You’ve Lost A Tooth Now What

Sometimes things just happen. You bite a cherry pit one too many times. You think you’re an ice crusher. Your tooth gets tired and breaks in half and has to be removed. The adjacent teeth are happy and do not want to get involved. So what to do? In the past your choices were to just go without the tooth which is still a possibility today. However, most people want to replace the tooth. You could involve the adjacent teeth with a bridge, which is three teeth connected together but, with this option the adjacent teeth have to be cut down in order for crowns or caps to be placed. Then the three teeth are connected making it harder to clean the area. Another option is to make some plastic teeth that you place within your mouth in the morning and remove at night. Problem here is they move around and do not feel like real teeth. They're not wooden like George Washington’s but they are not real either. Today there’s a better option called a dental implant. Here the adjacent teeth are not involved. This is not a removable device but like a tooth stays in your jaw. Just like a regular tooth, it is easy to keep clean. No matter what we do in dentistry we cannot recreate nature but this is a close second. For an implant a piece of titanium is placed in your jaw resembling the root of your original tooth. Then a crown is made which resembles what your tooth looked like in your jaw. It’s not a real tooth but it functions and feels like the one you lost. Dental insurance companies will generally cover half the cost of this procedure if your employer likes you. It takes a little while to complete and it does cost you some money but in the end everyone feels happier to have the missing tooth replaced. We have been doing these procedures in office for more than a decade. So if you are missing a tooth or you’ve been missing a tooth give a thought and maybe a new tooth will come into your life.

At the dental practice of Dr Glenn Reit DDS located at 1498 Third Avenue between 84th and 85th streets we care about you and your teeth.  With decades of experience we’ve seen it all.  Our vision is to educate you about your dental health, give you alternatives for any treatment you may need and discuss what it will cost before we begin so you may make an educated decision on how to proceed.

We want to instill confidence and create a bond with you while performing your dentistry in a stress free environment.  We realize going to the dentist is not on most people’s top ten list so our goal is to give you more in service value than what you pay for your dentistry.

Call us today at 212 517 9000.  You and your teeth will be glad you did.

---

Looking for a Dentist in the Upper East Side?

At the practice of Glenn Reit DDS; we provide quality care in a relaxed, comfortable, clean and safe environment. Please contact us today at 212 517 9000 for this or any other of your dental needs. We look forward to seeing and taking care of you!

Something Lost, Something Found

I’ve Lost A Tooth and I’m not Happy About It

In life things change and one alteration is you could lose a tooth.  This could be through neglect, an accident, or failure of a dental restoration. With regular dental check-ups and dental cleanings problems can be diagnosed before they become problematic saving teeth before they need to be lost.

If the situation arises that you lose a tooth, what are your alternatives?  You could just go without the tooth which probably is not acceptable if it is a front tooth but in the back maybe yes.  For most you want the tooth put back.

Today the best solution is an implant for a single tooth loss.  Here a piece of titanium shaped into the form of a root is placed within your jaw.  After a suitable period of time a crown which looks like your tooth can be then fabricated and attached to the implant.  Now you have a new tooth which looks and functions like the original.

If you do not want an implant you can have a fixed bridge.  Here the missing tooth is attached to the two adjacent teeth if present.  This was the main alternative to replacing a lost tooth before implants became available.   The downside is that the adjoining teeth have to be cut down so crowns can be placed and the missing tooth is joined to the adjacent teeth making it harder to floss and the adjacent teeth which could be healthy and non-carious are being sacrificed in a way to replace the missing tooth.

Another alternative which does not damage the adjacent teeth is to have a removable partial made.  Here a plastic tooth is fabricated that is placed in your mouth in the morning and is removed before sleeping.  The problem is the tooth moves around, food gets under it and you have to take it in and out.

At the dental practice of Dr Glenn Reit in Yorkville we like teeth and the people attached to them.  Even if all you need is a cleaning we would be happy to meet and treat you.  If it’s something more serious we will give you the alternatives and price points so you can make an informed decision.

Call us today at 212 517 9000 you and your teeth will be glad you did.

---

Looking for a Dentist in the Upper East Side?

At the practice of Glenn Reit DDS; we provide quality care in a relaxed, comfortable, clean and safe environment. Please contact us today at 212 517 9000 for this or any other of your dental needs. We look forward to seeing and taking care of you!

Missing a tooth?

This used to be the tagline for the Gap stores but it could pertain to your mouth if you are missing a tooth.  They say only a dentist loves a tooth but most people are happy to have teeth especially if they enjoy eating.  Hard to chew many types of food without teeth but patients have told me they can eat a well done steak without any teeth – not a pretty sight to be sure.

No one loses all their teeth at once unless involved in a traumatic accident.  People lose teeth one at a time generally due to support issues where their gums become infected and over time the patient loses bone which holds the tooth in their jaw.

Since teeth are generally lost one at a time what is one to do if they lose a tooth?  The most logical step would be to go to see a dentist to discover the cause of the loss and then to treat the underlying causes to prevent the situation from progressing or happening again.

But what are my options if I have a missing tooth?  The first question to answer is do you miss that tooth?. If not you’re done you just go without the tooth.  However, if you miss the tooth for cosmetic or functional reasons you have choices.

You could place an implant which is a small piece of titanium which is in the form of a tooth root that is surgically placed within your jaw and a short time later a crown made of porcelain is attached and bingo you have a new cosmetic looking and functional tooth.

Or you could attach the missing tooth to the two adjacent teeth and have a bridge.  Think of the George Washington Bridge spanning New York to New Jersey.  Your dental bridge will span the space of the missing tooth and presto you have replaced your missing tooth.

The downside to dental bridges is you are involving adjacent teeth which are not part of the problem.  Another alternative is to fabricate a removable prosthesis which will replace the missing tooth and is the most cost effective way to replace the missing tooth.  However this is a plastic tooth so it serves a purpose but is not a great alternative

At the dental practice of Dr Glenn Reit DDS located on The Upper East Side in Yorkville at 1498 Third Avenue between 84th and 85th streets we always like meeting new people and taking care of their dental needs.  If you are missing a tooth or just need a cleaning give us a call at 212 517 9000.

You and your teeth will be glad you did.

---

Looking for a Dentist in the Upper East Side?

At the practice of Glenn Reit DDS; we provide quality care in a relaxed, comfortable, clean and safe environment. Please contact us today at 212 517 9000 for this or any other of your dental needs. We look forward to seeing and taking care of you!

Ditch Your Dentures for Dental Implants

If You're Wearing Full Dentures and are Miserable
Then it’s time to ditch them and enter the 21st Century!

Fortunately, today most people have most of their teeth but there are others who for various reasons have said goodbye to their teeth.  Having no teeth is not fun.  Teeth make you look better and are valuable if you enjoy eating.  Teeth serve their purpose of breaking up food stuff you eat so that your body can break down the nutrients contained to keep your body going.

If you no longer have any teeth in the past your only option was to have plastic ones made and then use glue to keep them attached to the inside of your mouth.  The teeth are still plastic or porcelain but now with the advent of dental implants these teeth can be secured to your jaws where you will be able to eat an apple or corn on the cob comfortably.

Obviously, you need to come in and be evaluated to see if you are a candidate for these types of procedures but for most we can accommodate you.  Yes, there is an expense here but if you have been miserable and no longer enjoy eating due to the movement of your false teeth this is something for you to consider.

At the dental practice of Dr Glenn Reit we have been involved with these procedures for some time.   Undergoing these treatments is a lifestyle change and although dental insurance plans will not have the funds available to cover the procedures this is a very worthy investment in your health and life.

So give us a call at 212 517 9000 and we are always happy to meet new people.

---

Looking for a Dentist in the Upper East Side?

At the practice of Glenn Reit DDS; we provide quality care in a relaxed, comfortable, clean and safe environment. Please contact us today at 212 517 9000 for this or any other of your dental needs. We look forward to seeing and taking care of you!