General & Family Dentistry New York

Fillings

We offer our patients three different materials for their fillings: gold, composite resin and amalgam (the silver fillings that have been placed for many years). Each type of filling material has advantages and disadvantages. Many of our patients prefer composite resin fillings because they are tooth-colored, require less natural tooth material to be drilled away in preparation and do not cause the sensitivities that amalgam fillings may cause.

When treating decay, we will use a safe chemical for the detection of cavities to help us ensure that all decayed tooth material has been completely removed before beginning to place the filling. This method of double-checking the drilled area also prevents us from removing any non-infected tooth tissue.

If you have amalgam fillings that have been in your mouth for many years, it’s possible that they will need replacing. An amalgam filling expands and contracts when it comes in contact with hot or cold food or drinks and eventually can break down the surrounding tooth. When we replace your old amalgam fillings with new composite material, we will take special precautions to eliminate amalgam dust and particles to minimize your exposure to their components.

Crowns

A crown is a durable ceramic cover for a tooth that protects it and extends its life. It is used when a tooth has been damaged, has fractured, suffered significant decay or lost a large piece. A tooth that has had root canal therapy should be crowned because the loss of the nerve and blood supply will cause that tooth to become brittle.

The very versatile crown is also used for cosmetic purposes to provide a more pleasing shape or appearance to one or more teeth. When a bridge is needed to replace a missing tooth, two crowns on either side of the gap will anchor the replacement tooth.

A crown is created in a dental lab after your tooth is prepared in our office. The crown is then firmly cemented onto the prepared tooth and, with proper care, can last for many years.

Inlays and Onlays

Both inlays and onlays are created in a dental lab and placed in your mouth at SoHo Dental Group. They are used when a tooth has a large area of decay because they are stronger than a composite or gold filling. Inlays and onlays can be made from tooth-colored ceramic or gold.

Root Canal Therapy

Root canal therapy enables us to save the function of a tooth that has suffered an infection which has damaged the pulp and nerve of a tooth. To preserve this tooth, your dentist will drill an opening into the top of the tooth and clean out all pulp and nerve tissue. The empty interior of the tooth will be filled with sterile material and the tooth will be sealed up. A crown is recommended to strengthen this tooth, enabling it to last for many more years and perhaps the rest of a patient’s life.

Extractions

While we will work hard to save teeth, sometimes the best solution is an extraction. This is true when:

• Teeth need to be removed for orthodontic treatment to be successful
• A tooth is so damaged or infected that it can’t be saved
• The body has produced extra teeth that are not needed

In addition to these causes, many people have wisdom teeth that are positioned in the wrong place or are trying to grow in the wrong direction. Eliminating pain and the possibility of infection in this area means that these teeth must be removed.

We perform extractions as needed at SoHo Dental Group, but we may refer patients to an oral surgeon for more complex extractions.