Dentists in Arlington Texas: Your Frequently Asked Questions Answered! PART 4

This four-part article series answers the questions frequently asked by patients interested in cosmetically improving the symmetry, color or shape of their teeth.

In our previous three article posts, dentists in Arlington Texas have answered questions focusing on cosmetic procedures ranging from teeth whitening and ceramic crowns to crown lengthening, porcelain veneers and the link between cosmetic dentistry and general dentistry. In this article, the final installment of the series, we shall focus on FAQs about dental implants in Arlington. This tooth replacement technology is a great example of how the line between cosmetic and general dentistry can, at times, cease to exist altogether!

FAQ: If I’ve lost a couple of teeth over the years, what teeth replacement technology is most recommended by dentists in Arlington Texas?

Answer: Whether you have lost one, many or all of your teeth – and in most cases, regardless of the cause - dentists in Arlington Texas will time and again recommend dental implants. They are the most sophisticated, comprehensive and long-term solution to missing teeth that, unlike any other dental technology, supports a healthy jaw bone.

FAQ: Dental implants in Arlington may be the way to go, but doesn’t it hurt terribly to have them placed?

Answer: It is one of the most unfortunate misconceptions amongst patients that dental implant surgery is acutely painful, say dentists in Arlington Texas. The use of sophisticated computer imaging software enables dentists to perform implant procedures using minimal incisions and sutures, which is the primary source of post-operative pain. Furthermore, you will not be operated upon without the use of local or, in more complex cases of teeth replacement, general anesthesia, assure dentists in Arlington Texas. Patients even have the option to take a sedative prior to the procedure, so that your experience will be as pain and anxiety-free as possible. Sure, it would hurt if you had to place dental implants in Arlington without the benefit of all our modern technologies; protocols and analgesic medications, but then so would getting a filling!

FAQ: What’s the lifespan of dental implants in Arlington? Will they ever require replacement?

Answer: Dental implants in Arlington have a remarkable life span. If placed by qualified and experienced dentists in Arlington Texas and if cared for properly by you, the patient, your new teeth can last several decades, which is longer than any other teeth replacement technology. In fact, some patients have had their dental implants in for as long as 30 years with no sign of failure or need for restoration. Make sure you maintain a high standard of oral hygiene and visit your dentist regularly and there’s no reason why you can’t keep a dental implant for just as long, advises dentists in Arlington Texas.

FAQ: I currently wear dentures and was told a few years ago that I’m not a candidate for dental implants because my jaw bone is too thin. Can dentists in Arlington Texas recommend anything else? I hate dentures!

Answer: They certainly can! Modern dental implant protocols enable skilled dentists in Arlington Texas to provide edentulous (toothless) and near edentulous patients with a brand new set of non-removable teeth that look, function and feel like natural teeth. Best of all, with ‘All-on-4’ dental implants in Arlington, they can almost always do this with a single surgery, in a single day! The bone in your jaw requires stimulation or ‘exercise’ in order to remain alive and vital, explain dentists in Arlington Texas. In a healthy jaw, this stimulation is provided by the tooth roots, which transmit the forces associated with biting, chewing and grinding into this hard tissue.

When all the teeth are lost, so too is this stimulation and, as a result, the jaw bone begins to atrophy, explain dentists in Arlington Texas. This can compromise a patient’s candidacy for dental implants in the long run, especially if they have been wearing dentures for many, many years. However, new and advanced dental implant protocols are able to overcome this traditional challenge and almost always without the need for bone grafting surgery first, say dentists in Arlington Texas. If you are interested in having a full set of permanent teeth placed, then speak to your dentist about the ‘All-on-4’ dental implant protocol.

Arlington Cosmetic Dentistry: Your Frequently Asked Questions Answered! PART 3

This four-part article series answers the questions frequently asked by patients interested in cosmetically improving the symmetry, color or shape of their teeth.

Welcome back to this, the third installment of a four-part article FAQ series on Arlington cosmetic dentistry. So far, we have answered some of your pressing questions concerning ceramic crowns, dental whitening and veneers. In this article, we shall continue addressing more of the questions frequently asked by patients who feel that their teeth and/or gums could benefit from the procedures or treatments offered by Arlington cosmetic dentistry.

FAQ: Why pay more money for a professional teeth whitening treatment when there are plenty over-the-counter products to choose from?

Answer: You need only check out the dental hygiene and healthcare aisle of the supermarket to appreciate the sheer diversity of teeth whitening products on the market. And with so many to choose from, why would you spend that little extra money on having a professional Arlington cosmetic dentistry treatment done? The answer is very simple: the concentration of bleaching agent (hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide) in these over-the-counter products is legally restricted. This is to protect the companies that manufacture these products against liability cases involving customers that have accidentally overused the product and have damaged their teeth and/or gums.

Professionals in Arlington cosmetic dentistry use whitening gels that contain a much higher percentage of the bleaching agent, but because they are qualified and experienced at administering such treatment, they can do so completely safely and with minimal side-effects. The bottom line is that a professional Arlington cosmetic dentistry teeth whitening treatment is going to give you much better, faster and more natural results than any over-the-counter product.

FAQ: What causes teeth staining in the first place and how can I prevent stains from re-accumulating after a teeth whitening treatment?

Answer: Our teeth become stained from the foods we eat and the liquids we drink, say professionals in Arlington cosmetic dentistry. Certain substances, such as coffee, tea, red wine, dark berries, beetroot and dark sodas contribute to dental discoloration, especially if consumed frequently over many years. While many of these indulgences aren’t bad for you, avoiding gradual tooth discoloration or preserving the results of a dental whitening treatment will require you to limit your intake of substances such as coffee, tea and red wine. Tobacco smoking is also one of the top tooth staining offenders, say professionals in Arlington cosmetic dentistry, so you should kick that habit… but that goes for many more reasons than just your smile aesthetics.

FAQ: My gums have grown right over the crowns of my teeth making them look short and stubby. What Arlington cosmetic dentistry procedure would it require to make them look normal again?

Answer: If the gums have grown abnormally over the crowns of your teeth, it could be because they have swollen in response to infection. You could have gingivitis, in which case professionals in Arlington cosmetic dentistry would either take the necessary steps to treat you for a gingival bacterial infection, or they would refer you to a periodontists; a gum specialist. If a little extra gum tissue is something you were born with, or something you’ve had for as long as you can remember, then there is a very straight-forward Arlington cosmetic dentistry procedure that could improve your smile aesthetics. It’s called ‘crown lengthening’ and it involves the removal of a thin strip of excess tissue at the gum line in order to reveal a greater and more natural-looking portion of the underlying tooth crown (see image below).

Arlington Cosmetic Dentistry: Stay Tuned

To read some final FAQ on Arlington cosmetic dentistry, stay tuned for the last installment of this four-part article series!

The Cosmetic Dentist in Arlington: Your Frequently Asked Questions Answered! PART 2

This four-part article series answers the questions frequently asked by patients interested in cosmetically improving the symmetry, color or shape of their teeth.

Back to find out more about what the cosmetic dentist in Arlington can do for your smile? In this article, the second installment of our four-part series, we shall continue answering more of the questions frequently asked by patients who feel that their teeth and/or gums could benefit from the procedures or treatments offered by the cosmetic dentist in Arlington.

FAQ: My teeth are healthy, but they aren’t shaped nicely. Their edges are and always have been somewhat jagged, making my smile unattractive. What would the cosmetic dentist in Arlington recommend?

Answer: Not everyone is born with perfectly straight and even teeth. While this doesn’t necessarily mean that your teeth are unhealthy, or unhealthier than someone who does have beautiful teeth, it can affect the quality of your smile. If the crowns of your teeth are jagged and uneven, as opposed to smooth and straight, you could be considered a candidate for dental veneers, says the cosmetic dentist in Arlington. A veneer is a wafer-thin shell of ceramic material that is custom made to fit the shape of your teeth; jagged edges, chips, cracks and all! During its fabrication, the veneer is made to fill out these imperfections in the tooth structure. Once the cosmetic dentist in Arlington has bonded the veneer to the front of the tooth or teeth requiring restoration (using very hard cement), the result will be a perfectly even and straight tooth! Catherine Zeta-Jones’ smile is a great example of the wonders porcelain veneers are capable of.

The cosmetic dentist in Arlington also uses porcelain veneers to:

• Make short stubby teeth appear longer,

• Camouflage heavy discoloration and staining of the dental enamel,

• Fill in chips and cracks in the tooth structure, and

• Fill in large spaces between teeth.

FAQ: One of my teeth was quite badly damaged in a car accident. I’m scared that the cosmetic dentist in Arlington will want to pull the tooth. Are there any other treatment options?

Answer: It is always the priority of the cosmetic dentist in Arlington to preserve your natural teeth rather than just pull them and replace them with a bridge or a dental implant. No amount of fancy or sophisticated technology can rival the durability and resilience of your own pearly whites! The only circumstance under which the cosmetic dentist in Arlington will recommend the extraction of the tooth is if he or she simply cannot save it. There are, thankfully, many things the dentist can do to rescue a heavily damaged tooth.

First of all, X-rays will be taken to help cosmetic dentist in Arlington diagnose the extent of the damage done to the tooth. If the pulp chamber has become infected, he or she will need to extract the nerves, blood vessels and connective tissue that make up the insides of your tooth before sterilizing and filling it with cement. This is essentially a root canal procedure and will be performed under a local anesthetic. The cosmetic dentist in Arlington will then remove the affected and/or decayed portion of the hard tooth structure, file the remaining tooth down to a nub and use molds of your teeth to have a ceramic tooth crown made for you (see image below).

FAQ: My teeth have become quite badly discolored. What procedures are offered by professionals in cosmetic dentistry in Arlington?

Answer: If a standard teeth whitening or deep bleaching treatments are insufficient to remove staining and discoloration, you could have porcelain veneers placed on your teeth. These, explains the cosmetic dentist in Arlington, are wonderful restorations for hiding the damage done to the dental enamel as a result of years’ worth of heavy smoking, coffee-drinking and other deleterious habits.

Cosmetic Dentist in Arlington: Stay Tuned

   

To read more FAQs from the cosmetic dentist in Arlington, stay tuned for the third installment of this four-part article series!

Cosmetic Dentistry in Arlington: Your Frequently Asked Questions Answered! PART 1

This four-part article series answers the questions frequently asked by patients interested in cosmetically improving the symmetry, color or shape of their teeth.

Are you 100% happy with your smile?
Do you think your teeth could be a little brighter, a little straighter or a little more symmetrical?
Do you think your gum line could be a little higher or a little lower?
Do you wish your teeth weren’t so crowded, or spaced so far apart?

We’re not all born with perfectly white and even teeth. In fact, the ‘celebrity smile’ we all wish we had is the genetic exception rather than the rule. In any case, almost all those celebrities have had quite a bit of help from cosmetic dentistry in Arlington! If you, like so many others, answered yes to any of the above questions, then this four-part FAQ guide provided by professionals in cosmetic dentistry in Arlington may just provide you with the assistance and direction you need. Regardless of what you were born with, it could just be a simple and straight-forward procedure or treatment that stands between you and your red-carpet-ready smile!

FAQ: What do professionals in cosmetic dentistry in Arlington do?

Answer: Professionals in cosmetic dentistry in Arlington are, first and foremost, qualified dentists. They have all the training, skills and in-office technology necessary to provide you with quality dental healthcare. In addition to this foundation, these dentists have spent further time studying and mastering the various procedures, treatments and technologies necessary to restore and improve the cosmetic appearance of teeth and gums. These would include the placement and maintenance of porcelain veneers, ceramic tooth crowns, bridges and bonding. They also offer dental whitening and soft tissue procedures, such as gum grafts and crown lengthening.

FAQ: Will professionals in cosmetic dentistry in Arlington notify me if I have any serious oral health problems?

Answer: Absolutely! As it was explained in the previous question, professionals in cosmetic dentistry in Arlington are, first and foremost, trained and qualified dentists. If the reason behind your cosmetic imperfection is related to the health of your teeth, they will not perform a cosmetic procedure until any and all of your problems have been treated.

For example, if you wish to benefit from a dental whitening treatment because your teeth have become discolored from, for example, gum disease, professionals is cosmetic dentistry in Arlington will first assess the extent of the damage done by the bacterial infection. They will then treat it with a combination of antibiotic medications and the deep cleaning of your teeth and gums, which involves scaling the calculus (plaque and tartar) from the crowns and roots of your teeth using specialized dental tools. Only once the infection has completely cleared up and your oral health restored will professionals in cosmetic dentistry move forward with a teeth bleaching treatment.

FAQ: What happens if the cause behind a cosmetic imperfection is serious?

Answer: If the cause behind an imperfection compromises your oral health and hygiene in any way, then professionals in cosmetic dentistry in Arlington will always explain to you that treatment is needed first before restoration can take place. Having said this, oftentimes, the cosmetic correction doubles as the treatment! For example, if your teeth are over-crowded, you may be fitted with orthodontic braces, which will not only space your teeth more naturally and in a way that will optimize bite function and dental alignment, but it will correct your smile aesthetics in the process! There are actually very few exclusively cosmetic treatments offered by cosmetic dentistry in Arlington. Most of them will correct functionality AND aesthetic problems simultaneously.

Cosmetic Dentistry in Arlington: Stay Tuned

To read more FAQ on cosmetic dentistry in Arlington, stay tuned for the second installment of this four-part article series!