Tired of spending money on you teeth only to have it all fall apart?

Have you given up on ever having strong, good looking, and comfortable teeth?

Well I've got some good news for you!  Having a great smile is easier than anyone has ever told you!  With proper planning there is no reason you can not have the smile of your dreams; one that looks fantastic, feels wonderful, and is made to last.  The key is to take a comprehensive balanced "whole mouth" approach - to make sure that all of your bases are covered.  In the game of oral health, these bases are tooth (dental) health, gum (periodontal) health, bite (occlusal) health, and body (systemic) health.  If any one of these is not covered, or in other words is out of balance, the whole system is at risk of falling apart.  Failure to take this comprehensive approach to dental care is the main reason so many people believe that fixing teeth is a hopeless or expensive waste of time. 

The truth though is that, with careful planning, even the most complex of dental problems can be solved resulting in a beautiful smile that is without a doubt one of the best and longest lasting investments you will ever make.  And the great part is that “comprehensive” does not have to mean “extravagant”.  In fact, the healthiest thing is to do the least amount of dental work possible. 

This approach is what Dr. Peckham calls Comprehensive Minimal Dentistry^TM.  It is comprehensive because all of our treatment includes all four of the critical aspects of sustainable oral health, and it is minimal because we only do what is absolutely necessary to achieve your personal goals.

To learn more about CMD, its benefits, and the many choices it offers, please visit the contact page and download your free report, or call 208-777-1542 (toll free at 877-777-1542) and mention Dr. Peckham’s free CMD Report.

As a brief introduction, here are some possible options that are available, either by themselves, or in various combinations.  Some last longer than others.  Some are more convenient than others.  And some look better than others.  But when done comprehensively, each of them can provide years of reliable beauty and function.

Restorations

When it comes to fixing teeth, it is easy to get confused by all the options and dental terminology that often gets bandied about.  But in reality it is really quite simple.  Teeth may either be rebuilt and covered with an artificial “crown”, or a hole in the tooth can be fixed with a “filling”.  Those are really the only two choices.  Of course dentists have figured out how to make it all confusing and mysterious with terms like veneers, inlays, onlays, ¾ crowns, bonding, PFMs, PJCs. Class Is, Class Iis, Class IIIs, and the list goes on.  But actually we either cover a portion of the tooth, or we fill some part of it.  And we do that with one of four basic materials.  Some dentists are more comfortable with or better with some materials than others, but the basic choices remain the same.  Those choices are silver amalgam, gold (or some other metal), composite resin, or porcelain.  Silver and gold are the strongest, and resin and porcelain are the prettiest.  Silver and resin are the least expensive, and gold and porcelain are the longest lasting.  Fillings are usually used to fill in small to medium sized holes.  While crowns are used to strengthen and rebuild weak or broken teeth, to change the shape or color of teeth, or to improve a person’s bite.  Crowns can also be attached to each other to form a bridge from one tooth to another that replaces a missing in-between tooth.  To learn more about restoring and rebuilding that perfect smile, go to the contact us page and download your free report (there are 5 to choose from).

Implants

Teeth have two major parts, the root – the part that you can’t see under the gums, and the crown – the part that you can see.  Implants are titanium root replacements to which artificial crowns may be attached, thus replacing teeth in a way that is nearly like having your own teeth back again.  No longer considered experimental, implants have such an outstanding track record that they are now considered to be standard dental treatment.  Like teeth, they come in an assortment of shapes and sizes and are used to not only hold individual crowns, but can also support bridges, partials, and even full dentures.  Implants are often the best way to have teeth that look good, feel good, chew well, and last a long time.  And believe it or not, they are probably not as expensive as you may think.  Ranging anywhere from $500 - $5000, if you are missing any teeth, there is probably an implant solution that will fit your budget.  To learn more about these modern marvels, visit the contact us page and dowload your free report.

Dentures

Full Dentures

As you probably already know, there is as much art in making a denture as there is science.  And just as with a fine museum piece, tastes and opinions are going to vary.  In other words, there is a chance you might not like the same look as we do.   After years of study and experimentation, Dr. Peckham has developed a unique method of denture fabrication that he calls the AIRO PREMIUM DENTURE technique.  This denture technique is unique in that each tooth is precision engineered to match the slope of your own jaw joint.  What this means in practical terms is that you can now move your jaw much farther from side to side before knocking the denture loose.  Because of this it feels more natural, chews better, lasts longer, and is less stressful to the jaw.  Part of this process involves fabricating a test denture that you take and wear home to not only test the bite, but to also make absolutely sure you are completely satisfied with the aesthetics of the denture as well.  For those who want the most natural feel possible, who are particularly concerned with how your teeth look, or who also want implants, this is by far the best choice.  And if you are suffering from TMJ problems, this is the best denture for you as well.

That’s the good news.  The bad news is that you will never be able to chew, speak, taste, or otherwise function as well with a denture as you can with good healthy natural teeth.  This is probably why people without natural teeth live about ten years less than those who are able to keep most of their own teeth.  In fact, this reduction is life span is about the same as that suffered by cigarette smokers!  To learn more regarding the alarming truth about dentures and what  you can do about it, visit the contact us page and download your free report. Every denture wearer should definitely consider some kind of implant treatment as soon as possible - you'll understand once you read the report.

Partial Dentures

If a person is able to hang on to some of their own teeth, then a partial removable denture may be an option.  Partial dentures are usually much more comfortable than full dentures for two basic reasons. One, you still have areas where you can chew on natural teeth without putting pressure on and pinching the gums under the denture.  And two, they stay in place so much better because they can clip on to those remaining teeth.  Partials are the least expensive way to replace missing teeth and are often a person’s best choice, or they can be used as a temporary measure until you are ready to do fixed bridge work or implants.

The disadvantages of partials are that they are of course still removable, are still vulnerable to food getting underneath, and also have a bulky framework, though less so than with full dentures.