Dr. Robert Erlach's Dental Blog » Restorative Dentistry

Extractions

Dr. Erlach — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 20:09:55 +0000

Extraction is the process used to completely remove a tooth. At Fountaingrove Dentistry, we always work toward retaining natural functionality, so we try to avoid extractions by doing everything possible to save a tooth. However, if the tooth is badly infected or has decayed beyond a certain point, then extraction may be the only option. Extraction may also be used before dental implants are mounted or to remove the few remaining teeth when a patient is fitted for dentures. If a tooth does need to be removed, the patient may be sedated to maintain comfort while dental forceps are used to sway the tooth back and forth laterally until it detaches from the connecting ligaments. To replace the missing tooth, our Santa Rosa, CA practice can use either dental implant or bridge procedures (detailed above) to fill the gap.

Implant Dentures

Dr. Erlach — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 20:09:16 +0000

Dr. Erlach highly recommends implant dentures for patients who wear dentures but have constant problems keeping them in place during everyday use. The purpose of dentures is to provide a natural feel and function for the wearer, and this is entirely defeated when they slip out of place. Dentures should be completely forgotten about all day long until nighttime when they are removed. This is exactly what the implant dentures procedure achieves by attaching dentures directly to the implants that hold them in place. At our Santa Rosa, CA office, the patient is fully sedated while two or four metal implants are secured into the jawbone and connected with a small metal bar. This bar snaps together with a piece on the plate to make a secure fit so the patient can chew confidently without the fear of accidentally dislodging the dentures.

Porcelain Dental Crowns

Dr. Erlach — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 20:08:32 +0000

Fountaingrove Dentistry uses the highest quality Empress® porcelain dental crowns in order to restore teeth which may be affected by one or more conditions. While crowns are often used with root canal or dental bridge procedures (detailed above), they are also called on when a tooth’s structural integrity is compromised due to large fillings, cracks, or chips. A porcelain crown is also used when a single tooth develops a heightened sensitivity to hot or cold temperatures. As further proof of their versatility, these porcelain crowns can be molded to fill unattractive gaps between teeth. At our office in Santa Rosa, CA, the color, size, and shape of the crown is customized by Dr. Erlach so it will flawlessly blend with a patient’s natural teeth.

Bridges

Dr. Erlach — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 20:07:56 +0000

At our Santa Rosa, CA office, Fountaingrove Dentistry uses dental bridges, along with dental implants, as an option for filling in the space left by a missing tooth. The procedure is a simple yet effective and ingenious way to replace a tooth without the use of surgery. First Dr. Erlach precisely measures the gap to make a tight-fitting replacement to be bonded between two Empress® porcelain crowns. These crowns slip conveniently over the teeth on either side of the gap and, once bonded, hold the bridge sturdily in place so it can be used for normal chewing.

Root Canals

Dr. Erlach — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 20:07:02 +0000

Dr. Erlach often performs endodontic therapy, a root canal, as a way to treat a badly infected tooth that would otherwise have to be extracted. The patient is often in extreme pain by the time this procedure is necessary, and a closer examination reveals exactly why. Even when no visible damage is apparent the root of a tooth can die when it has experienced some sort of trauma or has become infected. Regardless of the cause, the result is a rotting of the pulp inside the tooth, which causes pain to the patient and therefore requires tooth extraction. The dentist begins the procedure by drilling through the crown of the tooth of the sedated patient and removing all the infected tissue. Then the exposed cavity inside the tooth is simply filled and capped with an Empress® porcelain crown which will provide the patient with a strong and pain-free tooth.

Dental Implants

Dr. Erlach — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 20:05:06 +0000

Dr. Erlach uses the dental implant restorative procedure as an option for replacing missing teeth. Single teeth or many teeth can be replaced using this outstanding procedure. It can be a somewhat complicated process, but Dr. Erlach is highly skilled at this procedure and has always experienced excellent results. While the patient is fully anesthetized a titanium implant is fixed into the jawbone such that the implant protrudes from the gum in the gap of the missing tooth. Dr. Erlach is the only dentist in Santa Rosa, CA to offer immediate single tooth placement on implants so that his patients do not have to wait to enjoy their new smiles. Dr. Erlach is a Fellow of the International Congress of Oral Implantology, and his techniques have been published in the Journal of Cosmetic Dentistry. Not only will the patient be able to bite and chew normally, the outcome is a tooth so strong as to allow the patient to forget that it is a replacement.