Root Canals

While the thought of having root canal therapy can fill patients with dread, the procedure is a necessary one for those whose teeth have become infected at the nerves. Besides causing pain and dead teeth if left untreated, root canal infection can become abscesses, which are much more serious and can spread the infection to the jaw, which can eventually lead to a loss of bone mass. At our office in Castle Rock, CO, Dr. Aaron Goodman can relieve your pain and save your tooth with a root canal.

Although root canals can be scary, they are well worth it to stop your pain and improve your oral health. While there is some resultant soreness after the procedure, it is only temporary and usually nothing over-the-counter painkillers cannot take care of.

During root canal therapy, Dr. Goodman removes the infection by applying a local anesthetic to the area and drilling into the tooth to create an opening in the canal. Then he is able to remove the infected tissue and clean the area. Once the infection has been removed, the tooth is filled with a sealant and then fitted with a crown to protect it from an infection in the future. The crown also helps improve the appearance and strength of the tooth.

Once the procedure is complete and the tooth has healed, you will be able to eat without experiencing pain and sensitivity to heat, cold and pressure. If you’re in pain, you don’t need to suffer. Schedule an appointment with Prairie Hawk Dental by calling 720-515-1801. For more information, visit www.prairiehawkdental.com. 

Dental Implants

If you have teeth missing or are in need of an extraction due to decay, disease or injury, dental implants provide 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. At our office in Castle Rock, CO, Dr. Aaron Goodman uses dental implant restorations to help patients achieve a complete smile that you can be proud of.

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 through an incision in the gums. This screw serves as your replacement tooth root and keeps your jaw from deteriorating or changing shape. Once the screw is in place, the gums are sutured and the bone is left to heal around the implant. The 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 on 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 schedule an appointment at Prairie Hawk Dental, call 720-515-1801. For more information, visit www.prairiehawkdental.com.

Bridges

If you’ve had a tooth extracted due to damage, decay or disease, it is important to fill the resulting gap with a tooth restoration. Besides improving the appearance of your smile, restorations can keep your remaining teeth from shifting out of place and becoming more susceptible to disease and decay. One effective restoration used in Castle Rock, CO is the dental bridge, which Dr. Aaron Goodman uses to help keep his patients’ smiles beautiful and functional. 

Called a bridge because it literally creates a bridge to cross the area where your tooth is missing, this prosthetic tooth replacement is usually made from gold, metal, alloys or porcelain to ensure a strong and durable smile that can last more than a decade if properly cared for.

The process of creating a bridge takes two visits to our office. In the first, Dr. Aaron Goodman will create abutments out of the existing teeth on both sides of your missing tooth. This is where the bridge will be attached. After the abutments are in place, a mold is made of your mouth for creating the bridge, which will fit and feel as close to your natural teeth as possible. The bridge will consist of two crowns, which will be fixed to the abutments, and a pontic, which is the prosthetic that will replace your missing tooth. We provide you with a temporary bridge while your permanent one is crafted in the lab. On the second visit, the permanent bridge will then be fixed to the abutments with an adhesive.

For more information, call our office in Castle Rock, CO by calling 720-515-1801. You can also visit www.prairiehawkdental.com.

Bone Grafting

In some cases, our patients do not have the proper amount of bone mass in their jaw to allow for the placement of dental implants. However, thanks to recent developments in bone grafting, people who would not have qualified a few years ago can now receive dental implants. In Castle Rock, CO, Dr. Aaron Goodman performs bone grafting to increase the amount of bone in his patients’ jaw to allow for future implants at Prairie Hawk Dental.  

There are several bone grafting techniques, but they can all be grouped into two types. The first type of bone grafting is the most extensive type and is performed only by an oral surgeon. Always done as a surgery separate from dental implant placement, this first type makes large changes to the shape and size of the dental ridge for the sake of implants, which are usually not implanted until several months later.

The second type of bone grafting is usually performed if the jaw has enough bone for implant placement but not enough to completely cover the sides of the implant. These grafts are usually small and performed when dental implants are placed.

Whether you need bone grafting or not, if you’re looking to receive dental implants, we can make it happen. To schedule an appointment, call 720-515-1801. For more information, visit www.prairiehawkdental.com.