Restorative Dentistry Our Restorative Dentistry Services:Dental Filling Dental Crown Dental Bridge Dentures Dental Implants Root Canal Implant Restoration Tooth Extraction Laser Gum Recontouring Composite and No-prep Veneers Crown Lengthening During a routine appointment, Dr. Walmsley will perform an exam to determine the condition of your oral health. The exam typically involves mechanical and radiographic techniques to analyze the surfaces of your teeth, gums, and underlying bone. Once we have accurately diagnosed your oral health condition, we can move forward with treatment if there is a problem. There are four primary types of material used to restore teeth: porcelain, composite resin, gold, and dental amalgam. Porcelain is used for restorations where aesthetics are the main concern. Of all the restoration materials, porcelain best mimics the light-reflecting properties of natural enamel. Sometimes, for durability, emax or zirconium is used instead of porcelain. Composite is also an aesthetically-pleasing material that can be used for minor alterations such as tooth colored fillings, or to repair small chips or gaps, although it is not as durable as porcelain. Gold is an extremely long lasting choice for restorations but many people don’t want the aesthetic. Due to the controversial makeup of amalgam (which contains small amounts of mercury) and because amalgam fillings can fracture teeth by the metal expanding and contracting with hot and cold beverages in your mouth, we do not place amalgam fillings. In fact, if you choose to have amalgam fillings removed we can replace them with composite or porcelain for both aesthetic and health related reasons. Repairing Damaged TeethIf left untreated, the bacteria in dental plaque can wreak havoc on your teeth, eventually leading to cavities. Our first line of defense against a cavity is a dental filling. Fillings are designed to restore the structural integrity and the aesthetics of a decayed tooth. Composite is the most common material used for dental fillings because they can be matched to the color of your tooth. They can also be placed in both the front and back regions of the mouth. Due to the controversial makeup of amalgam fillings (which contains small amounts of mercury) and because amalgam can fracture teeth by the metal expanding and contracting with hot and cold beverages in your mouth, we do not place amalgam fillings. We can, however, remove current amalgam fillings and replace them with composite. Inlays and onlays, also known as indirect fillings, are used to restore teeth with moderate to severe decay. Unlike regular fillings, indirect fillings are prefabricated in a dental laboratory and placed at a later date. Indirect fillings are considered a conservative alternative to dental crowns. When a tooth has been severely decayed, broken, cracked, or damaged, Dr. Walmsley may recommend a dental crown. Dental crowns are tooth-shaped caps that are used to help save a tooth from further damage or extraction. The crown actually helps support and save the tooth. Like most restorations, crowns can be fabricated from porcelain or another ceramic material, or even emax or zirconium, or even gold which are all extremely durable. To place a crown, Dr. Walmsley will completely reshape the enamel of the tooth, removing the decay and broken areas. If a large amount of tooth structure has to be removed the tooth may have to be built up in order to retain the crown, so it doesn’t fall off. After the crown has been fabricated, it will be permanently cemented into place. We know you’re busy! Here at LakeView Dental Arts, whenever possible we try to fabricate same day crowns in order to save you from having a return visit as well as to prevent you from having impressions taken and being placed in a temporary crown. Replacing Missing TeethIf the tooth is beyond saving, Dr. Walmsley will recommend a tooth extraction. Luckily, we offer several forms of tooth replacement treatment, two of which are bridges and dental implants. A traditional bridge, literally "bridges" the space left by a missing tooth using two dental crowns and a pontic, or false tooth. The downside to a bridge, the adjacent teeth will have to be cut on to be reshaped to hold the bridge. Dental implants tend to be the most ideal solution to replace lost teeth. An implant-supported restoration will look, feel, and function just like a natural tooth. The implant, a small titanium screw, is surgically embedded into the jawbone and serves as the root component of a prosthesis. Then, after the screw has time to be integrated in the jawbone, the restoration is placed on the dental implant. The restoration can vary from a single crown, to a bridge, to a full denture, depending on the patient. This can be a tremendous help to patients missing most or all of their teeth, LakeView Dental Arts also offers several denture options! We offer several different options for those in need of dentures. Contact us today for a free consultation to see what treatment is available. Schedule Your AppointmentIf you are interested in restorative dentistry, call (865) 248-2199, and schedule your appointment now! |
