Dental Crowns—Yesterday and Today

Categories: Cosmetic Dentistry

dentist-shining-smile

Dental crowns have been around for a couple of thousand years. Archeology suggests that the Etruscans experimented with crowns on teeth using ivory and bone as early as 700 B.C. By 200 A.D., gold crowns were used to make artificial teeth. Ancient Egyptians fashioned tooth replacements out of seashells and then hammered them into their gums.

Porcelain crowns were first used in the 1800s. With the refining of metal casting methods in the 1900s, crown dentistry advanced significantly.

Dental crowns cover the entire visible portion of the tooth and are cemented in place. Crowns are used to strengthen teeth that have been worn down or weakened by decay or injury. Crowns are also used to brighten and improve the appearance of one’s smile.

There are three common types of crowns are:

  1. All-porcelain (ceramic)
  2. Porcelain-fused-to-metal
  3. Gold

The material used is determined by several factors, depending on your unique situation. You will want to discuss this with Dr. Stewart and Dr. Hull which option would be best for you.

If you suspect you need a crown, want to replace an old crown, or want to learn about other cosmetic dentistry procedures, call Dr. Stewart and Dr. Hull  at 616-827-7019.  We have been serving patients in the Belmont, Grand Rapids, Sparta, Walker and Rockford, MI area since 1974. We can recommend the best tooth restoration or cosmetic dentistry option for you.

 

 

Dental Crowns For Replacing Weakened Or Damaged Teeth

dental crowns Comstock Park

It might surprise a lot of people to know that dental crowns have been used in dentistry for more than 2000 years. According to archeologists, the Etruscans experimented with crowns on teeth using ivory and bone as early as 700 B.C. By 200 A.D., materials became more sophisticated and they began using gold crowns to construct artificial teeth. There is evidence that the ancient Egyptians made tooth replacements out of seashells, shaping them and then hammering them into their gums.

Porcelain crowns were first used in the 1800s. After the refinement of metal casting methods in the 1900s, crown dentistry began to improve dramatically.

Today, crowns are strong, comfortable, and made to match your surrounding teeth.

Dental crowns cover the entire visible portion of the tooth above the gum line and are cemented in place after the tooth is treated. Crowns are used to strengthen teeth that have been worn down or weakened by decay or injury. Crowns are also used to brighten and improve the appearance of one’s smile.

If you suspect you need a crown, want to replace an old crown, or want to learn about other cosmetic dentistry procedures, please call Dr. Stewart and Dr. Hull at 616-827-7019. Stewart and Hull Aesthetic and General Dentistry is located at 769 York Creek Dr NW in Comstock Park. We have been serving patients in the Belmont, Grand Rapids, Sparta, Walker and Rockford, MI area since 1974. We can recommend the best tooth restoration or cosmetic dentistry option for you.

 

Tooth Restoration: Dental Implants And Dental Bridges

Categories: Dental Implants

smiling woman

When my Comstock Park patients ask me about Comstock Park tooth restoration, I usually tell them about fixed (or ‘traditional’) dental bridges or tooth implants. A dental bridge is an artificial tooth which replaces a missing tooth. The false tooth (called a ‘pontic’) is fused to porcelain crowns on either side of the missing tooth.

Tooth replacement has been a highly requested procedure at my Comstock Park dental practice. Patients from the Belmont, Comstock Park, Grand Rapids, Walker, Sparta and Rockford, MI areas have expressed concern about tooth replacement for many years. Most of my questions have to do with the strength of the tooth replacement and durability.

Most popular are dental implants. A dental implant consists of a titanium post surgically inserted into the jaw bone to replace the root of the missing tooth. The post integrates with the bone to provide a stable foundation for the replacement tooth.

After it has bonded with the bone (it usually takes three to six months), a smaller post is attached. This post extends above the gum line. The artificial tooth (crown) is then attached. The entire process takes several months, but consistently yields terrific results for our patients.

Both Michigan smile restoration options preserve or restore facial contour and allow you to talk and eat normally. Tooth replacements prevent adjoining teeth from gradually shifting and can help correct bite problems, also.

Tooth implants and dental bridges can replace one or more missing teeth. Many Rockford, MI area dental patients have been treated successfully with these tooth restoration alternatives.

Call Stewart and Hull Aesthetic and General Dentistry and ask for Dr. Stewart and Dr. Hull to schedule an evaluation for Michigan tooth restoration. You can schedule your tooth restoration by calling us at 616-784-2377.

6 Ways Dental Crowns Restore Comstock Park Smiles

cost of dental crowns Comstock Park

Dental crowns have been around a long time, but they continue to play an important role in Grand Rapids cosmetic dentistry. A dental crown, often called a cap, covers the visible part of the tooth.

Dental crowns are used for several problems common among Grand Rapids cosmetic dentistry patients:

  • An old crown that is damaged or ill-fitting
  • A broken tooth
  • A tooth with extreme decay
  • A tooth that has had a root canal
  • A tooth that is too small or misshapen
  • A tooth that prevents a proper bite

A dental crown serves both structural and aesthetic purposes. It protects a natural tooth from additional decay and damage while permitting normal function. In addition, a dental crown often prevents the need for an extraction and the bone loss that can occur with a missing tooth.

Patients who get a dental crown should not assume that the tooth is now invincible. Crowns need daily cleaning and flossing just like natural teeth. The remaining tooth structure just around the gumline could still become decayed and the soft tissue around the crown is susceptible to gum disease. Chewing hard foods or using your teeth as a tool can cause a crown to crack or break. (Use scissors to open a stubborn plastic package – don’t bite and pull!) Dr. Stewart and Dr. Hull can advise you on caring for your new crown so that it will last as long as possible. Some of our Belmont, Comstock Park, Grand Rapids, Sparta, Walker and Rockford, MI patients have crowns that are still looking beautiful after ten years.

If you would like to hear more about options to restore your smile, call our office to schedule a complimentary consultation today.

Stewart and Hull Aesthetic and General Dentistry

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Smile Makeovers At Stewart and Hull Aesthetic and General Dentistry In Comstock Park

Categories: Cosmetic Dentistry

Same Day Smile Makeovers At Stewart and Hull Aesthetic and General Dentistry In Comstock Park

Do veneers look like natural teeth?
Our skilled cosmetic dental lab artists create porcelain veneers with the color, reflective properties, and translucency of natural teeth: perfect natural teeth, that is. In addition, porcelain veneers can be made in any size or shape.

Are veneers strong?
Porcelain veneers are fabricated out of extremely durable material. If you have questions about whether a veneer or dental crown is the best choice for you, talk to Dr. Stewart and Dr. Hull. They will consider the size and condition of the tooth and its position in the mouth.

For questions about the cost of porcelain veneers, call our office at 616-784-2377

Stewart and Hull Aesthetic and General Dentistry
769 York Creek Dr NW Comstock Park, Michigan 49321
cosmetic dentistry general dentistry
implant dentistry restorative dentistry
https://www.greatmismiles.com/

 

Cosmetic Dental Solutions in Comstock Park

Categories: Cosmetic Dentistry

Cosmetic Dental Solutions in Comstock Park Comstock Park cosmetic dentists use dental crowns to solve a number of dental dilemmas. A dental crown is a strong, natural-looking permanent tooth restoration that covers the top of the damaged tooth.

Grand Rapids area family dentistry practices recommend crowns to remedy the following problems:

  • A broken tooth with decay
  • An ill-fitting existing crown
  • A decayed tooth that has lost significant tooth structure
  • A tooth that has had a root canal
  • A tooth that is too small or misshapen
  • A tooth that causes a bite problem

Before your Grand Rapids area dentist can attach the crown to your tooth, we must prepare the tooth. Family dentists often apply a local anesthetic so you won’t feel pain during the prepping. Dr. Bruce Stewart or Dr. Eric Hull will remove decay, if any, and shape the tooth to receive the crown. Then a mold is taken of the prepped tooth and surrounding teeth.

A temporary crown is then placed on the tooth to protect it until you return to your cosmetic dentistry office to receive the permanent restoration. The patient needs to be careful while wearing the temporary crown. Vigorous brushing or flossing can displace the crown or damage the exposed soft tissue. The Grand Rapids dental crown patient should also refrain from eating extremely hard foods like nuts or sticky candy.

The mold of your teeth is sent to a local dental lab where your crown is built. Dental crowns are fabricated in three varieties: tooth colored crowns made of resin or porcelain, porcelain-fused-to-metal, and solid metal crowns. Each type has its pros and cons. Your Comstock Park cosmetic dentists at Stewart & Hull will choose the best crown material for your particular tooth.

What if you need a permanent dental restoration for both the top and root of your tooth? Dental implants are your answer.

For more information about complete dental restorations and other cosmetic dental solutions, call Stewart & Hull at 616-827-7019 today.

Are you on following us on Facebook? View our post from March 22nd or click this link to win 2 tickets to hear University of Michigan Football Coach Brady Hoke speak in Grand Rapids on May 13th!

You can be one of four lucky patients to be our guest to have lunch, listen to Coach Hoke and get fired up for the coming football season! This contest ends April 30th, 2013.

Celebrity Smiles in Grand Rapids

Try Porcelain Veneers In Grand Rapids How do celebrities obtain brilliant white smiles always ready for the red carpet or a close-up? Do they avoid coffee? Not likely. Every star-watching magazine is full of pictures of famous people holding Starbucks cups. Do they avoid tobacco? Some probably do, but many actors and fashion models with dazzling white smiles are smokers.

Very few people (famous and non-famous alike) with perfect teeth were born with them. (…Sure, no one is born with teeth, but you know what I mean.) Celebrities have perfect smiles because they have undergone cosmetic dentistry.

Guess what? You can also have a smile like a supermodel or television news anchor because Dr. Bruce Stewart & Dr. Eric Hull at Stewart & Hull have as much experience and training in advanced cosmetic dentistry as any Hollywood cosmetic dentist.

Dr. Stewart has been providing smile makeovers for dental clients in the Grand Rapids, Comstock Park and Rockford MI areas since 1974. Tooth whitening is often the most affordable cosmetic dental procedure. Tooth bleaching quickly perks up your teeth and makes you feel like smiling all the time!

Porcelain veneers are used often in Grand Rapids cosmetic dental offices because they correct myriad problems. Veneers remedy misshapen teeth, cracks and chips, and discolored teeth. Teeth that have been worn down extensively can also be repaired with veneers. Preparing a tooth for a porcelain veneer is minimally invasive. The latest veneers do not require the removal of healthy enamel. Another plus: veneers are usually less expensive than complete dental crowns!

Tooth bleaching and veneers are just two of the many cosmetic dental procedures performed at Stewart & Hull. Schedule a cosmetic dental consultation today by calling 616-827-7019. At our office, you will always receive VIP treatment, without the annoying paparazzi!

We look forward to helping you achieve a celebrity smile.

(Note that the celebrities pictured above are not affiliated with our site; they just have great smiles!)

Are you on following us on Facebook? View our post from March 22nd or click this link to win 2 tickets to hear University of Michigan Football Coach Brady Hoke speak in Grand Rapids on May 13th!

https://www.facebook.com/TheGrandRapidsCosmeticDentists/app_141149985924076

You can be one of four lucky patients to be our guest to have lunch, listen to Coach Hoke and get fired up for the coming football season! This contest ends April 30th, 2013.

The Dangers of Oral Piercing

Dental Health Issues Associated With Oral Piercings in Rockford MI If you live in Rockford MI or the surrounding areas and are considering puncturing your lip or tongue, read this:

Infection
Your mouth is full of bacteria. Any opening in the tissue carries the risk of infection. The germs from your tongue and mouth can easily get into your bloodstream. Dentists and doctors in the Rockford MI, Comstock Park and Grand Rapids areas are continually treating serious infections caused by oral piercings. Oral infections can be a real problem, and should be a major consideration before getting an oral piercing.

Tooth Damage
It should come as no surprise that having a piece of metal bang around in your mouth can easily chip tooth enamel. Though tooth enamel is amazingly strong, once it’s chipped or cracked, it can only be restored with artificial material. Fortunately, Stewart & Hull in Comstock Park offers many tooth restoration options such as dental crowns and fillings, but our advice is to avoid the problem if you can.

Prolonged Bleeding and Swelling
The blood vessels in the tongue are often damaged when the tongue is pierced, causing prolonged bleeding and possible build-up of scar tissue. In some cases, the tongue swells up enough to block the airway.

Gum Recession
A number of periodontal disease studies have shown that wearing oral jewelry is linked to periodontal disease which can result in tooth loss. Periodontal disease, or ‘gum disease‘, can cause gum recession and expose the roots of your teeth, potentially causing hyper sensitivity and pain. Again, our advice is to avoid the problem right from the start.

These are just a few of the dangers. Dr. Bruce Stewart and Dr. Eric Hull can give you more information about the risks of oral piercings. If you already have damage, call 616-827-7019 to schedule a cosmetic dental consultation.

Are you on following us on Facebook? View our post from March 22nd or click this link to win 2 tickets to hear University of Michigan Football Coach Brady Hoke speak in Grand Rapids on May 13th!

You can be one of four lucky patients to be our guest to have lunch, listen to Coach Hoke and get fired up for the coming football season! This contest ends April 30th, 2013.

Comstock Park Whiter Smiles

Categories: Teeth Whitening

Comstock Park Teeth Whitening Wishing for a whiter smile in Comstock Park but not sure how to get it? New to tooth whitening lingo? At Stewart & Hull Aesthetic & General Dentistry, we educate clients on the variety of affordable teeth whiting treatments; from whitening trays to teeth bleaching to Zoom whitening. We do smile whitening for Rockford MI patients every day.

Almost every toothpaste claims to whiten teeth, but as we age our teeth gradually turn yellow or gray, despite all the whitening toothpastes we use regularly. Tooth enamel, while one of the hardest substances in the body, is porous. Over time, the food and drinks that comes in contact with our teeth cause staining and discoloration. You probably have already discovered that a toothbrush cannot clean these microscopic pores.

Carbamide peroxide and hydrogen peroxide are the two main teeth whitening ingredients. They can penetrate the outer layer of your teeth to remove the build-up, and help restore whitening to teeth. Call Dr. Eric Hull or Dr. Bruce Stewart at 616-827-7019 to schedule an appointment and we will explain the difference between these tooth bleaching ingredients and how they may affect your Comstock Park smile whitening results.

At-home teeth whitening products are probably not a good choice if you have dental crowns or veneers. You could end up with extremely uneven results or possible damage to your existing cosmetic dentistry.

We know the best Comstock Park teeth bleaching options and can recommend the perfect white smile solution for you.

At Stewart & Hull Aesthetic & General Dentistry, we hope to see you soon. Give us a call at 616-827-7019.