Dental Service Questions
How often should I have my teeth professionally cleaned?
Each person is different…twice a year is based on most insurance coverage, but most patients need to have a professional dental cleaning every 3 to 4 months. Decay and gum disease is caused by bacteria in a colony that takes about 8-10 weeks to become destructive or must be removed or broken up within this base period.
How crowns can repair, protect and beautify your smile
You may need a crown if:
- Your tooth has fractured
- An old crown or filling has failed
- You’ve had root canal therapy
- You have a very large cavity
- You’d like to improve a tooth’s appearance
Crowns restore and protect teeth
A crown is a custom-made restoration that completely covers your tooth. Crowns not only repair and strengthen a damaged tooth, they can also be used to improve your appearance by covering a discolored or misshapen tooth.
Crowns require at least two visits. We’ll prepare and shape your tooth, then take impressions. A dental lab will make a model from these impressions, and use the model to create your new crown from porcelain, gold or other alloys, of a combination of these materials.
What are all-porcelain crowns?
White crowns used to only made of porcelain fused to metal, often leaving a dark gray area at the gum line. Now, we have the technology to create your crown entirely from porcelain. All-porcelain crowns are translucent, like your normal teeth, so they look great!
Strength and beauty
An all-porcelain crown is a custom-made restoration that is bonded to your tooth, covering it completely. They repair and strengthen damaged teeth, and can also be used to improve your appearance by covering discolored or misshapen teeth.
Crowns require at least two visits. We’ll prepare and shape your tooth, then take impressions. A dental lab will make a model from these impressions, and use the model to create your natural-looking new all-porcelain crown.
What are porcelain veneers?
Veneers are thin shells of porcelain that are fabricated with the help of a dental laboratory. They generally cover the tops and front of teeth. Veneers can be used to whiten teeth as well as correct problems like chipped, misshapen, crooked or worn teeth.
Porcelain veneers are custom created to precisely fit your teeth. On your first visit, we carefully remove a thin layer of enamel. Then we take impressions of your teeth. A dental lab uses these impressions to build a model of your teeth, then creates the veneers on that model.
You’ll love your new smile!
Once they’re in place, veneers virtually become part of your teeth. You can use them like you would your own teeth, because the bond is extremely strong. Your final result is more beautiful, natural-looking new smile!
What are bridges?
Why do I need a bridge?
When a tooth is missing, it can cause a chain reaction of problems. Surrounding teeth may shift, causing stress to your jaw joint (TMJ) when you chew. It’s much harder to clean teeth that have shifted, so harmful tarter can build up, which can cause cavities and gum disease.
A bridge fills in this space, using the adjacent teeth for support. These teeth will be reduced and contoured, and then we’ll make a precise impression of your teeth. Using this impression, a dental lab will make a model, and it’s on the model that your bridge will is created.
What will my new bridge look like?
We will consider the function as well as the appearance of your replacement teeth when we select the material for your new bridge. We may use porcelain, acrylic, gold or other alloys, or a combination of these materials, depending on your situation.