Natural Smiles • Apr 01, 2017
You’ve spent a long time feeling insecure about your smile. You might even be living with mouth pain because your jaws and gums don’t function like they should. You no longer have to live that way. Full-mouth reconstruction can not only make you feel better about the way your smile looks, it can also improve your dental health.
At Natural Smiles in Louisville, KY, we can develop a plan of restorative and cosmetic procedures that will make you feel better and give you a reason to flash a new, beautiful smile.
Full-Mouth Reconstruction
Full-mouth reconstruction not only restores the look of your teeth, but it restores how they are structured and how they function. In other words, a full-mouth restoration is not just a smile makeover since it also improves or restores function to your teeth and gums. It’s actually all related.
If you have a broken or crooked tooth, it can affect your bite. That can lead to difficulty chewing or put pressure on your jaw which can cause soreness in the neck or headaches.
Do You Need It?
There are several reasons you might need full-mouth reconstruction:
- Do you have missing teeth?
- Do you have teeth that are chipped, broken, or worn down?
- Do you have jaw pain or does your jaw click or pop when you open and close your mouth?
- Do you have frequent headaches and muscle tenderness?
If Dr. Kiran Gill thinks you might be a good candidate for full-mouth reconstruction, she’ll do an evaluation to determine exactly what procedures you’ll need.
Every reconstruction is unique. Dr. Gill will look at the health of your teeth, gums, and jaw. Then she will set out a plan for you that might include:
Teeth Whitening
This could be the easiest, yet most dramatic, step toward a bright smile. If you have yellow, dark, and discolored teeth, Dr. Gill’s professional teeth whitening can lift those stains in a very short time period.
Periodontal treatment (scaling and root planing)
If you have developed gum disease and the pockets between your gum and teeth have gotten too deep, scaling and planing may be necessary. Scaling is when plaque and tartar above and below the gumline are removed. Root planing is a procedure where your teeth roots are smoothed out to help them reattached to your teeth.
Tooth filling
If you have a cavity or cavities in your teeth, Dr. Gill may recommend fillings.
Dental crowns, bridges, inlays, and onlays
A dental crown is a tooth-shaped cap that is placed over a tooth to restore its shape and functionality. Dental bridges involve connecting crowns to fill the gaps created by missing teeth. A dental inlay fills in the space between the rounded edges at the center of a tooth’s surface. A dental onlay works like an inlay except it can cover the entire biting surface of the tooth. Dental onlays are sometimes referred to as “partial crowns.”
Dental bonding
With a dental bond, resin is shaped and polished to match the surrounding teeth. It is then bonded to your teeth using adhesives and a curing light.
Dental Veneers
These are wafer-thin pieces of porcelain that are sealed over your teeth to recreate the natural look of your teeth. They can cover imperfections and even be used to close gaps between teeth.
Dental implants
A dental implant is a titanium post that acts as a tooth root. It’s surgically placed into your jawbone so that a replacement tooth can be attached by an abutment.
Braces
This might be either traditional braces or Invisalign, which are smooth, see-through trays tailored for your mouth.
Dentures
Dentures are removable appliances that replace missing teeth. They are an option if you’ve lost all of your natural teeth whether from gum disease, tooth decay, or injury.
TMD (temporomandibular) treatment
This would be a correction of problems with the temporomandibular joint and your bite. Treatment can include bite guards and medication. Often with TMDs, there is some associated teeth grinding (also called bruxism). Dr. Gill might also fit you with a mouthguard to be worn while you sleep to prevent further damage to your teeth.
Treatment Plan
Once Dr. Gill has determined what procedures you’ll need, she’ll set up your treatment plan. This will include what has to be done and the time frame for doing each one. This will let you know what to expect and what kind of time-frame you’re looking at.
Call Natural Smiles at 502-804-5420 to get an evaluation. You can also reach us through our online form.