Rebuilding Smiles That Last a Lifetime
In addition to being one of your most prominent features, your smile allows you the opportunity to express yourself, create lasting first impressions, and speak confidently. And, while teeth are strong, with constant use, some forms of dental damage are often inevitable.
When your smile experiences injury, decay, infection, or tooth loss, your essential function, appeal, and oral health can be significantly affected. That’s why Caldwell, NJ dentist, Dr. Bayan Rafee, provides life-like, quality restorations for all your dental health needs.
Whether you need repair for a few chips or cracks, or you require complete smile rehabilitation with the help of our many dental implant treatments, the team at Essex Dental Group has the skill set and technology to restore your smile like new! Contact our office in Caldwell, NJ, to schedule your appointment today!
CALL US: (973) 403-3455 REQUEST APPOINTMENT
Our Services for Complete Smile Restoration
We provide many ways to restore your smile. No matter the extent of your smile’s needs, our compassionate team will work with you to determine the right plan for you.
After a thorough, yet gentle, oral health examination, cleaning, and an honest discussion about our findings, Dr. Rafee will then recommend the treatments she feels will benefit your smile the most.
We offer restoration treatment plans that are tailored to meet the needs of young, adult, and senior smiles.
Our services include:
Why Should You Replace Missing Teeth?
Whether tooth loss is the result of an accident, trauma, advanced decay, or severe gum disease, missing teeth should be replaced. This is because your smile is designed to function with and house 28 permanent teeth, with the exception of up to 32 if you have your wisdom teeth.
Though one missing tooth may not seem that big a deal, unfortunately, the truth is quite the opposite. The loss of even a single tooth from your smile begins an almost domino effect of negative repercussions that will impact your overall appearance, neighboring teeth, your jawbone, your speech, and even your digestion.
Take the first steps towards improving your oral health and overall quality of life once and for all! Contact our Caldwell, NJ, practice for tooth replacement!
Options to Replace Missing Teeth
With the many innovative treatments in today’s restorative dentistry, there are many comprehensive ways to replace missing teeth completely!
Our professionals may recommend one of the following:
Crowns - are made to feel, function, and look identically to a natural tooth. When affixed to a single implant post, they provide complete dental restoration, from root to crown.
Bridges - are devices that quite literally “bridge” the gap between remaining teeth and the spaces where teeth once were. These restorations may be attached to neighboring teeth for long-lasting support.
Dentures - are removable appliances that consist of a full set of artificial teeth and are ideal for replacing many or an entire smile of missing teeth.
Dental Implants - offer a secure, permanent solution for tooth replacement. Most choose to substitute lost teeth with dental implants because they are the closest to the real thing and can last for many years, even decades with proper care.
Prosthetics such as bridges and dentures can be dental implant-supported for a permanent, complete tooth replacement.
All-On-4 - involves some of the best advances in dental implant technology, using just four implant posts to replace a full arch in a smile. This technique can be used to restore full arches on the top or bottom jaws.
How is All-on-4 Different?
With the All-on-4 process, computer-guided planning and surgery are used. This allows for the most accurate precision for ideal placement
This innovative process can be used for both the upper and lower arches. Additionally, because of the prefabrication method of your appliance, hidden metal framework can often be included in your bridge, making your new teeth much stronger and longer-lasting.
What are Dental Implants?
Dental implants are actually artificial tooth roots, consisting of body-safe titanium posts that anchor replacements for lost teeth due to trauma, extraction, severe gum diseases, or decay.
The posts are surgically inserted into the jawbone and given time to fuse correctly with living tissue and bone in a process called osseointegration. This bonding process is essential for providing long-lasting strength and durability to your jawbone.
Implant Anatomy: 101
Dental Implants will include three different parts; they are:
The Implant Post - looks like a tiny screw and is made up of titanium. The post is surgically placed in a carefully planned location within your jawbone for replacing the essential function of tooth roots and anchor the prosthetic. The post is not visible once it is placed, but it is the most crucial part of the implant.
The Abutment - is attached to the post once it has healed, fusing with the jawbone properly. The abutment is the connecting piece between the implant post and the tooth restoration. It may be shaped differently depending on which tooth restoration you choose with our dentist.
The Tooth Restoration - is the visible, prosthetic tooth or teeth. Most commonly made of porcelain materials, these restorations can include a crown, bridge, partial or full denture.
What Can I Expect with the Implant Process?
It takes several sessions over several months to properly complete dental implant treatment. The process may include initial procedures like a bone graft or gum disease treatment to ensure success.
First, if the tooth needs removal, our dentist will extract it gently and safely. Typically, during this procedure, you’re under anesthesia and/or sedation for maximized relaxation and comfort. Once your gums heal, we’ll examine the area to make sure your dentition is ready for implant placement.
The implant posts are then carefully inserted into your jawbone in a placement procedure that typically takes anywhere from two to four hours, maybe more, depending on how many implants are needed.
After several months of healing and waiting for osseointegration to complete, your abutment is connected to your implant post which will stick up above the gums. Depending on your situation, a temporary may be needed until your new, entirely personalized crown, bridge, or denture appliance is permanently affixed to your dental implant(s).
Why Choose Dental Implants?
Dental implants are unlike any other available tooth replacement options. They provide an almost endless amount of aesthetic, function, and health benefits. Some of which include:
- Restored appearance of your smile
- Improved speaking and chewing
- Enhanced comfort
- Greater durability
- Convenience
- Increased self-esteem
- Improved long-lasting oral health
Can Anyone Get Dental Implants?
For the most part, yes. As long as you’re in good oral and overall health, have gums that are free of infection or disease, and enough bone structure to support implants, chances are you’re a great candidate for dental implants.
However, we do not recommend implant treatment for children and teens with still-developing smiles and those with certain autoimmune or health conditions that could affect the healing process.
Why Might I Need a Bone Graft?
If your jawbone is determined to be too soft during your examination or there isn't enough volume, we’ll likely recommend a bone graft to guarantee effective positioning of the implant.
During this procedure, we may take a section of bone selected from another area of your body or use a special bone grafting material and graft it into your jawbone. Then, over several months, the graft gradually builds-up new bone, strong enough to successfully hold your implant in place.
Have More Questions About Implants? Ask Dr. Rafee!
As with any dental procedure, our team understands you may have many questions. Below are a few answers Dr. Rafee has provided to some of the most common inquiries about dental implants!
Is Getting Dental Implants Painful?
Answer: Once the area is numbed properly, placement is typically no more painful than a tooth extraction. You can request oral sedation to help you feel relaxed during treatment.
How Much Do Dental Implants Cost?
Answer: The cost of dental implants will vary. It heavily relies on factors such as how many teeth need replacing, how many implants are needed, which final restoration will be placed, and if there are any procedures needed to prep the area for success such as bone grafts or extraction. However, it’s important to understand implants are an investment for your overall oral health and quality of life. Remember, dental implants are designed to last a lifetime!
Will Insurance Cover My Implants?
Answer: To determine your options, we recommend you contact our office to discuss financing dental implants. We will be happy to answer any questions regarding insurance coverage as well as go over our in-house financing options with you.
How Long Does the Process Take?
Answer: dental implant treatment from start to finish can take anywhere from several months to a little over a year. Again, depending on your specific needs.
What is the Fabrication Process for Dentures, Partial Dentures, and Bridges?
The dentures, partial, and bridge prosthetics in today’s dentistry are more natural looking and more comfortable now than ever.
For your restoration to take proper shape; impressions are taken of your gums. This imprint is then used as the foundation of your prosthetic to which the artificial teeth are created. The model will be tested to ensure a perfect fit and aesthetics.
The framework of your prosthetic consists of a pink, acrylic resin (nylon) polymer, which is molded to replicate your natural gum shape and color.
What Are the Different Types of Partial Dentures?
There are many types of partial denture appliances, with the five most common being:
- Cast Metal Removable Partial Dentures: are the most common type of removable partial denture consists of high-quality replacement teeth on a rigid cast metal frame.
- Acrylic Resin Removable Partial Dentures: involve the replacement teeth permanently attached to a pink, acrylic base that mimics your natural gums.
- Flexible Partial Dentures: are attached with thin, gum colored clasps that fit into the natural spaces around your teeth. They are made for maximized function and comfortability.
- Fixed Bridges: are an excellent solution for those with one or two missing teeth with healthy teeth at either end. Rather than being removable, a fixed bridge always remains in your mouth and is brushed just like your existing teeth.
- Implant-Supported Bridges: are ideal if you are missing too many teeth for a fixed bridge, or do not want to damage your existing healthy tooth structure. These prosthetics are supported by implants instead of natural teeth.
What if I’m Missing Almost All of My Teeth?
For patients missing multiple or all their teeth, we provide numerous implant-supported denture options. Continue reading to find out more!
Immediate Dentures
An immediate full denture is placed right after teeth are extracted. Immediate dentures offer the benefit of never having to be without teeth.
Overdentures or “Snap-On” Dentures
Overdentures are denture appliances you can literally “snap-on” and are supported by two to four implant posts that offer a secure foundation for your denture restoration.
Implant-Supported Dentures
An implant-supported denture is used when a person doesn't have any teeth in the jaw but has enough bone to support implants. Dentures supported by implants have special attachments that snap into place, providing long-lasting security.
Traditional dentures rest on the gums, often using natural suction for remaining in place. Implant-supported dentures are just that, permanently affixed to dental implants.
How Can I Maintain My New Teeth?
You may be surprised to learn that cleaning your implant prosthetic is the same as caring for natural teeth. With daily brushing, flossing, diligent oral hygiene, maintaining your new smile can be easy!
However, we do recommend if you have a history of teeth clenching or grinding, you invest in a nightguard for further protection of your restorations.
Achieve the Healthy, Beautiful, and Functional Smile You Deserve!
If you’re missing one or more teeth and want to achieve the stability and confidence that comes with a full smile, contact our Caldwell, NJ office to schedule your consultation for dental implants today! Dr. Bayan Rafee is passionate about providing exceptional dental care to individuals and families throughout the Caldwell, Montvale, and Woodland Park communities.
CALL US: (973) 403-3455 REQUEST APPOINTMENT