Dental Fillings, Crowns, and Bridges in Chandler

Dental Filling Procedure

A tooth filling refers to the use of one or more dental materials to fill a cavity in a tooth. Getting dental fillings is a simple and common procedure that your dentist can usually perform in a single appointment lasting 30 minutes to an hour.

The steps to the procedure for a dental filling are as follows:

Step One

Your dentist will first use a local anesthetic to numb the area surrounding the affected tooth.

Step Two

Your dentist will then use a laser or air abrasion instrument to clear the decayed matter from the tooth. Which instrument your dentist uses depends, in part, the extent and location of the decay. During removal of the decayed matter, the dentist will probe the area to test whether it’s all been removed.

Step Three

Once the dentist has removed all the decay, the next step is to clean the area of debris and bacteria to prepare the cavity for the tooth filling. If the decay is close to the tooth root, your dentist may place a glass-ionomer or composite-resin liner to protect the nerve.

Step Four

Lastly, your dentist will finish the filling and, then, polish it.

Possible Additional Steps

If you’re getting a tooth-colored filling, certain additional steps will be necessary, including layering the material and curing, or hardening, it.

When you come to Lakeview Dental Care for a dental filling, you can trust that the dentist you see has performed this procedure hundreds to thousands of times in their career.

Dental Crown Procedure

A tooth crown is a cap shaped like a tooth that covers a broken, decayed, worn, or weak tooth. Crowns for teeth, also known as dental caps, can come in several different materials, including resin, porcelain, and metal.

The dental crown procedure typically takes two appointments with a dentist in Chandler. The steps to the procedure for a tooth crown are as follows:

Step One

The dentist prepares the tooth by removing a bit of its enamel to make space for the crown and ensure it will remain in place after bonding. Another possible part of preparation for a crown is building up particular portions of the tooth using a filling material. The ultimate objective of this preparatory step is to build a solid foundation for the crown.

Step Two

The dentist takes impressions of the teeth to send to the dental lab to use to make your custom crown. The dentist may either take physical impressions with a putty-like substance or digital impressions with a handheld scanner. Your dentist will then send these impressions to a dental lab. There, a technician will use them to create your custom dental crown.

Step Three

While you wait for your custom crown to be created, you will wear a temporary crown that your dentist places at the end of your first visit. It normally takes between two and three weeks for a dental lab to build a custom crown. Temporary crowns are typically made of acrylic or resin.

Step Four

Your second visit will take place once the dental lab has completed creating your new crown and sent it back to your Chandler dentist’s office. At this visit, your dentist will remove the temporary crown, examine the color, shape, and fit of the new crown and, if all looks good, use dental cement to bond the custom crown to the tooth.

Dental Bridge Procedure

The procedure for dental bridges depends on the type of tooth bridge you get. The procedure for a traditional or cantilever bridge are as follows:

Step One

The dentist will give you a local anesthetic so you stay comfortable during the procedure.

Step Two

The dentist will reshape the natural teeth to support the tooth bridge, or abutment teeth. To accomplish this, the dentist will need to excise a little bit of tooth enamel.

Step Three

The dentist will take impressions of the gap to be bridges and send it to a lab where your final dental bridge will be made.

Step Four

While you wait for the lab to finish making your final bridge, your dentist will place a temporary dental bridge into the gap.

Step Five

After about two to four weeks, you’ll have your second appointment with your dentist, during which the dentist will remove the temporary bridge, try on the new bridge for fit and comfort, and then, if it seems to fit comfortably, cement it into place.

To discuss your possible need for a filling, bridge, or crown and the potential tooth filling cost, dental bridge cost, or dental crown cost, call us today.