Cosmetic Dentistry
Straighten Teeth
Contrary to popular belief, braces are not just for children. Adults sometimes need braces, too, and your dentist is the only person who can recommend this for you. Braces are designed to help straighten teeth and correct other problems in the mouth, though many people assume they are for nothing more than vanity purposes.
Yes, braces can improve your smile significantly, but they are about more than just fixing crooked and uneven teeth. They help prevent additional problems in the mouth whether you are young or old, and they are not always an option you can forgo if you have oral health issues.
Book AppointmentWhy Do People Need Braces?
There are a few reasons you or your child might need braces, though some issues are more common than others.
Genetics
01 - Genetics Unfortunately for some people, they inherit their parent’s or grandparent’s bad teeth. They are crooked, they are not aligned properly, and they might not form well in the mouth. The shape and size of your jaw, teeth, and face are all genetic, which means some people need braces for no reason other than the fact that they inherited their family’s dental issues.
Poor Oral Health
If you don’t take care of your teeth when you are a child or even an adult, you may need braces when decay has set in and changed the shape of your mouth. Your teeth might shift, and you might need braces as an adult because you didn’t care for the teeth you had when you were younger.
Other Issues
Accidents, poor nutrition, prolonged thumb-sucking, and other issues might cause your mouth to have other problems that cause spacing and bite issues. Over-bites, under-bites, crowded teeth, crooked teeth, poor alignment, gum disease, and abnormal enamel wear all cause issues in your mouth that might result in your need for braces.
How Does the Process Work?
There is a process involved in getting braces, and understanding that process is important. The most important part of the process is making an appointment and letting your dentist discuss braces with you.
If you feel that you might benefit from braces, contact Wilson Dental to schedule a consultation. We want to help you find the smile you’ve been looking for no matter your age.
The Process
- Taking x-rays and dental impressions so that your braces can be custom-designed for your mouth
- A thorough cleaning is done in your mouth
- Adhesive is applied to clean, dry teeth
- Brackets are attached
- Arch wire is placed into the brackets and elastic is used to keep them in place
Once it’s been decided you need them, your orthodontist will begin the process. This involves:
Putting Braces
It takes approximately two hours for your dentist to put braces into your mouth, and it doesn’t hurt. However, you will feel some discomfort after getting your braces. It’s new material in your mouth, and you might find that it’s uncomfortable for a few weeks.
Caring for Braces
Your dentist will discuss caring for your braces with you, and you will see your dentist for a follow-up appointment to see how they are doing in your mouth. You will need to change you eating habits, and you will need to make some minor lifestyle adjustments to ensure you don’t do any damage to your braces. You will also see your dentist every few months or so to adjust your braces to fit the new shape of your teeth as they fix the problems in your mouth.
The Smile of Your Dreams
Missing teeth can be a problem regardless of your age. Even if you cannot see the missing teeth in the back of your mouth, they are a long term oral health issue. Sadly, many people feel that having a tooth removed or losing one in an accident is only a problem if other people can see the missing tooth where it’s located.
While your confidence level does hinge on how good your smile looks, you might not realize that the shape of your teeth and the positioning of your teeth can be affected by a missing tooth.
Even if the missing tooth is not visible to those around you, it might have a negative lasting impression on the rest of your mouth. This negative impact might include breaking down or damaging the teeth surrounding the missing tooth, or it might even cause your current teeth to shift their position in your mouth and become crooked, uneven, or even create unwanted space between your teeth. If you want to avoid these problems, you may need a bridge.
What is a Bridge and What are The Benefits?
A dental bridge is exactly what it sounds like. It is a bridge designed to connect two teeth separated by a gap in your mouth due to missing teeth. It consists of at least two crowns, though sometimes more are necessary if you have more than one missing tooth in your mouth, that fit teeth together to eliminate the gap. The crowns on the outside of the bridge are anchor teeth that connect to your actual teeth. The tooth or teeth in the middle of your anchor teeth are false teeth designed to replace your missing teeth.
There are several different types of bridges, including Maryland bonded bridges, traditional bridges, and cantilever bridges. Your dentist will discuss which one is best for you based on his or her personal preference and/or experience, and what will work best in your mouth for your current situation.
Benefits of Dental Bridges
- They improve your smile
- They make it possible for you to properly chew your food
- They make it possible for you to speak correctly
- They make it possible for you to maintain the shape of your face
- They make it possible for you to bite properly
- They prevent your current teeth from shifting and changing position in your face
Dental Bridge Process
If you suspect you are in need of a bridge to fix a situation in which you have missing teeth or even one tooth, contact Wilson Dental today to schedule an appointment. One of our dental professionals will discuss options and schedule a follow-up appointment to get the process started. You can prevent more serious, more expensive dental issues from occurring if you get started on this process right away.
First Appointment
Your dentist will start by removing some of the enamel on your ‘anchor’ teeth to make room for crowns. Then, your dentist is going to make an impression of your mouth so custom crowns can be made to create your bridge. While these are being made, you will be given temporary crowns to use over your anchor teeth to protect them.
Second Appointment
The second appointment is when your custom-made bridge is placed into your mouth. It must be checked, adjusted, and it must be fitted properly to ensure it will last in your mouth. Your dentist will cement it into place once it’s fitted properly, and then he or she will discuss the proper care technique and recovery time with you.
Bridge Care
If you care for your bridge properly, you can use it for up to 15 years before you need a new one. Unfortunately, you may find you need a new one after only five years if you do not properly care for your teeth in the meantime.
Prevention Oral Healthcare
Visiting your dentist every six months for a cleaning and exam is imperative. Why? Because this enables your dentist to identify potential oral health problems and handle them before they have time to become major oral health problems. Not all health problems are due to your own lack of oral health care concern, of course, but any damage or issue needs to be diagnosed and handled right away to prevent additional problems.
For example, if you are involved in an accident, you may walk away with a cracked or chipped tooth you know nothing about. If this happens and you don’t make it a habit to visit the dentist, the chip or crack could grow, expand, or allow bacteria in that causes an infection. When this happens, you may end up needing a crown to fix the problem.
Book AppointmentWhat is a Crown?
A dental crown is not as exciting as a royal crown, but it’s a lot more practical. It’s a cover, sometimes referred to as a cap, that’s designed to go over a tooth to keep your tooth healthy and protected. It helps the tooth restore itself to its former glory. For example, if you are involved in an accident and your tooth cracks, a crown is placed over the tooth to help make it stronger and healthier, and it also helps prevent bacteria from settling in and causing additional concerns.
When you need a crown, you have options in terms of material. You can choose metal alloy, porcelain that’s fused to metal, porcelain by itself, ceramics, and even composite resin. Several factors determine what kind of crown your dentist uses, including his or her own experience and preference. When your dentist creates your crown, it’s perfectly matched to your mouth, and it’s made to match the natural color of your own teeth.
Why does Someone Need a Dental Crown?
There are some of the most common reasons you may need a crown:
- Your cavity is too large and too advanced to benefit from a filling
- Your tooth is cracked
- Your tooth is worn down
- Your tooth is weak
- You’ve had a root canal and need to protect your newly restored teeth
- To improve your smile
- To cover a discolored tooth or a tooth that’s shaped imperfectly
Boost Your Confidence
A beautiful smile is about more than just good looks. It’s about your confidence level, the way you feel inside, and your quality of life. If you’re unhappy with your smile, you may look unapproachable, unhappy, and it might be difficult in social situations – and even at work. If you have missing teeth, it’s even worse for your confidence.
Fortunately, you aren’t required to live like this. You can improve your smile, make yourself look friendlier and more confident, and you can change your life with dentures. They’re not just for those who reach a certain age. They’re for those who want to make a positive change in their life.
Book AppointmentWhat Are Dentures?
Dentures are a set of removable teeth you put in your mouth to make up for the missing teeth you have. Your dentist can provide you with dentures in a full or partial capacity, which means you have options when your teeth are imperfect. Complete dentures are often used to help people who have their teeth removed completely due to oral health issues. Partial dentures are used to help attach replacement teeth in a smaller capacity to your mouth using a pink plastic base that matches your gums.
How Do Dentures Work?
If you’re in need of dentures, our team of professionals at Wilson Dental will discuss your options with you. If you need complete dentures due to damage or advanced gum disease that prevents us from being able to save the teeth you have, we may need to remove your existing teeth. The process for doing this is lengthy, and we’ll outline it here for you.
Removal of Old Teeth
This process isn’t long, but it does require anesthetic and it does require time in the dental chair.
New Teeth are Made
This requires fitting your dentures to your mouth and custom creating them for you.
Healing Time
It takes eight to 12 weeks for the gums to heal after your existing teeth have been removed, and that means you will live your life without any teeth during this time.
Insertion of Dentures
Once your gums heal completely and your dentures are ready to go, your dentist will help you insert them and show you how they work. You’ll learn to care for them, use them, and keep them clean.
If you need partial dentures, the process is a little different. If you still have some of your natural teeth, you won’t need a full set of dentures. Your dentist will create a bridge for your mouth that helps attach your partial dentures into your mouth while allowing them to keep your natural teeth in place. Your denture will keep your natural teeth from shifting and adjusting, which means your smile will remain as natural as possible.
Dentures Concerns
Many people who are facing the need for dentures have some questions about the process. If you are missing teeth or facing the probability of losing all your teeth, contact Wilson Dental today to schedule a consultation with one of our dental professionals. We can answer all of your questions, ease your fears, and show you how dentures, complete or partial, can change your life for the better.
Will I look different?
No, your dentures are made to match the shape of your original teeth and mouth, so you will only look like an improved version of yourself with healthy teeth.
Will I have to change my eating habits?
No, but you should be very careful eating anything hard, sticky, or difficult to chew.
Will it hurt?
Dentures don’t hurt, but they might take a few weeks to grow accustomed to.
Will I speak the same?
You might experience some trouble pronouncing certain words, but a little practice makes perfect.
Quality Oral Healthcare
Missing a tooth is a problem, and it’s much bigger than just not having a perfect smile. Just one missing tooth can change the entire shape of your smile and your mouth as your teeth migrate, move, and adjust to make up for the empty space in your gums.
The problem is that many people don’t worry about a missing tooth that doesn’t seem obvious to others. One in the back, for example, might not be something anyone notices when you speak or smile, and you might be prompted to ignore that missing tooth. Unfortunately, it can cause the rest of your teeth to shift, your smile to change, and you won’t notice the problems until it’s too late. If this describes you, you might need a partial.
Book AppointmentWhat Are Partial Dentures?
Partials are dentures, but they are not a complete set of dentures. They are teeth that go into your mouth like a denture to make up for empty space and missing teeth, but they do not require you to lose all of your teeth to get them. Removable partials are easily inserted into your mouth in a natural-looking manner. Your dentist creates them to look like your natural teeth, and they are attached to a base made of plastic. The plastic is made to match the color of your gums to ensure your teeth appear as natural-looking as possible.
How Do Partial Dentures Work?
If you are missing a tooth or even more than one tooth, your dentist might recommend partials to fill in the gaps, complete your smile, and prevent your other teeth from shifting. This is done by scheduling a consultation with the dentist, and then going over your options. Your dentist will check the health of your other teeth to determine if they are worth saving, and then they will fit you for your partials.
If you feel that you would benefit from partials, conact our team of professionals at Wilson Dental to schedule a consultation. Our dental team is here to make sure you get to have the smile you’ve always wanted.
Streamlined Process
This process is simple, but it’s streamlined. It involves measuring the shape of your mouth to ensure your partials are a perfect fit. You’ll discuss other options, too, such as how natural you want your base to look, or if you prefer to use a metal base. This decision is often a financial one and an aesthetic one, and it’s completely up to you.
Denture Ready
Once your dentures are complete, your dentist will call you to schedule an additional appointment to fit them into your mouth and teach you to use them. The process of caring for partials is not difficult, but it is important you learn to properly care for them to prevent any damage. You will also learn how to ease them into your life as comfortably as possible in terms of your diet, your sleeping habits, and your daily care habits.
Natural White Fillings
When tooth decay becomes a problem, it needs to be handled the right away. Decay that starts as a simple cavity moves quickly through your teeth and into your gums. This can cause periodontal disease that then moves into your bloodstream, which transitions the bacteria into other parts of your body.
Bacteria increases your risk of developing heart disease, certain forms of cancer, and even stroke. It’s important you never let a cavity get to this point, which is why you need to call your dentist as soon as possible. If you have a cavity and decay, your dentist can diagnose it, remove it, and fill it using white, natural fillings.
Book AppointmentWhat is a White Filling?
A white filling is no different than a traditional filling in that it is used to help with the preservation of your teeth. It’s a composite filling that is designed with glass and resin, and it’s the same color as your natural teeth. These are preferable to traditional amalgam fillings, which are the silver fillings that were commonly used in previous years. Amalgam fillings contain mercury, which is a toxin. White fillings contain no harmful chemicals, and they are more natural-looking than silver fillings.
When you get a white filling, your dentist goes into your mouth and removes the decay from the tooth or teeth in question. Once the decay is removed and the exposed area is thoroughly cleaned, your dentist applies the white filling to the tooth. This protects the inside of your tooth, and it also helps keep the rest of your mouth healthy. The decay can no longer spread to other teeth, and you also don’t feel any pain or damage as a result.
How Does it Work?
If your dentist decides you need a white filling, there is a process that must be followed to make sure your new filling is strong and secure. Your dentist will start by numbing the area around the affected tooth or teeth with a local anesthetic. This means you are not asleep for the process, but you are not going to feel anything other than a little poking and prodding.
Removal of Decay
Once the area around your teeth is numb, your dentist will use a laser or a drill to remove the decay from the tooth or teeth in question.
Area Testing
The area is then tested to see if all the decay has been removed, and then the area is cleaned to make room for the filling.
Liner
Your dentist may insert a liner near the gum if your root is infected near the gum. This liner is inserted to ensure the nerve is protected from the process.
Filling
The filling is placed. Once it is hardened and in place, the dentist will shape it, polish it, and finish the process.
While the process is not very complex, it is lengthy. It takes a while for the while filling to dry and harden as it is applied one layer at a time. Each layer has to harden to make room for the next layer.
At home it can be difficult to tell if you need a filling, which is why it’s so important you keep regular appointments with your dentist. Your dentist can identify and help fill cavities long before they become a major problem in your mouth.
If you suspect you might have a cavity or decay that’s advanced, contact Wilson Dental today to schedule a consultation. If you need a white filling, your dentist can discuss the process and your options with you. You may not have much time to make a decision, but you will get all your options laid out for you so that a decision can be made quickly and efficiently to protect your teeth.