As a society, Americans have valued dental care for quite some time. In fact, it was almost 100 years ago when the first nylon-bristled toothbrush with a plastic handle was invented in 1938. Since then, dental care technology has greatly improved, and many general family dentistry and cosmetic dentistry practices offer various procedures for adults and children for preserving dental health. General family dentistry specializes in routine professional teeth cleaning procedures and other basic dental procedures such as cavity fillings, while cosmetic dentistry involves a wide variety of procedures for revitalizing both the appearance, and function of your teeth.
Some, but not all general family dentistry practices are capable of performing cosmetic dental procedures. Cosmetic dentistry often involves procedures outside the scope of general dental practices. These procedures specialize in restoring your teeth through teeth whitening, bonding, veneers, tooth reshaping, crown lengthening, and dental implants. This form of dentistry is becoming very popular in the United States as Americans are reported spending, on average, between $5000 and $6000 in cosmetic dentistry procedures to improve their smile. Common cosmetic dental procedures include teeth whitening products, invisible braces (which can be removed while eating), porcelain veneers, and dental implants. Dental implants are a common procedure among cosmetic dentistry patients. A dental implant procedure is used for replacing missing or damaged teeth by using a synthetic solution. The procedure places synthetic roots (typically made of titanium) into the jaw through bone socket of the missing or damaged tooth. Over the next 6 to 12 weeks, the jawbone heals, growing around the implant and anchoring it securely in the jaw. Afterwards, a synthetic tooth made to look naturally is inserted into the new root.
Dental implant procedures feature a very high success rate, which has been reported in scientific literature as 98%. Dental implant technology continues to improve, and now smaller implants known as mini dental implants are being used. Much like traditional implants, mini dental implants are constructed of various titanium alloys, but are smaller in size, and the procedure is much easier, faster and less painful. Dental implants work better than bridges or dentures because they look better, perform better, are a permanent solution, and can last a lifetime with proper care.
If you suffer from Odontophobia, a very real fear and classified phobia in the Diagnostical and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, many dental practices use sedation to help patients who suffer from Odontophobia. Sedation dentists are usually seen for dental implant procedures because of the dental surgery that is involved during the procedure. Not all patients are a good fit for dental implants, healthy gums and a strong jaw bone are necessary for the procedure, so consult with a professional dental implant specialist if you are interested. Helpful research also found here.
