Tooth Colored Fillings

Old, unsightly mercury fillings are removed and replaced with tooth-colored composite fillings. The composite holds the tooth structure together, strengthening the teeth. Mercury fillings often crack and break teeth because they are not bonded to them. Composite fillings offer patients metal-free dentistry, which allows light to flow through and reflect off the teeth, leaving a more natural smile.

All Porcelain Crowns

Crowns (or caps) are dental restorations that are placed over a tooth when conservative restorations are insufficient to restore form and function.

Crowns can be made entirely of tooth-colored material, metal, or a combination to provide optimal aesthetics. Some metal-free crowns incorporate stress-bearing materials to enhance their strength and wear-resistance. The emax porcelain crown is a typical example recommended by Dr. O’Brien.

Bridges

A bridge serves to replace a missing tooth or teeth. One type of bridge consists of crowns placed on either side of the missing tooth to connect the replacement tooth or teeth to them.  Dental implants can also support bridges. 

Bridges can be made entirely of tooth-colored material, metal, or a combination to provide optimal aesthetics. Some metal-free bridges incorporate stress-bearing materials to enhance their strength and wear-resistance.

Implants

Dental implants are changing the way people live and are one of the most important advances in modern dentistry. Implant dentistry offers a patient who is missing one, several, or all of their teeth an excellent alternative to partials or complete dentures. Dental implants provide the comfort, appearance, and function of natural teeth.

A dental implant is a small titanium cylinder that is surgically placed into the upper or lower jawbone and serves as a root substitute for a tooth. During a four to six month healing period, the jawbone fuses to the implant and anchors it in the mouth. These anchors provide a strong foundation for replacing single or multiple teeth. Once appropriate healing time has transpired, Dr. O’Brien creates a customized prosthetic tooth for each implant. She then places each prosthetic tooth on each implant restoring tooth function. Most dental implant patients experience little or no disruptions to everyday life.

Digital X-rays

The physical process of digital radiography is similar to the traditional x-rays: with digital x-rays your dentist inserts a sensor rather than film into your mouth to capture images of your teeth. The sensor is connected to a computer. Once the x-ray is taken the image shows up on the computer screen.

There are several advantages to digital radiography over traditional film x-rays. Digital x-rays have 90% less radiation, there is no film developing so it shortens a dental appointment, it’s easier to transfer dental records and its more environmentally friendly than traditional x-rays since no chemicals are used.