Dental Implants Cheaper Than Dentures? Colorado Springs Cosmetic Dentists Explain How! PART 3

In this three-part article series, experienced dentists explain how the once-off cost of dental implants works out to be less expensive than the accrued cost of wearing dentures for many years.

Welcome to the final installment of this three-part article series on how the cost of dentures compare with that of dental implants. Previously, in Part 2, a Colorado Springs cosmetic dentist revealed that wearing dentures comes hand-in-hand with a variety of repeat costs that include:

• Anesthetic gels and ointments: Dentures can cause the gums to become terribly sore and uncomfortable.
• Adhesives strips: To help stabilize dentures and prevent them from slipping around or even falling out.
• Overnight soaking solutions: To keep dentures safe and hygienic overnight while you’re asleep.

But perhaps the greatest of these repeated costs is the need to have removable dentures refitted every few years or so. This becomes necessary as the jawbone atrophies, wastes away and physically changes in shape. So, dentures that may previously have fitted really well become increasingly loose and uncomfortable and eventually, patients will need to see the dentist to have a new set of dentures made.

This initially only happens every few years or so, but the rate of bone loss increases until eventually…

The Point of No Return

“At some stage, your jawbone will become so deteriorated and atrophied and your mouth so sore-ridden and uncomfortable that dentures will no longer be able to provide you with a workable teeth replacement solution. And unfortunately, it is also at this stage that the jawbone will be too thin and weak to support dental implants,” say dentists in Colorado Springs.

This is the terrible irony faced by so many denture wearers: through a fundamental lack of stimulation of the jawbone, dentures will eventually leave you completely toothless and with no viable tooth replacement option!

How Are Dental Implants Different?

The procedures required to have dental implants placed may cost more than having removable dentures fitted – even significantly so – but the outcomes make it entirely worth it. Dental implants function, feel and look like natural teeth and, most importantly, they support a healthy, strong jawbone.

With one surgical appointment, Colorado Springs residents can get a beautiful set of new, non-removable teeth that can last them a lifetime without any additional expense other than the routine professional maintenance needed by anyone. If you look after your new teeth, you’ll never need to spend another cent on replacing teeth – forget costly refittings.

“Where removable dentures simply cannot compete with implants is in the quality of life implants make possible. When you’re able to eat, speak and smile confidently and without any discomfort, your life changes in a way you can never imagine possible,” say Colorado Springs cosmetic dentists. “We routinely see denture patients getting new teeth with implants and it’s one of the most satisfying parts of the job seeing their
lives transform.”

A Final Note on Dental Implants

Without a doubt, dental implants are the most sophisticated and – in the long run – cost effective solution there is to the kind of edentulism caused by untreated gum disease. Dentures may initially offer Colorado Springs residents a workable solution, but it really is only a matter of time before discomfort, pain and repeated costs end up chipping away at your quality of life and confidence.

A Dentist in Colorado Springs Busts Major Myths About Oral Health, PART 4

Using sound logic and expert advice, this four-part article series dispels some of the most common myths surrounding oral health and dental treatment.

Welcome to the final installment of this four-part article series on the most common myths on dental health. Previously, in Part 3, an experienced dentist in Colorado Springs dispelled the following two myths:

Myth # 5: If dental insurance doesn’t cover it, it’s probably not worth considering.

Few dental insurance companies offer comprehensive coverage for advanced dental treatment, such as dental implants. This doesn’t mean dental implants aren’t the most sophisticated solution available for the replacement of missing teeth, though. You shouldn’t allow your dental insurance to dictate your choice of treatment.

Myth # 6: Tooth loss is normal consequence of getting older.

Gum disease causes tooth loss. Not getting older alone. If you care for your teeth properly, you should be able to keep them all until well in your 80’s and 90’s.

Let’s move along and take a look at two final common misconceptions…

Myth # 7: Dental implants are the most painful treatment you can get.

“There is this strange misconception amongst patients that dental implants are excruciatingly painful to have done, and yet nothing could be further from the truth,” says the dentist in Colorado Springs. “First of all, we always perform dental implant surgery using sedation and anesthesia, so patients rarely remember a thing, never mind feel a thing.

“Second of all, the very nature of modern dental implant procedures has changed dramatically over the past two decades what with the introduction of more sophisticated diagnostic technology and placement techniques. Before we even operate on a patient, we know exactly what the problem looks like underneath the gums; we are fully aware of the structure of the jawbone and the proximity of neighboring teeth and we know exactly what to do. So, one or two small incisions and that’s it!

“With procedures that are minimally invasive, Colorado Springs residents are enjoying a much shorter recovery period with hardly any pain at all; certainly nothing that can’t be managed with over-the-counter pain medications.”

Myth # 8: Removable dentures are the standard of care for people who have lost all or most of their teeth.

“Removable dentures may be the traditional teeth replacement technology for patients who have lost most or all of their teeth, but they are a far cry from the modern standard of care! Nowadays, we have a suite of dental implant techniques that are capable of giving patients a full set of permanent teeth again, often in as little as one day, with one surgery,” says the Colorado Springs dentist.

“The teeth provided by these techniques feel more natural, function better and look far more beautiful than removable dentures. They don’t shift around; they don’t typically cause acute discomfort while eating and don’t need to be removed after meals for cleaning or at nighttime. Dental implants avoid many of the challenges associated with removable dentures and can promote a much better quality of life for patients!

“Almost all dentists in Colorado Springs have moved away from dentures and if asked, will recommend dental implants over and above this archaic teeth replacement technique. Do not be mistaken in thinking that dentures are the standard approach to patient care, because they really aren’t.”

How To Avoid Getting Bad Porcelain Veneers (Part 4)

Getting porcelain veneers can be fun or traumatic, depending on whether the final outcome is beautiful or badly flawed. Learn the 10 most common mistakes when getting porcelain veneers, and how to avoid them.

You are reading part 4 of a four part series describing the 10 most common mistakes we've seen dentists make when placing dental veneers on their patients. By reading this series, you will be empowered with the knowledge to help you avoid choosing a dentist who is lacking experience or training in cosmetic procedures such as veneers. The skill required for doing a total smile makeover -- and making it look extraordinarily beautiful -- is an art that cannot be learned in a weekend continuing education seminar. It takes months of intense learning and practice.

The first 7 most common mistakes were covered in the previous articles in this series. Please go back and read them first if you haven’t read them already. Now, shall we continue….

8. The eighth mistake we’d like to cover here is miscommunication or a lack of communication with the patient. When a cosmetic dentist in Colorado Springs is consulting with you about your smile and the smile makeover recommendations that he has, he should not be rushed and should take as much time as needed to answer all your questions and address your concerns. Most dentists in Colorado Springs will do a wax-up to show you how your smile can be improved and how the veneers will look on your teeth, and they will also show you several before and after photos of previous clients. He should be able to explain the current esthetic state of your gum line, and whether you require periodontal surgery for optimal results with the veneers. You presumably will have questions about the materials used, such as the ceramics, the hemostatic agents, the dental cement, etc., and your dentist should be able to answer these questions without getting defensive or rushing through the conversation.

9. The next mistake is taking on too many clients at one time. When you are paying top dollar for a cosmetic dental procedure, you don’t want to feel like a number on an assembly line. Your cosmetic dentist in Colorado Springs should be focused on you during your appointments. If you have to sit in the waiting room longer than fifteen minutes past your appointment, if the dentist seems rushed or can’t remember the specifics of your case, or if you feel like you’re being herded like cattle along with the other patients in the office at the same time, you should move on to another dentist who schedules his patients appropriately.

10. Finally, the last -- but not the least -- problem to look out for is a dentist who cannot tell you what certifications he has or what professional associations he is a member of. Who did your dentist learn cosmetic dentistry techniques from? How long has he been studying and practicing cosmetic dentistry? Does he teach other dentists his techniques?

We hope you have enjoyed this series!

How To Avoid Getting Bad Porcelain Veneers (Part 3)

Getting porcelain veneers can be fun or traumatic, depending on whether the final outcome is beautiful or badly flawed. Learn the 10 most common mistakes when getting porcelain veneers, and how to avoid them.

This is part 3 of a series explaining the top 10 most common mistakes made by inexperienced dentists doing porcelain veneers, and how you can avoid picking the wrong dentist. We also briefly described in the first part of the series how amazing well-done veneers can look. It is our goal that after reading this series, you will be able to choose the right cosmetic dentist in Colorado Springs for you and avoid any major mistakes.

5. The fourth mistake we see when patients come to our office with veneers done by another dentist is intense staining under the veneers. If the dentist uses a ferric sulfate solution as a hemostatic (anti-bleeding) agent during the procedure, this creates a major problem. This can result in dark black stains under the veneers that can appear in a matter of weeks or months. The proper method for stopping bleeding of the gums during a veneer procedure is to use an aluminum chloride solution. When you are interviewing a potential dentist to do your veneers, it can be a wise idea to simply ask what the dentist uses as a hemostatic agent. If he’s using ferric sulfate, keep looking for the right dentist because you haven’t found him yet!

6. Another red flag to watch out for is the dentist who does not provide before and after photos of previous cases. (Teeth-only photographs can be very telling of the dentist’s artistic abilities without revealing the identity of the patient.) First of all, it is important for dentist’s to document every step of the case with photograph and x-ray footage. This is critical for maintaining a precise record of every procedure he does, and it is important for legal reasons as well as for providing patient “testimonials” in marketing materials. Therefore, if a dentist in Colorado Springs is unable to show you before and after photos of successful cases, this is a sign that either the dentist has no experience or he is terrible at charting and keeping himself out of legal trouble.

7. This next mistake may be an honest and somewhat benign error, but it could be a sign of lack of experience. When making impressions of your mouth for the temporary and permanent veneers, your cosmetic dentist in Colorado Springs should make two impressions. Unless your dentist is utilizing high-tech digital impressions, it is actually quite common for there to be a flaw in the impression. He may send it off to the laboratory for your veneers to be constructed, and then end up with the lab sending requesting a second impression because of a flaw in the first one.

Come back next week for part 4 in this series.

How To Avoid Getting Bad Porcelain Veneers (Part 2)

Getting porcelain veneers can be fun or traumatic, depending on whether the final outcome is beautiful or badly flawed. Learn the 10 most common mistakes when getting porcelain veneers, and how to avoid them.

We wrote in part 1 of this series about why getting porcelain veneers can be an incredibly fun and rewarding experience for both the patient and the dentist. The results of good veneers done by a cosmetic dentist in Colorado Springs with an exceptional amount of training and experience can be life-changing. Because a smile is one of the most prominent features of the face, a total smile makeover can enhance your appearance and make you look more youthful. However, badly done veneers can be devastating.

If you missed part 1 of this series, click here to read the first two major mistakes made by dentists when they do veneers with a lack of expertise. Read on to learn more common mistakes and how to avoid them.

3. The third common mistake is failure to use a good esthetic ceramicist. In this case, the overall skill of the dentist may be quite good, but the final outcome will look dull or fake. Make sure your dentist in Colorado Springs has a good relationship with a trusted ceramicist. The wrong materials used in making your veneers could make your veneers susceptible to irreversible staining, or even a problem with the way light reflects off your teeth. You do not want people to say, “Why did you get veneers?” or even, “What nice veneers you have!” When you pay upwards of $1,000 per porcelain veneer, people better be telling you that you have beautiful teeth! The right ceramicist will make all the difference.

4. A fourth mistake is doing the wrong number of veneers. Many patients visit their cosmetic dentist in Colorado Springs and say they want to get veneers on 6 upper teeth (the ones that show when you smile for a picture). The problem here is that most individuals actually show the top 8 - 10 teeth when they smile. When 6 teeth are done instead of 8 or 10, the smile can look imbalanced or it can be obvious that the front 6 don’t match the rest of the teeth in the mouth. People will notice this during a casual conversation with you. Even if you have an unusually small mouth opening, you will probably show 8 teeth when you smile. If your dentist lets you get away with having 6 teeth done, this could be a red flag that you should look for another dentist. On the other hand, if your dentist tries to convince you to get 8 or 10 teeth done instead of 6, please understand that he is not just trying to make more money. He is genuinely trying to offer you a more desirable result.

Come back next week to read part 3 of this series.

How To Avoid Getting Bad Porcelain Veneers

Getting porcelain veneers can be fun or traumatic, depending on whether the final outcome is beautiful or badly flawed. Learn the 10 most common mistakes when getting porcelain veneers, and how to avoid them.

While going to the dentist is often seen as one of the least enjoyable things one could do with their day, getting porcelain veneers in Colorado Springs can be an incredibly fun experience. When you go in for your initial consultation and subsequent procedures, the attention is all on you and your smile throughout the entire appointment. The dentist and his team are 100% focused on what it will take to make your smile look incredible. The results are usually stunning. After getting porcelain veneers, many individuals begin to attract new opportunities and new social connections as their pearlescent smile tends to draw people in. This is one of the reasons why dentists in Colorado Springs love to do porcelain veneers on smile makeover patients.

However, some cosmetic dentists in Colorado Springs are so eager to help their smile makeover patients achieve such life-changing results that they start doing porcelain veneers for paying clients before they have gotten adequate training and experience. The art of placing veneers is not something that can be learned in a weekend continuing education course. It often takes years of post-graduate training and practice to become a master of the art. There are many details, materials, and technologies that must be attended to when placing veneers, but here we describe ten of the most common mistakes. As a patient, you can arm yourself with this knowledge to avoid getting bad veneers -- and having to pay to get them re-done by another dentist.

1. The first thing that must be addressed before the veneers are done is the gum line. The height of the periodontal tissue at the top of each tooth makes a huge difference in the overall appearance of your smile. If too much gum tissue is visible when you smile, this can either make teeth look too small or cause someone to have a characteristic “horse teeth” appearance. It is often referred to as a gummy smile. In addition to the height of the gum line, the symmetry must also be examined. If the gum line is lower in the front teeth than it is in the canines, this can give the appearance of fangs. The majority of patients getting veneers will require some periodontal reshaping done either with a laser or surgical method before getting veneers. Beware if your cosmetic dentist pays no attention to your gum line before proceeding.

2. The second mistake to look out for is failure to do a wax-up or any kind of preliminary procedure to show you what the finished porcelain veneers will look like in your mouth. A wax-up is a 3-D model that is placed over your teeth to give some idea of how the veneers will look, and a wax-up will also help you and your dentist assess whether there will be speech difficulties or other issues with the veneers. You definitely want to know these things before anything permanent is done so that the problem can be fixed before the veneers are even crafted.

Next week, we’ll discuss more common mistakes to avoid when looking for a cosmetic dentist in Colorado Springs for porcelain veneers.

Immediate Load Dental Implants

Read this article to get the 411 on immediate load or “instant” dental implants.

If you’re missing some teeth and you’re searching online about getting dental implants, you will eventually discover that there are many different “brand names” of dental implants. Each type claims to have their own special dental implant that is better than all the other dental implants out there. Many of these companies advertise to implant dentists rather than consumers, but some implant dentists will promote the particular type of dental implant that they offer in their own office.

One particularly prominent kind of dental implants offered in Colorado Springs that is coming to the forefront today is the immediate load or “instant” dental implant. Doesn't that sound nice already? Wouldn't it be great if you could walk into your dentist’s office and instantly receive a dental implant in no time at all? While that isn't exactly possible yet, the instant load dental implant is as close as it gets to that Jetson’s world ideal of the dental implant.

Pioneered by a company known as Sargon Immediate Tooth Replacement System, the immediate load dental implant system allows patients to get a dental implant in exactly one procedure. You see, the “old” way of doing things was for patients to go into the implant dentist’s office for the dental implant procedure, only to receive the surgical placement of a metal rod and abutment. No crown was placed on the metal abutment during that first visit, so the patient went home with a visible metallic thing showing in the mouth. For people who need dental implants in the front of the mouth, or more than one dental implant, having a metal abutment show when they smile could be quite an embarrassment. The typical procedure was that the patient would wait for weeks or even months for a porcelain ceramic crown to be made. They would then go to a cosmetic dentist for the placement of the crown, only after waiting such a lengthy period of time. But who wants to pay all that money for a dental implant, only to have to wait up to six months for the finished product… No more family photos, social events, job interviews, weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, or sales meetings until the tooth arrives for placement on the abutment. Life is on hold -- officially -- until you can relax and smile without someone looking at you and wondering what that piece of metal is hanging from your gum tissue. Okay, so maybe it would make a striking and realistic Halloween costume. You can trade your job for a gig in the haunted house.

With instant load dental implants in Colorado Springs, there is no wait time between the surgical procedure and the placement of the ceramic crown. When you leave the dentist’s office in Colorado Springs after having the metal root and abutment surgically placed, you will also leave with a prosthetic tooth that looks and feels just like a natural tooth. You can smile and relax, knowing that you’re looking your best.

The dental implant surgery for instant dental implants in Colorado Springs only takes about one hour. Theoretically, you could have the surgery done during your lunch break. Local anesthesia is provided so that you won’t feel any pain, but you will be awake during the procedure. Relax or watch TV while the procedure is being done. There may be some minimal swelling or tenderness in the area after the surgery, but you could be ready to go back to work even the next day.

Benefits of Choosing Dental Implants

This article can help you decide whether to choose dental implants or dentures.

There are few things quite as embarrassing as attending a major social event, job interview, face-to-face sales presentation, or meeting a special someone for the first time when you are missing one or more teeth in a noticeable area of the mouth. It can cause a person to avoid smiling or laughing, or even be afraid to speak up much, for fear of being “found out” -- fear of being seen as the toothless one. Unfortunately, people do judge based on appearance, and having particular dental imperfections such as missing teeth may be judged unfairly. People will jump to conclusions about social class, hygiene, or smoking and drug use habits. Besides the social aspect, missing a tooth presents a health problem. It can lead to periodontal (gum) disease, which is a risk factor for heart disease and even autoimmune disorders. Thankfully, with today’s modern technologies, no one has to suffer the harsh consequences of having a missing tooth.

The absolute cheapest option for replacing a missing tooth is to get dentures, otherwise termed as “false teeth.” Dentures are removable dental prostheses that need to be taken out and cleaned after eating or drinking anything. They may become odiferous, so it is recommended to soak them in a special denture cleaner each night so they won’t take on the scent of bad breath and food particles. Many people who wear dentures have noticed that their dentures click when they talk, and sometimes they may even become loose and wobble or fall out. This can quite possibly be even more embarrassing than missing a tooth. People around you may be taken by surprise to see your dentures move or fall out, and it can be a socially awkward situation in general. Even for those with a good sense of humor, this is humiliating when the dentures wobble or fall out at exactly the wrong time.

Dental implants in Colorado Springs cost more than dentures in the beginning. However, implants are permanent and don’t need to be replaced like dentures do. And you can clean and maintain your dental implants the same way you clean and maintain the rest of your teeth. They aren’t removable and you don’t need any special tools or cleaning kits for them besides the ordinary toothbrush, toothpaste, and dental floss. Therefore, the overall cost investment over the long-term is perhaps even cheaper than dentures.

Because dental implants involve a surgical procedure, some patients feel hesitant to try them so they try dentures without ever considering the dental implant option. But the first step towards getting dental implants is to visit an implant dentist in Colorado Springs. Your dentist will determine if you are a good candidate for dental implants. (Most people are, unless they have severe bone loss in the jaw area.) The entire dental implant procedure takes about one hour under local anesthesia. Most patients drive home and are back to work the next day.

How To Find a Top Cosmetic Dentist in Colorado Springs

This article explains the difference between a general dentist who does cosmetic dental services and a cosmetic dentist who has been specially trained in this field.

Many general dentists in today’s day and age are doing cosmetic dental procedures such as teeth whitening and porcelain veneers. They may even advertise themselves as cosmetic dentists even though they are actually just general dentists who do some cosmetic procedures. It can be confusing sometimes for consumers to discern the difference, since there is no set of regulations for the practice of cosmetic dentistry or the use of that term in marketing materials. As long as a person is licensed in the field of dentistry, he may call himself a cosmetic dentist in Colorado Springs.

Now sometimes, you might not actually need a fully trained cosmetic dentist. Sometimes a good general dentist will do. For instance, for routine cleaning and maintenance of your dental implants or porcelain veneers, your regular general dentist’s office should suffice. If you live closer to a general dentist that you know and prefer to see on a regular basis (which may be more affordable than going to a cosmetic dentist for a routine cleaning and checkup), it can be a smart step to choose the general dentist for routine occasions.

However, if you are in need of an ultimate smile makeover, you will need to see a cosmetic dentist in Colorado Springs if you want to have the absolute finest results. For instance, if you need your teeth whitened, a general dentist will probably make impressions of your mouth and then send you home with an expensive home whitening kit. The guesswork will be up to you concerning how long to leave the trays in your mouth, and the entire process could take weeks of wearing these trays for a certain amount of time each day. A cosmetic dentist will whiten your teeth professionally in his office. The entire process will likely only take an hour, and the financial expense will likely be very similar in this case to the whitening kit that a general dentist will sell to you.

If you need porcelain veneers or a porcelain crown for a dental implant, you will without question want to go to a cosmetic dentist, rather than a general dentist who can place a veneer or crown. The difference in the finished result is quite striking. A cosmetic dentist will use a professional ceramicist who will custom-make your veneers to best fit your mouth and facial shape. The veneers will look like natural teeth, except that they won’t stain like a natural tooth, and they will likely not need to be replaced for a couple of decades. A general dentist in Colorado Springs will not custom-make your veneers. They will be shaped exactly like everyone else’s veneers, and they may start to turn yellowish after a few years or even months. People may compliment you and say, “Your veneers are lovely. Who did them?” When you go to a cosmetic dentist, people will say you have a beautiful smile, but they will have no idea you actually have dental veneers.

An Overview of Cosmetic Dentistry Services in Colorado Springs

Few people realize the diverse variety of ways your cosmetic dentist in Colorado Springs can help you transform troublesome teeth into a movie star smile.

Many people are still unaware of the many different cosmetic dentistry services that are available from properly qualified cosmetic dentists. However, the truth is that no matter what cosmetic imperfection you may have in your teeth or your smile, a cosmetic dentist in Colorado Springs can help you!

Are you seeking a more polished look for an upcoming event such as a wedding or graduation, or do you want to appear more confident and professional in your career? A cosmetic dentist can help you get the perfect smile you’ve always dreamed about. Cosmetic dentists use a wide variety of different tools and techniques to fix teeth that are broken, crooked, discolored, too small, eroded, or even missing. High quality materials look just like natural teeth, but are resistant to the damage and discoloration that natural teeth tend to accumulate over time.

Teeth that are crowded or aligned the wrong way can greatly affect your appearance, making you self-conscious in social situations and when having your photo made. You don’t want to make a bad impression when you open your mouth to speak, smile, or laugh, but it’s a fact that people judge others based on the appearance of their teeth. If you suffer from misaligned teeth, you don’t necessarily need braces. There are other options such as Invisalign, crowns, or porcelain veneers.

If you’re a coffee, soda, wine, or tea drinker, you probably have some teeth discoloration. Likewise, if you don’t brush your teeth regularly, or if you’re a smoker, your teeth will definitely appear yellowish or brownish instead of an attractive pearly white. Another cause of dental stains is damaged teeth in which some of the enamel has been destroyed. Professional teeth whitening a few times a year can help with stains caused by certain beverages and tobacco. However, if your teeth are stained because of damage to the enamel, your  cosmetic dentist Colorado Springs can help you with crowns and porcelain veneers.

Does an excessive amount of gum tissue show when you smile? This is often referred to as a “gummy” smile, and it’s a common problem that many cosmetic dentists see in their practice. The good news is that there are many different therapies to fix a gummy smile. Treatments may include recontouring, laser surgery, veneers, crowns, lip surgery, or jaw surgery. Your dentist can help you figure out the best choice for you.

If left untreated, damaged or worn teeth can create health problems. Poor dental health can lead to further decay and even tooth loss, but eventually it may become a risk factor for systemic diseases such as cardiovascular disease. Crowns, porcelain veneers, or composite veneers can benefit your health by addressing any underlying dental issues.

Do you have large gaps between your teeth? This can be an embarrassing problem, but your cosmetic dentist in Colorado Springs can help you fix this problem. The solution is usually as simple as Invisalign. Depending on the size of the gaps between your teeth, crowns or porcelain veneers may be better options.

Most inevitably, if you are missing any teeth, it can destroy your image and your confidence. It may even destroy your career and make social events extremely painful. While dentures and bridges were often the only solution to missing teeth in the past, dental implants are usually the top choice for replacing missing teeth today. Dental implant surgery can be done with one short procedure, and the dramatic results can be life-changing. You can feel confident that your teeth won’t wobble or click when you speak or chew, and no one will ever know the implant isn’t your natural tooth.