Treatment Options
How We Restore Teeth:
When a tooth needs to be restored for whatever reason we use the most conservative cosmetic option possible that strengthens the tooth. This usually involves bonding the filling material to the tooth.
Bonding
Old style dentistry relies on mechanical retention like undercuts, grooves, slots and pins to help retain fillings in teeth. Unfortunately, not only does this remove a lot of healthy tooth structure, but weakens the tooth considerably, creating a lot of problems in the future usually resulting in broken teeth and the need for a crown.
Modern dentistry solves this problem by using bonding. With bonding, the tooth structures like enamel and dentine are lightly etched and the filling material is fused onto the tooth with special high strength resins, essentially making the new material and the natural tooth one strong almost natural structure eliminating the need for mechanical retention. This technique is conservative and increases the strength of the tooth, which is much better for your teeth in the long term.
From bonding has sprung a vast array of new tooth colored materials and treatment techniques that we use routinely for restorations with superior strength, durability, appearance and longevity.
Conservative
When a tooth is compromised by either decay, old silver fillings, a crack or structural problem, a poor fitting crown or you want to improve the appearance of your teeth; our approach is to do the most conservative treatment possible. By conservative we mean the restorative option that will be the least invasive or traumatic to the tooth and yet has the potential to last the longest time.
Tooth Replacement Therapy
For years the best solutions for missing teeth were bridges, removable partial or full dentures.
 |
Partial Dentures : When several teeth are missing, a removable partial denture may provide the support needed to fill in the spaces. Partial dentures usually attach to natural teeth with unsightly clasps and hooks. These very obvious attachments can cause undue stress on the existing natural teeth and promote tooth decay. |
 |
Full Dentures : Some people can wear full dentures without fit problems, but it is not uncommon for a denture wearer to live with pain and irritation of the gums or have difficulty eating or speaking. Many denture wearers are anxious about whether or not their denture is going to slip and cause embarrassment. |
 |
Fixed Bridges : Removable teeth, no matter how well made, do not feel or function like natural teeth. Historically fixed bridges came as close as possible to the feel of natural teeth. However, this necessitates "cutting down" and crowning natural healthy teeth to support the bridge. |
There's another price to pay for edentulism (missing teeth). When teeth are removed, Mother Nature assumes there is no need for the bone that supported the teeth. After all, that is the primary job of your jawbone. Over time the bone slowly, yet progressively diminishes. In fact the upper and lower jawbone gets smaller or shrinks. This process, called resorption, occurs at a more rapid rate if all teeth in the jaw are missing. But, it also occurs when just some of the teeth are missing. If left untreated, the loss of jaw bone can progress so far that a denture will no longer stay in place no matter how much sticky adhesive is used.
Dental Implants ... The Natural Solution
For centuries man has endeavored to find a more natural replacement for missing teeth. Modern, space age materials have allowed that quest to become a reality. Today's dental implant is possible because of these materials combined with years of research and clinical trials. The dental implant is truly the most natural solution for missing teeth.
But what exactly is a dental implant? These are ‘screw-like' fixtures that are placed into the jawbone similar to the root of a natural tooth. Dental Implants offer solid, non-mobile support for replacement teeth which act and feel like natural teeth and as these implants are attached to your jawbone they can provide distinct advantages over traditional methods of replacing missing teeth.
Clear benefits of dental implants are:
• Immediately functioning teeth : Nobel Biocare makes it possible to have dental implants and new, fully functioning teeth in just one session.
• Preserves facial appearance : When you lose the entire tooth -crown and root - shrinkage of the jawbone may cause your face to look older. Dental implants can stop this process.
• Perfect fit - and smile : A new ceramic crown or bridge can be made to fit perfectly in your mouth. It is almost impossible to distinguish a real tooth from a Procera crown restoration.
• Eat what you want : Implant-supported replacement teeth are like natural teeth because they are anchored securely in your jaw. This allows you to eat your favorite foods with comfort and confidence.
• Saves healthy teeth : With traditional practices, two teeth adjacent to a missing tooth must be ground down to anchor a bridge. Dental implants often eliminate the need to modify healthy teeth.
• A solution for life : A dental implant and ceramic crown or bridge offers a long-lasting solution, often for life.
• Boosted self-esteem : Once you experience the benefits of new and permanent teeth, you may well experience renewed confidence and improved quality of life as well.
• You regain the closest thing to the look, feel and function of your natural teeth.
• Throw away those gooey adhesives.
• Forget about unsightly partial denture clasps which place damaging pressure on remaining natural teeth.
• Eliminate irritated and painful gums .
• Improve your speech by eliminating or reducing the "fullness" of full or partial dentures.
• Replace missing teeth with the look and feel of natural teeth without having to "cut down" healthy teeth.
• Dental implants help stop the progressive bone loss and shrinkage of your jawbone by "mimicking" the roots of natural teeth.
• Dental implants are clinically proven with a success rate in excess of 90%.
Clearly dental implants are one of the finest treatment options dentistry has to offer. With their ability to improve the quality of your life and health it's easy to understand why they have become the accepted alternative to traditional methods of replacing missing teeth.
.jpg){kind=logo}
