Restore Your Smile In Novi or Plymouth
Keeping your teeth strong and healthy is always our goal at Provident Dentistry. Our dentists are highly experienced in all aspects of restorative dentistry. If the condition of your teeth has been compromised due to infection or decay, we can restore the health and beauty of your smile and bring back your confidence. When you come in for a consultation, we’ll perform a comprehensive exam, discuss your options, and recommend the optimal treatment plan for you. Don’t allow your symptoms to progress, call us today and our team will take care of you.
Tooth Fillings
Filings are just that – they ‘fill’ in a cavity that is often caused by decay. A filling is a way to restore a tooth damaged by decay or trauma back to its normal function and shape. If you have a tooth that requires a filling, the dentist will first remove any decayed tooth material, clean the affected area, and then fill the cleaned out cavity with a filling material, typically a tooth colored composite resin. Our team will choose a composite shade that best matches the appearance of your surrounding teeth, creating a more natural appearance than older amalgam (silver) fillings. A filling also helps prevent further decay by closing off any cracks or spaces where bacteria can enter. For patients who follow a routine cleaning regimen, we are able to catch cavities in their early stages when the hole can be filled with a simple composite, porcelain, or amalgam filling.
Root Canal Treatment
Root canal treatment (or endodontic therapy) is a procedure that can be performed to save a tooth that would otherwise need extraction due to infection. Thankfully, modern dental technology has come leaps and bounds to create root canal therapy that is conservative, gentle and maintains the original structure of the tooth. With treatment that is no more uncomfortable than a simple dental filling, patients can experience necessary dental care to protect and restore their smile.
This therapy is made necessary when the nerve and blood vessels inside the tooth (called the pulp) become affected by trauma or decay, often leading to infection, inflammation, abscess, and sometimes severe pain. However, not every sensitive tooth or toothache is an early sign of a root canal, but when a cavity, chipped tooth, or broken crown goes left untreated it can quickly evolve into a painful dental problem. Before this happens, root canal therapy is advised to effectively restore the tooth to its healthy beauty, feel and function.
Symptoms that indicate the pulp has become infected may include sensitivity to hot/cold or sweets, swelling, pain to biting or pressure, and a bad taste in the mouth. However, sometimes no symptoms are apparent and you may be unaware of any problem until a checkup.
During a root canal, we numb the tooth using a local anesthetic. Then we access the pulp by creating a small hole in the crown of the tooth, which allows us to clear out the infected tissue using a series of small drills and files and then the canals are disinfected. Once the infection is resolved, the canal is filled in to prevent any further infection. Usually a core build-up and crown is recommended for restoring a tooth that has undergone root canal therapy. This process often can be done in just one visit, but sometimes can require multiple appointments if we need to place antibiotics inside the tooth to rid the canals of severe infection.
Dental Crowns and Bridges
Our Provident Dentistry team is renowned for our quality restorations. When it is determined that a patient should be provided with a crown, we understand the importance of providing a restoration that can protect the natural tooth and keep it from experiencing further damage. A crown is recommended when severe decay or breakage occurs leaving it beyond repair in itself. Crowns are perfect for repairing many dental problems and can permanently replace teeth in conjunction with a dental implant to maintain chewing, biting, and speaking efficiency. If you are coming in for a crown for the first time, no need to sweat! Our team is happy to go over the process with you. Dental crowns look completely natural while fixing the smile and improving the functionality of the teeth.
During your initial visit, you can expect our team to remove decay and reshape your tooth, then take a digital scan so your permanent crown can be fabricated. We will then place a temporary crown on the tooth until you return for the replacement of your permanent crown. The crown is then permanently cemented into place. Afterwards, you can then begin enjoying your new, beautiful smile!
What is a dental crown/bridge?
A crown or bridge is a tooth-shaped cap implemented over a broken, damaged, or deteriorated tooth. They are fixed prosthetic devices that function as a synthetic tooth. A crown repairs a broken or damaged tooth and restores a tooth to its original appearance and prevents further damage or decay; a bridge utilizes existing teeth to fill gaps left vacant by a missing tooth.
How long is a dental crown procedure?
A dental crown procedure requires two visits. The first appointment consists of shaping the tooth to prepare it for the crown, taking impressions to create your new tooth-like crown, and implanting a temporary crown. All this only takes 30 minutes to an hour. Following the first appointment, about one to two weeks are needed for the crown or bridge fabrication. When that’s ready, you’ll make a return visit to have it fitted and shaped further and inserted permanently upon achieving a proper fit and comfortable bite. This can typically be completed in about 20-30 minutes.
Is a dental crown procedure painful?
The tooth is numbed during the procedure so it isn’t painful. When it’s over and the anesthesia wears off, there may be minimal sensitivity with the crown or some soreness in the gums around the tooth. This sensitivity and soreness should subside over time. Don’t fret, we’ll take good care of you at Provident.
What’s the cost?
Generally, the cost ranges between $800 to $1700, with a portion covered by insurance. The type of crown can fluctuate the price based on its material (stainless steel, metals, porcelain, etc.)
What’s a dental crown procedure at Provident Dentistry like?
Provident Dentistry uses porcelain and zirconia crowns to aesthetically match your current teeth. This help makes the crown discreet. At Provident Dentistry (Novi) Kim is our queen of the lab and the artist behind our in-house crowns. Kim is certified in the CEREC machine levels 1-4, which is used to design crowns – this means your entire procedure can be done right in-house if you desire, and drastically cuts back on the waiting time to receive your new tooth. If you’re ready to book or want to learn more don’t hesitate to contact our team.
Inlays and Onlays
Teeth with large defects or cavities that are not large enough to warrant a crown can be conservatively restored using an inlay or an onlay rather than just a filling. An inlay is an indirect restoration (filling) consisting of a solid substance (such as porcelain, composite resin, zirconia, or gold) fitted to a cavity in a tooth and cemented into place. An onlay is the same as an inlay, except that it extends to replace a cusp of the tooth (the bumps/pointy area of your back teeth). Crowns are onlays which completely cover all surfaces of a tooth.
Dentures
A denture is a removable replacement for missing teeth and surrounding tissues. There are two types of dentures available, including partial and complete dentures. Partial dentures are used when some natural teeth remain, while complete dentures are used to replace all of the teeth in one or both arches (upper and lower). Dentures can be made to resemble your natural teeth or a new smile altogether. In certain situations, dentures may be the best way to improve your smile and restore your sense of confidence.
At your consultation, we’ll assess the condition of your teeth, jaw, and surrounding tissue. If you’re already missing your teeth, we’ll take the impression of your gums and prepare the mold for full or partial dentures. If some of your teeth need to be removed, we’ll schedule to have them removed in one or more sessions, when you are ready. We offer conventional full dentures, for which you’ll need to wait until your gums heal after teeth removal. However, if you don’t want to wait, our experienced dentists will deliver an immediate full denture. For the immediate option, we’ll take the measurements/impression of your jaw before removing your teeth and install the dentures immediately after the teeth are removed. You won’t have to spend any time without your teeth, but you’ll need a follow up visit or two to readjust the dentures when the gums have healed.
We may also recommend an implant retained denture, which is a denture that is held in place by dental implants and can be removed from the mouth during sleep or during daily cleaning routines. However, unlike conventional dentures which simply slip into place, these dentures are anchored to fixed titanium posts embedded in the jawbone that mimic natural tooth roots. Implant retained dentures are much better for patients than standard dentures because the implants themselves keep the jawbone constantly stimulated with the vibrations of chewing and eating. They also evenly distribute chewing forces over the entirety of the arch and surrounding tissue.
Dental Implants
Dental implants provide a strong foundation for natural-looking teeth replacements. Conventional implants consist of the three components, the implant, which is placed into the jawbone, an abutment (a metal piece that is screwed into the implant), and then a crown. Our doctors use a surgical guide to position the implants perfectly, which is the first step in maximizing the success rate of the procedure. Implants posts that are placed into the jaw can be used to anchor in crowns, bridges, or dentures. Not only do they function just like natural teeth roots, they also allow for bone tissue to fuse onto the post naturally creating a solid foundation to anchor the replacement tooth.
Your new implant will go unnoticeable. With our advanced technology, all teeth look exactly like your natural teeth creating a seamless smile which can improve speech, allow for hard-to-chew foods to be introduced back into your diet and, overall, improve your quality of life – even your confidence!
We have one of the lowest cost of total implant solutions. This may include bone grafting, implants, abutments, and crowns. Call us today to find more.
