Tag: abutments

A Knocked-Out Tooth Can Be Replaced by a Bridge

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Each one of your teeth is anchored in its socket by a series of strong periodontal ligaments. As strong as this hold is, there are times when a hard blow to the face can sever the tooth’s connection with the periodontal ligaments, knocking the tooth out of the socket. When this happens, the tooth is almost always lost.

To remedy this problem, our dentists will often recommend suturing the gums and installing a dental bridge to replace the knocked-out tooth. A dental bridge in Mechanicsville, Virginia, mimics the appearance of a natural tooth. The replacement tooth is fused to a pair of crowns that are anchored to two abutments.

To form the abutments, Drs. Stanovick and Stanovick will need to remove all of the tooth enamel from each of the neighboring teeth. This creates a small protective sheath that houses the healthy pulp, root, and nerve of each tooth.

Drs. Stanovick and Stanovick will then create a detailed impression of the abutments and surrounding teeth. This impression will be sent to a dental lab to help guide the technicians as they produce your permanent bridge. A temporary crown is cemented over each abutment to keep it safe while you await the completion of your final bridge.

Once the dental lab has completed your permanent bridge, Drs. Paul R. Stanovick and Brant Stanovick will call you into our office for a brief follow-up appointment. The temporary crowns will be removed and your new permanent bridge will be cemented into place.

If one of your teeth has been knocked out, you need to call us at 804-781-1919 to seek urgent treatment.

A Badly Decayed Tooth Might Require Total Restoration with a Bridge

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Ignoring a cavity can have serious implications to your overall oral health. If the problem goes too long without professional treatment, the tooth can become so badly decayed that our dentists, Drs. Paul and Brant Stanovick may recommend extracting it to prepare for a dental bridge treatment.

A bridge effectively mimics the appearance of the lost tooth. It is fused to a pair of crowns, which will later be anchored to the two closest neighboring teeth.

Once the tooth is extracted and your gums are healed, Drs. Paul and Brant Stanovick will start the process of restoring the missing tooth by removing the enamel layer of the two nearest teeth. After the enamel is reshaped, he will take an impression of the teeth.

At the end of this appointment, he will secure hard, plastic caps, known as temporary crowns, over each tooth.

The impression will be sent to a professional dental lab where your final bridge will be custom made.

Drs. Paul and Brant Stanovick will call you in for a brief second appointment when the dental lab has completed your bridge. The temporary crowns are then removed and your dentist will cement the permanent bridge into place.

If you have a tooth that is suffering from severe tooth decay in Mechanicsville, Virginia, please call our dedicated dental team at 804-781-1919 to schedule an appointment today!

Keeping Ahead of COVID-19

Providing a safe environment for treatment and control for infectious disease is always a priority at Paul Stanovick DDS. Our expansive reception area and large outdoor deck provides space to easily support regulations surrounding social distancing. The treatment rooms provide an extra layer of protection as they are sanitized between each patient and provide clean air through air purifiers located in each room. You will see some changes during your next appointment as we have added precautions to protect patients and staff. You will be asked to enter the building with use of facial protection and asked to wear it until you are in the treatment room. Hand sanitizer is also available throughout the whole building for your use. You may notice that our magazine and children’s books have been removed from the reception area as they are harder to disinfect. We have installed plexiglass around our front reception area for added distancing between front staff and patients waiting for appointments. Air purifiers have been placed in every operatory with two larger purifiers in the front and back of the office. We have provided face shields, lab jackets and barrier gowns for all clinical staff. Our hours of operation will still remain Monday -Friday 8am-5pm. We are looking forward to seeing you again and are happy to answer any questions you may have about treatment and the safety precautions we are taking here at the practice. If you would like to make an appointment you can give us a call or text 804.781.1919. Thank you for your patience during these changing times and for your trust in us with taking care of your dental needs. Sincerely, Dr. Paul Stanovick, Dr. Brant Stanovick, and Staff.