To prevent these kinds of problems, sedation dentistry is a revolutionary way to treat people with a fear of dentists or the pain associated with dental treatments. In addition, sedation cosmetic dentistry is the ideal way to perform long dental procedures that would normally require several visits in one single visit. It is important to note however that although sedation cosmetic dentistry is a common form of dentistry practice today, the usefulness and efficiency still largely depends on the skill and proficiency of the dentist.

The main purpose of sedation cosmetic dentistry is to provide effective dental treatments without compromising the comfort of the patient and to create an anxiety and pain free environment and experience. Apart from feeling no pain or discomfort, the patient is also not entirely aware of the true duration of the entire procedure. An extensive procedure that might continue for hours may feel like only a couple of minutes to the patient. One major advantage of sedation cosmetic dentistry is that the patient do not experience the normal after effects associated with a dentist visit.

Currently there are four types of sedation dentistry, allowing the patient to choose the type of mediation they prefer and the level of sedation.  In three of the four types, some level of consciousness is retained, ranging from light to moderate.

• Nitrous oxide, commonly known as laughing gas, is inhaled through a mask over the patient’s nose and induces a light sedation.  Light levels of sedation put the patient into a relaxed state, but they remain awake and alert.

• Oral sedation produces a moderate sedation wherein patient remains awake but will probably not remember anything about the procedure. This type of sedation is given in pill form.

• IV sedation delivers drugs to the patient intravenously. This level of sedation falls within the moderate range.

• The fourth type of sedation is general anesthesia that renders the patient unconscious.  This type of sedation should only be administered by a specialist and is usually done at a hospital.

Just like all surgery, surgical dental implants have a higher chance of success if the patient has good general health. Besides having good health in general the candidate should also have good dental health. This means that prior to surgery any oral health problems must be treated.

Gum disease and tooth decay cannot be present if surgical dental implants are going to be put in. If you have either problem, treat these first before continuing with surgical dental implants. Certain medical conditions may decrease a person’s suitability for surgical dental implants.

If you are undergoing chemotherapy or radiation then it is not a good idea to undergo this surgery. This is because when you receive radiation and chemotherapy your body’s immune system is compromised and you will not be able to heal properly. You will also be more prone to infection.

Patients who have diabetes are also not good candidates for surgical dental implants. Healing time may take too long and the risk of infection is too great. People suffering from osteoporosis are also not good candidates for the surgery.  This is because osteoporosis leads to bone density loss and for this procedure to be successful there must be enough bone density. Although bone grafting is possible and is carried out in some cases, it is not advisable in patients suffering from osteoporosis. 

If you are not suffering from any of the above conditions then you may be a good candidate for dental implants.

Teeth whitening is generally considered safe. If you have healthy teeth, then teeth whitening is safe, provided the right materials and timing of the whitening agents are used.

Teeth whitening can be done in one visit at a dental clinic or at home by gels and trays provided by the dentist and custom made to fit your teeth. Whitening involves the use of bleaching agents that are applied to the teeth. Agents are in the form of gels and contain either Hydrogen peroxide of 3-16% concentration or Carbamide peroxide of 10-44% concentration. The latter is usually preferred as it is considered more stable.

When having whitening done at a dental clinic, the gel is collected in a tray that fits around your teeth and is placed on the teeth. The dentist then places a blue ‘activating’ light or a laser, which can be halogen, plasma arc or LED light, in front of the teeth to activate the bleaching agent and speed up the whitening process. Free-radicals are released from the bleaching agent that act on the pigmented molecules in the teeth to reduce them, hence making the teeth appear whiter.

For at-home bleaching, you are given a tray that is specially made for your teeth and a gel similar to the one used at the dental clinic, but of a much lower concentration. A lesser concentration prevents prolonged-use damage to your teeth and lesser irritation to the soft tissues. You fill the gel in the tray and place it on the teeth overnight so that it carries out its bleaching effect slowly and safely.

Yes, some sensitivity and dissolution of tooth surface occurs during bleaching but it is minimal and the tooth will remineralize after using fluoride toothpastes or mouthwash, reestablishing its vitality. Bleaching lasts as long as drinking colored fluids like coffee or red wine is not frequent. It can be done every year or two and is perfectly safe.

Perhaps the most important factor is the patient. Before any dental implant procedure, the patient must commit to practicing good oral health. How well the dental implants are taken care of has a definite effect on how permanent they will be.  The patient must brush and floss to keep them clean in order to help prevent inflammation around the implants.  Regular dentist visits are also important for the life of the implant. The general health of the patient both at the time of the implant and ongoing has a definite effect on how permanent the implant will be.

Finding a dentist who understands and has had experience and training with the procedure is also extremely important.  Dental implantology is a relatively new field and not every dental school has made it a part of the standard curriculum. The dentist should have the expertise necessary to undertake the procedure. Another important aspect is the material and standards that went into making the implants themselves.  Many companies manufacture implant components, but only a few are actually certified by the American Dental Association. To be certified, these companies have to supply research demonstrating that the implants are safe and effective.  Certified implants are made to very exacting tolerances, which may or may not be followed by non-certified implant companies.  Non–certified implants will cost significantly less but may not be high quality, sterilized and manufactured to extremely exacting tolerances.  The different may become obvious after a few years of use.

Back teeth receive more stress and wear from chewing, causing implants in the back of the mouth to typically deteriorate faster than implants located at the front of the mouth.  All these factors combine to determine how long a dental implant will last.  The continual refinement of both the procedure and the implants themselves should mean that implants done today would have a longer life than implants done in the past.  However, even with that said, the typical lifespan of dental implants tends to be approximately twenty years.  Because this procedure is still relatively new, there is not enough implant data from beyond the twenty-year range to give us accurate statistics. What we do know is that there are many dental implants performed over 20 years ago.

Dental implants protect the remaining teeth and the jawbone. When teeth are removed jawbone loss begins. However, because implants fuse to the bone they actually help to prevent bone loss and preserve the integrity of facial structures. This prevents shrinkage and the sunken appearance that so often accompanies the removal of several teeth. In fact, in patients who have had dentures the appearance of wrinkles around the month caused by posterior bite collapse and facial structure collapse may be virtually eliminated.  The fact that dental implants look and feel more like natural teeth, gives patients a renewed sense of self esteem.

Bridges require that the surrounding teeth be ground down. Dental implants do not require alternation of the surrounding natural teeth.  Partial dentures have clasps that hook onto the adjacent teeth, over time this puts pressure on these teeth as the partial rocks back and forth. Eventually these teeth can loosen and be lost as a result of this pressure. Implants do not depend on the surrounding natural teeth for support so the adjacent teeth are not damaged.

Eating better is a benefit of implants that influences a person’s overall health. Sliding, clicking dentures can make chewing difficult and often embarrassing. Dental implants function like natural teeth, allowing you to eat your favorite foods even in public situations with confidence and without pain. A full upper denture covers the palate of the mouth and reduces the ability to taste foods. This severely decreases the pleasure of eating a favorite food. Dental implants don’t cover the palate and allow for a much more pleasurable eating experience. Being able to eat fresh fruits and vegetables without pain or inconvenience often leads to an improvement in a person health.

Contact us today at (770) 425-4001 to learn more or to schedule a cosmetic dentistry consultation.

As far as cosmetic dentistry is concerned, there is no age limit. The basic requirement is that you want to enhance your smile and are keen to take the necessary steps to accomplish your goal.

Many people who are well over the age of sixty opt for cosmetic dentistry to enhance their smile with dental implants, crowns or dental implants instead of dentures. Needless to say, they are smiling like they have never smiled before!

Most people who choose cosmetic dentistry as a senior reported that they whished they have done it when they were in their early adult years. Therefore, even though you can not be too old for cosmetic dentistry, most people say they would have done it sooner.

Your self esteem is not something that is age related. Having crooked, discolored or missing teeth at a senior age can have equally negative effects on your self esteem and the way you communicate and interact with people than it has on younger people. Your smile is important and it is, second only to your eyes, people notice most about you.

Most senior patients do not even realize what was incorrect about their teeth until they had cosmetic dentistry performed.

The most popular procedures performed on older patients to strictly improve their smile are dental veneers and crowns or dental implants. In some instances, depending on the individual needs of a person a combination of implants and crowns or veneers are used.

Another cosmetic procedure that can significantly help to improve the general appearance of an elderly person’s smile is to make use of dentures where crowns, veneers, and implants are not suitable options. In the instances where a number of teeth are missing dentures may be more suitable. In addition it is often found that many patients who have dentures since a young age, forget that our facial structure changes as we grow older. In many instances a new set of properly fitted dentures is all that is needed to perfect a pretty smile.

Therefore, regardless of your age, no one is too old for cosmetic dentistry and with the willingness to undergo the required procedures it will never be too late to get that beautiful smile that will boost your self confidence. 

Oral sedation also allows a patient to achieve a moderate level of sedation.  The patient is given a drug in pill form approximately one hour before the procedure.  This allows the patient, as the drugs take effect, to become very relaxed.  Oral sedation is not a pain killer, so after the drugs have taken affect the dentist will administer a local anesthetic.  The patient will remain awake, though relaxed and will be able to answer the dentist’s questions and follow his/her commands.

The equipment must be carefully maintained.  A walk through of the dentist office will give you a good feel for the overall maintenance of the equipment.  Perhaps the most important piece of equipment is the dentist.  An experienced dentist should be able to determine by observing the patient if they are in any type of distress.

Contact us at 770-425-4001 for more information on Sedation Dentistry or to schedule a consultation.

Cosmetic procedures usually begin with a detailed consultation with an experienced cosmetic dentist.  At this stage, the patient will be advised on the dental problems present, the procedural options, and the expected end result.  The dentist will provide detailed information about the advantages and disadvantages of each dental operation option available.

Common Cosmetic Procedures

1. Dental veneers

Veneers are considered as being the best option when it comes to restoring teeth that are crooked or broken. Veneers pieces are usually made of a lightweight material such as porcelain. This material is flexible and can be shaped and restructured to any particular design that's fitting to your dental structure. Dental veneers usually offer permanent results in that once they are fixed to the exterior part of the teeth, they cannot be removed.

2. Dental crowns

Dental crowns cover your tooth and stop it from decaying further. In addition, you can use a crown together with a bridge to cover up any missing teeth or close up gaps and dental spacing.

3. Dental implants

Implants are used to replace missing teeth.  Installed permanently to the jawbone, the implants are then finished up with a crown to give an attractive new look. Once in place, dental implants can be used and cleaned easily just like any other natural tooth. Unlike the natural teeth, they can never deteriorate or develop cracks.

4. Teeth Whitening

Many people around the world have problems with the color of their teeth. There are a number of whitening procedures that are effective in restoring the teeth back to a natural white color.  There are procedures done in a dental office as well as home products available from your dentist.  Both types usually involve bleaching the discolored teeth and removing any form of impurities that may have clogged around the teeth.

For more information about Cosmetic Dentistry Services or to schedule a consultation, contact us at 770-425-4001.