Restorative Dentistry

Dental bridges are a way to fill in a gap from a missing tooth. They use your existing teeth to create a bridge with a new tooth in the middle. The bridge can be made of different materials to be strong.

First, they shape your existing teeth to hold the bridge, then take a mold to make a custom-fit bridge. While you wait for the real bridge, you get a temporary one to protect your teeth and look better than having a gap. When the real bridge is ready, they stick it in with adhesive.

At first, the bridge might feel weird, but after a few days, it should feel normal. You eat soft foods for a bit, then you can eat anything without a problem. If you’re missing a tooth, getting a bridge is a good idea to keep your smile looking good and avoid other issues.

Sometimes, when there’s decay below the gumline, dentists might need to remove a bit of bone and gum tissue before putting a new crown on your tooth.

They do this for two reasons:

• To fix broken or really decayed teeth by adjusting the gum and bone level to expose more of the tooth so it can be restored.
• To make your smile look better if you have too much gum covering your teeth where excess gum and bone tissue is reshaped to expose more of the natural tooth

It’s a little adjustment to show more of your tooth and make it look and work better.

If your teeth are getting weaker or have issues like decay, cracks, or discoloration, crowns can help fix them and bring back your smile. If your dentist sees a problem, like decay or a weakened/cracked tooth, a crown might be needed, especially if a filling or bonding won’t be enough.

Crowns can be made from different materials, but porcelain is best for a natural look. The process takes 2-3 dentist visits. They reshape your tooth, take a mold, and give you a temporary crown. The permanent crown is made in a lab and put in during another visit.

It takes 2-3 weeks to get the permanent crown. Your dentist puts it in using a cement. Crowns last about 10-15 years, and you take care of them like your other teeth with regular brushing and flossing.

Inlays and onlays are like partial crowns that strengthen and protect your teeth. If the tooth cusps are fine, it’s called an inlay. When there’s more damage, it’s called an onlay.

Here’s how it works:

• Remove the decay.
• Take a mold of your tooth.
• Dental lab makes a restoration from porcelain, gold, or resin, taking 2-3 weeks.
• Temporary inlay/onlay is placed.
• On your next visit, the permanent one is cemented in. Your tooth looks natural, and no one can tell the difference.

Endodontics is a dental specialty dealing with tooth nerves. Root canals, a common procedure in this field, are done when a tooth’s nerves get infected. If not treated, it can lead to a serious abscess and jaw bone loss.

Here’s how it works:

• Numb the area around the tooth.
• The dentist drills to reach the infected nerves
• Remove infected tissue and clean the canal.
• Fill the space with a sealant called gutta percha.
• Dentist’s recommended to put a crown on the tooth for better appearance and success.

With local anesthetics and pain medication, most people feel little to no pain during the procedure. Some soreness afterward is normal, but painkillers usually help. The procedure eliminates pain from the infection, letting you enjoy your favorite foods without discomfort. If you’re in pain, see your dentist.