Composite Fillings
A composite filling is a tooth-colored plastic and glass mixture used to restore decayed teeth. Composites are also used for cosmetic improvements of the smile by changing the color of the teeth or reshaping disfigured teeth.
Aesthetics are the main advantage of composites, since Dr. Hancock can blend shades to create a color nearly identical to that of the actual tooth. Composites bond to the tooth to support the remaining tooth structure, which helps to prevent breakage and insulate the tooth from excessive temperature changes.
After receiving a composite, a patient may experience postoperative sensitivity. Also, the shade of the composite can change slightly if the patient drinks tea, coffee or other staining foods. Composites tend to wear over time and may need to be replaced occasionally.
Inlays & Onlays
In some cases a composite filling will not support the remaining tooth structure enough and therefore an inlay/onlay must be used to repair the missing tooth structure due to decay and/or fracture. Inlays/onlays are more conservative than crowns and can be easier to maintain over time.
Crowns (caps)
A crown is a restoration that covers, or “caps,” a tooth to restore it to its normal shape and size, strengthening and improving the appearance of a tooth. Crowns are necessary when a tooth is generally broken down and fillings won’t solve the problem. If a tooth is cracked, a crown holds the tooth together to seal the cracks so the damage doesn’t get worse. Crowns are also used to restore a tooth when there isn’t enough of the tooth remaining to provide support for a large filling, attach a bridge, protect weak teeth from fracturing, restore fractured teeth or cover badly shaped or discolored teeth.
Fixed Bridges
A bridge replaces missing teeth with abutments on adjacent or neighboring teeth. A bridge acts much like your existing teeth but provides difficulty in cleaning/ maintaining because you can not floss a bridge the same way you would floss natural teeth. A bridge also requires crowns on the adjacent teeth to support the replacement tooth (pontic). This sometimes provides unnecessary removal of healthy tooth structure when a more conservative treatment option may be better (i.e. implants).
Dentures
Occassionally the teeth are in too bad of shape to be salvaged and necessitate extraction of all remaining teeth. In this case the only way to replace missing teeth is with dentures and/or dental implants. Dentures are resin frameworks with teeth attached to it to replace any missing teeth. They are removable and fit directly over the gums and ridge of bone remaining after extraction of the teeth. Because they are removable dentures are generally associated with movement when chewing. This disadvantage can be overcome by placing and attaching implants to the denture for increased retention and support.
Dental Implants
A dental implant is an artificial tooth root that is anchored into your jaw to hold a replacement tooth or bridge in place. The benefit of using implants is that they don’t rely on neighboring teeth for support and they are permanent and stable. Implants are a good solution to tooth loss because they look and feel like natural teeth.
Can anyone receive dental implants?
Talk with Dr. Hancock about whether you are an implant candidate. You must be in good health and have the proper bone structure and healthy gums for the implant to stay in place. People who are unable to wear dentures may also be good candidates. If you suffer from chronic problems, such as clenching or bruxism, or systemic diseases, such as diabetes, the success rate for implants decreases dramatically. Additionally, people who smoke or drink alcohol may not be good candidates.
What is the success rate of implants?
The success rate for implants depends on the tooth’s purpose and location in the mouth, as well as a patient’s overall health. Generally speaking 96% of implants placed are successful.
Root Canal Therapy
Underneath your tooth’s outer enamel and within the dentin is an area of soft tissue called the pulp, which carries the tooth’s nerves, blood vessels and connective tissue. Root canals are very small, thin divisions that branch off from the top pulp chamber down to the tip of the root. A tooth has at least one but no more than four root canals.
Root canal therapy is necessary because the tooth will not heal by itself. Without treatment, the infection will spread, bone around the tooth will begin to degenerate and the tooth may fall out. Pain usually worsens until one is forced to seek emergency dental attention. The only alternative is usually extraction of the tooth, which can cause surrounding teeth to shift crookedly, resulting in a bad bite. Though an extraction is cheaper, the space left behind will require an implant or a bridge, which can be more expensive than root canal therapy. If you have the choice, it’s always best to keep your original teeth.