bridges, and dentures. Of the three, dental implants are the superior option; we offer dental bridges and dentures because not all patients are suitable candidates for dental implants. However, many of our patients also view dental bridges and dentures as a more cost-effective means of dealing with missing teeth.

While it is true that these restorations have a lower upfront cost than dental implants, the compromises in performance, potentially dangerous drawbacks, and need to regularly replace them makes the decision more complicated than it seems. As the old saying goes, “The sweetness of a lower price is lost to the bitterness of a lower value.”

Dentures: Compromises in Performance

Dentures are perhaps the most well-known form of dental prosthetic; we offer high quality natural looking dentures to our patients who need them, because they approximate the appearance of natural teeth much better than more conventional dentures and therefore provide a better value.

However, if you don’t have to get dentures (because you are well enough to undergo oral surgery and able to support dental implants), your best option is to steer clear and go for dental implants.

Dentures, no matter how well they improve your appearance, do not come close to dental implants in terms of performance. In this context, performance refers to your ability to eat and speak. Chewing food and speaking depend upon a strong bite. Tooth loss will permanently reduce your bite strength; there’s no getting around it, so your bite needs to be restored. Dentures depend upon fit to stay in place (more on this later), and that’s it. Even with adhesive strips supplementing them, dentures simply don’t allow for an efficient transfer of bite power to the food you need to chew. You will get your bite strength back, but only 20%, and sometimes as low as 10%.

Dental implants on the other hand are embedded directly into your jawbone, beneath your gums. In fact, during the healing process following your implant placement, the implants virtually become part of your anatomy as your jawbone fuses with the implant, a process referred to as osseointegration. This means a much more efficient transfer of power from your jaws and jaw muscles, through the implant, and into the food you’re chewing. Dental implants can be expected to restore at least 90% of your bite strength (if not more). This means no change to your lifestyle and diet. You can live just as you did prior to your implant (with much more attention paid to oral hygiene, of course).

Dentures and Bridges: Increased Risk of Infection

Dentures and bridges present the risk of serious infection that dental implants do not.

Dentures and Infection

Dentures, as mentioned earlier, depend upon their fit to stay in place. For dentures to work, they must interact properly with your oral tissues and even some of your remaining teeth to stay in place. If the fit is lost (and it isn’t really a question of if, but when; changes to your body such as weight loss or gain can significantly change the shape of your oral cavity), your dentures will start to slip and slide in your mouth. Not only can this lead to embarrassing moments (dentures that slide completely out of your mouth, or dentures that create a telltale clicking sound when you speak, yawn, or laugh), but it can lead to serious infections. All that slipping and sliding causes a lot of rubbing between the dentures and your oral tissues and teeth. This can create mouth sores, which are portals for bacteria to enter your body; it can also invite tooth decay (due to the rubbing off of enamel).

Bridges and Infection

Dental bridges can also present a serious risk of infection and tooth decay. Bridges depend upon (usually) two crowns, which are placed on the teeth on either side of the gap (bridges are used to replace one, two, or three teeth); these teeth are called the abutment teeth, and the crowns support artificial teeth in the gap. The risk of infection comes when the bridge is placed: it is very common that a bridge won’t fit precisely how it should in the gap, and this means that your healthy teeth must be filed down considerably to make them fit properly. This removes enamel, which is your best defense against tooth decay and oral bacteria. When it’s gone, it’s gone; you can’t replace your enamel on your own, nor is there an artificial equivalent.

Need For Continuous Replacement

Dental implants are permanent in the truest sense of the word; one placed, they will last as long as you do. Dentures lose their fit frequently, and must be replaced, and dental bridges, while “more permanent” than dentures, are supposed to last around ten years, but in most cases, the longevity of a dental bridge is closer to five or seven years. Every time you have a new bridge placed, or you are fitted for new dentures, these can be rolled into the total cost of having them.

Want to Learn More About Dental Implants?

When you consider the financial cost, risk of infection, and the time spend required, why not just go the “one and done” route with dental implants?

Give us a call to learn more; you don’t have to live with the pain and embarrassment of tooth loss!

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

Full Mouth Rejuvenation: Your Teeth’s Last Chance

By on May 21, 2015

Is your smile not what it used to be?

Are your teeth severely damaged (due to decay, injury, or excess wear from teeth grinding)?

Is a poorly aligned bite (malocclusion) causing you problems such as headaches or other pain in your jaw or mouth?

Whether your situation is a result of years of neglect or just plain bad luck, we can help with a Full Mouth Rejuvenation. Really Smile has helped many people in the Carmel, IN area restore their smile and dramatically improve their oral health. You only have one set of teeth; take care of them! If you wait too long, you might lose your opportunity to do something about it!

What is a Full Mouth Rejuvenation?

A Full Mouth Rejuvenation is exactly what it sounds like: it’s a total, planned overhaul of your teeth, gums, and bite, with the goal of restoring the health and appearance of your smile. Full Mouth Rejuvenation isn’t a single procedure; it’s made up of many different procedures, and which ones you get will depend on your specific needs.

As you might expect, a Full Mouth Rejuvenation takes place over several appointments, and requires a considerable investment of your time. Some Full Mouth Restorations aren’t complete for a year, or perhaps more. Getting a Full Mouth Rejuvenation is a major commitment!

How is a Full Mouth Rejuvenation Different from a Smile Makeover?

It’s important to recognize the difference between a Full Mouth Rejuvenation and a Smile Makeover. They may appear to be similar, but a Smile Makeover is elective. In other words, you don’t need a Smile Makeover, and most of the procedures you’ll undergo are entirely cosmetic. A Full Mouth Rejuvenation is something that you do need, usually because your oral health has declined so much that drastic measures are required to save your teeth (at least the ones that can be saved!). A Full Mouth Rejuvenation might involve some cosmetic procedures, but the main objective is getting your teeth, gums, and bite to a point where they are functional and to eliminate pain that’s caused by problems in your oral cavity.

What’s Usually Involved in a Full Mouth Restoration?

Each Full Mouth Restoration is unique to each person. To determine what procedures you require and to build your treatment plan, your dentist will give you a thorough examination. At Really Smile, we use some of the most advanced imaging technology available today to make sure your examination is as complete and comfortable as possible.

First, your dentist will examine your teeth to assess their level of damage. Your dentist will look for decay and cavities, and fractures and cracks in the surface of your teeth. Teeth that are longer (an indication of gum disease) or shorter (a “gummy smile”) are also of concern, as are of course any sign of infection that might need attention.

Procedures that you might require will include crowns, bridges, dental implants, and veneers.

Second, your dentist will check your gums for any sign of periodontal disease, usually either gingivitis or periodontitis. Early stage periodontal disease (gingivitis) can be reversed with cleaning and good oral hygiene, but more advanced cases (periodontitis) are much more serious and may require more aggressive treatment to control. Periodontitis is the destruction of the gums and bones that hold your teeth in place, and your dentist will check things like bone density to make an assessment of any problems with your gums. In very severe cases, tissue or bone grafts might be needed to restore the “foundation” of your teeth.

Third, your dentist will examine your bite (occlusion). A bite that is misaligned (malocclusion) can be the source of pain in the jaw and face, as well as headaches. Poorly aligned teeth also make chewing more difficult, and just like a broken part on your car can cause damage to other parts, malocclusion can do excess damage to your teeth. Your Really Smile dentist has specialized training in neuromuscular dentistry and possesses specialized understanding of problems relating to bite and how it is treated.

Finally, your dentist will make an assessment of how your teeth look and recommend cosmetic treatments to give your smile and appearance an improved look that will increase your confidence.

Once the examination is completed, your dentist will begin to work on a specialized treatment plan that is unique to you. Your dentist will want to include you in the planning process so that you fully understand what will take place, as well as to inform you of any risks that might be involved.

It doesn’t matter how your teeth ended up this way…

But what you do about it does. Remember, you’ve only got one set of teeth, and if you’re considering a Full Mouth Restoration, this might be your last good chance to repair them before they’re lost forever!

Call us now at 317-597-8748, or make an appointment online.

Time is of the essence! Your teeth are only going to get worse the longer you delay treatment. Get your best, healthiest smile with Really Smile!

Dental Implants Can Save Your Smile!

By on May 17, 2015

Missing teeth are more than just embarrassing. They can ruin your smile, and missing teeth can even have a negative impact on the shape of your face. Your appearance is important to you, and a poor smile that’s characterized by missing teeth is a blow to your confidence that can be felt in all the aspects of your life.

Don’t live with the shame of missing teeth any longer! Dental implants can restore your smile, your confidence, and help you get more out of life. Really Smile has helped so many people in the Carmel, IN area get their smile back. Isn’t it your turn?

What Are Dental Implants?

Dental implants are a permanent solution for missing teeth. They have two components: an anchor, which holds it in place, and a crown. The crown is the visible part of the implant and looks just like your other teeth.

Dental implants don’t work like bridges, which require other teeth to hold an artificial tooth in place. Dental implants are installed directly into the bone of the jaw. The anchor, which holds the crown in place, is made of a material that will be able to merge with the bone around it; in most cases, that material is titanium. This process is called osseointegration. This basically means the bone will grow around the anchor to hold it in place. This allows dental implants to last for decades. The anchor, which is also referred to as the implant, resembles a screw.

Once the anchor and bone are sufficiently integrated, the crown will be placed. The entire process of installing a dental implant can last several months, but it’s worth it, because afterward your smile will be returned to its youthful vibrance.

Who Can Use Dental Implants?

Not everyone can use dental implants. Good candidates for dental implants are those patients who have gums and bone that are healthy. The first thing your dentist will do is examine your teeth and gums to make sure that they are healthy enough to undergo the treatment and to determine if the implant will be effective. People who smoke heavily, or those whose oral health is in bad condition are not candidates. That’s because they’re at risk for a specific kind of gum disease called peri-implantitis which can cause the implant to fail. Patients with osteoporosis can’t receive implants, nor can those who use steroids to treat a health problem. Teeth grinding (bruxism) is also problematic for people seeking an implant.

What Can I Expect?

If you are a good candidate for a dental implant, your dentist will create a specialized plan for your procedure, based on your health, the type of implant you’re receiving, and other factors.

At Really Smile, we use a CT Scan to determine where your implant should go. A CT scan takes multiple X-ray images of bone, blood vessels, and soft tissue. The images, which are taken at different angles, are combined to create a single “map” of the area that needs an implant. The major benefit is this drastically reduces the amount of surgery that needs to be done. Without the CT scan, it would be necessary to create an incision and peel back the gums like a banana. By avoiding this, patients can heal much faster, and this puts them at a much reduced risk for post-procedure problems.

Your dentist will make a pinhole, about the size of a BB, in your gums. Based upon the situation and the implant, additional work will be needed to expand the hole so that it can receive the implant, which is then screwed in.

Because we use CT Scan imaging technology to eliminate much of the surgery required to place an implant, patients usually have very little to no discomfort following the procedure!

Over time, healthy gum tissue will grow around the implant, and the process of osseointegration will begin. It can take several months for the implant and bone to “grow together”. Once this occurs, the implant is permanently fixed in your mouth. A correctly placed implant will last for decades, and it has virtually no chance of failure.

What are you waiting for?

If you have missing or severely damaged teeth, there’s no reason to delay having an implant placed. Since it takes so long for an implant to be completely installed, the faster you make your appointment, the faster you’ll have your smile back!

Getting a dental impact isn’t traumatic, but if you have severe anxiety about going to the dentist or undergoing a surgical procedure, we have sedation and relaxation treatments that will eliminate your nerves and fear.

If it turns out you’re not a candidate for an implant, Really Smile can still help you: we have lots of options to help you get your best smile, and what’s more, we’ll get your oral health back to normal as well.

Call us now at 317-597-8748, or make an appointment online by clicking here.

We look forward to serving you!

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