Restorative Dentistry

Porcelain Crowns, Dentures, and Dental Bridge Services in the Trinity, Palm Harbor, and New Port Richey Area

What Restorative Dentistry Can Do For You

dental bridge for missing teeth in Trinity and Palm HarborUnlike preventive dental treatments intended to protect teeth from damage and decay, restorative dental treatments are performed to repair form and function of teeth that have been compromised in some way.

The best treatment for your teeth will depend on their condition and the options you want for your smile.

When natural teeth are decayed, damaged, or lost, restorative dentistry can repair or replace them. At Prestige Dentistry in Palm Harbor and Trinity, FL, we believe restorative dentistry has a cosmetic component in that it includes aesthetic enhancement.

Correcting missing or damaged teeth requires advanced training, dentistry techniques, and technology. Luckily, the dentists at Prestige Dentistry have years of training and experience in helping patients transform their smiles for the better!

Missing Teeth

Smiling older man from New Port Richey, FL shows off his new porcelain crowns and dental bridges.Losing a tooth by accident or by extraction is not the end of the matter. When a tooth is gone, the resulting gap allows surrounding teeth to tilt or drift from their normal position, and the teeth across from the gap will move downward or upward.

Aside from the obvious cosmetic problem, the changed positions of these teeth can lead to severe bite problems causing jaw pain and headaches. Tooth loss also can lead to shortening of the face.

Missing teeth should be replaced to keep other teeth in their normal positions. This can be done by means of a fixed dental bridge or a dental implant. Both of these treatments offer a good functional and cosmetic result.

Dental Bridge

For those who have one or more missing teeth, a dental bridge can literally “bridge the gap” with a false tooth or teeth between the teeth that remain. A dental bridge can be secured by tooth crowns on each end or by dental implants.

Dental Implants

Dental implants, which provide the anchor to permanently replace missing teeth, can preserve bone mass and facial structure, significantly improving your ability to eat what you want with comfort and confidence.

Dental implants are the restorative dentistry option of choice when replacing a single tooth because you don’t have to file down and crown two extra teeth to place a dental bridge.

Composite Restorations (Natural-colored Fillings)

Woman who had her missing teeth restored in Palm Harbor by the Trinity dentists at Prestige Dentistry.Not long ago, dentists used silver and mercury amalgam to fill cavities. Silver fillings do not bond to a tooth, so a chamber must be cut into the tooth which is larger than the exterior. This keeps the filling in the tooth. Because a larger amount of the original tooth must be removed, these types of fillings often weaken teeth and can cause cracks over time.

Recent innovations now allow Prestige dentists in Palm Harbor and Trinity, FL to replace old silver fillings with composite or porcelain fillings that are stronger, safer, and more natural-looking. These materials actually do bond to tooth and provide more protection from fracturing.

Materials are layered into the tooth and hardened with an intense light. The final surface is shaped and polished to match the tooth, making it virtually invisible to the naked eye, giving you a beautiful new smile.

Metal-free fillings are more natural-looking and compatible with living tissue, which reduces the risk of allergic reaction to metals.

Dentures

There are primarily two different types of dentures.

  • Traditional dentures, which can be full or partial removable dentures; full dentures are used when no natural teeth are present, and partial dentures can attach to healthy remaining teeth.
  • Dental implant-supported, removable dentures, which can be secured into the mouth by “snapping” into the dental implants and don’t require adhesive pastes. These dentures are very secure.

Dental Bonding

Bonding is used to repair chipped, broken, or discolored teeth; fill in gaps between teeth; or protect the roots of teeth exposed by receding gums. Bonding is virtually painless and can usually be completed in one visit, although complex cases may require several appointments.

Inlays and Onlays

These are restorations that are similar to tooth crowns, yet they need less preparation of the tooth’s surface. They are more conservative than placing full tooth crowns and can be made in gold, other precious metals, porcelain, or composite. Some patients prefer porcelain or composite because they look most similar to natural teeth.

Porcelain Crowns

When too much of a tooth is removed to support a filling, a dental crown may be used to restore the tooth’s natural shape and size and to strengthen it. All-ceramic tooth crowns contain no metal, giving them a natural appearance.

At Prestige Dentistry in Trinity and Palm Harbor, our computer-assisted design ensures a precise fit, and the quality materials used result in outstanding strength and durability.

Porcelain crowns in Trinity and Palm Harbor help patients to improve their smiles quickly.Porcelain crowns may be needed to:

  • Restore a tooth unable to support a large filling.
  • Attach a dental bridge.
  • Protect a weak tooth from fracturing or restore fractured teeth.
  • Cover badly shaped or discolored teeth.
  • Cap a dental implant.

Full-Mouth Restoration

A full-mouth restoration is an intensive process which may combine restorative, reconstructive, endodontic, and periodontic treatments to give you a healthy, functional, beautiful smile.

Good candidates for full-mouth restorations are those whose jaws don’t close properly or whose teeth don’t touch correctly, those who have many damaged or worn teeth, those who grind their teeth, or those who have had teeth lost or damaged due to illness, injury, or other circumstances.

Many of those who undergo full-mouth restoration actually save money because we create a total plan which combines treatments whenever possible to give patients the best possible outcomes and value.

Restore Your Smile at Prestige Dentistry!

To learn more about the restorative dentistry options available at Prestige Dentistry, including tooth crowns, dentures, and dental bridges, contact our Trinity or Palm Harbor office today. Give us a call or fill out the form on this page.

We can help you set up a consultation to talk to Drs. Pielak or Horwitz about the best options to restore your most beautiful smile!