Crowns, bridges, implants, root canal treatment, TMJ care, and dentures — the restorative work that saves damaged teeth, replaces missing ones, and keeps a small problem from becoming a chain reaction.
A crown is a full-coverage restoration for a tooth that is likely to break, or is too broken down to be restored with a filling — most commonly after root canal treatment, or when a large filling wears out. Your jaw muscles are the strongest in the human body, and teeth are subjected to tremendous pressures. A crown rides over the weakened tooth, providing strength and protecting it against breakage — because a broken or cracked tooth is a far more serious matter, and much more difficult to treat.
Any decay is removed and the tooth is shaped to accept the crown. An impression is made of the tooth, for use in fabricating the crown.
The crown is fabricated — usually of high-strength porcelain over gold alloy, all-ceramic material, or gold. You wear a temporary crown in the meantime.
The temporary comes off, the permanent crown is adjusted as needed, and then it is cemented in place. Done — with a nice smile to show for it.
A dental implant replaces a missing tooth at the root. A small titanium shaft is surgically implanted into the bone and allowed to set; the bone grows around it, forming a tight connection — which additionally slows or stops the bone loss that occurs when the root of a natural tooth is missing. Once the implant is firmly set, the replacement tooth is attached to the top of the shaft.
This permanent solution has real advantages over bridgework: it does not stress the surrounding teeth for support, and should the tooth ever wear out, another can simply be placed on the same shaft.
Implants can also support an implant bridge — an alternative to partial dentures with several advantages. There is no adjustment period: once the work is done, you feel only teeth, not metal supports intruding into the mouth. It slows the bone loss occasioned by missing teeth. There is no discomfort or difficulty in eating. And best of all, they don't have to be taken out all the time.
We also offer mini dental implants — about half the diameter of traditional implants, used mainly to stabilize lower dentures. Mini implants can be placed in one appointment and used immediately, and the cost is 50 to 70 percent of standard dental implants. Call for a free consult.
Root canal treatment — also called root canal therapy or endodontic therapy — becomes necessary when a cavity reaches all the way to the tooth's pulp, or when deep restorations or trauma damage the nerve. Regular cleanings and checkups prevent this, and detect problems early.
Once the pulp is infected, it cannot heal on its own. The infection can extend through the root tip and begin to eat away at the surrounding bone — an abscess — and it can even weaken the entire immune system. This is dangerous, not to mention very painful. Signs the pulp has become infected may include:
Sometimes, however, no symptoms are apparent, and the person is unaware of any problem until a checkup — one more reason not to skip them.
The treatment itself cleans out the infected tooth pulp and disinfects the canals of the tooth; the only other option would be to extract the tooth. Once the infection is resolved, the canals are filled to prevent any further infection. Usually a core build-up and a crown are recommended for restoring a tooth that has had root canal therapy.
A bridge fills the space created by a missing tooth. It is formed to look like the missing tooth, and it takes its place in the mouth — functionally and cosmetically — using the two surrounding teeth for support. Hence the name.
Bridge work is as much an art as it is an exact science. The materials may be gold alloys, porcelain bonded to metal alloy, or all-ceramic material; the choice depends on the requirements for strength, wear, and esthetics.
It is important that a missing tooth be replaced as soon as possible. Untreated, the teeth surrounding the gap begin to shift inward — teeth use their neighbors for support, and with one missing, they start to "fall." As this worsens, the bite changes in response to the pressure, which can eventually cause problems with the entire jaw, such as TMJ. The surrounding teeth deteriorate, and it is just a matter of time before they, too, are lost. Gum disease becomes a serious problem, with the difficulty of treatment increasing the longer the gap is neglected.
An implant is often the alternative worth weighing against a bridge — we will walk you through both.
TMJ stands for temporal-mandibular joint — where the head and the lower jaw meet. Two bones, a cartilage buffer, and five muscles are involved, and problems here may be caused by a misalignment of the teeth, trauma, or excess muscle tension. If something goes wrong, a good deal of trouble can result.
There is no one solution that is right for all cases. Dental treatments for the condition can include replacing missing teeth, moving teeth, adjusting the bite, or filling gaps between teeth. Sometimes a plastic mouthpiece is used to prevent the clenching or grinding that is contributing to the problem. If untreated and taken to extremes, surgery may be required to repair a badly damaged joint — another argument for dealing with it early.
Dentures replace teeth that have become loose or been lost due to bone loss. No one enjoys losing their natural teeth — but you can still eat and talk regularly, and smile without thinking about it.
It starts with a full examination of the mouth to determine which teeth will have to be removed and which will remain. The loose teeth are extracted, and the dentures are fitted to go over or around whatever teeth remain, depending on the type. There is an adjustment period after dentures are placed, and it can take some getting used to — but once you are accustomed to them, all the normal functionality and appearance return, and you just carry on as usual.
Often, implants can be used to further stabilize the dentures — including mini implants, placed in a single appointment. For the full picture of types, fit, and what to expect, see our dentures page.
One doctor, one office on Summer Street, and a front desk that answers. Call and we will find a time that works.