Restorative Dentistry
At Tate Family Dentistry, we provide restorative dental services for patients of all ages. Receiving a restoration is pretty much a fact of life for almost any patient. Whether it is a filling, a crown, a bridge, or denture, restorations improve oral function as well as appearance. When natural teeth are repaired with fillings or crowns, our team can help patients retain as much biological tooth structure as possible. Bridges and dentures are used to replace lost teeth and fill in the gaps of an incomplete smile.
Fillings
Fillings are small restorations used to address early to moderate stage tooth decay. As its name suggests, a filling fills in the depression that a cavity has left in a tooth while protecting the afflicted area from future damage.
Crowns and Bridges
Crowns are tooth-shaped caps used to cover an entire tooth above the gums. These restorations are necessary when a tooth is fractured, chipped, or deeply decayed. A crown is custom made in a dental laboratory for each patient. Depending on the materials chosen (metal alloys, zirconium, or porcelain), dental crowns can appear quite natural.
Bridges are a series of crowns that replace lost teeth by anchoring to existing teeth. This restoration will close the gap between a missing tooth (or teeth) and biological teeth. Bridges can replace up to three or four teeth in a row.
Full and Partial Dentures
Dentures are used to replace the biting surfaces of lost teeth. Full dentures replace an arch of teeth in the upper or lower jaw (or both). A denture is supported by the curved shape of the jawbone and rests on top of the gums. Partial dentures replace missing teeth throughout the mouth while also supporting the remaining biological teeth. These prosthetics are removable like dentures but are supported by temporarily attaching to teeth with metal appliances.
Denture Stabilization
Even though today’s dentures are custom made and closely resemble teeth and gums since they are constructed from lifelike materials, some patients enjoy the added security of stabilizing their prosthetics to dental implants. Implants are small metal posts that are embedded into the jawbone. These posts can support the weight and pressure of prosthetic teeth while eliminating discomfort associated with denture movement.
To learn more about options for restoring your smile, call our practice to reserve an appointment with one of our dentists.