Fillings, Root Canals, Crowns, & Bridges
Your Best Choice for a Bright, Healthy, Beautiful Smile
Dental Fillings
The most common use of tooth fillings is to fill a cavity in the tooth caused by decay. But tooth fillings also can be used to repair damage to teeth caused by teeth grinding (bruxism) or to replace part of a broken tooth.
You should expect to be at our office for around an hour. This gives the staff enough time to take x-rays if needed, talk to you about the procedure and complete the dental work. Before filling cavities, the doctor will numb your teeth, gums and surrounding skin to avoid and lessen discomfort during the procedure. Next, he will drill out the decay in the tooth and replace it with a filling. This process only takes a few minutes.
Once you're done, your mouth will probably remain numb for a few more hours. There aren’t any significant risks associated with filling cavities, but be sure to keep your dentist’s contact information on hand in case you have any questions or complications.
Many options are available for tooth fillings, and all of them have their pros and cons. Types of tooth fillings include gold, silver amalgam (a composite of mercury, silver, and other metals), tooth-colored composite material, porcelain, and a special type of glass. The best tooth fillings for you will depend on cost, what your insurance may cover, and your aesthetic preferences.
There is a wide variety of materials used for filling cavities and they vary in strength and color.
Root Canal Therapy
Root canal therapy is designed to eliminate bacteria from the infected root canal. By doing so, it helps prevent reinfection of the tooth and can save the natural tooth. When you undergo a root canal, the inflamed or infected pulp is removed and the inside of the tooth is carefully cleaned and disinfected, then filled and sealed. Millions of teeth around the world are treated and saved this way each year, relieving pain and making teeth healthy again.
Inside your tooth, beneath the white enamel and a hard layer called dentin, is a soft tissue called pulp. This tissue contains blood vessels, nerves and connective tissue, which help grow the root of your tooth during its development. A fully developed tooth can survive without the pulp because the tooth continues to be nourished by the tissues surrounding it.
The procedure is very similar to a routine filling and can usually be completed in one or two appointments, depending on the condition of your tooth and your personal circumstances. Getting a root canal is relatively painless and extremely effective.
Dental Crown
Dental crowns are custom designed dental restorations which are commonly used to cap, or crown, the top of a a tooth lost to decay. Dental crowns mimic the natural tooth helping to support the long term integrity of the bite. Dental crowns may also be used to stabilize a tooth after a root canal treatment.
Today, dental crowns are natural looking and made of high-quality ceramic material which mimics natural tooth material. The material is long-lasting, highly durable, and stain-resistant - often lasting for many years. The ceramic crowns are free of metal, so they won't discolor around the gum line. High-quality porcelain, dental crowns look and function like a natural tooth. The dental crown material reflects light just like real teeth creating a highly realistic appearance.
Dental Bridge
A dental bridge is used to replace several consecutively missing teeth. The bridge can be anchored to adjacent teeth, or to dental implants. A dental bridge is a combination of a metal retainer and a porcelain tooth restoration, and can be designed to look and function like your natural teeth.
A dental bridge that uses adjacent teeth as anchors requires the dentist to remove substantial tooth material to make room for the bridge. This weakens the integrity of the tooth structure and may require additional maintenance in the future.
The dental bridge procedure will vary depending on the type of bridge you choose to replace your missing teeth. Dr. Ferradas will ensure that every patient fully understands the process of their procedure and are fully prepared for each phase of treatment.
For patients who choose a traditional dental bridge, their first phase of treatment will be preparing the adjacent teeth. Once prepared, a mold is taken of the mouth and used to create a custom designed dental bridge restoration. Once the bridge is fabricated, you will return to our El Segundo dental office for a final fitting and adjustments.
