Richmond, BC Restorative Dentistry

Dental Crowns & Fixed Bridges

Dental crowns and bridges are two of the most reliable tooth restorations used in all of dentistry. A crown can be used to repair a broken or weakened tooth, while a bridge can replace a row of missing teeth.

A crown is a kind of restoration that simply slips over the top of your tooth to restore its lost structure and aesthetics. This is why it’s sometimes referred to as a “cap.” When you come in to get a dental crown, your doctor will start the process by shaping your tooth so the restoration will fit snuggly and securely. They will then take an impression of your teeth that a dental lab will use to make your crown. They can be made of metal, porcelain fused to metal, or entirely of porcelain. The material we suggest will be dependent on which tooth you are having restored. Typically, the entire process takes about 2 visits to complete.

For a fixed bridge, prosthetic teeth will be attached to neighboring teeth (most likely fitted with crowns) to literally bridge the gap in your smile. The process to get one is very similar to that of a crown, and it usually takes about 2 visits.

With the proper maintenance (brushing, flossing, and routine checkups), these restorations can look great and last for up to 10 years.

Tooth-Colored Fillings

In the past, if a tooth had become slightly damaged or had a small cavity, the best way to repair it was with a metal filling. Unfortunately, these fillings have several drawbacks. They typically required a lot of your tooth to be removed to accommodate them, and this weakened the tooth overall and made it more vulnerable to cracking in the future. They also are a dark gray colour, which makes them instantly stick out of your smile whenever you talk, laugh, or eat.

Thankfully, you can now get them replaced with tooth-colored fillings. As the name implies, they can be specially shaded to completely blend in with your smile. The composite resin used in them also bonds directly to tooth enamel, which means more of its natural strength can be preserved. In the end, you’ll have a better looking tooth that will last longer all thanks to one easy treatment.

Root Canals

Root canals are actually quite painless! We had to say that first before anything else. They are used to treat teeth that have suffered damage to their innermost layer, or dental pulp. This pulp is where the sensitive nerve resides, and any harm to it often causes extreme pain. This is actually why so many people think the procedure hurts; it’s normally just their tooth that is aching! Thanks to modern day dental techniques, root canals are actually one of the best ways to relieve extreme dental pain and save teeth that would otherwise need to be extracted.

Tooth Extractions

Everything we do is intended to preserve your natural teeth, but unfortunately, sometimes the best solution is to simply remove one. Some reasons you might need a tooth extraction are:

• A tooth is too damaged to be restored
• Decay or injury in one tooth is threatening surrounding teeth
• To create room for orthodontics or a set of dentures
• To removed impacted or infected teeth (most often the case with wisdom teeth)

No matter the reason, our team will be able to handle your extraction with a gentle touch. We understand this can make many people nervous, which is why we have a variety of sedation methods we can make available to them.

Wisdom Teeth Extraction

The third set of molars, better known as the “wisdom teeth,” typically start to come in around the ages of 16-25, and for most people, there simply isn’t enough room in their mouth to fit these teeth. This can cause a number of problems, including:

• Pain towards the back of the jaw
• Teeth crowding
• Impaction (they become stuck)
• They can create a gum flap that traps food particles and plaque
• An infection

The best way to avoid these issues is to have the teeth removed, which we can handle right in our office. You’ll be thoroughly numbed and sedated before the procedure, and before you know it, you’ll be on your way home.