Restorative materials are used to repair teeth, which have been compromised due to tooth decay (cavities) or trauma. The Flannigan Team may employ several methods to determine if you have tooth decay such as cavity detecting dye, x-rays and laser fluorescence cavity detection aids. Traumatic tooth effects can occur in cracked or broken teeth.  Also, teeth that are worn from nail-biting, tooth grinding (bruxism) and using your teeth to open things. Tooth repair employs man-made materials, the most common being composite fillings made from a tooth-colored resin.  This resin  looks and feels like natural teeth. Ask your Flannigan Dental Team what material is best for your specific needs.

Root canal treatment is the removal of the tooth’s pulp a small, thread-like tissue in the center of the tooth. The remaining space is cleaned, shaped and filled once the damaged, diseased or dead pulp is removed. The pulp of the tooth contains nerves, arteries, veins and lymph tissue. By the time decay advances near or into the pulp, the tooth is at a high risk of infection and usually begins to ache. The procedure seals off the root canal. Root canal treatments have saved many teeth that would have otherwise been extracted. The most common causes of pulp damage resulting in root canal treatment are cracked teeth, a deep cavity or injury to the tooth. If left untreated or infected, dead tooth pulp can create a buildup of pus at the root tip in the jawbone, forming an abscess. An abscess can be very dangerous and can destroy the bone surrounding the tooth and cause pain.

Crowns are dental restorations that protect damaged, cracked or broken teeth. Dental crowns (sometimes called “caps”) sit over the full part of the tooth above the gum line.  They are usually made from porcelain, metal or a combination of materials. Dental crowns are used to cover cracked, severely damaged and stained or chipped teeth to hold dental bridges in place. They are constructed over the visible part of the tooth to add strength and improve appearance.

Bridges and implants are two ways of replacing a missing tooth or teeth. A bridge, also known as a fixed removable denture, is made to replace one or more missing teeth. There are several different types of dental bridges, the most common bridge being a fixed bridge.  A fixed bridge consists of a false tooth with crowns attached to either side. The bridge is used to fill the gap left by a missing tooth. Bridges can be supported by natural teeth or by implants.

Dental implants are metal posts or frames surgically positioned into the jawbone beneath your gums to act as an anchor for replacement teeth.  Our clinic is equipped with state-of-the-art tools to ensure your dental implants are of the highest quality. Dental implants replicate the entire tooth, including the crown and the root. Bone loss is kept to a minimum and healthy teeth are preserved so patients can enjoy increased stability and confidence in eating and speaking.

A tooth extraction is the removal of a tooth from its socket in the bone. There are many reasons for extracting a permanent tooth, the most common being a broken tooth or a tooth damaged by severe decay. Usually, your dentist will try to use other methods such as fixing the tooth with a filling, crown or other dental treatment, leaving extraction as a final option.

Some people have extra teeth that block other teeth from coming in and therefore, need to have extractions. People getting braces may need teeth extracted to make more room for the teeth being moved into place. Wisdom teeth are often extracted either before or after they come in. This procedure is often done when an individual is in their late teens or early 20€™s. In some cases wisdom teeth are pulled later in life or not at all. Wisdom teeth often get impacted in the jaw and do not make their way to the surface. Whatever your particular case may be, it is in your best interest to schedule an appointment with you Flannigan Dental Team so they can help you decide your best options.

Teeth naturally darken with age.  Some stain sooner from various foods and beverages.  Most notable culprits are coffee, black tea, berries, smoking cigarettes and/or smokeless tobacco.  Tooth trauma will sometimes cause darkening, as well as drugs such as tetracycline. Teeth’s whitening is the process of whitening teeth using a peroxide-based material. It is one of the most effective cosmetic dental procedures in improving stained and discolored teeth. Currently, tooth whitening is one of Flannigan Family Dentistry’s most popular cosmetic dental procedures. We employ both in-office and at-home whitening. After an oral evaluation to discover if you are a candidate for teeth whitening, The Flannigan Team will discuss with you the various options available, from bleach tray procedures to The fast in-office Phillip’s Zoom procedure.  They’ll also detail the costs and benefits of each.