Understanding Your Dental Implant Restoration Options

After dental implants are placed, patients typically undergo a recovery period during which the implant becomes an embedded part of the jaw bone. During this time, it is important that patients begin thinking about their restoration options.

Knowing your restoration options and understanding which best addresses your smile’s functional, health, and aesthetics needs is a key part of successful dental implant treatment.  For some, implant restoration is just a porcelain crown. For others, particularly those replacing multiple teeth with implant-supported restorations, the choices may be more varied.

Some of the most common implant restoration options include:

Porcelain Crowns:  For individuals using dental implants to replace one tooth, a porcelain crown is the restoration of choice. Designed to look just like natural teeth, crowns are highly resilient and easily replaceable in the event of accidental damage. As the crown is supported by the dental implant, patients do not need to worry about the alteration of neighboring teeth to support the restoration as they would with a bridge.

Bridges: Made of porcelain or porcelain fused to metal, implant-supported bridges are ideal for patients missing several teeth. While traditional bridges are held in place by a set of crowns attached to adjacent teeth, implant-supported bridges are attached to dental implants, eliminating the risk of damage to otherwise healthy teeth. Depending on the number of teeth being replaced, these fixed bridges can require anywhere from two to six dental implants. Implants are strategically placed to best support dental function and help patients enjoy improved bone density, protecting the shape of the face.

Overdentures: This treatment option is ideal for patients missing all the teeth in an arch as well as those looking to stabilize existing dentures, in particular those on the lower arch. Unlike implant-supported bridges, these implant dentures are removable, allowing patients to take out and replace their overdentures just like they would traditional dentures. In terms of aesthetics implant overdentures are less bulky than traditional, removable dentures.  

Dr. Amy Berhanu-Demissie offers a wide range of implant restoration options tailored to each patients’ health, function, and aesthetic needs. Following implant placement by a local oral surgeon, patients return to our Banning or San Bernardino practices to discuss which implant restoration will best meet their immediate and long-term goals. To learn more about implant dentistry in Banning and San Bernardino, contact Dr. Berhanu-Demissie today to schedule your restoration consultation.

Preventive Children’s Dentistry

According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, children should begin visiting the dentist for routine cleanings once they reach six months or when their first tooth emerges. Initially, these visits are often just checkups to make sure the baby teeth are coming in properly and that parents know the right way to care for their child’s developing dentition at home.

However, as more teeth begin emerging, these regular visits become important opportunities to protect new teeth from potential dental problems such as tooth decay. In addition to comprehensive professional cleanings, fluoride rinses and sealants help dentists such as Amy Berhanu-Demissie, DDS protect the child’s smile.

Fluoride
Throughout childhood, children’s teeth are still developing. As the dental enamel has not yet hardened, children’s teeth are more susceptible to the development of cavities than adult teeth. If left untreated, childhood cavities can quickly progress into more serious conditions, such as gum disease and tooth infections, each of which require advanced care in order to restore the child’s oral health and function.

To help strengthen dental enamel during this development phase, naturally-occurring fluoride is often applied to children’s teeth during regular dental visits. In addition to reinforcing dental enamel, fluoride combines with the saliva to prevent sugar and bacteria from sticking to the teeth and forming cavities. When supported with the use of a fluoride toothpaste throughout childhood, patients are able to improve their chances of maintaining a healthy smile into adulthood.

Sealants
Practicing proper brushing and flossing techniques can be difficult for many patients. For children in particular, mastering these skills can be challenging. Without proper follow up by a parent, chances are that the child will miss a spot, leaving their smile vulnerable to plaque and bacteria buildup.

To lower the risk of future dental issues and help improve children’s oral health, dental sealants can be used to cover the crowns of hard-to-brush teeth. Made of a biocompatible plastic material, sealants help smooth out the teeth, eliminating areas where food particles tend to hide and plaque tends to accumulate. Sealants are very effective at preventing the development of future dental issues.

Children’s Dentistry in Banning and San Bernardino
At our family-oriented dental practices, Dr. Amy Berhanu-Demissie and her team are dedicated to helping patients of all ages achieve healthy smiles. By offering comprehensive children’s dental treatments at our Banning and San Bernardino practice, our dentist is able to help children grow into a healthy, fully functional adult dentition. For more information about preventive children’s dentistry or to schedule your child’s next appointment, contact Dr. Berhanu-Demissie today.