Lose a tooth? We can help you choose the right replacement option.
CROWN & BRIDGE is a collective phrase for several methods of restoring teeth. When a tooth has been damaged but is healthy enough to save, we place a crown that covers it and binds it together for strength. Crowns can be fashioned from gold or alloys, porcelain, or a combination of materials.
A bridge can span a single missing tooth, or many. Conventional bridges usually involve crowns at both ends with a false tooth, called a “pontic.”
DENTURES—full or partial—are artificial teeth, usually removable, that fit over the gums where natural teeth are missing. We place conventional dentures after all tissues have healed. Immediate dentures go in immediately after remaining natural teeth are removed, allowing the patient to have teeth during the healing period. Because bones and gums shrink, especially during the first six months after tooth removal, immediate dentures may require relining to fit properly.
DENTAL IMPLANTS are a safe and successful alternative for appropriate patients, no matter if they’ve lost one tooth, or several, or are entirely toothless. We set one or more implant anchors into the jawbone, then give the bone time to grow into the implant itself. Once this bond is made, we cap the root with a natural-appearing replacement tooth, or use it as an anchor to support a crown or bridge if multiple teeth are missing.
