Getting Ready for a Dental Implant or Not?

To Implant or Not

What is a dental implant?  Simply it is a way to replace a lost tooth while not affecting any of your other teeth.  It is one of the closest approximations we can produce to restore a lost tooth.  In the past when you lost a tooth it could only be replaced with a removable or fixed prosthesis.  The removable was a partial denture which was made of acrylic and metal which you placed in your mouth upon waking and removed before sleeping.  It was an approximation of what you lost.  Problem was it moved around and food could move around and under it.  It was a plastic tooth.

The alternative was a fixed bridge.  Think of the George Washington Bridge.  Here the adjacent teeth were reduced to have crowns placed on them.  Think of a thimble on your thumb, but here the teeth which are equivalent to a finger needed to be reduced – made smaller so that the crown of thimble was the same size as the original tooth.  The other problem is the adjacent teeth on both sides of the missing tooth needed to be changed in this way which could lead to complications with these teeth.

Flossing now became a nightmare since the three teeth are connected together meaning it is hard to floss.  In addition now the additional teeth have to hold themselves and the missing tooth.

Today the innovation of a root form dental implant exists.  The adjacent teeth do not need to be involved.  Instead a small piece of titanium which for most people is very biocompatible is placed within your upper or lower jaw and after a short time a crown which looks and feels just like your own tooth is fabricated and you’re good as new. 

For others who are missing multiple teeth and are wearing a denture; dental implants can be used to help secure the denture in your mouth.  For a person with no lower teeth and wearing a full or complete denture this can be a god send since now your denture will stay placed within your mouth and not move all around when talking and eating.

If you are missing a tooth or you need to have a tooth removed and want to learn more about your options give us a call at 212 517 9000.  At the dental practice of Dr. Glenn Reit in Yorkville we like people and we like taking care of you and your teeth.  Maybe a dental implant is in your future.  We will discuss the advantages, disadvantages, risks and alternatives so you can make an informed decision on what to do.  We will also discuss the price for these services before any treatment commences.

We are conveniently located at 1498 Third Avenue between 84th and 85th streets.  So if you are in the area come on by we are always happy to meet with you.

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Looking for a Dentist in the Upper East Side?

At the practice of Glenn Reit DDS; we provide quality care in a relaxed, comfortable, clean and safe environment. Please contact us today at 212 517 9000 for this or any other of your dental needs. We look forward to seeing and taking care of you!

Why it’s Critical to Replace Missing Teeth

When you lose a tooth, do you miss it?  For some they do while for others they do not.  Hopefully you are attached to your teeth and they remain attached to you.  But, sometimes things just happen.

You’re in an accident, a large filling fractures and then fractures your tooth, you bite down hard on a piece of bone or an olive or cherry pit and suddenly a tooth departs.  If it is a front tooth you will need to act.  Most people do not want to be a gap tooth person when they smile.  If it’s a back tooth some may ponder do I really need to replace it?

The first and most paramount question is do you miss that tooth?  If so, there are several ways to replace it.  If you don’t miss it here are some of the consequences if a tooth is not replaced.  Think of your teeth as the pylons supporting a pier going out into the ocean.  If some of the pylons collapse eventually the pier will also collapse.

Your back teeth have three roots, your side teeth have two roots and your front teeth have one root.  When you lose a back tooth you lose three roots or three pylons.  However, you lose more.  Without the tooth the opposing tooth is no longer in function.  So instead of three roots you have lost six roots.  One tooth loss is not going to kill your bite but as you lose or remove more teeth the remaining teeth are not strong enough to hold your bite. 

Also when you lose a tooth the supporting bone starts to disappear without the tooth present.  The bone is there when the tooth is.  No tooth leads eventually to no bone giving you that gaunt look.  Might be good for trick or treating on Halloween but probably not anywhere else.

Nobody loses all their teeth at once unless in a terrible accident.  It’s a slow progression like the domino effect.  In addition to losing support when you lose a tooth, the tooth behind it now has the ability to move forward.  Unfortunately, the tooth does not move horizontally but generally begins to tip, like the leaning Tower of Pisa.

When you have fewer teeth in your mouth the remaining teeth are under more pressure causing dental restorations in these teeth to have a better chance of fracturing and needing to be replaced.  Today we have the ability to replace a missing tooth without involving the adjacent teeth.  When replaced the new tooth will look and feel like your original tooth.

If you’re missing a tooth and want to learn what alternatives are available to replace it give us a call at 212 517 9000.  At the dental practice of Glenn Reit DDS located at 1498 Third Avenue in Yorkville between 84th and 85th streets right here on the Upper East Side of Manhattan – We like people and we like people who like their teeth.

So call today, you  and your teeth will be glad you did

Looking for a Dentist in the Upper East Side?

At the practice of Glenn Reit DDS; we provide quality care in a relaxed, comfortable, clean and safe environment. Please contact us today at 212 517 9000 for this or any other of your dental needs. We look forward to seeing and taking care of you!

Dental Implants

Implant as in placing.  You implant a seed into the ground and eventually a plant arrives.  We plant an implant into your jaw and eventually a new tooth arrives.  What is a dental implant?  Well, it is a piece of titanium which most people can tolerate that is placed into your jaw to simulate the root of a missing tooth. 

Life happens and sometimes a tooth needs to be removed.  Most people do not want the picket fence look in their mouth.  When a tooth is missing since there is no light inside your mouth from the outside you see a black hole.  For a very long time in dentistry the main way a missing tooth was replaced was by doing substantial work on the adjacent teeth so that the missing tooth could be replaced by attaching it to the adjacent teeth. 

The adjacent teeth generally do not want to participate in this procedure.  They are happy just being left alone.  But sometimes the needs of the one outweigh the needs of the many.  I sense Mr. Spock here.  Today we can place a single crown without disturbing the adjacent teeth.

So, we place a piece of titanium into your jaw after removing the broken or infected tooth and we let it sit there for some time.   After a period of four months the implant has taken up residence in your jaw and is ready to be restored.  At this point we can place a crown which resembles the missing tooth into your mouth and you’re good to go.

Give us a call at the dental practice of Glenn Reit, DDS and we can go more into depth of what is involved in placing and restoring a dental implant.   At our practice we will give you several alternatives to your situation and the costs involved so that you can make an intelligent decision on what is best for you.

We are conveniently located on the Upper East Side of Manhattan in the 10028 zip code at 1498 Third Avenue between 84th and 85th streets.  Even if all you are interested in is a dental cleaning and check up, give us a call at 212 517 9000 and we’ll be happy to assist you.

Happy patients with healthy teeth are the goal of our practice.  So don’t delay call today.  You’ll be glad you did.

Looking for a Dentist in the Upper East Side?

At the practice of Glenn Reit DDS; we provide quality care in a relaxed, comfortable, clean and safe environment. Please contact us today at 212 517 9000 for this or any other of your dental needs. We look forward to seeing and taking care of you.

Are You Missing a Missing Tooth?

Life happens and teeth depart.  A failed root canal, an olive or cherry pit, a collision with your head.

Teeth come and sometimes they go.  For some a missing back tooth is not a big deal.  A trip to Disneyland might be more advantageous.  However, if it is a front tooth, it could be a problem.

In the past a missing tooth could be replaced by either connecting it to adjacent teeth like a bridge; think George Washington but this entails damaging the adjacent teeth by grinding them down to stubs for the bridge to work.  Not the greatest!

You could have a removable device called a flipper which you glue into your mouth.  Place in the morning, take out at night and place in a glass of water.  This is the 21st century.  Kind of shabby.

 Fortunately we can now place a replica of your original tooth without damaging the adjacent teeth.    We do this by placing a dental implant.  You may ask; what is a dental implant? Good question.  It is a small piece of titanium placed into your jaw which resembles the actual root of your previous tooth.  Titanium is very biocompatible and will not be rejected by your body.

Once the implant is placed elapsed time 30 minutes it remains there for several months during which time the bone of your jaw attaches to the implant.   An abutment and crown are then placed which restores your missing tooth to its original condition.  The new tooth looks natural and is fully functional.

No one likes going to the dentist and dentistry can be intimidating.  For the past 15 years we have been placing and restoring missing teeth with dental implants at the practice of Dr Glenn Reit DDS located on third avenue and 84Th street in Yorkville.

If you reside on the Upper East Side of Manhattan in the 10028, 10128, 10075 or 10021 zip codes we are in your neighborhood.  Stop on down and we can tell if you’re a candidate for a dental implant.  Replacing missing teeth can only improve your appearance and make you feel a whole lot better.

If you’re just in need of a cleaning we are still happy to see you.  Our practice participates with most PPO dental insurance carriers.  Give us a call and we can scope out your benefits before you come in.

A beautiful and healthy smile gives confidence and leads to longevity.

Give us a call today.  

You'll be glad you did!

Looking for a Dentist in the Upper East Side?

At the practice of Glenn Reit DDS; we provide quality care in a relaxed, comfortable, clean and safe environment. Please contact us today at 212 517 9000 for this or any other of your dental needs. We look forward to seeing and taking care of you.

Root Canal Treatment vs. Placement of a Dental Implant

My belief is that although we try to duplicate nature, nature always wins.  The science and art of dentistry can help to restore or replace defects to your teeth.  Your own natural teeth with no dentistry are the best solution but life happens and decay and tooth loss occur.

If a tooth becomes traumatized or decay spreads too far the nerve of the tooth can become infected.  At this point either the nerve has to be removed from the tooth or the tooth has to be removed from your jaw.  Root canal therapy is the process whereby the dentist is able to retain the tooth in your mouth.  One of the problems with root canal therapy is that the salvaged tooth is not as strong as a tooth which has not been treated with a root canal.  The tooth is still in your head but is now non vital and starts to dry out.  A root canal treated tooth needs a crown or cap to serve as a girdle to hold the tooth together.

In the past root canal therapy was the preferred alternative vs removing or extracting the tooth.  Now there is an additional option.  The tooth can be removed and an implant which is a piece of titanium can be inserted into your jaw which simulates the root of the tooth.  Then a crown can be made to resemble your original tooth.

For a time, the swing to extracting and placing implants vs root canal therapy was becoming the norm.  Now the pendulum is swinging the other way where root canal therapy if it can be performed is the treatment of choice to save your tooth.  The cost of a root canal is much less than the cost of an implant.

A root canal is done on your own tooth so technically your own tooth is still in your head.  The time to do a root canal and then restore the tooth can take up to three weeks while an implant can take more than six months to achieve a similar result.

A problem with implants is not the implant nor the crown but the abutment which replaced the lost tooth structure in your mouth.  The problem is that the abutment is attached to the implant with a screw.  All screws desire to unscrew and this is a problem with implants.  If the screw becomes loose additional treatment is necessary to save the implant and crown.

At our practice we will always give you the advantages, disadvantages, risks and alternatives for all treatments we perform before beginning along with the costs involved.  This way you can make an intelligent choice on the treatment we provide you.

Looking for a Dentist in the Upper East Side?

At the practice of Glenn Reit DDS; we provide quality care in a relaxed, comfortable, clean and safe environment. Please contact us today at 212 517 9000 for this or any other of your dental needs. We look forward to seeing and taking care of you.

Is It Dentistry or Is It Art Work?

Dentistry is a science.  In restoring teeth you need to follow biologic guidelines for your teeth are part of your body.  You use your teeth in chewing food and they in turn support the bone structure of your jaws. Sometimes nature can be cruel.  You may not like the look of your smile or the shape of your teeth.  You may want to change your appearance and teeth play a big part.

A truly good sculptor can look at a block of marble and see the sculpture inside.  For the artist it already exists and needs only to remove the excess pieces.  Dentistry can also be artistic.  Following the science and being artistically creative a dentist can transform the unacceptable to a work of art within your mouth.

Today dentistry has the materials and techniques to transform your mouth into something beautiful and functional.  If you are not happy with your smile give us a call and see what cosmetic dentistry can do for you.  Remember you lead with your smile.

Looking for a Cosmetic Dentist in the Upper East Side?

At the practice of Glenn Reit DDS; we provide quality care in a relaxed, comfortable, clean and safe environment. Please contact us today at 212 517 9000 for this or any other of your dental needs. We look forward to seeing and taking care of you.

Why Dental Implant Timelines Are Important

If you’re missing the teeth you wish you had, one solution is the placement of one or several dental implants.

Accomplished over several appointments your missing tooth will be replaced with a dental restoration that simulates and acts like your original tooth.  Over a short period of time you will have a new functioning tooth.

The first step is a consultation to see if a dental implant is right for you.  We will examine your mouth and take x-rays to see if you are a candidate for a dental implant.  Sometimes you may not have enough bone to support the implant and an additional procedure to increase your bone level will be needed.

The next step is actually placing the implant.  A piece of titanium will be placed into your jaw.  The procedure sounds difficult and painful but it is not.  Generally less than one hour will be necessary to place the implant using local anesthetics.  Over the counter pain medications are sufficient  for any discomfort you experience and you will be able to return to work the following day.

It takes some time for the implant to become attached to your jaw.  During this period there will still be a space remaining where your tooth was missing.  If this is objectionable we can create a removable temporary restoration for you to wear during this period.

The final step occurs several months later where we prepare your implant to receive a crown.

Patients are generally very happy with the end result.

Looking for Dental Implants in the Upper East Side?

Call us today at 212 517 9000 to see if this is right for you.