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With all of the talk of dental implants, patients who need or want an alternative may forget that dental bridges can also complete the smile and that they have done so for many decades. We create gorgeous dental bridges in our Indianapolis dental office.

What Can a Dental Bridge Do for You?

If you have medical conditions that prevent you from having jaw surgery, or if you want to avoid implant surgery, dental bridges may be the answer for your missing teeth. We offer modern dental bridges in our Indianapolis dental office to give you your smile back.

Replace missing teeth — A dental bridge fills in the gap left by a missing ...

As your sedation dentist in Indianapolis, Dr. Kyle Shank is committed to ensuring a comfortable experience for patients – both physically and emotionally. Since many of our patients face dental anxiety and have difficulty getting numb, sedation dentistry has become an invaluable service in our practice.

A Brief History of Sedation Dentistry

While dental anxiety is a serious matter, it is entertaining to look back over the years at what passed as sedation in the past.

1000 BC – Dentists in India administered wine to patients to decrease their awareness. Though it might have made the patient more comfortable, it was probably not the healthiest option since wine can increase bleeding.

1540  – Ether ...

With all of the advertisements on television and radio supporting practices that offer dental implants, finding an Indianapolis, IN dentist who offers dental implants is easy. Finding one who will be honest with you about all of your options is essential.

Dental implants have a high success rate and work well for most patients. Here are three situations when dental implants are an excellent choice, and one that may make you reconsider.

#1 Pro – You Want a Long-Term Solution to Missing Teeth

Bridges and dentures are still reliable ways to replace missing teeth. Dental implants have one huge advantage over both: bone retention. A dental implant replaces the entire tooth and root. ...

Your smile is a highly personal part of your identity, so it makes sense that replacing missing teeth is also a serious decision that can impact your smile for years to come.

In many cases, patients in Perry Township opt for dental implants because, aside from regular home and professional dental hygiene, they don’t require much upkeep and are incredibly reliable.

Some cases when you might choose dental implants include:

• You recently lost a tooth
• You have healthy bone
• You are young and healthy
• You don’t want to mess with dentures
• You want to avoid any denture mishaps
• You enjoy eating an unrestricted diet
• You want a permanent solution to tooth loss

In other cases, you might choose to go ...

With all of the hype surrounding dental implants these days, you might have forgotten that other options exist to replace missing teeth. Dental bridges remain a popular choice in our Southport area dental office, especially in a few specific circumstances.

You Want to Avoid Dental Implant Surgery

Some patients would prefer an alternative to dental implants specifically because they prefer to avoid surgical procedures. While dental implants are the gold standard of teeth replacement options, they do require surgery, which means time to heal.

A dental bridge provides outstanding esthetics and keeps your remaining teeth from drifting out of alignment. Dr. Kyle Shank creates gorgeous porcelain bridges that look like your natural teeth.

Medical ...

Patchwork dentistry is something we try to avoid at Shank Dentistry. Rather than placing large fillings, which can destabilize a broken or deeply decayed tooth, we often recommend dental crowns for our Southport and Indianapolis patients.

Why Are Crowns So Popular?

When you break a tooth or have a deep cavity, the enamel surrounding your tooth and providing protection to the underlying nerve becomes unstable. As a result, your tooth could continue to break down from the regular forces of chewing or from a teeth grinding habit. Placing a tooth-colored filling only seals the tooth to keep out bacteria and food particles.

A crown, on the other hand, completely encases the tooth, like ...

At Shank Dentistry, we are committed to presenting all of your treatment options, along with their benefits and limitations. After all, if you are investing in your smile, you should have all of the facts before you commit to a particular treatment. 

Advantages of Dental Implants

When it comes to replacing missing teeth, there is a clear winner when it comes to improving your health and your quality of life. Dental implants are the most reliable and beneficial treatment for replacing missing teeth and are almost like having your natural tooth again. We often recommend to our Indianapolis and Southport patients that they consider investing in dental implants.

#1 Implants Replace the Entire ...