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A dental crown is often called a “cap.” A dental crown covers all of the visible parts of the tooth and has many functions and reasons for placement.

There are several different types of crowns available at High Point Dental Group. They vary in their material, appearance, and functionality. A PFM, or porcelain fused to high-noble metal, is the most common. A full cast, high noble metal crown is a gold crown, and a stainless-steel crown is meant to be temporary. The most natural-looking crown is one that is all porcelain. These are often used for front teeth.

Getting a crown typically requires two appointments. The first is a preparation with impressions, shaping, and placing a temporary. The impressions are either sent to a dental lab, where the process generally takes two weeks, or done in-office with a machine that can make a crown without needing a second appointment. These crowns are made from a high-quality solid block of porcelain. The shape of the tooth is constructed from a digital 3D image of your tooth.

To accurately determine which type of crown is best, you must first know why you need the crown and in what area of your mouth is it needed, which can be answered when you visit us at High Point Dental Group. For instance, if you have a gold crown on the lower right and need a new crown directly above on the upper right, the best durability and long-lasting relationship is another gold crown.

If you need a crown on a front tooth, a gold crown may not be the best choice. A PFM has strength but is not ideal, as a dark line will appear at the gum line. A full porcelain crown is going to look as close to a natural tooth as possible, but will have less strength than a gold crown.

There are two types of porcelain crowns, depending on how they are made. A dental lab makes a full porcelain crown by baking layer upon layer to make the porcelain look like natural enamel. A full porcelain crown made in-office out of a solid piece of porcelain will have increased strength. However, the natural layered appearance is extremely difficult to achieve.

A crown is placed on a tooth when added strength is needed. Cracks, large broken-down fillings, or previous root canal treatment are all conditions where a crown is the standard care. The type of crown that is most appropriate depends greatly on location.

If you have periodontal surgery scheduled at our Romeoville, IL office, you have many options for your choice of anesthesia. After all, Drs. Angela Paros, Amer Atassi, Eric Young, Alexander Katsnelson and our team are trained in all forms of anesthesia and sedation therapy, so you will be able to choose the anesthesia experience that best suits your needs—and your comfort!

One such option is general anesthesia. If you choose this type of anesthesia, you will be carefully monitored at all times. While you are under our care, we want to make sure your treatment is safe, painless, and free from anxiety. And to make your experience go as smoothly as possible, there are some recommendations you can follow even before you arrive at the office.

• Communication

Part of our job is to let you know all about your general anesthesia beforehand. If you have any questions or concerns, please voice them. And communication is a two-way street! If you have any medical conditions, or are taking any medications, or have a cold or the flu, please let us know in advance.

• Diet Restrictions

Talk to us before your surgery to learn about any diet restrictions you should observe before general anesthesia. You will need to abstain from food and drink for a set number of hours before the procedure, so we’ll give you directions based on whether your surgery is scheduled for morning or afternoon.

• Dress for Success

Wear loose, comfortable clothing. Make sure your sleeves are short or easily rolled up above your elbow if you’ll need an IV line or blood pressure monitoring. Leave your make-up, jewelry, and contact lenses at home.

• Go Along for the Ride

Ask a friend or a family member for a ride home after surgery. We want you to travel safely, and, even if you think you are good to go, your thinking and decision making, your reflexes, and even your memory can be impaired for up to 48 hours after general anesthesia. If you have arranged for a cab or a ride share, don’t call for your ride until our office gives you the all clear.

• Plan Ahead!

For the very same reasons you shouldn’t drive for several hours after general anesthesia, there are some normal everyday activities you should postpone as well. You shouldn’t operate machinery. Cooking can wait. Arrange for help with childcare if you have young children. The effects of general anesthesia will wear off over the course of a day or two—ask us for a timeline for returning to your normal activities.

We’re experts in providing you with a safe and comfortable anesthesia experience when you have periodontal surgery. And part of that expertise is letting you know the specifics about preparing for your general anesthesia. If you have any questions for how to get ready for the hours both before and after your surgery, give us a call!

Some bone changes are a normal part of aging. Bone density starts decreasing around the age of 30, hormonal changes affect bone strength as we grow older, and the mineral content of our bones can change over time. Even as we live longer, healthier lives, some changes in our bones are often a normal part of the aging process.

But note we said “often,” not always! Decades ago, a sunken jaw, thinner lips, sagging facial muscles, and an altered profile were considered just another normal consequence of aging. This “collapsed” look was caused by bone loss in the jaws, especially the mandible, or lower jaw.

Today we know that maintaining size and density in our jawbones is important not only for our appearance, but for better oral health. Even better, we know several easy practices to keep those bones their healthiest. And, should your jawbone be affected by bone loss, Drs. Angela Paros, Amer Atassi, Eric Young, Alexander Katsnelson can offer many options to restore both function and appearance.

• Take Care of Your Teeth

Brushing twice a day, flossing daily, using fluoride toothpaste, seeing your dentist for regular exams and cleanings—when you follow recommended dental hygiene practices, you are doing more than simply preventing cavities; you are making sure you keep your teeth for a lifetime. And, because tooth loss inevitably leads to bone loss over time, you are protecting your bones as well.

The bone tissue which supports our teeth needs the stimulation of biting and chewing to stay healthy. Without that stimulation, bone area under a missing tooth gradually shrinks. The bone tissue is resorbed into the body, which, in a relatively short amount of time, can lead to a noticeable sunken spot where the tooth used to be. A dental implant will provide the tissue stimulation that a natural tooth would, and will prevent future bone loss in the jaw. And even if bone tissue has already been lost, Drs. Angela Paros, Amer Atassi, Eric Young, Alexander Katsnelson can recommend surgical bone grafting to achieve the right bone area and density to hold an implant.

• Don’t Neglect Your Gum Health

One of the most common causes of bone loss in the jaw is periodontal disease. For older patients, gingivitis, left untreated, can eventually lead to periodontitis (severe gum disease). This condition leads to the formation of pockets between your gums and teeth that become home to bacteria and infection. This infection can cause deterioration in the bone structure supporting the teeth.

Making sure you schedule regular dental exams will allow Drs. Angela Paros, Amer Atassi, Eric Young, Alexander Katsnelson to treat any signs of periodontitis when they are first detected. If you have any of the symptoms of gum disease, it’s important to treat the cause of these symptoms as soon as possible to protect your gums, teeth, and the jawbone beneath them.

Gingivitis can be reversible with proper care. Deep cleaning procedures such as scaling and root planing, topical and oral antibiotics, and oral surgeries such as flap surgery or bone and tissue grafting can help reverse the effects of periodontitis. Bone loss cannot be reversed, but a graft can replace lost bone and allow healthy tissue to regenerate.

• Consider implant-supported dentures

If you have suffered major tooth loss that requires a full or partial denture, consider appliances that are supported by implants. Remember, the loss of a single tooth causes resorption of the bone beneath it. If you are missing several or all of your teeth, your jawbone will shrink over that entire expanse of the alveolar ridge, the part of the jawbone which holds your teeth in their sockets.

Because dentures provide no stimulation to the underlying bone, normal bone resorption takes place. To add to the problem, the pressure of the denture on the ridge causes the bone to wear away further. As the bone continues to deteriorate, you will notice that the dentures no longer fit as well as they once did. For this reason, dentures often need to be replaced after a few years.

Implants, on the other hand, provide the same kind of pressure and stimulation to the jawbone that natural teeth do. The denture is securely attached to the implant, and doesn’t put harmful pressure on the bone below. Besides their natural appearance and secure fit, preventing further bone loss is a wonderful additional benefit of choosing dental implants to anchor full or partial dentures.

• Don’t Ignore Bone Loss

Thanks to modern medicine, we can combat even normal bone aging with diet, exercise, and medication. Thanks to modern dental medicine, we know that a shrinking jawbone is not an inevitable part of the aging process.

If you have lost a tooth or teeth, or if you have suffered an abscess or serious gum disease, you might be at risk for bone loss. Beyond making us look older, a shrinking jaw can affect speech, eating, and the alignment of our remaining teeth.

You can do a lot to keep your teeth and gums healthy, which will keep your jawbone—and your profile— healthy as well. But if you have suffered lost teeth or bone loss, contact our Romeoville, IL office. As periodontists, we have the knowledge, skill, and experience to help counteract the effects of tooth and bone loss, leading to a lifetime filled with healthy and beautiful smiles.

Your darling three-month old is crying and fussy—can she be teething already? Or, your happy baby boy has just celebrated his first birthday—with only one tooth in that beautiful, gummy smile. Is this normal? Probably! While baby teeth do typically erupt (come in) in the same order for all babies, and around the same time, there is still a lot of flexibility in the time it takes for a full, healthy smile to develop.

Baby teeth actually form before your baby is born, and those 20 teeth are there under the gums waiting to come out and shine. And even though there are no firm and fast dates for each of these primary teeth to erupt, it’s helpful to have a general overview of typical teething patterns so you know what to look forward to.

Incisors

These little teeth create a charming baby smile, and, if your finger has been in the wrong place at the wrong time, a very sharp one as well! That is because these tiny incisors are made to bite into foods. You might notice this when you introduce solid foods, even if the majority of your child’s “chewing” is done with her back gums. These teeth are the earliest to arrive.

• Six to ten months old: The lower central incisors (bottom front teeth) are often the first to come in.
• Eight to 12 months old: The upper incisors (8-12 months) are the next to show.
• Nine to 13 months old: The upper lateral incisors on each side of the front teeth arrive.
• Ten to 16 months old: The lower lateral incisors appear.

First Molars

Because these are larger teeth, babies often experience another bout of teething pain at this time. The large flat surface of each molar helps your child to chew and grind food, so he can handle a wider variety of foods and develop his chewing skills.

• 13 to 19 months old: You can generally expect to see the upper first molars arrive.
• 14 to 18 months old: The lower first molars appear.

Canines (Cuspids)

Fitting between the first molars and the incisors, the strong, pointed shape of the canine teeth allows your child to grip food and break it apart more easily.

• 16 to 22 months old: The upper two canines make their way into the space between the incisors and the first molars.
• 17 to 23 months old: The two lower canines appear.

Second Molars

By the age of three, most children have a full set of baby teeth.

• 23 to 31 months old: The second pair of bottom molars start erupting—you are in the home stretch!
• 25 to 33 months old: The upper second molars come in—completing that beautiful set of 20 teeth!

Baby teeth are extremely important, as Drs. Angela Paros, Amer Atassi, Eric Young, Alexander Katsnelson will tell you when you visit our Romeoville, IL office. They help your child eat and chew, develop face and jaw muscles, assist proper speech formation, and provide space for the adult teeth to come in properly. Now that your child’s smile is complete, keep providing him with the same care and attention you have been giving those little teeth since the arrival of the very first incisor.

It seems that so much of new parenthood is scheduling—when to feed her, when to put her to bed, how many hours between naps. But we soon find out that every baby is not on the same schedule, and the same is true for the arrival of their teeth. We should see your baby when that first tooth comes in, or by his or her first birthday. And if you ever have concerns at any time about your child’s teething schedule or teething delays, always feel free to give us a call.