You can trust Dr. Keith and Dr. Chao to treat
your problem with individualized care using their knowledge, experience,
skill and artistry. In our practice, we make it a priority to
research the newest and most effective techniques to provide the
highest quality care with proven success. The renewal and rehabilitation
of your dentition may require a blend of some of the restorative
services we provide:
Crowns, often refered to as "caps,"
restore teeth which are broken, have large cavities or have undergone
root canal therapy. Crowns return your teeth to their natural
shape, color, and function. Depending on the location, the required
strength and esthetic demands of the restoration, crowns may be
fabricated in a variety of materials such as all ceramic, porcelain-fused-to-gold,
and full gold.
A bridge is similar to a crown except they are
used to replace missing teeth. A fixed bridge is a non-removable
replacement for a tooth or teeth that have been lost. Teeth adjacent
to the gap are used to support the replacement tooth. A bridge
may also be used to strengthen or splint teeth which are weakened
by periodontal disease and bone loss.
Fabricated in a laboratory, single crowns and
bridges are custom made and created to fit into your dentition.
We offer custom shading and shaping of your new
teeth in our laboratory to offer you the most natural
appearing restorations possible!
Inlays and onlays are used to correct smaller
cavities or replace old large fillings. Old-fashioned mercury
(a.k.a. amalgam or alloy) fillings tended to crack teeth and give
them a dark gray color. Inlays and onlays are larger than regular
fillings and tend to cover the cusps of the teeth to prevent tooth
fracture. They are usually fabricated using porcelain, composite
resin, or gold. They conserve more of your natural tooth structure
than a full crown.
Removable partial dentures replace some,
but not all, of the teeth in a dental arch. They are made
of a cobalt-chrome metal framework to which artificial teeth
are attached. The prosthesis vary in design depending on the
number of teeth to be replaced. Removable partial dentures can
be combined with crowns to create prosthesis with precision
attachments that show no clasps. They are less costly and arguably
less comfortable than a non-removable solution such as bridges
and dental implants. However, in certain situations, they may
be the only solution and will provide patients an esthetic result
that functions well.
Complete dentures replace all of the missing
teeth in the upper and/or lower jaws. With complete dentures,
our goal is to provide a pleasing, natural appearance as well
as restoring ones ability to eat and speak. Without natural
teeth, the bone in the jaws continues to resorb over a lifetime.
This brings changes to a person's appearance as well as to the
fit of their prosthesis. Long-time denture wearers experience
loosening of their dentures as the jaw loses its bone mass.
To slow down or prevent this bone loss, we can try to save some
tooth roots or place a few implants to fabricate an "overdenture."
An overdenture looks like a complete denture but it has some
support underneath it that will preserve bone mass and may even
increase denture stability!
Imagine this: in
many individuals, a complete denture may help a person transition
from having weak and unhealthy teeth to once again enjoying
a mouthful of new, non-removable "teeth"
supported by dental implants!
Many missing teeth or severe deterioration
of most teeth may require a full mouth reconstruction using
a combination of crowns, bridges, and dental implants. The oral
cavity is a dynamic entity in which changes take place, sometimes
quickly but more often slowly over time. One day, you may wake
up and look in the mirror and wonder, "How did my mouth
ever come to look like this?" Sometimes it is due to a
traumatic accident, periodontal disease, shifting teeth, a lifetime
of neglect, a destructive habit such as grinding, or a lifetime
of dentistry done focusing on one tooth at a time leaving your
mouth resembling a patchwork quilt.
It may be time to consider your oral health
as a whole and seek comprehensive treatment. Prosthodontists
are experts in managing the increased complexity of multiple
tooth treatments. Oftentimes, these treatments may involve multiple
specialists to give you a well-thought out treatment plan which
will serve as a road map to long-lasting oral health.
| BEFORE |
|
PROBLEM: No two people
have the same dentition. This gentleman had no teeth in
his upper arch. Most of his lower teeth were severely
decayed. Luckily, he had good amounts of bone in his lower
arch to place dental implants. |
| AFTER |
 |
 |
 |
|
SOLUTION: A new upper denture was made
to idealize the smile, phonetics and occlusion for this
patient. In his lower jaw, four teeth were restored with
traditional individual crowns. Four implants were placed
to provide support for a fixed bridge that the patient
feels is as natural as his own teeth. The patient is so
pleased with the security and comfort that implants provide
that he is now undergoing implant therapy under his upper
denture with the intent of making a fixed bridge up above! |
An occlusal appliance, also known
as a nightguard or occlusal splint may be
prescribed for alleviation of tooth grinding on your dentition
and may help decrease strain on your jaw joint (TMJ) and muscles.
Tooth grinding (bruxism) and clenching entails forceful contact
between the biting surfaces of the upper and lower teeth. This
contact can be so intense as to awaken your housemates! During
sleep, you may exert up to 10 times your normal chewing
forces on your teeth, gums and jaw joint.
Chronic bruxism may affect not only your teeth,
but also your appearance, your TMJ, muscles, and periodontal
health. Grinding will break down the enamel on your teeth exposing
more yellowish dentin. Teeth will appear flat as if they have
been "filed" down. Bruxism may exacerbate any underlying
periodontal conditions leading to loose teeth and bone loss.
Also, bruxers sometimes experience jaw tenderness, jaw pain,
fatigue of facial muscles, and headaches. If you have any of
these symptoms, a complete TMJ analysis may be required to determine
whether an occlusal appliance will be right for you or if an
appropriate referral is in order.
Does your snoring cause you unrestful sleep
or disturb loved ones from sleeping as well? Snoring may result
from several factors. Anatomically, the muscles and soft tissues
in the throat and mouth relax during sleep making the airway
for breathing smaller. As air flows through this constricted
space, soft tissues like the soft palate and uvula vibrate.
Sleep studies indicate that excess body weight, heavy alcohol
consumption and other sedatives correlate to an increased severity
of snoring. At certain levels of severity, complete blockage
of the airway space by the soft tissues and the tongue can occur.
If aphyxiation lasts longer than 10 seconds, this is called
Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). OSA can be a serious medical
condition and you may need to see a sleep specialist. But, for
many snorers, the most affordable, non-invasive, comfortable,
and effective snoring solution may be an oral snoring preventative
device.
The ultimate goal of our office is to prevent
dental disease and loss of teeth. Our team of registered dental
hygienists are experts in preserving your dental health. Not
only do they provide nurturing care of your teeth and gums,
but they will help to educate you on ways to optimize your home
care regimen so you can feel confident with your mouth and breath
as fresh as they can be.
In our office, we know that the gum and bone
tissue are the foundation for a healthy mouth and are
just as important as the teeth themselves. We offer the latest
non-surgical treatments to stop the damage caused by periodontal
disease. These include soft tissue management, new pharmaceuticals
and new tissue regenerative procedures. Ask our hygienists about
these at your next appointment.
