“Dr. DuPont and the staff are professional, efficient, caring, kind, talented, and honest. Patients can expect perfection.” – Bonnie

“Dr. DuPont and the staff provide an experience which is professional, detailed, and precise. I was amazed, and still remain amazed that the damage I had in my mouth was analyzed and restored to such an amazing level. I feel like my teeth and smile have been restored to their size and position prior to my dental implant surgery. Dr. DuPont showed me there is hope when you feel there is none left. It has been one month with my new teeth and bite – I feel like my life has been restored.” – Diane

“I know if I didn’t do this work on my teeth many years ago I would have lost my teeth.  Dr. DuPont did a great job.”  -A.R.

“I knocked out my front tooth in an accident and was absolutely horrified that I would be embarrassed about my smile forever. Dr. Wilkerson was able to do a miracle and I ended up with a great smile

that I am so proud to show. People compliment me all the time… only my dentist and I know the real story!”  -W.W.

Tags: Cosmetic Dental Crowns, Cosmetic Dentistry, Dental Crowns, Dental Implants, Dupont Wilkerson, Florida, General Dentistry, Implat dentistry, Restorative Dentistry, Sarasota, Tampa

Dental bridges are for people who having missing teeth and would like to fill that space with a new tooth or teeth. This procedure is performed on patients who have healthy and strong teeth to hold and support the new tooth. The dentist will first prepare the surrounding teeth by taking off some of the enamel. A crown will be placed on these teeth and a dental implant will be made for the area of the missing tooth. All of these teeth will be stuck together to create the bridge effect. This is used to help hold teeth together and prevent them from moving out of place. The process of getting a dental bridge may take a few visits, but in the end, that person’s teeth will be restored and they will have a better looking smile for years to come.

A bridge can be very beneficial for people who have missing teeth. Healthy teeth and gums is essential to good oral hygiene, and dental bridges help to reduce the risk of tooth decay, infections and gum disease. The bridge can be made out of porcelain the correlates with the color of the teeth, gold, alloys or a combination of these materials.

A candidate for dental bridges must have enough bone structure before the implant can be placed so that the artificial root has something to hold on to. If there is not enough bone structure, then the procedure will not be a success. Candidates must also have a history of good oral hygiene so that the procedure will last them many years. If a person has trouble eating or speaking because of a missing tooth, then they should consider getting a dental implant to correct these problems.

The doctors at DuPont and Wilkerson Dentistry in St. Petersburg, Florida are professional dentists with over 30 years in the business. They have treated thousands of patients and taught many dentists along the way. Creating dental bridges and dental implants are just a part of what these doctors do. They not only practice restorative dentistry, but general and cosmetic dentistry as well.

Tags: Dental Bridges, Dental Crowns, Dental Implants, Dental Implants Tampa, Dupont Wilkerson, Florida, Implat dentistry, Sarasota, Tampa

While most parents are careful to make sure their children get full and comprehensive dental care, adults often fail to properly consider their own dental health. Sadly, the adage “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” simply doesn’t apply to adults who avoid regular dental checkups due to cost or inconvenience.

Often dental problems can be easily handled or averted if caught early. By the time a patient experiences severe pain, serious damage has likely already occurred. This is especially the case with oral cancer. Many symptoms of oral cancer are also symptoms of other, lesser disease or trauma. A simple lesion in the mouth or on the tongue, difficulty swallowing and chronic hoarseness might be indications of allergy season or the common cold. On the other hand, they may well be the first indications of oral cancer. Only a professional will be able to tell for certain.

Oral cancer screening is a routine part of dental checkups. The dentist looks for identifiable white or red spots on the gums, lungs, cheeks and tongue. Since many harmless spots and sores look identical to malignant ones, the dentist may choose to perform a simple oral brush test to determine whether or not a spot is cancerous.

As with every type of cancer, early detection and treatment is pivotal to the prevention and cure of the disease. Generally speaking, spots or sores in the mouth that do not heal in 14 days need to be checked by a professional to determine if the cause is oral cancer. Spots that don’t cause pain are easy to miss, so why leave finding oral cancer to chance? Set regular appointments for cleanings and checkups with your dentist. As those in the medical field know from experience, early detection and frequent screening provide the best opportunities for eliminating cancer-related deaths.

Tags: Dupont Wilkerson, Florida, General Dentistry, Oral Cancer Screening, Routine Cleanings, Tampa

Putting off routine cleanings can put your dental and overall health at risk. Dentists often x-ray teeth before cleanings. During the cleaning, they remove plaque that causes tooth decay and tooth loss. While examining these x-rays and examining the teeth during the cleaning, dentists can find cavities, problems with dentures, failing crowns, misaligned bites and more. These appointments are part of overall health maintenance and cannot be replaced by regular brushing and flossing.

One of the many health problems that a dentist typically catches is oral cancer. Putting off routine cleanings gives your dentists fewer opportunities to look inside of your mouth for signs of this and several other diseases that may go unnoticed by you. Of course, the dentist may find nothing while giving you your cleaning. Even if the doctor does not spot anything, you get your cleaning and the knowledge the dentist did not see any signs of potentially life-threatening illnesses.

Issues that dentists can pick up on during routine cleanings and later treat involve the teeth. They can spot grinding damage, cavities, wisdom teeth eruptions and gum disease. If a dentist catches these issues early on, treatment can be easier, more successful and less expensive. By putting off these appointments, you allow any problems that might exist more time to get worse.

One of the best parts of routine dental cleanings is that they prevent painful issues like cavities and abscesses. They help you avoid costly, uncomfortable procedures like root canals and tooth replacement. They also give you the opportunity to talk to your dentist about any issues you are having with your teeth. Dentists cannot always tell if your teeth are making you uncomfortable, especially if you are suffering cosmetic discomfort. They need you to tell them when you come in.

Routine cleanings typically take less than one hour and they leave the teeth smooth and clean. They present very little discomfort and should not cause any significant pain. You should not skip or delay them because the appointments that may result from lack of cleanings are not likely to be as non-invasive and often pleasant as cleanings are.

Tags: Dental Checkups, Dupont Wilkerson, Florida, Fluoride treatments, General Dentistry, Oral Cancer Screening, Oral Health, Routine Cleanings, Sarasota, Tampa

Dental implants provide practical and permanent solution to replacement of missing teeth. The rising popularity of this dental procedure is due to its numerous functional as well as aesthetics benefits.

There are three types of dental implants: endosteal, sub-periosteal and artificial bone substitute implants. Endosteal implants are the most common type. The implants are placed in the jawbone in lieu of dental root. Sub-periosteal implants are primarily used for elderly patients and those with minimal height of bone. They are fixed over the jawbone. Artificial bone substitute implants utilizes a calcium substitute over the jaw bone. The calcium substitute will attach to the jawbone as time passes.

Here are some of the excellent benefits of dental implants:

Benefits of Dental Implants

1. Improved Appearance. Aesthetically, dental implants look more like natural teeth. It will be hard to tell the difference. The person look better once missing teeth are replaced with permanent implants.

2. Jaw bone preservation. The implants are surgically inserted into the jawbone providing necessary stimulation to the natural root of tooth. When the jawbone is not stimulated, bone loss occurs. Consequently, the bone shrinks causing the facial features to collapse. Dental implants prevent this from happening.

3. Permanent replacement. Most dental bridges last for 10 years only. Dental implants are securely attached to the jawbone making them last a lifetime. They are also not prone to rotting or breakdown like a bridge. The titanium posts are not prone to diseases and decay too.

4. Oral hygiene. Keeping the implants clean is easy with just ordinary brushing and flossing on a daily basis. In other tooth replacement procedures, oral hygiene can be difficult and extra challenging.

5. Promote oral health. Other less permanent teeth replacement procedures may cause rotting and tooth decay. Take for instance, bridges. The surrounding teeth are usually shaved to be able to attach the bridge. This will alter the quality of the supporting teeth. This can also possibly cause decay to the adjacent teeth. This is not just an aesthetic problem because rotting teeth can lead to infection and gum problems. This will have an adverse impact on the person’s overall health.

Tags: Cosmetic Dentistry, Dental Implants, Dental Implants Tampa, Dupont Wilkerson, Florida, General Dentistry, Implant Dentistry, Implat dentistry, Sarasota, Tampa

Dental inlays and onlays are part of the leading edge in dentistry that has over 20 years of research behind it. You can now forget about those old amalgam or composite fillings that some dentists still use. Part of the reason that the onlay/inlay process is not utilized is due to the cost that insurance companies are unwilling to pay for this service, citing it as being cosmetic. Another reason for opting for amalgam or composite is the price associated with this procedure. One consideration for the inlay process is that the old amalgam and composite materials last a short period considering that the inlay/onlay process last 15+ years.

Many patients are choosing the CAD/Cam treatment plan because of the controversy over amalgam filling material containing mercury. It is suspected in cases of chronic illnesses, autoimmune disorders, oral lesions, birth defects and even mental disorders and neurodegenerative diseases. It is also suspected that the composite material used in filling a tooth is made of a resin composite, which now has patients concerned about the risks associated with this type of plastic known as Bisphenol A.

The inlay/onlay process involves the use of a Cered 3D CAD/CAM (computer aided design/computer aided manufacturing) technology, which is composed of camera, computer and milling machine all in one instrument. The optical image is transferred to another computer screen where the dentist designs the restoration process using the CAD technology. The CAM creates the restoration automatically. With the patient waiting for the restoration to be completed, the dentist then bonds the newly restored surface to the patient’s existing tooth. This entire process is usually completed in about an hour.

The inlay/onlay used today makes it impossible to see the difference between the natural teeth and the inlay/onlay restoration. Other benefits to the inlay/only process is the durability of the tooth, oftentimes upward of 100% strength of the tooth, high quality esthetics, composed of metal-free material that acts just like natural tooth enamel and offers color matching so as to blend in with the natural teeth.

Tags: Dental Inays and Onlays, Dupont Wilkerson, Florida

Having a beautiful smile is beneficial for many, especially those who have professions, such as acting, modeling or any profession that requires being in front of the public eye. One of the factors that contribute to having that coveted beautiful smile is having straight teeth. But what happens when you are not blessed with a beautiful smile? What if you have problems, such as crooked teeth, overbites and other teeth alignment problems?

Fortunately, many orthodontists now offer Invisalign. What is Invisalign, you ask? This may be the wish you have dreamed of? Invisalign is a new treatment that orthodontists use to straighten teeth. The way the Invisalign treatment works is that the orthodontist takes an impression of your crooked teeth and then he recommends a treatment plan typically lasting at least one year.

As part of your treatment plan, the orthodontist will prescribe to you a set of aligners, which are clear, plastic removable devices, similar to braces, that you wear continuously throughout the day. Unlike metal braces, however, you are able to remove these aligners so that you can eat or brush your teeth. Your aligners will be changed every two weeks when you visit your orthodontist. Each time that your aligners are changed, your teeth will gradually shift into their new position.

Invisalign clear braces offer patients many advantages compared to metal braces. First, clear braces are more cosmetically appealing then metal braces. Second. Clear braces do not cause root resorption or shortening of the roots. Third, clear braces are removable, which makes it easier to clean the teeth properly. Last, but not least, clear braces offer patients a faster way to straighten their teeth.

So, if are looking for that award-winning smile, Invisalign may be an option that works for you. The first step in finding out if Invisalign is a viable option for your unique situation is to contact an orthodontist who specializes in the Invisalign treatment. Many offer free consultations, which will allow you to ascertain how long your treatment will last and how much your treatment will cost. If you would like to learn more about the Invisalign treatment, contact a local orthodontist near you.

Tags: Invisalign, invisible braces, Restorative Dentistry, Sarasota, Tampa

Having teeth that are crooked, broken, or missing affects your life in many ways. It is hard to smile or laugh without being concerned or embarrassed about the way you look. Many times there are other problems that cause discomfort in your mouth or jaw, like an improper bite, teeth that are worn down, or TMJ disorders. Your dentist can work on these problems and restore your oral health so your smile will be beautiful and pain-free.

Restorative Dentistry

Restorative dentistry covers many procedures that fix broken or deteriorated teeth. This includes implants, crowns, and bridges.

Dental implants are used to replace missing teeth. A post is attached to the bone in the jaw and a crown or bridge is attached. For a single tooth, a crown is used and for more than one, a bridge or dentures is used. Implants look and function just like real teeth.

Crowns are chosen when there has been significant damage to a tooth from decay, a break, or a root treatment. Crowns can be made of metal, ceramic, or a combination of the two. Many people choose all porcelain crowns because they look more like natural teeth and you don’t have a metal taste in your mouth.

A bridge will fill in the space between teeth where more than one tooth is missing. They are made with metal or ceramic materials and held in place with crowns or implants. Not only do they fill in the gap between teeth but they add support to the area.

TMJ Disorder

TMJ disorder refers to problems of the joint or muscles in the jaw bone. Symptoms include a clicking sound when you open your mouth, pain, swelling, and locking of the jaw. It can be caused by grinding your teeth, arthritis, injury, or misaligned teeth.

Your dentist can fix a bad bite with treatment that may include restorative processes or orthodontics. He may fashion a retainer to wear at night so you don’t grind your teeth. He can offer advice on reducing stress which causes you to clench your teeth and prescribe medications for pain and inflammation.

Tags: Dental Bridges, Dental Crowns, Dental Implants, Dupont Wilkerson, Florida, Restorative Dentistry, Sarasota, TMJ Disorder

Large gaps or noticeable spaces between your teeth can make your smile unattractive and can even make you look older. There are many causes and treatments for these spaces, however, and you can get the beautiful smile you’ve always wanted by choosing one of several effective solutions.

Larger-than-normal spaces between teeth is also known as “diastema” in dentistry. Undersized, misshapen or gum disease leading to jaw-bone loss are among the most common causes of diastema. No matter the exact cause, nearly all instances of such spaces don’t resolve on their own, and in some cases the gaps can become larger over time.

One of the most used treatments for diastema is wearing braces, although you must wear a full set of braces (on both your upper and lower teeth) is necessary. Widening your teeth is also a common treatment for gaps, with simple cosmetic procedures like bonding, crowns or veneers. In fact, porcelain veneers have become a treatment of choice for fixing spaces between teeth.

There are many reasons why porcelain veneers are so popular for treating diastema. At DuPont & Wilkerson Dentistry (http://www.dupontwilkerson.com), porcelain veneers are often used as a more natural-looking and less-invasive cosmetic solution compared to other types of procedures like crowns and braces. Unlike crowns, veneers help to preserve more of your own natural teeth, while at the same time filling in the unsightly gaps between your teeth.

The dentists at DuPont & Wilkerson use a simple, painless process to put the porcelain veneers into place. At the initial visit, the dentist will talk with you about your goals during a one-on-one consultation. You will see a simulation of what your smile will look like after the veneers are in place, utilizing state-of-the-art 2-D and 3-D imaging.

At subsequent visits, our dentists will make an impression of your teeth, prepare the outer surfaces of your teeth, and then fit you for temporary veneers while the permanent ones are made. At the final visit, your permanent porcelain veneers are bonded to your teeth and your new smile is complete! Get started today — contact DuPont & Wilkerson Dentistry or visit http://www.dupontwilkerson.com.

Tags: Cosmetic Dentistry, Dupont Wilkerson, Florida, Gap in Teeth, Porcelain Veneers, Restorative Dentistry

The smile is one of the first things people notice about a person. However, if you have metal fillings you may feel self conscious when smiling wide. Not only that, but these fillings can also lead to dental problems, such as the cavity around the filling expanding. Discomfort in the tooth could be a sign the filling is no longer doing its job.

For a long time amalgam (metal) fillings were the standard in dentistry. These fillings are made up of composite metals, such as mercury. Since about the mid-90s people have been opting for other types of fillings, such as composite resin or porcelain fillings. Rather than a harsh metallic color, composite resin or porcelain fillings are white, so they blend with the color of the teeth. That makes them practically unnoticeable to the casual observer.

If you find out at your next dentist visit that you have a cavity, composite resin or porcelain fillings are an ideal choice. However, you may be wondering what to do about your existing amalgam fillings. The good news is it’s perfectly possible for your dentist to remove your amalgam fillings and replace them with composite resin fillings. Depending on the type of problem affecting your tooth, there are many options for fillings.

A small cavity can be filled with a standard filling. However, if you have a larger cavity, your dentist my recommend porcelain inlays or overlays. These types of fillings cover the top surface of the tooth. If your teeth have been long-neglected, your dentist may recommend crowns which will cover the whole tooth. This reinforces the tooth and restores its strength and appearance.

One other thing to consider is that amalgam fillings contain low levels of mercury. The American Dental Association states that the level of mercury in amalgam fillings is too minute to cause damage to the human body. However, no mercury is better than a little mercury. There is no mercury content in composite resin or porcelain fillings, so you can rest assured they are completely safe.

Tags: Composite Resin Fillings, Florida, General Dentistry, Old Metal Fillings, Replacement Fillings, Tampa