Restorative Dentistry – State College, PA
Smile Repair for State College, PA Dental Patients
Our team works hard to help every patient we treat to keep their natural smile for a lifetime. If we are unable to prevent oral health concerns, we provide a variety of restorative dentistry services with the aim of preserving the maximum amount of healthy tooth structure while fully restoring the shape and function of our patient's smiles. Contact us right away if you experience a toothache or dental damage. The sooner we begin restorative dentistry in our State College, PA dental office, the more likely we are to be able to provide a conservative solution.
Why Choose Kevin P. Labosky, DMD for Restorative Dentistry?
- Natural-Looking, Long-Lasting Materials Utilized
- Confidently Restore Your Smile’s Function and Appearance
- Accepts Many Dental Insurance Plans
Dental Crowns & Bridges
Dental crowns are restorations that fit completely over the top of a damaged tooth. This allows the crown to provide two main results. It repairs lost dental structure and protects the tooth from further damage. Bridges are a series of dental crowns fused together that are used to replace one or more consecutive missing teeth. A bridge can be supported by healthy teeth on either side of the gap or by dental implant posts. We can craft custom restorations from a variety of materials including gold, porcelain fused to metal, and ceramic. Each of these materials has a unique set of benefits and potential drawbacks, so we will carefully discuss your options to help you make the best decision for your smile. Regardless of the material you choose, the restoration process is completed over the course of two appointments at our dental office. During the initial visit, we remove a small amount of tooth structure to accommodate the restoration, capture bite impressions and place a temporary crown to protect the prepared tooth. Once we receive the custom crown or bridge from our lab, patients return to exchange their temporary for the custom crown or bridge.
Learn More About Dental Crowns & Bridges
Tooth-Colored Fillings
Amalgam fillings were traditionally considered the standard in repair for minor decay and dental damage. They provide durable, long-lasting results. However, they are also very noticeable in appearance and require the removal of healthy dental structure for support. These and other concerns have made tooth-colored, composite resin fillings the preferred option for most dentists and patients alike. The composite resin is shaded to blend seamlessly into the natural smile line, and the filling is applied directly to the damaged tooth in a putty-like consistency that fills in pits and grooves in the tooth. Once the filling is in place, we use a curing light to harden it, leaving patients with flawless smiles in less than an hour. We can also use composite resin for a cosmetic dentistry service known as dental bonding that conceals and corrects any number of smile flaws. For some patients, dental bonding is an affordable alternative for porcelain veneers.
