Restorative Dentistry

Composite bonding can work wonders for your smile. Using materials that match the shade, translucency and the texture of your teeth, gaps between teeth can be closed, spots and discolorations can be eliminated, and your self-confidence can be enhanced through the improved appearance of your smile.

Dr. Dingman will match the shade of your existing teeth and then tooth-colored composite resin is applied to the tooth much like the filling procedure.

The procedure is sometimes referred to as bonding because an adhesive agent is used to actually bond the resin to the tooth structure.

The resin is hardened (cured) with a curing light and then shaped, contoured, and polished to give a cosmetic and natural appearance. Bonding is the least expensive cosmetic procedure and can be completed during a single dental visit.

Composite bonding is excellent for small defects in the teeth — spots, chips, or gaps between teeth. For smile alterations involving an entire tooth or multiple teeth, porcelain is the material of choice.

Bridges are fixed, or non-removable prosthesis constructed to replace one or more missing teeth. The teeth on both sides of the existing space are used to attach the bridge to restore functionality and aesthetics. Materials used for this process are noble alloys, porcelain or porcelain fused to metal. Bridges are indicated whenever at least one tooth is missing.

A bridge is composed of abutments and pontics. Abutments are the supports for the bridge and consist of crowns placed on the teeth surrounding the empty space. The pontics are special crowns that span across the empty space and connect to the abutments.

When teeth are prepared for a bridge, the abutments are prepared for crowns just as described in crowns. Dr. Dingman will then take an impression of the prepared teeth, make a temporary bridge to place on the teeth to protect them and maintain their positions, and send the impression to a dental laboratory to fabricate the bridge. At your next visit, Dr. Dingman will try-in the bridge to ensure a good fit and then cement the bridge in place.

Dentures are divided into two main categories: complete dentures and partial dentures. If you are missing many teeth, Dr. Dingman may recommend dentures or partials.

Complete dentures are designed to replace the teeth in an entire arch when all the teeth are missing. Partial dentures are used when there are still teeth present in the arch.

Complete and partial dentures can provide patients with a functional replacement when teeth have been lost.

Complete dentures consist of an acrylic base to imitate gum tissue, and the teeth that can be made of acrylic or porcelain. The denture base is made to closely fit the contours of the arch to ensure the denture is stable during normal oral functions such as eating, speaking, or swallowing.

Partial dentures can be made with a metal framework that has acrylic base and teeth attached in the areas where the teeth are missing. The metal framework also has clasps or arms that extend out and fit around some of the existing teeth. The combination of the acrylic base and the arms that wrap around some of the teeth keep the partial denture stable during normal oral functions.

There are a lot of indications for the patients wearing dentures in order to maintain the health of oral tissues. Dr. Dingman will provide all necessary information for patient education. These prosthetics can be fixed or removable, and with modern dental materials, they look totally natural.

Despite improvements in dental care, millions of Americans suffer tooth loss – mostly due to tooth decay, gingivitis (gum disease), or injury. For many years, the only treatment options available for people with missing teeth were bridges and dentures. But today dental implants are becoming the standard of care.

Dental implants are replacement tooth roots. Implants provide a strong foundation for fixed (permanent) or removable replacement teeth that are made to match your natural teeth. Some advantages of dental implants include improved appearance, speech, comfort, and oral health. Eating will be easier and pain-free. Implants are also very durable. With good care, many implants last a lifetime. Because implants are not removable, there is no need for the messy adhesives to keep your dentures in place.

A root canal is a treatment used to save a tooth that is badly decayed and/or becomes infected. Nerve and pulp, the soft area within the center of the tooth, can become irritated, inflamed, and infected due to deep decay, repeated dental procedures on a tooth, large fillings, a crack or chip in the tooth, or trauma to the face. During a root canal procedure, the nerve and pulp is removed and the inside of the tooth is cleaned and sealed.

Root canal procedures have the reputation of being painful. In reality, most patients report that the procedure itself is no more painful than having a filling placed. The discomfort experienced in the period leading up to dental care is truly the painful period of time, not the root canal procedure itself.

Signs you may need a root canal:

• Severe toothache pain upon chewing or application of pressure
• Prolonged sensitivity/pain to heat or cold temperatures (after the hot or cold has been removed)
• Discoloration (a darkening) of the tooth
• Swelling and tenderness in the nearby gums
• A persistent or recurring pimple on the gums
• Sometimes no symptoms are present

What Should I Expect After the Root Canal?
The root canal procedure should relieve the pain you feel. Until your root canal procedure is completely finished – that is to say, the permanent filling is in place and/or the crown is placed, it is wise to minimize chewing on the tooth under repair. This step will help avoid re contamination of the interior of the tooth and also may prevent a fragile tooth from breaking before the tooth can be fully restored. For the first few days following the completion of treatment, the tooth may feel sensitive due to natural tissue inflammation, especially if there was pain or infection before the procedure.

As far as oral health care is concerned, brush and floss as you regularly would and see your dentist at normally scheduled intervals. The final step of the root canal procedure is application of a restoration such as a crown, to cover and protect the tooth.

Crowns are used to restore both anterior and posterior teeth that have been broken or are at high risk of doing so due to large old fillings or fractures. There are a variety of materials used to design these reconstructions in laboratories. The crowns will look and feel close to your real teeth.

Crowns, also called caps are indicated if a significant portion of the tooth is missing. Usually, extensive decay, injury or root canal therapy, are the reasons when a crown is recommended. Crowns are usually either made of noble alloys, or porcelain. There are many different types of porcelain crowns and Dr. Dingman will determine which type is best suited for your particular need.

During your first visit to Canyon Dentistry,  Dr. Dingman will prepare your tooth structure and then take an impression of the prepared tooth, make a temporary crown to place on the tooth, and send the impression to a dental laboratory to fabricate the crown. At your next visit, Dr. Dingman will try-in the crown to ensure a good fit and then cement the crown in place. When a tooth is compromised by decay or damage, Dr. Dingman may suggest a crown, inlay, or onlay. These restorations, made in a lab from fine dental porcelain, will blend seamlessly with your teeth, return the strength that you need for comfortable oral function, and maintain your all-white smile.

Dr. Dingman places composite resin fillings that are carefully selected to match your teeth. Modern dentistry has allowed us to combine beauty as well as strength when filling teeth.

That way the restorations are close to their original strength and appearance with composite resins and other modern materials. The patient comfort is always the main priority of the dental team, leading to a positive experience.

Fillings (restorations) are used to replace tooth structure that is decayed. Cavities can be detected through direct observation or x-rays. Fillings are also used to repair fractured, broken, or severely worn teeth.

Dr. Dingman will proceed to cavity preparation, removing any remaining decay and shaping the final cavity. The next step will be the addition of composite-resin filling material, cured (hardened) after with a curing light. The final step will be polishing the filling to adapt it smoothly to the natural shape of the tooth.

In some cases cavity preparation could become very large for usual fillings and Dr. Dingman will recommend an inlay or an onlay (partial crown), restorations designed to replace more tooth structure. Those restorations are made in a dental laboratory after the dentist has taken you an impression of the preparation. The final placement of inlay or onlay will be made in a second visit at the dental office.