DM came in for his first appointment asking for a nice looking smile. A brief exam showed some missing teeth, several infected teeth, gaps between his front teeth, and gums that needed a deep cleaning. His would prove to be a challenging case.
Fixing old fillings and cavities was our first order of business. We discussed several approaches to closing the gaps and creating the final smile that he wanted
This xray shows the extent of his previous dental work. Lots of failed crowns, fillings and root canals that needed attention. Some bone loss from gum infection can be seen. Cleaning the teeth under the level of the gum will be our first priority.
When most of the teeth in the mouth are involved in reconstruction, a bite registration and measurements are important. We don’t want to open his bite up too much by making his teeth too large; neither do we want to make the teeth too small and overclose him. We strive for perfect measurements with teeth that give the best possible function.
Measurements to create the best bite.
A few appointments later the gaps are filled, the decay and cavities are gone, gums are healthy and DM has the smile he wanted when he came in the first time. Dave elected to have his one major visit accomplished while under I.V. Sleep. This way he would not remember the visit.