What is Restorative Dentistry
If you have ever been to the dentist with tooth pain, then you have experienced how restorative dentistry returns function and eliminates discomfort. All NeedZ Dental offers restorative dental solutions to correct damaged or lost teeth and restore optimal oral health.
We offer a blend of tried-and-true methods with advanced technology and materials to treat patients with tooth and gum problems and help them maintain a healthy, functional smile for years.
If you have a dental concern or would like to know more about options to replace missing teeth, contact our Kountze dental office to schedule an appointment.
Our cosmetic restorations will help:
- Correct broken, chipped, cracked, or decayed teeth
- Repair or replace failed restorations
- Replace missing teeth
- Restore proper chewing ability
- Improve bite alignment
Why Do I Need A Restoration?
If you are experiencing tooth pain, have a visible abscess, or have a broken or cracked tooth, then you will need restorative services to return function to your bite. We treat your teeth conservatively and will save as much healthy tooth as possible using the least intrusive procedure for long-lasting results.
During your bi-yearly checkups, we inspect existing restorations to detect problems at their earliest stages. When we can detect a crown loosening or a crack forming under a filling, we are then able to restore it before more excessive damage occurs.
A Comprehensive Exam Before Treatment
It is always our goal to create a foundation for good oral health. This begins with a thorough exam. We will listen carefully to your medical history, talk about existing restorations, and examine the health of your gums before we suggest treatment.
It is important to resolve any underlying issues like gum disease or TMJ disorder to increase the longevity of your restorations.
We understand that some people are nervous about dental care and we would like to invite you to learn more about the gentle treatment you’ll receive under from our team. Our sedation services will help you with anxiety and make more extensive treatment as comfortable as possible.
If you are experiencing dental pain or have suffered trauma, we invite you to schedule an emergency appointment. Our team is prepared to resolve your urgent dental care needs.
How Much Do Restorations Cost?
If you have dental insurance, our staff will take the time to explore your benefits, so you achieve the most help possible and inform you of any out-of-pocket costs. Treating dental problems as soon as possible helps you keep cost down. We encourage you to keep up with your routine dental cleanings and exams, so we can minimize your need for complex dental treatments.
The smaller the dental problem, the less it will cost you for treatment. Insurance companies pay more upfront costs for preventive care, so it is to your advantage, both financially and medically, to schedule preventive care appointments.
A routine visit could uncover gingivitis, the beginning stage of gum disease or catch a cavity before it reaches the pulp of the tooth. Filling a small cavity is more affordable that root canal therapy, every time.
Do Home Remedies Work?
Yes, paying special attention to your teeth and gums in the comfort of your home works great in between dental checkups. Home remedies never replace your need for professional exams because they cannot solve existent problems.
Talk to us about how you care for your teeth at home. We may have tips for you to make it even better. We want to give you a clean bill of oral health every six months.
9 Tips to Improve Oral Health Care at Home
- Use toothpaste with fluoride at least twice a day
- Use dental tape or floss at least once per day
- Use mouthwash with fluoride
- Use a soft-bristled or electric toothbrush
- Brush for at least two minutes each time
- Never skip brushing your teeth before bed
- Brush your gums gently, but thoroughly
- Drink lots of water, especially after snacking
- See your dentist routinely, twice a year
What are Empress® Restorations?
Empress® is a highly aesthetic material used to create strong restorations that look and feel like natural teeth. All NeedZ Dental uses this proven material to create long-lasting solutions that restore your natural bite without compromising on beauty.
Will I Need A Crown?
Empress® crowns are used to protect the integrity of a tooth with extensive decay, cracks, chips, and infection. They are often used to repair a tooth that was previously restored by a filling, inlay, or onlay,
A crown is also used as the last step in root canal treatment. Once we have cleaned out disease and infection from the pulp of the tooth and along the roots, we ‘cap’ the tooth with the crown to restore function and stability to your bite.
A proven, tried-and-true restorative method, crowns are a conservative way to keep your bite strong and beautiful. If we feel the tooth is not salvageable, we will suggest tooth extraction and artificial tooth replacements instead.
When are Inlays and Onlays Used?
When the damage is too big for a filling, yet there is enough healthy tooth left to forego a crown, we will use an inlay or onlay to preserve your bite without compromising on aesthetics.
- Inlays will fill the area between the cusps of your tooth
- Onlays will extend to cover the cusp of your tooth
What Can I Expect when Getting a Crown?
When getting a crown, we will need two dental visits to give the lab time to create your Empress® crown.
The first visit is used to take an impression and prepare your tooth. We place a temporary crown to protect your tooth between visits. You will need to refrain from chewing on hard or sticky food to help keep the temporary in place.
During your second visit, we will cement your final crown in place and make any necessary bite adjustments to ensure your crown does not receive excess wear when chewing.
When are Fixed Bridges Used?
A fixed Empress® bridge is used to fill the gap of one to four missing or extracted teeth. If a crown cannot save a tooth or you have lost teeth from trauma or gum disease, we create an artificial tooth replacement that will restore your bite.
The traditional bridge will crown two neighboring teeth as anchors to stabilize the tooth replacements. We use the first visit* to prepare the healthy teeth for crown placement, and if necessary, we will extract the damaged tooth.
During your second dental visit, we will cement your new bridge in place.
If you would like a more permanent option, ask us about using dental implants to support your bridge.
*If you have gum disease, we will need to treat the infection before we do anything else. This procedure may prolong your final placement, depending on how advanced the gum disease has progressed.
Do I need My Tooth Extracted?
If we cannot save your tooth through restorative dentistry, we will remove it to protect neighboring teeth and gums. As a conservative dental practice, we only used extraction for:
- Excessively damaged teeth
- Orthodontic treatment
- To prepare for dentures or implants
- Wisdom teeth removal
What Are My Options for Missing Teeth?
Depending on how many teeth are missing or in need of extraction, we offer different replacement treatments. We take the time to educate you about each, so you can make an informed decision about traditional or implant-supported options.
Are Dentures Right for Me?
Traditional dentures are a popular option for patients who have experienced advanced gum disease or do not want to invest in dental implants. We offer partial and full dentures as tried-and-true restorative options to replace some or all of your teeth. Dentures replace teeth on the upper, lower, or both arches.
After an examination, we may need to treat gum disease or schedule tooth extraction before you can wear your denture. This sets the stage for success for your new denture.
Are Dental Implants Worth the Cost?
For patients who qualify, investing in dental implants will bring a lifetime of benefits. We will help you understand the difference between the traditional and implant procedures as well as the benefits of both to help you decide which option works best for you.
Benefits of Implant-Supported Restorations
Many patients choose dental implants because they have a strong return on investment and a proven 95-98% success rate.
Implants prevent further damage and additional costs associated with traditional methods. Some of the implant advantages include:
- Protect the health of neighboring teeth
- Prevent neighboring teeth from shifting
- Prevent early facial aging associated with missing teeth
- Protect jaw bone integrity by supplying ‘natural’ chewing force
- Easy to regain speech
- Returns chewing ability without diet limitations
What are the Disadvantages of Dental Implants?
Besides out-of-pocket costs, the length of treatment time is a concern for many. Depending on your oral health, your treatment may extend to 12 months or more if we have to extract, treat gum disease, or perform bone grafts to ready your mouth for successful implant placement.
You may have several dental appointments separated by healing time to ensure we create a healthy foundation for your restoration.
How Do Dental Implants Work?
Once placed, the biocompatible implant will fuse directly to the jaw bone through a process called osseointegration. After two to three months, your implant becomes a solid, stand-alone anchor for artificial teeth.
An abutment is then used to connect the implant post to your restoration. This gives way for easy replacement or repair without the need for temporary solutions.
A dental implant post is used to secure a single crown, a bridge, or denture.
Implant-supported crowns - These crowns are used to replace a single tooth. They stand-alone and fill the gap seamlessly.
Implant-supported bridge or partial denture - We use them to replace multiple teeth and are supported by two implants. They will complete your bite without compromising neighboring teeth.
Implant-supported dentures - We can completely replace the upper and lower arches to give patients a stable arch of artificial teeth that do not move or limit their diet choices. You can have a full denture attach to four to six implant posts.
We highly recommended implant-supported dentures for lower arch replacement.
Contact All NeedZ Dental
Call our Kountze location for an emergency dental appointment or to schedule an evaluation. We offer high-quality restorations using advanced techniques and methods to reestablish and maintain your oral health.
Contact Us Today!