All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth.

Now that Christmas season is here with all the snow, I thought I might discuss treatment options for missing teeth.

In general there are 3 options for replacement of a missing tooth.

1. The best treatment is an implant. This is metal (titanium) root placed into the jaw bone with a crown attached. This tooth is not removable and can be cared for just like a natural tooth.

2. Next is a bridge. This treatment uses the teeth next to the open space to "bridge" the gap. It requires crowns to be placed on the neighboring teeth with a false tooth attached. A bridge is also not removable, but connects at least 3 teeth together making cleaning more of a challenge.

3. Lastly is a removable partial denture. This is a removable appliance, either made of plastic or metal, that is custom made for your mouth. It has false teeth attached to it to fill the space or spaces. This appliance must be removed for cleaning daily and is not permanently attached in your mouth.

If you have any questions or would like to visit me to discuss any of your dental concerns please call us at 989-686-9600 or visit our website www.azgdds.com for more information on treatments we provide and contacting us.

New software

Our practice recently upgraded the computer software that controls all aspects of your care at our practice. It has gone very smoothly so far, but, as with any major change, there is bound to be a little learning curve. Please be patient with my staff as we work to learn the software, but most likely it won't even be noticed.

Welcome!

This is the first post for my practice newsletter. My hope is that you, my patients, can use this site to learn about important oral health information as well as any excitement happenings at the practice.

Also, I would like you all to visit the website I created for our practice at www.azgdds.com

There you will find more information on our practice, what we can do for you, and how you can contact us.

Thank you,

Dr. Green

www.azgdds.com