Even with the best preventive care, the teeth can sometimes still be susceptible to decay, infection, and breakage and sometimes need to be restored to health. Through improved dental techniques and modern dental technology, we are now able to offer more options for restoring a damaged tooth to its normal shape, appearance and function.
When your smile requires a restorative treatment, you can rest assured knowing we will always discuss with you the available treatment options, and recommend what we believe to be the most comfortable and least invasive treatment for your needs. At The Dental Office at River House, providing comfortable, effective, state-of-the-art care is our number one priority when treating each smile.
Patients across Arlington, VA and beyond often visit us for restorative dentistry to:
- Enhance the appearance and function of the smile
- Fill in spaces between teeth
- Repair damaged and decayed teeth
- Replace lost or missing teeth
- Improve or correct an improper bite
- Prevent tooth loss
- Relieve dental pain and discomfort
- Replace old, unattractive dental treatments
- Restore normal eating and chewing
If your smile needs restoration from damage, decay, tooth loss, or injury, don't hesitate to prioritize your healthy smile. The Dental Office at River House provides top restorative dentistry solutions in Arlington, VA and beyond, including:
Dental Implants
Dental implants are a top solution for replacing missing teeth and providing a fixed, more reliable solution to having removable partial or complete dentures. Implants provide excellent support and stability for these dental appliances.
Dental implants are artificial roots and teeth (usually titanium) that are surgically placed into the upper or lower jaw bone by a dentist or periodontal specialist of the gums and supporting bone. The teeth attached to implants are very natural looking and often enhance or restore a patient’s smile!
The Dental Office at River House often provides dental implants to:
- Replace one or more missing teeth without affecting adjacent teeth
- Resolve joint pain or bite problems caused by teeth shifting into missing tooth space
- Restore chewing, speech, and digestion
- Restore or enhance facial tissues
- Support a bridge or denture, making them more secure and comfortable
- Restore a complete, confident smile
3i Dental Implants
Most traditional dental implants are comprised of a screw that is embedded into the bone, and a post, to which the prosthesis is attached. Biomet 3i implants are unique because the microsurface of the cone-shaped screw contains an innovative bone-bonding component. This means that implants can be placed in areas with low bone density, sparing the patient the mess and misery of wearing poorly fitting dentures. The bone-bonding component means quicker recovery time after the implant is placed.
There are a wide variety of dental implants in the marketplace, but 3i have an almost unparalleled success rate. Almost 98% of 3i dental implants are fitted successfully and last for a lifetime. 3i implants contain a unique feature, which is embedded in the surface of the screw. Implant screws made by other companies are sprayed with calcium phosphate to enhance the bone integration process, but 3i screws actually contain calcium phosphate, which means that delamination is less likely to occur.
Dental Crowns
A dental crown or cap is a covering that encases the entire tooth surface restoring it to its original shape and size. A crown protects and strengthens tooth structure that cannot be restored with fillings or other types of restorations.
Although there are several types of crowns, porcelain (tooth colored crown) are the most popular. At The Dental Office at River House, porcelain crowns are made to match the shape, size, and color or your teeth giving you a natural, long-lasting beautiful smile.
Dental crowns are designed for:
- Broken or fractured teeth
- Cosmetic enhancement
- Decayed teeth
- Fractured dental fillings
- Large fillings
- Sealing a root canal
Full and Partial Dentures
David P. Cote, DDS and Dr. Ubee have experience creating partial dentures, full dentures, and implant-supported dentures for patients facing tooth loss. Patients from Arlington and the surrounding areas come to him for realistic prosthetic teeth to restore both form and function. Dr. Cote and Dr. Ubee uphold a high standard of care by choosing denture materials carefully, and considering the needs, goals and and expectations of their patients. For example, for full arch dentures, he prefers to use acrylic to preserve the patient’s bone health. A full set of porcelain dentures may put undue stress on a patient’s oral structure.
The Dental Office at River House offers many dentures options, including:
Implant Supported Dentures – Dental implants help preserve jaw bone health and thus are one of our most highly recommended choices. When anchored by a dental implant, dentures gain stability and sturdiness that surpasses other restorations. This contributes to a sense of permanence and an overall higher rate of patient satisfaction.
Valplast® Flexible Partials – These comfortable metal-wire alternatives are generally more affordable than fixed restorations. Valplast’s unrivaled aesthetic quality makes them a preferred option for many patients needing to replace less than a full arch of teeth.
Partial Dentures – Metal wiring or a white framework can adequately support a set of partial dentures. Dr. Cote and Dr. Ubee use their skill and experience to construct your partial to be as discreet as possible.
Unsupported Dentures – Without the aid of a dental implant, unsupported dentures rely on adhesive paste or suction to stay in place. Many find this method to be satisfactory, but over time the dentures will need to be readjusted to accommodate jaw bone shrinkage.
Onlay Restorations
An onlay restoration is a custom made filling made of composite material, gold, or tooth-colored porcelain. An onlay is sometimes also referred to as a partial crown. It is made by a professional dental laboratory and is permanently cemented onto the tooth by your dentist.
Onlays can be utilized to conservatively repair teeth that have large defective fillings or have been damaged by decay or trauma. Onlays are an ideal alternative to dental crowns (caps) because less tooth structure is removed in the preparation of onlays. Onlays are essentially identical to inlays with the exception that one or more of the chewing cusps have also been affected and need to be included in the restoration.
Dental Bridges
A dental bridge is a fixed (non-removable) appliance and is an excellent way to replace missing teeth.
There are several types of bridges. You and your dentist will discuss the best options for your particular case. The “traditional bridge” is the most popular type and is usually made of porcelain fused to metal. This type of bridge consists to two crowns that go over two anchoring teeth (abutment teeth) and are attached to pontics (artificial teeth), filling the gap created by one or more missing teeth.
Root Canal Therapy
Root canal therapy is needed when the nerve of a tooth is affected by decay or infection. In order to save the tooth, the pulp (the living tissue inside the tooth), nerves, bacteria, and any decay are removed and the resulting space is filled with special, medicated, dental materials, which restore the tooth to its full functions.
Our Arlington dentist may suggest root canal therapy if:
- Decay has reached the tooth pulp (the living tissue inside the tooth)
- Infection or abscess have developed inside the tooth or at the root tip
- Injury or trauma to the tooth has occurred
A root canal procedure requires a gentle, thorough cleaning and removal of decay from the affected tooth. Once the tooth is thoroughly cleaned, it will be sealed with either a permanent filling or, if additional appointments are needed, a temporary filling will be placed. At the next appointment, usually a week later, the roots and the inside cavity of the tooth will be filled, then sealed with special dental materials and a durable dental crown. A filling will be placed to cover the opening on top of the tooth. Our team will work to ensure your root canal treatment is as comfortable as possible!
Schedule Your Restorative Dentistry Consultation
The Dental Office at River House is committed to supporting each patient's healthy, complete smile. If you need restorative dental care to repair lost or damaged teeth, contact us today to schedule your consultation with our skilled team!