Nice Front Teeth Begin with the Temporaries

December 15, 2012 alexnguyen

When restoring front teeth, we begin the process with temporary restorations. Below is a case in progress. In a 90 minutes appointment I removed the patient's old misfit veneers and made her two acrylic temporaries. I use the temporaries to test out the length, shape, contour, and position of her front teeth in relation to her adjacent teeth as well as her lip. I will continue to make changes to the temporaries until the patient is happy with the way the front teeth look. Next, my patient will begin to whiten her teeth so that I can match her final porcelain restorations to a brighter smile. She is already ecstatic with these temporaries even though they are work in progress.

Photos of old veneers

Photos of temporaries in progress

........................................................................................

Alex Nguyen, DDS is a Saratoga Dentist who practices General Dentistry, Cosmetic, and Implant Dentistry. For over 20 years the practice has been serving the residents of Santa Clara County and San Francisco Bay Area.

Happy Thanksgiving !

November 21, 2012 alexnguyen

Thank you for allowing us to care for your dental needs. May you and your family continue to be blessed with Health and Love ! Cheers !

How Much Do Dental Implants Cost?

September 21, 2012 alexnguyen

I recently received this question via email. "My father wants to replace all upper teeth with implants. He will be paying cash. All the teeth have been removed about a year ago... Do you know around how much it would be? "

My answer to her was a bit lengthy, but basically:

There are many options for replacing teeth with implants.

1. You can have porcelain types of teeth that are fixed on the implants, or

2. Dentures that are retained by the implants. These two options determine how many implants should be placed. However, the patient's bone condition determine how many implants we could place. Therefore the cost depends on a number of things which may include: 1. Bone condition

2. The number of implants

3. The kind of prosthesis

Unless I have all the necessary records such as x-rays, CT scans, study models, and patient clinical exam, then it would be very difficult to estimate the cost.

It is important to understand that replacing one tooth with a dental implant is very different than replacing an entire arch with dental implants. Hence, you must seek a competent clinician to consult for a thorough understanding from the surgical aspects to the restorative choices. Cost is the final factor after you have arrived at a comprehensive treatment plan.

........................................................................................

What Causes a Tooth to Suddenly Become Sensitive to Hot and Cold?

July 21, 2012 alexnguyen

This is a question that just came to me today. Here are just two examples of possible causes:

1. Obvious large/extensive decay which exposes the hot and cold food/beverages to the nerve inside the tooth.

2. Bite trauma. Excess pressure on a tooth when biting can cause the tooth to become sensitive to hot and cold. Grinding/clenching your teeth in your sleep can traumatize the bedding of nerves surrounding the root of your tooth. Following the episode of bite trauma, the tooth usually needs some time to recover, and the sensitivity can go away. However, repeated uncontrolled bite trauma to a tooth can cause the nerve inside the tooth to die, leading to the need for a root canal treatment.

If you experience consistent hot and cold sensitivity with your teeth, then be sure to bring it to your dentist's attention before the problem becomes more involved.

........................................................................................

What to Do When an Inlay Falls Out ?

July 14, 2012 alexnguyen

I know this is totally random, but do you know any place I can buy some adhesives to attach an metal inlay back to a tooth? The inlay is either Au-Ag-Pd alloy or nickel chrome alloy... An inlay is a restoration made to fit the space in the tooth where a typical filling would occupy. Sometimes inlays are chosen over fillings because they are stronger, and depending on the extent of the decay they may adapt to the tooth better than a filling. An inlay can be made out of porcelain or a type of metal such as a gold alloy mix.

My answer to the patient's question above was:

Temporary pastes are available at the drug store, but they do not work very well long term.

When an inlay falls out, it could be due to two possible causes:

1. There is decay underneath the inlay. If this is the case, cementing the inlay back will not work long term because the decay is soft and has moisture.

2. The bite force is causing the inlay to debond from the tooth structure. If this is true, then you will have problems with other teeth and not just this inlay.

I would recommend having it checked by a dentist as soon as you can to determine the best course of action. In the mean time, you should leave the inlay in the tooth so that the adjacent tooth will not move into the empty space.

........................................................................................