Dental implants in Fox Chapel are a remarkable treatment. They can turn back the clock on tooth loss, restoring full dental function and enabling you to smile and eat with confidence. However, correcting severe oral health problems may require more than a dental implants procedure. You may need other dental work as well. Here is a look at some of the procedures that your dentist could include as part of your overall smile reconstruction plan.
Preliminary Work
Not everyone is eligible to receive dental implants right away. In fact, some patients require extensive preliminary work before they’re able to undergo the implant placement surgery.
- A bone graft adds strength and volume to a jawbone that may have become thin and weak following tooth loss. This procedure helps to ensure that implants have the support base they need to stand the test of time.
- Periodontal treatments, such as gum disease therapy, reduce the risk of infection around the implants.
- Extractions are sometimes necessary when a patient’s remaining natural teeth are decayed or would somehow interfere with a smooth and successful implant procedure.
Correcting Orofacial Structural Defects
Sometimes, problem with the TMJs (the joints that connect the lower jaw to the rest of the skull) result in stressed facial muscles. TMJ problems can also be related to bruxism (teeth grinding) and a misaligned bite. Surgery, orthodontic treatment, or stress relief therapy can help to relax overworked muscles and bring the orofacial structures into proper alignment. When that is accomplished, there is a greater chance that dental implants will thrive in a patient’s mouth.
Cosmetic Considerations
Sometimes, teeth look bad but there are no real grounds for extracting them. If you have a few pearly whites like that, you may benefit from cosmetic treatments that will help the rest of your smile complement the natural beauty of your implant restorations. For example, porcelain veneers can reshape broken teeth and disguise discoloration. A crown can also enhance a tooth’s appearance while strengthening it and restoring its full function.
Your Path to a New Smile
When you visit us as your dentist in Fox Chapel for your consultation, we’ll analyze the problems that plague your oral health and design a treatment plan that is tailored to your unique needs. Take a look at the picture on the right to see how we helped one patient achieve a more functional, beautiful smile. He needed grafting, implants, crowns, and veneers to be free of his dental problems. When we finished his course of treatment, he remarked, “My bite and teeth have NEVER felt this natural in [my] entire lifetime!”
Are you ready to discover your mouth’s true potential? The team at Voller Dentistry is eager to help!
About the Author
Dr. Ray Voller has been practicing dentistry for nearly 40 years. He approaches each full-mouth reconstruction case with empathy and expertise, and he offers a broad range of services that aim to restore full dental function and achieve pleasing aesthetics. To learn how he may be able to help you, contact one of our offices.