If you harbor a strong fear of your dentist, you are not alone. millions of Americans fail to receive the dental care they need because of sever dental anxiety. In fact, approximately 30% of all Americans are so afraid of the dentist that even serious oral pain will not get them to seek proper treatment.
Fortunately, you do not need to fear the dentist anymore. A new procedure called conscious sedation dentistry allows you to receive the treatment you need without experienceing the pain and discomfort that has made you afraid of your dentist for so many years. [More]
Most Americans are aware that sugar and tooth decay are linked. What most people do not know is exactly why sugar causes so much havoc to a tooth. Here is a brief explanation:
Tooth decay and cavities are caused by bacteria called Streptococcus mutans. This bacterium is only one of thousands that occur naturally in the mouth. Streptococcus mutans has a special liking for sugar or sucrose. The more sugar a person eats, the more of these bacteria begin to grow in the mouth. [More]
Porcelain veneers and resin are two entirely different tooth restoration techniques. Generally speaking, resin is used for minor repairs while porcelain veneers are usually reserved for teeth that need fairly significant repair. Here is a brief overview of what each repair option has to offer:
Resin – Also called dental bonding, this is a quick, easy repair option that requires minimal tooth preparation and no anesthetic. It is an ideal treatment for minor cracks, chips, and small areas of discoloration. Resin can be color matched to your teeth just like porcelain, but resin lacks porcelain’s translucence and durability. [More]
Losing a tooth can take quite a toll on your self-confidence. For this reason alone, most people who have lost one or several teeth will seek dental treatment right away. Dental bridges are one of the more popular treatments for these individuals. People lose teeth for any number of reasons. Auto accidents and sporting accidents are common causes, but many lose them due to illness, radiation treatments, or other unforeseen circumstances – and let us not forget poor oral hygiene.
While missing teeth are a cosmetic concern, they are also something that needs immediate treatment to preserve your general oral health. Missing teeth will eventually cause a host of other dental problems including:
- Shifting of remaining teeth
- Jawbone deterioration
- Speech problems
- Eating problems
- Further tooth loss
There are three common types of bridges. The most common dental bridge consists of a false tooth attached to two dental crowns. These crowns are placed on the natural teeth that remain on each side of the missing tooth. This is the sturdiest type of bridge, and so we usually recommend it where it is appropriate.
Another type of bridge is the resin-bonded bridge. This is usually reserved for the front teeth. It consists of a false tooth that is connected to the adjacent teeth with a metal band and resin.
A third type of bridge is the half-bridge. As the name suggests, only one crown is attached to the false tooth. These are used when there is only one adjacent natural tooth available.
The bridge procedure usually takes three office visits, and can be done in under a month in most cases. If you live in the Kansas City area and are missing one or more teeth, please contact Dr. Castaneda today to arrange an appointment.
Las Vegas Institute (LVI) is celebrating their tenth anniversary! LVI stands as the world premier post graduate dental institute in cosmetic and nueromuscular dentistry for attendees throughout the world.
Dr. Castaneda has attended multiple cosmetic and nueromuscular classes at LVI. He has completed all of the Core 1 curriculum in cosmetics, the Core 2 curriculum in advanced cosmetics, and the Core 5 curriculum in nueromuscular dentistry. He believes in making the staff as knowledgable as himself in the latest in cosmetic dentistry and takes at least one staff member with him to the training classes. With Dr. Castaneda’s post graduate work, he is more than qualified for all your cosmetic needs.
We will keep you updated on new training and technology courses we attend!
Last week a patient was seen with severe periodontal disease. He was at the point where the gum tissue was so infected that he was going to lose all of his teeth. Dr. Castaneda presented him with different options and they agreed that the best treatment would be an implant support cosmetic denture. Our patient was so excited about finally being able to feel confident about smiling again!
Dr. Castaneda and the patient came to the conclusion that a fixed upper implant denture would be best, because it is almost like having your natural teeth and the cosmetic effect would be optimal. We place the implants accurately by first doing a radiographic guide. A radiographic guide is done by taking impressions and sending those impressions to our lab expert. Then after the lab has made the radiographic guide, we send that with the patient to the oral imaging center for a CT scan. At the imaging center they create a 3-D model for our lab experts. The lab then uses that model to create a surgical guide. This ensures that we have the most accurate information to place the implant into the jaw.
After 4 to 6 months of healing the patient will be ready for Dr. Castaneda to place the implants. We will keep you posted on this as the case progresses.
Implants are comfortable, attractive and will help you regain confidence in your smile. They are an alternative to bridges, partials or dentures. Implants look and feel like natural teeth. An implant basically is an artificial root that anchors to your jaw bone. Titanium (the material we use for the artificial root) isn’t recognized by the body’s immune system, so it is not rejected as an implant. It integrates with the jawbone to give a firm support to the artificial replacement that it will support.
Ideal candidates for dental implants should be in good health, have healthy gums, good oral habits for the aftercare and healthy jawbone to support the implants.
Implant placement does require several steps over a period of time ranging from 3 months to over 1 year depending on your specific needs. Here are the steps followed for implant therapy
1. The implant is inserted into the jawbone and allowed to heal
several months
2. A post is attached to the implant and a mold is taken for
fabrication of a permanent crown
3. A permanent tooth (crown) is attached after all healing is
complete.
Implants can be an important part of creating the best functional and cosmetic results for patients. Unlike a bridge you can floss in between the implant crown much like a natural tooth.
If you are interested in more information about implants please contact us to schedule a free consultation!
Did you know that any general dentist can legally advertise as a cosmetic dentist? This may not sound like a big deal, but you may be surprised to hear that a general dental degree typically does not include any training in cosmetic dentistry. Why should you be concerned about this?
A great cosmetic dentist must have the eye and instincts of an artist as well as a solid background in functional dentistry. When it comes to enhancing your smile with procedures like porcelain veneers, crowns, bonding, and dental implants, you do not want to choose just any ordinary dentist. A qualified cosmetic surgeon must do years of post-graduate training in order to master the techniques necessary to enhance your smile in a way that not only looks good, but also natural. [More]
The hygiene department is the first step toward good oral health. It provides a solid foundation for all future restorative treatment. Also, good oral health has been related to improved overall health.
Our philosophy is to achieve optimum oral health, beautiful smiles, and enhanced lives through progressive procedures by our caring, friendly team. We want to empower patients through education to become active participants in their oral care and provide the necessary tools for them to do so. [More]
We performed another ViziLight oral cancer screening today, but with different results. We preformed the screening on a gentleman in his late fifties who is a cigar smoker. When using the specially designed light a suspicious lesion was detected on the inside of his lower lip. We referred him to an oral surgeon to look at the area as soon as possible to rule out oral cancer. When premalignant lesions or early stage oral cancer is found, treatment is simpler. For more information regarding an oral cancer screening using ViziLight contact us.
