At David A. Rice, DDS in Elgin, we perform a lot of cosmetic dentistry. Sometimes we need to explain to patients that things have to happen in a certain order.
For example, say a patient named Mr. Jones comes in for a smile makeover consultation about a smile makeover. He wants to fix two chipped teeth, get a dental implant for a missing tooth, and whiten his remaining teeth.
But during our preliminary exam, we notice some additional issues that Mr. Jones did not know about. There are three teeth with moderate decay, one tooth with acute decay, gum disease, an old crown with a crack in it, and severe bone recession at the potential dental implant site.
We explain that issues need to be addressed before anything else. Mr. Jones says that the smile makeover is his first priority and plans to deal with the other problems sometime in the future.
We tell him that this is a matter of first things first. It makes no sense to attach a veneer to a decayed tooth that may need a root canal. A dental implant may not integrate with the surrounding bone structure if placed at a site where there is bone recession. Teeth whitening will probably not produce favorable results where there is gum disease and exposed tooth roots.
Can Mr. Jones ever have his dream smile? Yes! There are treatments to correct all of his issues. But just like many other things in life, the order of operations is critical.
At David Rice DDS, we provide methodical, first-things-first cosmetic dentistry, with services like teeth whitening, porcelain veneers, and dental implants. Visit our smile gallery to see samples of our work. We also practice general and family dentistry. Call to schedule an appointment today.
Contact David A. Rice, DDS:
847-741-2353
Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):
1972 Larkin Ave Ste 1
Elgin, Illinois
60123