Hannibal Cosmetic Dentist | Dr. Janes

Thousands of people every year suffer from temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD) without ever being properly diagnosed and treated. TMD is a collection of maladies associated with the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), which connects your jaw to your skull.

There are many causes of TMD, which when properly identified by a neuromuscular dentist, can be successfully treated. Some of the causes of TMD include:

• Trauma
• Malocclusion
• Bruxism
• Stress
• Disease

Once the underlying cause of your TMD is identified, St. Louis neuromuscular dentist Dr. Charles Janes can create a comprehensive treatment plan to address the issue. For example, grinding your teeth at night (bruxism) puts an inordinate amount of stress on your TMJ. By fitting you with a custom-made mouth guard, Dr. Janes may be able to relieve the pressure causing your TMD.

If you suffer from severe malocclusion, a misalignment of your jaw, there are a number of treatment options we can use to bring your jaw back into proper alignment. After determining what your natural jaw alignment should be, Dr. Janes will be able to address the malocclusion using one or more of the following:

• Orthodontia
• TENS therapy
• Mouth guard
• Surgery

To find out more about the causes of your TMD, please contact our St. Louis neuromuscular dentistry office today to set up your initial consultation. Dr. Charles Janes serves patients in the St. Louis and Hannibal, Missouri and Quincy, Illinois areas.

Advances in cosmetic dentistry are occurring more rapidly every year. Materials and techniques for improving your smile are constantly being refined. One of the most affordable and diverse dental treatments available from St. Louis cosmetic dentist Dr. Charles Janes is porcelain veneers. There are many cosmetic benefits of porcelain veneers, including:

• Whitens teeth
• Closes gaps
• Straightens teeth

Applying Porcelain Veneers

There is typically a three-step application process for porcelain veneers:

• The initial consultation
• Tooth preparation and impressions
• Verification and application

Dr. Janes will explain the application process to you in greater detail at your initial consultation.

Porcelain Qualities

Porcelain is an excellent material for dental improvements for the following reasons:

• Ceramic porcelain is very thin, only a few millimeters in width. Therefore, porcelain veneers require only a small amount of tooth enamel to be removed in order to fit them properly.
• Like your original enamel, porcelain is translucent, allowing some light to pass through and reflect off the underlying dental material.
• Once applied, these glass-like veneers are very durable and actually help strengthen weakened teeth.
• Porcelain veneers are non-porous and will resist stains better than natural tooth enamel.

If you are interested in learning more about the benefits of our porcelain veneers services, please contact our St. Louis cosmetic dentistry office today. Dr. Charles Janes serves patients in the St. Louis and Hannibal, Missouri and Quincy, Illinois areas.