DENTAL IMPLANTS
Dental implants are replacement tooth roots. Implants provide a strong foundation for fixed (permanent) or removable replacement teeth that are made to match your natural teeth. Dental implants look and feel like your own teeth, and because they are designed to fuse with bone, they become permanent.
DENTURES
A denture is a removable replacement for missing teeth and surrounding tissues. Two types of dentures are available complete and partial dentures. Complete dentures are used when all the teeth are missing, while partial dentures are used when some natural teeth remain.
BRACES
If you have crooked teeth and/or a misaligned bite (an underbite or overbite), there are a variety of treatments that can help straighten teeth, including braces and retainers. In some cases, a removable retainer will be all that is necessary. In other cases (specially when there is an extreme overbite or underbite), surgery may be necessary. In most cases, however, braces will be needed.
ROOT CANAL - ENDODONTIC TREATMENT
Endodontic treatment treats the inside of the tooth. Endodontic treatment is necessary when the pulp becomes inflamed or infected. The inflammation or infection can have a variety of causes: deep decay, repeated dental procedures on the tooth, faulty crowns, or a crack or chip in the tooth. In addition, trauma to a tooth may cause pulp damage even if the tooth has no visible chips or cracks. If pulp inflammation or infection is left untreated, it can cause pain or lead to an abscess. During root canal treatment, the inflamed or infected pulp is removed and the inside of the tooth is carefully cleaned and disinfected, then filled and sealed with a rubber-like material called gutta-percha. Afterwards, the tooth is restored with a crown or filling for protection. After restoration, the tooth continues to function like any other tooth.
DENTAL TOOTH FILLINGS
To treat a cavity your dentist will remove the decayed portion of the tooth and then fill the area on the tooth where the decayed material was removed. Fillings are also used to repair cracked or broken teeth and teeth that have been worn down from misuse (such as from nail-biting or tooth grinding). Today, several dental filling materials are available. Teeth can be filled with gold, porcelain, silver amalgam (which consists of mercury mixed with silver, tin, zinc, and copper), or tooth-colored plastic (materials called composite resin fillings). The location and extent of the decay, cost of filling material, your insurance coverage, and your dentist's recommendation assist in determining the type of filling best for you.
DENTAL CROWNS AND BRIDGES
Crowns and bridges are fixed prosthetic devices. Unlike removable devices such as dentures (which you can take out and clean daily) crowns and bridges are cemented onto existing teeth or implants, and can only be removed by a dentist. A crown is usually made of a material like porcelain, and is used to entirely cover or cap a damaged tooth. In addition to strengthening a damaged tooth, a crown can also be used to improve its appearance, shape, or alignment. A crown can also be placed on top of an implant to provide a tooth-like shape and structure for function.
A crown may be recommended to:
1. Replace a large filling when there is not enough tooth remaining
2. Protect a weak tooth from fracturing
3. Restore a fractured tooth
4. Attach a bridge
5. Cover a dental implant
6. Cover a discolored or poorly shaped tooth
7. Cover a tooth that has had root canal treatment
Bridges, on the other hand, are a natural-looking dental appliance commonly used to replace one or more missing teeth. They span the space where the teeth are missing. Bridges are cemented to the natural teeth or implants surrounding the empty space. Since they are custom-made, bridges are barely noticeable and can restore the natural contour of teeth as well as the proper bite relationship between upper and lower teeth. Fixed bridges that are cemented are not removable, and are permanent. They can only be removed by a dentist. Removable bridges or removable partial dentures (also called plates or partials) can be taken out by the patient and cleaned with water and toothpaste.
PERIODONTIST
A periodontist is a dentist who specializes in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of periodontal disease. Periodontists often treat more problematic periodontal cases, such as those with severe gum disease or a complex medical history. Periodontists offer a wide range of treatments, such as scaling and root planing (in which the infected surface of the root is cleaned) or root surface debridement (in which damaged tissue is removed). They can also treat patients with severe gum problems using a range of surgical procedures.
During the first visit, the periodontist usually reviews the patient’s complete medical and dental histories. It is extremely important for the periodontist to know if any medications are being taken or if the patient is being treated for any condition that can affect periodontal care, such as heart disease, diabetes, or pregnancy.
The periodontist examines the gums, checks to see if there is any gum line recession, assesses how the teeth fit together when biting, and checks the teeth to see if any are loose. The periodontist will also take a small measuring instrument called a probe and place it between the teeth and gums to determine the depth of those spaces, known as periodontal pockets; this helps the periodontist assess the health of the gums. X-rays may also be taken to observe the health of the bone below the gum line.
