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RESTORATIVE DENTISTRY
LEARN ABOUT OUR RESTORATIVE DENTISTRY SERVICE
The term "restorative dentistry" is the integrated management of oral health problems and restoration of the mouth to a functional and esthetic state. While it is not currently recognized as a dental specialty by the American Dental Association, general dentists are able to perform many of these procedures without additional education and certification. It all depends on how difficult the procedure is and what the dental professional feels comfortable with. Many of the procedures are also covered by the dental specialty of prosthodontic dentistry, including fillings, veneers, crowns, bridges, full and dental implants.
Here at Vancouver Pacific Family Dentistry, we are proud to offer restorative dentistry services to our Vancouver, WA patients. We know that experiencing dental issues can be frustrating. However, we are here to make you smile again. Our dental office provides the utmost comfort for our patients. Give us a call today to learn more.
RESTORATIVE DENTISTRY
RESTORATIVE DENTISTRY SERVICES
A dental crown is a tooth-shaped “cap” that is cemented onto your natural tooth, resulting in a long-lasting and fully functional tooth restoration!
Inlays and Onlays are used to repair damage to a tooth’s biting surface (or cusp) with a type of filling that is less invasive than a crown.
We offer implant dentistry services at our Vancouver office to help our patients restore their teeth and complete their smiles.
Dental bridges literally bridge the gap between healthy teeth and a decayed or missing tooth!
RESTORATIVE DENTISTRY
ESTHETIC CROWNS
If you want to restore your smile, we can help you here at Vancouver Pacific Family Dentistry. Our caring team specializes in restoring smiles to the fullest! A dental crown is a tooth-shaped “cap” that is cemented onto your natural tooth, resulting in a long-lasting and fully functional tooth restoration.
They are an excellent choice of restoration for many types of dental issues, such as:
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To strengthen and protect a decayed tooth, e.g. one with decay too large to be repaired by a filling
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To restore a badly worn down, chipped or cracked tooth
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To change or restore the shape, size or color of a tooth
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To complete a larger dental restoration, such as a dental implant or bridge
RESTORATIVE DENTISTRY
DENTAL CROWN MATERIALS
Crowns can be made of ceramic (porcelain-based), porcelain fused to metal, gold alloys, and base metal alloys. There are strengths and disadvantages to each type of material.
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Base Metal Alloys
are very strong and highly resistant to corrosion and wear, as well as gentle to opposing teeth. A base metal alloy crown typically requires the least amount of tooth structure to be removed.
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Gold Alloys
adhere strongly to the tooth structure and are highly biocompatible with gum tissue. It is resistant to wear and fracture and does not wear away opposing teeth.
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Porcelain Fused to Metal (PFM) Crowns
provide a good strength and seal to the teeth, preventing leakage and decrease recurring tooth decay. A moderate amount of tooth structure must be removed, but PFM crowns offer a stronger restoration than porcelain alone and are quite durable and strong. However over time, dark grey or black lines can begin to appear at the gum line as the metal base begins to show through.
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Ceramic
is especially recommended for restoring front teeth due to its highly natural appearance. Porcelain crowns can be shade-matched exactly to the shade of your other teeth, and unless damaged are highly resistant to staining. More tooth structure often must be removed for porcelain crown restorations, and because the material is not as durable as the other options it is not recommended for teeth that sustain heavy biting and chewing.
The Procedure:
After it’s been confirmed that your tooth and surrounding structure are in good health, getting a dental crown typically requires two visits.
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During the first visit, our dentists will numb the area and shape the tooth so that a crown can fit over it. They will take an impression, which will be sent to a dental lab where the crown is created to beautifully match your other teeth. He will fit you with a temporary crown to protect your tooth while the crown is being made, which generally takes about two weeks.
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On the second visit, our dentists will thoroughly inspect the permanent crown to ensure the correct size, shape and color. They will then remove the temporary crown and cement the permanent crown into place, again checking to be sure that fit, bite and aesthetics are correct. You will be given care instructions to ensure that your crown lasts a very long time. With proper care, dental crowns can last 10-20 years or even a lifetime!
RESTORATIVE DENTISTRY
DENTAL INLAYS & ONLAYS
What Are Inlays and Onlays?
Though traditional dental fillings are a great option for patients with minor tooth decay, what are the options for restoring a tooth with significant damage? Inlays and onlays, also known as indirect fillings, are a wonderful option of restoring a tooth with significant decay; they preserve the maximum amount of healthy tooth structure compared to a crown, and compared to a large filling they can actually strengthen the tooth!
Large fillings will actually weaken a tooth’s structure, greatly increasing the risk of the tooth breaking, cracking, and eventually requiring extensive restoration treatment such as root canal therapy. And if a good amount of healthy tooth structure is still intact, a crown would needlessly require a large amount of the tooth to be removed.
Difference between Inlays and Onlays
What is the difference between Inlays and Onlays? Simply put, inlays fit “in” the tooth while onlays fit “on” the tooth; inlays fill the space in between a tooth’s cusps (biting surfaces), while onlays, required for more extensively damaged teeth, spread over the cusps or the entire biting surface of the tooth.
The Procedure: Unlike traditional fillings which are placed in one visit, inlays and onlays typically require two visits.
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During the first visit, we will take an impression of the tooth, which will be sent to a dental lab to create the inlay or onlay, and a temporary filling material will be placed on the tooth.
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On the second visit, the temporary filling will be removed and the custom-made indirect filling will be cemented into place, resulting in a strong, stable and natural-looking restored tooth.
RESTORATIVE DENTISTRY
DENTAL IMPLANTS
Long-Lasting Approach For Tooth Replacement!
Dental implants are perhaps the most significant dental innovation of our generation! They are designed to mimic the entire structure of our natural teeth, With the highest success rate of all tooth replacement options, implants are the best long-term solution for replacing missing teeth. When properly placed and cared for, dental implants can last a lifetime.
Benefits of Dental Implants
Dental implants offer stability, strength, and oral health benefits that a fixed bridge or traditional denture simply can’t, due to their unique structure that replaces an entire tooth from the roots all the way to the visible dental crown.
Patients who are eligible for implant dentistry can benefit in numerous ways from an implant, such as the ability to eat and speak completely naturally, preventing jaw bone loss which would otherwise lead to numerous oral health complications, a very high success rate for a (often lifelong!) tooth replacement, and more. While dental implants are more costly than other tooth-replacement options, patients agree that they are well worth the investment has given their numerous, long-lasting advantages.
The Procedure:
Dental implant surgery is usually performed in stages over the course of several months, though at Vancouver Pacific Family Dentistry, we can sometimes provide same-day implants!
The traditional method of implant surgery consists of several stages, as follows:
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First, the dentist places the implant post into the jawbone and stitches closed the site where the implant was placed.
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The patient goes through a healing period during which the jawbone fuses with the implant; this period usually lasts three to six months.
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Once the healing period is done, the dentist makes an incision to expose the implant and places a healing cap on top of the implant, which helps the surrounding gum tissue to heal.
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After a few weeks, he removes the healing cap and attaches the abutment.
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Finally, the dentist makes an impression of your teeth and sends it to the dental lab to create your custom-made crown.
For cases in which structure must be built up to support the implant, additional procedures such as bone grafting or sinus augmentation must be completed before the implant can be placed. At Vancouver Pacific Family Dentistry, we can offer highly advanced regenerative therapy treatments which can greatly quicken the healing time for bone grafting and other related implant surgery procedures. Contact us to learn more about our range of regenerative therapy options!
For cases in which structure must be built up to support the implant, additional procedures such as bone grafting or sinus augmentation must be completed before the implant can be placed. At Vancouver Pacific Family Dentistry, we can offer highly advanced regenerative therapy treatments which can greatly quicken the healing time for bone grafting and other related implant surgery procedures. Contact us to learn more about our range of regenerative therapy options!
Same-Day Implants at Vancouver Pacific Family Dentistry
At Vancouver Pacific Family Dentistry, we can provide one-stage implant procedures! Our Dentists are highly skilled and experienced in implant dentistry, having placed and restored hundreds of dental implants. In most cases, they can perform a tooth extraction and place the implant, abutment and temporary crown in a single visit. This method reduces treatment time and requires fewer surgical procedures, while also offering better aesthetics and preservation of the bone structure.
In some cases, dental implants cannot be performed due to a lack of sufficient bone structure or chronic oral health issues. Regardless of the case, we will go over all available tooth replacement options to find the one that best suits you, your budget and your lifestyle.
DENTAL IMPLANTS
Making Dental Implants Affordable
Patients who choose dental implants are able to enjoy better oral and overall health as well as increased quality of life for the duration of their implant, which - with proper oral care - is typically a lifetime! Though dental implants are more costly than other tooth replacement options, their numerous and often lifelong benefits make them more than worth it.
We offer several options to help ensure that dental implants are affordable for virtually any budget. Insured patients may receive coverage on portions of the procedure, and for those without dental coverage, flexible patient financing offers payment options at a rate that suits you and your budget . Our team will work with you to find both treatment and payment plans that work best for you!
DENTAL IMPLANTS
RESTORATIVE DENTISTRY
DENTAL BRIDGES & PARTIALS
Dental bridges literally bridge the gap between healthy teeth and a decayed or missing tooth! They are a wonderful restoration option for patients who do not have enough bone structure to support a dental implant, or who do not want to commit to an implant. Bridges are a less costly alternative to replacing a missing tooth compared to a dental implant, and will still provide a long-lasting restoration to your smile!
Why Replace Missing Teeth?
Besides potentially causing patients to lose confidence in their smile, a single missing tooth can have far-reaching negative effects on your oral health. A missing tooth can cause difficulty speaking and eating, and over time will result in the shifting of other teeth, bone loss, an uneven bite, and an increased risk of periodontal issues.
The Procedure:
The traditional 3-unit dental bridge consists of the replacement tooth (the pontic) held in place on either side by dental crowns (abutments), which are cemented onto the teeth adjacent to the missing tooth. The procedure is similar to that of receiving a dental crown, and typically two or more visits are required.
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During the first visit, the abutment teeth are re-shaped so that the crowns can be placed over them. An impression of the teeth is made, which is sent to a dental lab to create the bridge. Our dentist will fit you with a temporary bridge to protect your teeth while your bridge is being crafted.
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During the second visit, the new permanent bridge as necessary. We will confirm that the permanent bridge matches the size, shape and color of your natural teeth, and also check for proper fit and bite. Multiple visits may be needed to ensure that the bridge is fitting properly before cementing it permanently into place.