In today’s post, we will focus on something that happens occasionally when a patient requests cosmetic dentistry from us, Felton Dental Care – Dr. Brett R. Felton, DMD in Missoula.
You need to have a healthy mouth before you should do a smile makeover or whiten your teeth. However, patients sometimes want to enhance their smile first.
Here’s a story about Mr. Jones.
Mr. Jones wants a smile makeover; he wants to fix two chipped teeth, get a dental implant for a tooth that is missing, and whiten his smile. He is looking for that perfect smile.
The dentist performs an examination and takes x-rays, discovering some additional troubles. He discovers 3 teeth with moderate decay, gum disease, an old crown with a crack in it, and severe bone recession at the potential dental implant site where the tooth was extracted ten years ago.
The dentist explains that these problems need to be addressed before the cosmetic dental smile makeover is performed. Mr. Jones says that the smile makeover is his first priority and plans to deal with the other problems sometime in the future.
How does the dentist advise Mr. Jones?
The lasting success of a cosmetic dental procedure such as porcelain veneers, dental bonding, or tooth whitening is influenced by the condition of the mouth at the time of treatment. There must be a solid, healthy foundation, so to speak, on which to build.
First things first.
It makes no sense to attach a veneer to a decayed tooth that may need a root canal. A dental implant may not integrate with the surrounding bone structure if placed at a site where there is bone recession. Tooth whitening will probably not produce favorable results where there is gum disease and exposed tooth roots.
Can Mr. Jones ever have his dream smile? Yes! There are treatments to correct all of the problems mentioned previously. But just like many other things in life, the order of operations is critical.
At Felton Dental Care – Dr. Brett R. Felton, DMD in Missoula, you will find first rate dental care and our committed team of dental professionals. We offer family and general dentistry in the Lolo, Missoula, Frenchtown and Stevensville areas. You can meet with us about porcelain crowns and veneers, tooth-colored fillings, implant-supported dentures, invisible braces, and teeth whitening.
Contact Felton Dental Care – Dr. Brett R. Felton, DMD:
406-728-0896
Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):
1750 Brooks St
Missoula, Montana
59801
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