Restorative & Family Dentistry
To serve families from young children to adults, we combine preventive care and restorative dentistry. For young children, preventive care includes cleanings, fluoride treatments, and when their adult teeth appear, sealants. For adults, we address all dental diseases, from simple fillings to full mouth rehabilitation, restoring your teeth to their original form and function.
Treatments
Bonding & Fillings
Crowns
Bridges
Implants
Bonding & Fillings
Composite fillings can be used to repair cavities, chipped/broken teeth, fill gaps between teeth, and even reshaped crooked teeth.
White filling can be used as a conservative and affordable alternative to veneers. Modern materials allow for beautiful esthetics that rival porcelain veneers.
At Dental Care on Golf Links, we discuss your options in full details, so that you can make a decision about which would be best for you.
Crowns
A crown is a cap that looks like the top of a regular tooth, and is placed over a problematic tooth that has been treated and specially prepared to receive the cap.
The crown covers the tooth to restore its shape, size and function, and to improve the appearance of the mouth.
Once a crown has been cemented into place, it encases the visible portion of a tooth above the gum line.
What are same-day crowns?
There are two ways to make a dental crown: single-visit (or same-day) crowns and lab-created crowns. Some dental offices offer single-visit crowns where the dentist scans your decayed tooth in 3D once the underlying condition has been addressed. The scan is interpreted by a CAD/CAM software that gives instructions to a local machine to manufacture a ceramic crown. The crown is created in a manner of 10-20 minutes by the machine, it is adjusted and fitted by the dentist over the repaired tooth.
How are they different from lab-created crowns?
These crowns are created by dental labs highly specialized in this trade. The dentist takes an impression of the mouth, and makes a mold of it. The dentist can also do a 3D scan of the missing tooth. In both cases, the result is sent to the lab, where the tooth is made in porcelain, metal, or resin, typically within 2 weeks. Meanwhile, the dentist set a temporary crown on the repaired tooth to provide some protection. When the lab send back the dental crown, a second appointment is taken to adjust it and set it permanently on the tooth.
Which type is best for the patient?
In our experience, lab-created crowns are longer-lasting than single-visit crowns. Same-day crowns are made in ceramic, which maynot be the right material for everyone. So while single-visit crowns offer the benefit of speed and convenience, and are created with a great degree of precision, Dental Care on Golf Links prefers the more traditional process which is time-tested with long-lasting results.
Bridges
A bridge is a dental fixture permanently installed to “bridge” the gap left on the jaw by one or two missing teeth.
It is made up of crowns to be installed on the natural teeth or implants that are located on each side of this gap.
In between the anchoring teeth (called “abutment teeth”), the bridge features one or more false teeth. These can be made from gold, alloys, porcelain, or a combination of these materials.
Watch this video for more information.
Replacing missing teeth: Implants vs. bridges
A bridge has limitations: it can only span the gap of one or two missing teeth. It is also not the only dental fixture that can be used to replace the function of a lost tooth. We can also use implants for that purpose.
This video shows you how single and multiple missing teeth can be replaced with implants, bridges, or a combination of both.
Implants
What is an implant?
A dental implant system consist of a dental implant body and dental implant abutment. It may also include an abutment fixation screw. The dental implant body is surgically inserted in the jawbone in place of the tooth root. The dental implant abutment is usually attached to the implant body by the abutment fixation screw and extends through gums into the mouth to support the attached artificial teeth (also called “restoration”).
What are the benefits of dental implant systems?
- Restores the ability to chew
- Restores cosmetic appearance
- Helps keep the jawbone from shrinking due to bone loss
- Preserves the health of the surrounding bone and gums
- Helps keep adjacent (nearby) teeth stable
- Improves quality of life
Different types of dental implant systems
The dental implant system that is right for your mouth depends on the number of teeth missing, your health, and the state of health of your mouth.
We typically make a distinction between 2 dental implant systems: (a) single tooth implants, and (b) implant-retained bridges. Within the latter category, we find the full-mouth dental implant systems, which are designed to replace all your upper and/or lower teeth at the same time.
Single tooth implants are a great option for replacing individual teeth as opposed to conventional bridges.
This video gives you more information about that type of dental implant systems.
Conventional bridge vs. implants Implant retained bridges
These implant systems are designed to replace more than 3 teeth at a time. A conventional bridge can span up to 2 missing teeth. It is installed overexisting adjacent teeth. Implant-retained bridges offer a better solution when part of your mouth has multiple teeth missing, as the bridge is not anchored on the remaining teeth but on implants installed in your maxillary (jaw).
Though not suitable for all individuals, implant-retained bridges are more durable and stronger than conventional bridges. Ultimately, we will review with you the options that you have after having conducted a thorough assessment of your mouth and jaw bone.
FAQ
What is Restorative Dentistry?
What do you call Family Dentistry?
To us, family dentistry is the practive of addressing oral health at every stage of life, focusing on the specific dental needs of both children, adults, and seniors. Family dentists like Dental Care on Golf Links provide comprehensive care – preventive, restorative, and cosmetic – to the entire family, from the very first teeth of your children to every possible dental appliance our seniors may need to live better.
What are some common restorative dental procedures?
The most common restorative dental procedures are:
- Fillings: We repair cavities and minor tooth damage.
- Crowns: They cover and protect damaged teeth.
- Bridges: They replace one or more missing teeth.
- Dentures: They replace multiple missing teeth when other solutions won’t.
- Implants: They replace missing teeth with a permanent solution.
How often should I visit my family dentist?
We recommend visit us every six months for routine check-ups and cleanings. The optimal frequency will vary based on each family member’s individual oral health needs.
