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Losing a tooth can affect a lot more than just the look of your smile. Missing teeth affect your ability to chew and can also cause problems for your other teeth. It is essential to replace missing teeth in order to maintain oral health as well as your overall well-being. Dental implants are an excellent option to replace your natural tooth and its root without affecting your neighboring teeth, and are available from Dr. Mark Goedecke.

Why choose dental implants?

There are many reasons to choose dental implants to replace your lost or damaged teeth. According to the American Academy of Implant Dentistry, dental implants are often considered more predictable than other treatment options and are known to provide long-term successful outcomes.

Dental implants provide many benefits over other treatments such as bridgework and dentures:

• Unlike other treatment options for missing teeth, dental implants allow Dr. Mark Goedecke to replace your tooth without impacting the healthy teeth surrounding the space.

• Dental implants also protect healthy bone by preventing potential bone loss and deterioration in the jaw.
• This treatment option allows you to speak and eat normally without worrying about slippery or uncomfortable removable dentures.
• The closest thing to natural teeth, dental implants allow you to maintain your smile and natural face shape.
• These implants are built to last, providing you with a long-term solution to missing teeth.

Overall, dental implants are the next best thing to natural, healthy teeth. Choosing to undergo surgery to replace your lost or damaged teeth is an important decision. To avoid the issues caused by lost teeth, consult Dr. Mark Goedecke or visit our Mt. Pleasant office to see if you are a candidate for dental implants.

Since dental implants first started being implemented in the 1980s, they have been primarily made of titanium. Recent advances in implant technology have allowed dental implant manufacturers to shift from all-metal implants, to part-metal and part-ceramic implants, to the newer all-ceramic or zirconia implants.

Zirconia implants are made of high-impact resistant ceramic called tetragonal zirconia polycrystal (ZrO2+Y2O3). They remedy many of the issues and complaints doctors and patients have with traditional metal implants and have several advantages—let’s take a look at some of them.

Advantages of Zirconia Implants

• Do not cause allergic reactions – Although titanium is considered non-toxic, some people still have allergic reactions to titanium. Zirconia implants are inert, non-corrosive, and hypoallergenic.
• Have been used for decades in medical applications – Millions of patients have had zirconia used safely and effectively as the base material for their hip replacements. The zirconia used for medical applications also undergoes strict radiation monitoring to ensure its safety for use within the body.
• They are incredibly strong – Unlike titanium implants, zirconia offers a much higher degree of resistance to scratching, corrosion, and fracture. The aerospace industry even uses zirconia (ZrO2) due to its high resistance to heat and fracture. This all means a safer and more aesthetically pleasing result for the patient.
• One-piece design is more hygienic – Zirconia implants are a one-piece design, meaning there is nowhere for bacteria to build up or liquids to penetrate like with titanium implants. They are highly biocompatible (how a material reacts with the human body) which leads to healthier gums and no risk of corrosion.
• Implant margin is at gum not bone level – With titanium implants the margin (or gap between the implant and the tooth) is at bone level, which can lead to bacterial buildup since you can’t brush there. The zirconia implant margin, which is at gum level, allows you to brush and clean your implant and restoration regularly.

If you are in need of a restorative dental implant, it would be wise to consider zirconia due to its many advantages. It might not work in every situation, but feel free to discuss your options with Dr. Mark Goedecke or one of our Mt. Pleasant staff members.

There are different situations for which Dr. Mark Goedecke may recommend a crown, and Dr. Mark Goedecke will recommend different types of crowns depending on your unique situation. Dental crowns are made from various materials, including all-metal, porcelain-fused-to-metal, all-ceramic or porcelain, or resin. The material the crown is made of will dictate the length of time you may have to wait for it, whether or not you will need a temporary, and of course, the cost.

A crown is a protective cap. Possible reasons Dr. Mark Goedecke may want to give you a crown include:

• To cover a tooth after a root canal
• To cover a cracked or broken tooth
• To cover a weak tooth, either because of a large filling, or because of the likelihood that it will crack or break
• To cover an implant
• To cover anchor teeth that support a bridge

CEREC crowns

CEREC crowns are made of a solid block of ceramic or resin materials. This type of crown is made right in our office during a single visit. There is no need to construct a temporary crown, take impressions for the permanent crown, and wait for the crown to be made at an off-site dental laboratory to be returned to Goedecke Family Dentistry about a month later.

This type of crown uses computer technology to take a picture of the tooth that will receive the crown, as well as the surrounding teeth. Thanks to CAD software that works with this system, Dr. Mark Goedecke can design the tooth while looking in your mouth, and make sure the color matches the rest of your teeth. Also, because the crown is made from a single block of material, it is considerably stronger than many other types of crowns.

Types of traditional crowns

All metal: All-metal crowns don’t require as much tooth preparation, and therefore don’t alter the existing tooth structure as much as porcelain-fused-to-metal or ceramic crowns. They are the longest-lasting type of traditional or permanent crown, and are far less likely to break or chip. Metals used may include gold alloy, palladium, nickel, or chromium.

Porcelain fused to metal: Porcelain can be matched to your natural tooth color. A disadvantage, however, is that these types of crowns create more stress and wear on the surrounding teeth than either pure metal or resin. The metal sometimes shows through at the bottom of the tooth, near the gum line. Porcelain can chip or break, but can be made to look exactly like your real teeth.

All ceramic/all porcelain: This type of crown is most easily matched to your existing teeth. Because there is no metal, there is no risk that it will show. This type of crown is ideally suited to people who have metal allergies. The greatest disadvantage is that ceramic or porcelain may cause more wear and tear to the surrounding teeth. On the other hand, it is ideal for front teeth because they look very much like real teeth.

Resin: Resin crowns are cheaper than ceramic, porcelain, or metal crowns. This material is more prone to fracturing and causes more wear and tear on the crown itself.

Different situations warrant different types of crowns. Dr. Mark Goedecke will discuss your situation and determine which type of crown you need. Our team at Goedecke Family Dentistry is happy to answer any questions you may have about crowns, CEREC, or any other aspect of your oral health.

To learn more about CEREC, or to schedule an appointment with Dr. Mark Goedecke, please give us a call at our convenient Mt. Pleasant office!

Dr. Mark Goedecke and our team at Goedecke Family Dentistry frequently get questions about cavity causes and prevention. You brush twice a day and floss regularly. You rinse with mouthwash, just like the dentist recommended. In fact, you can’t remember the last time you had a cavity, but you think it was when you were a little kid. In all seriousness, you thought only kids got cavities.

The Signs and Symptoms of a Cavity

It’s believed that roughly 90% of North Americans will get at least one cavity in their lifetime. Those other ten percent, it seems, can eat as much pie, cake, and sugary cereals and sweets as they want. That’s not really true; just a stab at dental humor, and it was as bad as the pain your cavity is probably giving you.

When a cavity is in its initial stages, you will often be symptom-free and experience no discomfort at all. It’s not until the tooth decay has reached a certain level that you will begin to notice the signs and symptoms. While a toothache and sensitivity to hot and cold foods and liquids are surefire signs that you have a cavity, there are lesser-known symptoms as well. If you’re experiencing any of these warning signs, you may want to consider making an appointment with our office as soon as possible:

• Persistent bad breath or a bad taste in the mouth
• When you bite down, there is a sticky, tarry feeling
• Puss or discharge around a tooth
• A visible discoloring, usually black or brown
• Small pits or holes in the tooth

Routine dental care is important. While good oral hygiene, a healthy diet, and regular cleanings will deter the formation of cavities, they do not constitute a foolproof practice. A cavity can occur at any time, no matter what your age. Bacteria causes tooth decay, and no amount of brushing, flossing, and rinsing will eradicate all the bacteria from your mouth. If you think you may have a cavity, please contact our office immediately.