Procedures - Click below to learn more...
Bridges • Crowns • Dentures • Extractions • Fillings •
Prophylaxis
Root Canal • Root Canal Video
 Dr.
Rosdahl provides comprehensive services, customized
to each patient’s needs. As your dentist of choice, Dr. Rosdahl
will explain treatment options so that you can make informed decisions.
Dental Bridges
Dental
Bridge otherwise known as a Fixed
Partial denture comes under a
branch of dentistry known as Prosthodontics. The major function
of the Dental
Bridge is to fill the gap between teeth generated due to the missing
of one or more teeth. Here, a bridge is created of two crowns for
the teeth on each side of the gap and the gap itself is filled
by a false tooth/teeth.
The two teeth on the either side of the
false teeth play the anchoring role and are termed as abutment
teeth. The false teeth are known
as pontics in dental terms. These false teeth (Pontics) are made
from the materials like alloys, gold, porcelain or with a combination
of
all the materials. The dental bridges can get the necessary support
with the help of natural teeth or by implants.
Why Dental Bridges?
There is immense number of benefits you can avail of, while going
in for dental bridges. The major advantage of these bridges is
that with the help of them you can easily restore your smile as
well as
personality. It is a fact that you will certainly feel uncomfortable
while biting food, even if one tooth is missing. If you are missing
multiple teeth, it becomes quite difficult for everyday activities
such as eating or speaking. This problem can easily be sought out,
with the help of bridges.
Types of Bridges
There are three main types of bridges available, which you can
choose from. One of them is the traditional bridge, which is the
most common amongst all the available bridges. It is manufactured
with
the help of porcelain, which is normally fused with any metal or
ceramics.
The next important type includes cantilever bridges. These
kinds of bridges are used only in special cases. They are applied,
when
there is the presence of adjacent teeth on one side of the missing
tooth or teeth.
The last major type of bridge includes Maryland
bonded bridge. They are also known as resin-bonded bridge. These
bridges are normally
made from plastic teeth and gums and are supported with the help
of a metal framework. There are metal wings present on each side
of the
bridge, which make a link with the existing teeth for it’s proper
fixation with the socket.
Dental Bridge Procedure
If you want to obtain a dental bridge, then
you will be required to make visits to the dental clinic a
few times. During the first
visit to the clinic, Diagnosis and general evaluation is carried
out to make sure dental bridge is the right treatment for you.
Then abutment
teeth are prepared according to the requirement of your bite.
A specific portion of the enamel is removed so that the
crown can
be placed over
the teeth. In the next step impressions of the teeth are taken,
so that it can be taken as a model for the manufacturing of
pontic, crowns
and bridges in the dental laboratory. Your dentist will provide
you a temporary bridge for the protection of exposed gums and
teeth for
some period of time.
In the next visit, the temporary bridge will
be removed and a new permanent bridge will be located in
the place, which can easily
be adjusted according to the requirement of the patient. It
will take around 2 weeks for permanent bridge to get cemented into
its
location.
After that it can perform its function independently.
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Dental Crowns
A dental
crown is a tooth-shaped "cap" that
is placed over a tooth – covering the tooth to restore its
shape and size, strength, and/or to improve its appearance.
The
crowns, when cemented into place, fully encase the entire visible
portion of a tooth that lies at and above the gum line.
Why
Is a Dental Crown Needed?
A dental crown may be needed in the following situations:
- To protect
a weak tooth (for instance, from decay) from breaking or
to hold together parts of a cracked toot
- To restore an already
broken tooth or a tooth that has been
severely worn dow
- To cover and support a tooth with
a large filling when there isn't a lot of tooth lef
- To hold
a dental bridge in plac
- To cover misshapened or severely
discolored teet
- To cover a dental implant
What Types of Crowns Are Available?
Permanent crowns can be made from all metal, porcelain-fused-to-metal,
all resin, or all ceramic.
- Metals used in crowns include
gold alloy, other alloys (for example, palladium) or a
base-metal alloy (for example,
nickel
or chromium).
Compared with other crown types, less tooth structure
needs to be removed with metal crowns, and tooth
wear to opposing
teeth
is kept to a minimum. Metal crowns withstand biting
and chewing forces well and probably last the longest in
terms of wear
down. Also, metal crowns rarely chip or break. The
metallic color is
the main drawback. Metal crowns are a good choice
for out-of-sight molars.
- Porcelain-fused-to-metal dental crowns
can be color
matched to your adjacent teeth (unlike the metallic
crowns).
However, more
wearing to the opposing teeth occurs with this
crown type compared with metal or resin crowns. The crown's
porcelain
portion can
also chip or break off. Next to all-ceramic crowns,
porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns look most like
normal
teeth. However, sometimes
the metal underlying the crown's porcelain can
show through as
a dark line,
especially at the gum line and even more so if
your gums recede. These crowns can be a good choice for
front or
back teeth.
- All-resin dental crowns are less expensive
than other crown types. However, they wear down over
time and
are more prone
to fractures
than porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns.
- All-ceramic or all-porcelain dental crowns provide the best natural color
match than any other crown
type and
may be
more suitable
for people with metal allergies. However, they
are not as strong as porcelain-fused-to-metal
crowns and
they
wear down
opposing
teeth a little more than metal or resin crowns.
All-ceramic crowns are a good choice for front
teeth.
- Temporary versus permanent. Temporary
crowns can be made in your dentist's office whereas
permanent
crowns
are
made in
a dental
laboratory. Temporary crowns are made of
acrylic or stainless steel and can be used as a temporary
restoration
until
a permanent crown is constructed by the dental laboratory.
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Dentures
A conventional denture are made for the dental patient
6 to 8 weeks after the initial extraction of the teeth. They
are fabricated when the immediate denture that was placed the day
of
the extractions no longer fits because the bone and tissues have
changed shape after healing from the surgery. All dentures made
after the initial, immediate denture, are considered conventional
dentures.
Conventional dentures replace either the upper or
lower teeth in the oral cavity.
A conventional denture are made
for the dental patient 6 to 8 weeks after the initial extraction
of the teeth. They are fabricated
when the immediate denture that was placed the day of the
extractions no longer fits because the bone and tissues have
changed shape
after
healing from the surgery. All dentures made after the initial,
immediate denture, are considered conventional dentures.
Conventional
dentures replace either the upper or lower teeth in the oral
cavity.
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Extractions
 Why might a person require a tooth
extraction?
There
are a number of reasons why your dentist might recommend that
you have a tooth, or even several teeth, extracted. Listed
below are some of these reasons:
- A tooth extraction might
be indicated if repairing a damaged tooth is not practical.
- Broken, cracked, or extensively decayed teeth can be
extraction candidates.
Some teeth will have extensive decay (dental caries)
or else will have broken or cracked in such an
extreme manner that
an extraction might be considered the best, or
at least a reasonable, solution.
Of course there will be a number of factors that
will come into play with any specific situation.
In some cases
the
obstacles that
present themselves might be so formidable that
a repair for the tooth is simply not possible.
In other cases the
cost
of needed dental treatment or else a questionable
long-term outlook for
the
success of the treatment may be the reason an
extraction is chosen.
- Teeth that are unsuitable candidates
for root
canal treatment should be extracted.
Some teeth
may require treatment
of the
nerve space that lies within them (root canal
treatment) in order to make a repair.
While most teeth typically are candidates
for root canal treatment
there
can be complicating factors that remove this
option. If this is the case and needed root
canal treatment cannot
be performed
then
the extraction of the tooth is indicated.
- Teeth
associated with advanced periodontal disease
(gum disease) may need to be pulled.
By definition, teeth that have experienced
the effects of advanced periodontal disease
(gum disease)
are teeth
whose supporting
bone has been damaged. In general, as periodontal
disease worsens,
a
tooth is supported by less and less surrounding
bone, often to the point where the tooth
becomes loose. In those
cases
where significant
bone damage has occurred and a tooth has
become excessively mobile extraction of
the tooth may be
the only option.
- Malpositioned or nonfunctional
teeth may need to be extracted.
Some teeth
are extracted because they are malpositioned. As an example,
sometimes when wisdom teeth come in
they lie in a
position
that proves to be a constant source of irritation to
the person's cheek (by either rubbing against the cheek or
causing the person
to bite it). As a solution, a dentist may suggest that
the offending wisdom teeth should be extracted.
Some
teeth might be extracted because they provide very little
service to the dental patient but do offer
risk for
becoming
problematic. A common example is a wisdom tooth that
has come in but has no matching
tooth to bite against. Wisdom teeth are typically in
a region of the mouth that is hard to clean, thus placing
them
and
their neighboring
tooth at greater risk for decay and periodontal disease.
Depending on the precise circumstances that they find,
a dentist may
advise their patient that removing a nonfunctional
tooth might be in that
patient's best long-term interest in regards to maintaining
good oral health.
Impacted teeth are often extracted. Impacted teeth
are teeth whose positioning in the jaw bone is such
that they
cannot
erupt into normal alignment. So by definition, impacted
teeth are malpositioned
and because they are malpositioned they are often nonfunctional.
This combination of factors makes impacted teeth common
candidates for extraction.
- Tooth extractions may be
required in preparation for orthodontic treatment (braces).
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Fillings
Dental
fillings are metal
amalgams or composite resins used to fill a cavity.
Purpose
Dentists use dental fillings to restore teeth damaged by dental
caries (tooth decay). Dental caries are caused by microorganisms
that convert sugars in food to acids which erode the enamel
of a tooth, creating a hole or cavity. The dentist cleans
out the decayed
part of the tooth and fills the opening with an artificial
material (a filling) to protect the tooth's structure and
restore the appearance
and utility of the tooth.
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Prophylaxis
A measure taken for the prevention of
a disease or condition.
Dental prophylaxis consists of removing plaque and cleaning the
teeth to prevent cavities and gum disease.
The word "prophylaxis" is
from the Greek and means "an
advance guard."
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Root Canal
What Happens During a Root Canal?
Bacteria
in the Mouth
After eating, food particles and liquids that contain sugars
and starches are left behind on the teeth. Bacteria that also
exists in the mouth combines with the left-over substances and forms
acids.
Effects of Acids on Tooth Enamel
The acid can eventually destroy the protective enamel covering
on the teeth, causing holes or cavities, called tooth decay
or caries. Tooth decay can lead to infection, causing pain
and inflammation.
When Is a Root Canal Needed?
Beneath the enamel of the tooth is the dental pulp, soft tissue
that contains nerves, blood vessels and connective tissue.
Dental pulp extends from the crown of the tooth to the root.
If decay from
cavities reaches the dental pulp, a root canal is required.
What
Happens During a Root Canal?
During root canal, the tooth and area around the tooth are
anesthetized. A hole is then drilled into the tooth and
the pulp tissue is removed
from the tooth. The canals are then cleaned and filled
with medicine. A permanent seal, or crown, is put in place
over
the tooth.
Risks of a Root Canal
There are several potential complications associated with
this procedure that should be discussed with a doctor
prior to surgery.
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Dr.
Keith L. Rosdahl - Family Dentist
Serving Arizona - Prescott, Prescott Valley, Chino Valley
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