Malwin & Malwin Dental Services

The Value of Investing in Crowns

When teeth are highly comprised, due to fractures or large areas of decay the treatment of choice is to salvage the tooth by building it up with composite material to provide a core over which a crown can be placed.  The crown usually totally encapsulates the remaining tooth structure, minimizing the possibility of future fractures and or decay.  The crowns can be fabricated from precious, semi precious, or non precious metal covered with porcelain to restore the natural appearance of the tooth.  The crown is cemented in place with insoluble cement which retain it in position for many years, and often a lifetime.

Crowns & Bridges

Caps and Crowns are used in dentistry to restore a tooth to its normal shape and size. A tooth may become too weak to support a large filling, on the verge of fracturing or has already fractured a portion of itself. You may have poorly shaped or discolored teeth or missing teeth you wish to replace.

Crowns are single restorations used to rebuild a tooth back to its original size. Once again making the tooth beautiful, strong and functional. The crown will be permanently cemented into place and ready for everyday use.

Bridges are used when one or more teeth need replacement. A fixed bridge is permanently cemented to the natural teeth next to the space left by a missing tooth. Bridges can replace one or more, or several missing teeth by using adjacent rooted teeth as anchors. The dummy false tooth (or teeth) are all attached to the anchoring crowns, filling the gap caused by the missing teeth. Once permanently cemented your new bridge will restore natural function and beauty once lost to extraction.

Implants

Implants are man made metal roots that are placed in the bone where the natural root used to be.  Once the bone has osteo integrated (bonded to the implant), a crown can be fabricated to fit over the implant to replace the missing tooth and restore the natural function and appearance of the mouth.

THE VALUE OF FIXED AND REMOVABLE BRIDGES

When a tooth or several teeth are lost due to extensive decay, fracture or gum disease, the nearby teeth begin to tilt toward the empty space.  Often the teeth in the opposing arch begin to move up and down toward the space.  This collapsing of the ridges places increased stress on the remaining natural teeth and the supporting tissues, often resulting in bone loss around the tipped teeth and fractures of remaining teeth and their existing fillings.  If allowed to continue this scenario could result in the loss of more teeth.  The wisest course of action is to replace the missing teeth as soon as possible after your dentist has informed you that the gums and bony ridges have properly healed following and extractions.

FIXED BRIDGES

Fixed bridge work is usually the treatment of choice to replace missing teeth and restore chewing efficiency, normal facial appearance and an attractive natural smile.  A fixed bridge is fabricated by placing crowns over the teeth adjacent to the missing space and soldering permanent artificial teeth to them to fill in the space.  The abutment crowns placed over the anchor teeth, not only hold the replacement teeth in place, they also strengthen the anchor teeth and minimize future decay and fracturing of these teeth.

REMOVABLE BRIDGES (PARTIAL DENTURES)

Removable bridges are fabricated by taking impressions of the existing natural teeth and designing the metal framework that have flexible metal clasp that slip over the nearest abutment teeth to hold the removable bridge securely in place.  The replacement teeth are fused to acrylic saddles which are secured to the framework.  Although removable bridges (partial dentures) are a good solution to the problem of replacing missing teeth, they are not as user friendly as fixed bridge work because they are not permanently anchored in the mouth. 

Tooth Whitening


Is your smile as white as you would like it to be ? Teeth discolor over time. Years of consuming coffee, tea, sodas, and other items may gradually cause a once youthful white smile to appear darker and discolored.

Professionally supervised tooth whitening has been proven to dramatically change tooth color, making a noticeable improvement in your smile.

Using a custom fitted tray made in our office, the dentist will guide you through the steps to a whiter smile. Whitening treatments are completed at home following your professional instructions.

Remember, only a dentist should advise you on this option as tooth colored fillings, caps, veneers, and other dental work will not whiten as part of this process. Let our dental team consult with you to see if your smile is ready to turn back the hands of time for a brighter more youthful smile !

Partials-Dentures


Extreme Makeovers


Cosmetic White Fillings

Emergencies/Extractions

Our office understands that life can be unpredictable. We try our best to meet your emergency needs the day they happen. When you call our office we will do everything possible to meet your need and make you comfortable as soon as possible. We are also trained in same day extractions when the situation allows. If your condition is complicated by a medical issue or you have a more serious need requiring an oral surgeon, we will assist you in scheduling the first available appointment while making you comfortable with the appropriate medical treatment to meet your immediate needs.

Cleanings

 

Dental cleanings are also referred to as a "prophy" or a "dental prophylaxis."  Its most significant functions are prevention of dental disease and patient education. For most patients it is the most important and valuable visit they may ever make to the dentist.
 
The dental prophylaxis is the cornerstone for a lifetime of dental health and is anything but routine. It should include:
  • Personal oral hygiene evaluation, home care review and recommendations.
  • Brushing and flossing instructions.
  • Supra gingival (above the gum) scaling to remove plaque and tartar from all visible tooth surfaces.
  • Sub gingiva (beneath the gum) scaling as conditions may warrant.
  • Polishing the teeth.
  • Periodontal charting and scheduling of additional periodontal disease care as indicated.
  • Nutrition assessment and how changes in the diet could be of benefit to the patient.
  • Soft tissue examination for pre cancer and cancerous lesions. Areas checked include: tongue,cheeks, lips, roof of mouth, floor of mouth, thoat, and facial areas outside and around the mouth.  
  • Education and recommendations of what (in office or at home) Fluoride treatments would best meet the patients needs.

Root Canal Therapy

Non-Surgical PeriodontalTreatments/Cleanings

 

Periodontal: (per·i·o·don·tal) Relating to or affecting the tissue and structures surrounding and supporting the teeth. Most specifically, the gingiva (gums), bone, and the ligaments and fibers that attach the gums to the teeth, and the tooth to the bone.
 
Based on the results seen from most non-surgical periodontal treatment cases, most dentists and periodontists would agree that after scaling and root planing (a careful and detailed cleaning of the root surfaces to remove plaque [soft deposits of food and bacteria] and tartar [calcified/hardened plaque] from deep periodontal pockets and to smooth the tooth root to remove bacterial toxins),, many patients do not require any further active treatment, including surgical therapy. However, the majority of patients will require ongoing maintenance therapy to sustain health. Non-surgical therapy does have its limitations, however, and when it does not achieve periodontal health, surgery may be indicated to restore periodontal anatomy damaged by periodontal diseases and to facilitate oral hygiene practices.
 
The American Dental Association and American Association of Periodontists treatment guidelines stress that periodontal health should be achieved in the least invasive and most cost-effective manner. This is often accomplished through non-surgical periodontal treatment, including scaling and root planing  with possible followup therapy such as local delivery antimicrobials as needed on a case-by-case basis.


Same Day Relines and Repair

Are you using more and more adhesive to keep your dentures in place ? Maybe a reline is just the thing you need.  A reline is a quick and easy way to refit dentures and partials to their original snug fit.  This procedure involves an impression using your current denture plates.  By remolding the inside to fit your ridges, your plates can be dramatically improved.  This is often done in one day.  Our lab technician with over 25 years experience can perform this service in as little as four hours.  Giving you back your improved smile the same day. This can also be done for fractured acrylic from your denture, a broken, or missing tooth, even a plate that has been broken in half.  These services may save you the cost of replacing a newer denture or partial that still has good years to come.

Childrens Dentistry

Childrens dentistry is an area of care that not all general dentists involve themselves in. As a mother of two young boys I enjoy helping children with their dental needs.

I have been working with children since 1986 with my training at Indiana University and their well respected pediatric dental program.

Our staff provides services in the area of: sealants, fillings, cleanings, x-rays, diagnosing orthodontic needs, even placing fixed retainers for premature tooth loss.

Any extensive needs or special medical situations we would refer to a pediatric specialist for care. We love our children patients and enjoy meeting their dental needs.