The concept of a “filling” is replacing and restoring your tooth structure that is damaged due to decay or fracture with a dental material. We will replace old, broken-down amalgam/metal fillings that contain traces of mercury with white fillings (composites) to restore your smile and teeth to a more natural look and feel.

With today’s advancements, no longer will you have to suffer the embarrassment of unsightly and unhealthy silver/mercury fillings or metal margins of the past. Eliminate the dark, black appearance in your teeth with new-age, state-of-the-art, tooth-colored resin or porcelain materials.

There's a big difference between metal fillings and metal free restorations. Now replace old crowns and bridges with metal free crown restorations making aesthetics no longer a concern. The "black line" which was visible as a result of metal crowns is now replaced by a crown with virtually invisible margins. Older, unattractive crowns can be replaced with this technique also. Your new metal-free crowns, inlays and bridges won't show wear or cause opposing teeth to erode, and fitting the crown or bridge is a simple procedure.

Crowns or bridges are placed when your dentist feels that your tooth or teeth are damaged beyond the help of fillings.

Crowns are used in circumstances where just one tooth needs to be replaced. A dental crown is tooth-shaped cap that is permanently cemented over a tooth, in order to restore the tooth’s strength, shape and size, and improve its appearance. The crown will cover the visible portion of the tooth above and right at the gum line, once it is cemented into place.

Crowns are used to hold weak, broken or cracked teeth together to avoid further fracturing. Crowns are also used to support large fillings, attach a bridge, or cover discolored or deformed teeth.  Crowns may also be placed over dental implants.

Dr. Lisa Ribaudo-Powell usually requires two dental visits to install a crown.  First, the dentist needs to prepare the tooth or implant for the crown.  The dentist will grind and shape the tooth so that the crown can be fitted over it. Then, the dentist makes an impression of tooth and surrounding gums, which is then sent to a dental laboratory so that the crown can be created.  The dentist fits a temporary crown over the tooth, until the permanent crown is ready. During the second visit, dentist will remove the temporary crown and cement the finished permanent crown onto the tooth.

Crowns generally last about five to eight years, and with good oral hygiene most crowns last longer.  Certain habits such as fingernail biting, chewing ice, and grinding teeth can do damage to the crown, and should be avoided.

A dental bridge is a false tooth (called a “pontic”) used to replace one or more missing teeth. The pontic is centered between two attached porcelain crowns, to create a fixed bridge.  The fixed bridge is permanently cemented to the two teeth on either side of the tooth gap.

Bridges are used when more than one tooth is missing or needs extensive work. Much like a crown, bridges require the surrounding teeth to be prepared by removal of decay and shaping.

Prosthodontists are dental specialists in the restoration and replacement of teeth. After completing four years of dental school, prosthodontists receive three additional years of specialized training in an American Dental Association (ADA) accredited graduate education program. This advanced training provides a special understanding of the dynamics of a smile, the preservation of a healthy mouth and the creation of tooth replacements.

Prosthodontists are highly trained in state-of-the-art technologies and procedures for treating many diverse and complex dental conditions and esthetics. These include crowns, veneers, complete and partial dentures, dental implants, continuing care and cosmetic related procedures.

Sedation dentistry requires that the patient arrive with a companion to drive the patient home after the procedure. Before any dental procedures commence, the patient will become drowsy and relaxed from the sedation, and the patient will be attached to a monitor so that the dentist can watch the patient’s vital signs. At the completion of the dental procedures, the patient will be allowed to recover from the effects of the sedation before being allowed to go home with the companion.

Sedation dentistry is ideal for people who have:

Dr. Powell can discuss the type of sedation that is right for you.

If you are often overly anxious when going through a dental procedure, Dr. Powell offers nitrous oxide, a sweet-smelling colorless gas made up of nitrogen and oxygen. Nitrous oxide is given through a mask that fits snugly over your nose about five minutes before the dental procedure.

Also known as “laughing gas” it is a safe and well established method to deal with dental anxiety and discomfort. It calms and has a comforting effect even though you remain awake, in control, and with the ability to communicate. It also tends to lessen anxiety, increase a patient’s pain threshold, reduce an overactive gag reflex and makes time pass more quickly. It is often used in pediatric dentistry.