Restorative Dentistry

Full Mouth Reconstruction
Anyone with short, worn, chipped, or broken teeth throughout the mouth are excellent candidates for reconstructive dentistry. Many are experiencing headaches or neck pain because of a bite problem or Temporal Mandibular Joint Syndrome (also known as TMJ). A restorative dentist is trained to reconstruct the entire mouth as well as rebuilding just one or two teeth.

TMJ Treatment
Temporal Mandibular Join Syndrome is a disorder related to the jaw joint and the muscles that control the movement of the jaw. People who have TMJ may have headaches, neckaches, difficulty chewing, popping or clicking of the joint, and difficulty opening or closing their mouth. These problems can be treated by a dentist who is experienced in treating bite problems.

Crowns
A crown covers a tooth and is used to replace fillings, to protect teeth that have fractures, or to cover dental implants. Crowns are made from several different materials, they can be gold cast alloy, porcelain fused to gold, or full porcelain. Dr. Locke will recommend what is best suited for your particular case.

Implants
A dental implant is an artificial root that an oral surgeon places into your jaw to hold a replacement tooth. Dental implants are state of the art dentistry for people who are in good general health who have lost a tooth due to decay, an injury, or some other reason.

Bridges
A dental bridge literally bridges the gap between two or more teeth. Having a bridge is like having three crowns. The teeth on each side of the missing tooth are prepared for crowns and a false tooth is permanently attached between the two crowns. It is fixed, stable, and feels like your own teeth.

Inlays and Onlays
More conservative than a crown, inlays and onlays are two methods of restoring normal tooth structure after decay or other damage. They are made of gold or porcelain and are bonded to the surface of the tooth during a second visit to the dentist. Unlike standard fillings, inlays and onlays do not weaken the tooth structure, but actually strengthens it. After the procedure the tooth can bear up to 75% more chewing force. An onlay covers more tooth structure than an inlay.

Metal Free Fillings
Today with state of the art dentistry, we no longer use mercury alloy fillings (silver fillings). It has been replaced with a natural tooth colored material, known as composite resin. By using this material, Dr. Locke can repair decayed teeth and replace old or leaking silver fillings.

Endodontics (Root Canal)
The pulp is the area of the tooth that contains the nerves, blood and lymph vessels. This can become diseased and thus unable to repair itself and when this happens endodontic treatment is required. Once the diseased tissues are removed, the body's defense system can repair the damage. The tooth is then usually restored with a crown.