Restorative dentistry is a branch of oral care that focuses on repairing smiles that have faced damage, decay, tooth loss, or years of wear and tear. It is an essential field of dentistry, as these treatments and prosthetics act to directly halt the progression of any problems, prevent further damage from occurring, and instill a feeling of confidence in the patient.
When it comes to restoring your smile to its natural health and function, it’s important to turn to a professional. At Dentistry By Design in Midwest City, OK, our restorative dentistry services can help restore your smile following decay, infection, fractures, or avulsion. No matter the condition or the cause, smile damage does not have to negatively impact your quality of life. Read below to learn more!
Crowns
Dental crowns are a popular restorative treatment used to strengthen a weakened tooth or repair one that has been severely decayed or infected. These caps are made from ceramic material and fit snugly over the tooth—protecting it from further harm while restoring aesthetics and function.
- In order to apply the crown, our team will contour and reshape the weakened tooth, making room for the restoration to fit over it.
- The crown is then cemented in place, and you’ll be able to use your tooth as soon as you leave our office.
While many offices can provide crowns, Dentistry By Design stands out for our commitment to convenience and quality. We use the highest grade of dental materials when creating restorations and craft them using our CEREC technology. This ensures that the crowns we provide look and feel natural, fit comfortably, and last for years to come. Unlike other offices that take weeks to craft a crown of this quality, our team can design, create, and place your crown in a single appointment!
Bridges
Missing one or more teeth can lead to a host of complications, ranging from difficulty eating and speaking to an increased risk of decay and gum disease. To permanently fill these gaps and restore function, many of our patients opt for dental bridges.
The dental bridge is a prosthetic appliance that consists of three or more dental crowns fused together to replace one or more missing teeth in a subsequent row. The crowns on either side of the bridge are placed over the adjacent teeth in order to support the bridge while the crown/crowns in the center fill the gap. Unlike partial dentures, bridges are fixed in place and restore a sense of normalcy in the patient’s life.
Like crowns, the bridges crafted at Dentistry By Design utilize CEREC technology and are designed and placed in just one visit. The technology relies on a combination of digital impressions and design work completed by your dentist before the machine crafts it in-house. We then place the bridge to ensure a secure fit and a full recovery of function.
Root Canals
Root canal therapy is a procedure used to save teeth that have been severely damaged or infected. This can be caused by trauma or deep decay which has reached and contaminated the inner core of the tooth, known as the pulp chamber.
Root canal therapy involves cleaning out this infected pulp from the internal structure of the tooth, then filling it with a biocompatible material (gutta percha), and placing a crown to protect the structure. This therapy is designed to restore the health and functionality of the tooth while avoiding a tooth extraction.
Dentures
Dentures are a form of prosthetic replacement for missing teeth. The appliance is designed for those who have lost all or most of their natural teeth and wish to restore both aesthetics and function.
- A full denture can restore the entire dental arch of the upper or lower jaw. They consist of an artificial set of teeth and a pink, polymer base designed to resemble gum tissue. The denture is secured in place with a combination of natural suction and adhesive. The polymer base of the denture also provides additional support to the facial muscles, preventing them from sagging thereby providing a more youthful appearance.
- A partial denture is similar to a full denture but is designed for patients who only have a few missing teeth. This type of prosthesis has an acrylic base with metal clasps connected that attach to adjacent teeth in order to keep it secure. Like the full denture, the partial prosthetic is removable and must be taken out every night to be cleaned.
Fillings
Dental fillings restore the structural integrity of a tooth damaged by decay. The filling restores the function of the tooth while also preventing additional bacteria from entering the tooth enamel.
At Dentistry By Design, we offer both amalgam and composite fillings.
- Amalgam is a mixture of different metals which provide excellent durability in areas that experience high levels of force and pressure.
- Composite fillings are a mixture of glass and plastic particles that are designed to match the natural color of your teeth. This type of filling is preferable for the front teeth, where aesthetics are of utmost importance.
Both types of fillings can be completed quickly and in-house, with little to no downtime for the patient.
- The process for applying a filling involves cleaning the tooth and removing the decay, followed by placing the filling material.
- Our team shapes and sculpts the putty-like substance to restore the decayed area before setting it in place with a special light.
- Finally, we will polish the now solidified material to achieve a seamless finish.
