A dental filling, or direct restoration, is a treatment to restore the function and appearance of teeth. Fillings may be required to replace lost tooth structure due to decay or trauma. The procedure will involve the placement of a filling material into prepared tooth structure. The material is shaped while it is soft to build up the tooth before it is set hard. There are a variety of different filling materials and the best one for your particular situation will be chosen based on the location and size of the restoration.

Tooth bonding involves the addition of a tooth-colored material using adhesives to “bond” the substance to the tooth. Tooth bonding can correct cosmetic defects to improve the appearance of chipped or discolored teeth.

Dental bridges “bridge” the gap created by one or more missing teeth. They are fixed restorations that are used to replace missing teeth by joining artificial teeth, pontics, to the surrounding natural ones, abutments. Bridges are often created by dental labs through an indirect method based off an impression of your mouth and then cemented to your teeth in a second appointment. Dental bridges can restore your smile, prevent remaining teeth from shifting, and restore your bite and ability to chew and speak properly.

A crown, or cap, is a fixed dental restoration that will completely cap or encircle a tooth. Crowns are often fabricated by dental labs through an indirect method based off an impression of your mouth and then cemented to your tooth in a second appointment. Dental crowns may be indicated to improve the strength or appearance of teeth or after root canal procedures.

Partial dentures are removable appliances that may be indicated to restore function and esthetics when only some of the teeth are missing. Partials have natural-looking acrylic teeth on a base that resembles gum tissue. They can be removed and placed back into the mouth by the patient. Advancements in dental materials have allowed us to offer partial dentures to replace missing teeth with lightweight, biocompatible, metal-free materials.

Dentures are removable appliances that can restore function and esthetics when all of the teeth are missing. Dentures have natural-looking acrylic teeth on a base that resembles gum tissue. They can be removed and placed back into the mouth by the patient. Dentures can sit on the natural ridge of your bone or implants may be placed to help support the denture.

Patients that wear dentures should visit the dentist yearly for an examination of their soft tissues and to check that their dentures still fit and function properly. At this appointment we can ensure that your dentures are truly clean, reducing your exposure to bacteria that can cause bad breath and oral and systemic diseases.

Dental implants are a newer method of replacing missing teeth that, unlike bridges, do not involve the preparation of the surrounding teeth. Dental implants typically involve two steps. The first step involves the placement of the replacement tooth root by a specialist. The second step involves the placement of the replacement tooth crown by our office. Dental implants fit and function similar to natural teeth and are quickly becoming the new standard for replacing missing teeth.

A root canal, or endodontic therapy, is warranted to treat the infected nerve, or pulp, of a tooth. The process involves elimination of the infection through removal of the infected tooth structure and subsequent shaping, cleaning, and decontamination of the inside of the tooth. The tooth is then filled with an inert material in a process called obturation to prevent recontamination of the tooth.