|
|
|
DR.PADGETT
: Over the years of seeing patients I have noticed frequent
common frustrations and concerns that patients have with their
dental conditions. Some of these are as follows :
1) Poorly
fitting full dentures
2) Missing back teeth and worn front teeth
3) Denture and Implant
Here are some solutions to these problems:
|
|
2)
Front Teeth Esthetic Makeover – over many years of use,
we frequently see a change in the color of teeth as well as
wearing (flattening) of the edges. It usually ends up with teeth
darker along with the shape of the tooth looking flatter and
straighter. Many times we can reverse this look by esthetic
re-contouring (reshaping the enamel) of the edges of the teeth
providing the patient with a more youthful rounded shape tooth
and then bleach the teeth to lighten the color. Many times this
can result in a dramatic effect for a minimal amount of time
and procedures. |
| Poorly
fitting full dentures : |
|
3)
If we want to accomplish more than what recontouring can achieve,
then we start to consider bonding the teeth and/or crowing in
addition to reshaping to achieve the desired goal.
4) Replacing
missing back teeth for support and more chewing can be accomplished
several ways. Removable partial dentures can be anchored on existing
teeth. Fixed bridges can be supported by existing teeth that simulate
natural teeth. |
Problem: When patient loses their teeth the bone
slowly reduces over time. If a patient is wearing a denture,
the result will be the dentures getting looser as time goes
by. The patient also may start to notice their lip contours
disappearing and the distance from their nose to chin decreasing
as the teeth in the dentures wear down.
|
| |
Treatment
and solution : This can be solved by creating new dentures
that restore the patient to their original vertical length from
before the teeth started wearing down and the bone reshaping.
The problem of poor fitting dentures is also resolved since
the new dentures are fabricated to the current contours of tissue
and bone.
A newly fitted upper denture
usually has suction against the roof the mouth that aids in
the retention of the upper denture. When a patient has a gagging
problem then frequently we will incorporate implants into the
treatment so that the denture can be designed to eliminate the
gagging problem.
A
lower denture never has suction or retention. The only predictable
way we have for stabilizing a lower denture is to place implants
in the bone and then place attachments in the lower denture
so the denture snaps or is fixed to the implants. We can do
this so it is removable by the patient or so that it is not
removable.
|
When
no back teeth are present implants can be placed in the bone,
then used to anchor removable or fixed teeth on them. Sometimes
these are used to provide additional support for a removable
partial where the patients existing teeth are not strong enough.
Many times implants are used to enable the patient to have teeth
that they do not remove and feel and look like natural teeth.
We accomplish this by fabricating the custom bridgework on the
implants.
|
| Denture
& Impants :
|
This
is without question one of the greatest benefits we offer to
patients in dentistry today. For patients with full dentures,
we can place 2 to 6 implants in the bone which are then used
to anchor the new denture prosthesis. This provides stability
so that the patient can function with confidence and comfort.
The new denture can be designed to be removable.
|
Missing
back teeth & worn front teeth:
|
|
The
next step up in comfort and a more natural feel in replacing
lost teeth is to place 4 to 6 implants in the bone and then
design the denture so it is fixed on the implants and not removable
by the patient. We call this is a screw retained over-denture
or Hybrid denture. In this design we are able to eliminate the
plastic flanges and mimic, a more natural teeth form and tissue
form while reducing the bulk of the prosthesis.
At this point in time this represents the best value when comparing
the cost to benefit ratio. By using a high quality tooth and
acrylic material with an embedded metal framework, we reduce
the bulk while increasing the strength.
|
| Problem
: when a patient loses support in the back teeth the
front teeth start to wear down excessively and many times chip
and break apart. This is because front teeth are for tearing food
and rear teeth are for chewing and support due to their angled
relationship to each other. |
| |
Treatment
and solution :
1)
If you just try to restore the front teeth, they eventually break
down again. The correct solution is to provide some kind of support
with the back teeth by using implants and bridges or partials,
then restore the front teeth. The newly created rear teeth will
then support everything which then prevents the front teeth from
breaking down. Because you have distributed this biting forces
throughout the mouth.
|
