Dr. Harold Gulbransen selected as a Top Dentist in the San Diego area for 2012!

We are proud to announce that Dr. Gulbransen has been selected by a vote of his peers as a Top Prosthodontist in the San Diego area for 2012.  This is the fifth consecutive year that he has been honored with this award.

The San Diego Magazine published this award in the March 2012 edition.  Every dentist values the opinions and respect of his peers.  This is what makes this award so meaningful.  Dr. Gulbransen is honored to have been chosen as a top prosthodontist serving San Diego for the last five years.

Why is it Important to Bring a Complete List of your Medications to your First Dental Appointment?

In order to provide patients with a comprehensive dental evaluation, it is first necessary for your dentist to review your health history. It is very important to bring a list of your current medications as well as a list of medical conditions and allergies that you may have to your first appointment at San Diego Prosthodontics, so that Dr. Gulbransen can determine if it is safe to proceed with treatment.

Many medical conditions complicate oral health and no treatment plan is complete without looking at the "big picture". At times, it may be necessary to modify your treatment based on your overall health. It is important that you include the names and dosages of all of your medications. Some medications and medical conditions directly affect the way oral health care will be delivered. For example, diabetes, high blood pressure, artificial heart valves and joints each can affect your overall treatment plan.

While Dr. Gulbransen treats every patient with the same level of respect, he also will treat you as an individual with detailed attention to your specific needs and concerns. A complete list of your medications will help Dr. Gulbransen and his staff provide you with the best care at the highest level of comfort. We know that your dental health is very important. At San Diego Prosthodontics we strive to provide optimal prosthetic dental care for our patients in a relaxed, comfortable and safe environment.

WHAT IS A PROSTHODONTIST—Dental Specialist in Implant Restoration, Full and Partial Dentures, Dental Crowns, Bridges, Dental Implants

Prosthodontics is one of nine dental specialties recognized by the American Dental Association. Prosthodontists are experts in the restoration of natural teeth or the replacement of missing teeth and adjacent oral and facial tissues with artificial substitutes.

Prosthodontic treatment may include the use of removable partial or full dentures, caps, crowns, bridges, implant anchored restorations, or combinations of the above. For more information, visit our website at http://www.sandiegoprosthodontics.com

After completing 4 years of dental school, prosthodontists receive an additional 2-3 years of intense specialized training in an American Dental Association (ADA) accredited graduate program based either at a hospital or a university. This advanced training includes reviews of the literature, lectures, and treatment of patients. Prosthodontists are also trained in the hands-on technical aspects of laboratory fabrication of complex dental prosthetics and complex restoration of dental and facial esthetics. Prosthodontists have a comprehensive knowledge of dental materials and techniques, insuring both function and esthetics when it comes to your treatment.

At SAN DIEGO PROSTHODONTICS, we have a fully equipped dental laboratory staffed with two full-time dental technicians.

Think of the prosthodontist as the ‘quarterback’ of your dental restorative team. Prosthodontists take a whole-mouth approach to your dental care. They supervise your treatment from your initial consultations to your follow-up care after treatment. It is your prosthodontist who interacts with other dentists, specialists and technicians to coordinate your dental treatment plan.

Whether your care requires single crowns, fillings, veneers, dental bridges, dentures or complex implant restorations, you can be assured that you are receiving state-of-the-art dentistry from your prosthodontist, who is dedicated to the highest standards of care in restoration and replacement of teeth.

Dental Implants are a Team Effort at SAN DIEGO PROSTHODONTICS, Office of Harold J. Gulbransen, DDS

Today, dental implants offer patients with permanent tooth loss an excellent alternative to partial or complete dentures. Dental implants can help patients regain natural smiles, increase their comfort and minimize jawbone deterioration that can occur when natural teeth are lost.

Dental implants combine the best of science and technology, often involving the expertise of several different dental disciplines. Successful implant placement involves a coordinated team approach composed of prosthodontic dental specialist Dr. Harold Gulbransen, the oral surgeon or periodontist who surgically places the implants, and the lab technician.

The team of dental specialists work together to draw up a treatment plan that best meets each individual patient's needs. After an initial comprehensive examination, Dr. Gulbransen consults with other team members to determine if implants are the right solution and what, if any underlying dental issues need to be addressed to insure the success of the implants. Communication among team members ensures that every step of the process goes smoothly and the best possible results are achieved. The teamwork continues long after implant placement. Follow-up examinations with Dr. Gulbransen and other team members are very important.

Dr. Gulbransen, as the prosthodontist, is the 'quarterback' of your dental restorative team. Prosthodontists take a whole-mouth approach to your dental care. They supervise your treatmant from your initial consultations to your follow-up care after treatmant. Dr. Gulbransen will interact with other dentists, specialists and technicians to coordinate your dental treatment plan.

While implants have a very high success rate, implants are not always the best solutions for every dental problem. Prosthodontists are also trained in the hands-on technical aspects of laboratory fabrication of complex dental prosthetics and complex restoration of dental and facial esthetics. Harold J. Gulbransen, DDS, has a comprehensive knowledge of dental materials and techniques, insuring both function and esthetics when it comes to your treatment.

Whether your care requires single crowns, fillings, veneers, dental bridges, dentures or complex implant restorations, you can be assured that you are receiving state-of-the-art dentistry from Dr. Harold Gulbransen and his staff, who are didicated to the highest standards of care in restoration and replacement of teeth.

Sterilization and Disinfection Procedures in our Dental Office

SAN DIEGO PROSTHODONTICS is proud to offer the latest in modern sterilization and disinfection techniques. Vigorous safeguards, exacting cleaning procedures and controlled professional standards are designed to protect the health and welfare of both patients and practitioners.

Some of our patients have questions regarding the protocol followed during disinfection and sterilization of instruments, hand pieces and treatment rooms. You will find our office follows the "universal precautions" as outlined by the American Dental Association and Center of Disease Control.

All instruments are thoroughly pre-cleaned ultrasonically before they are put into a steam autoclave. The steam autoclave uses heated, pressure and vaporized water to sterilize instruments in a closed chamber. Each instrument is then hand dried.

Dental assistants are responsible for cleaning and disinfecting surfaces in each operatory. We use disinfection procedures on surfaces and equipment that cannot be removed for cleaning and sterilization, such as counter tops, drawer handles, x-ray unit heads and light handles. A sterile disinfectant cleaning solution, Birex, is used to wipe down all counters, suction hoses, and hand piece connectors before and after each patient. You will also notice that we use disposable barriers on surfaces such as light handles that are touched during treatment.

The use of a closed dental unit water system which operates independently from municipal water supplies prevents mineral deposits from adhering to our instruments and in our water lines. Our dental units are not connected to municipal water supplies. This prevents contamination of the inside of the water lines used in each treatment operatory. We use distilled water in all of our operatories.

We want you to be assured that we are committed to providing you with a safe and healthy environment when you visit our office for dental treatment. The health and safety of our patients is our number one priority.

E.Max Crowns—All Ceramic Dental Crowns Providing Beauty Without Compromising Strength and Durability

Dr. Harold Gulbransen at SAN DIEGO PROSTHODONTICS is proud to offer the latest techniques in Crown and Bridge Dentistry.

Significant new developments in all-ceramic materials have led to the introduction of the e.max dental crown. Previously, dental crowns made from the most natural appearing materials weren’t as durable as those made of less esthetic materials like gold or other precious metals.

However, e.max crowns are fabricated with the newest in cosmetic porcelain, a lithium disilicate glass ceramic material that is natural in appearance yet strong enough to withstand the pressures and demands of the human mouth. Researchers at the Department of Biomaterials and Biomimetics at the New York University College of Dentistry (NYU) found that the lithium disilicate ceramic material used in e.max crowns was far less likely to chip or fracture when compared to veneered zirconia-based crowns.

E.max dental crowns are designed using efficient pressed ceramic technology. They represent the ultimate in metal-free esthetics and durability. Unlike traditional crowns, there are no copings or metal substrates. This means that e.max crowns are more natural in appearance and do not have the telltale “black line” of the crown’s metal substructure at the gumline like traditional crowns do. In effect, the patient benefits from the best of both worlds—the beauty of all-ceramic crowns without compromising strength or durability.

What are the Advantages of an Immediate Denture?

An immediate denture is a complete or partial denture that is inserted on the same day as teeth are extracted, immediately following removal of natural teeth. There are several advantages that immediate dentures provide for patients. First and foremost, immediate dentures provide an important psychological advantage because patients never have to appear in public without teeth. The immediate or temporary dentures are fabricated before the patient’s natural teeth are removed, so they are ready to be inserted at the time of the extractions.

Immediate dentures reduce post operative discomfort after extraction of teeth because they cover and protect the surgical site. In effect, the temporary or immediate dentures act as a Band-Aid and protect the extraction sites, reducing pain.

Studies have also shown that patients who wear an immediate denture have broader, fuller gums after healing which ultimately provides better support for all subsequent denture prostheses.

It is important to note that an immediate denture is an approximation of what the mouth will look like post-surgery. As a result, an immediate denture does not fit as precisely as the final denture will fit. Dr. Gulbransen will use a soft liner material to line the immediate denture after surgery to provide better fit and retention.

This will require a few adjustment visits. As the gums heal following the extractions, they will continue to shrink. Changes can continue for several months. Once the gum and bone healing is completed, the patient is ready to have the final dentures made, generally 4 – 6 months after tooth extractions.