Restorative Services
Sometimes your smile needs a little extra help. Our team is trained to ensure that your teeth and gums get the precise treatment they need to produce your healthiest and happiest mouth.
Crowns
Crowns are full coverage restorations that are used to cover a tooth that is likely to break, or is too broken down to be restored with a filling. They are most commonly done after a tooth breaks, when a large filling wears out, or after the tooth has a root canal. The larger the hole made by an untreated cavity, the more likely a crown will be needed. Keep in mind that the jaw muscles are the strongest in the human body. Teeth are subjected to tremendous pressures. Crowns ride over the weakened tooth, providing strength and protecting the tooth against breakage. A broken or cracked tooth is a far more serious matter and much more difficult to treat. Crowns prevent this, as well as making for a nice smile.
It takes two appointments to restore a tooth with a crown. In the first appointment, any decay is removed from the tooth and it is shaped to accept the crown. Then, an impression is made of the tooth for use in fabricating a crown. Between the two visits, the crown is made - usually of high-strength porcelain over metal alloy, all ceramic material, or gold. A temporary crown is worn during this time. In the second crown visit, this temporary is removed and the permanent crown is adjusted as needed. The permenant is then cemented in place.
Implants
A dental implant is an option to replace a missing tooth. In this procedure, 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. This surgical part is done by an Oral Surgeon. Once the implant is firmly set in the mouth, Dr. Kapec then works to attach the replacement tooth onto the top of the shaft. This permanent solution has the advantages over bridge work because it does not stress the surrounding teeth for support, and should the tooth ever wear out, another can simply be replaced on the shaft.
Implants can also be used as support as part of an implant bridge. This is an alternative to partial dentures and has several advantages. First, there is no adjustment period to acclimatize the patient. Second, this slows the bone loss occasioned by missing teeth. Third, there is no discomfort or difficulty in eating. Best of all, they don't have to be taken out all the time.
We also offer mini dental implants. These implants are about half the diameter of traditional implants are used mainly to stabilize lower dentures. These implants can be placed in one appointment and be immediately used. The cost is 50-70% of standard dental implants.
Dentures & Partial Dentures
There are different types of dentures, but they share a common function. They replace teeth that have become loose or been lost due to bone loss. When bone loss around the roots of teeth is great enough to loosen them or let them fall out, it's time for dentures. Relax. No one enjoys losing their natural teeth, but you can still eat and talk regularly.
The entire mouth is examined and a determination is made as to which teeth will have to be removed, and which teeth will remain. The loose teeth are then extracted. Partial Dentures are fitted to go over or around whatever teeth remain in the mouth, depending on the type. There is an adjustment period after dentures are placed in the mouth, and it can take some getting used to. But once accustomed to the dentures, all the normal functionality and appearance return. Often implants can used to further stabilize the dentures.
Bridges
Bridges are an option for filling the space created by a missing tooth. It is a permanent restoration, as it is cemented in the 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. Bridge work 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/or esthetics.
It is important that a missing tooth be replaced as soon as possible for several reasons. If not treated the teeth surrounding the gap begin to shift inward, creating a chain reaction. 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. This can eventually result in problems with the entire jaw, e.g. 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 as the neglect continues.
TMJ Treatments
TMJ stands for temporal-mandibular joint. Temporal, as in temple area of skull; mandibular as in mandible, or lower jaw; joint as in it's where the head and jaw meet. Problems in this joint may be caused by a misalignment of the teeth, trauma, or excess muscle tension. Aside from the two bones that meet there, cartilage buffers them and five muscles are involved in the area. If something goes wrong, a great 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. There is no one solution that is right for all cases. Sometimes a plastic mouthpiece is used to prevent 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. Often, we will refer you to an Oral Surgeon for evaluation.
Root Canal Treatment
Root canal treatment (also referred to as root canal therapy or endodontic therapy) is made necessary when a cavity has reached this pulp. Sometimes deep restorations or trauma to a tooth may cause the nerve to be damaged 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 as it cannot heal on its own. This is dangerous, not to mention very painful - it can even weaken the entire immune system. Symptoms 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, however, no symptoms are apparent and the person is unaware of any problem until a checkup. This is one of many reasons why routine checks and cleanings are so important.
A root canal is then performed to clean out the infected tooth pulp and disinfect the canals of the tooth. The only other treatment would be to extract the tooth. Once the infection is resolved, the canal(s) are filled in to prevent any further infection. Usually, a core build-up and crown is recommended for restoring a tooth that has had root canal therapy.
Fillings
Fillings are a common procedure performed to remove decay within a tooth. The tooth material that is removed is then replaced with a bonded, tooth-colored composite resin material or amalgam alloy. Caught early enough, cavities can be treated easily and painlessly. If not treated, decay can lead to tooth pain and infections whichmay require more advanced treatment.