Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Replacing missing teeth is crucial, and we are pleased to offer several options at Derhake Dental. Everyone is unique, so it's best to start by scheduling an appointment at our Florissant, MO, dental office.

Dental Implants

A dental implant is a tiny titanium screw placed surgically into the jawbone to replace the missing tooth root. After the implant heals, Dr. Spring places a dental crown on top of it. Dental implants are considered the best tooth replacement because they look and feel natural and help maintain a healthy jawbone.

Dental Bridges

A bridge is a fixed tooth replacement anchored to surrounding teeth (abutment teeth) with dental crowns. A dental bridge can replace 1–3 consecutive missing teeth and is a good option if adjacent teeth are healthy or if you don't want to undergo implant surgery.

Full and Partial Dentures

A full denture replaces all missing teeth in your upper arch, lower arch, or both. We design custom dentures to complement your smile so they look natural and beautiful. Dentures are typically made of a combination of acrylic and metal and secured by suction or dental adhesives.

We would recommend a partial denture if you have some remaining teeth. Partials are made of acrylic and metal and secured to adjacent teeth by metal clasps or precision attachments.

Expert Tooth Replacement in Florissant, MO

Replacing missing teeth is important to maintain proper tooth alignment, fill out facial features, and help you feel confident around others. Please call to schedule an appointment to see if an implant, bridge, or denture is the right tooth replacement for you.

Cosmetic dentistry includes any dental treatment that improves the appearance of your teeth, gums, and smile. Aesthetics are the main focus of cosmetic dentistry, but many of these treatments also have oral health benefits. They also help improve your confidence, which can positively impact other areas of your life.

Cosmetic Dentistry in Florissant, MO

At Derhake Dental, we offer cosmetic dentistry, including the following treatments:

• Teeth whitening is a process that uses a prescription-strength whitening agent to remove stubborn tooth stains and discoloration, leaving them with a brighter, whiter appearance.
• Veneers are thin, custom-made shells of ceramic that our cosmetic dentist places over the front surfaces of teeth to improve their shape, size, and color.
• Invisalign uses clear aligners to straighten and align crooked and crowded teeth to improve their overall appearance.
• Dental bonding is a cosmetic procedure where we apply tooth-colored composite resin to the teeth and harden it with a curing light to repair chipped or cracked teeth, close wide gaps, and conceal tooth discoloration.

The Benefits of a Confident Smile

A healthy, attractive smile can boost your self-esteem and confidence and positively impact other areas of your life as well. You may find it easier to make great first impressions, whether interviewing for your dream job or starting a new personal or professional relationship.

How Can Cosmetic Dentistry Help You?

We love using cosmetic dental treatments to help our patients enjoy their most confident smiles. Please call our Florissant, MO, dental office today to schedule an appointment!

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends that a child's first dental visit occur around age one or when their first baby tooth appears. This may seem early, but it's never too soon to help your child get used to the experience of visiting a dental office.

Positive Dental Visits for Your Child

We'll introduce your little one to our dental team, give them a ride in the dental chair, and count their teeth. Ensuring positive experiences for your children now helps ensure they will be good dental patients as adults. This visit also allows Dr. Spring to assess your child's oral health, answer your questions, and provide guidance on cleaning and caring for their teeth.

Why Baby Teeth Are Important

It's crucial for us to see your child when baby teeth start coming in. These teeth play an important role in Your little one's overall health and development, helping them learn to chew ad speak properly.

Baby teeth are also placeholders for adult teeth, and if one is lost too soon, problems can occur with the development of adult teeth that lead to potential bite issues.

Routine Checkups for Children

Regular dental checkups and teeth cleanings help prevent cavities, the most common chronic childhood disease. Detecting and treating dental problems early on minimizes the need for more extensive and costly procedures in the future. With regular dental visits, we'll help your child establish good oral hygiene habits that last a lifetime.

Schedule Your Child's First Dental Visit with Us!

We love providing children's dentistry in Florissant, MO, and look forward to meeting your child. Please call us to schedule an appointment.

At Derhake Dental, we emphasize preventive dentistry, including regular cleanings and exams every six months. These visits are crucial to help you maintain excellent oral health and allow us to detect and treat dental issues before they worsen.

Routine Exams and Teeth Cleanings for Adults

During a professional teeth cleaning, your hygienist removes the buildup of plaque and tartar that lead to tooth decay. They will answer your oral health questions and provide recommendations on brushing and flossing properly and what hygiene aids you should use.

At the same appointment, your dentist will examine your teeth to check for signs of cavities and gum disease. Treating these issues promptly prevents them from worsening and helps you avoid more complex and costly procedures in the future.

Preventive Dentistry for Children

Teeth cleanings and exams every six months are as crucial for children as for adults. In addition to checking for cavities, we can also provide preventive treatments like dental sealants and fluoride applications that help contribute to a healthier smile.

Schedule Your Family’s Next Dental Checkup

At Derhake Dental, we are committed to helping your family achieve and maintain lifelong healthy smiles. We love welcoming patients of all ages and look forward to meeting you soon!

Please call our Florissant, MO, dental office to schedule an appointment.

A broken tooth may be a dental emergency, depending on the severity of the fracture. A minor fracture that isn’t causing pain can likely wait to be treated until you can schedule an appointment during regular office hours.

However, if a fracture is accompanied by significant pain or bleeding or impairs your chewing ability, you should contact your emergency dentist in Florissant as soon as possible. 

Another situation where a broken tooth is a dental emergency is if it becomes loose or the fracture is so extensive we can’t restore it with a filling or dental crown. In this case, we will likely need to extract the tooth. 

How Tooth Breaks and Fractures Occur

A broken tooth can result from trauma, such as an injury to the mouth during sports. You can also break a tooth by biting down on something hard, like a popcorn kernel or crusty bread. You may also have existing cracks in the tooth that weaken and cause it to break.

If you break a tooth, it’s important to find and save any pieces of the tooth that you can and rinse your mouth with warm water to keep it clean. 

Broken Tooth Repair in Florissant, MO

Dr. Sarah Spring is an experienced dentist who repairs broken teeth and restores them to full health and function. If you have a broken tooth and are experiencing pain, please call us so we can help you.

If your broken tooth results from trauma and you experience significant bleeding or injury to your jaw, please go to the emergency room. The doctors there will stabilize your situation, and then we can treat the broken tooth.

Invisalign uses clear plastic aligners to move teeth without metal braces. Because the aligners are crystal clear, they are virtually invisible when worn. Invisalign aligners are also a convenient alternative to traditional braces because you can remove them for meals and while you brush and floss.

How Invisalign Works

We will schedule an appointment at our Florissant dental office for you to meet with Dr. Sarah Spring. She will take x-rays, intraoral images, and photos to determine if you’re a good candidate. Next, she takes digital impressions of your teeth to create your personalized treatment plan.

An Invisalign lab prepares several sets of custom aligners based on our treatment plan. We will advise you to wear your aligners 22 hours a day and remove them only for oral hygiene and meals. At the end of two weeks, you’ll switch to the next set in the series.

The aligners exert gentle force on the teeth, gradually shifting them into the proper position. Treatment times vary, but most patients fall within the range of 6–18 months.

Invisalign Benefits

Aesthetics are the main benefit of Invisalign because most people won’t notice you’re wearing aligners unless they look closely. This makes them a great option for older teens and adults who don’t want obvious metal braces to spoil their smiles.

You can remove Invisalign to eat and drink whatever foods you like. Unlike metal braces, you can also brush and floss easily and reduce your risk of developing cavities and gum disease.

Schedule an Invisalign Appointment

Dr. Spring helps many patients improve their smiles with Invisalign and would love to meet with you to see if it’s right for you. Please call Derhake Dental in Florissant, MO, to schedule a convenient appointment.