Which Restorative Treatment Is Best for You?

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Restorative dentistry focuses on improving and rebuilding the structural integrity of the teeth and mouth. If you’ve suffered tooth loss or are at risk for it, restorative treatments can give you back your normal chewing ability. Several treatments fall under this umbrella. Here’s a closer look at some of them and the type of problems they treat, so you can choose the right one for your needs.

Crowns

A crown is a fake tooth that sits on top of the existing tooth. If your tooth is cracked or chipped, but the root and bone are in good shape, it can be the right choice. Crowns can also improve the color of discolored teeth that are otherwise healthy.

Implants

If you’ve lost a tooth, an implant is a great restorative dentistry option. It protects your jaw and gums and ensures you can chew properly. Implants typically have a titanium screw that anchors to the bone in the mouth. On top of that, your Gilbert dentist will place a fake tooth. This process creates a replacement tooth that functions just like a natural one.

Bridges

While implants work well if you’ve lost one or two teeth, if you have multiple teeth missing in one area, you may benefit from a bridge. A bridge places a crown on either side of the missing teeth and then attaches fake teeth to these crowns. This prevents the need for an implant while also ensuring you have full function in your mouth.

Are you interested in learning more about restorative treatments to restore the look and function you want in your mouth? Give Kathy Jacobsen Contemporary Dentistry a call to learn more about your options.

3 Restorative Dentistry Options You Might Not Know About

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Visiting your dentist in Gilbert, AZ isn’t just about dental exams and cleanings. It’s also about making your teeth and gums as healthy as possible. That’s where restorative dentistry comes in. Restorative dentistry refers to dental procedures that restore your mouth to its best possible condition. This includes functionality and appearance. So, while cosmetic dentistry gets a lot of hype, restorative dentistry can also transform your smile! Here are three restorative dentistry options you might not know about.

1. Four-on-four Dental Implants

You may know about dental implants, but did you know there’s an even simpler solution for patients with multiple missing teeth? Four-on-four dental implants attach to the jaw at four key points. The result is the ability to restore a person’s entire set of upper or lower teeth. This all comes with a speedier recovery time and little or no need for bone grafting.

2. Same-day Crowns

You probably know about dental crowns, but did you know you can now get crowns in one day? Same-day crowns, also known as CEREC crowns, eliminate the need for temporary crowns and multiple visits. Using digital impressions and computer-aided milling, a permanent crown can be designed, manufactured, and placed in just one appointment. This not only saves time but also ensures a perfect fit, reducing the risk of future adjustments.

3. CAD/CAM Bridge Technology

The bridge your grandfather might have is quite different from the dental bridge you’ll get today. Dental bridge technology has seen significant improvements, thanks to CAD/CAM software. This technology allows for the precise design and manufacturing of bridges, ensuring a perfect fit and reducing the time required for the procedure.

Do these Gilbert, AZ restorative dentistry treatments sound intriguing to you? Contact us today to book your appointment or to learn more!

5 Tips for Caring for Your Dental Implants

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A dental implant should replace a natural tooth, functioning like your natural tooth and helping you avoid problems with gaps and spacing. Yet many people who have dental implants in Gilbert, AZ, are not aware of the special care they need. Here are some tips to help you take care of your implants so they will last.

1. Choose Your Toothbrush Carefully

Brushing your dental implant is just as important as brushing your natural teeth, but you will want the right toothbrush to avoid scratching its surface. Nylon, soft-bristled brushes are the right choice for most patients. These are pliable enough to be gentle on implants.

2. Floss Every Day

If you’re not in the habit of flossing, you’re in good company, as many adults don’t floss daily. However, with an implant, it’s a must. If plaque accumulates around the implant, you can have serious problems with your gums. Make this part of your daily routine.

3. Choose the Right Foods

Hard and sticky foods can damage implants, so you may want to avoid these. For example, chewing ice or hard candies could damage your implant. Some foods, like apples or carrots, would be fine if you cut them prior to eating. Also, these may be less risky after you’ve had the implant a while and it is fully grafted to your bone.

4. Avoid Smoking

Smoking is not a great idea in general, but with an implant, it can create serious risk. Particularly in the first six months, while the area is healing, smoking can increase your risk of infection and cancer in the mouth.

5. Stay Faithful with Your Dental Visits

A dental implant needs care like your natural teeth. While it’s not a natural tooth, it impacts your gums and bone, and you will want to have it regularly cleaned. If you keep up with your dental visits, you can have your implants for life.

Whether you are planning to get an implant or already have one and want help taking care of it, reach out to Kathy Jacobsen Contemporary Dentistry, your Gilbert dentist, for service.

Front and Center: Everything You Need to Know About Front Tooth Dental Implants

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When it comes to the impression your smile makes, few teeth are as impressionable as those that are front and center. Therefore, many people consider dental implants in Gilbert, AZ, for ailing front teeth. This decision can bring up a lot of questions about dental implants and their suitability or viability for front-facing teeth. Take a closer look at some of the top-level information below.

Types of Dental Implants Suitable for Front Teeth

When it comes to dental implants for front teeth, there are a few options that are commonly used to achieve the most natural and aesthetically pleasing results. Typically, single-tooth implants are the preference, as this provides the most natural look, but all-on-four implants are also an option. Anterior (front) implants tend to fare best with either zirconia or metal bases, and the choice of crowns can range from porcelain to composite.

Factors Influencing the Success of Front Tooth Implants

Several factors influence the success of any dental implant procedure, including:

  • Bone Health
  • Gum Health
  • Precise Placement
  • Soft Tissue Support
  • Quality Restoration
  • Overall Health

Maintaining and Caring for Dental Implants in the Front Teeth Area

Once your dental implants are surgically installed and the crowns are placed on the fixture-attached abutment, maintenance is all about good oral hygiene and routine dental care. Dental implants can be a lifelong change for your smile. However, how well these new teeth fare in the long term is reliant on how well you tend to your oral health.

Consult a Gilbert Dentist About Dental Implants 

Whether you are considering frontal implants, implant-supported bridges, or otherwise, choosing the best Gilbert dentist is the first important step. Contact our team at Kathy Jacobsen Contemporary Dentistry to schedule a consultation and discuss your options.

Bridges Vs. Implants: What to Know

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Bridges and implants are two dental tools that professionals use to help patients fill a gap when a tooth is missing. When it comes to choosing a type of prosthetic tooth, it’s important to make an informed decision. Knowing the difference between a bridge and an implant is important. Yourdentist in Gilbert, AZ, can help. At Kathy Jacobsen Contemporary Dentistry, we offer dental advice and care to help our patients make good decisions for their oral hygiene needs. If you’re trying to decide between a dental bridge and a dental implant, here’s what you need to know.

What Is a Bridge?

A dental bridge is a prosthetic tooth held in place with crowns that grip the teeth on either side of the gap. Dental bridges look natural and can’t be distinguished from normal teeth.

Dental bridges are color-matched to the surrounding teeth, so the dental bridge that’s installed in your mouth will be the same color as the rest of your teeth. To have a dental bridge installed, you’ll need the tooth or teeth on either side of the dental bridge to be healthy.

What Is an Implant?

An implant is a prosthetic tooth that’s inserted into the jaw. Once healed, the dental implant is fused with the jaw, similar to the way a tooth root is firmly implanted in the mouth. The implant is topped with a crown that looks just like a real tooth. In this way, dental implants look like and function like real teeth. To have a dental implant, you’ll need sufficient jaw bone for the implant to take hold.

Which One Do You Need?

The decision to get a dental implant or a bridge depends on your oral hygiene and oral health. Your dentist will be able to walk you through the options to determine what best fits your needs. To learn more about dental implants anddental bridges in Gilbert, AZ, call today to make an appointment.

Can I Still Get Dental Implants if I Wear Dentures?

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Are you interested in dental implants in Gilbert, AZ? If you have one or multiple missing teeth, dental implants may be a viable solution. Most people who have lost teeth in the past—before dental implants were available—have dentures. If you’re someone who wears dentures, you may be wondering if it’s possible to make the switch.

How Dentures Work

Dentures are removable oral prosthetics that restore function to the mouth. For a person without a certain number of teeth, it may be difficult to chew food properly or to speak well. But dentures also perform an added function, which is to prevent bone loss. Bone loss occurs under a variety of circumstances, including when there isn’t sufficient pressure on the bone from opposing teeth. So when you wear dentures, you can apply that pressure when you bring your two sets of teeth together.

What’s Needed For Dental Implants

Dental implants are made up of three parts. The implant piece is surgically placed in the jaw bone, where it must stay in order to support the faux tooth that’s visible above the gum line. Without adequate bone, the implant may fail. Sometimes, a person has such bone loss that bone grafting is needed before dental implants are viable. However, if a person is a denture-wearer, there’s a higher possibility that the bone has been saved from bone loss. In that way, your bone mass may be sufficient to support the dental implant process.

Of course, the only way to know for sure if you can get dental implants after wearing dentures for a time is to consult with your dentist in Gilbert, AZ. Contact us to learn more about the dental implant process and to find out if you might be a good candidate.

Can You Get Gum Disease After Having a Dental Implant?

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Have you been thinking about getting dental implants? If so, you probably want to learn more first. Your dentist in Gilbert, AZ, would be happy to answer all your questions so you can make an informed decision about what is right for you. One of the most common questions asked about dental implants is, “Can you develop gum disease after having a dental implant?” The answer might surprise you.

Let’s take a look.

Can You Get Gum Disease After Having a Dental Implant?
You might be surprised to learn that after you get a dental implant, your chances of developing gum disease don’t go away. If you put off getting the proper care, you could develop peri-implantitis, which is just another form of gum disease.

Peri-implantitis occurs when an overload of bacteria affects the gum tissue and bone around a dental implant. When that happens, you will need to see your dentist about which treatment for gum disease in Gilbert, AZ, they recommend for you.

The symptoms of peri-implantitis are as follows:

Bleeding
Swelling
Bad breath
Loosening implant
How to Avoid Peri-Implantitis
Advanced peri-implantitis can cause your dental implant to fail and fall out completely. However, peri-implantitis can be avoided. Prevention is the key. You can use the following tips to help keep from getting peri-implantitis.

Adopt good brushing and flossing habits.
Visit your dentist regularly — twice a year at the minimum.
Talk with your dentist about a preventive treatment to stop bacteria before it starts.
Eat a healthy diet.
Stop smoking or vaping — these are big risk factors for getting peri-implantitis!
If you do develop peri-implantitis, treatment options are available to stop the disease. A peri-implantitis treatment will help stabilize and fix your implant. Talk with your dentist about what treatment options they recommend for your specific situation.

Do You Need a Dentist in Gilbert, AZ?
If you need a dentist in Gilbert, AZ, please Contact Kathy Jacobsen Contemporary Dentistry today. We are a comprehensive dental practice that offers general, cosmetic, and restorative dentistry in a comfortable, relaxing office using only state-of-the-art equipment to provide you with the best dental care possible.

Missing A Tooth? 4 Reasons Dental Implants May Be Right For You

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If you’re missing a permanent tooth, many prosthetic tooth options are available. Dental implants are one of the most popular types of dental prosthetics because of their natural appearance and easy functionality. Your dentist in Gilbert, AZ, can answer any questions that you might have about implants. See below for information about the many benefits of dental implants.

1. Dental Implants Look Natural

Dental implants are designed to look completely natural. In fact, dental implants are fitted for the wearer, and matched to the color of your teeth, so no one will be able to tell that your implant isn’t a real tooth. Your implant should also feel like a real tooth, so you won’t notice much difference between your implant and your real teeth either.

2. Dental Implants Function Like Your Real Teeth

Dental implants work just like your real teeth. They can be worn for regular eating, chewing and talking activities.

3. Dental Implants Are Easy to Maintain

Unlike dentures, dental implants don’t need to be removed from your mouth to be cleaned. They stay inside your mouth for regular cleaning procedures. In fact, dental implants are maintained just like natural teeth. They’re brushed twice daily, flossed once per day, and your dentist will examine your dental implant each time you go to the dentist for a cleaning.

4. Dental Implants Are Permanent

Once installed, dental implants are a permanent part of your mouth. Unlike dentures, dental implants are not able to slip around or come loose while talking or chewing.

Are you interested in dental implants in Gilbert, AZ? Call your dentist at Kathy Jacobsen Contemporary Dentistry today to make an appointment.