Advanced Procedures

Crowns are full coverage restorations used to cover a tooth that is likely to break or is too broken down to be restored with a filling. After a root canal treatment or when a large filling wears out, we put a crown in place.

A crown fully covers a weak tooth to provide strength. It takes two appointments to restore a tooth with a crown. We remove decay from the tooth and shape it to prepare for the crown. Next, we take an impression of the tooth to fabricate the crown.

During the time between visits, we create the crown using various materials like Zirconia (a ceramic with metal-like properties), Lithium Disilicate (a ceramic material), or Gold. You will wear a temporary crown during this period. In the second visit, we remove the temporary crown, adjust the permanent crown as needed, and then cement it in place.

Bridges are an option for filling the space created by a missing tooth. We form the bridges to look like the missing tooth, and the bridge then takes the place of the missing tooth in your mouth. The sides of a bridge use the two surrounding teeth for support, hence the name.

A bridge replaces the missing tooth, both functionally and cosmetically. Bridgework is as much an art as it is an exact science. The materials used may be gold alloys, porcelain bonded to metal alloy, or all ceramic material. The choice of material depends on requirements for strength, wear, and esthetics.

A missing tooth must be replaced as soon as possible. If not treated, the teeth surrounding the gap begin to shift inward. The surrounding teeth have a higher chance of deterioration and an untreated tooth space will negatively effect the bite and jaw.

What are dentures?

Dentures are removable oral appliances that replace missing teeth in your upper jaw, lower jaw, or both.

Types of dentures

There are many different types of dentures. The option that’s right for you depends on your unique oral health needs.

Full dentures

Also known as a complete denture, this appliance replaces an entire arch of missing teeth. Specifically, a full denture rests atop your gums and relies on your palate (the roof of your mouth) or lower jawbone ridge for support. You may need to use denture adhesive (a special type of glue) to keep your appliance firmly in place.

When you think about traditional dentures, full dentures are likely what comes to mind. They consist of artificial teeth and a gum-colored base.

Partial dentures

If you’re missing several or most of your teeth in one or both jaws, partial dentures may be an option. Partial dentures are similar to full dentures, as they also rely on your gums and underlying bone for support. But partial dentures also have special clasps that hook around your remaining natural teeth, providing additional stability.

Dental implants replace missing teeth and are an alternative to dentures or bridges.

Dental implants are surgically placed in your jawbone and serve as the roots of missing teeth. Because the titanium in the implants fuses with your jawbone, the implants won’t slip, make noise or cause bone damage . And the materials cannot decay like natural teeth.

Root canal treatment (also referred to as root canal therapy or endodontic therapy) is necessary when a cavity reaches the tooth’s inner pulp (nerve and blood supply). Sometimes deep restorations or trauma to a tooth may also cause nerve damage to the point it needs root canal therapy. Once this occurs, the pulp becomes infected and can even extend through the root tip and begin to eat away at the surrounding bone (this is an abscess).

By the time the pulp is infected, it must be treated, and cannot heal independently. It can even weaken the entire immune system. The infected pulp is dangerous, not to mention very painful. Signs that the pulp has become infected may include sensitivity to hot/cold or sweets, pain, swelling, pain to biting or pressure, and a bad taste in the mouth. Sometimes, no symptoms are apparent, and the person is unaware of any problem until a checkup.

A dentist performs a root canal to clean and disinfect an infected tooth pulp. The pulpal space is filled and a crown is placed on the tooth. We place a filling in the canal(s) to resolve the infection and prevent any further issues. To restore a tooth after root canal therapy, we typically use a core build-up and crown.

Misalignment of the teeth, trauma, or excess muscle tension creates problems in this joint. Aside from the two bones that meet there, cartilage and five muscles buffer them. If something goes wrong, a good deal of trouble can result.

Problems in this area can cause:

• Headaches
• Earaches
• Trouble/soreness in opening and closing the mouth
• Clicking or popping of the jaw
• Pain in the jaw muscles
• Soreness in the area, sometimes extending to the face

Dental treatments for the condition can include replacing missing teeth, moving teeth, adjusting the bite, filling gaps between teeth, etc. No one solution is right for all cases. We sometimes use a plastic mouthpiece to prevent clenching or grinding that contributes to the problem. If left untreated and taken to extremes, we may need to perform surgery to repair a badly damaged joint.

We use inlays and onlays as conservative dental restorations to repair teeth with moderate damage or decay, providing an intermediate solution between fillings and full crowns. We fabricate these custom-made indirect restorations outside the mouth, typically from materials like porcelain, composite resin, or gold, and then precisely fit and bond them to the prepared tooth surface.

Inlays are designed to fit within the cusps of a tooth, covering the chewing surface between them, while onlays extend over one or more cusps to provide more extensive coverage for teeth with greater damage.

The process of getting an inlay or onlay typically involves two appointments: one for tooth preparation and impression-taking, and a second for the placement of the custom-made restoration. With proper care, inlays and onlays can last for many years, offering a long-lasting solution for restoring both the function and aesthetics of damaged teeth.

Advanced local anesthesia encompasses a range of techniques and technologies designed to enhance pain control and improve patient comfort during dental procedures. These advancements go beyond traditional infiltration and nerve block methods, offering dentists more precise and effective ways to administer anesthesia.

Some key innovations include computer-controlled local anesthetic delivery systems (CCLAD) like The Wand or STA (Single Tooth Anesthesia), which allow for more controlled and less painful injections. These systems can deliver anesthetic at a constant pressure and volume, reducing discomfort and increasing the predictability of anesthesia onset.