Posts Tagged ‘dental bridges’

Have you looked in the mirror at your smile lately?  Does it seem as if your teeth are shorter than they used to be?  When your lips are relaxed do you have any sign that you have teeth in your mouth?  Do you like your smile?  Is there anything you would like to change about your smile?  Do you cover your mouth when you start to smile so that no one notices your teeth?

These are some of the comments that patients bring up to me or  questions I ask them when we are evaluating their smile.  If they are pleased with the color, contour and appearance of their smile we move on to other issues.  If new patients have contacted us because they just don’t seem to have that young appearance and presentation they once did we perform our smile evaluation.  This includes a set of digital photos (included in the fee of an examination).  These photos are very detailed and taken with our professional camera set up with special lenses to capture details on the biting surfaces and a portrait shot using our strobe and photo back drop.

These photos are shown instantly to our patient on the computer monitor and with absolutely no obligation we look at the pictures together.  I discuss the potential options with them and if there is interest we can get the portrait computer enhanced to show the smile after cosmetic dentistry is performed.  This modified computer generated smile design can then be used by our laboratory and us to predictably enhance the smile using bleaching, tooth colored fillings, dental porcelain veneers, porcelain crowns, dental implants or dental bridges.  There is no greater priviledge or fulfillment then when we can change one’s attitude and attitude about themselves.  We are constantly hearing about the changed lives that are an outcome that comes with smile enhancements using cosmetic dentistry.  If your current dentist hasn’t brought up the topic ask him or her if they can meet that need in your life.  If they don’t feel confident or comfortable with these procedures  then feel free to contact us for a free consultation.  Our phone number is (586)247-3500.

Dr. Antolak treats his dental patients in a relaxed, friendly atmosphere where you are treated like a guest in the home.  His motto is to “relax while we take care of your smile”. He specializes in cosmetic dentistry, implant dentistry and general dentistry using sedation dentistry if necessary for his high fear patients. He has been treating patients for the past 21 years and is located in Shelby Township, Macomb county Michigan

I have the pleasure visiting some of our homebound senior citizens and treating them each week with our  PortableDentalServices.com dental van.  Each visit is quite powerful because it helps us get insight into our patient’s eating habits and evaluate their previous dentistry. 

This past week I had a patient who had his teeth “patched” up over his 80 years or so.  He held his dentist in high regard in that he trusted him and valued his opinion over the years.  He had lost some fillings over the past year that he thought needed to be refilled.  The truth was that he had some enormous fillings in his teeth to the point that there was nothing left to fill. 

He had a dry mouth which I find in many of my patients who are on multiple medications.  These medications dry out the mouth leaving their teeth prone to dental decay.  We usually find that when faced with chronic dry mouth these patients start sucking on candies or drinking soda to keep their mouths wet.  This exposure to sugars and refined carbohydrates are bad because they promote dental decay. 

When this home bound patient was examined he had many cavities.  Only if his dentist didn’t do him “such a favor” and do patch work he would have avoided this massive breakdown of the teeth.  Even though It is possible to get cavities under crowns he would have been best served with crowns (caps).  For patients who are at risk for these cavities they should be treated with crowns that cover the entire tooth. 

Sometimes the good intentions of some dentists to do as little as possible for a patient seems to be the best.  The reality is that broken teeth, large cavities, root canals, food traps and poor oral hygiene can be a consequence of the “let’s just watch it” attitude of some dentists.  Just be careful that when a cavity and broken filling is so large that a crown is suggested, it would be a wise decision to do so. 

So Complete Dentistry is to do the most conservative procedures but know when it is wise to invest in more invasive procedures such as crowns, implants, root canals and dental bridges.  At our office we take digital photos of the entire jaw so that you can actually see where there are areas of concern.  This way you can make the most informed decision for your best level of care.

Dr. Antolak treats his dental patients in a relaxed, friendly atmosphere where you are treated like a guest in the home.  His motto is to “relax while we take care of your smile”. He specializes in cosmetic dentistry, implant dentistry and general dentistry using sedation dentistry if necessary for his high fear patients. He has been treating patients for the past 21 years and is located in Shelby Township, Macomb county Michigan

With the enormous level of outsourcing taking place in the past few years we all in the metropolitan Detroit area are feeling its effects.  I wrote an article previously which posed questions about how dentists are sending their patient’s dental lab cases to China, India and Mexico without them even knowing about it. 

 There is no label stamped on the dental crown or denture saying “Made in China” on it.  We sometimes have little choice about choosing where our products are made that we use on a daily basis.  It seems as if more than 95% of the daily products we use are made in either China, India or Mexico.  This doesn’t support our manufacturing sector in the good ole USA.  The products we make here in America are of the highest quality in comparison with other countries.  There are stories of dental crowns or dental bridges contaminated with high levels of lead in them that were made in China. 

Why take a chance with a dentist who uses inferior materials that go into your mouth where your body absorbs on a regular basis?  You have the right to ask your dentist.  Unfortunately, dental restorations sent to a US lab can be outsourced  to an offshore lab without you even knowing about it.   We need to support our local industries and small businesses in Michigan considering the fact that we have such high quality products and services here.  It is not worth risking your health to save a few dollars in potentially poor quality materials and workmanship and most all of our patients at TheGentleDentist agree with me.  In fact all of the lab cases we place into our patient’s mouths are artistically created here in Southeast Michigan.

Dr. Antolak treats his dental patients in a relaxed, friendly atmosphere where you are treated like a guest in the home.  His motto is to “relax while we take care of your smile”. He specializes in cosmetic dentistry, implant dentistry and general dentistry using sedation dentistry if necessary for his high fear patients. He has been treating patients for the past 21 years and is located in Shelby Township, Macomb county Michigan