Healthier Smiles with Quality Restorations

At Kent Family Dental, we strive to help our patients overcome health challenges through top-quality restorations. Our skilled dentists rely on their vast experience and innovative dental technology to help detect problems and apply the best treatment to rebuild a healthy smile.

If you struggle with dental health issues, contact our office to start the journey to better health today!

CALL US: (616) 364-9348 REQUEST APPOINTMENT

What are Dental Restorations?

Restorations are treatments designed to replace or repair teeth after damage, decay, or illness. The goal is to preserve or rebuild the natural bite structure so that patients can eat, speak, and function normally.

Restorative Services We Provide

We offer a range of high-quality restorations to ensure that our patients receive the care they need to achieve a healthy, functional smile. Our services includes;

• Dentures
• Bridges
• Crowns
• Fillings
• Root Canal Therapy

Dental Implants for Permanent Tooth Replacement

This tooth replacement option offers more versatility and health benefits than any other. As the only restoration to replace the tooth root as well as the crown, implants are unmatched in their ability to preserve your smile’s health, function, and aesthetics.

A biocompatible titanium implant post is inserted into the jaw, where it fuses with tissue and bone. The implant can then be used to support any number of restorations, from single crowns to complete dentures.

7 Benefits of Dental Implants

Dental implants transform your smile in a way no other tooth replacement can. Here are seven ways your new, permanent teeth can enhance your quality of life.

1. Healthy Function – The stability of dental implants makes it easier to bite and chew than with less permanent teeth replacements.
2. Improved Speech – Speaking with a fixed dental implant is much easier than speaking with missing teeth or an unsecured denture.
3. Greater Comfort – Dental implants feel like natural teeth, and over time, you likely won’t notice any difference between them.
4. Boosted Self-esteem – Repairing the gaps left by missing teeth helps you feel more confident about your smile.
5. Better Health – Implants don’t require your remaining teeth to be reshaped, and they protect your dental alignment. Improved chewing ability also means better digestion and better health overall.
6. Reliability – Restorations stabilized by implants can last decades, and if the restoration is damaged, a new one can easily be placed on the same implant post.
7. Convenience – Whether you choose fixed or removable restorations, implant support makes daily dental care straightforward and easy to perform regularly.

Who is a Candidate for Dental Implants?

If you’ve lost one or more teeth, there’s a good chance that you are eligible for dental implants. The most important factors when determining who qualifies for implants is your current jawbone strength and volume. We work closely with the best dental implant specialists in Grand Rapids to prepare and plan your procedure. Advanced technology is used to ensure you are comfortable throughout your procedure and that your implant lasts as long as possible. 

Types of Implant-Supported Restorations

There are four main types of implant-supported restorations, and which you get will depend entirely on your unique situation. The dentist will work with you to help you understand your dental options and decide on a plan that protects your health and delivers the best results.

What to Expect with Dentures

New denture wearers often wonder what life with dentures is like. Fortunately, advances in materials and techniques have made dentures more comfortable and reliable than they’ve ever been.

Your dentures are custom-crafted to fit your unique oral structure. Whether you receive full or partial dentures, your dental prosthetic is designed to fit comfortably in your mouth so that you can eat and speak with confidence.

Full dentures are held in place by suction, dental adhesive, or both. Partial dentures often use metal clasps to anchor to your remaining teeth, similar to an orthodontic retainer.

It may take some time to get used to your dentures, both when eating and speaking. You will need time to adjust to the difference you feel in chewing pressure, as well as the way your tongue moves around the dentures. This does not last long, and the more you practice with your dentures, the sooner they’ll become a normal part of your smile.

What Kind of Dentures Do I Need?

This largely depends on the state of your teeth. Generally, if you have several teeth remaining, partial dentures will help to replace what’s missing and ensure an overall healthy bite. If you are missing all of your teeth, a full denture will provide a new dental arch to help you speak and eat normally once more.

If you are missing most of your teeth, the dentist evaluates your remaining teeth to determine which dentures suit you best. If the teeth are healthy and can support a partial denture, we do our best to preserve those remaining teeth. If the teeth are broken, weak, or loose due to decay or gum disease, the healthier option may be to choose full dentures.

Our dentists always keep patient health and quality of life at the front of treatment. We take the time to help patients understand their options so that they can make the best choice for themselves.

Caring For Your Dentures

Taking good care of your dentures is important in ensuring that they last a long time. Be sure to follow the dentist’s instructions carefully, and always ask if you’re unsure of what to do.

Dentures need to be cleaned daily with a soft-bristled toothbrush. Set out a towel to keep them from breaking if dropped. Dentures need to stay moist and cool, as drying or heat will cause them to warp. Let them soak at night in a specialized denture cleanser, and be sure to rinse them thoroughly before putting them back in your mouth.

My Dentures Don’t Fit Well Anymore

It’s normal for the fit of dentures to change over time. This could be because the dentures need maintenance, they have been warped or damaged, or even because your oral structure has changed.

If your dentures feel uncomfortable, schedule an appointment to visit our office. We can determine the cause of the ill fit and adjust the dentures if possible. If new dentures are needed, we’ll take impressions and get your new dentures prepared quickly so that you can go back to enjoying your smile.

Tooth Replacement with Fixed Bridges

Porcelain bridges are a reliable way to replace up to three teeth in a row. Named for their ability to bridge the gap, these restorations consist of prosthetic teeth (called pontics) attached to dental crowns. The crowns are placed over neighboring teeth, turning them into supports for your new teeth and ensuring a healthy bite.

Dependable Dental Crowns

For structure, security, and beauty, a porcelain crown can be invaluable to your smile. Crowns become the cap over your tooth, protecting it from damage and decay.

3 Main Functions of a Crown

Crowns are one of the most versatile restorations. While dentists use them for a variety of treatments, here are the three main things you can expect from a dental crown.

1. Strength for Weak or Damaged Teeth: If your tooth is chipped, cracked, or broken, a crown will restore its structure and protect the vulnerable inner tooth.
2. Stability After Dental Treatment: Large fillings and root canal therapy protect teeth, but also leave them weakened. Crowns restore their structure and protect them from daily chewing pressure.
3. Cosmetic Enhancement: Porcelain crowns are designed to look natural in your smile, and can enhance teeth that are worn, misshapen, or otherwise unhealthy in appearance.

Fillings

Tooth decay puts teeth at risk of pain and potential tooth loss. We provide dental fillings to help our patients protect their teeth and continue to enjoy a healthy, functioning smile.

Should I Get Metal or Composite Fillings?

Today’s patients have two options when it comes to fillings – either amalgam (metal), or composite (white). There are trade-offs to either type, and understanding both can help you determine which type is best for you.

Saving Teeth with Root Canal Therapy

When infections put your teeth at risk, we do all we can to help you preserve your tooth and smile without pain. We offer root canal therapy (RTC) to help patients eliminate pain and infection without having to extract teeth.

If you are experiencing a severe toothache, pain with pressure, or swelling in your cheek, contact our office today.

Is Root Canal Therapy Safe?

RTC may have a scary reputation, but today’s techniques and tools are much gentler and more reliable than they were in the past. Using modern tools, we can remove infected tissue and restore the strength of the tooth while maximizing patient comfort. RTC has a very high success rate and is considered a safe way to protect a tooth from extraction.

We Help Make Smiling Easier

The team at Kent Family Dental is committed to helping you smile without pain or worry. Whether through simple exams and cleanings or complex restorations, you can count on us to have the skills and techniques you need to help you enjoy a healthy smile.

CALL US: (616) 364-9348 REQUEST APPOINTMENT