Healthcare Directory

52 | 2014-2015 Medical & Dental Directory e goal of modern dentistry is to keep teeth for a lifetime and if a tooth or teeth are lost, replace them as quickly as possible to prevent loss of the supporting structures. Dental implants have been the biggest advancement in dentistry in the last 30 years for the replacement of missing teeth. A den- tal implant is a small titanium insert placed into to bone of the jaw where the roots of the teeth used to be. Bone repairs itself by growing new bone to heal the affected area. Once the titanium insert is placed the body's healing process will grow new bone to the surface of the implant, which locks it into the bone. e number of missing teeth to be replaced dictates the number of implants placed and the location. Dental implants allow us to replace a single missing tooth or multiple missing teeth with restorations that preserve sup- porting oral structures and function and appear like beauti- ful, natural teeth. Tooth movement to correct misplaced or maligned teeth is primarily done by an orthodontist. Orthodontists can use clear appliances for less severe cases to correct unsightly alignment issues. In- visalign, one example that is most rec- ognizable, uses a series of clear appli- ances to gradually move teeth to a more ideal location. e "trays" are worn 24 hours a day and the length of treatment depends on the amount of movement necessary. For more severe alignment issues, they can use tooth colored brackets that are bond- ed to the teeth, eliminating the metal brackets referred to as "railroad tracks" on the teeth being moved. e results from orthodontic tooth movement can be dramatic. e advances in the use of lasers have allowed periodontists to provide a wide range of esthetic gingival procedures. Excess or enlarged gingival tissues can be re- shaped and recontoured exposing more tooth structure and this increase in length of the clinical crown can oen be all that is necessary to improve the esthetics of the smile. For more advanced periodontal issues, the LANAP (Laser As- sisted New Attachment Procedure) procedure can help heal and restore lost structures. e laser selectively destroys cells that cause disease in the gum tissues allowing them to re- turn to a more normal and healthy appearance. Creating ideal contours of the gum tissue through these procedures can help create that perfect smile. e parts of modern dentistry most oen associated with improvement in oral structures are the use of porcelain restora- tions to change the shape, size or color of the teeth and bleach- ing of the teeth. Bleaches used to lighten the teeth are peroxide based and clean the surface of the tooth as well as changing the color of the underlying tooth structure. e change can be dramatic, but the teeth can darken again over time. For more permanent changes porcelain restorations are used. Older materials to restore teeth were primarily made of metal. A silver colored amalgam was placed in teeth to re- store cavities and gold was the material of choice for complete crowns. Gold could be alloyed with other metals to allow for the addition of a porcelain layer which made this porcelain fused to metal restoration look like tooth structure. e problems with this type restoration were the dark areas that could occur at the gum line over time and the opaque nature of the porcelain. Natural teeth have "color in depth" due to the translucent nature of enamel. Light passes through the enamel, strikes the dentin and is reflected out giving teeth their color. A metal restoration with porcelain added to the surface needs an opaque layer to mask the metal, which can create the "dead" opaque look common to this type crown. Newer, ceramic restorations done today are metal free and have the same translucent characteristics as natural teeth giving them a beautiful natural look. All ceramic restora- tions can be inlays, onlays, veneers or full coverage crowns. Inlays and onlays cover a portion of back teeth, veneers cover the front surface of anterior teeth and crowns restore the whole top of the tooth. Which type restoration will be used is determined by the condition of the tooth to be restored. When considering facial esthetics, re- member that your smile defines your personality and is what most people see first about you. At Village Family Den- tal, we strive to ensure that our patients are provided with the utmost in con- venient, cutting-edge dental and, most recently, complete facial aesthetic care. Along with the latest in cosmetic dental care, we are now offering such services as: • Facial Implants (cheek and chin implants) • BOTOX Injections (reduce facial lines from overactive muscles of the upper face) • Dermal Fillers: (fillers are substances that are injected un- der the skin to plump up the tissues) • Laser Skin Resurfacing • Chemical Peels • Blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery) • Latisse (for fuller, longer eye lashes) Not only can our team of highly-qualified experts, includ- ing our facial cosmetic surgeon, Dr. Elda Fisher, provide you with excellent aesthetic dental care, but also the very latest in facial aesthetic treatments. When considering the care of your appearance, remember that facial aesthetics and dental aesthetics go hand-in-hand. You can enhance the benefits of your facial cosmetic treatment by also having your cosmetic dental needs met in the same convenient location. If you're interested in finding out how you can benefit from these comprehensive treat- ment opportunities, be sure to contact us today. For more information or scheduling, please call Dr. Fisher at Facial Aesthetics at 910.729.6001 or call Village Family Dental at 910.485.8884 or go to www.vfdental.com.

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