Custom made cast gold posts with ferrule
When teeth are root treated they are deprived of the living pulp tissue. The lack of the vital essentials of blood and oxygen causes the tooth to become brittle, and after five to seven years, it is usually unable to withstand the pressure of the bite. Just as a wall requires reinforcement with rebar to anchor it to the foundation, so a tooth needs the stress-bearing crown strengthened against the force of occluding teeth. This is provided by placing a post into the root to direct the biting force into a part of the tooth structure that is supported by bone.
There are many ways of reinforcing teeth. Frequently prefabricated posts are anchored into the root and then sealed into place with glue or composite resin. These post systems sometimes fail should the bonded resin absorb moisture and separate from the tooth or post.
A better way of reinforcing teeth is with a custom-made gold post and core. This is cast to fit the root and pulp chamber in one piece. It provides a solid platform to support a crown and direct the biting force down the long axis of the tooth.
Dentures & Partial Dentures
A denture is a removable dental appliance replacement for missing teeth and surrounding tissue. They are made to closely resemble your natural teeth and may even enhance your smile.
The Types of Dentures
There are two types of dentures - complete and partial dentures. Complete dentures are used when all of the teeth are missing, while partial dentures are used when some natural teeth remain. A Partial denture not only fills in the spaces created by missing teeth, but it also prevents other teeth from shifting.
What is the difference between a conventional or immediate denture?
A Complete denture may be either “conventional” or “immediate.” A conventional type is made after the teeth have been removed and the gum tissue has healed, usually taking 4 to 6 weeks. During this time the patient will go without teeth. Immediate dentures are made in advance and immediately placed after the teeth are removed, thus preventing the patient from having to be without teeth during the healing process. Once the tissues shrink and heal, adjustments will have to be made.
Dentures are very durable appliances and will last many years, but may have to be remade, repaired, or readjusted due to normal wear.
Reasons for dentures:
Partial Dentures
If you are missing teeth, Los Angeles dentist Dr. Neil McLeod in West Hollywood can replace them with beautifully crafted dentures.
These dentures will restore your appearance and the function and health of your mouth. If you have teeth missing, the remaining teeth have to take all the strain of the chewing and biting. This can cause bone loss and may change the shape of your face. It may also make it more difficult to keep your teeth and gums healthy.
With partial dentures that fit between the teeth you still have, you will look younger and be healthier.
Partial Dentures
Are removable devices that replace a few missing teeth, instead of all the teeth in the jaw. They can be attached either by metal clasps or precision attachments.
Precision attachments require crowns to be put on the remaining abutments teeth that hold the partial dentures in place. Regardless, these supporting teeth must be in good health.
Complete Dentures
If you are missing all your teeth in the upper or lower jaw, they can be replaced with full dentures. Full or complete dentures are custom made out of acrylic to fit your jaw accurately. The color and shape of the teeth are chosen to replicate the natural appearance of your own teeth.
Complete dentures replace all of the teeth in either the upper or lower jaw. An impression of your teeth, bite, and the shape of your jaw shape will be used to create the dentures. Every person’s mouth has unique characteristics which may be reproduced exactly.
How long before I can wear my dentures?
Dentures can be made and inserted on the day when teeth are extracted. These are called immediate dentures. They can be provided so that your appearance is maintained and even improved immediately. The gums and need time to heal after extractions, and the jaw bone remodels so that dentures need to be relined after about three months. The remodeling process continues with time and regular re-examination is necessary to determine if the dentures should be relined or remade to ensure an accurate fit.
Complete Denture - Loss of all teeth in an arch.
Partial Denture - Loss of several teeth in an arch
Enhances smile and facial tissues.
Improving chewing, speech, and digestion.
What do I should I know about dentures?
The process of getting dentures requires several appointments, usually over several weeks. Highly accurate impressions (molds) and measurements are taken and used to create your custom denture. Several “try-in” appointments may be necessary to ensure proper shape, color, and fit. At the final appointment, your dentist will precisely adjust and place the completed denture, ensuring a natural and comfortable fit.
It is normal to experience increased saliva flow, some soreness, and possible speech and chewing difficulty, however, this will subside as your muscles and tissues get used to the new dentures.
Denture Care and Instruction
You will be given care instructions for your new dentures. Proper cleaning of your new dental appliance, good oral hygiene, and regular dental visits will aid in the life of your new dentures.
What are dental or fixed Bridges?
A dental bridge is a fixed (non-removable) appliance and is an excellent way to replace missing teeth.
There are several types of dental bridges. You and your dentist will discuss the best options for your particular case. The “traditional bridge” is the most popular type and is usually made of porcelain fused to metal. This type of bridge consists of two crowns that go over two anchoring teeth (abutment teeth) and are attached to pontics (artificial teeth), filling the gap created by one or more missing teeth.
Dental bridges are highly durable and will last many years, however, they may need replacement or need to be re-cemented due to normal wear.
Reasons for a fixed bridge:
- Fill space of missing teeth.
- Maintain facial shape.
- Prevent remaining teeth from drifting out of position.
- Restore chewing and speaking ability.
- Restore your smile.
- Upgrade from a removable partial denture to a permanent dental appliance.
PORCELAIN FIXED BRIDGES IN WEST HOLLYWOOD, CA
A dental bridge is a fixed (non-removable) appliance and is an excellent way to replace missing teeth.
There are several types of bridges. You and your dentist will discuss the best options for your particular case. The “traditional bridge” is the most popular type and is usually made of porcelain fused to metal. Porcelain fixed bridges are most popular because they resemble your natural teeth. This type of bridge consists of two crowns that go over two anchoring teeth (abutment teeth) and are attached to pontics (artificial teeth), filling the gap created by one or more missing teeth.
Dental bridges are highly durable and will last many years, however, they may need replacement or need to be re-cemented due to normal wear.
What to expect when getting a Dental Bridge?
Getting a bridge usually requires two or more visits. While the teeth are numb, the two anchoring teeth are prepared by removing a portion of enamel to allow for a crown. Next, a highly accurate impression (mold) is made which will be sent to a dental laboratory where the bridge will be fabricated. In addition, a temporary bridge will be made and worn for several weeks until your next appointment.
At the second visit, your permanent bridge will be carefully checked, adjusted, and cemented to achieve a proper fit. Occasionally your dentist may only temporarily cement the bridge, allowing your teeth and tissue time to get used to the new bridge. The new bridge will be permanently cemented at a later time.
You will receive care instructions at the conclusion of your treatment. Proper brushing, flossing, and regular dental visits will aid in the life of your new permanent bridge.
ROOT CANAL THERAPY IN WEST HOLLYWOOD, CA
Root canal therapy is needed when the nerve of a tooth is affected by decay or infection. In order to save the tooth, the pulp (the living tissue inside the tooth), nerves, bacteria, and any decay are removed and the resulting space is filled with special, medicated, dental materials, which restore the tooth to its full function.
Having a root canal done on a tooth is the treatment of choice to save a tooth that otherwise would die and have to be removed. Many patients believe that removing a tooth that has problems is the solution, but what is not realized is that extracting (pulling) a tooth will ultimately be more costly and cause significant problems for adjacent teeth.
Root canal treatment is highly successful and usually lasts a lifetime, although, on occasion, a tooth will have to be retreated due to new infections.
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS FOR POSSIBLE ROOT CANAL THERAPY:
An abscess (or a pimple) on the gums.
Sensitivity to hot and cold.
Severe toothache pain.
Sometimes no symptoms are present.
Swelling and/or tenderness.
REASONS FOR ROOT CANAL THERAPY:
Decay has reached the tooth pulp (the living tissue inside the tooth).
Infection or abscess have developed inside the tooth or at the root tip.
Injury or trauma to the tooth.
WHAT DOES ROOT CANAL THERAPY INVOLVE?
A root canal procedure requires one or more appointments and can be performed by a dentist or endodontist (a root canal specialist).
While the tooth is numb, a rubber dam (a sheet of rubber) will be placed around the tooth to keep it dry and free of saliva. An access opening is made on top of the tooth and a series of root canal files are placed into the opening, one at a time, removing the pulp, nerve tissue, and bacteria. If tooth decay is present, it will also be removed with special dental instruments.
Once the tooth is thoroughly cleaned, it will be sealed with either a permanent filling or, if additional appointments are needed, a temporary filling will be placed.
At the next appointment, usually a week later, the roots and the inside cavity of the tooth will be filled and sealed with special dental materials. Root canal treated teeth have no blood supply, and as a result, they become more and more brittle with time and eventually reach a point where the tooth is no longer able to withstand the pressure of the bite. For this reason, Root Treated teeth need reinforcing with well fitting posts which support the crown to be placed on top of the tooth and transfer the biting force down the longest strongest root. The best way to strengthen such teeth is with custom-made cast gold posts and cores which in one piece of material completely form the whole top of the tooth ready for a new crown. This will protect the tooth and prevent it from breaking, and restore it to its full function.
After treatment, your tooth may still be sensitive, but this will subside as the inflammation diminishes and the tooth has healed.
You will be given care instructions after each appointment. Good oral hygiene practices and regular dental visits will aid in the life of your root canal treatment.
FULL MOUTH RECONSTRUCTION IN WEST HOLLYWOOD, CA
Three people patient in the middle with two female dental office nurses behind
The term “Full Mouth Reconstruction or Rehabilitation” refers to the process of restoring a mouth that is damaged, and returning it to normal healthy stable function. Just as there are many ways to design and build a church, so also there are many ways to restore a mouth. In my experience, there will be as many ways to treat dental ailments as there are dentists to design the treatment plan. That being said, there are some important guiding principles that must be followed if a satisfactory result is to be achieved.
It is not uncommon for patients to become aware that they require major dental work and then having had a diagnosis and treatment plan made in one office, begin the process of shopping around to see how inexpensively they can have the same work performed by another dentist. Your mouth has to work and be comfortable and serve you for many years, and it takes great skill and experience to provide fine restorative work that both looks and functions well. At some point, those who need such work have to have confidence and faith in the clinician. Over the years many have trusted us.
When teeth are broken or missing, or have been ground down with time and are not fitting together properly, when they have collapsed so that the upper and lower teeth are over-closed, whether, from neglect or stress or an accident, patients may need to have the mouths reconstructed. When there is bone loss and teeth have become misaligned or when the jaws hurt in function or when headaches are caused when clenching, the patient may need a reconstruction. The first step is a careful examination of all the factors so that a treatment plan can be prepared.
The mouth is extremely complex and in developing the treatment options your dentist may recommend that specialist dentists be involved in the planning and the treatment phases. They will help to realign the teeth, remove badly positioned or un-erupted teeth, to treat the root canals, or to eliminate infected pockets, replace bone, graft gum or place implants. During the preparatory phase, any TMJ (Temporo-Mandibular Joint) dysfunction will be addressed so that it is corrected before the final restorative phase.
Reconstruction
involves the repair or replacement of all the teeth in the upper and lower arch so that they can once more be functional and comfortable and look beautiful. If you have any of the following symptoms you may be a candidate for reconstruction:
- Joints that click or grate or hurt
- Or Joints that limit how far you
- can open your jaw
- Teeth that hurt
- Teeth that have become loose
- Headaches or facial pain
- Worn and chipped teeth that crack
- Fillings and crowns that break or wear down