Cavity fillings are the most common restorative dental procedure. Bacteria often finds itself burrowed in the crevices and crannies of your teeth, which results in the wearing of your enamel. This creates a little hole, called a cavity. To prevent further damage from the tooth, our dentists will perform a cavity filling procedure to remove the damaged part of the tooth, and fill the cavity with a tooth-colored filling.
Sometimes a tooth can become so damaged from severe decay or a chip or crack in the tooth. When this happens, it can be fixed with a crown, otherwise known as a cap. In this procedure, the top part of your tooth is shaved down and the crown is placed over it, looking and functioning like a normal tooth while your natural tooth stays in place.
When a tooth becomes so decayed, it may need to be removed. Sometimes patients may already have missing teeth due to decay, infections, or injuries. In this case, implants may be necessary. Teeth implants replace the entire natural tooth and root. The artificial root is surgically placed into your jaw bone where the natural tooth originally was. Then, a cap or crown is placed over the new root. Implants look and function as your natural teeth.
A root canal procedure is beneficial for those teeth who have had cavities that have gone deep into the tooth and sometimes even the root. When this happens, the soft pulp inside the tooth becomes infected, causing more damage and pain. A root canal is done by a dentist, who removes all the soft pulp inside the tooth, cleans out the infection, and fills the inside of the tooth with the same material as a cavity filling. This procedure is done in an effort to save a tooth from further damage.
Dentures and veneers are replacement options for missing teeth. Generally, they consist of an entire arch of teeth for the top and/or bottom row of teeth. Dentures do not have roots, and go straight on the gums with suction or adhesive. Veneers are a row of teeth placed over the teeth to improve your smile and sometimes protect your natural teeth.
