9 Locations in North Central Indiana
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Our Dental Services | Dentists and Dental Specialists
General & Cosmetic Dentistry
General & Cosmetic Dentistry
General & Cosmetic Dentistry
All six of our LADD Dental Group locations provide high quality general and cosmetic dentistry. A few of the procedures we offer are: composite fillings, crowns, bridges, veneers, partials, dentures, extractions, as well as IV and oral conscious sedation.
Dental Implants
General & Cosmetic Dentistry
General & Cosmetic Dentistry
Dr. Conkin and Dr. Patel are our two certified dental implant specialists. They work along with our general dentists to provide our patients with the gold standard in dental implant care.
Wisdom Teeth Extractions
General & Cosmetic Dentistry
Wisdom Teeth Extractions
We have three certified dental specialists that specialize in wisdom teeth extractions. Our specialists can preform the procedure using IV sedation, oral conscious sedation, nitrous, or just local anesthetic. Whatever standard of care the patient wishes to have, we can provide.
Root Canal Therapy
Root Canal Therapy
Wisdom Teeth Extractions
Dr. Larry Pauley has been providing the North Central Indiana community with quality endodontic care for the past twenty years! He and his team have extensive clinical experience providing root canal therapy for patients of all ages.
Dentures
Root Canal Therapy
Dentures
Here at LADD Dental, we offer all different types of dentures. We provide quality conventional dentures, implant supported dentures, as well as immediate dentures. Give us a call today and learn more about what dentures can do for you and your quality of life!
Dental Implant Specialists
Dental Implant Specialists
Dental implants replace natural missing teeth. Dental implants are posts surgically placed into the upper or lower jawbone. They replace one or more teeth that are next to each other. Implants are an effective way to replace missing natural teeth. When teeth are lost because of disease or an accident, dental implants may be a good option. You may want to choose dental implants if:
- You hide your smile because you have missing teeth
- Your dentures are not comfortable
- You are not happy with your removable partial denture
- You do not have or do not want your other teeth to anchor a bridge restoration
People may choose implants to replace a single tooth, more than one tooth, or support a full set of dentures. Dental implants are made out of titanium (a strong, lightweight metal) and other materials. Millions of implants are placed by dentists every year in the United States, which makes them a very common and popular option for replacing teeth.
Implants offer firm support to natural teeth and have many benefits, including these:
- Implants won't slip or shift in your mouth. This is highly important for eating and speaking normally.
- Implants feel more natural than removable partial or conventional complete dentures because of their secure fit.
- A single tooth implant is a stand-alone unit and doesn't involve treating the teeth next to it.
- Implants help to preserve the bone after teeth are lost or removed.
- Implants are a good value. They may seem like a more expensive option at first, but they can last a lifetime if you take good care of them.
Single Tooth Dental Implant: A single tooth implant replaces the missing tooth's roots. it is a stand-alone unit and does not involve treating the teeth next to it. *If you are missing one or more teeth, there are many reasons why you should replace them:
- You may not like how the gap looks when you smile.
- Missing teeth may affect how you speak.
- A missing back tooth (molar) can make it harder to chew.
- When a tooth is lost and not replaced, the teeth around it can shift. Shifting teeth can affect how you bite and chew.
- Bone loss may occur in the area of the missing tooth or teeth. This may cause the remaining teeth to become loose over time.
- Loss of teeth and bone can make your face sag. You may look older because of this occurance.
Implant-Supported Bridge:
An implant-supported bridge replaces the lost natural teeth and some of the tooth roots when more than one tooth is missing. Unlike traditional bridges, an implant-supported bridge does not need support from the teeth next to it.
Implant-Supported Denture:
If you are missing all of your teeth, an implant-supported denture can replace the missing teeth and some of the tooth roots. Because the bone in your jaw actually grows around the implants, an implant-supported denture tends to be comfortable and stable. This allows you the ability to bite and chew naturally. Steps of Placing a Dental Implant Treatment will depend on your personal case and can take only one day, several months, or somewhere in between. Discuss with your Ladd dentist which type of implant is best for you. Then, we create a treatment plan for you. Implant placement usually involves 3 main steps:
- Placing the implant- Your Ladd dentist, periodontist, or our oral surgeon will use X-Rays and other images to carefully find where the implant should be places. Then, they surgically place the implant into your jawbone. You may have some swelling and/or tenderness after surgery. Your dentist or implant specialist may recommend medicine to make you more comfortable. During the healing process, your dentist may tell you to eat soft foods.
- Healing Process may take several months- The reason why an implant is so strong is because the jawbone grows around it and holds it in place. This process takes time. Some patients might need to wait up to several months until the implant is completely healed before replacement teeth can be attached to the implant. Other patients can have implants and temporary teeth placed all in one visit.
- Placement of the replacement tooth or teeth- For a single tooth implant, your Ladd provider makes a new tooth that is customized for you, called a dental crown. It is designed to look just like your other teeth. For multiple missing teeth, implant-supported bridges and dentures are also custom-made to look like your natural teeth and to ft your mouth. The replacement teeth are attached to the implant posts that were surgically placed into your jawbone.
Replacement teeth usually take some time to make. In the meantime, your Ladd dentist or oral surgeon may give you a temporary crown, bridge or denture. This will help you eat and speak normally until your permanent replacement teeth are ready. Talk to your LADD dentist or one of our dental implant specialists to see if implants are right for you. Implants are not an option for everyone. You should be in good health and/or cleared by your doctor before scheduling any implant surgery.
- If you are in good general health and your jaw can support an implant, this treatment may be a good option for you. Your health is more important than your age.
- You should have enough jawbone to support the implant or be able to have surgery to build up the jawbone. Bone can be built up with a bone graft or with a sinus lift surgery.
- Chronic diseases, such as diabetes and leukemia, may slow healing after surgery. Implant treatment may not be a good option for people with these diseases.
- Using tobacco of any kind (such as dip, chew, cigarettes, pipes, and e-cigarettes) also can slow down your healing process.
If your LADD provider does recommend dental implant treatment:
- Consistent and good oral hygiene is very important for the success of the implant.
- You must spend time caring for the implant and making sure the area around it is very clean.
- If not, it increases your risk for infection, which can weaken the bone and tissues that are needed to support the implant.
- Also, regular dental visits and putting in the time to take care of your implant are key to the long-term success of your implant.
- Your in home-care routine will include brushing twice a day and cleaning between your teeth at least once a day. A special type of toothbrush or mouth rinse may also be recommended.
Cosmetic Dentistry
Cosmetic Dental Care
Teeth Whitening
Teeth whitening can be one of the simplest and least expensive ways to improve your smile.
Dental Veneers
Dental veneers are wafer-thin, custom-made shells of tooth-colored porcelain or resin that cover the front surface of the teeth. After removing about a half-millimeter of enamel from the tooth surface, these thin shells are bonded (cemented) to the front of the teeth, changing their color, shape, size, or length. Veneers are often called “Hollywood teeth."
Dental Bonding
In dental bonding, a tooth-colored, putty-like resin, which is a durable plastic material, is applied to the tooth and hardened with an ultraviolet or laser light, bonding the material to the tooth. Your dentist then trims, shapes, and polishes it. Bonding can repair decayed, chipped, cracked, or misshapen teeth; it is also a good cosmetic alternative to, or replacement for, amalgam or silver fillings.
Dental Crown
A dental crown, also called a cap, fits over and replaces the entire decayed or damaged tooth above the gum line, restoring its shape, size, strength, and appearance. Crowns keep a weak tooth from breaking or hold a cracked tooth together; they can be used cosmetically to cover misshapen or severely discolored teeth. Crowns can be made from metal, porcelain-fused-to-metal, resin, or ceramic.
Inlays And Onlays
Inlays and onlays, also called indirect fillings, are made from gold, porcelain, or composite materials and fill decayed or damaged teeth. Dental fillings are molded into place during an office visit; however, inlays and onlays are created in a dental laboratory and bonded into place by your dentist. The filling is called an “inlay” when the material is bonded within the center of a tooth; it is called an “onlay” when the filling includes one or more points of the tooth or covers the biting surface. Inlays and onlays preserve as much healthy tooth as possible and are an alternative to crowns.
Dental Implants
Dental implants are titanium replacement tooth roots inserted into the bone socket of the missing tooth. As the jawbone heals, it grows around the implanted metal post, anchoring it securely in the jaw and providing a foundation for a replacement tooth.
Other Options
A bridge is made of crowns for the teeth on either side of a gap with false teeth in between. A denture is a removable replacement for missing teeth. Dental braces can straighten crooked or misaligned teeth and works by applying continuous pressure over a period of time to slowly move teeth in a specific direction.
Learn More
Our dentists and dental specialists work together to give you the smile you have always dreamed of. Whatever your individual smile requires, we have the dental team to get it done.