Restorative Dentistry

Restorative and cosmetic dentistry often intertwine in the procedures that are used to give patients attractive and healthy teeth, but restorative dentistry is done for more than just cosmetic reasons. When you have missing teeth, broken teeth, or damage to existing dental work including crowns, bridges, and implants, you will have trouble using your teeth to chew food. Restorative dentistry techniques can repair the damage. At Wasserman Cosmetic & Family Dentistry in Riverdale, NY, our dentists use modern dental technology to restore the beautiful smile you once had.

Restorative dentistry procedures include:

Root canals
Crowns
Bridges
Dentures
Dental implants
Full mouth reconstruction

Root Canals

Teeth contain a series of passageways called “root canals”. Within the root canal, is pulp. The pulp contains blood vessels, nerves, and tissue. When the pulp becomes damaged due to extensive tooth decay, it is necessary to remove the infected pulp to prevent tooth loss, with a root canal procedure. The procedure involves removing the damaged pulp, cleaning and sealing the root, and placing a crown over the tooth for reinforcement.

Crowns

Crowns are used for a variety of reasons. Most commonly, crowns are the final step in the root canal process. They protect the remaining tooth and act as a permanent tooth would. If the tooth structure becomes weak in teeth with large fillings, a dentist may recommend a crown to replace the filling.

Bridges

A bridge is a natural-looking tooth replacement used to fill in the gaps where a tooth has fallen out or been extracted. Empty spaces in your mouth can cause other mouth issues, such as chewing problems, and remaining teeth slowly shifting out of place. Bridges are similar to a crown in that they replace a missing tooth; however, bridges are not bonded to an existing tooth or implant. There are two types of bridges: fixed and removable. A fixed bridge is bonded to the surrounding teeth and is permanent, while a removable bridge can be taken out.

Dentures

Dentures are artificial teeth that are used to replace all or some missing teeth on either the top jaw, bottom jaw, or both. They provide a natural looking appearance while giving you the ability to eat and speak. There are three types of dentures: full, partial, and overdenture. Full dentures are ideal for patients that have lost all of their teeth and are held in place by denture adhesive. Partial dentures replace a series of missing teeth and are held in place by attachments to existing teeth. The “anchor” teeth are often crowned to provide additional strength and stability. Overdentures are dentures the fit over existing natural teeth or implants. The underlying teeth are shaped to provide the overdentures with support. The type of denture you need will be determined by your overall oral health, the number of teeth remaining and preference.

Dental Implants

Dental implants are titanium cylinder posts used to replace missing teeth. They are the anchor that crowns will be bonded to if there isn’t enough natural tooth to attach the crown. They can also be used to attach partial or full dentures. Dental implants are surgically implanted into the jaw. The jaw bone grows around the base of the implant, while the top protrudes out of the gum. Because the implant is secured in the jaw, there is no concern of slipping like with dentures. Implants allow you to eat and speak just as you did with natural teeth. An ideal candidate for dental implants needs to have healthy gums and strong bones to support the implant.

Full Mouth Reconstruction

When you have serious problems with your mouth resulting from trauma to the face, severe illness, or other serious health issues, your dentist may recommend full mouth reconstruction. This service goes beyond getting a full set of dentures to replace damaged teeth. Full mouth reconstruction is for patients who need upper and/or lower jaw reconstruction. Generally, there is a combination of services included, such as dental implants and bridges. A consultation with an oral surgeon and a complete set of X-rays will be scheduled to evaluate your needs and create a treatment plan.