RESTORATION
- Root Canals
- Endodontic treatment, more commonly known as root canal therapy, is needed to treat the inside of the tooth when the pulp of your tooth becomes inflamed or infected. The pulp of the tooth contains blood vessels, nerves, and connective tissue that create the surrounding hard tissues of the tooth during development. The inflammation or infection can have a variety of causes such as deep decay, repeated dental procedures on your tooth, or a crack or chip in the tooth. If pulp inflammation or infection is left untreated, it can cause pain or lead to an abscess. A crown is usually needed on the tooth the root canal was performed on. With proper care, an endodontically treated tooth will function normally for years to come.
- Bridges
- One or more missing teeth can adversely affect the appearance and functionality of your smile. We will prescribe a bridge when one or more teeth are missing and there are strong teeth on both sides of the open space. Bridges can be made from three types of material, high-strength metal-free porcelain for optimum cosmetic results, porcelain fused to a gold base for strength and beauty, and solid gold for reliable long wear. With proper care, your new bridge will increase your overall health and instill confidence for years to come.
- Crowns
- Crowns are prescribed when a tooth or teeth are too badly decayed, broken, or cracked to be restored with a filling. A dental crown is a tooth-shaped "cap" that is placed over a tooth to restore its shape, size, strength, and/or to improve the appearance of the tooth. Crowns can hold teeth together that could otherwise easily fracture. With new technology, crowns can be made entirely from high-strength ceramic and porcelain for beautiful cosmetic results.
- Reasons for Dental Crowns
- To protect a weak tooth (for instance, from decay) from breaking or to hold together parts of a cracked tooth
- To restore an already broken tooth or a tooth that has been severely worn down
- To cover and support a tooth with a large filling when there isn't a lot of tooth left
- To hold a dental bridge in place
- To cover a tooth that is severely discolored
- To cover a dental implant
- Reasons for Dental Crowns
- Crowns are prescribed when a tooth or teeth are too badly decayed, broken, or cracked to be restored with a filling. A dental crown is a tooth-shaped "cap" that is placed over a tooth to restore its shape, size, strength, and/or to improve the appearance of the tooth. Crowns can hold teeth together that could otherwise easily fracture. With new technology, crowns can be made entirely from high-strength ceramic and porcelain for beautiful cosmetic results.
- Fillings
- For hundreds of years, dental fillings have been used to restore teeth. Dental fillings are placed in teeth where a dentist has had to remove tooth structure due to decay or fracture. A cavity (caused by a disease called caries) happens when bacteria in the mouth produce acids that attack your teeth. In time, this acid can dissolve away the enamel on your teeth and cause a hole, which is known as a dental cavity. Unlike some other diseases or injuries, a cavity will not heal by itself. If the early signs of dental decay are promptly treated before a cavity forms, it can be stopped and even reversed by our dentist. Without treatment by your dentist, dental decay will continue to advance. Extreme decay can result in the loss of the affected tooth or teeth, potentially preceded by great discomfort, infection and much worse. In recent years filling materials have been substantially improved. In our office, we use a tooth colored composite filling materials. When a tooth is filled the decayed portion of the tooth is removed and filling material is shaped to match the look and feel of the natural tooth
- Dentures
- If you have lost some or all of your natural teeth, dentures can be used to replace your missing teeth, improving your health as well as your appearance. Dentures prevent the sagging of facial muscles, which makes a person with no teeth look much older. Dentures also enable you to eat and speak normally. Dentures are designed to have the look and feel of natural teeth. The 21st century offers a much more natural choice of colors for artificial gums and teeth. Advanced dental materials create dentures that are more comfortable, more durable and fit better than your parents and grandparents ever imagined.
- Inlays and Onlays
- Dental inlays and onlays are some of the strongest and most lifelike dental restorations available. After your mouth has been anesthetized we prepare the tooth in much the same way we would for a standard filling. When the tooth has been prepared to our satisfaction, an impression is made and sent to a dental lab. You will usually be required to wear a temporary filling until the restoration is fabricated. Decayed teeth may require an inlay to restore strength and health to the natural tooth structure. The decayed portion of the tooth is removed from the sound tooth structure. An inlay is fabricated to match the look and feel of your natural teeth. This restoration often resembles a puzzle piece. In most cases the restoration will completely blend into the natural tooth structure.
- Implants
- While dental implants are prescribed to replace a missing tooth or teeth, implants are stronger and more durable than their restorative counterparts, such as dentures and bridges. When it comes to replacing one or more teeth in your mouth, a dental implant is often the treatment of choice and is also one of the most conservative treatments for tooth replacement. Implants are posts that replace the roots of your missing teeth. They are physically and biologically designed to attach to your jaw bone and become the foundation for a natural looking restoration. Today's dental implants are virtually indistinguishable from other teeth. Your new tooth or teeth will have excellent stability and strength, and will look and feel like your natural teeth. The actual implant is placed in one appointment but other appointments prior and after the placement. After the implant is placed it takes a few months for the bone to fuse to the implant. Once the bone us fused, a customized crown or bridge is permanently cemented to the implant.