4 Fast Facts About Dental Implants to Know Before Your Consultation

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Without question, dental implants in Jacksonville, FL are the most popular way people choose to enhance their smiles. Nevertheless, misinformation is common, and many prospective patients don’t know a great deal about dental implants or the procedure itself. To help you move into the know, we’ve pulled together a few fast facts here at the office of Dr, Matt Henry.

1. Most people are good dental implant candidates.

We have many patients who schedule a consultation looking for dental implants, and it is rare that one of those patients cannot get what they want. In actuality, few problems could get in the way of making you a good candidate, such as:

  • Having uncontrolled diabetes
  • Being at an especially heightened risk of infection
  • You have a degenerative bone disorder
  • Taking certain prescription medications like immunosuppressive drugs or steroids

2. Dental implants offer more benefits than smile restoration.

Dental implants can restore your smile for sure, but aesthetics alone is not the only advantage of implants. A few others include:

  • Regaining your chewing power
  • Reducing the risks of gum height loss
  • Encouraging a healthy diet

3. A few Implants can be used for full smile restoration.

If you are missing all of your teeth, you don’t necessarily have to get an implant to replace each missing tooth. Implants can support bridges of different sizes. For example, you may only need two implants on your top arch to support a full set of teeth, and some patients prefer to obtain implant-supported dentures that only require four to six implants.

4. Recovery after dental implants is the most important step.

Usually, the pre-surgery and surgery itself go without issue. However, once you have your implants and enter the recovery period, many factors can affect the healing process and the overall end result. For example, if you don’t follow guidelines about dietary changes in the first few weeks, you may disrupt the fusing process between the implant and your jaw bone.

Find Out More About Dental Implants in Jacksonville, FL

If you believe dental implants could be the option for your smile restoration, consider scheduling a consultation to get insight into the procedure. Reach out to us at the office of Dr. Matt Henry in Jacksonville, FL to schedule your appointment.

 

Dental Implant Restoration

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All over the world, millions of people have dental implants. Dental implants are an effective and aesthetically pleasing way to solve a variety of dental problems. Unfortunately, along with all the benefits of dental implants, there are also potential problems. If you have dental implants in Jacksonville, Florida that are causing you problems , you may need dental implant restoration services. For dental implant restoration in Jacksonville, Florida, you can rely on the services of Dr. Matt Henry.

Is it Common to Have Dental Implant Problems?

Having problems with dental implants is not very common. However, the integrity of dental implants depends upon where the implants were done, as well as how well the patient cared for the dental implants after they were installed. Dental implants have been available as a treatment option for many years now. They have been proven to be safe and effective for replacing missing teeth. But for a variety of reasons, sometimes dental implants fail on some level. While this is not common, it does occur on occasion.

What Problems Can Occur With Dental Implants?

There’s no specific problem that can occur with all dental implants. However, by far, when there is a problem with dental implants, the most common situation is that the dental implant becomes loose or the crown has cracked or become displaced. This may happen over a period of time, or it may happen suddenly. The important thing is that, if you do have a problem with your dental implants, you get dental implant restoration in Jacksonville, Florida as soon as possible.

What Causes Dental Implants to Loosen?

It’s very important that you get your dental implants from a quality dentist. The dental implants process must be monitored very meticulously. Some of this has to do with the quality of the dentist, but it also has to do with your overall health and your body’s ability to adjust to the implants. There’s a process involved in the installation of dental implants called osseointegration. If this process of osseointegration doesn’t fully and completely take place, then the dental implants may eventually loosen.

In order to understand osseointegration, you must understand the basics of dental implants. When a dentist installs dental implants, the implant must actually join or fuse with your jawbone. The dentist will deposit fragments of bone around the implant over a period of many months in order to facilitate bone growth around the implant. This mimics the way your bone naturally grows. But if for some reason the bone does not grow to hold the dental implants, then it’s possible that over time, your dental implants may become loose. It’s very much like your natural teeth. If the bone fails, then the natural tooth becomes loose.

Another way that dental implants may loosen is if you end up developing some kind of gum disease or tooth infection that deteriorates the bone around the dental implants. This will also become a problem because the implant will loosen in your mouth.

One of the first signs of the need for dental plant restoration in Jacksonville, Florida is if you detect that your dental implants are loosening. As soon as you notice something like this happening, it’s important to call the offices of Dr. Matt Henry so that we can began dental plant restoration in Jacksonville, Florida. The sooner you call, the better the outcome.

What is Involved With Dental Implants Restoration in Jacksonville?

When you get Jacksonville dental implants restoration, the process of repair will depend upon what caused the problem in the first place. If the dental crown is cracked or damaged in another way, then doctor Matt Henry may be able to simply replace or repair the crown. Again, this will depend upon the extent of the damage and what caused it to begin with. If the dental crown needs to be replaced entirely, then it will obviously take longer to do the dental implants restoration in Jacksonville than if the dental crown can simply be repaired in the office. If the dental crown needs to be replaced, then a dental lab will need to be notified in order to create a new crown for you.

Now, if the dental implant has failed, then it will be a much more complicated process of dental implant restoration. In this case, the original implant will likely need to be removed entirely. Then, depending on your overall health and the integrity of your jawbone, you may or may not need to have a bone graft. Otherwise, the same problem may end up occurring in the future, which you want to avoid. At this point, the patient will be more familiar with the process, since it will mimic having original dental implants installed in the first place. The offices of Dr. Matt Henry will be able to give you more information about what will be involved with your particular dental implants restoration in Jacksonville once you book an appointment.

As you can see, it’s important that you visit the dentist as soon as you notice a problem with your dental implants. Don’t wait until the last minute to see the dentist, because it’s possible that a more serious situation can be avoided with earlier treatment.

When you need Jacksonville dental plant restoration services, please contact the offices of Dr. Matt Henry for quality care in a professional and pleasant office environment. We look forward to hearing from you soon!

Dental Veneers

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Teeth that have been stained, worn down, chipped, discolored or in other ways damaged can cause embarrassment and personal discomfort. Some people with these problems find themselves afraid to smile while others struggle to make connections professionally or personally. If your teeth are functional but damaged, and you’d like to change their appearance, dental veneer services in Jacksonville FL can help.

For most people, dental veneers can be applied in one sitting, so patients leave the office with a smile that looks wholly different from the one they came in with. At Dr. Matt Henry in Jacksonville FL, we provide composite and porcelain veneer services to our patients. If you’re not sure whether dental veneers are right for you, make an appointment to learn more about our dental veneer services and how they could help improve your smile.

What Are Dental Veneers?

Dental veneers are shells that resemble natural teeth which are applied to the front of the tooth. They look like teeth, and they can bite and chew with teeth, but they don’t fit all the way around the tooth.

Composite Veneers

Composite veneers are created from a resin that looks very much like natural teeth. Composite veneers can be customized to match other teeth or can be custom made to whatever shade the patient prefers. They are relatively lightweight and feel very natural, which means they are not very noticeable once the patient adjusts.

Composite veneers do not match the shine of natural teeth as well as porcelain, and when exposed to dark-colored foods and drinks, composite veneers will stain. In addition, composite does not last as long porcelain and is more easily damaged than porcelain. Standard composite veneers typically last 5 to 7 years.

Porcelain Veneers

Porcelain veneers are a very popular option. While porcelain is a material that is easily chipped when it takes the form of a cup or dish, porcelain veneers are very strong once they’ve been affixed to tooth enamel. Porcelain veneers are highly stain resistant and look very much like natural teeth. They can last as long as 15 years.

One down-side to porcelain veneers? Once a veneer is damaged, it cannot be repaired. It must be replaced with an all-new veneer.

Are You A Good Candidate for Dental Veneers in Jacksonville, FL?

Veneers are a good option for people who only want to correct aesthetic challenges. Because veneers are designed only to fit over the front portion of the tooth, they do little to correct structural dental problems, or problems that affect the functionality of the tooth. Dental veneers can provide some protection for a damaged tooth, but they do not correct most dental problems.

If you dislike the way your teeth look but have few other problems with your teeth, then you may be a good candidate for dental veneers. The best way to find out if dental veneers are for you is to make an appointment with your dentist to discuss your goals.

You’re a good candidate for dental veneers if your teeth are:

  • Stained
  • Discolored
  • Crooked
  • Chipped
  • Misshapen

How Are Dental Veneers Installed?

People who want veneers want a beautiful smile as quickly as possible. They love the rapid response they get from installing veneers, and the beautiful results. Unlike many other dental procedures, veneers are designed to make every tooth look great, no matter what issues might lie beneath.

The process for installing dental veneers varies, but for some patients, the process goes like this:

  • Clean the teeth.
  • Rough the surface of the tooth. This step is required for some veneers, but not for others. The process is irreversible and does require the tooth enamel itself to be ground down. For veneers that do not require the surface of the tooth to be roughed up in this way, some alteration to the tooth may be required, but in a way that is far less invasive.
  • Apply adhesive.
  • Install the veneers.

Veneers can be made in one of two ways. Porcelain veneers are modeled off of impressions of the patient’s teeth and created in a lab. The impressions allow porcelain veneers to be custom fit to each tooth.

Composite veneers can also be formed in a lab, but some composite veneers are formed through direct application to the patient’s teeth in the dental office. Either way, composite veneers start off as a fluid that is exposed to a special UV light which cures the resin until it is hardened into the correct shape.

Dental Veneers FAQ

What can damage a veneer?

Pen-biting, nail-biting and tooth grinding are all personal habits people can have that can damage their veneers. Eating hard foods like almonds can damage your veneers as well. If you have any of these habits, talk to your dentist before getting veneers installed. You may be able to protect your veneers with a night guard, if you grind your teeth.

Should I get porcelain or composite veneers?

This is a decision that you and your dentist should make together, based on factors that are specific to your circumstance. Talk to your dentist.

Is the veneer installation process painful?

The area will be numbed during the procedure, but some patients experience discomfort after the procedure is over. Your dentist can prescribe some pain medication to help.

Are veneers covered by insurance?

This depends entirely upon your insurance. You’ll have to call your dental insurance before the procedure to find out whether this type of procedure is covered and, if so, how much.

You’d Like Dental Veneers in Jacksonville, FL? Here’s How to Get Started

You deserve to have a smile that makes you feel confident. At Dr. Matt Henry, we’d be happy to help you determine whether dental veneers are right for you. To find out more, make an appointment to discuss veneers with Dr. Henry.