Restorative Dentistry Can Rebuild Your Smile

If you are missing one or more teeth, or if you need to have a tooth extracted, dental implants can restore the appearance and function of your smile. Implants are replacement tooth roots that integrate with your jawbone to hold prosthetic teeth in place. In addition to providing a realistic appearance, implant-supported restorations help you retain jawbone tissue. Dr. James Altomare can refer you to our partner oral surgeon for implant placement, and he can restore your implants with beautiful, custom-made crowns, bridges, or overdentures.

Bridges are prosthetic teeth that fill the space left by one or more missing teeth. Two healthy adjacent teeth or dental implants serve as the anchors for the bridge. Traditionally, crowns are placed on the abutment teeth to hold the middle prosthetic tooth or teeth firmly in place. Dr. Altomare frequently offers bridge treatment, and he is highly experienced in this procedure. All of our bridges are metal-free and we use strong, beautiful, tooth-colored materials, including solid zirconia Bruxzir® bridges and IPS e.max® ceramic.

Dental crowns, also called dental caps, protect a tooth that has been damaged by decay, root canal infection, or injury. Dr. Altomare may recommend crowns rather than large fillings because they provide a better margin of contact for the teeth. Tooth-colored crowns can also enhance aesthetics, covering imperfections while providing support. When placing a crown, Dr. Altomare keeps as much of the healthy tooth structure as possible. He shapes the custom-made restoration to fit well over your existing tooth.

Missing teeth can make you feel self-conscious and jeopardize your oral health. Dr. Altomare provides partial and full dentures to patients who have lost many or all of their teeth. He uses Valplast® flexible dentures for an accurate and attractive fit. He also offers precision attachment partial dentures to avoid the appearance of dark metal clasps. Dr. Altomare often recommends implant-supported locator overdentures, which attach to dental implants in the upper arch, lower arch, or both. 

If you have a large area of decay or damage on the biting surfaces of your molars, Dr. Altomare may recommend an inlay or onlay. These custom-fabricated restorations cover the affected chewing surface to provide better contact with the opposing tooth. An inlay covers a smaller portion of the chewing surface, while an onlay reaches to the cusps, the higher tips of the tooth. Dr. Altomare often prefers to use inlays and onlays rather than dental crowns so that he can preserve the natural tooth structure and anatomy.

Dental cavities occur when decay affects the outer structure of a tooth. When placing a filling, Dr. Altomare will remove the decayed portion of the tooth, clean it, and apply tooth-colored composite material for support and aesthetics. If you have old amalgam fillings, Dr. Altomare can remove the metallic material and replace it with a tooth-colored filling. Placing a filling typically requires local anesthesia, but we can also provide sedation if needed.

If you need to correct multiple issues, Dr. Altomare can perform full mouth reconstruction, a customized treatment plan that combines procedures to achieve total restoration. He will work closely with you to determine a comprehensive, step-by-step treatment plan that addresses all issues, including any periodontal (gum) disease, malocclusion (misaligned bite), missing or damaged teeth, and the appearance of your smile. Dr. Altomare can perform any combination of restorative treatments, from dental implants to fillings, to achieve your desired results.