4 Dental Procedures to Fix Your Smile

Never underestimate the importance of an attractive, healthy smile. Cosmetic dental issues can cause you to feel self-conscious about your appearance. Meanwhile, functional issues can lead to discomfort and even diminish your quality of life. If you are dealing with a dental problem, know that there are a number of effective services at our practice that can help.

Led by skilled prosthodontist Dr. Gerald Marlin, the team at Prosthetic Dentistry of Washington D.C. is comprised of problem solvers. We listen to your concerns and perform a thorough evaluation before presenting you with the ideal options for your situation. Below, explore some of the ways we deal with common dental issues.

1. Replace Missing Teeth With Implants

Missing teeth are both a cosmetic and functional problem. Initially, losing a tooth due to trauma or decay creates an unaesthetic gap in your smile. Left unaddressed, missing teeth can also contribute to jawbone loss and subsequent changes to the structure of your lower face. Other impacts of missing teeth include:

• Difficulty or discomfort while chewing
• Changes to your bite and jaw alignment
• Joint and muscle pain
• Stress on your remaining teeth resulting in additional problems such as sensitivity

In most cases, a dental implant is the best option for tooth replacement. It is inserted into the jawbone, where it preserves the health of your mouth while providing a permanent and stable base for a cosmetic restoration. After the process is complete, your smile will look and function better than before. And since Dr. Marlin has placed and restored over 3,000 dental implants, you can rest assured that you are in experienced hands.

2. Cover Various Imperfections With Veneers

You would love to smile for a photo or laugh openly around friends. But right now, you are self-conscious about the way your teeth look. If you are interested in improving the aesthetic flaws in your smile, consider porcelain veneers.

Veneers are thin shells of ceramic that are bonded to your tooth’s front surface to cover dental imperfections. They can be meticulously tailored to match the color of your surrounding teeth and mimic the appearance of real tooth enamel, ensuring a natural-looking result. They are commonly used to improve the look of teeth that are:

• Misshapen
• Crooked
• Gapped
• Worn
• Chipped, cracked, or damaged
• Discolored
• Uneven

3. Protect and Strengthen Damaged Teeth With Crowns

Some dental problems threaten the health, function, and appearance of a tooth. You may have a weak tooth or a large filling due to decay. Or, you may be dealing with severe wear due to grinding. In these and other situations, a dental crown may be an excellent solution. A dental crown is a durable restoration that is placed over the visible surfaces of a tooth. It can be used to:

• Protect damaged or decayed teeth
• Restore the shape and size of a tooth
• Cover discolored teeth that are too dark for veneers, particularly due to tetracycline staining or extensive enamel erosion
• Filling a large diastema (space) between teeth
• Complete a dental implant or support a bridge
• Strengthen a tooth after a root canal
• Improve the function of a tooth

At Prosthetic Dentistry of Washington D.C., we craft our dental crowns on-site. Doing so allows us to ensure optimal aesthetics, fit, and strength. With proper care, our crowns have lasted for 35 years or more.

Having extensive wear of her teeth, Sarah was very self-conscious about her smile. With her new temporary crowns, she had an immediate smile makeover and “couldn’t be happier with the outcome.”

4. Alleviate TMJ Pain With Bite Alignment and Trigger Point Therapy

Chronic or acute jaw pain can affect your daily life. In some cases, this discomfort is a sign of a neuromuscular dental issue called TMJ or TMD (temporomandibular joint disorder/dysfunction). Caused by jaw misalignment, TMJ can present additional symptoms throughout the head and body, such as:

• Clicking or popping noises in the jaw
• Pain near the jaw joints
• Problems opening and closing the jaw
• Facial pain
• Ear pain and ringing
• Chronic headaches

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, schedule an appointment with Dr. Marlin. He will begin by performing a thorough examination of your bite and the surrounding muscles. If your occlusion is misaligned, he may make simple adjustments to improve the harmony between contacting teeth. If additional therapy is required, he may advise a night guard or trigger point sessions.

Dr. Marlin is uniquely qualified to administer TMJ therapy, having written his master’s thesis on the subject during his prosthodontic specialty training. On top of this, he trained with Dr. Janet Travell, one of the leading experts in myofascial pain treatment using trigger point injections and massage. This therapy is designed to alleviate pain by releasing the chemical imbalance of the muscles.

Fix Your Smile in Washington, D.C.

Our team is committed to the health and beauty of your smile. If you have aesthetic or functional dental concerns, call 202-244-2101 today to schedule a consultation. Dr. Marlin will gladly work with you to find the right treatments and services for your goals, lifestyle, and budget.

Our practice is conveniently located near the Friendship Heights Metro Station, easily accessible to uptown and downtown-area patients. We welcome patients from Washington D.C., Bethesda, Chevy Chase, Arlington, and nearby areas of Maryland and Virginia as well as those who travel to our practice from out-of-state or out-of-country.