Aptos Dentist, Dr. Christensen offers many procedures to repair the functionality of your teeth and mouth. If you are in pain, know that our professionals are here to provide support and alleviate your discomfort.
- Dental Implants
- Implant Dentures
- Dentures
- Partial Dentures
- Vinyl Dentures
- Cavity Fillings
- Onlays/Inlays
- Dental Crowns
- Dental Bridges
Dental Implants
As your Aptos dentist, Dr. Christensen is proud to make available dental implants, the most permanent and strongest solution for patients who have gaps from missing teeth. Dental implants can be used for either single or multiple missing teeth, and they derive their effectiveness from the unique process of their placement in the jaw. A dental implant consists of two pieces: One is a medical grade titanium screw that is fixed into the jawbone; the other is a porcelain dental crown that is mounted on the screw to make up the visible portion of the implant.
The procedure begins by Dr. Christensen anchoring a titanium screw into the jaw. Once the screw is in place, the bone grows slowly into the treads of the implant. This process is called Osseointegration, or grafting. The implant is placed so that the end of the screw projects through the gum in the location where the tooth is missing. Once the grafting is complete and the tissue has fully healed, the porcelain dental crown is simply bonded over the exposed screw and the restoration can be used normally. Don’t settle for anything less than perfection in your smile; contact Central Coast Dental for dental implants in Aptos, CA, or the surrounding areas of Santa Cruz and Capitola.
Implant Dentures
Dentures can be perfect replacements for people who have lost all their natural teeth, but they are not ideal for everyone. Most problems reported by denture wearers concern loose fit, with dentures constantly slipping out of place. For these individuals, Central Coast Dental recommends implant dentures as a better solution because they create the strongest possible hold on the denture plate. Dr. Christensen is the leading dentist in Aptos, CA who performs the dental implant procedure.
He begins by sedating you before implanting two titanium screws into the upper jaw. The exposed parts of the implants are connected with a small bar, and the procedure is repeated to prepare for the lower denture. Through a process called Osseointegration, the bones slowly grow into the grooves of the implant, making a strong, permanent hold. The connecting bars hold the dentures in place by fastening onto an equivalent piece on the denture plate. Implant dentures are able to withstand heavy chewing, they function completely normally, and they provide the closest possible feel to natural teeth. They are the perfect solution to missing teeth, so if you are in Aptos, Santa Cruz, or Capitola contact us for a consultation to see whether implant dentures are the correct procedure for you.
Dentures
Dentures are one of the options available for those patients who have lost their natural teeth. At Central Coast Dental our goal is to provide dentures that replicate the lost teeth as closely as possible, both in functionality and appearance. To achieve this requires Dr. Christensen to get exact measurements by taking molds of the gums and surrounding supportive tissue. This will prevent slippage by ensuring as tight a fit as possible and will help create an aesthetic appearance by determining the best position in the mouth. Remember that as a person ages, their gum and mouth tissues can distort, altering the effectiveness of the current dentures. If you have not been measured for dentures recently and this is what you are experiencing, it may be necessary to get a re-fitting. Dr. Christensen provides excellent dentures in Aptos, CA, as well as the surrounding areas of Santa Cruz and Capitola, so contact his office for a consultation.
Partial Dentures
Partial dentures are an excellent option for patients who have lost just a few teeth in one or several areas of the mouth. Working much like a conventional orthodontic retainer, these dentures use a plastic mouthpiece fitted with wires to hold replacement teeth in the desired position. A properly customized fit is essential to keeping these dentures in place because they lock together with your remaining natural teeth, making messing bonding gels unnecessary. Aptos, CA dentist, Dr. Christensen, will carefully take an impression of your mouth to get the correct specifications for the dentures. Then, at your next appointment, the dentures will be ready for use and will give provide a tight fitting replacement that can be used normally for biting and chewing. For partial dentures in Aptos, CA, or the surrounding areas of Santa Cruz and Capitola, contact Central Coast Dental.
Vinyl Dentures
When patients with sensitive gums experience irritation (or in some cases a full allergic reaction) to the plastic materials used in traditional dentures, vinyl dentures are the best solution for a comfortable prosthetic. Using a soft, high impact vinyl allows for a small amount of flex in the dentures while still maintaining a tight fit in the mouth. This greatly reduces irritation for patients with sensitive gums. Additionally, the vinyl used at Central Coast Dental does not contain the monomers (easily bonded molecules) that are present in plastic dentures, so allergy concerns are avoided. As your dentist in Aptos, CA, Dr. Christensen will take a mold of your mouth to get the correct specifications and have your new vinyl partial by your next appointment. For comfortable vinyl partial dentures in Aptos, Santa Cruz, and Capitola, contact Central Coast Dental.
Cavity Fillings
When cavities, or small holes, begin to form on your teeth it is important that they be filled as soon as possible. Dr. Christensen stresses the importance of this because these holes compromise the strength of your teeth, making chips and severe breaks much more likely. Additionally, since the surface of the tooth has been penetrated, these holes can lead to severe infections to the interior of your tooth, which eventually will lead to a root canal. At Central Coast Dental we have several options available for treating cavities.
- Amalgam
The most traditional, proven method for treating a cavity is by using an amalgam (silver-mercury based) filling. Although there have been some health concerns due to toxicity of mercury there has been no conclusive evidence that amalgams pose any threat when used in dentistry. Today they continue to be popular due to their durability, and they are the best choice for larger cavities that must endure the stresses of heavy chewing. - Composite
Another option to treat a cavity is to use a composite resin filling. This method is preferred by many because the coloring of the filling can be matched to the natural shade of tooth color, making them (if at all) much less visible than amalgams. They provide significant strength to the restoration, though less than an amalgam, so they are best used on small to mid sized cavities that will endure moderate chewing pressure. Also there is less drilling required for this type of filling, so more of the natural tooth can be preserved. - Ionomer
Ionomer fillings are made from glass particle mixed with acrylic acids. They are colored to match your natural teeth, so they are practically invisible once placed. Ionomer fillings are the most fragile, which is why they are only implemented on very small cavities, especially cavities affecting on teeth roots. Since these cavities are often very small there is very little drilling required when compare to other types of fillings.
Dr. Christensen is very experienced at determining the best style of filling based on each patient’s needs, and he will be sure to take great care reviewing your case. Cavities will usually be identified during a cleaning appointment, and then filled when a later one is scheduled. If you need to schedule a 6 month cleaning, or for more information on cavity fillings in Aptos, Santa Cruz, and Capitola, CA, contact Dr. Christensen.
Onlays/Inlays
At Central Coast Dental, your Aptos dentist will typically use onlays and inlays when cavities on the chewing surface of rear teeth have become too severe to be treated with traditional fillings. The difference between an onlay and inlay is determined by the positioning of the damage in regards to the chewing surface of the tooth. If the damage is restricted to within the depression (within the cusps) of the tooth it is an inlay. If more extensive damage has progressed and the cusps must be recreated, it is an onlay. A single onlay can sometimes be used across multiple teeth.
Dr. Christensen can create your onlay or inlays using gold, porcelain, or a composite resin colored to match your natural tooth. The latter two options are the most popular today due to their aesthetic appearance, but gold is still available. The making of these restorations is a two step process in which you will first have impressions taken of the affected area. Then the molds are sent to a dental laboratory where a skilled technician will oversee fabrication. At your next appointment it is bonded into place and ready for use. For high quality onlays and inlays in Aptos, CA, as well as the surrounding areas of Santa Cruz and Capitola, contact Central Coast Dental.
Dental Crowns
A porcelain dental crown is a hollow cover that fits over a tooth. Porcelain crowns are an integral piece of restorative dentistry because of their versatility in the treatment of a wide range of tooth problems. In Aptos, CA, Dr. Christensen, uses crowns to strengthen teeth that are chipped or cracked, to seal teeth that are temperature sensitive, and to close gaps between teeth. Crowns are also used as components in root canal procedures and to build dental bridges.
During your appointment at our Aptos office, Dr. Christensen will remove any damaged or decaying enamel to make room for the crown before making a mold of the affected area. Making the mold ensures that your crown will be perfectly fitted to your mouth’s specifications. Colored to match your natural shade of tooth enamel, the crown will be indistinguishable from the surrounding teeth. When prepared, the crown is then slipped over the remains of the old tooth and bonded into place, making a strong restoration that can be used just as you do your normal teeth. For dental crowns in Aptos, or the surrounding areas of Santa Cruz and Capitola, contact Central Coast Dental today.
Dental Bridges
At Central Coast Dental a dental bridge is an effective and simple solution that can be used to replace one or more missing teeth. As well as being unattractive, missing teeth can cause significant problems because having a space between teeth can inhibit proper eating and speaking. To create a strong, new tooth or teeth, Dr. Christensen first takes precise measurements of the gap. Using these measurements he will carve a replacement tooth from a block of porcelain and perfectly match the color to your surrounding teeth. The sculpted replacement is then bonded so that it is suspended between two porcelain dental crowns. These crowns fit over the teeth adjacent to the gap and are bonded to hold the bridge in the correct position. Once the procedure is completed, bridges can be used normally. For the highest quality dental bridges in Aptos, CA, as well as the surrounding areas of Santa Cruz or Capitola, call Dr. Christensen’s office to schedule an appointment.