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Category Archives: Prosthetic And Restorative Dentistry

CEREC: One Visit Crowns

  • Sep
  • 06

CEREC: One Visit Crowns CEREC: Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic CeramicsCEREC: One Visit Crowns Crowns in an Hour You go to the dentist because of toothache, or maybe for your bi-annual checkup, and you get the bad news: you need a crown. You’ll have to schedule two appointments – one for preparation and placement of a temporary crown, and one for placement of the permanent crown. Do you have that kind of time to spare? Between the appointments, your temporary crown could crack or fall out, and then you’d have to make yet another trip to the dentist. A crown is important, though, so you shouldn’t delay treatment. A crown can salvage a tooth that may otherwise have to be removed and replaced with a prosthetic. We Feel Your Pain We understand the inconvenience patients face with a traditional crown, and because your time is as valuable as your smile, we now use a revolutionary tool that mills a permanent crown in about an hour: CEREC. How CEREC Works After taking a 3D image of your tooth, our CEREC machine can mill a strong, beautiful restoration in about an hour. We’ll permanently place the crown during your single visit (One Visit Crowns), and you’ll leave our office with a full, healthy smile. Tried and True Technology Millions of patients worldwide have experienced the convenience of CEREC One Visit Crowns. CEREC Blocs, the material from which the crowns are milled, are backed with 20 years of research, so you can rest assured they offer a durable restoration that you can trust. CEREC can also mill inlays, onlays, and veneers for your convenience. Ask us about CEREC One Visit Crowns today so you can spend less time in the dentist’s chair and more time sharing your smile. Topic: CEREC: One Visit Crowns

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Composite Fillings

  • Sep
  • 06

Composite Fillings Composite Resins: Strengthen Your Smile If you’re embarrassed about your smile because of decay or dark fillings in your teeth, you may be a good candidate for composite resins. A silicon dioxide-filled, tooth-colored plastic mixture, composite resins can restore teeth to an attractive, healthy state. Composite resins represent several advantages over traditional silver, or amalgam, fillings. Because composite resins are not made of metal, we can blend and mix shades to find the perfect color to match your natural teeth. This means only you and your dentist will know you have fillings. Another pro is that the tooth/composite bond actually supports the remaining tooth structure, deterring breakage and insulating against temperature changes. Medium and small composites can last seven to ten years – that’s as long as the tried and true amalgams. Best of all, composite resins allow us to keep more of your natural tooth structure intact than amalgams. We believe in conservative dentistry – the more natural tooth structure you keep, the better teeth you’ll likely have in the future. Some patients experience mild and temporary post-placement sensitivity from Composite Fillings. The only caution we usually mention is that coffee, tea, and other staining foods and beverages may discolor your composites unless you ask to have them coated with a clear plastic sealant. Topic: Composite Fillings

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Crowns

  • Sep
  • 06

Crowns: We Have You CoveredCrowns If you’re self-conscious about cracked, broken, decayed, or worn teeth, we can bring back your healthy, natural-looking smile with dental crowns, also called caps. A crown can return structure, strength, and function to a tooth with extensive decay or damage. Designed to fit snugly and function as a healthy tooth, a crown will protect your tooth from further damage and preserve the jaw’s correct natural alignment. We use precious metal, porcelain pressed (or fused) to metal, or all-porcelain crowns. To maintain a fully white smile, we recommend all-ceramic crowns. Our precise color-matching system allows us to find the right shade of porcelain to blend with your natural tooth color. Porcelain crowns are also extremely durable and long lasting, and these benefits make them popular with dentists as well as patients. Typically, we can design, fit, and place your crowns in just a couple of short appointments. Once a crown is placed, you can care for it as you do your natural teeth. Conscientious brushing twice a day and daily flossing will protect the base of your crown from bacterial growth. Be sure to see us at least two times each year for professional cleanings and a preventive exam, too. We Have Many Locations - Portsmouth, Virginia Beach, Newport News, Fredericksburg     Topic: Crowns

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Inlays And Onlays

  • Sep
  • 06

Inlays and Onlays You have a big filling that needs replacement. Do you have to get a full crown? Not necessarily. A more conservative option, inlays and onlays fit into a tooth similarly to a filling, yet they are milled restorations, much like a crown. The bumps on top of a tooth are called cusps. Inlays fit between cusps, while onlays fit over one or more cusps. Inlays and onlays allow a patient to retain more natural tooth structure, which is always best. Not every situation is right for an inlay or onlay, but the dentist will assess your problem and determine the best solution for you. Because they are created in a lab like a crown, inlays and onlays require two appointments. At the first visit, we will prepare your tooth by removing your tooth decay or old filling and cleaning the area.We will take a dental impression and send it to our dental lab so that a technician can create a custom inlay or onlay for you. The dentist will determine the best material to use, but in most cases, teeth that show when you smile or speak can have a white restoration. Back teeth incur extreme pressure, so a metal inlay or onlay may be indicated. You’ll wear a temporary until the lab delivers your final restoration. At the second appointment, the dentist will remove your temporary and permanently cement your final inlay or onlay into position. After polishing and modifying the restoration as necessary to ensure proper bite alignment, you’ll enjoy your stronger, healthier smile for years to come. Topic: Inlays and Onlays

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Crown And Bridgework

  • Sep
  • 06

Crown and Bridgework Fixed BridgesCrown and Bridgework A Stable Solution that Renews Your Smile If you’ve lost teeth due to accident, injury, or gum disease, we can create a permanent bridge to restore your solid smile. A bridge not only fills the gap, but it also prevents repositioning of remaining teeth. It can also correct a misaligned bite, improve chewing function and speech articulation, and provide internal structure for the face to give you a more youthful appearance. What is a Fixed Bridge? First of all, a bridge is a prosthetic tooth (or teeth) that attaches on one or both sides to teeth prepared with dental crowns. A fixed bridge is permanently joined onto the neighboring abutment teeth (crowned teeth) and consists of three basic units: the false tooth or teeth (called a pontic) and two abutment crowns. The style of bridge we suggest will depend upon the strength and health the abutment teeth, as well as the location of the gap in relation to the rest of your dentition. If healthy adjacent abutment teeth aren’t available, a surgically-implanted metal post, known as a dental implant, may offer a solid alternative. For a bridge that replaces many teeth, we may recommend a removable partial denture or implant-supported prosthesis. With proper care, a fixed bridge may last at least 8 to10 years. If you have questions about crown and bridgework or any other dental prosthetic, call us. We will be happy to discuss the options and schedule your evaluation. Topic: Crown and Bridgework

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Dentures And Partials

  • Sep
  • 06

Dentures and Partials Full and Partial Dentures A smile just isn’t a smile if it’s incomplete. Missing teeth cause a host of problems, from difficulty speaking and eating to low self-confidence to jawbone deterioration. Don’t give up on your smile. Advances in dental materials and technology have made full and partial dentures more life-like and comfortable than ever. What is a Partial? A partial denture, commonly referred to as simply a partial, consists of multiple teeth on a gum colored base. The teeth are not in a row, but rather spread across the base to fit like a puzzle with your existing teeth. A partial is normally secured with clips or brackets, but unlike a bridge, a partial is removable. What is a Denture? A full denture is a complete top or bottom row of teeth mounted on a gum-colored base. Dentures can be closed or open palate, and they require denture adhesive to hold them in place. Implant-Supported Dentures and Partials Dental implants are small titanium posts anchored into the jawbone. If you prefer a secure full or partial denture and do not want clips or adhesive, then consider implant-supported dentures. In a brief surgery, an implant dentist can secure a few dental implant posts to hold your dentures in place. With implant-supported dentures, you won’t have to worry about slippage, and your prosthetic will feel safe and sound.   We Have Many Locations - Portsmouth, Virginia Beach, Newport News, Fredericksburg       Topic: Dentures and Partials

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Dental Implants

  • Sep
  • 06

Dental Implants: Nature’s Rival Dental Implants Now patients who are missing teeth have a strong, beautiful alternative to bridges, partials, or full dentures. Dental implants will improve your smile and your lifestyle. They look, feel, and function like natural teeth because of a titanium anchor attached to the jawbone. Implants can also anchor bridges, partials, or full dentures to eliminate slipping. After a thorough evaluation, Dr. Holley, a fellow with the International Congress of Oral Implantologists and the Misch Implant Institute, can tell you whether you’re a candidate for dental implants. They require adequate bone structure for placement. The first stage of the procedure involves oral surgery in which a titanium post is implanted into the jawbone for each missing tooth or for the new teeth that will anchor a bridge or denture. Nature will take its course, allowing your bone tissue to fuse with the titanium post. This creates a solid foundation. Once the implants are secured, your dentist will attach a handcrafted, permanent crown to each post. The restorations will match your natural teeth and blend seamlessly with your smile. By imitating an entire natural tooth, from the root up, dental implants offer a prosthetic that closely mimics nature. The result? Dental implant patients enjoy restored function, which allows a healthy diet of hard-to-chew foods. Speech may also improve. Strong and secure, your new smile will boost your confidence, enhance your appearance, and improve your quality of life. Topic: Dental Implants

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Extractions And Wisdom Teeth

  • Sep
  • 06

Extractions and Wisdom Teeth Somewhere between the ages of 15 to 25 years, most people’s third molars begin to erupt through the gum line at the very back of their mouths. However, the modern jaw shape often can’t accommodate wisdom teeth, leading to either of two unhealthy conditions: crowding of existing permanent teeth, or impaction-the incoming molars get stuck in place. Since few people’s jaws can accommodate these large third molars, we typically examine our 11 and 12-year-old patients to predict the upcoming developmental positioning of the wisdom teeth, recommending extraction prior to 17 to 19 years of age. That’s Smart! While extractions may not sound like a lot of fun, it’s far better than the typical alternatives. Crowded teeth can misalign your bite, cause jaw pain, and lead to gum disease, causing dental problems for the rest of your life. Partially-erupted wisdom teeth allow bacteria and germs to multiply, leading to infection or cyst formation; tumors may even grow on a trapped wisdom tooth. Impacted or partially-erupted wisdom teeth may force entry, pushing up in whichever direction they find the most give: sideways, vertically, backward, forward. They can become stuck while still fully encased in the jawbone (called a bony impaction), or prior to erupting through the gums (called a soft tissue impaction). Such impaction can cause pain, swelling, and infection. The good news is that extraction is a simple, routine surgical procedure that can usually be performed comfortably in one office visit. Topic: Extractions and Wisdom Teeth

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Root Canal

  • Sep
  • 06

Root Canal Root Canal TherapyRoot Canal Painful Pulp Your teeth contain several layers: the outer protective enamel, a secondary layer of sensitive dentin, and an inner pulp that contains components commonly referred to as the “nerve” of the tooth. Each pulp chamber branches off, forming canals that lead toward the tooth root tip. These infamous root canals provide a means for the tooth to absorb what it needs from the blood and get rid of toxins or other unnecessary materials via the blood stream. A deep cavity, traumatic injury, or tooth fracture can make the canal susceptible to bacterial infection, which can kill the pulp, stimulate increased blood flow, and create pressure within the tooth. This can cause severe tooth pain and may initiate bone degeneration, tooth loss, and even more acute pain. If you see a dentist in the earliest stages of this condition, the tooth may be saved with a root canal. Otherwise, it should be extracted and replaced with a prosthetic. Easy Does It Will root canal therapy hurt? Not with today’s advanced analgesics and technology. In fact, the entire process can be so comfortable that many patients doze off. Oftentimes, root canal therapy can be completed in a single appointment. We simply clean out the diseased canal, fill it with a biologically-inert substance, seal it from further infection, and you’re on your way. While some patients experience post-procedural soreness or slight tissue inflammation, these are controllable with over-the-counter analgesics. Follow-up care involves thorough home hygiene and regular dental visits for cleanings and check ups. Topic: Root Canal

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Oral Surgery

  • Sep
  • 06

Oral Surgery In some cases, we refer patients to a specialist for oral surgery. However, general dentists are trained to perform some minor oral surgeries, and your dentist has also taken significant postgraduate courses for various procedures. So that you can receive the majority of your dental care in our office, where you feel comfortable, cared for, and familiar, we offer some minor oral surgeries and endodontics. These include: Extractions to Eliminate Crowding Extractions of Wisdom Teeth (Third Molars) Extractions of Dead Teeth Root Canal Therapy Soft Tissue Grafts Crown Lengthening Gingivectomies or Gum Lifts Biopsies Hard Tissue Grafts (Bone) Dental Implant Placement If we believe that you would be better served by a specialist, we’ll refer you to a trusted colleague. Should you have questions or concerns about any dental procedure that we recommend, please ask. Our team is always available to share information and educational materials. The more you understand about your dental treatment plan, the wiser your decisions. Topic: Oral Surgery

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