DENTAL RESTORATIVE AND COSMETIC SERVICES
DENTAL RESTORATIVE AND COSMETIC SERVICES IN SIMCOE, ONTARIO
Dr. Macdonald and his staff offer years of experience helping patients achieve beautiful, pain-free smiles. We offer a variety of restorative and cosmetic services in our office to assist you in attaining a perfect, confident smile. These procedures can be performed pain-free through the use of numbing gel, local anesthetic, and nitrous oxide sedation.
In this section you would find information about: Crowns, Bridges, Implants, Fillings, Root Canal, Partial and Complete Dentures, Wisdom Teeth and General Extractions, Oral Surgery, Cosmetic Whitening and Air Abrasion.
CROWNS
A crown is the most common way to restore a single broken down tooth to its original size, shape and colour. Crowns are made of gold, porcelain, new zirconia (artificial diamond), or a combination of these. The colour of the crown is matched to your natural teeth so that it is indistinguishable. Crowns are typically recommended for teeth that are weak or have had a root canal to prevent further damage and to increase tooth durability.
What to Expect
Your crown will consist of two appointments: the prep and the insert. The prep appointment is typically an hour, and the insert is half an hour. A crown is created by first contouring the broken down tooth, then taking an image of it, from which the final crown will be made. This procedure will require local anesthetic to make your experience pain free. You will have a temporary crown on your tooth while your final crown is being made. The temporary crown will be removed and the final crown will be cemented when ready.
Results
Crowns typically last 5 to 15 years, but can even last up to 25 or 30 with good oral hygiene and regular dental visits. It is important to avoid foods such as hard candies and chewing on hard objects that could crack or dislodge the crown. Your new crown will look and feel natural, and restore functionality to the tooth.
BRIDGES
A bridge replaces one or more missing teeth. There are different types, but all are made of gold, porcelain, zirconia or a combination of these. A conventional bridge is made up of 2 crowns linked by a replacement tooth. Other types of bridges may only have one crown next to the replacement, or may have ‘wings’ that are bonded to the back of the teeth on either side of the replacement.
What to Expect
Preparation for a bridge is similar to a crown, and will involve a prep and insert appointment. The teeth on either side of the missing tooth are contoured and an image is taken, which is sent to a lab. You will be given local anesthetic for this procedure to ensure it is pain free, and sedation is also available. A temporary bridge is made for you while the permanent bridge is being made. Two weeks later the temporary will be removed and the final bridge will be cemented.
Results
A bridge is a permanent fix for missing teeth, compared to partial dentures, and will prevent teeth from drifting and improve your ability to chew normally. A bridge will normally last 5 to 15 years, or even longer with good oral hygiene and regular dental visits.
IMPLANTS
Implants are to replace missing teeth. An implant consists of one or more artificial metal ‘roots’ in your jawbone and artificial teeth. They look, feel and perform just like natural teeth.
What to Expect
The implant is placed into the jawbone at the time of a natural tooth extraction or anytime later. Local anesthetic will be used to allow the procedure to be pain free, and sedation is also available. You will be given pain medication and antibiotics, as well as a chlorhexiadine rinse to be used. There may be a metal healing abutment (looks like a small metal dome) covering the implant during integration (attachment) with your jawbone. After the initial surgery, it will take 4-6 months for the bone in your jaw to grow and fuse to the implant, during which time you may have a temporary tooth. Once the gum has healed a final impression will be taken and sent to a lab where the final replacement tooth will be made and attached to the implant.
Results
Dental implants can last a lifetime with proper oral hygiene and regular dental visits. The dentist will check that your bite is right and the implant is not loose. It is important to take very good care of the implants so that they do not fail, allowing you to enjoy the benefits for a long time. This is accomplished by following cleaning instructions given by the dentist and hygienist, using special dental brushes, and attending regular cleaning appointments. Implants allow you to chew properly, take the strain off of other teeth and can be used to improve your smile’s appearance.
FILLINGS
Teeth can form cavities when sugar combines with bacteria in the mouth to form acid, which weakens the enamel when proper flossing and brushing is not done to remove it. These cavities can continue to grow in size, and even become painful, if not detected and ‘filled’. In our office, we offer tooth-coloured restorations rather than the traditional silver amalgam filling. These restorations are strongly bonded, wear-resistant composite fillings that are able to restore decayed teeth.
What to Expect
Before starting the procedure, a local anesthetic will be given to the area so that it is pain-free. Nitrous oxide sedation is also available. The dentist will remove the bacterial decay in the tooth. It will then be cleaned, dried a sterilized preparation. It will then be filled with a tooth-coloured composite material and hardened with blue single wavelength light. The filling will then be contoured, polished and smoothed so that your bite is comfortable.
Results
Tooth-colored fillings last on average 5 to 7 years, or even longer with proper oral hygiene and regular dental visits. Fillings will prevent the decay from progressing further, which could lead to larger problems and allow your tooth to be pain-free. Benefits of these fillings include a natural, tooth-colored look, easily repairable by adding additional resin, and they provide a strong bond between the natural tooth and the restoration. Our office also offers bonding, (similar to a filling) shaping, and contouring teeth that are chipped or uneven.
ROOT CANAL / ENDODONTIC TREATMENT
Root canal therapy is a way to remove infected soft tissue inside the tooth (known as the pulp) due to trauma or bacterial decay. Some patients may experience sensitivity to hot, and cold, pain, swelling or no symptoms at all prior to having a root canal.
What to Expect
Root canal therapy consists of removing inflamed or infected pulp from the tooth, filling the spaces with a rubber-like substance that acts as a permanent bandage, and restoring the top, or crown, of the tooth to prevent damage and infection. This procedure is pain free (with the use of local anesthetic) and sedation is available. You may be given pain medication and antibiotics, as the area can be tender for a few days while it heals.
Results
Root canal therapy stops the infection, prevents it from spreading into the bone and causing bone loss, and allows you to keep your natural tooth without pain. Approximately 95% of teeth respond to normal root canal procedures, and with proper oral hygiene and regular dental visits the tooth can remain useful and functional just as long as other natural teeth. It is recommended to place a crown on a tooth with a root canal to prevent breakage.
PARTIAL DENTURES
A partial denture is one or more replacement teeth supported by a metal frame. It is removable, and usually held in place in the mouth by metal clasps.
What to Expect
Before making the partial denture, any existing dental work that needs to be done to prepare will be completed. Multiple impressions and bite registrations are required to construct a partial denture. Once the partial denture is made, it will be inserted and adjusted so that it is comfortable, looks natural, and functions properly. Your partial denture will then be checked and adjusted if needed at your regular checkups. The entire process should be pain-free, and no anesthetic usually needs to be used.
Results
Partial dentures allow you to regain the ability to chew normally, prevent teeth from shifting, and restore your smile and confidence. Partial dentures typically last 5 years, or even longer with proper oral hygiene and regular dental visits where they can be adjusted. It is important to care for the dentures by soaking them in a cleaning solution or water when you are not wearing them, brushing them with warm water, soap or denture paste and a soft brush between meals, and bringing your dentures to every cleaning appointment to be professionally cleaned.
WISDOM TEETH AND GENERAL EXTRACTIONS
Wisdom teeth, which are commonly known to cause dental problems, are the last permanent teeth to erupt in a patient’s late teens or early twenties. Not everyone needs to have these teeth removed, but removal can take care of symptoms you currently have or prevent future problems. Some problems that can occur with wisdom teeth are gum infection and disease, tooth decay, root resorption, cysts and poor positioning in relation to your other teeth. It is recommended to remove them early because the older you are, the more formed the roots of these teeth become. Our clinics also offer extractions of other primary and permanent teeth if it is determined that they need to be removed. This can be done with local anesthetic and nitrous oxide. The need for extractions can be diagnosed at your regular dental cleaning appointments.
What to Expect
After taking x-rays, if it is decided if the wisdom teeth can be removed in our clinics we use local anesthetic and sedation. On the day of your extraction, you will arrive at the clinic and be given local anesthetic and sedation to help. The entire procedure should be pain-free, but you may feel slight manipulation. You will be given pain medication and instructions on how to keep the area clean. It is normal to have swelling and bleeding for 1 or 2 days after the procedure. It is advised to eat only liquids and soft foods for a few days after the procedure. You will return to the clinic in one week to remove the sutures and check healing.
Results
Complications after having wisdom teeth removed are rare. Typical recovery takes 3 or 4 days, and up to a week depending on how impacted the teeth were. Removal of wisdom teeth can alleviate pain, allow you to clean your mouth more easily, reduce the risk of tooth decay and damage to nearby teeth, and avoid infection.
ORAL SURGERY
Our clinics offer a variety of oral surgeries, including bone grafting. Oral surgery can be required for many reasons including accidents, dental implants, advanced tooth decay, nerve death in the tooth, abscess of tooth or gum tissue, impaction (particularly of wisdom teeth), insufficient room for permanent teeth to erupt, insufficient space for orthodontic appliances, alleviation of periodontal pockets and certain gum disease, crown lengthening, and cosmetic gum lifts to improve a smile.
What to Expect
Local anesthetic will be given prior to the procedure so that it will be pain-free, and sedation is available. You may feel tugging, pulling or pressure during the treatment. After treatment, you will be given pain medication and instructions on how to care for the area to avoid infection or improper healing. You will usually visit the clinic for one or more follow-up appointments to remove stitches and check to heal.
Results
Your mouth will function better and improve overall oral health. Depending on the type of oral surgery, you will be able to chew better, look better and feel more confident. It is important to maintain good oral hygiene and regular dental visits to keep your mouth in great condition.
AIR ABRASION
Air abrasion is a gentle spray of an air and powder mixture that removes tooth decay. It is a fast, pain-free alternative to a typical dental drill to repair small cavities. It is recommended for very small cavities as it removes less of your natural tooth than a dental drill and can prevent micro-cracks from occurring. The procedure is virtually painless, as the dentist can control the speed and intensity of the powder and air stream, and usually requires no freezing. Besides fillings, air abrasion is also useful for repairing chipped, fractured, and worn teeth, preparing for cosmetic dentistry, removing stains and spots, repairing old fillings and sealants, children’s dentistry, and repairing broken crowns and bridges.
What to Expect
The procedure is almost always painless, and you will not require local anesthetic. A thin stream of abrasive powder is directed at the area of decay on the tooth to remove it without odor, noise or vibration (compared to a dental drill). After the area is removed, it will be cleaned, prepped and filled with a tooth-colored composite material and hardened with a UV light.
Results
Your tooth will look and function just as it did before the procedure. The filling will strengthen and protect the remaining tooth structure and prevent further decay from occurring. Since air abrasion does not usually require freezing, you will not have numbness or drooping lips afterwards. Tooth-coloured fillings last on average 5 to 7 years, or even longer with proper oral hygiene and regular dental visits.
COSMETIC WHITENING
If yellowed or stained teeth are keeping you from looking and feeling your best, cosmetic whitening may be the answer you are looking for. Our clinics offer different types of whitening, including a custom bleaching kit, the Kor Whitening System and Liquid Smile whitening pens, which can all be done conveniently at home and provide beautiful, professional results.
What to Expect
At-home whitening is easy and fast. After regular brushing and flossing, the whitening pen or tray is applied as per the directions. Some side effects of whitening include sensitivity and irritation to teeth and gums, which can usually be alleviated by certain procedures and toothpastes designed to treat sensitive teeth. It is important to note that fillings, crowns, bridges and other artificial teeth will not be whitened and may need to be replaced to match the new shade of your teeth.
Results
You can expect to notice a whiter, brighter more confident smile in a few weeks, and with proper oral hygiene and regular dental visits you can maintain your dazzling smile for as long as you want.