While many dentists consider dental implants to be a staple of effective tooth replacement services, these restoration options are still relatively unheard of for most patients. If you’re missing one or more teeth, versatile dental implant supported tooth replacement plans may be just what you need. Dental implants are positioned below the gums to replace missing tooth roots and support replacement teeth. For a single lost tooth, this is relatively straightforward. An implant post is placed, and a replacement tooth is fixed to the top of the implant. When it comes to more complex tooth replacement plans, patients have questions. What happens if I have more than one missing tooth? Do I need a dental implant and dental crown for every lost tooth? In this post, we’ll discuss some of the basics of dental implant tooth replacement for patients missing multiple teeth.
(more…)
What Happens if I Need More Than one Dental Implant?
February 7, 2018
Choosing Cosmetic Bonding or Porcelain Veneers Norman, OK Loves
October 6, 2015
No matter how well we care for our teeth, natural wear and tear leaves its mark over time. The foods and drinks we consume daily, chewing and grinding teeth, and decreased bone density due to aging all contribute to minor cosmetic flaws like chips, cracks, and stains. When it comes to correcting smile irregularities, patients have numerous cosmetic and restorative dentistry options. Two of the most popular corrective solutions are cosmetic bonding and porcelain veneers. However, many patients are unsure which option is right for their smile, and Dr. Bobby J. Carmen and his Norman, OK dental team help patients fully understand their options, and make a decision that leave them with beautiful smiles for years to come.
(more…)
When to Ditch an Over-the-counter Mouthguard (and Why)
September 24, 2015
Are you a nighttime tooth grinder? If so, it’s a condition we also call bruxism, and its side effects are serious. Many times, adults try to self-treat nighttime conditions like bruxism — and sleep apnea, which occurs when the soft tissues of the mouth block the airway — with over-the-counter solutions, like one-size-fits-all mouth trays, snoring prevention or boil and bite mouthguards. These can provide an acceptable solution for a short period of time, but if you’ve got a real problem, you need a real, professional solution. Read more to learn about professional mouthguards from your dentist in Norman.
(more…)
Decisions, Decisions: Over-The-Counter or In-Office Teeth Whitening
July 30, 2015
There are plenty of reasons why patients choose to have their teeth whitened. Maybe you’re part of the wedding party for an upcoming ceremony and you need to get those chompers bleached. In the business world, nothing pads a good impression more than having a white, bright smile. The important question to ask yourself isn’t why you need whitening treatment, but how you want it done. There are various reasons as to why teeth become discolored to begin with, and a lot of it has to do with what you’re eating and drinking. The only way to receive whitening treatment is either in a dental office or using over-the-counter products. Our office in Norman, OK is equipped with both in-office and at-home treatment options. We can’t say which treatment will be right for you, but we can help guide you down the right path. For the best advice for teeth whitening, Norman residents know who they can trust: Dr. Bobby Carmen. Behold: the differences in over-the-counter and in-office whitening treatment.
(more…)
Tooth Replacement with the Dentist Norman, OK, Trusts
July 27, 2015
If you or someone you care about is missing teeth, then you might be familiar with the difficulties they face almost daily. The activities most people take for granted—eating, talking, smiling, laughing—may be compromised. And beyond the affects that even one missing tooth can have on your oral health, there are the consequences to your general and emotional health to consider, too. Your nutrition may suffer if you are unable to consume a well-balanced diet of fresh fruits and vegetables. Emotionally, missing teeth can make you self-conscious in both social and professional situations. Therefore, Dr. Bobby Carmen and his team in Norman, OK, offer a variety of tooth replacement options, so you can have the full and beautiful smile you need and deserve.
Dental Implants in Norman
Perhaps the most lifelike tooth replacement choice is a dental implant. This modern dental wonder not only replaces the crown of a tooth—the visible portion—but the root as well. As such, you’ll have stable base upon which Dr. Carmen can attach a natural-looking porcelain tooth restoration. As an implant dentist, Dr. Carmen will perform every step of treatment, including implant placement, at our Norman dental office. He will surgically implant a small titanium post your jawbone. As this heals, the bone and post will fuse, creating as firm a foundation as a live tooth root. Once you’ve healed, you’ll return to our office where Dr. Carmen will affix a custom crown. If you have more than one missing tooth, then implants will be positioned along your arch in order to securely hold implant retained dentures.
Full and Partial Dentures
For full and partial dentures, Norman turns to Dr. Carmen. As you might guess, full dentures replace all of the teeth on an upper or lower arch. Partial dentures, on the other hand, are designed to fit between and among your remaining teeth. Full dentures and partials contain artificial teeth on a pink, gum-colored base, and both look completely natural. With wear, they will feel natural, too. Dr. Carmen takes great care to design dentures that are comfortable and appropriately sized for your unique mouth and facial features.
Call Our Office Today
If you would like to learn more about your tooth replacement options, or if you are ready to schedule a consultation, then please call the office of Dr. Bobby Carmen. Our Norman, OK office happily offers this service to our neighbors in Noble, Goldsby, Newcastle, Moore and beyond.
Enjoy The Benefits of Digital Radiography
June 23, 2015
Digital technology in the dental industry has come a long way, even in the last five years. At Dr. Bobby Carmen’s office, we’ve invested in a new way of looking into your mouth with a procedure that is quick, comfortable and precise. Digital radiography has made treatment shorter so you can get in and get out of your appointments fast. Using this state-of-the-art technology, we can clearly identify all external and internal anatomical structures for an accurate diagnosis of your dental issues. Does it sound like something you would be interested in? Our Norman, OK office has the staff and technology to help get you the smile of your dreams.
Digital Radiography vs. Traditional Film X-Rays
Digital radiography is pretty similar to traditional dental X-rays that use film. A dentist inserts a sensor into your mouth to capture images of your teeth, but that’s where the similarities end. With digital radiography, the digital sensor is electronic and connected to a computer. Once an X-ray is taken, the image is then projected on a screen for a dentist to view.
There are great benefits to receiving this state-of-the-art treatment:
- Less radiation – A patient is exposed to much less radiation with digital radiography equipment. 90 percent less radiation, in fact. Conventional dental X-rays are relatively safe, however digital radiography is a better option for those patients who have radiation concerns.
- Shorter dental appointments – Your appointment will fly by. Traditional dental X-rays require excessive wait times while your film develops. Digital radiography does one better; the sensor develops the picture instantaneously and projects it onto a computer screen right before your eyes.
- Higher quality images – The standard size of traditional X-rays can make viewing very difficult. Digital radiography X-rays can be enlarged or magnified for a better visual of the tooth’s structure. Brightness, contrast and color can also be adjusted, allowing cavities to be seen much easier than before. Want a hard copy of your X-ray? Digital images can be printed out for your convenience.
- Transferring Dental Records – Digital images can be e-mailed to a dental specialist for immediate review. Making copies and mailing them is time consuming and costly. As more offices are turning to electronic charts, computers may eliminate the need for mail dental records altogether.
- Environmentally friendly – No chemicals are used to develop film and there’s no wasted space in a darkroom. It’s fast and great for the planet.
Schedule an Appointment
Take advantage of this state-of-the-art technology and stop spending your precious time in our office. Our Norman, OK office happily offers this service to our neighbors in Noble, Goldsby, Newcastle, Moore and beyond.
Meet With The Best Cosmetic Dentist in Norman, OK — Dr. Bobby Carmen
May 27, 2015
Having a beautiful set of teeth is like winning the lottery. You can enjoy your winnings every single day. It would be nice to have a set of beautiful, bright teeth, right? For some patients, this is one of their dreams. Well, you’re in luck! Our cosmetic dentistry services are designed to give you a smile that you can enjoy for years to come. A gorgeous smile gets noticed for all of the right reasons. It doesn’t matter where you are or who you come into contact with, if you have a smile that’s bright and beautiful, it will be noticed. At our office in Norman, OK, we can deliver a smile that will have everyone talking…for all of the right reasons!
(more…)
Dental Implants from Dr. Bobby Carmen in Norman, OK
April 29, 2015
If you have one or more missing teeth, then you know that you have several choices when it comes to tooth replacement. There are partial and full dentures, as well as fixed bridges. But perhaps the tooth replacement that provides the most natural and stable solution is a dental implant. Dr. Bobby Carmen is the Norman, OK, implant dentist with the education and training required to place and restore dental implants.
What is a Dental Implant?
Dental implants actually consist of two parts. One is the biocompatible titanium post that is surgically implanted into your jawbone beneath the open socket of a missing tooth. (If you have several missing teeth, Dr. Carmen can strategically position posts along one arch to securely hold a denture in place.) The second part is the porcelain crown that Dr. Carmen adhesively bonds to the abutment adjoining the post. Together, the titanium post and crown closely imitate the relationship between one of your natural tooth’s root and crown.
The Dental Implant Procedure
When you come to Dr. Carmen for dental implants, we’ll first make sure that you are completely comfortable. If necessary, we can provide conscious sedation or call in an anesthesiologist to administer IV sedation. The procedure then begins with minor oral surgery during which Dr. Carmen anchors the post in your jawbone. As you heal over the course of three to six months, the post and bone with fuse together, generating a strong and secure base. After healing, you’ll return to Dr. Carmen’s office for him to attach the abutment and crown. When the dental implant process is completed, you have a new tooth that looks, feels and functions much like a real tooth.
Schedule an Appointment Today
To learn more about how dental implants can restore your smile, call the office of Dr. Bobby Carmen and ask about a consultation. We serve patients in Norman, OK, as well as from Moore, the University of Oklahoma, and central Oklahoma and beyond.
Air Abrasion for Cavity Repair from Dr. Bobby Carmen in Norman, OK
April 15, 2015
You are so conscientious about your dental health. You brush and floss your teeth every day, twice a day. You schedule regular checkups with Dr. Bobby Carmen in Norman, OK, every six months. Usually, you get a clean bill of dental health and are on your way. But today, a digital x-ray reveals a small cavity. Ugh, you think, now I have to deal with the anesthetic and the drill. Not necessarily. With air abrasion, Dr. Carmen can quickly repair that cavity and have you on your way—as usual—with a tooth that’s as good as new.
What is Air Abrasion?
Think of air abrasion like sandblasting. Just as sandblasting uses sand that is powerfully forced by air to clean a surface, air abrasion uses tiny particles of silica, aluminum oxide, or a baking soda mixture to blast away particles of decay. The particles are propelled toward the tooth by compressed air or a gas, and a suction tube draws away the debris. More often than not, a local anesthetic is not necessary when Dr. Carmen uses air abrasion, so you don’t have that numb feeling even after the procedure is finished. Once the decay is completely cleared, Dr. Carmen will be able to fill the cavity with a tooth-colored composite resin material that blends seamlessly with the natural color of your tooth.
Other Advantages of Air Abrasion
Besides reducing the need for anesthesia, air abrasion has other advantages, too. First, air abrasion preserves more of a tooth’s natural structure, making for a stronger tooth when the cavity is filled. Air abrasion does not generate heat, vibration, or pressure and greatly reduces the risk of a tooth cracking or chipping during the procedure.
Schedule an Appointment Today
If you would like to know more about air abrasion or any other restorative dental procedure offered by Dr. Bobby Carmen, then call the office today. We serve patients in Norman, OK, as well as from Moore, the University of Oklahoma, and central Oklahoma and beyond.
No Worries! Dr. Bobby Carmen Offers Sedation Dentistry in Norman, OK
March 15, 2015
If you haven’t been to the dentist in months—okay, maybe years—because everything in a dental office frightens you, then you are in good company. Millions of Americans are afraid to go to the dentist and are letting their oral and maybe even their general health suffer as a consequence. But you don’t have to be one of the millions. With sedation dentistry from Dr. Bobby Carmen in Norman, OK, you can calmly and comfortably reclaim your healthy smile.
Research shows that there is a direct correlation between your oral health and your general health. No surprise, considering your mouth is the main entryway into your body. For example, the bacteria associated with gum disease has been found to be connected to other ailments including high blood pressure, stroke, cardiovascular disease, obesity, osteoporosis and low birth weight in newborns. So, seeing the dentist regularly is more than just a way to have a pretty smile—it’s an important way you take care of yourself.
Three Types of Sedation Dentistry
Regardless of your level of anxiety, Dr. Carmen offers the type of sedation dentistry you need. For mild sedation, there is nitrous oxide, or laughing gas. With this, you will simply inhale a measured combination of nitrous oxide and oxygen through a nose mask during your procedure. You’ll feel relaxed, and when the mask is removed the effects of the gas will wear off almost immediately, so you can go about your day.
If your level of anxiety necessitates moderate sedation, then Dr. Carmen will recommend oral conscious sedation. With this method, you’ll take an anti-anxiety medication before your appointment. Because you’ve taken an oral sedative, you’ll need a friend or family member to drive you to and from your appointment. Our sedation dentistry team will monitor your vital signs during your procedure. The effects of the medication should wear by the following day.
Finally, IV sedation can alleviate severe anxiety. We work with an anesthesiologist who administers the sedative and monitors your vital signs. You may be able to communicate during this sedation, but many patients do fall asleep. In either case, you’ll wake up without remembering the procedure.
Call Our Office Today
If you would like to learn more about sedation dentistry, then call the office of Dr. Bobby Carmen in Norman, OK. We also serve patients from Moore, the University of Oklahoma, and central Oklahoma and beyond.