Dental questions, answered by the GFID team.

A dental implant is a titanium metal, cylindrical, root-shaped replacement for a tooth or several teeth. The implant is placed only if there is enough bone. Placement usually takes about 30 to 45 minutes. The implant is permanent and is not removable.

To determine if you are a good candidate, we schedule an evaluation of the implant site, review the bone level, and take radiographs and models of the upper and lower jaw. Dr. Guerra evaluates the case, plans measurements for implant placement, and fabricates the surgical guide or stent needed for correct placement.

Our office has regularly placed dental implants since 1995. The office has placed well over 2,000 implants.

This office places implants and restores implants with a crown, a bridge, or a complete denture with snaps when the treatment involves a complete denture.

Yes. The office can evaluate a problem implant whether it was done here or at another office. In many situations, this office can help with implant-related problems.

Sometimes patients do not have enough bone for implant placement. If that is the case, you can be evaluated for a bone graft. A bone graft adds bone to an area that needs to be thicker or higher to hold an implant.

Implant cost depends on the number of implants placed, the type of crown or bridge that will be placed, and whether the implants will support a full denture or a removable partial denture. The office can give you the exact cost at the time of your consult.

Placing and restoring implants is done in stages. The first stage is placement. After placement, the patient usually waits 6 to 8 months so the bone can grow around and grab the implant. This process is called osseointegration.

At the 6 to 8 month visit, the implant is checked for stable osseointegration. Then an abutment is fabricated, and the crown or bridge is made to fit the abutment. The implant is scanned and the images are sent to the dental lab for fabrication of the abutment and crown.

Implants can help patients who wear loose complete dentures. These cases usually involve 4 to 6 implants on the upper jaw and 4 implants on the lower jaw. If the dentures are old, a new set may be fabricated.

Special snaps called Locator attachments are placed on each implant. These snaps fit into the matching snap on the inside part of the denture.

Our office does not fabricate ClearChoice-style implant-retained complete dentures. That type of implant-retained denture is screwed on, cannot be removed for daily cleaning by the patient, and can only be removed by the dentist for periodic cleaning.

Our office provides locator-retained removable denture systems.

Wisdom teeth are usually removed because most patients do not have enough room for them in their mouths. Most patients have four wisdom teeth, which are two upper and two lower. Some patients can have 4 to 8 wisdom teeth.

Wisdom teeth are often best removed once the roots have developed somewhat. A general guide is between ages 17 and 24. However, wisdom teeth can be removed at any age if they are bothersome or decayed.

Some patients require sedation during wisdom tooth removal for comfort and relaxation. If sedation is required, the patient needs someone to drive them to the office and drive them home afterwards. If no sedation is used, the patient can usually drive to and from the office themselves.

Root canal treatment, also called endodontic treatment, is done when the nerve inside a tooth is infected or abscessed. The infected nerve is removed from the root canal. Then the canal is cleaned, sterilized, and filled with a material called gutta-percha.

A root canal can take 30 minutes or up to 1 to 2 hours depending on how many canals the tooth has. Front teeth usually have one canal, bicuspids or premolars usually have two canals, and molars can have three or four canals.

A broken or fractured tooth may be salvageable if the fracture does not go through the nerve canal. If the fracture goes through the nerve canal, it is often better for the patient to have the tooth removed and possibly replaced with an implant or bridge.

A tooth or teeth that need extractions can be replaced with an implant or implants, a bridge that is not removable, or a removable partial denture.

A bridge is a restoration that can replace one or more missing teeth by connecting to the tooth or teeth on both sides of the missing tooth space. It is permanent, which means it is not removable.

This office can evaluate loose fillings, crowns, bridges, and implants. Based on radiographs and how much tooth remains, crowns, fillings, and bridges can sometimes be redone, reattached, or cemented. If the problem involves teeth that are broken or loose because of a fracture or lost bone, an extraction may be considered.

Our office mainly does tooth-colored resin fillings. These fillings are ideal for small to medium-size cavities. If the cavity is very large, a crown may be considered because teeth with very large fillings may not be as strong.

Every patient should have their teeth cleaned and examined every 6 months. Some patients are seen every 4 months, based on patient preference or the dentist's recommendation.

Hygienists in our office do regular cleanings. In some cases, deep cleanings are done. Deep cleanings are usually done under local anesthesia and are performed when the depth between the gums and teeth is greater than 4 or 5 mm.

Sometimes patients complain of halitosis, or bad breath. We have seen patients whose bad breath does not come from their mouths. At times, allergies, congestion, or sinus problems may be the cause. Laredo is a city where sinusitis is common, and sinus issues may contribute to bad breath.

Many patients have habits such as grinding or clenching their teeth. If this happens at night or during sleep, it is called nocturnal clenching or bruxing. Bruxing means grinding the teeth, not just clenching.

An occlusal bite guard may help. This is a hard thermoplastic appliance adjusted by the dentist so each tooth touches the guard at the same time. If a patient has pain in front of the ear or on the side of the face, it may be related to grinding or clenching. Many people refer to this pain as TMJ.

Dental radiographs taken in our office are not dangerous. Today, digital X-ray machines emit an extremely low dose of radiation. The American Dental Association states that lead aprons are no longer necessary for dental X-rays, but they are available if a patient feels better using one.

Bony lumps on the inside of the lower jaw between the tongue and jawbone are often normal bone growths called mandibular tori. These bumps of bone can also occur on the palate or the sides of the upper and lower teeth. It is best to have them examined just to make sure.

Whitening means removing surface stains and restoring or improving tooth color with peroxide-based whitening products. A dental cleaning is recommended before whitening for best results.

Current draft costs are: in-office Zoom whitening is $500, Whitening for Life is $350, and Go trays are $100. Please call our office and ask to speak with one of our hygienists for current details.

Our office does dental veneers. Veneers are very thin porcelain fronts for upper and/or lower teeth. If your teeth already have fillings on those teeth, veneers may not be indicated. A crown could be considered instead of veneers for teeth with fillings.

Yes. Our office does orthodontics. Dr. Alessandro Vallone is the dentist who uses Spark aligners to straighten teeth.

Our office uses digitally scanned impressions about 95% of the time. However, sometimes study models are needed and impressions are taken, especially for whitening trays and implant study models.

Spark aligners, whitening, and veneers can be planned together. We recommend coming in for an evaluation so the doctor can determine the best treatment sequence.

Patients can be anxious or fearful of dental visits and dental procedures. For nervous or apprehensive patients, sedation may be available using an oral medication coupled with nitrous oxide. If you are sedated, you will need someone to drive you to and from the dental office.

Many of our patients take several medications or may be medically compromised. We can do a medical consultation with your physician to get clearance before proceeding.

We take many insurance plans. If you call our office, we can let you know if we take your insurance.

We do many biopsies of the mouth in this office. All biopsies are sent to Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Pathology Departments in San Antonio or Houston.

For a second opinion, you may want to bring a copy of your X-rays or have them emailed to our office. If you cannot, that is not a problem; we can take them here.

If you have a question or concern where you would feel better speaking to or seeing one of our doctors, please call us for an appointment at 956-726-9418.