Restorative Dentistry for Kids
While most adults are familiar with restorative dentistry, these solutions are also available for kids. If you have an elementary-age child or teenager, remember that their permanent teeth are the only teeth that they will ever have. If they damage one while playing sports or swinging on the monkey bars – give us a call. At Portola Dental Group, we can restore their teeth using a variety of methods and the sooner, the better. As with most things, if we can correct the damage quickly, there is a reduced risk of the site becoming infected or the damage spreading. With younger kids, we typically recommend a bonding procedure because we can complete it quickly, and it is non-invasive. With bonding, a tooth-colored material is applied to the tooth and shaped. Once it looks perfect, we will use a dental light to harden it. The results look natural, and your child will be able to have a newly restored tooth in one visit. This is a painless procedure, which also makes it beneficial for both children and adults. The one challenge to be aware of is that their teeth may continue to grow and if so, the restored tooth may appear shorter and need to be touched up when they become an adult. By working in restorative dentistry, we can help patients now and in the future. If someone in your family has a damaged tooth, give us a call at 760-201-4085 so that we can restore it to full functionality.
Restorative Dentistry for Seniors
At Portola Dental Group, we treat seniors throughout the Palm Desert area. We have found that many seniors assume that they will experience tooth loss and don't attempt restorations when their teeth become damaged or infected. This is a mistake. Whenever possible, we recommend that you save your natural teeth. Restorative dentistry plays a critical role in the health of your mouth and jaw. This is true for everyone and especially for seniors. Most seniors, especially women, tend to experience some type of bone loss. The severity of which is highly dependent on a person's health history, diet, and level of exercise. Bone loss can lead to an increased risk of breaking bones, a loss of height and a change in appearance. This is particularly true when it comes to your facial appearance. Your natural teeth provide stimulation to your jawbone. Every time that you bite down and chew, your bone is being utilized, and the body supports it as such. If you start to lose teeth, the body may stop supporting the jawbone in that particular area because the stimulation will be lost. Resorption is when the body begins to take the calcium away from the jaw and feed it to other areas of the body. This can alter how a person appears and create an almost sunken-like appearance. This makes it critical to save your natural teeth whenever possible, something that we specialize in by offering restorative dentistry. When we save a damaged or infected tooth, we are not only saving the tooth but also preserving the health and integrity of the jawbone and, therefore, your appearance. If you are a senior living in Palm Desert, don’t take your teeth for granted. Call us at the first sign of damage or infection so that we can save your teeth and restore them to good health.
Family
At Portola Dental Group, we treat patients of various age groups. We have found that many seniors assume that they will experience tooth loss and do not attempt restorations when their teeth become damaged or infected. This is a mistake. Whenever possible, we recommend that you save your natural teeth. Whether you live in the Palm Desert area or across the country, restorative dentistry plays a critical role in the health of your mouth and jaw. This is true for everyone and especially for seniors. Most seniors, especially women, tend to experience some type of bone loss; the severity of which is highly dependent on a persons' health history, diet, and whether or not they exercise. Bone loss can lead to an increased risk of breaking bones, a loss of height and a change in appearance. This is particularly true when it comes to your facial appearance. Your natural teeth provide stimulation to your jawbone. Every time that you bite down and chew, your bone is being utilized, and the body supports it as such. If you start to lose teeth, the body may stop supporting the jawbone in that particular area because the stimulation will be lost. In this scenario, resorption starts to occur, and the body begins to take the calcium away from the jaw and feed it to other areas of the body. This can alter how a person appears and create an almost sunken-like appearance. This makes it beyond critical to save teeth whenever possible, something that we focus on by offering restorative dentistry. When we save a damaged or infected tooth, we are not only saving the tooth but also preserving the health and integrity of the jawbone and, therefore, your appearance. If you are a senior living in Palm Desert, do not take your teeth for granted. Call us at the first sign of damage or infection so that we can save your teeth and restore them to good health.
Immediate Restorations
If you have damaged a tooth and need it to be restored quickly, you need immediate dental restorations. Perhaps the fastest procedure we offer is dental bonding because it can be completed in one visit. This, however, is not the best solution for everyone. We also offer dental veneers and dental crowns. A veneer is a thin shell that is placed on the surface of your tooth and works to correct a chipped or cracked tooth. A crown surrounds your tooth like a cap and is more effective if there is extensive damage or a loss of enamel. While both require two visits to our dental office, we can provide you with a temporary veneer or crown on your first visit so that your smile is restored, and you can begin to eat soft foods again. After the second visit, where your permanent veneer or crown is placed, you will be able to eat all types of food again without fear of discomfort. By using a two-step process, we can ensure that you have a temporary and permanent solution for restoring your damaged tooth.
Natural Looking Restorative Dentistry
At Portola Dental Group, we practice natural looking restorative dentistry. Whether you have a tooth that is damaged or infected we can restore it using a variety of tooth-colored materials that can be matched to the shade of your surrounding teeth. This way, once placed, they will appear natural and blend in with your surrounding teeth. Whether you are getting a filling, bonding procedure, veneer, crown, bridge or implant, we can ensure that your restoration looks identical to your natural teeth.
How long will my restorations last?
We treat patients throughout the Palm Desert area and find that dental restorations can last anywhere from five years to a lifetime. This is highly dependent upon the patient. A restored tooth needs to be treated and protected like a natural tooth. You must continue to brush and floss, not eat or bite down on anything inedible, avoid grinding your teeth, etc. If you do so and have regular dental checkups, you may be wearing your restoration for twenty years or more. For more information about restorative dentistry, or to schedule an appointment with our Palm Desert dentist office, call (760) 201-4085.
