Restore Damaged & Missing Teeth
Cavities are the most common issue treated by restorative dentistry At Tuttle Family Dentistry we offer both composite and amalgam fillings to treat cavities and restore your teeth. Composite fillings are tooth-colored and are a great choice for front teeth where aesthetics are a major concern.
Amalgam fillings are made of a blend of metals, and though they have a less natural, silver-gray appearance, they are very strong and durable, so they are often recommended for restoring rear teeth where durability is more important. Contact us now to schedule your appointment and get the help you need for cavities in Colorado Springs.
At our Colorado Springs dental office, we offer same-day CEREC dental crowns. Using our in-office CEREC machine we can craft a crown that looks, feels, and functions just like a natural tooth in just a few minutes. With our advanced technology you can cover up a damaged, decayed, or broken tooth in just a single appointment to restore both the beauty and the functionality of your smile.
Dental bridges attach to two of your healthy teeth using dental crowns. Between them, one or more false teeth or “pontics” will be suspended to cover up gaps in your smile. Bridges are usually used to restore 1-3 adjacent missing teeth. They are a great alternative to other treatments like dental implants and partial dentures.
Full dentures consist of an acrylic base with a full set of upper or lower false teeth. They fit directly over your gums to restore your smile and your bite, allowing you to smile, eat, speak, and live a normal day-to-day life after tooth loss.
Full dentures are usually only recommended if you have already lost most or all of your teeth due to serious dental trauma or a chronic oral health issue like uncontrolled tooth decay or gum disease. This is because all of your teeth must be pulled in order to get full dentures.
Partial dentures consist of one or more false teeth in a plastic and metal framework. They usually clip onto your remaining healthy teeth, which locks them into place and keeps your false teeth from moving.
If you are missing a few teeth but are not interested in dental implants or bridges, partial dentures are a good option for restoring your smile on a budget.
Root canal therapy is used to treat infected teeth. In this procedure, a small opening is made in the tooth before your doctor removes the infected material from the inside. The inside of the tooth is then filled covered with either a filling or a crown. This restores the tooth’s function and preserves it for years to come. We offer both anterior (front) and posterior (rear) root canals at Tuttle Family Dentistry. We are proud to serve the patrons of Colorado Springs.
We offer both nitrous oxide (laughing gas) and pill-based oral conscious sedation at Tuttle Family Dentistry. If you’re nervous or uncomfortable about an upcoming restorative treatment, get in touch with us to learn more about your options and get the sedation you need to stay calm and comfortable during your visit to our Colorado Springs office.
If you have a cavity, it’s important to schedule a dental appointment right away. Depending on the size of the cavity, you may just need a filling. During this appointment, we will remove the existing tooth decay and replace the missing structure of your tooth with a special material such as composite resin or silver amalgam. This restores the structure, functionality, and aesthetics of the tooth.
However, if the cavity is large, you may require a dental crown. A dental crown is a protective cap that adds a layer of strength and durability to your tooth. When your tooth is missing a lot of structure, you need something sturdier than a filling to help you chew and protect the tooth from breakage.
Finally, there’s the possibility that the cavity has been left untreated for a long time and that the tooth is infected. In this case, you will require root canal therapy to restore your tooth. Root canal therapy has a 95% success rate at restoring the health of a tooth when it has become damaged or infected. However, not everyone is a candidate for a root canal. If the infection has already spread to the deepest layers of the tooth, a root canal may no longer be viable and extraction will be necessary.
There are fortunately many options to repair a broken tooth. However, the right option will depend on the severity of the damage and the location of the tooth. Dental bonding is a procedure that repairs minor chips and cracks that are mostly aesthetic issues.
This is done by bonding composite resin (which is shade matched to your natural teeth) to the tooth to rebuild it. However, if the damage is more severe, the best option is usually a dental crown.
Just as a dental crown will protect a weakened tooth, it will hold a broken tooth together, and prevent further damage. Crowns can be fabricated out of highly durable and aesthetic materials.
If the damage to your tooth has caused an infection, you could also require a root canal. Teeth that are broken off at the gum line will need to be extracted and replaced.
Missing teeth should be replaced to prevent bone loss. When you lose a tooth, your jawbone no longer receives the necessary stimulation it needs to generate new cells and preserve the existing bone. This might not seem like that big of a deal, but it is.
Bone loss can cause changes to your bite and facial structure, causing premature aging and the collapse of certain facial features. Bone loss also increases your risk for future tooth loss and you won’t have the necessary support for dental implants.
The good news is that there are a variety of options to replace missing teeth. These include dental bridges, dentures, dental implants, or full-arch dental implants. While dentures and bridges will fill in gaps in your smile, restore tooth functionality, and prevent teeth from shifting, they cannot prevent bone loss.
This is why dental implants are by far the best option to replace missing teeth. If you need a tooth replacement, contact us at Tuttle Family Dentistry to schedule a consultation.