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By Jeffrey Mason, DMD
October 23, 2018
Category: Dental Procedures

Dental ExamGiven how dental implants can save your smile, you may be wondering if you are a good candidate for the procedure. Well, that’s a great question and it has a great answer! Just about anyone is a good candidate for dental implants, provided that you are healthy and want to replace your missing teeth with a natural-looking solution. Read below to learn if this procedure is right for you, and if you live in Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey, call Drs. Jeffrey Mason and Seth Perlmutter of Mason Dental Associates for personal guidance on the matter

Candidate Requirements

There are a few considerations which can potentially affect your healing and recovery from the dental implant procedure, and whether the implants will be successful. You must share your health history with your dentist including if you:

  • Have diabetes and whether it’s controlled with medication
  • Smoke, use tobacco products, or drink excessive amounts of alcohol
  • Have a history of periodontal disease, or have had radiation to your jaws or face

Dental implants also require a good amount of bone to support the dental implants. Once dental implants are placed, your body will create more bone, which fuses with the dental implant and locks it in place. However, if you have worn dentures for a long period of time, your bone may be insufficient for the dental implants and you may need a bone graft.

The Benefits of Dental Implants

Implants provide benefits that can’t be matched by bridgework, partials, or dentures including that they are:

  • Naturally Beautiful: Dental implant crowns are made of light-reflective materials that look just like tooth enamel
  • Totally Stable: Implants are locked in bone and will never move around
  • Easy to Maintain: You brush and floss implants just like natural teeth

Intrigued? Call Today!

If you want to restore the beauty and function of your smile, it’s time to find out if you are a good candidate for dental implants. For more information about implants or any other restorative and cosmetic dental services, call Drs. Jeffrey Mason and Seth Perlmutter of Mason Dental Associates in Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey today!

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By Jeffrey Mason, DMD
February 27, 2015
Category: Oral Health
Tags: missing teeth  
ReplacingMissingBackTeethDeservesaHighPriority

For most people, replacing missing front teeth takes a higher priority over missing back teeth. The reason is obvious: others can see those missing in front, but not necessarily those in the back.

From a functional view, however, you should still consider replacing missing back teeth. Not only will it improve your chewing ability, it may also prevent a chain reaction of negative effects to your remaining teeth.

Teeth are held in place in the jawbone by a membrane called the periodontal ligament. The ligament is a living tissue that allows teeth to move to keep contact with adjacent and opposing teeth as natural wear occurs. When a space is created by a missing tooth, this natural movement accelerates and the teeth may shift beyond normal ranges.

As a result you can encounter excessive mobility of teeth from bite irregularities, uneven tooth wear, bone loss, potential painful problems with the temporo-mandibular joints (connecting the lower jaw to the skull), and a loss in facial height.

There are three basic options for this kind of tooth replacement. The best option is dental implants: these free-standing replacements don't normally affect surrounding teeth, they're easier to clean, and they help support the bite. On the downside, there must be enough remaining bone to support the implant.

The next best option is a fixed bridge. This option only works, however, if there are teeth on either side of the missing tooth space capable of supporting the bridge, and they must be reduced in size by removing the enamel with the dental drill. They also have a tendency to retain plaque, the main cause of gum disease.

That leaves the last, and least favorable, option, a removable partial denture. They may also trap food and be difficult to wear. They can move in the mouth, stressing — and possibly loosening — the remaining teeth that hold them in place. With all its drawbacks, though, if a partial denture is the only solution to missing back teeth, it's a better alternative than doing nothing and risking long-term problems.

If you would like more information on replacement options for back teeth, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Replacing Back Teeth.”

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