Restorative Dentistry

Fillings

• We recommend fillings in the instance of tooth decay (cavities); chipped teeth; cracked or broken teeth; closing spaces between teeth; and worn teeth.
• We normally use composite (tooth-colored) fillings. Less frequently, when indicated, we may use amalgam (silver fillings).

Crowns

• We recommend crowns for broken or fractured teeth, teeth with root canals, and teeth that are highly susceptible to future fracture.
• A crown strengthens a weakened tooth by covering the tooth and restoring it to its original form and function.

Bridges

• Dental implants are now an excellent option for patients with missing teeth; however, we still recommend bridges as a restorative option in certain cases.
• A bridge is a dental restoration that “bridges” the gap between missing teeth. It is non-removable and involves preparing the teeth adjacent to the missing tooth for crowns. These prepared teeth support the bridge over the area of the missing tooth.

Implant Crowns

• Dental implants replace missing teeth. We will often recommend them instead of bridges because they do not require alteration of adjacent teeth to fill in the space.
• For initial placement of the implant, we will refer you to an oral surgeon or periodontist whom we trust. Once the implant is in place and has had time to heal, you will return to our office, where we will complete the crown.

Dentures

• Dentures are removable appliances used to replace and support multiple missing teeth and surrounding tissue.
• There are two types of dentures:

Complete Dentures

Used when all of the teeth are missing in an arch.

Partial Dentures

Used to fill spaces created by missing teeth when some natural teeth remain.