Fillings
Cavities! Nobody wants them but everyone can get them – even adults! So many things can lead to cavities from kids not brushing their teeth thoroughly enough or constantly drinking from a bottle to dry mouth or deep grooves and crevices that collect bacteria. That’s one of the reasons we emphasize preventive dentistry like regular exams, cleanings, and fluoride treatments. Keeping your teeth clean and protected with fluoride can prevent those dreaded cavities from forming, and it is especially important in areas where families are serviced by well water or counties like Cayuga, where our water is not fluoridated. Checkups also help us discover cavities extra early so we can preserve more of your natural enamel and keep your teeth stronger. When we do discover a cavity, or when an old filling needs to be replaced, we offer natural-looking tooth-colored composite fillings. These fillings not only disappear in your or your child’s smile, they are also healthier and will not shift or damage teeth the way metal fillings do. We simply clear away the decay, fill your tooth with a matching composite, and your smile is ready to go!
Porcelain Inlays and Onlays
There you were, enjoying your movie and popcorn when crack, you think you chipped your molar. What now? It definitely needs repair but doesn’t seem bad enough to need a dental crown. Do you really need such an extensive restoration? Maybe not! When your teeth need some strength to function properly but aren’t damaged enough to warrant an entire dental crown, porcelain inlays and onlays from Jordan Elbridge Family Smiles can come to the rescue. Similar to crowns in appearance and durability, porcelain dental inlays and onlays do not cover your entire tooth the way crown or cap does. Instead, these customized restorations replace or reinforce only the areas that need help. Inlays are used inside the points or “cusps” of your teeth while onlays can cover one or more cusps as well. Both of these restorations are bonded to your teeth just the way full dental crowns are and will keep your teeth functioning the way nature intended for years. Just be careful with those popcorn kernels!
Dental Crowns
These incredible restorations are one of our crowning achievements! We really don’t mean to brag, but dental crowns can often save even the most damaged, broken, or severely decayed tooth. Crowns from Jordan Elbridge Family Smiles create an entirely new tooth surface, which means your tooth will look, feel, and function as good as new.
We use dental crowns for a variety of purposes including:
- Rebuilding teeth that have been badly cracked or broken
- Supporting teeth weakened by large cavities or severe decay
- Replacing old and bulky metal fillings
- Protecting a root canal
- Resurfacing an unattractive tooth
- Creating a prosthetic for an implant or a bridge
Depending on your needs, we offer a variety of crowns for strength and beauty. One of our most popular tooth crowns is created right here in our office. These CEREC crowns are designed by either one of our doctors, and precision milled while you wait. That means no gooey impressions, no temporary crowns, and no return visits. Just a gorgeous ceramic restoration the very day you need it!
Dental Bridges
Even missing one tooth can make life less than pleasant. It can ruin your confidence and lead to all kinds of dental problems if it is not properly replaced. We always recommend that teeth be replaced with a dental implant, but not everyone is a good candidate for the procedure. If you are missing one or a few teeth, can’t get an implant, and need a reliable replacement that lets you eat and smile with confidence, dental bridges from Jordan Elbridge Family Smiles are just what the doctor ordered. Dental bridges blend right into your smile, filling your gaps, and keeping your remaining teeth from shifting. So how do they work? The name says it all–a dental bridge is just like any other bridge, making a connection over a gap. Dental bridges are made up of crowns, bonded to teeth on either side of your gap, and false teeth, or prosthetics, that fit into the gap, replacing your missing tooth or teeth. And because we have invested in CEREC technology for your convenience, we can create your dental bridge right here in our office while you wait. You’ll leave with a smile you can use and feel proud of – the same day!
Dentures and Partials
People lose their teeth for so many different reasons. Gum disease can wreak havoc and ruin your smile, wear and decay can take over and teeth need to be removed.
While we always recommend that teeth be replaced with dental implants for superior comfort, improved function, and bone retention to keep you looking younger longer, if you don’t have the bone density or mass to support implants, or they don’t immediately fit your budget, full or partial dentures from Jordan Elbridge Family Smiles can give you back a functional and attractive smile. Partial dentures replace a portion of your teeth, usually adjacent to each other, to keep them from shifting and allow you to eat and speak with comfort. A full denture replaces all of your teeth. Both prosthetic appliances are supported by the gums and held in place with dental adhesive. If you are missing several or all of your teeth and would like a more secure solution, ask us about implant-retained partials or dentures.
Implants
Implants replace your teeth securely without slipping or pinching and no need for dental adhesives. It is our best choice for anyone suffering from the embarrassment and inconvenience of missing teeth. For more information, please visit our Implant Dentistry page.
Endodontics
Not much feels as bad as an infection in your tooth. But even worse than the severe pain is the fact that a tooth infection will rarely clear up on its own. In the past, there was little choice for treating infected teeth and relieving pain than removing those teeth. These days, modern dentistry offers a better, tooth-saving option – endodontic treatments, more commonly known as root canals. Root canals stop the pain and spread of infection by clearing away the infected tissue throughout your tooth and into the root canals. This tissue, called the pulp, is only necessary while a tooth is growing, and can be removed without affecting the health of the remaining enamel. After the infection is cleared and the inside of your tooth disinfected, we fill your tooth with a special material and seal it with a crown. The infection is stopped, your pain ended, and your precious smile preserved!
Oral Surgery
When teeth need to be removed, isn’t it nice to know that it can be taken care of gently and with extra-special care right here in the Eldridge dental office you know and trust? We understand how nerve-wracking the idea of oral surgery can be and how hard it is to go to a brand-new doctor and staff. That’s why, from wisdom tooth removal to multi-tooth extractions, we perform your surgeries ourselves, wrap you in comfort, and make sure you are perfectly at ease. Our super-comfortable Adec dental chairs along with our neck pillows and cozy blankets will help you drift off during your procedure. Of course, you can count on our doctors’ advanced training and experience – they have been performing comfortable extractions for the Jordan-Elbridge community for years!
