Must a tooth damaged by decay, infection or oral injury be extracted? Maybe it does. However, thousands of teeth receive dental crowns to restore them to full strength and appearance.
Drs. Bagley, Goodwin and Hrinda and their associate dentists offer innovative CEREC same-day crowns to refinish marred smiles. Learn the pros and cons of traditional crowns and CEREC restorations.
Whether you just lost your tooth, or you have a tooth that hasn’t been replaced after an extended period of time, it is essential for your dental health that you replace missing teeth. At Bagley, Goodwin, & Hirinda we help you find a tooth replacement solution that fits your needs, budget and schedule. Call our friendly staff today to schedule your tooth replacement consultation. Our family-friendly Greenfield, MA dental practice will work with you to quickly replace your missing teeth and restore your beautiful smile.
Replacing missing teeth is not just about restoring your beautiful, healthy smile. Replacing missing teeth is beneficial to your overall dental health. Spaces left by missing teeth can allow dental drift where your surrounding teeth move to fill the space. Dental drift can completely change your bite, leave gaps in teeth, undo pricey orthodontic straightening, and a misaligned bite puts you at risk for TMJ.
Another effect missing teeth have on oral health is the deterioration of gum tissue and bone density. Without the root to support gum tissue and stimulate the jawbone to maintain density, rapid deterioration can be seen. Depending on age, in just a few months you can see a noticeable change of your facial features due to the change in gum tissue and bone density.
Whenever possible, we want to preserve your original tooth. This is often difficult due to the extremely time sensitive nature of lost tooth replacement. If you do loose a tooth, clean both the tooth and the socket and try to replace the tooth and hold it in place by biting down on gauze. Always handle a tooth by the crown, and avoid touching the root. If you are unable to replace the tooth, hold the tooth between your cheek and gums or store in a glass of milk until you can get to our office. Call us as soon as possible, so we can prepare to see you immediately. If the tooth can be replaced in about an hour, we are generally able to reattach it with no problem.
If we are unable to replace your natural tooth, there are numerous other tooth replacement options that will look and feel great. Our practice offers dental implants, bridges, partials and dentures to meet any tooth replacement needs.
To maximize gum tissue and jawbone density retention, dental implants are highly effective. The implant is a titanium post set in the gum to replace the root. A crown is anchored to the post to create a permanent replacement tooth that functions just like a natural tooth. Implant technology can also be used on multiple teeth or a full arch. Implant supported dentures are semi-permanent and help many denture wearers regain the ability to eat their favorite crunchy, sticky or chewy food. Additional, because implant supported dentures do not block the pallet, patients are able to taste more flavors in their food.
If implants are not a viable option for you, single tooth and multiple tooth replacement can be done using crowns and bridges. Because you do not have a root or implant to anchor a crown, a bridge connects a crown to the surrounding teeth. This is an effective tooth replacement option that is minimally invasive and can help restore your bite to full strength.
Partial dentures or partials are a good option when you might need multiple crown and bridge treatments. Partials are made up of a set of customized artificial teeth that are attached to a plastic support that is made to resemble your gum line. Like a crown and bridge, partials are anchored to surrounding teeth for stability.
Finally, traditional dentures are made to replace an upper or lower arch or a full-set of teeth. Traditional dentures attach to your gums using adhesive, and provide facial shape and support to those who have lost all of the teeth in one or both arches. This is an effective method of returning a patient’s ability to articulate and thoroughly chew their meals.
If you are missing one or more teeth, don’t waste another minute trying to decide whether you should replace them. Let the professionals at Bagley, Goodwin & Hirinda PC help you find the best tooth replacement treatment for you. Call to schedule a consultation with the knowledgeable dental staff at our Greenfield, MA office. We welcome patients form surrounding areas including Deerfield, Conway, Shelburne Falls, Turners Falls, Northfield, and Amherst.
If you are missing even one tooth—to say nothing of several teeth—then you know how difficult chewing, speaking and smiling become. Replacing those teeth, therefore, is more than just a matter of appearance. There are also concerns about nutritional health and self-esteem. Fortunately, Bagley, Goodwin & Hrinda in Greenfield, MA, offer crown and bridge work, an excellent choice for tooth replacement.
Whether fixed or removable, a bridge consists of a pontic, or prosthetic tooth, and the anchors that hold it in place. In the case of a crown and bridge, those anchors are dental crowns (also called abutments) that are placed on the teeth that sit on either side of a missing tooth or teeth. As such, the bridge is a permanent and secure tooth replacement option.
The Crown and Bridge Procedure
Once you and your dentist at Bagley, Goodwin & Hrinda decide that crown and bridge is the best option for you, we’ll take x-rays, impressions and photos of the area where the bridge will be placed in order to design the best fitting bridge for you. Then, the teeth that will support the bridge will be prepared for crowns. Once again, we’ll take an impression of these prepared teeth, so the crowns can be precisely fabricated in a dental lab. While your permanent bridge is made, we’ll give you a temporary bridge to protect your teeth and gums.
Finally, you’ll return to our office for a final visit when your crown and bridge will be cemented into place.
Caring for Your Crown and Bridge
Once your crown and bridge are in place, you will need to brush twice a day as usual and floss with a special bridge floss threader that will allow you to floss around and under the prosthetic tooth. With proper hygiene, your crown and bridge will last for many years.
Call Our Office Today
For more information about crown and bridge, or to schedule an appointment, call the office of Bagley, Goodwin & Hrinda. We serve patients in Greenfield, MA, as well as the surrounding areas of Deerfield, Conway, Shelburne Falls, Turner Falls, Northfield, Amherst, and Northampton.
Do you have a tooth that’s cracked, chipped, or badly decayed? At Bagley Goodwin & Hrinda, we can help you protect a vulnerable tooth with a custom-made crown designed using iTero.
In the past, designing a crown meant taking an impression with putty. But now, taking an impression is much simpler. Using the iTero wand, our Greenfield dental team can capture a startlingly clear image of your tooth in a matter of seconds. What’s more, the image produced by iTero’s wand is far more detailed and accurate, ensuring that the finished crown you end up with is a better match for your smile.
How does a crown help your smile? A tooth that’s badly decayed or damaged could develop an infection if it’s not treated. Crowns cover vulnerable teeth to protect them. They can also restore your smile’s appearance and functionality.
Not every crown is the same, though. Some are made of porcelain and others from zirconia, precious metal, gold, or porcelain fused to metal. Which type of crown is right for you? That’s a question we can help you answer during a consultation at our Greenfield. During your appointment, your dentist will look at your tooth and decide exactly what you need.
Do you think you might need a crown? Call Bagley Goodwin & Hrinda today for an appointment. We’re using iTero to design quality crowns for patients from Greenfield, Conway, Shelburne Falls, Turners Falls, Northfield, Amherst, Northampton, and beyond.
