In a perfect world, a solid dental hygiene routine would be enough to keep our smiles bright and beautiful throughout our lives. We wouldn’t have to worry about cavities and tooth decay. We’d never break or lose a permanent tooth. Unfortunately, that’s not the world we live in, since cavities, tooth decay, gum disease, and oral trauma can happen from time to time, even when you do take good care of your teeth and gums.
There is good news, though! When life happens, there’s a reliable way to repair your teeth and ensure they’re fully functional and look great once more. The office of Scott Edwards, DDS, is proud to offer patients a variety of restorative options to restore function and comfort to your teeth, mouth, and jaw.
What is restorative dentistry?
Restorative dentistry simply refers to any dental procedure that repairs or replaces a tooth with the goal of restoring both the appearance and the function of the teeth.
Our Memphis office uses cutting-edge technology and the highest-quality materials to provide patients with natural-looking crowns, bridges, implants, and veneers. These restorations are fully functional and offer exceptional results, and we offer a variety of restorative options to meet your smile needs and goals.
Dental crowns
Dental crowns are caps designed to cover your entire tooth. They’re commonly used to protect chipped, cracked, damaged, or eroded teeth. A crown can also:
- cover gaps between the teeth
- change the shape and size of the teeth
- cover stains to make teeth appear whiter
- provide damaged teeth with strong support and protection
- be the final step in a dental implant or root canal procedure
Crowns are created after taking impressions and measurements of the teeth involved. Each dental restoration is customized to match the natural tooth for a perfect fit that blends in with the surrounding teeth! They’re a long-lasting option with an average lifespan of about fifteen years (and sometimes longer.)
Before we place a crown for you, we’ll need to prepare the tooth. This involves Dr. Edwards removing a portion of the enamel from around your tooth, allowing the crown to encompass it. They will then use water-based glue to attach a temporary crown. Once your final crown is ready, we’ll have you return to our Memphis office so we can bond it in place, leaving you with a beautiful and fully functional smile!
Dental bridges
If you have one or more missing teeth in the same area, a dental bridge may be a good option for teeth replacement. You will need to have enough healthy teeth to serve as anchors for the bridge, however. Dental bridges are composed of a false tooth or teeth that are supported by dental crowns. The appliance is placed on the natural teeth surrounding the gap, “bridging” it to improve both the form and function of the teeth.
Bridges can be an excellent non-surgical solution for tooth loss, and look completely normal when the process is completed by a skilled and experienced dentist like Dr. Edwards.
Dental implants
If you’ve lost any of your permanent teeth, dental implants can serve as an advanced, long-term alternative to traditional dentures. It’s important to deal with tooth loss as soon as possible. After losing a tooth, the jawbone will no longer receive stimulation in that space. Without stimulation, the body thinks that the jawbone is no longer necessary in that area, and will start leaching calcium from it. This process is called resorption, and it can lead to devastating changes in the face, including a sunken appearance.
During this procedure, Dr. Edwards will implant a titanium rod under the gums and secure it to the jawbone. These small titanium posts are designed to replace missing teeth in a way that mimics the function of natural tooth roots. The bone and metal will then fuse together through something called osseointegration. Once this part of the process is complete, we can secure an artificial tooth to the post and attach a permanent dental crown. The result is teeth that look, feel, and behave like your natural ones!
Dental veneers
Veneers are custom-made shells crafted from a thin tooth-colored material, like porcelain or plastic, and designed to cover the front side of teeth. Veneers can improve teeth that have excess spacing issues, as well as teeth that are worn, chipped, stained, or crooked. Because veneers can correct such a wide variety of dental problems, they are one of the most popular dental procedures around!
Having veneers placed is usually an irreversible process since it’s necessary to remove a small amount of enamel from your tooth to accommodate the shell. You may need to avoid certain foods and beverages if you have veneers, since things like coffee, tea, and red wine can stain or discolor them. Veneers are generally known for being very durable and long-lasting, but you’ll have to be a bit careful to make sure that they don’t stain, chip, or crack.
Find your best smile at the dental offices of Scott Edwards, DDS
Dr. Scott Edwards and his team know that having your mouth worked on can be overwhelming, especially if you have painful or serious problems that require multiple procedures. Our practice is committed to providing you with a calm environment to ensure your time with us is as stress-free as possible no matter what you’re having done that day!
If you’re in Memphis or the surrounding area and are struggling with serious dental issues, our restorative treatments could help you find relief. Get in touch today to schedule an appointment and let our expert team help you start smiling again!