If your smile has been damaged by injury, tooth decay, infection, tooth loss, or any other type of damage, you may be in need of restorative dentistry. In St. Joseph, Missouri, restorative dentistry can return you to good oral health and improve the function and appearance of your smile. Our skilled dentist, Dr. Michael Hollingsworth, is experienced in a broad range of restorative dental services to restore your smile and your life. You may benefit from restorative dentistry if you notice any of the following symptoms or if you have experienced any of these dental conditions:

Tooth pain, especially when biting and chewing
One or more missing teeth
A significantly damaged tooth
Increased tooth sensitivity
A decayed tooth
Swelling and tenderness in the gums

If you experience any of these conditions, we encourage you to contact us at Hollingsworth Dental as soon as possible to schedule your visit. We are dedicated to helping you restore your smile. A healthier smile can improve your ability to chew, eat, and speak, and can give you more confidence in your smile. We welcome you to call or visit us today to learn more about the benefits of restorative dentistry. We look forward to caring for your smile!

Dental Implants

Dental implants are permanent tooth replacements. If you are missing one or more teeth, Dr. Hollingsworth may recommend a dental implant. A dental implant replaces both the root and crown of the missing tooth, making it a stable, natural-looking tooth replacement. Dental implants can benefit your smile in multiple ways. First, a dental implant can restore the appearance of your smile by replacing the missing tooth and improving your facial volume and shape. Dental implants can also restore your ability to properly eat, speak, and chew. In addition, a dental implant helps to prevent the remaining natural teeth from shifting into the space left by the missing teeth.

In St. Joseph, Missouri, dental implants require three visits to our office. During the first visit, the dental implant is surgically placed in the jawbone. This ensures that the dental implant is secure. A period of healing allows the implant to begin to fuse with the jawbone. At the second visit, Dr. Hollingsworth will evaluate the implant and take impressions so your custom dental implant restoration can be created. During the third and final visit at Hollingsworth Dental, the implant restoration crown will be placed to complete the implant and restore your smile. If needed, Dr. Hollingsworth will make any adjustments to improve the look and fit of the dental crown.

Dental implants may be a good choice for you if you are missing one or more teeth. Because the implant is surgically placed in the jaw, you must have sufficient bone structure and density at the site of the missing tooth. To schedule your visit with Dr. Hollingsworth and to learn whether you are a candidate for implant dentistry, we invite you to contact us today.

Crowns

A crown is a type of dental restoration that can be used to restore the health, function, and appearance of a damaged tooth. Dental crowns in St. Joseph, Missouri are designed to closely match the shape, size, and color of the natural tooth, and the crown covers the damaged tooth beginning at the gum line. A dental crown can protect the damaged tooth.

Dental crowns typically require two comfortable visits to our dental office. If you would like, your two appointments at Hollingsworth Dental can take place on the same day. The first visit consists of tooth preparation and impressions. Dr. Hollingsworth prepares the tooth for the crown; he and his dental team will ensure that the treatment is comfortable and pleasant. He will also take impressions so that your dental crown can be created to fit your bite and match your natural teeth. During the second appointment, Dr. Hollingsworth will place the custom-made dental crown. He will make any needed adjustments to ensure that it fits your smile comfortably and aesthetically.

You may need a dental crown in order to:

Restore a significantly damaged or decayed tooth
Protect a tooth following root canal therapy
Complete a dental implant
Strengthen a fractured or weakened tooth
Anchor a dental bridge
Improve the function and appearance of an irregularly shaped tooth
Support a large dental filling when little original tooth structure remains

If you would like to learn more about how a dental crown can improve your smile, we invite you to contact us soon. We look forward to enhancing the health and beauty of your smile!

Bridges

Bridges are dental restorations used to replace one or more missing teeth. A dental bridge is composed of two dental crowns and one or more artificial teeth; the dental crowns anchor the artificial teeth and hold them in place. Dental bridges are fixed (non-removable), making them a more stable tooth replacement option than partial dentures. A custom dental bridge can improve your smile by:

Restoring lost facial volume
Improving your ability to eat, speak, and chew as usual
Alleviating stress on the bite
Preventing the other teeth from shifting in the mouth

Dental bridges in St. Joseph, Missouri require two appointments. During the first visit, Dr. Hollingsworth will prepare the teeth for the dental bridge and take impressions to ensure that your dental bridge fits your smile comfortably and aesthetically. At the second appointment, Dr. Hollingsworth will insert the bridge. He will place the dental crowns on the two teeth or dental implants adjacent to the gap to support the artificial teeth.

A dental bridge might be right for you if you are missing one or more teeth in a row. To learn whether a dental bridge is the right solution for your smile, please call or visit us at Hollingsworth Dental today.

Dentures

Dentures are removable oral appliances used to replace multiple missing teeth. Dentures are designed to look and feel just like natural teeth so you can feel confident smiling, laughing, and speaking in front of others. Custom dentures can restore the health, function, and beauty of your smile by improving facial volume and shape and by restoring your ability to properly chew, eat, and speak.

In St. Joseph, Missouri, dentures can be completed in five visits to Hollingsworth Dental. The first visit requires approximately half an hour; Dr. Hollingsworth will take impressions of your mouth to ensure that your dentures fit comfortably. The frame work is prepared during the second appointment, and a wax tray is tried on during the third visit to check the appearance and spacing of the teeth and the fit of the bite. The completed dentures are inserted during the fourth visit, and a fifth appointment is scheduled for an evaluation of the dentures. During this fifth appointment, Dr. Hollingsworth will also make any needed adjustments.

Your custom dentures will look just like natural teeth and gum tissue. If you are missing all of the natural teeth in the upper and/or lower jaws, dentures are an excellent tooth replacement option. For more information on dentures, we invite you to contact our dental office today.

Apicoectomy

Apicoectomy is the removal of the tip of the tooth root. The tooth roots extend into the jawbone and hold the teeth in place; the front teeth usually have one root, while premolars and molars have two or more. When a tooth becomes infected, your experienced dentist will perform root canal therapy. If an infection develops or will not subside after root canal therapy or retreatment, Dr. Hollingsworth may recommend apicoectomy to restore the health of your smile.

Apicoectomy involves removing the tip, or apex, of the tooth root, as well as any infected tissues that remain in the branches of the tooth root. In St. Joseph, Missouri, apicoectomy is completed in only one visit to our relaxing dental office. Dr. Hollingsworth will create a small incision in the gums to be able to remove the root tip and the infected tissue. After removing the root tip, he will clean and seal the end of the tooth’s canal. The appointment will last approximately an hour and a half, and our caring dental team will ensure that the visit is as painless and comfortable as possible.

You may benefit from apicoectomy if your tooth becomes infected after root canal therapy. The signs of tooth infection include increased tooth sensitivity, extreme tooth pain when biting and chewing, and swelling and tenderness in the nearby gums. If you experience any of these symptoms, or any other type of tooth pain, we urge you to contact us at Hollingsworth Dental today to schedule your visit with Dr. Hollingsworth.

Fillings

If a tooth is affected by decay or damage, Dr. Hollingsworth may recommend a filling. Fillings are used to repair teeth with more minor damage, such as a cavity. A dental filling can restore your tooth to optimal health and function. The filling can even help to prevent further tooth decay in the future.

At Hollingsworth Dental, fillings are completed in a single appointment. The length of the appointment may range from one to two hours, depending on the location of the tooth and the severity of the decay. Dr. Hollingsworth will first remove the decayed part of the tooth and clean the tooth. He will then fill in the cavity with the chosen filling material. Finally, he will shape and polish the filling to ensure that it fits your bite and is an aesthetic restoration for your smile. You can rest assured that the process for placing fillings in St. Joseph, Missouri is pleasant and comfortable.

Your smile may need a filling if a tooth has become damaged or decayed but does not require a dental crown. While tooth decay does not always cause noticeable symptoms, your tooth may be damaged by decay if you experience a toothache. We welcome you to contact our dental office today to learn more and to schedule your appointment.

Root Canal Therapy

Root canal therapy is an endodontic treatment that is used to treat severely infected or injured teeth. Infection may develop in the dental pulp and nerve of the tooth if decay reaches far inside the tooth or if the tooth is significantly damaged by injury. An infected tooth can cause serious pain and discomfort. Root canal therapy in St. Joseph, Missouri can improve the health of the tooth and prevent infection from spreading to other areas of the mouth. Root canal therapy also helps you avoid the need for tooth extraction.

Root canal therapy is completed in just one visit to Hollingsworth Dental. To restore the health of the tooth, Dr. Hollingsworth will remove the infected dental pulp and tooth nerve. After removing the infected portions of the tooth, he will clean the tooth and fill it in. Finally, he will seal the tooth; a dental crown may be required to effectively seal the tooth and protect it following root canal therapy.

Root canal therapy may benefit your oral health if your tooth is infected or seriously injured. Common symptoms of tooth infection include:

Serious tooth pain when biting and chewing
Tenderness and swelling in the nearby gums
A darkening or discoloration of the tooth
A recurring or persistent pimple on the nearby gums
Increased tooth sensitivity

If you notice these symptoms, root canal therapy may be the right option to restore the health of your smile. We invite you to contact us today to schedule your visit with Dr. Hollingsworth.