Dr. Ilya Miloslavskiy, DDS Claimed

What is a dental implant?

Dental implants replace one, two, or an entire mouth of missing teeth. The implant is a biocompatible, metal post that’s placed into your jawbone. The implant is then used to hold a crown, bridge, or dentures.

The crown or bridge anchored by your implant may be made from porcelain fused with metal or zirconia. Both match the appearance of your natural teeth, but zirconia is strong enough to create a metal-free prosthetic.

How do dental implants protect my dental health?

While your implant does an exceptional job of improving your appearance, it also contributes to healthy teeth and bones by:

• Replacing the tooth root
• Preserving tooth alignment
• Maintaining jaw strength and shape

Your jawbone stays strong by eliminating old bone and replacing it with new bone. But here’s the catch: your jaw needs stimulation from your teeth and their roots to regenerate new bone. A dental implant replaces the root, so it keeps your jaw healthy by triggering ongoing bone growth.

What should I expect during a dental implant procedure?

Before your implant procedure, the team at EZ Dental Clinic take a CT scan of your facial structure. This specialized scan produces a 3D image that’s used to precisely plan the placement of your implant.

To insert the implant, your dentist makes a small cut in the gum to expose the bone, drills a hole, then screws the metal post deep into the bone. Over the next few months, the bone regrows and securely bonds with the implant.

When your bone heals, your dentist takes an impression of your mouth and sends it to the lab producing your crown, bridge, or dentures. As soon as your new teeth are ready, they’re attached to the implant.

Bridges

A bridge is a custom-fitted dental prosthetic that replaces one or more missing teeth. The bridge is made of two crowns with one or two artificial teeth between them. The crowns are placed over the healthy teeth on either side of your missing tooth, creating a secure anchor that holds the bridge in place. As an alternative, you may be a good candidate for dental implants to anchor the bridge in place of crowns. The best option depends on variables such as the number of missing teeth and the health of your remaining teeth.

Improving your appearance and making you happy to smile is one of the top reasons to get a bridge. But replacing your missing teeth with a bridge also protects your dental health. When a tooth is gone, the neighboring teeth start to move out of alignment, tilting toward the open space. An empty space due to a missing tooth can also cause tooth movement in the opposite jaw, as teeth gradually move up or down into the open space. Tooth movement leads to changes in your bite because your teeth don’t fit together the way they should. This places excessive pressure on some teeth, increasing your risk for tooth damage and decay.

Root Canal

A root canal is a tooth repair process that involves taking the unhealthy tissue out of the center of your tooth.

This layer is called the pulp, and it sits below the hard enamel and dentin layers. It consists of tissues, nerves, and blood vessels. If it gets damaged or diseased, your tooth can survive without it.

The root canal process often requires two visits to EZ Dental Clinic. The team takes a CT scan of the tooth for a 3D view of your tooth and its root. Before starting the root canal, they numb the area around your tooth to keep you comfortable.

Then, they drill a hole into your tooth and remove the infected nerve through it. They clean and medicate the inner chamber to prevent further infection before sealing it with a durable filling material.

Your dentist might also require that you get a crown to protect the tooth after a root canal. If you need a crown, you’ll need to come back for a second appointment after the team prepares the tooth and takes impressions.

What are some signs that I need a root canal?

Root canals are required when the pulp inside your tooth becomes infected. An infection can happen after you crack or chip a tooth, or if the tooth gets hit with impact and doesn’t break on the outside. If you need a root canal, these symptoms are a good indication:

• Hypersensitivity to hot, cold, or sweet tastes
• Pain
• Darkening of the tooth
• Tooth abscess
• Pimples on your gums
• Swollen gums

If you don’t get treatment for a tooth that needs a root canal, you could be at risk of losing the tooth entirely. Additionally, the infection within the tooth can spread into your gums and eventually to other parts of your body.

What is a root canal retreatment?

If you’ve previously had a root canal but the pain doesn’t go away, you might need a root canal retreatment. At EZ Dental Clinic, a specialist performs your root canal retreatment to treat new and lingering symptoms.

The specialist removes the crown if you have one and the filling material from within your tooth to reopen the canals. They view the inside of your tooth with a magnifying device to search for signs of a new infection.

Then they thoroughly clean the canals and remove infected areas before resealing the tooth. You need to return for a new crown for additional reinforcement.

veneers

Veneers are a simple solution for cosmetic damages and discoloration that don’t respond to teeth whitening. Put simply, veneers act like masks for your less-than-attractive teeth. They’re porcelain shells designed to match the front surfaces of your teeth to conceal imperfections.

When you get veneers at EZ Dental Clinic, the team designs them especially for you. They’re made to fit the contours of your teeth and match the color of your best-looking teeth so they don’t stand out.

Before securing them into place, your dentist removes a thin layer of enamel from the front of the tooth getting a veneer to make room for the thin porcelain shell. The veneer replaces the enamel.

Dentures