dental implants

Dental Questions? Gordon West DDS Has Answers

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Categories: cosmetic dentistry, Dental Health, dental implants, Family dentistry, general dentistry, Sleep apnea

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Health conscious people want to take care of their teeth. However, many men and women need a place where they can review basic principles of dental health and get straightforward information about restorative and cosmetic dental procedures such as dental implants, teeth whitening, and veneers. This blog from a Lafayette CO dentist is your source for this helpful oral care information.

Many of our dental patients have concerns and questions about their oral care. That’s why we include hot-button dental issues in our blog such as:

Smile Makeovers
Sealants
Invisible Braces
Toothbrush Care
ADA Seal Products
Tooth Protection
Gum Contouring
Dental Implants

We hope that this information will help you make educated decisions about your oral care.

At Boulder County Smiles in Lafayette CO, we provide general and family dentistry, dental implants, and treat conditions like sleep apnea. Schedule an appointment today.

Contact Gordon West DDS – Aesthetic & General Dentistry:

720-862-3630

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

1140 W South Boulder Rd Ste 201
Lafayette, Colorado
80026

 

Schedule Your Coronation

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Categories: cosmetic dentistry, dental crowns, Dental Health, dental implants, general dentistry

dentist crowns Lafayette

We treat all of our patients royally here at Boulder County Smiles in Lafayette CO, but some of them receive actual crowns. Not what a king or queen wears, but crowns for your teeth!

Crowns are a therapy for a host of problems:

  • To protect a weak tooth from decay, breaking, or to hold together a cracked tooth.
  • To cover and provide strength to a tooth with a large filling and little tooth structure remaining.
  • To restore a broken tooth or a tooth that has been severely worn down.
  • To improve a tooth that is too small or misshapen.
  • To cover a tooth with severe discoloration.
  • To add strength to a tooth following a root canal procedure.

If you feel like you have a need for a crown, don’t look any further than Gordon West DDS – Aesthetic & General Dentistry. Our dentists and lab techs have the experience, training, and expertise to make sure your crowns are constructed and placed accurately. There are many different kinds of crowns that serve different purposes. We complete an extensive examination to ensure the crown you get is perfect for you and your smile.

We then prepare your tooth so that the crown will fit the way that it should. Once the tooth is prepared and ready, we use state-of-the-art tools to fit the crown on your tooth. When done properly, crowns can last many years.

Crowns are wonderful way to safeguard and beautify your smile. Schedule a coronation today! Boulder County Smiles also provides dental implants, and sedation dentistry.

Contact Gordon West DDS – Aesthetic & General Dentistry:

720-862-3630

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

1140 W South Boulder Rd Ste 201
Lafayette, Colorado
80026

 

Restore Or Replace: New Life For Your Damaged Tooth

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Categories: cosmetic dentistry, dental crowns, dental implants, Family dentistry, general dentistry, porcelain veneers

As the saying goes, there is more than one way to skin a cat (although we don’t know anyone who has actually tried). And with cosmetic dentistry at Boulder County Smiles in Lafayette CO, there is more than one way to fix a tooth.

If you are the lucky owner of a set of perfectly healthy teeth, you may never need any of these procedures. However, if you are like most of us, you will probably need to restore a tooth eventually. Today’s post looks at six restoration procedures that are used routinely to repair damaged teeth:

A Porcelain Veneer
These wafer-thin covers can hide a chip or crack or fix the alignment of a tooth that is slightly crooked.

A Filling, Inlay, or Onlay
This procedure has been used to restore teeth for over a century though the materials and techniques have advanced. One fairly new option is white filling replacement for metal fillings. A traditional filling is shaped and molded after it is applied to the tooth. Because inlays and onlays are created in a dental lab, they are frequently called indirect fillings. Inlays are applied to just the center of the biting surface of a tooth (not to a cusp or point) and are frequently smaller than onlays. An onlay restores one or more cusps of a tooth.

Dental Bonding
Bonding, officially called direct composite veneers, is used to correct chips, cracks, stains, and make teeth longer. It is also sometimes used to fill cavities. A skilled cosmetic dentist applies pliable composite resin and molds it to the specific shape needed. The resin is then hardenend with a special curing light.

A Dental Crown
A crown replaces the entire visible portion of the tooth, restoring appearance, strength, and function. Crowns are used for teeth that have had a root canal, teeth with acute decay, the replacement tooth in a dental bridge, and the visible portion of a dental implant. Crowns can be made of all metal (such as gold), porcelain-fused-to-metal, all ceramic, or all resin.

Dental Implants
Many dentists consider a tooth implant to be the ultimate restoration because it restores the entire tooth – both root and crown. Most dental implant recipients report that the implant is indistinguishable from a natural tooth. Another boon is the fact that an implant can prevent bone recession which is common at an extraction site. Dental implants are used in a variety of applications such as anchoring dentures and dental bridges.

For more information about any of these cosmetic dentistry procedures, call Boulder County Smiles. We also treat sleep apnea and other conditions. Make an appointment with us today.

Contact Gordon West DDS – Aesthetic & General Dentistry:

720-862-3630

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

1140 W South Boulder Rd Ste 201
Lafayette, Colorado
80026

 

Just Like Natural Teeth (Naturally Perfect Teeth, That Is!)

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Categories: cosmetic dentistry, dental implants, porcelain veneers

porcelain veneers Lafayette

Hello friends and neighbors in the Lafayette area! Have you been searching for the right dentist to repair your crooked, stained, or chipped teeth? The team at Gordon West DDS wants to end your search! We specialize in porcelain veneers, which are an extraordinary, minimally-invasive solution for cracked, stained, or chipped teeth.

Porcelain veneers are custom-fitted glass-like porcelain shells that are permanently attached to the surface of the teeth that need correcting.

A veneer can transform a tooth’s color, shape, size, or length. The porcelain closely resembles genuine tooth enamel so you will look like you were born with a perfect smile. Our veneers are practically indistinguishable from natural teeth – naturally perfect teeth, that is.

Because we offer porcelain veneers that are custom-made and fitted perfectly to your teeth, you can correct multiple issues at once with just one procedure.

Fix chips and cracks without compromising the healthy tooth structure.

When considering porcelain veneers, it’s indispensable that you have them done the right way by a reputable cosmetic dentist. When done the right way, porcelain veneers can stay strong and beautiful for many years.

At Gordon West DDS in Lafayette, we also provide dental implants. Make an appointment with us today.

Contact Gordon West DDS – Aesthetic & General Dentistry:

720-862-3630

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

1140 W South Boulder Rd Ste 201
Lafayette, Colorado
80026

 

Is Your Smile In A World Of Hurt?

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Categories: cosmetic dentistry, dental crowns, dental implants, Family dentistry, restorative dentistry

full mouth reconstruction Boulder

Do you have acute tooth damage, bone loss, or few or no teeth still intact? Restorative dentistry from Boulder County Smiles can help those whose mouths are in a world of hurt.

First off, we feel for you. We understand how severe dental issues influence you every day of your life.

Whatever the cause of the condition – chemotherapy, recreational drug use, eating disorder, extreme mouth injury, disability, inadequate oral hygiene, or simply poor overall health – there is hope.

Full mouth reconstruction can restore your previously healthy, beautiful smile or give you the brilliant smile you never had. Patients who undergo full mouth reconstruction regain their confidence to smile, eat, and speak normally. How would that influence your life?

Replacing missing teeth and adding bone through grafting restores underlying facial structure, improving or preventing that “sunk-in” look that ensues when teeth are gone and the jawbone recedes.

Full mouth reconstruction (sometimes called full mouth restoration) is a term which refers to a combination of dental procedures that restore a smile for people with multiple damaged or missing teeth. Treatment may include any combination of the following procedures: crowns, inlays/onlays, dental bonding, white filling replacement, tooth implants, porcelain veneers, implant-anchored dentures, gum contouring, soft tissue grafts, bone grafts, and tooth whitening.

Dental implants are generally the best tooth replacement for those with missing teeth. A dental implant consists of a titanium post surgically inserted into the jaw bone to replace the root of the missing tooth. If there is not enough bone to anchor an implant, bone grafting may be performed to augment existing bone.

If you currently have dentures, ask us about implant-anchored full or partial dentures. Significant improvements can be made even if you only get two or three tooth implants.

Crowns (sometimes called caps) are used when there is enough viable tooth structure that the tooth doesn’t need to be extracted. A crown adds strength to a tooth that has a large filling or has been injured. A crown can repair a bite misalignment and is usually necessary after a root canal. In a dental implant procedure, attaching the crown to the abutment is the final step.

At Boulder County Smiles in Lafayette CO, we offer a full range of restorative dentistry procedures. Restoring a healthy smile may be the best investment you ever make. Make an appointment with us today.

Contact Gordon West DDS – Aesthetic & General Dentistry:

720-862-3630

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

1140 W South Boulder Rd Ste 201
Lafayette, Colorado
80026

 

Best Practices For A Healthy, Beautiful Smile

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Categories: cosmetic dentistry, dental implants, Family dentistry

cosmetic dental Boulder

Even if you value a healthy smile, it’s easy to become somewhat lax about smile-friendly lifestyle choices. At Boulder County Smiles in Lafayette CO, our goal is for you to evaluate where you stand and think about whether you could step it up a notch. Committing to oral health with our family dentistry can help.

Brushing

Good: Brush teeth once a day.
Better: Brush teeth thoroughly after each meal.
Best: Brush after each meal and floss thoroughly before bed.

Dental Checkups

Good: See Boulder County Smiles if you get a toothache.
Better: See us once a year even if you don’t notice any dental troubles.
Best: Twice-yearly, have a thorough dental exam and professional dental cleaning at Boulder County Smiles.

A White Smile

Good: Use a whitening toothpaste.
Better: Use a tooth whitening system at home.
Best: Schedule an in-office tooth whitening treatment.

Missing Tooth

Good enough for some people: Ignore it. (We don’t recommend this.)
Better: Get a quality dental bridge.
Best: Restore your smile with a beautiful, strong, and natural-functioning dental implant.

Smile-Friendly Nutrition

Good: Eat a sensible diet.
Better: Eat a healthy diet and limit sugary snacks and beverages.
Best: Eat a sensible diet, limit between-meal snacking, eat lots of calcium-rich foods, limit sugary snacks, abstain from energy drinks and soda, and sip water throughout the day to keep acid at bay.

For Young Smiles

Good: Never put your child to bed with a bottle. When your toddler starts drinking from sippy-cup, don’t let them sip juice or milk all day.
Better: Follow the previous advice and schedule his/her first dental checkup before the first birthday.
Best: In addition, speak with us about dental sealants when your child is young.

At Boulder County Smiles in Lafayette CO, we are dedicated to the best in dentistry. We provide family and cosmetic dentistry, and look forward to meeting you.

Contact Gordon West DDS – Aesthetic & General Dentistry:

720-862-3630

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

1140 W South Boulder Rd Ste 201
Lafayette, Colorado
80026

 

Missing Teeth in Boulder? Don’t Miss Out On A Beautiful Smile

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Categories: cosmetic dentistry, dental implants, dentures, Family dentistry, general dentistry

Lafayette cosmetic dentistry

If you have chipped or cracked teeth, or are missing one or more of your teeth, cosmetic and restorative dentistry from Boulder County Smiles may be just what you need. We offer multiple ways for you to keep (or regain) your ability to eat, drink, speak, laugh, and smile with confidence.

Dental Veneers
Porcelain veneers offer a relatively cost-effective approach to cosmetic adjustments – uneven color, size, or shape. They are thin ceramic shells bonded to the front of the teeth. They upgrade unsightly, but structurally sound teeth.

Dental Implant
A dental implant is a titanium post that is surgically implanted into the patient’s jaw. A tooth restoration goes on top of the post. Because they are physically attached, they prevent bone loss. Best of all, they look and function like natural teeth.

Dentures
For patients who have lost most or all of their natural teeth, there are several options in dentures. Traditional dentures are removable, and rest on top of the gums. Implant-supported dentures are anchored to dental implants and are more stable than traditional dentures.

Schedule a consultation with Boulder County Smiles in Lafayette to find out more about cosmetic dentistry. We also provide general and family dentistry, and treat sleep apnea.

Contact Gordon West DDS – Aesthetic & General Dentistry:

720-862-3630

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

1140 W South Boulder Rd Ste 201
Lafayette, Colorado
80026

 

Don’t Ignore It! Toothaches in Lafayette

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Categories: cosmetic dentistry, Dental Health, dental implants, Family dentistry, general dentistry, teeth whitening, Toothache

general and cosmetic dentistry Boulder

Life is chaotic enough, isn’t it? At times, there just aren’t enough hours in the day to do what needs to be done. Too many important things get put on the back burner, but at Boulder County Smiles in Lafayette, we urge you to not let your dental health be one of them – especially when you have a toothache.

Here are some common dental health shortcuts to watch out for:

Rushing Through Brushing
Your teeth deserve two minutes or more. Slow and methodical beats quick and dirty. Be methodical and get every tooth. Playing one of your favorite two- or three-minute songs may help you go the distance.

Neglecting Professional Cleanings
When softer plaque turns to tartar, you can’t brush it away with a toothbrush. Six-month cleanings help get rid of it before it can hurt your enamel or irritate your gums.

Using Floss Picks Instead of Dental Floss
While it’s better to floss with a floss pick than to not floss at all, it’s important to recognize that floss picks can only clean a part of the tooth’s surface. A floss pick holds just a small length of floss stretched in a straight line. When you wrap a string of floss completely around the circumference of a tooth, you can more thoroughly clean that crucial area around and just below the gum line.

Only Seeing Your Dentist When You Feel a Toothache
A toothache is an SOS from your mouth, saying that something is wrong. The most common reason is a cavity, but it could be something worse, like gum disease.

If you have a toothache or some other dental issue, call Boulder County Smiles in Lafayette right away. We offer a full range of general and family dentistry, plus cosmetic procedures like teeth whitening and dental implants. Call to schedule an appointment today.

Contact Gordon West DDS – Aesthetic & General Dentistry:

720-862-3630

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

1140 W South Boulder Rd Ste 201
Lafayette, Colorado
80026

 

Dental Implants in Lafayette CO

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Categories: cosmetic dentistry, dental implants, general dentistry, Laser Dentistry

dental implant cost Boulder County

At Boulder County Smiles in Lafayette, CO we believe every patient deserves a dazzling smile, whether it takes teeth whitening, dental crowns, or dental implants.

This blog post focuses on dental implants.

What is a dental implant?

Simply stated, a dental implant is a permanent post placed into the jawbone, with an attached abutment and artificial tooth. A dental implant can also support a dental bridge or denture.

Who can benefit from dental implants?

Ideal candidates for an implant include patients with missing teeth, dentures, or bridges who have healthy oral tissue, sufficient bone structure, and proper health for bone healing. For most of our patients who seek tooth restoration, a dental implant is a good option.

What preparation is needed?

An initial visit with Boulder County Smiles is the first step. For this evaluation, be sure to bring pertinent medical information, your current medication list, and any questions you have about the process.

Dental implants take multiple visits and the procedure is different for each patient, so be sure you understand all the specifics. If we determine that you don’t have enough bone structure at the implant site, bone grafting may be necessary.

How do I ensure successful healing?

After the dental post has been placed in your jaw, avoid drugs or medications not approved by your dental caregiver. Eat soft foods for a while to give your mouth time to heal. Keep the mouth cleaned properly around site. Follow the directions given at each visit. Stay healthy by eating a nutritious diet and getting proper rest. Do not smoke.

In routine cases, the treatment time varies from about six weeks to about six months, from the time of implant placement to when the crown is placed.

How do I care for dental implants?

Caring for implants is not much different than caring for original teeth. Take care not to chew hard things, such as ice, and seek treatment for teeth grinding if it is a problem for you.  Keep the implant and surrounding gum tissue clean, just as you would with your original teeth.

At Boulder County Smiles in Lafayette CO, we look forward to seeing you. In addition to dental implants, our services include  general and family dentistry, and state-of-the-art laser technology.

Contact Gordon West DDS – Aesthetic & General Dentistry:

720-862-3630

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

1140 W South Boulder Rd Ste 201
Lafayette, Colorado
80026

 

3-Tooth Solution For A 1-Tooth Problem?

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Categories: dental implants

Boulder County cosmetic dental and tooth implants

Do you have a missing tooth?
Are you considering the different types of restorative dental procedures available?
Does a dental bridge seem to make the most sense financially?

If you have a missing tooth and want to restore that gap in your mouth, it is critical to examine the differences between a dental bridge and a tooth implant.

Dental bridges have replaced teeth for generations of Lafayette dental patients. However, they have some drawbacks:

  • They are a 3-tooth solution to a 1-tooth problem – the adjacent teeth must be prepped and crowned to hold the replacement (floating) tooth.
  • It is hard to properly clean the small areas under the bridge.
  • A dental bridge does not protect against bone recession at the extraction site.

Why does a tooth implant have advantages over a dental bridge?

  • It is a 1-tooth solution to a 1-tooth problem.
  • It is usually stronger.
  • Will cut down the risk of bone recession (as compared to a bridge) because it replaces the tooth root.
  • It is usually not as difficult to clean as a dental bridge – lower risk of decay.
  • They generally last longer.
  • Dental implants can support a denture or partial denture.

If you need to replace a tooth, talk to your Lafayette dentist about dental financing options.If you decide on a dental implant, it will probably be less pricey in the long run.

If you want to learn more about dental implants, I invite you to call Gordon West DDS, Cosmetic & General Dentistry at 720-862-3630. I am Dr. Gordon West, and I am dedicated to restoring smiles for my Boulder area patients with dazzling permanent restorations. Call today to schedule a dental implant consultation at my Lafayette office.