Dentures and Dental Implants: Learn More about Your Smile Restoration Options
At the office of Dr. Ross S. Headley and his associates, we are proud to offer a range of restorative dental solutions. Whether our patients come to us for dentures, dental implants, crowns, or bridges, we have the perfect solution to mend damaged smiles. When you come into the office of Ross S. Headley, D.D.S., our restorative dental team will work with you to create a customized plan for bringing beauty and functionality back to your smile. Read on to learn more about your smile restoration options at our practice, and please feel free to contact our restorative and cosmetic dentistry office if you would like to schedule an informational meeting with our smile restoration team.
Dentures: Fill Out Your Smile
With the progression of time, it is quite common for people to begin to lose teeth as a result of decay, gum disease, or even an accident. Many people who are missing teeth feel hesitant when eating, laughing, and smiling because they do not want others to see the gaps in their mouths. At the office of Dr. Ross S. Headley, we firmly believe that lost teeth are no reason to stop smiling. We can endow our patients with cosmetic dentures, custom-made to fit your mouth precisely and match your existing teeth perfectly. Dentures help with chewing, speaking, and, of course, the ever-important smile.
When you come to our office for dentures, our dentists will first help you decide whether a partial or full set of dentures is best for you. Full dentures are used for patients who have lost all of their teeth, while partial dentures are used for patients who have retained some of their teeth but are not good candidates for dental bridges or implants. Once we have decided which denture system will best suit you, our dentists will take an impression of your mouth and send it to a dental lab, where your replacement teeth will be custom-crafted. You will then return to our office to have your new dentures fitted.
Many of our patients prefer dentures to more permanent tooth replacement methods such as bridges and dental implants because dentures are removable for cleaning and sleeping. Furthermore, dentures are more affordable than other restorative methods, yet modern dentures can be indirectly comfortable and aesthetically pleasing. If you are interested in learning more about how we can use dentures to restore your smile, please contact the office of Ross S. Headley, D.D.S. today.
Dental Implants: Permanently Restore Missing Teeth
For many of our patients, dental implants are a beautiful and permanent solution to their dental woes. Dental implants allow our patients to enjoy natural looking restorations that aid with speech and chewing, and they can last a lifetime with proper maintenance.
Dental implants serve as artificial tooth roots, to which our dentists then attach natural looking replacement teeth which have been custom-crafted to match the patient’s own teeth. When you come into our office for dental implants, the first step is to determine whether you have sufficient bone in your jaw to support the dental implants. Once you are determined to be a good implantation candidate, titanium screws will be surgically placed into your jaw. You will then be sent home to allow your gums to heal and the dental implant anchors to completely fuse to your jawbone. After three to six months, when your mouth has completely mended, you will be able to return to our office for the final fitting of your new “teeth,” which will be made of porcelain that has been shaped and colored to match your own teeth. Indeed, our patients often comment that nobody can tell the difference between the prosthetic teeth of their dental implants and their own natural teeth!
At the practice of Ross S. Headley, D.D.S., the superior quality of care and artistic craftsmanship we provide with our restorative dental procedures attracts patients from Kansas City, Omaha, Oklahoma City, Springfield, and beyond. If you would like to learn more about how our talented team can perfect your smile with dental implants, please contact our restorative and cosmetic dentistry practice today. We will be happy to meet with you for a complementary consultation to discuss the exciting possibilities restorative dentistry can offer you.
Dental Crowns: Protect Damaged Teeth
When a tooth is badly damaged, decayed, or worn, the restorative dentists at the practice of Dr. Ross S. Headley may suggest the use of a crown to restore the tooth’s shape and function. Dental crowns, also referred to as “caps,” are custom-fitted dental restorations that fit over the entire surface of a tooth. Crowns provide excellent support to weak or damaged teeth, and can reduce sensitivity and restore functionality to your mouth. With proper maintenance, dental crowns have been known to last up to 40 years. If you would like to learn more about our patients are able to restore their smiles with our crowns, dentures, and dental implants, contact our restorative and cosmetic dentistry practice for an informative consultation.
Dental Bridges: We can Literally “Bridge” Gaps between Your Teeth
Many of our patients feel that if they are only missing one tooth or if a gap between teeth is not prominent, there is no need for them to fill it in. This is unwise, however, because a gap between teeth can allow surrounding teeth to shift and become crooked, or create even more gaps. Furthermore, food can become lodged in the gap and begin to decay, which can cause odor as well as tooth and gum damage.
When a patient is only missing one or a few teeth, our restorative dentists may suggest that they use a bridge supported by two crowns to fill in the space. A bridge is a natural looking replacement tooth or set of teeth that literally bridges the gap between teeth, and is supported by crowns placed on both teeth surrounding the gap. Dental bridges offer a long-lasting solution to our patients because they are fixed permanently in the mouth, and are not removable by hand as dentures are. It is also possible to support bridges using dental implants on either side if more than one tooth is missing, or if the patient prefers this method. With proper maintenance, a dental bridge can facilitate speaking, chewing, and smiling with confidence for years to come.