Tag Archives: Saratoga dentist
A bridge is a prosthesis used to replace one or more missing teeth. Usually the teeth on either side of the empty space are ground down to help anchor the missing tooth (or multiple teeth).
Pros:
1. The patient does not have to wear a removable appliance to replace the missing teeth.
Cons:
1. Sometimes perfect natural teeth have to be destroyed in order to anchor the bridge.
2. The bite force can destroy the integrity of the anchored teeth if it is inadequately controlled.
3. The strength of the roots of the anchored teeth can be compromised.
4. It can be difficult to keep the underside of the bridge clean.
5. The nerve inside the canal can be compromised from the trauma of the tooth preparation as well as the bite force when multiple teeth are splinted together.
As you can see, there are more “cons” then “pros”.
Let’s take a look at a real case:
In the case below a bridge was constructed by anchoring a root canal-treated molar to two smaller teeth in front. After a period of time, the molar roots were cracked into three pieces. The tooth structure underneath the restoration was also destroyed from decay and trauma. The xray also shows that one of the two anchored front teeth also has a small infection from the damaged nerve.
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
Let’s think about the problems behind this bridge:
1. Three teeth were affected at the expense of one missing tooth.
2. By anchoring one weak root canal-treated tooth to two strong teeth, the root canal treated tooth was the weak link.
3. The bite stability of this patient was not taken into consideration when this bridge was done.
If we can turn back the clock, a better treatment plan could have been:
1. Properly develop the bone at the site of the missing tooth.
2. Treat that site with an implant and a crown.
3. Crown the root canal-treated molar individually.
4. Leave the two natural teeth in front untouched.
With the advancements of implant dentistry, bridges should be considered as the last option in restoring a missing tooth.
1 comment | tags: AACD Accredited Dentist, Accredited Cosmetic Dentist, Alex Nguyen DDS, Bay Area Cosmetic dentist, Bay Area Dental Implant Dentist, Bay Area Dentist, Broken implant bridge, Implant or Bridge which is better?, San Jose dentist, Saratoga dentist | posted in dental, dentistry, dentist, smile, cosmetic dentistry, root canal, Health, Technical Questions, Uncategorized
Material choice and technique plays an important role in creating life-like restorations for the front teeth. In the case below, improper choice of material and technique resulted in 2 dark front teeth.
Material problem:
Using translucent porcelain over dark underlying tooth structure allows the dark color to bleed through. Not all materials fit all situations, and the dentist must understand when to apply the right material to the right situation.
Technique problem:
1. The margin (the demarcation between the porcelain and the root) does not fit properly. This results in excess accumulation of plaque right at the root area. This type of problem may cause the gum to initially become inflamed, then slowly deteriorate and shrink away from the crown.
2. The dark underlying tooth structure must be masked out.
3. The shape, size, contour, shade, surface characteristics must blend in with the patient’s existing teeth.
Since the smile’s center of attention is the two front teeth, it is important that the restorations look like they are your real teeth. It is crucial to seek the right clinician to help with your front teeth. Unfortunately, once the restorations are bonded to the teeth, they would have to be redone from scratch if you are unhappy with the result.
Leave a comment | tags: AACD Accredited Dentist, Accredited Cosmetic Dentist, Alex Nguyen DDS, Bay Area Cosmetic dentist, Bay Area Dental Implant Dentist, Crowns on the Front Teeth, Dark crowns on the front teeth, San Jose dentist, Saratoga dentist | posted in dental, dentistry, dentist, smile, cosmetic dentistry, root canal, Health, Technical Questions, Uncategorized
I do not like them.
I am talking about products like Crest Pro-Health, Listerine Total Care, etc. Routinely, I am seeing more problems caused by these mouth rinses rather than benefits for my patients. The most common side effect manifests as sore spots on the gum tissue, the cheek tissue inside the mouth, and the inside borders of the lips.
If you have unexplained sore spots and have recently switched to some of these multi-purpose rinses and tooth pastes, try going back to just using the basic fluoride tooth paste. It may just be the solution to your problem if your family doctor cannot pin point the cause.
Simply put, you can rinse with any magic potion all you want, but if you do not spend the time to mechanically remove plaque with flossing and brushing then you are defying your home care effort.
The best prevention of decay and gum disease is flossing and brushing. This has not changed since the invention of the tooth brush and the dental floss. There is no such thing as a magical multi-purpose mouth rinse on the market today.
Leave a comment | tags: AACD Accredited Dentist, Accredited Cosmetic Dentist, Alex Nguyen DDS, Bay Area Dental Implant Dentist, Bay Area Dentist, Best Bay Area Dentist, Best mouth rinse, San Jose dentist, Saratoga dentist | posted in dental, dentistry, dentist, smile, cosmetic dentistry, root canal, Health, Technical Questions
Happy New Year !!! May 2012 be the year you achieve all your endeavors in Love, Health, and Prosperity !
3 comments | tags: AACD Accredited Dentist, Accredited Cosmetic Dentist, Alex Nguyen DDS, Bay Area Cosmetic dentist, Bay Area Dental Implant Dentist, Bay Area Dentist, Saratoga dentist | posted in dental, dentistry, dentist, smile, cosmetic dentistry, root canal
May the Spirt of Christmas warm your heart, and may the cheers of the Holidays bring you Love and Happiness!
1 comment | tags: AACD Accredited Dentist, Alex Nguyen DDS, Bay Area Dentist, San Jose dentist, Saratoga dentist | posted in Uncategorized
This patient had two crowns put on his front teeth. One of the two crowns popped out shortly after, so he came to me to see what I can do for him.
Restorations on the two front teeth are some of the most difficult treatments. Not only do they have to look like real teeth, they also have to fit within the functional parameters of the patient’s bite.
I restored this case by eliminating interferences in his bite to stabilize it first. Then I restored the two front teeth with two new crowns which were done with complexity in color combination, contour, texture, and functional guidance.
The “after” photos were taken two days after delivery. The gum will continue to adapt well around the teeth, and the restorations will continue to disappear into his dentition as if they were his own natural teeth.
Images of actual patients of Alex Nguyen, DDS are Copyrighted and Digitally Embedded to track Unauthorized Use.
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
1 comment | tags: AACD Accredited Dentist, Accredited Cosmetic Dentist, Alex Nguyen DDS, Bay Area Dentist, Best Looking Crowns on the Front Teeth, San Jose Cosmetic Dentist, Saratoga dentist, What do crowns on the front teeth look like? | posted in dental, dentistry, dentist, smile, cosmetic dentistry, root canal, Health, Technical Questions
What better occasion than today to express my most sincere Thank You to the patients whom I have met, befriended, and will continue to care for. May you find Peace in your travels, Love in your family gatherings, and Health in your march into the 2011 Holiday Season !
Autumn in My Neighborhood
Leave a comment | tags: AACD Accredited Dentist, Accredited Cosmetic Dentist, Alex Nguyen DDS, Bay Area Cosmetic dentist, Bay Area Dentist, Cosmetic Dentistry in San Jose, Invisalign dentist in San Jose, Saratoga dentist | posted in dental, dentistry, dentist, smile, cosmetic dentistry, root canal, Health, Uncategorized
Cosmetic dentistry is not only for women. A significant amount of my work involves enhancing the smiles of my male patients. Here is a case I finished 9 months ago. I just had the chance to see the patient again today for a follow-up visit and photos.
I did this case with a combination of bite adjustments, teeth whitening, porcelain veneers, and resin bonding. Some of the detailed characteristics of the teeth were done specifically to the patient’s request.
Images of actual patients of Alex Nguyen, DDS are Copyrighted and Digitally Embedded to track Unauthorized Use.
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
1 comment | tags: AACD Accredited Dentist, Accredited Cosmetic Dentist, Alex Nguyen DDS, Bay Area Cosmetic dentist, Bay Area Dentist, cosmetic dentistry San Jose, Lumineers dentist in Bay Area, Porcelain Veneers in San Jose, Saratoga dentist | posted in dental, dentistry, dentist, smile, cosmetic dentistry, root canal, Health, Uncategorized
The two front teeth are the most commonly restored teeth. They erupt into the mouth at about the age of eight, and being positioned in front of the mouth they often sustain the most damage.
Color is not the only parameter required to match the two front teeth with the rest of the teeth in the smile. Among other factors, we have to also match contour, surface texture, and shade variations of different areas of the teeth. Matching the front teeth is like sculpting a portrait of what they used to look like. That is the only way they will blend in with the natural dentition. Furthermore, the two front teeth serve as a very important guidance for joint stability and function. We must approach the front teeth in more than one dimension.
When done correctly, restorations for the front teeth will disappear into the rest of the smile. Here is a testimony from a recent case I delivered last week.
…………………..
Email dated 9/09/2011
Dear Dr. Alex,
I want to personally thank you for the wonderful job you did on my case. Although it took longer than I anticipated, it was worth the wait and I am very pleased with the end result. You definitely have the knack for how teeth should look and function. I really appreciate your thoughtfulness and professionalism. …Again, I want to thank you for a job well done.
P.S. you will soon have another positive review on Yelp 
Sincerely,
K
1 comment | tags: Accredited Cosmetic Dentist, Alex Nguyen DDS, Bay Area Cosmetic dentist, Bay Area Dental Implant Dentist, Bay Area Dentist, Bay Area Orthodontist, Best Looking Crowns on the Front Teeth, Can Front Crowns Look Real?, Crowns on the Front Teeth, dental implant in San Jose, dentist in San Jose, Fractured tooth, Invisalign dentist in San Jose, Lumineers dentist in Bay Area, Porcelain Crowns, Porcelain Veneers in San Jose, Saratoga dentist, Sensitivity problems with tooth colored filling., silver filling, smile makeover, Teeth Whitening in San Jose, Tooth colored fillings in San Jose, Veneer temporaries, What to do with a fractured tooth? | posted in dental, dentistry, dentist, smile, cosmetic dentistry, root canal, Health, Technical Questions
Tetracycline is an antibiotic.
At the age of three, children have already developed tooth buds of the permanent teeth inside the jaw. When tetracycline is given to children, this drug penetrates the developing tooth buds and incorporates itself into the tooth structure. When the teeth erupt into the mouth, the result is bands of dark stains with usually a combination of brown, gray, and yellow colors. These stains make up the actual colors of the teeth and are impossible to bleach completely into normal white teeth colors.
Note: Once a tooth has erupted into the mouth and the root of that tooth has completely formed, tetracycline cannot affect that tooth. It is also a misconception that all antibiotics will cause yellowing of teeth.
The human eyes are used to seeing the smile with white teeth. Smiles with dark tetracycline teeth are not as esthetically pleasing as smiles with normal white shades of teeth.
Porcelain veneers done on tetracycline stained teeth are very difficult for many reasons. A clinician has to mask out the dark colors underneath, and create at the same time the proper tooth form, contour, texture, and details of the edges of the natural tooth.
Here are the before and after photos of a case where I used porcelain veneers to enhance a severely tetracycline stained smile. The after photo was taken two weeks after delivery. The gum tissue will continue to heal and adapt to the new porcelain, and the colors of the porcelain teeth will become even more realistic after some time. In this case the patient opted for a super white shade, yet with proper planning and execution we can still create a natural looking smile.
Images of actual patients of Alex Nguyen, DDS are Copyrighted and Digitally Embedded to track Unauthorized Use.
Leave a comment | tags: Accredited Cosmetic Dentist, Alex Nguyen DDS, Bay Area Cosmetic dentist, Bay Area Dental Implant Dentist, Bay Area Dentist, Bay Area Orthodontist, Bridges or Implant, Cosmetic Dentistry in San Jose, Crown temporaries, Invisalign dentist in San Jose, Lumineers dentist in Bay Area, Lumineers dentist in San Jose, Porcelain Veneers in San Jose, San Jose dentist, San Jose Implant Dentures, Saratoga dentist, Sensitivity problems with tooth colored filling., smile makeover, Teeth Whitening in San Jose, Tooth colored fillings in San Jose, Veneer temporaries, Veneers for tetracycline stained teeth, What to do with a fractured tooth? | posted in dental, dentistry, dentist, smile, cosmetic dentistry, root canal, Health, Technical Questions
