Veneers | 1 | Uptown Dental Associates | Albuquerque, NM

Restore Your Smile’s Health

January 23, 2018
General Dentistry

Even if you brush every morning and night, floss daily, and visit us at Uptown Dental Associates twice per year as you should, things can and do go wrong with your oral health. Bacteria can take hold and lead to gum disease or cavities. An abscess can ravage your toothp pulp. You can even lose teeth altogether due to decay or accidental mishaps.

Restorative dentistry is the practice of diagnosing and treating broken, decayed, or missing teeth. At Uptown Dental Associates of Albuquerque, NM, we offer whichever restorative procedures you may need to bring your smile back to health. Call (505) 219-4548 to book an appointment.

Fillings Repair Cavities

A cavity is an area of decay in your tooth that eventually develops into a hole. A cavity must be treated with a filling, both to prevent pain and to keep it from getting larger. Traditionally, cavities have been filled with unsightly metal, or amalgam, fillings. While some practices still use metal fillings, at Uptown Dental Associates we use composite resin to fill cavities. The material is precisely matched to your natural tooth color. It is durable and looks totally natural. When you smile, there will be no glimpse of metal. No one will even know you have a cavity!

Root Canals Stop Pain

Root canals have a reputation for being excruciatingly painful and unpleasant, but the truth is, most patients report that they are no more uncomfortable than getting a regular filling placed. And if you have an abscess or infection deep within your tooth, a root canal is essential to saving the tooth and yes, stopping the pain of the infection. In the root canal procedure, Dr. Shepherd or Dr. Rasmussen will make a small opening in your tooth. We will then remove the infected pulp and thoroughly clean the chamber. The space will be filled with a special material and a crown placed on top of the tooth.

Crowns Protect and Strengthen Teeth

A dental crown is a cap that covers your entire tooth. You may need a crown if you have an area of decay too large to be fixed by a filling, your tooth has been weakened by a root canal, or your tooth is cracked or broken. A crown may also be used to hide cosmetic problems, like unattractively worn-down teeth or severe staining.

Sometimes you need a larger restoration than a filling, but don’t require something covering your entire tooth. In this case, you may be a candidate for a partial crown, inlay, or onlay. An inlay is a restoration that fills the space on the biting surface of the tooth between the cusps. An onlay is similar but covers more of the tooth’s surface.

Bridges Bridge the Gap

If you have a missing tooth (or multiple adjacent missing teeth), a dental bridge is a restoration that will close the gap in your grin. A bridge restores function prevents healthy teeth from migrating into the empty space, and gives you the confidence of knowing you have a beautiful, complete smile.

A traditional dental bridge consists of an artificial tooth, or pontic, supported by dental crowns placed atop the adjoining healthy teeth. We will have to remove some enamel on those teeth to enable the crowns to fit properly.

At Uptown Dental Associates, we also offer fixed implant bridges, which are bridges supported by dental implants. These bridges offer the unparalleled stability of dental implants and do not require the alteration of healthy teeth.

Dental Implants Function Like Real Teeth

For patients who need replacement teeth, dental implants are the closest thing to the real deal. A dental implant is an artificial titanium tooth root that’s surgically implanted into the jawbone. As you heal from the procedure, your bone will grow around the implant and securely anchor it into place. Dental implants look, feel, and function just like real teeth. Your full bite strength will be restored, and dental implants protect against the bone loss that may occur with traditional bridges and dentures.

A dental implant may be used to restore just one tooth or multiple. We can affix dental bridges to dental implants, and even a full-arch denture.

Traditional Dentures Are Better Than Ever

If you have missing teeth but your jawbone is not thick enough to support dental implants, traditional dentures may be the best option for you. Thanks to improvements in materials and manufacturing, today’s dentures are far better fitting, more comfortable, and more natural looking than dentures of the past. At our Albuquerque, NM office, we will be happy to fit you with full-arch or partial dentures.

To book an appointment or learn more about the restorative dentistry options at Uptown Dental Associates, fill out and submit our online form. Or call our Albuquerque, NM office at (505) 219-4548.