Blog

At Ruggless Dental, we’ve heard all the misconceptions about dentures. Some patients think their new dentures won’t look real or fit correctly. The reality is that modern dentures look very natural, and ill-fitting dentures are adjustable.

Modern dentures in our Springfield, IL dental office rely on enhanced materials to provide an aesthetically beautiful appearance. Today’s dentures, in other words, are superior to anything that came before.

Our Springfield dentist creates beautiful dentures for Ruggless Dental patients. These dentures match your bite and fit comfortably. Additionally, our dentures come in a variety of shades to promote a natural looking smile.

In our Springfield dental office, we offer a variety of denture options including:

• Removable full ...

At Ruggless Dental, extracting a damaged tooth is the last resort. Our skilled dentist, in fact, makes this decision only when nothing else can be done.

However, not all dental extractions result from damage or untreated infections. Sometimes, wisdom teeth are extracted, for example, to prevent overcrowding or pain when they fail to erupt properly.

Wisdom teeth are located at the back of your mouth and serve no meaningful purpose, but they are troublesome sometimes.

Let’s take a closer look at a few reasons why you may need a dental extraction.

Severe Damage or Decay

A severely damaged tooth, due to trauma or breakage, sometimes is not salvageable. The infection has taken over the pulp ...

In our Springfield, IL dental office, we always work hard to save damaged teeth, and dental crowns play a big part in our strategy. A crack, fracture, or decay in your tooth compromises the structure of that tooth, leaving it vulnerable to deeper fractures, infections, or more severe breakage. 
 
However, not all fractures are caused by trauma. Wear and tear may happen even if you maintain optimal oral hygiene, brushing and flossing twice per day. Fortunately, dental crowns can save a tooth damaged by decay and wear.

How Dental Crowns Work

At Ruggless Dental, Dr. Shane Ruggless creates a strong and natural-looking dental crown to support your tooth and restore your ...

Dental fillings close cavities in teeth, following the removal of decayed tooth material. The new filling, then, stops bacteria from entering the tooth, eases pain, and helps prevent further decay.

Dental fillings have been a major part of dentistry for a very long time. Let’s look at how dental fillings have evolved through history. 

Fillings In the Ancient World

In Trieste, Italy, scientists discovered a 6,000-year-old male skeleton with beeswax fillings in his teeth. This is one of the earliest known examples of dental fillings.

Texts, dating a few hundred years later, describe silver paste as a dental resin used to fill cavities.

Fillings During the Renaissance 

The first known dental book, published in 1530, offers ...

Grinding, chewing, and possibly genetics can cause your teeth to wear down over time. Age along with certain foods and drinks can contribute to tooth discoloration and erosion. 

There are many solutions available to correct or camouflage these cosmetic issues, but the most affordable, versatile, and noninvasive choice is porcelain veneers. With porcelain veneers, you are choosing one option to correct or hide many cosmetic issues in one step, which is far more affordable and less time consuming than choosing several different options to achieve a great smile. 

Porcelain veneers camouflage the following:

• Misaligned teeth
• Gaps between teeth
• Discolored teeth
• Teeth unequal in height
• Worn teeth
• Chipped teeth
• Damaged Teeth

What Are Dental Veneers?

Dental veneers are thin, shell-like covers permanently ...

Replacing missing teeth with dental implants in our Springfield dental office not only makes it far easier to eat and speak naturally and without worry, but dental implants also improve your quality of life by making you look younger and have more confidence.

How Dental Implants Make You Look Younger

Tooth loss leads to the deterioration of bone in the jaw. Without the stimulation from the force of chewing, the bone is no longer needed and will melt away in a process called resorption.

If you have multiple missing teeth, especially, the facial structure can begin to look sunken and aged. Dental implants preserve natural bone by replacing the root of the tooth, ...

Few dental conditions are more distressing than tooth loss. The good news is that more options exist to restore your smile than ever before. Dental implants are one of the most popular choices in our Springfield dental office because they are most like your real teeth.

Why Dental Implants Are So Like Natural Teeth

You can never have your tooth back once it is extracted, but you can almost have it back with a dental implant.

The appearance of implants – Dental implant crowns look like natural teeth. Custom color and shading will create a seamless result.

The function of implants – You can eat all of your favorite foods with dental implants. Just ...