Cleanings, Crowns, & So Much More

Dental Amalgam is the most thoroughly researched and tested restorative material and has been used by dentists for more than a century. It is durable, easy to use, and highly resistant to wear. In comparison to other materials, it is relatively inexpensive. Because of this, it remains a valued treatment option for dentists and their patients.

Amalgam fillings can withstand very high chewing loads, and are particularly useful for restoring molars in the back of the mouth where the chewing load is greatest. They are also useful in areas where a cavity preparation is difficult to keep dry during the filling replacement, such as in deep fillings below the gum line.

If you have gaps between your teeth and want to restore your smile and bite, dental bridges may be the right treatment option for you. Dental bridges are a form of oral prosthetics that close the gap created by one or more missing teeth.

A bridge is made up of a series of crowns that are anchored to existing healthy teeth. A bridge can be made from a white tooth like porcelain, gold, or some alloy metal. While dental bridges are usually supported by natural teeth, they may also be supported by implants.

The process of getting a bridge usually takes two appointments. Depending on your individual case, you may be required to attend multiple visits to ensure the correct fit of the metal framework and bite. If you are receiving a fixed (permanent) bridge, your dentist may temporarily cement it in place for a couple of weeks to make sure it fits properly. After this time has passed, the bridge is permanently cemented into place.

If you have a tooth or teeth in an advanced stage of tooth decay or severe damage, a dental crown may be your best option. Like fillings, implants or bridges – dental crowns restore aesthetics, strength, and function to your teeth. A dental crown can be made from several materials and covers the remaining tooth structure. The material used depends on the area of your mouth being restored.

Fitting a crown requires at least two office visits. Our goal is to provide dentistry that is undetectable. We replace existing crowns and fillings with restorations that look and feel like your natural teeth.

Teeth needing a root canal usually have large fillings or a lot of decay, and most of the original tooth is gone. During a root canal, a hole is drilled through the natural crown. This drilled out area is called the core of the crown. After the root canal is done, the old filling and decay are removed from the tooth, and the remaining tooth is cleaned and filled with a special composite filling material or dental amalgam. The material replaces the entire missing tooth and strengthens the remaining tooth structure.

Dr. Townsend can provide you with the latest technology in decay removal and tooth restoration. He will work to design an individualized treatment plan for you. This includes informing you of the most durable, least invasive, and least sensitive filling material for your teeth. To help prevent complications Dr. Townsend places sealers and/or bases under all of these fillings. This reduces post-operative sensitivity and prolongs the life of the filling.

Implant dentistry is used in several areas of tooth replacement. A dental implant is used to replace a tooth root. Sometimes this involves placing one implant when a single tooth is lost. Other circumstances involve replacing more than one tooth.

Implant placement involves careful evaluation by your dentist and a specialist, usually an oral surgeon or periodontist. These specialists are responsible for placing the implants, and Dr. Townsend will provide the restorative work (i.e. placing the crown, bridge, or denture).

Crowns, inlays, and onlays can be made in the laboratory from dental composites. These materials are similar to those used in direct fillings and are tooth-colored. One advantage to indirect composites is that they do not excessively wear opposing teeth. Their strength and durability is not as high as porcelain or metal restorations, and they are more prone to wear and discoloration.

Inlays and onlays are restorations that are used to restore decayed and broken teeth. The difference between these restorations and fillings is a greater longevity and strength than dental fillings. At your first visit, Dr. Townsend will remove decay, prepare your tooth, and take a mold of the tooth. He will then place a temporary restoration and send the impression to a dental lab. A ceramic or gold restoration is then made.

During your next visit, the inlay or onlay is placed with permanent cement. The main difference between an inlay and an onlay is the conservation of tooth structure. The preparation for a dental onlay or inlay is more conservative than that of a dental crown, so more of your natural tooth structure is kept intact.

There are circumstances when a tooth needs to be restored with a crown and your doctor may recommend a porcelain-fused-to-metal crown or an all gold crown. Some patients have such a strong bite that the metal reinforcement under the porcelain is necessary to endure chewing forces. When performed by a quality ceramist, these restorations can still be highly esthetic and cost less than an all-ceramic or all-gold crown.

If occlusion is a problem, Dr. Townsend may recommend an all gold crown. This is because teeth can be very short in the back of the mouth and occasionally there is not enough tooth structure for a porcelain-fused-to-gold crown. Porcelain has to have a certain thickness to be strong and when placed in the very back teeth the crown may fracture. Gold is a great material because it is gentle on opposing teeth when you are chewing, and the gums typically have little irritation from gold crowns.

A post and core buildup connects a tooth, that has had a root canal, to a crown. It is generally performed on a tooth after a root canal and prior to placing a crown on the tooth. Although not all root canalled teeth need post and cores, many do.

With Dr. Townsend’s assistance, you may determine that you need a tooth extraction for any number of reasons. Some teeth are extracted because they are severely decayed. Others may have advanced periodontal disease or are broken in a way that cannot be repaired. Other teeth may need removal because they are poorly positioned in the mouth, or in preparation for orthodontic treatment.