I’ve been told nothing more can be done. Should I get a second opinion?+
Yes. The most common reason patients come to us is that they’ve been told their condition either cannot be improved further or that the only option is to live with the result they were given. The specialty management of these cases is a narrow field — the right plan often exists, it just hasn’t been offered. A consultation is the place to find out.
What is the difference between a missing tooth I’ve always lacked and one I lost later?+
A great deal, clinically. In congenital cases, the bone in the site may have never fully developed because no tooth was ever there to support it. That changes whether and how an implant can be placed, whether bone grafting is needed first, and how the adjacent teeth have drifted into the space. The plan is built around what is actually present — not what would be present in a typical case.
My teeth are discolored or unusually shaped — is that a developmental condition?+
It can be. Amelogenesis imperfecta (an enamel disorder) and dentinogenesis imperfecta (a dentin disorder) both present with discolored, weak, or unusually shaped teeth from birth. They are often diagnosed in childhood, but many patients have lived with mild or moderate forms for years without a precise diagnosis. The right plan begins with the right diagnosis.
Will treatment require implants, or only restorations?+
It depends entirely on the case. For small or malformed teeth, restoration alone is often the most conservative and ideal option. For missing teeth, an implant is often preferred where the site supports it. Some patients benefit from a combined plan with orthodontics. Because Dr. Schelkopf is dual-trained in the surgical and prosthetic management of these cases, the recommendation is made based on what’s best for the result, not on which procedure was easiest to refer.
Do you treat patients traveling from out of state?+
Yes — many of our congenital and reconstructive patients fly in from out of state, and a portion travel internationally. Care can be paced and coordinated around your travel schedule, and Dr. Schelkopf offers video consultations before you ever make the first trip.
At what age should treatment begin?+
Definitive treatment is usually completed after facial growth is complete — in late teens for women and early twenties for men — because implant positions and aesthetic proportions need to be stable. Provisional care can begin earlier, and consultations to plan the eventual treatment can be helpful well before then.
