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Dr. Adrian Simm understands that a beautiful smile cannot be built on a weak foundation. For this reason, he offers a range of restorative dentistry solutions designed to keep his patients' smiles healthy and strong. With modern restorative dentistry technology, Dr. Simm can mend and protect broken teeth and even straighten a crooked smile without the need for metal braces and wires. If you would like to strengthen your smile with such restorative procedures as dental crowns and bridges, or achieve beautifully aligned teeth, our team serving Lafayette, Abbeville and Franklin can work with you to develop a treatment plan.
A dental crown is a permanent tooth covering that can be fitted over a tooth that is cracked or otherwise damaged. While porcelain veneers are a more conservative approach that is suitable for addressing a number of cosmetic imperfections, dental crowns are more appropriate treatment for teeth that are significantly damaged. Dr. Simm also bonds porcelain crowns to dental implants to provide his patients with permanent tooth replacements.
At the office of Dr. Simm, the application of a dental crown is completed in two visits. On your first visit to our practice near Lafayette, Dr. Simm will prepare the damaged tooth by removing any decay and slightly reshaping the tooth so the crown can be fitted over it. Then Dr. Simm will take an impression of your tooth and send it to our dental laboratory, where your crown will be custom crafted to closely match the surrounding teeth. The fabrication of a crown usually takes about two weeks, so Dr. Simm will fit you with a temporary crown for the interim.
On your second visit to our office, Dr. Simm will remove the temporary crown. He will then fit your permanent crown over the prepared tooth, inspect the crown to make sure it looks great and fits perfectly, then cement it into place. With proper dental hygiene, your new dental crown will remain beautiful and strong for many years to come. If you would like to learn more about how Dr. Simm can use dental crowns to reshape the smiles of his Abbeville, Franklin and Lafayette-area patients, please contact our office.
Missing teeth can certainly detract from the beauty of any smile, but many patients are not familiar with the significant risks a missing tooth can pose to their overall oral health. When a gap is created after a tooth is lost or extracted, the exposed gum tissue is vulnerable to bacteria and infection. Furthermore, the teeth surrounding an open space will shift position to fill the gap, which can lead to bite or jaw problems. A dental bridge is designed to fill the space created by a missing tooth to maintain function, balance, and beauty in the patient’s smile.
A dental bridge is used to literally “bridge the gap” created by one or more missing teeth. A bridge is an artificial tooth that is held in place by a dental crown on either side of the gap. At the Lafayette-area practice of Dr. Adrian Simm, creating and placing a dental bridge is completed in two visits to our office. During the first visit, Dr. Simm prepares the teeth adjacent to the gap by cleaning and slightly reshaping them to accommodate the crowns. Then Dr. Simm takes an impression of the patient’s mouth, which is sent to a dental laboratory for creation of the dental bridge. This takes roughly two weeks, so Dr. Simm fits the patient with a temporary restoration in the interim.
On the patient’s second visit to our office, Dr. Simm gently removes the temporary bridge and fits the patient with his or her custom dental bridge. It is important for patients to care for their dental bridge by practicing good oral hygiene. When properly looked after, dental bridges can restore form and function to a patient’s smile for years.
Endodontic procedures are performed to save a tooth whose nerves have been damaged or destroyed by infection. The most commonly performed endodontic procedure is referred to as a root canal, in which the diseased tooth pulp is removed. Damaged pulp can cause severe pain and tooth sensitivity for our patients, so patients usually feel greatly relieved after a root canal is completed. A root canal is a fairly simple procedure that can help Dr. Simm save a tooth by preventing further infection. While many of our patients feel a great sense of relief after a root canal, some patients may be apprehensive about the drilling required to clear the infected pulp. If this is the case, Dr. Simm can employ sedation dentistry to keep the patient comfortable and relaxed.
The first step in creating a stunning smile makeover is to ensure that a patient’s teeth are healthy and strong. If you would like to enhance the appearance of your smile, restorative dentistry solutions such as dental crowns and bridges can help you establish a lasting foundation to build on. If you are ready to begin the journey to a great new smile, contact Dr. Simm at his practice near Lafayette today.