Patient Stories Archives - Page 6 of 7 - Eggert Family Dentistry Blog

One Method to Replace Missing Teeth: Traditional Bridgework

By Dr. Elizabeth Eggert

How Did This Start?
Laurie had an existing bridge for her upper front teeth for 35 years and felt it looked dull and didn’t fit quite right. With her son’s wedding planned for April of 2017, she started looking into her options to improve her smile before the big day. Dr. Elizabeth spoke with Laurie about her concerns related to gum recession, bleeding, and darker margins with the existing bridge. They discussed the timeline needed in order to make improvements before the April wedding and decided that taking complete records and formulating options for treatment was the best way to start.

What Did Laurie Want?
Laurie wanted a brighter and more natural looking smile. She had considered implants in the past but had been happy with her existing bridge so the time needed to complete implants didn’t seem necessary. The existing bridge was causing gum related problems and the fit wasn’t quite right after the many years it had been in her mouth. Laurie had also been experiencing issues with migraines for years and was open to exploring options that might improve her jaw function and ultimately improve her health.

What Was Involved?
Dr. Elizabeth recommended that Laurie start with full records so that she could asses the current health of the teeth and gums, and the function of her jaw and muscles. After the records were taken Dr. Elizabeth was able to formulate the best available options to address all of Laurie’s concerns. Ultimately Laurie and Dr. Elizabeth decided the best option was to start with splint therapy, using an anterior deprogrammer. Laurie also wanted to have custom bleaching trays fabricated and then replace the existing bridge to match her brighter teeth.

Benefits of Splint Therapy with an Anterior Deprogrammer
Laurie wore her anterior deprogrammer for 8 weeks and started bleaching prior to doing impressions for the new bridge. She noticed after the first 3 weeks of splint therapy that her jaw felt looser and her teeth felt more in place. By the end of the 8 weeks, she noticed her migraines had decreased so dramatically that she hadn’t had headaches in a month and she was sleeping much better at night. Dr. Elizabeth took impressions for her new bridge and sent them to the dental lab for fabrication. Laurie then went in to Edgar Jimenez’s Dental Studio for a custom shade appointment so they could ensure she would be happy with the end result. After 4 months of planning, preparation, and treatment we were able to place the new bridge in time for her son’s wedding!

What Does She Think?
Laurie loves her new smile and said that it exceeded her expectations! She was skeptical about the splint therapy at first but now she has few if any migraines and has a hard time sleeping without her, now full, splint. The records process was an interesting experience and she enjoyed learning so much about the function of her mouth. Laurie says, “The doctors really know what they are doing. Dr. Elizabeth made it really easy.” Laurie feels much more confident about her smile and is surprised with both the improvement in her gum tissue and the natural, bright looking results we were able to achieve.

Congratulations to Laurie on her beautiful new smile! If you’re interested in tooth replacement options including bridges, please contact Eggert Family Dentistry today at 651-482-8412.

Eric’s Story – Using the All-on-4® Implant Technique

By: Dr. Elizabeth Eggert

How did this start?
Eric’s complex medical history and treatment needs led to dental issues like severe dry mouth. Because of these factors and despite good homecare, cavities and decay spread quickly for him and required extensive treatments. Over the course of 10 years he required 9 new crowns and multiple fillings in an effort to save his teeth. It was when Eric had to start having some teeth extracted in 2016 that he and Dr. Elizabeth agreed it was time to find a better-lasting, long-term solution. Based on the records Eric had taken in 2013 and his treatment since, Dr. Elizabeth proposed the All-on-4® treatment concept as the best solution to stabilize the health of Eric’s mouth.

What did he want?
Eric spends half of his time at home in Minnesota and the other half at his home in Maui. Keeping up with complex dental needs and many appointments on top of numerous health problems made coming for consistent dental visits difficult so he wanted to come up with a permanent way to improve his oral health. Eric wasn’t overly concerned with the esthetics of his mouth, but he felt that as long as he was considering doing more comprehensive work that he would like to see a whiter, more even smile.

What was involved?
The process started in August of 2016 when Eric had all of his remaining upper teeth extracted and 6 implants placed by Dr. Karl Andreasen of Momenta Oral Surgery. In March of 2017 Eric took the next step in the process and had all of his lower teeth extracted and 5 implants placed to prepare for his final full-arch prostheses. After each of these surgical appointments, an interim (temporary) prosthesis was placed in order to sustain most of his normal function as well as give him teeth to smile with. Eric’s time in his interim prostheses was extended because his health conditions kept one lower implant from fully integrating.

This implant was replaced and after a successful integration check, Eric was ready to take impressions for his final All-on-4® prostheses in March of this year. He decided he preferred the full zirconia, all porcelain material due to its strength and esthetics and he was able to select the shade for his brand new smile! Eric came in for a try-in 3 weeks later and gave the go-ahead for Dr. Elizabeth to have the lab move to final creation. On May 2nd Eric came back and had both of his new arches placed and left with a brand new set of teeth.

What did he think?
After years of treatment planning, Eric was very excited to have a new and healthy set of “teeth” to chew, smile, and talk with. After looking at the final result he was very pleased with how the entire treatment turned out and said, “I shouldn’t have waited so long!” Eric was leaving for his home in Maui just days after the procedure was done and felt relieved to know he was traveling with a stable and healthy mouth. When asked how he felt about the All-on-4® treatment process Eric said, “It was totally worth it. I have one less thing to worry about!” His especially likes the even white color of his new smile! Congratulations Eric! Thank you for putting your trust in us!

Randi and Dr. Elizabeth’s Invisalign® Success Story

By: Dr. Elizabeth Eggert

In August of 2016, Dr. Elizabeth and Randi decided to become Invisalign® patients to help them make desired changes to their smile! Their participation also helped our team get a much more in-depth understanding of Invisalign®. Randi had braces as a teenager, however, she lost her retainer and her front teeth started to cross-over each other. She wanted to feel more confident with her smile.

Dr. Elizabeth had braces in middle school and her teeth started shifting as well, especially noticeable at the midline and at her right side lateral incisor. She wanted to test Invisalign® and see if it could address her concerns.

We sent models, photos, and x-rays of their teeth to Invisalign® where they created a 3D simulation of how both Randi and Dr. Elizabeth’s teeth could move with Invisalign® treatment. They were both pleased with the results of the 3D simulation and decided to proceed. Both treatments required about 20 aligner changes and were expected to take 9 months. Each of them committed to visits every 6 weeks to ensure the teeth were moving as expected.

Small composite buttons or attachments were strategically placed temporarily on the front surfaces of some of the teeth to help with movements. These buttons were removed once their Invisalign® treatments were complete and as you can see were hardly visible.

Randi responded well to her aligners and other than having to have one button replaced, she had no complications. Randi says, “I am so happy!” She gets positive compliments from friends and family since going through Invisalign® and loves to show off her smile. She also learned great hygiene habits while wearing the aligners and would tell anyone to go through with Invisalign®. “My confidence has grown so much and I am excited to smile!”

Dr. Elizabeth said there was an adjustment period when she first began because she felt her mouth was drier after talking with patients all day, but otherwise she felt as though Invisalign® fit seamlessly into her life. She thinks it would be a great option for most people. Dr. Elizabeth says, “I am very happy with the movement. Wearing the aligners was easy and the time went fast.” She is very happy with the alignment of her front teeth and feels confident in recommending Invisalign® to her patients! She was especially happy that the treatment actually only took 7 months overall since the movements occurred so quickly!

Wondering if Invisalign® could help improve your smile? Contact us at Eggert Family Dentistry today or call (651) 482-8412 to schedule an appointment.

A Brighter, More Even Smile – Julie’s Story

By: Dr. Elizabeth Eggert

How did this start?
Julie came to us in February of 2016 hoping to replace the bridge that was placed when she was in the 10th grade because it no longer matched her other anterior teeth. She was interested in improving the look of her smile, but it was very important to her to make sure her teeth had a natural appearance. Julie had heard our team was experienced in cosmetic dentistry and was interested in what we could do for her!

What did Julie want?
Julie wanted to start her transformation by achieving a brighter smile with the Philips 2 week at-home system. Her goal was to get a natural-looking white and more consistent coloring in her front teeth. After the whitening, she was interested in getting more even length and spacing in her upper front teeth with veneers and a new bridge.

What was involved?
We started out by taking records to get a better picture of what treatment would be required to reach Julie’s goals. Dr. Michael Furey recommended Julie start with Invisalign to allow for the most even looking smile and then placing veneers on 3 front teeth as well as a new bridge for the other 3 front teeth. Julie received her first set of Invisalign trays in June of 2016. She was great about following the Invisalign treatment plan and schedule, and was able to complete the treatment in 7 months. Julie then met with Dr. Elizabeth to create a plan to place the veneers and bridge. It turned out Julie needed the help of Dr. Alejandro Aguirre to retreat a root canal on her traumatized tooth. After that was completed, Dr. Elizabeth completed the procedures needed for her new teeth.

What does she think?
Julie felt some anxiety and skepticism at first, but knew the work needed to be done to create the look and function she desired. She felt much more confident after meeting with the doctors and team. Julie said, “I’m so glad I did it! You all have helped me get through it! I catch myself in the mirror looking at how great they look. I’m very happy!” Julie has even motivated her sister to go through similar treatment and says she encourages anyone to go forward with it. We are so happy to have worked with Julie. She came to us as a “cosmetic” patient and she now sees us for her recare and maintenance as well. It means the world to us that Julie has placed her trust in us!

Quinn’s Story

By: Dr. Elizabeth Eggert

How did this start?
Quinn came to us as a new patient. He was in his second round of braces with his orthodontist, Dr. Liu. Dr. Elizabeth noticed the midline of his front teeth wasn’t quite centered. Quinn also had uneven spacing in his front teeth.

What did Quinn want?
Quinn noticed that some of his front teeth appeared small and left some spacing on the right side of his smile. He was already focused on straightening his teeth, but he also wanted a more even and fuller looking smile. Quinn wanted to make sure that after he completed his orthodontics his teeth would not only be straight, but symmetrical as well.

What was involved?
Dr. Elizabeth worked with Dr. Liu to make sure we were all aiming for the same goal. Dr. Liu set up a plan to move Quinn’s front teeth to center with his upper lip and leave space around his undersized laterals to make Quinn’s smile more symmetrical and broader.

Near the completion of Quinn’s orthodontic treatment, Dr. Elizabeth presented him and his mom with some options to make the undersized laterals broader and showed them a mock-up of how the teeth would look after the procedure. Quinn decided to take Dr. Elizabeth’s recommendation and do composite bonding now, knowing that porcelain veneers will be a good option when he is done growing.

Quinn felt good about the current color of his teeth. Therefore, he could move right into the bonding procedure. The mock-up was used to create the composite veneers in the office in one day. Dr. Elizabeth performed a very minimal preparation on the teeth and made sure the coloring of the composite veneers matched his natural teeth.

What does Quinn think?
Quinn feels much more comfortable with his smile. He likes the fuller look of his front teeth and thinks they look more natural. He was very happy that Dr. Elizabeth didn’t have to make much adjustment to his teeth. He loved that the procedure wasn’t painful at all. Quinn and his mom feel the investment made in Quinn’s oral health and esthetics was well worth it!

Rebuilding Worn Teeth – Gina’s Story

By Dr. Elizabeth Eggert

How did this start?
Gina came to us as an established patient at one of her routine recare appointments. Dr. Elizabeth noted decay around her front teeth and Gina mentioned how she noticed wear on her teeth and she was frustrated that her teeth were deteriorating despite her efforts in caring for them. Dr. Elizabeth recommended Gina go through our records process so she could delve deeper into underlying causes behind her decaying and worn teeth.

What did Gina want?
Gina noticed a lot more wear lately and wanted to keep as many of her natural teeth as possible. She was concerned because she recently needed a root canal for one tooth and needed another tooth extracted because of a vertical root fracture. Gina wanted to take action before other teeth declined. She also wanted her teeth whiter, more even, more uniform looking and wanted things to function better. Gina wanted a conservative, comprehensive plan for restoring her teeth.

What was involved?
Dr. Elizabeth used photos and x-rays of Gina’s teeth along with the results of a thorough muscle and joint evaluation to develop Gina’s plan. The details of the records process revealed that the position of Gina’s teeth caused multiple interferences when she chewed. This is why her teeth were seriously starting to break down.

Dr. Elizabeth and Gina decided that Gina’s best option for restoring her teeth would first require moving her teeth to a better position with orthodontics. Gina worked with Dr. Brian DeVoe, a local orthodontist, until she had an even biting surface. Dr. Elizabeth then worked with a local lab and together they designed a blueprint of Gina’s new front teeth out of wax. This blueprint, called a laboratory wax-up, provided the ability for Dr. Elizabeth to create Gina’s new smile. Gina wanted to be as conservative as possible so it was decided to proceed with three porcelain crowns to remove the decay and to rebuild the worn edges of Gina’s front teeth.

What does Gina think?
“It sounded like a lot to do at first with the orthodontics and the crowns, but I knew I needed to do something to address the cause of the breakdown. I definitely didn’t want to lose any more teeth. I am so glad I went to the consultation with the orthodontist and went through with braces. My bite feels comfortable and everything feels so good! I would tell anyone considering getting this done to do it right away.”

John’s Success Story: Replacing a Failing Bridge

By: Dr. Elizabeth Eggert

John came to us as an established patient at one of his routine recare appointments. Dr. Elizabeth noted decay around the edges of his expansive 6-unit bridge on his upper front teeth.

After further examination, one of the natural teeth of the bridge was showing signs of infection and needed to be removed. Dr. Elizabeth recommended John go through our records process so she could help John plan for a more stable, longer-lasting tooth replacement option for his front teeth.

What did John want his future smile to look like?

John wanted to replace his missing teeth with a stable and long-lasting solution. Dr. Elizabeth noted changes on one of the anchor teeth of John’s front bridge on radiographs, and the tooth needed to be extracted. John wanted to do what was needed to keep his natural teeth healthy and wanted to replace the front teeth with the longest lasting replacement option. John liked the look of his current bridge.

What did Eggert Family Dentistry do?

Dr. Elizabeth used photos and x-rays of John’s teeth along with the results of a thorough muscle and joint evaluation to present John with the current health of his teeth, gums, and the function of his jaw and muscles. The details of the records process revealed that the position of John’s bridge and many of his natural teeth caused multiple interferences when he chewed. This means he was biting down unevenly, causing the breakdown of his teeth. This deterioration was negatively impacting the function of his teeth and likely contributed to the failing bridge.

Dr. Elizabeth and John decided that John’s best replacement option for the bridge would involve placing two implants and connecting them with an implant bridge. This made it possible to detach some teeth from his original bridge and allow for easier cleaning.

Before we could start with John’s implants, though, we had to address the instability in his bite. John first wore an anterior deprogrammer to take pressure off his back teeth and relax his muscles so his new bridge could be restored to a more stable, comfortable bite. John then had restorations placed on many of his back teeth to rebuild tooth structure into a better functioning bite. John then had two implants placed in front and wore a temporary bridge during the healing phase. The final phase was for Dr. Elizabeth to fabricate a new implant bridge to replace his front teeth.

What does John think of the results?

“Everything turned out great! I like how it looks and I like how it feels! Everyone comments on how nice it looks. At first, I didn’t fully understand how it was all going to come together, but I trusted Dr. Elizabeth and her abilities and I am glad I did!” John is excited to also have brightened his smile and is considering bleaching his lower teeth. Contact us to schedule your bridge consultation.

3 Zoom Whitening Success Stories

By: Dr. Elizabeth Eggert

This spring, Eggert Family Dentistry offered a promotion through this very newsletter and on Facebook for a discounted rate on Philips Zoom whitening. Zoom whitening is an in-office procedure that can instantly whiten your teeth 4 to 10 shades in less than two hours. The appointment consists of four 15-minute treatment sessions, after which we send you home with at-home whitening trays to maintain your bright results.

We had an overwhelming response to this promotion and were happy to see so many of our patients achieve amazing results using Zoom whitening! Check out the testimonials and before and after photos of three lucky patients who wanted to show you what your smile can look like with Zoom!

Alan’s Zoom Whitening Success Story
Alan said that he was hesitant about doing Zoom whitening. He wasn’t certain the results would be worth it. After seeing his results, though, Alan said he would definitely recommend Zoom whitening to anyone considering the procedure, saying, “It was worth it!”

Roxanne’s Zoom Whitening Success Story
Roxanne told us that before her appointment, she was really excited about doing Zoom whitening. Afterwards, she said she was definitely happy that her teeth looked so “clean and fresh.” Her advice for anyone considering Zoom? “Do it!”

Jim’s Zoom Whitening Success Story
Before his appointment, Jim said he was somewhat “leery” of Zoom whitening and wasn’t sure how much of a difference he would be able to see in the shade of his teeth. However, Jim said he was “amazed” after seeing the difference in his smile and was very pleased with his results!

Thanks for sharing your stories, Alan, Roxanne, and Jim! We’re so glad you’re happy with your Philips Zoom whitening results!

To schedule your Zoom whitening consultation, contact Eggert Family Dentistry today.

Jill’s Invisalign® Success Story

By: Dr. Elizabeth Eggert

A few months ago, Jill noticed her top teeth were shifting and her front teeth were starting to cross over each other. She also noticed more crowding on her bottom teeth, and she was starting to trap food because of it. We compared photos of Jill’s teeth from several years ago with her current smile and confirmed noticeable differences.

Jill’s teeth before (left) and after (right).

What did Jill want from her experience with Invisalign®?
Jill had been considering Invisalign® for some time. Her daughter had used Invisalign® teeth aligners and was very pleased with her results. Jill wanted to unravel the crowding on her own top and bottom front teeth. She imagined a future when she could clean her teeth better, eat without catching food between her teeth, and be proud to flash her beautiful smile.

How did Jill get started with Invisalign®?
First, we took impressions, photos, and x-rays of Jill’s teeth right at our office. Then, we sent them all to Invisalign®. In a short time, we could evaluate the 3D simulation of how Jill’s teeth could move with Invisalign® treatment. Jill was happy with the results of the 3D simulation and decided to proceed with treatment. Over a number of months, a sequence of 22 aligners would gradually move Jill’s teeth into place. Jill came into the office every 6 weeks to ensure her teeth were moving as expected. Small composite attachments were strategically and temporarily placed on the front surfaces of some of Jill’s teeth to help with tooth movements. These attachments easily blended in with her teeth, but were removed once her Invisalign® treatment was complete.

What does Jill think of her Invisalign® results?

Let’s hear it straight from Jill:

“My daughter went through Invisalign® and gave me the encouragement to do it. I understood the procedure and knew what to expect. I’m very happy with the results! I would encourage anyone considering Invisalign® to do it!”

Thanks for sharing your story, Jill! We’re so glad you’re happy with your Invisalign® results!

To schedule your Invisalign® consultation, contact Eggert Family Dentistry today.

Ron’s Story: The Importance of an Even Biting Plane

By: Dr. Elizabeth Eggert

How did this start?

Ron came to us first as a new patient after being referred by his daughter who has been a long-time, loyal patient of ours. At the time of his first exam, Ron was missing a number of teeth and many of the teeth remaining were broken down. Dr. Elizabeth noted excessive wear throughout his mouth, a very uneven biting plane, and mild muscle discomfort during the muscle evaluation. Ron constantly struggled with his partial denture dislodging and moving when he moved his nose and mouth in certain directions. Ron later broke a clasp off of his partial and even after an attempted repair and multiple adjustments, Ron was not able to find a comfortable, tight fit with his partial. Dr. Elizabeth recommended Ron go through our records process so that she could delve deeper into underlying causes behind his tooth loss and accelerated wear on his teeth.

What did Ron want?

Ron noticed that his partial denture had become loose and he wanted to be able to speak without dislodging his partial. Ron was also concerned about keeping his remaining teeth healthy. Ron wanted a more even biting surface and wanted things to function better. He wanted to understand what would be a more comprehensive plan for restoring and replacing his teeth.

What was revealed during the records process?

Dr. Elizabeth used models, photos, and x-rays of Ron’s teeth along with our thorough muscle and joint evaluation results to present Ron with the current health of his teeth, gums, and the function of his jaw and muscles. The details of the records process revealed that the position of Ron’s teeth caused multiple interferences, so he was biting down unevenly causing the breakdown and loosening of his partial. This deterioration was negatively impacting both the aesthetics and function of his teeth. Ron needed a comprehensive plan to even out his biting plane to help distribute his biting forces more evenly.

What was involved?

Ron’s lower partial denture was loose and the remaining six natural, lower teeth had very poor prognosis. They were rather worn and tooth structure was already missing. Those teeth were also getting cavities because of how weak they were due to wear. Ron was presented with multiple restorative and replacement options. Ron decided it was best for him to have his remaining 6 lower teeth extracted and have 2 implants placed in his lower jaw to anchor a new complete denture. We were able to design a new, aesthetically pleasing, better-functioning denture for Ron that stays in place and keeps the function of his jaw and muscles working together better. Dr. Elizabeth worked with a local oral surgeon and a local dental lab to have implants strategically placed to help secure his newly designed smile.

What does Ron think?

Ron likes the look and feel of his new implant supported denture. He finds it easy to care for and is glad he went through the steps needed to get there.