Restorative Dentistry

Dental implants

For some people, dental implants are a desirable option when missing teeth need to be replaced. The implant fuses to the jawbone and becomes a base upon which a new tooth is built by means of a crown. There are many tooth materials from which to choose. The resulting smile looks natural. And patients report that it feels natural, as well.

A bridge literally bridges the gap where one or more teeth were – or should have been. Sometimes called a fixed-partial denture, the bridge replaces missing teeth with artificial teeth. The restoration is made from gold, metal alloys, porcelain, or a combination of these and is attached to surrounding teeth for support. They look great.

Complete dentures, partial dentures

A complete denture can replace your missing teeth and give back your smile if you’ve lost all of your natural teeth. Another option: removable partial dentures that usually consist of replacement teeth attached to pink or gum-colored plastic bases connected by a metal framework.

Root canals

It used to be that if you had a tooth with a diseased nerve, you’d most likely lose that tooth. Root canal therapy has changed all that. The dentist removes the pulp of the root, cleans and seals the canal, then places a crown over the tooth to add strength and restore the tooth’s appearance. This relatively simple procedure requires one to three visits, but involves little to no discomfort.

Tooth-colored restorations

Modern-day dentistry offers many ways to restore a tooth, make it life-like, and match it to surrounding teeth. An all-porcelain or all-ceramic material will deliver the best color match. Next best would be a composite consisting of a resin filler plus finely ground glass particles. And an all-resin restoration would be acceptable. Crowns made of porcelain fused to metal tend to be very strong.