Damon Arne
 1604 Physicians Drive Our practice strives to help our patients to obtain strong, healthy, teeth and gums. We utilize state-of-the-art prosthodontic care to restore natural teeth as well as creating and placing natural-looking substitutes or prosthetic teeth. We try to provide the care you need ensuring your comfort in a friendly and professional way. We attempt to exceed the expectations of every patient that entrusts their oral health to our team. Our goal is to replace the missing teeth and preserve what remains in the most conservative way possible that will be long lasting and meet our patients' needs. Prosthodontics is one of nine dental specialties recognized by the American Dental Association. Like other specialties, prosthodontics takes the standard of care to a higher level with additional training of the doctor. Prosthodontics covers cosmetics, dental implants, and rehabilitation of the oral cavity so patients can smile and eat with confidence. Treatments include veneers, crowns, bridges, partial and dentures, and dental implants. From the simple to the most complex, seeing a Prosthodontist will ensure you will receive the highest level of care available. Building a foundation of trust is vital to our success. We treat all our patients as personal friends of Dr. Arne. We understand how uneasy some patients feel about cosmetic and reconstructive dentistry. Dr. Arne and his staff welcome each guest into our warm and friendly office. We make a difference in providing a life changing and emotionally positive experience. Our entire team is dedicated to providing you with excellent, personalized care and service to make your consultation and treatments as comfortable and pleasing as possible. The prosthodontists will serve as the "architect" of the dental treatment plan, as they provide the diagnosis and proposed restorative plan in collaboration with general dentists, specialists and other health professionals to develop solutions to your dental concerns. Great care and price is taken in providing our patients with esthetically attractive and natural-looking cosmetic restorations. Cosmetic dentistry is not a recognized specialty. However, prosthodontists, other dental specialists and general dentists are all involved in this aspect of dental care. Dr. Arne was a double major and received a BA in Biology and Chemistry from UNCW in 1993 and received his DDS from UNC Chapel Hill in 1999. After receiving his Dental degree from UNC, Dr. Arne continued his post-graduate training with a three-year prosthodontic residency at the University of Texas San Antonio Health Sciences Center and completed that in 2002. Dr. Arne has been in the private practice of prosthodontics in Wilmington, NC since 2002. Dr. Arne's Prosthodontic dental practice is devoted to restoring and enhancing your natural beauty using state-of-the-art procedures. You can expect the best possible results that are both beautiful and natural in appearance. You will look better and feel more confident about your smile! |
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I am a Prosthodontist. That means I'm a dentist who specializes in prostheses: crowns, bridges, dentures, partials, veneers, dental implant restorations, sleep and apnea appliances, any type of prosthesis that goes in your mouth -- that's what I do, that's all I do. I see one patient at a time. The reason for this is because 90-95% of my patients are from referrals. These referrals come from other dentists, specialists or physicians and I get the patients that the dentists don't feel comfortable treating, don't want to treat or don't know how to treat. I guess you could saw that I get the problem children of dentistry. Most of my patients require fairly extensive or intricate work, and if I were to see two or three patients at a time like most dental offices I would never get anything done, so if I'm running on time and there are no emergencies hopefully you'll never see another patient. The purpose of your first visit is an information gathering appointment; it's a chance for us to talk and get to know each other to make sure we mesh. It's important that you not only believe what I'm telling you but also trust that I'm the one to do it. Hopefully you feel that I'm the one to fix your needs, but if I'm not, I'll help direct you to someone who might. But what I'll do is look in your mouth and tell you the problems that I see. I'm looking for functional problems (the way your jaw and teeth come together), esthetic problems (the way your teeth look), and disease (cavities, periodontal disease). After I look in your moth, I'll sit you up and discuss these problems and try to come up with a couple different options. Never do I want or expect you to make a decision about your treatment today. This is just an information gathering appointment; by the end of the appointment hopefully you'll have a couple of different ways we can fix your problems and a ballpark figure of how much they'll cost. We'll send you home to talk it over with your loved ones or anyone else who has a vested interest in your finances and bring you back in a week or so for a second consult. There's not a charge for that appointment unless we actually start doing some work; it is an opportunity for me to answer any of the questions you might have and to finalize your treatment. FAQ: What is Prosthodontics? Prosthodontics is the area of dentistry involving restoration or replacement of natural teeth with artificial substitutes. These substitutes may include fixed crowns and bridges, complete dentures, partial dentures, or implants. What is a Prosthodontist? A Prosthodontist is a dentist who has completed a residency in prosthodontics and whose practice is limited to repairing or replacing damaged or missing teeth. Likened to an "architect" of a dental treatment plan, prosthodontists work collaboratively with general dentists and other health professionals to develop solutions to your dental concerns. Do I need a referral to see a prosthodontist? Although many of our patients are recommended to us by other dentists, we welcome new patients with difficult dental problems or cosmetic concerns to our practice without a dental referral. Many of our patients are referred by friends and family who have already had treatment in our practice. When should I seek a prosthodontist’s help? Many times the prosthodontist is the only hope for patients with difficult situations who may have been seen before but were unable to be restored to proper function. prosthodontist is usually recommended when the type of dental care you need is outside the scope of your general dentist's expertise. The general dentist and prosthodontist will work together to help you achieve a functional and natural smile. Prosthodontists provide an extremely high level of care to patients with missing teeth, or those who have significant damage to their existing teeth. Prosthodontists also work with patients with congenital defects as well as problems arising from trauma and neglect. You may wish to consult a prosthodontist if you are: Is a Prosthodontist trained to help improve my smile? Yes. The concepts and rules dictating the development of a pleasing smile were determined by prosthodontists almost a century ago in order to make dentures appear more natural. Prosthodontists learn these concepts by reviewing the literature in seminars and treating patients during their training programs. Although there are many references to “cosmetic dentists” in commercially published materials, the American Dental Association does not recognize “cosmetic dentists” as a specialty. Is a prosthodontist different from a “cosmetic dentist”? Yes. The American Dental Association recognizes nine dental specialties, and the ADA does not include “cosmetic dentist” as a specialty. Prosthodontists receive extensive training and experience in dental esthetics and cosmetics during their graduate programs which currently last three years. What are the dental specialties recognized by the American Dental Association? Prosthodontists are the ADA recognized specialist in tooth restoration and replacement. What dental procedures does a prosthodontist perform? Prosthodontics is one of the nine dental specialties recognized by the American Dental Association. Graduate programs in prosthodontics include classroom lectures and seminars, laboratory and clinical training in esthetics/cosmetics, crowns, fixed bridges, veneers, inlays, complete and removable partial dentures, dental implants, TMD-jaw joint problems, traumatic injuries to the mouth’s structures, congenital or birth anomalies to teeth, sleep apnea, and oral cancer reconstruction and continuing care. A prosthodontist is dedicated to the highest standards of care in the restoration and replacement of teeth. Prosthodontists are the experts in dental rehabilitation and have mastered many procedures including fixed, removable and implant prosthodontics, dentures, and dental implants. Fixed prosthodontics deals with substitutes which are not readily removed from the mouth, while removable prosthodontics deals with substitutes that are removable from the mouth. Implant prosthodontics pertain to replacement of missing teeth and / or associated structures by restorations that are attached to dental implants. Will the prosthodontist complete all of my required treatment? The prosthodontist is best viewed as the “architect” of your dental project. S/he has the vision of your final outcome, both the esthetics of your smile and the improved function of your bite. Often other dental specialists may participate in your treatment to help establish a solid foundation for your restorations. Every prosthodontist develops a treatment plan customized for each individual patient, and will determine if adjunctive procedures by another doctor are necessary. What would happen if I left my teeth the way they are? Without treatment, prosthodontic problems can lead to tooth decay, gum disease, bone destruction, chewing and digestive difficulties, speech impairments, tooth loss, and other dental injuries. I have dental insurance, and I found out that your office doesn’t participate in any insurance networks. Can I still come to your office for treatment? YES! Dental insurance creates confusion for many patients regarding their benefits. Dental insurance is a contract between you, your employer, and a dental insurance company. Any benefits you receive are paid in Accordance with the terms of the contract that was negotiated by your employer. Most dental insurance plans vary in their coverage policy. Because the benefits you currently have are decided between your employer and your insurance company, some services may not be covered. Dental insurance companies rarely cover 100 percent of a dental specialist’s fee. The goal of our prosthodontic practice is to provide excellence in prosthodontic care. We are happy to complete insurance forms and submit your treatment to your insurance company as a courtesy. We will strive to achieve the maximum reimbursement to which you are entitled under your dental insurance plan. You are also encouraged to contact your insurance carrier regarding your insurance claims. Fees for our services are due at the time of service. Please let us know if you have any questions as it will be our pleasure to help you. How often should I have an oral cancer exam? Most people are surprised to learn that one American dies every hour from oral cancer; a death rate that has remained virtually unchanged for more than 40 years. In fact, recent statistics published by the American Cancer Society indicate that while the incidence and death rates for cancers overall has decreased, the incidence of oral cancer has increased by 5.5% and the death rate has increased by 1.5% Oral cancer is far too often discovered in late stage development, the primary reason for the consistently high death rate. Oral cancer treatment often results in disfiguring effects on patients, and can seriously compromise their quality of life. Early detection and diagnosis can make a tremendous difference in life expectancy; oral cancer is 90% curable when found in its early stages. Unfortunately, 70% of oral cancers are diagnosed in the late stages, III and IV, leading to a five-year survival rate of 57%. THE DEADLY STATISTICS Every hour of every day, one American dies of oral cancer. The death rate in the United States for oral cancer is higher than that of cervical cancer, Hodgkin's disease, cancer of the brain, liver, testes, kidney, or ovary. More than 30,000 Americans will receive an oral cancer diagnosis this year. In five years, only 57% will still be alive. 27% of oral cancer victims do not use tobacco or alcohol and have no other lifestyle risk factors. This is why an oral cancer exam an important part of your visit to the dental office. Oral cancer screenings should be done at least once per year. |
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