This patient presented with a broken implant crown. It was done 20 years ago in Los Angeles, California. What made this case interesting is that the dentist had retired and there was no record of the type or size of the implant. I sent pictures to different implant companies, but none were familiar with the design. I eventually figured out the implant manufacturer, but after checking, discovered they were no longer in business. Another complication was that the screw was stripped and difficult to remove. Eventually after trying different sized external hexed implant fixtures, I was able to get one to fit and made a beautiful new implant crown. Here’s the clinical photos:
broken implant crown/stripped screwthe old implant external hex attachmentmaking the new implant crownthe new implant crownhappy patient
I’m so grateful to be awarded The University of Maryland School of Dentistry Honorary Alumnus Award for my teaching dental students and Advanced General Dentistry Residents!!!
Here are the clinical photos of a Valplast partial denture I delivered today:
missing upper right back teethpartial denture in placeValplast partial
A Valplast partial denture is thin, lightweight, and flexible with invisible clasps that surround the natural teeth. Flexible partials are a quality premium product that offer the benefits of superior esthetics, comfort, function and bio-compatibility. I use these as a temporary solution to fill in missing teeth while we place implants, or a fixed bridge; or as a final solution, if costs are an issue.
Benefits:
ESTHETIC – the translucent material blends naturally with the tissue tone and replaces clasps COMFORTABLE – thin, lightweight and resilient with precision fit and retention BIO-COMPATIBLE – non-allergenic, monomer and formaldehyde free FUNCTIONAL – flexible to create a stress-breaker effect, with no minor or major connectors to collect food or affect speech
For a brighter, whiter smile without the wait, choose Opalescence Boost, an in-office, chemically activated whitening treatment that offers results in less than an hour. It’s ideal for people who want instant whitening gratification or those who have that special event coming up that requires a bright, white smile.
Opalescence tooth whitening gel contains PF (potassium nitrate and fluoride), which helps maintain the health of enamel throughout the whitening process.
Chemically activated, so no hot, uncomfortable light is needed
Demi Moore revealed on The Tonight Show this week that she is missing her two front teeth. She said that stress caused her to grind and clench her teeth breaking off her upper central incisors. Although I did not do her dentistry, I wanted to share with you her photos and what modern dentistry can do. She appears to have porcelain crowns on all her teeth and a bridge across the front to fill in the missing teeth. Ms. Moore also probably had a bone graft and periodontal surgery to sculpt her gums.
Stress can indeed take a toll on people’s teeth. When people are stressed they tend to grind and clench their teeth. This causes them to wear their teeth down and crack and fracture them. It also caused pain and headaches. Stress also effects the immune system and our ability to fight gum disease. Periodontal disease causes bone loss around the teeth. When you are stressed, you also do not eat or sleep well and tend to neglect your teeth and gums. Combine clenching and grinding with weakened teeth and gums, and teeth are going to break for sure!
A small break can be repaired with a filling or crown. Sometimes a root canal is needed. If the tooth is fractured or broken down to the root, it cannot be saved and we need to extract it. Here is an example an upper premolar tooth that was fractured down the middle from grinding and clenching that I extracted.
A simple preventative solution to help protect your teeth while clenching and grinding during sleeping is a nightguard. A nightguard is a proactive step to protect your existing healthy teeth. A clear, thin removable device, your custom-made bite splint, is worn over your lower or upper teeth as you sleep.
Studies suggest those who grind and clench their teeth may experience up to 80 times the normal tooth wear per day compared to those who do not. The good news is that a simple bite splint can help offset the effects of this often-subconscious habit while protecting your teeth from daily wear and tear.
This patient had a fractured molar that we tried to save with a root canal. The root fracture was too large and we were unable to save and restore the tooth. So I recommended to extract the tooth and placed a dental implant. Turned out fantastic and the patient is very happy he can chew again on his left side :-)))
Today I finished up this nice case. The upper right first molar tooth was broken down and non-restorable. I first extracted the tooth and placed a bone graft. Following 3 months of healing we placed a Zimmer-Biomet 3i titanium dental implant. Then after allowing 3 months for the dental implant to isseointegrate, placed the computer scannable Encode healing abutment. Then took the final impression and delivered the screwed retained implant crown.
This patient had a heart attack and some other health issues and wasn’t taking very good care of his teeth. He came to me with tooth pain and wanted me to help. Since his remaining teeth were in poor condition, I recommended to extract his remaining teeth and make complete upper and lower dentures.
