Hope Restorative & Cosmetic Dentistry

Who Should Extract All My Teeth

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I’ve spent my adult life avoiding the dentist because of anxiety. Now I am 50 years old and need to have all my teeth extracted because of the shape they are in. I don’t want to feel ashamed when I smile anymore or make my children embarrassed for me to be at their special events. Do I need an oral surgeon or do I just go to a dentist to have this done?

Andy

Dear Andy,

image of top and bottom dentures

I would go to a dentist who has does both the surgery and the denture placement. However, don’t just schedule an appointment with anyone. There are some considerations.

What do they Normally Do?

Call an office and ask the dentist’s normal procedure for pre-denture surgery. If they say they refer you to an oral surgeon, this isn’t the dentist you want. Instead, go to someone who says they normally do the surgery themselves. They will have the experience to do this right.

You may be wondering why this is important. There is coordination that needs to take place between surgeon and dentist in order to get the best possible outcome. When they are the same person, it eliminates the possibility of miscommunication issues popping up.

Are They Artistic?

A second aspect you will want to think about is whether or not the dentist has great cosmetic skills. After all, they’ll be crafting your smile. This will give you a chance to get one you will be proud of. I would look for a dentist that is recommended on the mynewsmile.com website. This site prescreens dentists for both their training and their artistic ability. They are some of the best cosmetic dentists in the country.

Do they Offer Sleep Dentistry?

Finally, because of your experiences with dental anxiety, which I am assuming was brought on by a traumatic experience at the dentist in the past. I am going to highly suggest you see a dentist who offers sleep dentistry. This way you can have the work done while you snooze away.

This blog is brought to you by Tulsa Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Jerome Cha.

Help Picking the Right Dentist

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I need some advice on picking a new dentist. I haven’t been happy with the last few I’ve tried. Then, every time I want to try another one it means more x-rays and a whole new charge for a visit. I’m just not having much success in finding a practice where I’m happy. Do you have any tips for me?

Elana

Dear Elana,

A woman smiling with her dentist behind her also smiling

Each person has a different dentist who is the best one for them.

There are some hacks to picking the best dentist for your particular needs. First, decide if you need any special type of treatments. For instance, needing a dentist with expertise in cosmetic work is very different than looking for a general dentist. The same is true if you prefer dental sedation because of any level of dental anxiety or have other needs such as TMJ Disorder.

When it comes to a general dentist, the first thing I’d like you to do is check their reviews. You can get a good idea about a dentist from reading about those who’ve already visited the office. That alone can help you eliminate some duds right off the bat saving you both time and money.

Some good review sites are:

  • Google Reviews
  • Yelp!
  • Facebook

The second thing you can do is ask for a complimentary visit. This is where you get to go in and meet the staff and possibly even sit with the dentist for a few minutes and ask some questions. This should give you some idea of whether or not they have the services you need. Not every practice will accommodate you on a complimentary visit, but they’re likely not a practice you’d want anyway.

If You’re Looking for the Best Cosmetic Dentist

This is a little different. Doing a smile makeover isn’t taught in general dental school. Dentists have to invest in time and training post-doctorally. Then, you’d also need to know if this particular dentist has an artistic eye. Two dentists can do the exact same smile makeover and the cases will turn out completely differently.

Fortunately, there is an easy button in these cases. The American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry has an accreditation program to test both the technical knowledge and artistry of cosmetic dentists. They have to pass stringent oral and written exams. If they pass those, they’ll then have to provide visual evidence of a large number of cases they’ve performed to show they have the artistic skill required to reach accreditation.

Any AACD accredited dentist can give you a stunning smile. Check out their website (aacd.com)and they have a link for you to find a cosmetic dentist. Just make sure you check the box for accredited.

This blog is brought to you by Tulsa Dentist Dr. Jerome Cha.

If I Get Dentures, will I Get Teeth Right Away?

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If I have all my teeth extracted, will I get the teeth removed and dentures put in on the same day? How does that work, am I asleep?

Cora M.

Dear Cora,

Image of Dentures

A lot what happens depends on the type of dentures you get. As for whether you’re asleep, that’s really up to you. There are several options available:

  • Local Anesthetic: Some patients prefer to stay awake for the whole procedure and just use a local so they don’t feel it.
  • Oral Conscious Sedation: Most patients prefer this option. You take a pill that makes you very sleepy and you’ll rest throughout the entire procedure. Many patients find they don’t even remember having it.
  • IV Sedation: Not all sedation dentists have this available. Dr. Cha is one of the few who does and is DOCS certified, so you’ll know you’re in safe hands.

Immediate Dentures

If you elect to have immediate dentures placed you can have your teeth removed and walk out with a full set of dentures that day. While the obvious advantage is having your dentures that day, there are drawbacks. As the swelling goes down they’ll come loose and need re-fitting. Often you’ll need several re-fittings and sometimes a new denture will have to be made when healing is completed six month’s later.

Conventional Dentures

With these, your teeth are removed and you’ll wait about eight weeks for some of the swelling to go down before your dentures are made. This has the benefit of needing fewer re-fittings, feeling better from the start, and costing less.

An Alternative to Dentures

No matter which type of dentures you choose, they both have one major drawback— facial collapse. When your teeth are removed, your jawbone begins shrinking. The reason for that is the redistribution of the minerals. Your body recognizes there are not longer any tooth roots there and assumes the bone is no longer needed. It reabsorbs the minerals to use elsewhere throughout your body. Eventually, you lose so much jawbone, you don’t have enough left to keep your dentures in.

If you get dental implants, it protects you from losing that bone structure. It does that by implanting a prosthetic root into your jaw bone. Then tops it with a porcelain crown. Your body recognizes the root and leaves the minerals where they are. For added benefit, they’re much more secure and more like having your own natural teeth back again.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Jerome Cha.

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