Restorative Dentistry

Fillings

A filling is a restoration that restores decay or other defects in a tooth. We use several materials to restore teeth, the most common being composite or resin. This is usually tooth colored. Depending on the location or situation, we may recommend a material that is better suited for your tooth.

Crowns

A crown is a restoration that we recommend for many different reasons. We may recommend a crown if your tooth needs to be restored due to a large defect or decay.
 
We use crowns to restore cracked teeth and a crown is recommended following most root canals.
Crowns are also used for cosmetic purposes to restore a tooth to a more desirable shape or shade.

bridges

A bridge is a restoration used to replace one or more missing teeth. Each end of the bridge is made up of a crown called an abutment that is attached to a natural tooth and the tooth being replaced is called the pontic and this is the artificial tooth.

Dental Implants

Dental Implant restorations are the preferred method of restoration to replace missing teeth. A trusted periodontist or oral surgeon is also consulted in placement of the dental implant. After a period of healing, the implant stability is checked by the specialist and you are referred back to us to place the crown or prosthesis.
 
We can restore dental implants with a single crown.
 
We can restore multiple implants with an implant bridge. This uses the implants for the anchor or abutment teeth and allows us to replace the missing area in between with artificial teeth or pontics.
 
 We can use implants to help restore a denture or partial denture. The implant provides additional stability under a denture or partial utilizing retention. We can also create a fixed partial denture or denture that is attached to dental implants that does not get removed daily.

Dental Extractions

We may recommend a tooth be extracted for a variety of reasons:
 
  1. When a tooth is severely decayed or has gum disease and cannot be restored, we may recommend an extraction as the only option to restore your oral health.
  2. Some people may choose an extraction over a root canal when a tooth is irreversibly infected.
  3. Recommendation from another specialist in preparation for further treatment, such as orthodontics.
There are times when we have to extract primary or baby teeth to help create a healthier oral environment for your child.
 
We will utilize our trusted oral surgeons for extractions that we deem too complicated for in office extractions or for patients that may desire sedation options.

Root Canal Treatment

A root canal may be recommended for many different reasons. Two of the most common reasons are explained below:
 
  • A root canal is a procedure where the tooth and its root is left intact and in place. We access the canal, which is the deepest layer of the tooth, we clean it out and disinfect it, and we fill it with a material to stop the invasion of harmful and painful bacterial overgrowth. If decay has reached the deepest layer of the tooth or approximated it, then a root canal may be necessary, if you desire to restore your tooth. Once decay or an insult has entered the space where your nerve and blood supply are, the only option to stop to overgrowth of bacteria in that space is to fill it with a material that occupies that space.
  • A root canal may be needed after trauma. If the tooth is damaged hard enough or moved from its original position, it may damage the nerve and blood supply. This will require a root canal to prevent bacteria from occupying the canal space after the blood supply is severed from the tooth.
Once a tooth has been root canal treated, a crown will be most likely recommended to help protect the tooth from further breakdown and fracture.