Maple Street Dental

The tooth and the gum around it are numbed with a local anesthetic so the work is comfortable.

Missing parts of the tooth may be rebuilt with a filling material. Then some of the outer tooth is shaped away on every side so a crown can fit over it.

A small camera wand scans the shaped tooth and the teeth around it, or a putty impression is taken instead. The crown is made from this record.

A temporary crown protects the tooth while a dental lab makes the permanent one, usually in two to three weeks. Some offices make the crown in the office and place it the same day.

The temporary comes off. The permanent crown is bonded to the tooth with a strong dental cement.

A local anesthetic numbs the gums and the area being treated.

If the tooth is still in place, it is gently loosened and lifted out. Sometimes it is divided into sections first so each piece comes out on its own.

Bone graft material is placed where bone is missing and covered with a thin membrane to protect it. The gum is closed with stitches.

The graft needs at least three months to heal. The implant is usually placed within 6 to 12 months after the graft heals.

Under numbing, a small cut is made in the gum and a small hole is made in the jawbone. The implant post is placed and the gum is closed with stitches.

The first round of healing takes about one week. Over three to nine months, the jawbone fuses to the implant.

Once the implant heals, a small connector post called an abutment is attached. This usually takes about one hour and may need a second minor surgery.

The final crown is attached to the abutment, completing the replacement tooth.

A local anesthetic numbs the gums around the teeth that will support the bridge.

The teeth on each side of the gap, called abutment teeth, are reshaped by removing some enamel so the bridge can fit over them. This step cannot be undone.

Impressions of the teeth are taken and sent to a dental lab, where the final bridge is made. This usually takes about two to four weeks.

A temporary bridge protects the shaped teeth until the final bridge is ready.

The temporary bridge comes off, and the final bridge is tried in to check the fit.

The bridge is bonded in place with dental cement. Teeth and gums usually heal in one to two weeks, and the bridge may take a little longer to feel natural.