Restore Tooth Function with Dental Implants

Many options exist to replace missing teeth but only one – dental implants – can provide the feel, function, and appearance of natural teeth. When a damaged or decayed tooth is removed, both the visible part of the tooth called the crown and the root is lost. A dental implant is placed in the jawbone so that it can fuse with your natural bone and become a strong and sturdy for replacement teeth. If this sounds like something you’re interested in, our doctors at Alta Loma Dental Care can walk you through the process.

Dental implants are the closest you can get to natural and healthy teeth. They allow you to confidently eat, laugh, talk, play and enjoy all of your daily activities without being self-conscious about your smile. After meeting with one of our doctors to develop your treatment plan, he or she will discuss the placement of dental implants with you. After the placement of the implants is complete, you will receive a smile makeover that will boost your self-esteem and have you showing off those new pearly whites.

If you have questions or concerns about dental implants or restorative dentistry, please give us a call. To learn about services we provide at our practice, visit www.altalomadentalcare.com for more information. To schedule an appointment in our Alta Loma, CA office, call Alta Loma Dental Care at 909-987-6268.

Fixing a Cracked Tooth

Accidents happen, and sometimes a cracked tooth is the ultimate accident.  A tooth may crack after chewing on something too hard, or perhaps you didn’t bite down correctly. There may be little to no pain at the site of the cracked tooth, but it will need to be repaired and restored to prevent further damage. Fortunately, our doctors at Alta Loma Dental Care have plenty of aesthetic and restorative treatment options for patients to choose from.

When a crack in a tooth is minor, it will only eliminate the surface of enamel and may require dental bonding to fix. When a crack is deeper than the tooth enamel, treatment is necessary to prevent infection or a deeper fracture. Teeth grinding can cause fractures to the teeth in addition to hard foods. If you notice yourself grinding your teeth or if you notice frequent jaw pain, call us to discuss your treatment options.

If you have questions or concerns about the appearance of your smile or cosmetic dental options, please give us a call. To learn about services we provide at our practice, visit www.altalomadentalcare.com for more information. To schedule an appointment in our Alta Loma, CA office, call Alta Loma Dental Care at 909-987-6268.

New Year, New Smile

2018 is upon us and so are new goals. At Alta Loma Dental Care, our doctors offer a variety of preventive, cosmetic, and restorative services to help revive your smile in this New Year. If you have missing teeth, teeth that are lackluster, or wish to start an orthodontic journey, we can develop a treatment plan to meet your needs.

At Alta Loma Dental Care, we take priority in providing a comfortable and welcoming environment to patients. Regardless of what your smile goals are, we are dedicated to providing you with excellent service and answering all of the questions you may have. With services ranging from six-month braces to professional teeth whitening, we can help improve your confidence, your self-esteem, and help you achieve your ultimate smile goals.

If you have questions or concerns about the appearance of your smile, please give us a call. To learn about services we provide at our practice, visit www.altalomadentalcare.com for more information. To schedule an appointment in our Alta Loma, CA office, call Alta Loma Dental Care at 909-987-6268.

Dental Crowns in Alta Loma, CA

From the acid erosion caused by the food you eat to the constant biting, crunching and grinding you do when eating or stressed, daily activities weaken your teeth and make them more susceptible to decay, cracks, discoloration and more. If any of your teeth reach a point where they become so weak or decayed that the tooth structure becomes compromised, a crown can be used to protect and reinforce it. By covering a weak or broken tooth and restoring it to its original size and shape, a crown reduces pain and saves the tooth from needing to be extracted, and in Alta Loma, CA, Dr. Michael Kim can determine if a crown is needed to save your smile.

Made from porcelain, gold or porcelain fused to metal, crowns are used to repair teeth when fillings or bonding are not enough. When you have a crown placed, Dr. Kim will first prepare your tooth by removing any existing decay and insulating the tooth nerve with core buildup. Besides providing insulation, the core buildup also serves as a surface for the crown to bond to. Once the tooth is prepared, an impression is taken so that the crown can be created to fit perfectly. Then at your next appointment, the custom crown is cemented onto the current tooth to prevent further decay and fracture.

Schedule an appointment with Alta Loma Dental Care by calling (909) 987-6268. For more information, please visit www.altalomadentalcare.com. 

Dental Bonding with Dr. Michael Kim

Of all the cosmetic and restorative procedures we offer at our office in Alta Loma, CA, bonding is one of the easiest and most affordable ways to enhance your smile. Called bonding because a tooth-colored resin is bonded to your teeth, the procedure is used to repair teeth that are discolored, unevenly shaped or chipped. At our office we can even use bonding as an attractive alternative to amalgam fillings.

Bonding is achieved by applying incredibly strong resin to the tooth in need of restoration. The procedure can usually be accomplished in one visit and allows you to keep most of your tooth’s enamel, which makes bonding preferable to veneers in many cosmetic cases. Once the right color resin has been chosen for your smile, Dr. Michael Kim will apply an adhesive gel to your tooth or teeth to help the resin adhere. The putty-like resin is then applied to your tooth and molded and smoothed until it is in the proper shape. After it is hardened with an LED light, Dr. Kim will trim and shape it even more and then polish it until shines like a tooth. Altogether, the procedure usually takes between 30 minutes to an hour for one tooth.

If you’re unhappy with your teeth but unwilling to go as far as veneers, bonding can be used to improve your smile quickly and effectively. To schedule an appointment at Alta Loma Dental Care, call us at (909) 987-6268. For more information, visit www.altalomadentalcare.com.    

Alta Loma Dental Care Restores Patients’ Smiles with Dental Implants

If you have had teeth extracted due to extensive decay, infection or trauma, dental implants offer an attractive and long-lasting solution for filling the gaps in your smile. While bridges and dentures can also solve the problem of missing teeth, these alternatives either require alteration to the teeth adjacent to the gap or are not permanent fixtures in the mouth. Dental Implants, however, both feel and act like your natural teeth, and at our office in Alta Loma, CA, Dr. Michael Kim can use them to help patients achieve a healthy and beautiful smile.

The implant process can take between three to six months to complete, and the first step is to implant a titanium screw in the jawbone. This screw serves as the replacement tooth root and keeps your jaw from deteriorating or changing shape. Once the screw is in place, the bone is left to heal around the implant. This healing process is called osseointegration, and while it takes place over the next several months, you may receive a temporary crown for easier speaking and eating.

Once the jaw has healed, an abutment will be placed on top of the implant to serve as the foundation upon which your permanent crown will be fixed. The tooth restoration is then custom made for your mouth and is either screwed or cemented in place so that you may enjoy a complete smile that both looks and feels natural.

To learn more about dental implants at Alta Loma Dental Care, call (909) 987-6268. For more information, visit www.altalomadentalcare.com. 

Alta Loma Dental Care Offers Patients Full and Partial Dentures

Many of our patients in Alta Loma, CA choose dentures as a convenient and cost-effective way to replace their missing teeth. Available as both full and partial devices, dentures can effectively give patients their smile back when decay, infection or trauma has led to multiple teeth being extracted.

There are two types of full dentures: conventional and immediate. Conventional full dentures are used after all of a patient’s teeth are removed, but only once the gum tissue has healed for a few months. During that healing time, the patient would have no teeth in place. Immediate full dentures are more popular since patients do not have to be toothless for any period of time. For this type, Dr. Michael Kim takes measurements of your mouth prior to removing the teeth. Then when the teeth are removed at the next appointment, the dentures are immediately placed in your mouth. With this method, a follow-up visit is required so that the dentures can be refitted and tightened since the jawbone changes shape slightly as it heals with no teeth.

Partial dentures are an option for those who do not need all their teeth removed. This type is very similar to bridges, except they are removable instead of permanent.

Whichever dentures our patients choose, the device takes some time getting used to, but as you practice, eating and speaking will get easier. Even though they are not real teeth, dentures should still be cared for as if they were. To ensure your dentures last, be sure to brush them before removal and place them in room temperature water or cleaning solution overnight.

To find out if dentures are the right choice for you, schedule an appointment Alta Loma Dental Care by calling (909) 987-6268. For more information, visit www.altalomadentalcare.com.