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What to Expect with Dental Crowns in Litchfield MN
When it comes to repairing a cracked, chipped, or fractured tooth, dental crowns are the most common treatment option, except in few cases where dental fillings may be used for minimal tooth damage in the front teeth.
One key difference between dental crowns and fillings is that the latter draw their strength from the tooth, whereas crowns strengthen the tooth by enclosing it with a cap. Depending on the extent of damage, a well-placed filling may last between 5 and 15 years, whereas a dental crown should last a lifetime. In general, if more than 50% of the tooth is damaged, then a crown should be placed. If a filled tooth continues to deteriorate, then it can be strengthened by a crown.
Your dentist may recommend dental crowns to address the following problems:
- Decay – that has affected more than half the tooth, such that a filling cannot be used
- To strengthen the tooth structure following root canal therapy
- Broken or fractured teeth
- To replace large fillings
- To fix chips and cracks
- To close small gaps between teeth
- To support dental bridges when replacing missing teeth
Living with a Dental Crown
Crowns are intended to last a lifetime, which means that they are made from tough and durable materials that are also wear and stain-resistant. That said, the exposed section of your natural tooth – that has not been enclosed by the tooth cap – is still susceptible to decay if you don’t exercise good oral hygiene. It’s important that you brush and floss your teeth every day, and visit the dentist every 6 months for professional cleanings to ensure optimal oral health.
Just as the crown material is stain resistant, it also cannot be bleached. So if you plan on whitening your teeth, your dentist may recommend that you start with it. This way, the shade of your crown can be selected based on the color of your new, sparkling white smile to create a uniform look.
To learn more about dental crowns and whether they’re good for you, please schedule a consultation with your dentist.
Dental Fillings Cost in Litchfield MN
Dental fillings are one of the most popular procedures in dentistry because they can be used to restore the common types of tooth damage, such as chips, fractures, and decay. If you have a broken tooth, and are expecting that your dentist will recommend dental fillings to repair the damage, then you’re probably wondering what the procedure will cost you.
The cost of a dental filling is not the same for every person. It depends on many factors, such as the severity of your tooth damage, the location of the damaged tooth, and additional procedures that may be required, among other factors.
Here is a breakdown of individual procedures that may add up to the total cost of dental fillings:
- Tooth examination – before any dentist recommends dental fillings, they need to thoroughly examine the extent of damage on the tooth, which usually requires an X-ray.
- Tooth preparation – after determining that a dental filling can successfully repair the damage, your dentist proceeds by preparing the tooth for the filling. This process involves administering an anesthetic to numb the tooth, removal of any decay from the tooth, and placement of the filling material.
- Type of filling material – there are different types of dental filling materials, and your choice of material will also impact the cost of treatment.
Silver or amalgam fillings are the cheapest treatment. For tooth-colored composite resin fillings, you will need to pay a little more. Ceramics or porcelain fillings are also tooth-colored, but are usually much more expensive than the other options.
Are fillings covered in my dental insurance plan?
Dental fillings are mostly used in dental emergencies, so your dental insurance may cover it. That said, you may also need to pay some or all of the cost out-of-pocket. The dental team will examine your insurance plan to determine whether you’re covered for dental fillings, whether there’s a waiting period for the cover to kick in, and for how much you’re covered each year.
What to Look For In A Family Dentist in Litchfield MN
There are many factors to be considered when choosing a good family dentist. You want to find a professional who helps you maintain not only your pearly white smile, but also great oral health for you and your kids. This also partly depends on being able to maintain your regular visits, which means that you should at least have good rapport with your dentist to easily forge that long-term association.
When choosing a quality family dentist, you should ensure that your entire family’s dental needs can be properly addressed, especially for your children because their teeth are still developing. It’s essential to find a gentle and patient dentist for your children, who has experience working with them, maintains a positive attitude, and helps them feel comfortable and safe.
Training and experience
It’s expected that any professional dentist will only provide the services that they’re trained for. If your dentist graduated from an accredited dental school, and is registered with a dental association, then it means that they’re skilled and committed to ongoing education in order to be familiar with emerging technologies and procedures for improved safety, efficiency, and effectiveness.
So you should find one offering a broad range of services that you and your loved ones will need to ensure that you get the proper oral care you deserve. Generally, your family dentist should be capable of performing most types of restorative and cosmetic procedures, for people of all ages, in order to address any issues that arise during regular visits, as well as dental emergencies.
Some of the important dental procedures include:
- Kids dentistry – such as sealants
- Preventative dentistry – regular teeth cleaning
- Restorative dentistry – fillings, crowns, root canal treatment
- Gum disease treatment
- Emergency procedures – wisdom tooth removal, tooth extraction
- Cosmetic dentistry – teeth whitening
By choosing a family dentist in advance who provides these and additional services, and establishing a positive relationship with them, you can have most of your family’s oral care needs handled under one roof, without the inconvenience of bouncing around different dentists to fulfil every new need.
Cost of Dental Exam & Teeth Cleaning in Litchfield MN
Routine dental checkups and professional cleaning form a vital part of preventative oral care. These preventive visits may also include additional services, such as X-rays, fluoride application, cancer examination, and so on depending on your personal dental care needs and your last oral checkup. Combined with a proper at-home oral care routine, these visits help you maintain optimal dental health, reducing the risk of tooth loss and expensive dental procedures.
But how much can you expect to pay for these routine dental visits?
The national average costs of popular dental services such as exams and cleaning vary from one region to the other, and from dentist to dentist.
If you have a dental insurance plan, your cost of preventive care may be considerably lower, or nothing more than your monthly premium. Since dental insurance plans typically emphasise preventative care, most of them cover two annual dental checkups. That said, you should consult your dental insurance company to determine the various dental services covered by your policy, as well as the extent of the coverage.
Final note
Dental insurance can provide savings when receiving preventive care services such as routine exams, professional cleanings, sealants for children, topical fluoride, and x-rays (usually one set per year). The frequency and benefits for each service depend on the type of plan you have, so you should always read the plan details carefully. Even if your employer does not offer dental insurance as a perk, you can purchase an individual or family plan to enjoy reduced cost of most preventive and restorative dental treatments.
Best Dentist in My Area | Litchfield MN
In the world of dentistry, there are many types of dentists, including those who give great service and treat you with the utmost care, like here at our office. If you’re looking for a dentist who will listen to your concerns and needs, while providing quality services in a gentle and friendly environment — you may want to start by contacting our office.
General dentists are also known as primary care dentists and they provide preventive, restorative, diagnostic and surgical services for patients of all ages.
Are you looking for a new dentist?
The first thing to consider when looking for a dentist near me is the location. If you live in an area with limited access to dental care, it might be best to find a new provider before your condition gets worse. If you have time, you can also look for dentists who offer evening and weekend hours and appointments that are convenient for your schedule.
When you find your next dentist, make sure he or she is experienced in treating root canals, crowns and fillings. A good dentist will also be able to give you a detailed oral health history and recommend the best treatments for your teeth and gums.
Your dentist is your best bet when it comes to maintaining overall health and well-being. Not only does it help keep your teeth healthy, it also helps keep your mouth healthy and helps prevent other health conditions related to your mouth. If you have any questions or have any concerns about your dental health, feel free to contact us during our normal business hours. We look forward to helping you maintain your smile!
Are You Looking for a Dentist Near Me?
Contact our office today to schedule your appointment!
Common Questions – Professional Teeth Whitening in Litchfield MN
The aging process, your diet, and other lifestyle choices can discolor your teeth over time. Whiter teeth are associated with beauty, success, and good health. They also draw attention away from other features, giving you a more youthful and vibrant appearance.
Teeth whitening provides a fast and cost-effective way to get the smile of your dreams. It involves removing stains and discoloration to brighten your teeth and improve their appearance.
Why Do Your Teeth Change Color?
There are many reasons why few people have impeccably white teeth, including:
- Age – tooth enamel is naturally white, but it thins over time due to normal wear, allowing the yellowish dentin to show
- Fluorosis – teeth darkening due to excessive fluoride consumption
- Food and drink – tea, coffee, red wine, and other food items contain intense color pigments known as chromogens that bond to tooth enamel, causing discoloration
- Tobacco use – chewing and smoking tobacco exposes you to two chemicals responsible for creating stubborn stains: nicotine and tar
- Illness – early tooth decay or illness during tooth development can also cause spots on your teeth
- Medications – tooth discoloration can be a side effect of taking certain medications, like antihistamines and antipsychotics. Fetuses and babies may also be at risk of tooth discoloration of the adult teeth if exposed to antibiotics like doxycycline and tetracycline.
- Calculus – accumulated plaque can also reduce the sparkle of your teeth
Any of these reasons can lead you to find a dentist near you for teeth whitening.
Final Note
Please keep in mind that teeth whitening is a cosmetic procedure that may help to improve your self-confidence, but to maintain the results for as long as possible, you must be prepared to uphold your dental hygiene by brushing and flossing properly, avoiding smoking, avoiding colored drinks that stain your teeth, drinking plenty of water, and getting professional cleaning twice a year.
Please schedule a consultation with your dentist to learn more about teeth whitening and other ways you can improve your smile.
Dental Veneers For Improving Your Smile | Litchfield MN
Dental veneers are frequently considered a cosmetic treatment because they permit you to have a terrific smile by restoring your teeth to excellent form and alignment. Despite the fact that dental veneers are composed of tough, durable materials similar to natural tooth enamel, the procedure requires only modest enamel removal, which maintains tooth structure and strength.
Dental veneers can be used for:
- Whitening your smile – dental veneers can be used to conceal unattractive teeth that have turned yellow from smoking cigarettes or brown from consuming pigmented foods. They’re made from tooth-colored material that reflects light like your natural teeth, allowing them to beautifully blend with your smile. Moreover, they’re stain resistant, which means that normal dental care routines are sufficient to maintain your bright smile.
- Fixing minor cosmetic concerns – dental veneers can be used to treat slightly crooked or gapped teeth by camouflaging the problems. Though the defect will still be there, no one will be able to notice it when you smile.
- Replacing damaged enamel – tooth enamel is tough, but it can still wear down from consuming highly acidic items, grinding and clenching your teeth, or brushing your teeth too vigorously. Veneers can conceal the damage, giving you an even and symmetrical smile.
Taking good care of your teeth will help to maximize the longevity of your treatment. Please consult your dentist on the best ways to exercise good oral hygiene and dental care.
Dental Veneers Treatment Near Me – Contact Us Today!
Are you interested in dental veneers? Contact our office today and schedule your appointment to discuss treatment options.
Dental Crown Procedure in Litchfield MN
One of the most frequent dental restorations and cosmetic procedures is the crown. A damaged and weakened tooth, which has been severely traumatized or decayed, is held together by this strong and durable cap, thus saving a tooth that might otherwise be extracted. Other advantages of crowns include:
Other benefits of tooth crowns include:
Avoiding Tooth Loss
The crown protects the remaining natural tooth so you are not forced to extract it. Crowns can be used to save decayed teeth, where the cavity has formed on more than 50 percent of the tooth, such that a filling cannot be used. To save the tooth, the dentist needs to remove the decay, clean the site, and cement the custom crown in place, restoring the complete function of your mouth.
Saving Your Damaged Teeth
Severe tooth damage usually requires a crown, because other forms of treatment are inadequate to restore the tooth. Some of the common applications of crowns include:
- To strengthen the tooth structure following root canal therapy
- To repair broken or fractured teeth
- To replace large fillings
- To fix chips and cracks
Cosmetic Restorations
If saving your tooth is critical, your dentist may suggest tooth-colored materials so that the restored tooth blends in with the other teeth. Because tooth-colored materials reflect light in the same manner as natural teeth, it is difficult to distinguish between tooth enamel and a restoration. This allows you to both restore and improve your smile.
If you have any questions or concerns about dental crowns, please visit your dentist today.
Are You Looking For A Great Family Dentist? Litchfield MN
Finding a great family dentist is not always easy. There are many factors to be considered when choosing one, such as maintaining your oral health and having good rapport with the professional so that you can establish long-term association.
When it comes to family dentistry, you should make sure that your entire family’s dental needs are properly addressed. But first and foremost, the dentist has to be gentle for children because their teeth are still developing. It’s also essential to find a dentist with experience working with them who maintains a positive attitude and makes them feel comfortable and safe.
Some of the important dental procedures include:
- Kids dentistry – such as sealants
- Preventative dentistry – regular teeth cleaning
- Restorative dentistry – fillings, crowns, root canal treatment
- Gum disease treatment
- Emergency procedures – wisdom tooth removal, tooth extraction
- Cosmetic dentistry – teeth whitening
What qualities should you be looking for in a family dentist?
Generally, he or she should have the ability to provide all types of care at his office. This includes restorative and cosmetic procedures, which are often performed on children as well as adults. It is important that your dentist meets every member of your family’s specific needs by providing everything from regular checkups to emergency treatments- something only the right family dentistry can do.
What to Expect with Teeth Whitening in Litchfield MN
Proper brushing and flossing every day can help to keep your smile bright and breath fresh. Factors such as aging, consuming colored foods and drinks, and lifestyle habits such as chewing or smoking tobacco products can cause your teeth to discolor and get darker.
Fortunately, there are several options for teeth whitening to help improve the shade of your teeth and maintain the shade with follow up treatments as recommended by the dentist. Before treatment, the dentist will examine your teeth to establish the cause and severity of the discoloration, and then propose various whitening options that will be most suitable for your case to ensure that you get the desired results and the smile of your teeth. The results may fade with time depending on your diet, age, and lifestyle choices, so subsequent treatments may be necessary to maintain a white smile.
Good Candidates for Teeth Whitening
Teeth whitening is most effective on surface stains, and while anyone from the age of 10 years and above can be a good candidate for bleaching, there are a few cases when your dentist may prevent you from proceeding with the treatment. These include:
- Tooth and gum sensitivity – Sensitivities may disqualify you from using certain whitening techniques
- The natural color of your teeth – Intrinsic stains are harder to bleach compared to extrinsic stains
- The presence of crowns, fillings, bridges, or veneers – These do not bleach the same as natural teeth, which means that you may have to replace them after whitening your teeth to achieve a uniform look
- Exposed roots – These surfaces are harder to whiten effectively compared to tooth enamel, which means that you may have to consider alternative methods.
Your dentist will assess your teeth and mouth during your first visit to determine your suitability.
Final Note
Teeth whitening is not permanent, and people who expose their teeth to tobacco products and colored foods and beverages that cause staining may realize faster fading of the results. The more you exercise proper oral hygiene after bleaching, the longer you will stay without requiring touch-up whitening treatment.
Please contact your dentist to discuss ways to improve your smile with teeth whitening.
6 Month Smiles
Six Month Smiles is a short term orthodontic treatment that involves wearing clear braces to straighten and improve tooth alignment. This alternative treatment is a convenient approach to a straighter smile without the time commitment.
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