At Brockley Dental Center, we believe that your oral health and overall smile satisfaction come first. Our patients deserve a healthy, happy smile they can be proud of. But when teeth are worn down, broken, or even missing, it can create a lot of problems for patients. A damaged smile needs to be restored, and fortunately, Brockley Dental Center does just that! For our patients in Butler and beyond, we offer restorative dentistry that aims to improve your smile’s health and wellness.
What Is Restorative Dentistry?
Restorative dentistry is a field of dentistry that focuses on restoring your teeth to their original state. We want your smile to look the way it did before any decay, infection, or trauma.
But at Brockley Dental Center, we take restorative dentistry one step further. We focus on restoring function, appearance, and durability to offer the best solutions for our clients.
Our restorative procedures begin with a comprehensive plan, made at your initial consultation. At this consultation, we’ll determine your needs, establish a path back to a healthy and happy smile, and make it happen!
Depending on the extent of work you need done, our restorative dental treatments may vary. Your plan can include any of the following treatments, or a combination of a few.
Restorative Dentistry Procedures
Fillings
Most people have had at least one cavity in their life. In fact, according to Cleveland Clinic, more than 80% of the American population has a cavity in their adult teeth by their mid-30s!
Most often, we treat cavities with dental fillings. This restorative procedure is a very common method of repairing and protecting decayed teeth.
We simply remove the decayed portion of your tooth and fill it with dental filling material. At our office, we use tooth-colored composite resin to blend in with your natural tooth. Then we fill the hole in your tooth one layer at a time, hardening the material with a curing light.
Once we fill the hole and shape and harden the composite, your tooth should look as good as new!
Root Canals
When decay or infection breaches your enamel, bacteria can get inside your tooth.
The innermost layer of your tooth, known as the pulp chamber, houses sensitive dental pulp made of blood vessels, connective tissues, and nerves. When pulp is infected, it can cause intense pain or discomfort. A root canal helps clear out the infection, providing immense pain relief! Then, to protect the tooth from reinfection, we place a dental crown on top.
Without this restorative procedure, the infection may spread, forcing us to extract the tooth. But root canals help keep your natural teeth healthy and functional.
Unfortunately, root canals have a bad reputation for being painful. But in most cases, we find our patients feel less pain after a root canal!
Crowns
A dental crown is a tooth-shaped cap that covers the entire tooth’s structure. Crowns protect and strengthen damaged teeth that fillings can’t treat.
At Brockley Dental Center, we typically use porcelain crowns, as they match the color of your natural teeth. These restorations are designed to fit naturally into your smile, while restoring the original shape and size of your damaged tooth.
Reasons you may need a crown include:
- Teeth that are cracked or fractured
- Teeth that are worn down or misshapen
- Teeth that are severely decayed
- Teeth with root canals
While we can use dental crowns for purely cosmetic reasons, we typically recommend crowns for more restorative dentistry.
Bridges
A dental bridge replaces one or more missing teeth and is a non-removable appliance.
Traditional bridges are typically made of porcelain fused to metal. These artificial teeth, called pontics, fit in the gaps of your smile and have two crowns on either end for support. The crowns go over the healthy teeth next to the gap in your smile, keeping the bridge secure while you chew and speak.
However, crowning teeth involves removing some of your enamel. This process is irreversible, so you will be permanently altering your healthy teeth.
For patients who want to avoid that, we recommend implant-supported bridges. These dental bridges rely on dental implants that we place in your jaw, rather than crowns for support. Without altering your healthy teeth, we can restore your smile and keep your natural teeth healthy!
Dentures
As you may expect, dentures replace all of your teeth. If you’re struggling with total tooth loss, we can provide you with a denture that uses your gums and jaw for support, fitting perfectly in your mouth to replicate your natural smile.
Unfortunately, traditional dentures aren’t made to last. These restorations will eventually lose their fit as your jawbone shifts over time. Ill-fitting or loose dentures cause major functional issues for patients, affecting their ability to eat and speak.
At Brockley Dental Center, we often use dental implants to solve this problem. While traditional dentures may help initially, implant-supported dentures provide a solution that lasts! These restorations rely on dental implants we place in your jaw, keeping your smile stable.
Dental Implants
Brockley Dental Center uses mini dental implants, a smaller type of implant that provides many benefits for patients. Not only do these small titanium posts replace missing teeth, but they also:
Keep your jawbone healthy: Dental implants embed in your jawbone, taking the place of natural tooth roots. In doing so, they stimulate your jawbone, preventing bone loss and keeping your smile healthier.- Are minimally invasive: Because mini implants are smaller in diameter, they require a less invasive procedure. Rather than using incisions and large drills, we simply make a small pilot hole and place the implant in your jaw without the hassle.
- Cost less than other implant options: Traditional dental implants are larger and have multiple pieces, making them more expensive. But thanks to the small size, simple procedure, and one-piece design of mini implants, patients can enjoy a more affordable solution to tooth loss.
To learn if you’re a good candidate for mini dental implants, book a consultation today at our office in Butler, PA.
Restore Your Smile With Restorative Dentistry in Butler, PA
You deserve a healthy and happy smile. When something goes wrong with your oral health, we recommend visiting Brockley Dental Center for an initial consultation! There, we will determine what treatments suit your needs and create a plan that will improve your smile’s health and appearance. Whether you need a root canal, dental bridge, or dental implant, we have a solution for you.
Book your consultation in Butler, PA, today!
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