DENTAL TREATMENTS

Fillings are one of the most common dental procedures and are performed to treat a cavity and fix the damage caused by decay. Composite resin is used for most of our fillings and comprises a mixture of glass or quartz filler that provides durability and resistance to fracture. Composite resin is tooth-colored and the shade is chosen to closely match the color of the natural tooth. Composite fillings can be used on either front or back teeth which help preserve the aesthetics of your smile.

Crowns are custom tooth-shaped caps that are placed on damaged teeth to strengthen and improve their appearance. Crowns are chosen when there is a large filling that doesn't have enough tooth structure remaining to hold the filling. Crowns can also be used to cover dental implants, attach bridges, protect weak teeth from breaking, or restore teeth that are already broken or fractured.

Implant restorations are permanent tooth replacements that look and feel similar to normal teeth. The implant, which replaces the root of the missing tooth, is topped with a custom abutment and crown designed to blend in with the patient's other teeth. Our office is able to fabricate abutments and implant crowns for many different types of implants, and may be able to repair implant crowns if they chip or fracture.

When patients encounter periodontal disease that affects the gums, additional treatment is needed to keep the gums healthy. Periodontal maintenance is a dental cleaning that is prescribed to combat periodontal disease. Patients can expect treatment to be similar to regular teeth cleaning, as periodontal maintenance removes tartar and buildup from the teeth. The treatment also includes a focused cleaning along the gumline and an examination of gum pockets.

For patients with severe periodontal disease, a more intensive cleaning, called SRP is used to treat gum disease. The procedure consists of scaling which removes plaque and tartar above and below the gum line, making sure to clean down to the bottom of the gum pocket. The following part is root planing which smooths out teeth roots to help the gums reattach to the teeth. Scaling and root planing may take more than one visit to complete and may require the use of local anesthetic.

Dentures are removable appliances that can replace missing teeth and help restore your smile. If you’ve lost all of your natural teeth, whether from gum disease, tooth decay, or injury, replacing missing teeth can benefit both your oral health and the aesthetic appearance of your smile.

Removable partial dentures usually consist of replacement teeth attached to pink or gum-colored plastic bases. Depending on your needs, your dentist will design a partial denture for you. A partial denture may have a metal framework and clasps that connect to your teeth, or it can have other connectors that are more natural-looking. In some cases, a removable partial denture is made to attach to your natural teeth. 

Sometimes called a fixed partial denture, a bridge replaces missing teeth with artificial teeth and “bridges” the gap where one or more teeth used to be. Bridges can be made from gold, metal alloys, porcelain, or a combination of these materials and are attached to surrounding teeth for support. Unlike a removable bridge, which you can take out and clean, a fixed bridge can only be removed by a dentist.

If teeth need to be extracted for any reason, our doctors can do so if the tooth is visible above the gum line and the case doesn't require surgical extraction. Extractions can be needed if there is decay or infection to the tooth, before orthodontic work begins, to make space for moving or incoming teeth, and to remove baby teeth or wisdom teeth.