Restorative Dentistry in Marion, IN
When you have a health issue with your smile, the impact on your overall health, self-esteem, and quality of life can be huge. At Progressive Dental Center, our dentists, Dr. Chad Leighty and Dr. Stuart Kelly, are passionate about helping people recover from dental issues with quality restorations.
From repairing teeth to replacing them, our practice offers a broad range of services to help your smile get back on track. We combine quality restorations with high-end technology and personalized treatments to provide you with effective care that meets your specific needs. Contact our Marion office to schedule your appointment and get started today!
CALL US: (765) 664-0028 REQUEST APPOINTMENT
Dental Implants for Your Complete, Restored Smile
Dental implants are a popular and highly effective way to replace missing teeth. A dental implant is a surgically installed artificial tooth root placed into your jawbone. Made of titanium, these implants naturally integrate with your jawbone, providing strength, durability, and various health benefits.
By replacing missing teeth, dental implants improve chewing function, correct bite irregularities, and prevent bone loss by stimulating and preserving your healthy jawbone. If you’re considering implant treatment, schedule a consultation with our dentists to discuss whether this option is right for you!
What to Expect When Getting a Dental Implant
There are several stages to dental implant treatment. This typically happens over several months, starting from your first evaluation to the day your dental implants are completed with a custom restoration.
Planning: The first thing you will do is meet with one of our dentists for a consultation. During this appointment, we will conduct a comprehensive dental exam and take full 3D scans of your teeth and oral structures. Once we’ve determined that you are healthy enough and have sufficient bone density to support dental implants, we’ll create a customized treatment plan that identifies the optimal number, placement, and position of your implants.
Oral Health Prep: Depending on your oral health situation, you may need a bone graft before treatment to help strengthen your jaw. If you have teeth too damaged or decayed to save, these will be extracted before implant placement as well. It’s sometimes possible to extract a tooth and place the implant post in the same procedure, though this is decided on a case-by-case basis.
Treatment and Healing: On the day of your implant treatment, we have a specialist come into our office so that you can benefit from expert treatment in an office you’re comfortable with. Once the implants have been placed, you’ll need a few months to heal while the implants fuse to the jawbone, creating a permanent bond. We’ll supply you with a temporary restoration, if needed, to support your healthy lifestyle during this healing process.
Completion: Finally, you’ll return to our office, where we will exchange your temporary restorations for custom-made permanent ones. Once completed, you’ll have a permanent new smile you’ll be proud to wear.
How Many Teeth Can Dental Implants Replace?
There’s no limit to the number of teeth dental implants can replace! Because of the way they work, dental implant treatment is flexible and can be adjusted to any situation. Whether you need a single tooth replaced or an entire dental arch, the right number and arrangement of implants can restore your smile completely.
- Dental Crowns: Crowns replace a single tooth and are the most commonly-used implant restoration. With our CEREC® machine, we can build a custom dental crown right in our office. Each crown is designed to look natural and function harmoniously within your smile.
- Dental Bridges: While traditional bridges use surrounding teeth for supports, these bridges use two implants to replace a row of teeth.
- Implant-Supported Dentures: If you have missing teeth on your upper, lower, or both arches, dental implants can support permanent dentures. Implant-supported dentures feel natural, don’t slip, and don’t need to be removed.
What is a CEREC® Dental Crown?
CEREC stands for Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramics. This technology uses computer design and modeling programs to map out your teeth and create high-quality dental restorations right in our office.
With traditional dental crowns, you’ll often wait two weeks for your crown to be completed in a dental lab and shipped to our office. However, with CEREC technology, a new crown or bridge can be crafted in a single visit, allowing you to enjoy your restored smile in as little as a day.
5 Reasons to Choose a CEREC Crown
- Convenient - With CEREC crowns, you don’t have to wait for several weeks for your crown. The entire process can be completed in a single office visit, so you won’t have to disrupt your schedule with multiple dental appointments.
- No Temporary Crown – Previously, patients had to wear a temporary crown while the permanent one was being made. Temporary crowns have a poorer fit, and can fall out and expose you to additional dental issues.
- Strong and Durable - Made from porcelain, this crown is both durable and highly aesthetic. If you take good care of them, porcelain crowns can easily last 10-15 years, and potentially longer.
- No Messy Impressions - Traditional crowns require manual impressions taken using silicon trays and dental putty. CEREC digital impressions eliminate the need for these trays as it scans your tooth, making the process simpler and more comfortable for you.
- Highly Aesthetic - Designed with your complete smile in mind, the CEREC crown is shaded and shaped to match your existing teeth. Our dentist takes note of your aesthetic expectations for perfect results.
What is Solea® Laser Dentistry?
Solea is the first CO2 laser approved by the FDA. Used in dental procedures on everything from teeth and gums to jawbone treatment, it has revolutionized dentistry by making procedures faster, cleaner, more precise, and more comfortable while also shortening healing time.
Controlled by sophisticated computers, this laser uses a unique wavelength that makes it highly precise and effective, able to handle dental procedures such as removing decay, shaping teeth, gum contouring, treating cold sores, and much more. If you feel anxious about dental procedures, this laser can help make your treatment a more positive experience and help you to receive the dental care you need.
Want to find out more about what we can do with laser dentistry? Contact our office with your questions today!
Invisalign® Clear Aligners for Straight, Healthy Smiles
If you’ve struggled with crooked, crowded, or gapped teeth but have been reluctant to consider braces, Invisalign could be your solution! These clear braces fit comfortably over your teeth and gently guide them into a healthier alignment, promoting oral health and aesthetics all at once.
Since the aligners are clear, removable, and custom-made to fit your smile, you can straighten your teeth without having to disrupt your routine or lifestyle.
Is Invisalign Right For Me?
Our office provides Invisalign to adults of all ages with mild to moderate misalignment issues. Many adults desiring straighter teeth can and do benefit from using Invisalign.
To find out if it’s the right choice for you, one of our dentists can evaluate your smile and let you know if it would be a good solution for you. While everyone’s case is unique, you’re more likely to be a viable candidate so long as your smile is in decent health, and you practice oral hygiene regularly at home.
What Are the Top 5 Benefits of a Straight Smile?
Many people assume that straighter teeth are all about aesthetics, but this is a misconception. Straight teeth also offer numerous benefits to your oral health, both now and in the long-term. Here are a few of the perks of a straight, healthy smile that could be yours to enjoy.
Misaligned teeth are more than a cosmetic concern. When your teeth aren’t correctly aligned, it’s more difficult to clean around and between them. This can raise your risk of tooth decay, gum disease, and other health problems. Having straighter teeth makes brushing and flossing easier and more effective.
Teeth that are misaligned don’t meet efficiently, so that certain areas make more contact when you bite, chew, or speak. This can lead to uneven wear, which makes your bite even less effective and can gradually wear down your teeth. With an optimized bite, teeth meet evenly and reduce the wear on individual teeth.
An uneven bite can affect the way your jaw comes together, placing added stress on the jaw joint that can lead to headaches and jaw pain. When teeth meet correctly, the jaw is under less strain and should not cause you pain.
Most people don’t chew their food thoroughly when they eat, and with a bite misalignment, this becomes an even bigger challenge. Poorly chewed food makes digestion more difficult, with effects ranging from limited nutrition to digestive pain and other issues.
Mental health is integral to your overall health. Studies have shown that having good oral health and aesthetics increases the number of times you smile, which has numerous health benefits, including reducing stress and improved mental performance.
Saving Teeth with Dental Fillings
If you have a tooth with mild to moderate damage and decay, our dentists may recommend a filling to help restore and preserve it. Our practice offers composite fillings, which use a tooth-colored resin to create a tight seal within your tooth, preventing decay and infection from returning.
Composite fillings are the most widely used today. Not only do they match the color of your teeth, but they bond well with enamel and can be used in small spaces, preserving more of your healthy tooth. Like most dental restorations, composite fillings eventually need replacement. However, they are quite durable and will protect your beautiful smile for years.
Completing Your Smile with Dentures
Dentures have been around for centuries, and with the advances in today’s dental materials and technology, today’s dentures look and feel more natural than ever before. With our advanced imaging tools, we can take precise scans of your mouth and use them to create dentures that are fully customized to you, creating greater comfort and a firm hold.
Dentures can be a good choice for those who are missing several to all of their teeth. Depending on how many healthy teeth you have remaining, we may recommend either full or partial dentures. Partial dentures can be made in any configuration, and use clasps around your natural teeth to hold them in place. Full dentures replace an entire arch of teeth and are held in place by suction or dental adhesive.
Whichever type of denture you need, it’s essential to take good care of them to ensure they last as long as possible. Our dentists will provide you with tips on how to care for your dentures at home.
Our Marion Dentists are Here for You!
At Progressive Dental Center, we’re committed to helping you enjoy a complete, healthy smile. Whether you need a simple filling or complex tooth replacement, you can count on our team to work with you at every step and help you feel confident about your care.
Don’t waste another day putting up with dental issues! Contact us to find your restorative dental solution today!
CALL US: (765) 664-0028 REQUEST APPOINTMENT