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Archive for June 2015

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Dental Implants Washington DC

Dental Implants Washington DC – Preventing Bone Loss

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There are many causes of tooth loss including periodontal disease, injury, trauma or decay and sometimes permanent teeth don’t develop where they should, which leaves gaps in your teeth. Some instances of tooth loss require immediate action and replacement such as when you lose a front tooth during a sport or accident. The lost tooth creates a noticeable gap in your smile that you want to be fixed for cosmetic reasons. Other instances of tooth loss, such as losing a back tooth that isn’t obvious, may not seem like an immediate concern, but it’s important to address all types of missing teeth promptly to prevent bone loss. So keep reading as Dupont Dental, the leader in providing the most efficient dental implants Washington DC has to offer.

Consequences of Bone Loss

When you lose a tooth, the alveolar bone that surrounds and supports your tooth atrophies (diminishes) and this leads to bone loss. People who are missing teeth and who have worn conventional dentures for years can have a sunken appearance around their mouths due to the loss of supporting teeth and facial bones. Along with losing bone when you lose a tooth, the remaining teeth in your mouth can shift resulting in jaw pain and bite problems. Loss of bone from one or more lost teeth can have detrimental cosmetic and physical consequences, even if the location isn’t in a prominent area of your smile. Fortunately, this type of bone loss is preventable with modern dental implants for tooth replacement.

Dupont’s Dental Implants Washington DC – How They Prevent Bone Loss

Tooth loss doesn’t have to lead to a bone loss when you treat the lost tooth promptly and efficiently. With advances in dental implant technology, your smile receives restoration whether you’ve lost a single tooth or many teeth. With the implant in place of the lost tooth, you’re less likely to suffer bone loss, and you maintain the facial structure. Today’s dental implants have a success rate of over 95%, have the strength of natural teeth, require regular oral hygiene for maintenance and can last a lifetime with proper care. Dental professionals also use implants to stabilize and anchor bridges or dentures, which improves comfort and function.

The fastest bone loss occurs within the first six months after you lose a tooth, so it’s important to address the issue quickly. Find out more about dental implants, what’s involved and if you’re a good candidate by contacting Dupont Dental today. We can talk about how our implants are the top dental implants Washington DC can provide! Our top priority is helping our patients achieve a healthy, beautiful smile and we offer several kinds of dental implants to suit your specific needs.

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Dental Implants DC

Advances in Dental Implants

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During an experiment in 1952 that involved implanting titanium into the bones of rabbits, Per-Ingvar Branemark accidentally discovered that titanium and bone were integrated together when he tried to remove the titanium from the bones and found it difficult. This discovery led to the future development of knee replacements, hip replacements and tooth replacement with titanium dental implants. This integration of bone and titanium phenomenon received the name osseointegration from Branemark, and it opened up a world of possibilities for the medical and dental profession.

Advances in dental implant surface area

Since Branemark’s discovery of osseointegration, many technological and procedure advances have helped improve the success rate of both implants supported dentures and single dental implants. The improved finish of titanium on dental implants is one such advance. Earlier dental implant procedures used titanium screws that had a very smooth surface, but more advanced, modern dental implants use titanium implants with a porous finish achieved from a newer surface treatment. This more porous finish increases the surface area of the implant, which can aid in integration between bone and implant.

Technological advances in dental implants

For patients who require single implants or implant supported dentures, computer programming technology, and imaging technology help design tooth replacement options customized for their particular mouth shape. An accurate 3D image from a CT scan of a patient’s jaw uploaded to special software allows dentists to place dental implants digitally on the 3D replica for an ideal position. Once the dentist has discovered the best placement using computer software, the program creates a custom stent that the dentist places over the patient’s jaw to ensure precision placement. These technological and computer advancements have helped revolutionize dental implant procedures.

Increasing options for dental implants

With the advancements in dental implants, there’s now more options than before for teeth restoration. Dental implant options include implant-supported dentures, single implants with crowns, implant-supported bridges, and All-on-4 implants. Although the cost of implants may seem initially higher than other tooth replacement options, they’re becoming less expensive as technology advances and their benefits are substantial when compared to conventional dentures or bridges. Dental implants are lower maintenance than traditional restorations and don’t usually require the replacements that dentures and bridges may need over time. With proper care including good oral hygiene, dental implants can last a lifetime.

Discuss the possibility of dental implants for tooth replacement with Dupont Dental and move a step closer to achieving your perfect, healthy smile.

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Beautiful woman smiling with new dental implants

Understanding Dental Implants

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When comparing dental implants to dentures, implants have several advantages over conventional dentures or bridges. Dental implants are a revolutionary tooth replacement option that can last a lifetime with proper care.

During dental implant placement, your dentist implants a titanium rod into the gums, and this rod bonds with the jawbone in place of the missing tooth root. The rod of the implant receives a dental crown, implant-supported dentures, or implant supported bridge to replace your missing teeth. By replacing the tooth root, dental implants prevent the bone deterioration that can occur with traditional dentures or bridges and lead to health issues and compromised facial features. Dentures and bridges may require replacement after a period time, whereas dental implants generally do not.

Benefits of dental implants

Dental implants offer various benefits, including a restored smile, which has a positive impact on your self-esteem and self-confidence. Implants have advantages over other tooth replacement options, including:

  • Permanence – Dentures, bridges, and other restorative procedures can need additional restorations or replacements over time, but dental implants are a permanent solution that last a lifetime with proper care.
  • Natural appearance and functions – The titanium rods used in dental implants are compatible with your body so they fuse with the jawbone as a natural tooth root would. The rods fit snug in the gums, which helps secure the natural-looking crown, bridge or dentures supported by the dental implants and enables normal speaking, biting, and chewing.
  • Durability – Dental implants prevent the recession of the bone and gums that can occur with other tooth replacement options. With the strong, durable support of the dental implant anchored in your jawbone, you can enjoy normal eating and speaking without worry of dentures slipping or bridges suffering damage.
  • Minimal maintenance – Caring for your dental implants is as easy as caring for natural teeth. With normal oral hygiene including brushing, flossing and exams, dental implants last a lifetime with minimal maintenance.
  • Highly effective and multi-purpose – For patients in good health with sufficient gums, bone structure to support dental implants, they’re highly effective and successful. Dental implants can replace a single tooth, a row of teeth or an entire mouth of teeth and can serve as durable support for dentures or bridges.

Investing in dental implants

Dental implants have a success rate of 95-98% when patients practice proper maintenance and care. Proper oral hygiene, including daily flossing, brushing and regular dental visits are essential for dental implant success as is quitting any tobacco use. Dental implants present a higher initial investment than other tooth replacement procedures, but their benefits over dentures and bridges including longevity, lower maintenance and a smile you’re proud of, making the financial expense well worth it.

If you’re tired of dealing with uncomfortable or ill-fitting dentures or a bridge and need a way to replace one or several missing teeth to restore your confident smile, contact Dupont Dental and inquire about our restorative dental services.

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Invisalign Versus Traditional Braces

Advantages of Invisalign Braces

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Having straight teeth creates a more aesthetically pleasing smile and improves oral health as it makes it easier to clean teeth. Clean, straight teeth and healthy gums reduce the risks of periodontal disease while boosting your confidence in your smile. Braces work to align teeth properly, but traditional braces can be uncomfortable, painful and unattractive, especially for older adults. Thankfully, Invisalign clear braces offer a great alternative to traditional braces and have several benefits.

Better appearance with Invisalign braces

While metal braces are an effective way to straighten teeth, having metal brackets and wires in your mouth can make you self-conscious as you worry about their appearance. Food gets caught easier in metal braces and they’re challenging to clean. Invisalign clear braces live up to their name by being nearly invisible and most onlookers won’t even know you’re wearing them. Even if people do notice your clear aligners, they’re considerably more attractive than other forms of braces.

Invisalign braces are more comfortable and can be removed

Metal braces have to remain on the teeth following attachment by an orthodontist and are removable by a professional only, but Invisalign braces are easy to remove when necessary. If there are times when you want to remove your clear aligners, such as to drink or eat, it’s easy to do so as long as it’s only a short period.

Safer and less damaging than traditional braces

Traditional metal braces have wire and brackets that can irritate and scratch the inside of your mouth and your gums. Invisalign clear aligning trays are smooth, comfortable and custom fit to your mouth. Without any sharp edge or protruding edges, they don’t irritate your mouth and gum tissues. Metal braces can negatively affect decaying teeth and use great force to straighten teeth, but clear braces don’t have the same potentially damaging effects.

Shorter treatment time with Invisalign

With Invisalign clear braces, you can have straighter teeth faster than with traditional metal braces. Achieving alignment with metal braces can take up to 5 years, whereas Invisalign usually only take from 1-1.5 years to straighten teeth.

Easier treatment planning with Invisalign braces versus traditional braces

When you wear Invisalign braces, you know what to expect through the process because your dentist works up a computerized treatment plan. This plan helps you know how long you’ll be wearing the aligner trays before you even put a set on. With metal braces, it’s more difficult to plan treatment times, as there is a lot of trial and error involved as your teeth move into position.

The benefits of Invisalign braces over traditional metal braces make them a worthwhile investment if you’re a viable candidate and have concerns over the appearance and discomfort of normal braces. Invisalign braces pose less risk to teeth and gums, work faster, and are more comfortable than other styles of braces. Learn more about Invisalign braces by contacting Dupont Dental today.

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Closing Gap Between Front Teeth

If Madonna Wanted To Close The Gap In Her Teeth, This Is What We’d Tell Her

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For the record, we think Madonna looks perfect just the way she is, but if she insisted on closing the gap, we’d obviously obey, happily…

Sometimes when adult teeth come in, the two front teeth don’t come together completely, which leaves a noticeable gap. This space or gap between the teeth is called diastema and with today’s advanced dental techniques and materials, repairing this condition is easy and usually only requires a couple visits to the dentist.

Options for repairing the space between two teeth

The proper treatment for a space between the two front teeth depends on the size of the gap. If you have a gap between your two front teeth, it’s important to discuss the options for closing it, which can include:

Bonding can replace the space between two front teeth

Bonding is the easiest method of closing the space as the dentist applies tooth-colored resin material to the teeth. The shading of the material carefully matches the color of the teeth, giving a natural appearance to the smile. While bonding is one of the less expensive methods to close the gap, it’s also more vulnerable to breaking or chipping than other methods.

Porcelain veneers are AWESOME for closing the gap between the two front teeth

Porcelain veneers are the most durable, natural-feeling and natural-looking option for closing the gap between two front teeth. These custom-designed porcelain shells are wafer thin and reflect light like natural teeth. Veneers require minimal disruption to your existing teeth, but it can give your teeth a more flattering look with a new size or shape.

Porcelain crowns can close the gap and more

For teeth that are misshapen or badly turned, porcelain crowns are the best option for closing the space between front teeth. Closing the gap with porcelain crowns requires reshaping the existing tooth so the custom-designed crown fits properly. A crown covers the sides and the top of the tooth and protects the portion underneath. Crowns give a natural appearance similar to veneers and are more durable than bonding.

If the gap between your front teeth is wide, the dentist may need to involve other front teeth in the treatment so everything stays in proportion. Trying to treat only the front two teeth when the gap is wide can give the appearance of very wide front teeth, which doesn’t achieve the results of an appealing, improved smile.

The only way to know the best treatment for dealing with diastema is by having a dental exam and consultation. The dentist can assess your specific dental dilemma and give you the best options for closing the gap between your front teeth. After you’ve agreed on a treatment, you’re one step closer to achieving your dream smile. Learn about Dupont Dental’s various cosmetic dentistry options by contacting our offices today.

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