Dental Crowns

A dental crown is a tooth-shaped “cap” that is placed over a tooth – to cover the tooth to restore its shape and size, strength, and improve its appearance. Dental crowns have many uses, such as being able to “cap” a damaged tooth or cover an implant. They can also be used to attach bridges, protect a weak tooth from breaking, or restore one that’s already broken. To discuss dental crowns with one of our doctors at Garrison Family Dentistry, schedule a consultation today.

If you have a tooth that has been weakened due to decay, a desire to restore a broken tooth that has been severely worn down or simply wish to enhance the aesthetics of your smile, then you may be a candidate for a dental crown. Dental crowns are fixed prosthetic devices that one of our doctors cements onto existing teeth or implants. There are several types of materials that can be used for dental crowns and our doctor will discuss them during your consultation.

If you have questions about restorative or cosmetic dentistry, please give us a call. To learn more about the services we provide at our practice, visit www.garrisondentistry.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Garrison Family Dentistry here in Smithville, MO, call 816-532-8778. 

Root Canals

Among the dental specialties provided by our dentists, Dr. Matthew Garrison and Dr. Anna Jones, endodontics is one of the most important. Endodontics is a specialty in the dentistry field that treats the nerves and roots of the teeth.

 

The primary procedure performed under endodontics is a root canal. Root canals help us remove infected tissue in the nerves and roots of the teeth to help treat an infection and save the tooth. The only alternative to a root canal is extracting the tooth, which then requires a bridge or implant. Most patients prefer going through a root canal procedure.

 

To perform a root canal, we numb the area, and then drill a small hole into the tooth to reach the canal. A special tool is used to remove the infected nerves and roots, and the tooth is filled with a material called gutta percha. In about 2-3 weeks, the patient returns to our office to be fitted for a crown. This is necessary because after a root canal, the tooth is dead and is susceptible to breaking.

 

While a seemingly intimidating procedure, root canals are routine and are done in about 45 minutes to an hour. Call us here at Garrison Family Dentistry at (816) 532-8778 with any questions you have about root canals.

Periodontics: Caring for your gums

Caring for your teeth is an essential part of maintaining good oral health, but your gums also play an important role in your health, and proper care is crucial. Gum disease can be a serious detriment to your oral health and overall wellness, and Dr. Matthew Garrison of Garrison Family Dentistry provides the regular periodontal and checkups you need to maintain peak periodontal health and prevent gum disease.

 

With periodontal disease responsible for 75 percent of all adult tooth loss cases in the United States, it is critical to check for and treat periodontal issues when they first arise. Periodontal disease is an infection of the gums that starts when a build-up of plaque on your teeth hardens into tartar. As the tartar accumulates, bacteria collect and attack the soft tissue in the surrounding gums. In its early stages, this gum disease is gingivitis, but if it is left untreated, it becomes periodontis. Periodontis can destroy your gum tissue and lead to tooth loss. Periodontis can even result in a loss of bone mass in your jaw bone, and heart disease, diabetes and stroke have also been linked to poor periodontal health.

 

The state of your gums affects the health of your entire body, so come to our office for periodontal cleanings and treatment. We can even refer you to a recommended specialist if you require special treatment. We will make sure your gums are well cared for. Call (816) 532-8778 to schedule an appointment. For more information about our practice, visit www.garrisondentistry.com.

Bone Grafting

If you need restoration procedures, such as implants, you may first require bone grafting. In some situations, your jawbone may be too soft or not thick enough to support a dental implant. Bone loss in the jaw typically is caused by periodontal disease. That’s where bone grafting can help.

 

Dr. Matthew Garrison and his team at Garrison Family Dentistry have experience performing various types of oral surgery including bone grafts. The procedure involves removing small amounts of bone from another area of the body, such as the hip. Bone fragments can also be retrieved from an area of the mouth, which was drilled. In some cases, cadaver bone can be used.

 

After the bone is retrieved, it is placed on top of your existing bone in a procedure called grafting. The procedure builds up the bone in the jaw area and increases the chances of success when placing an implant or other type of restoration.

 

In addition to bone grafting, Garrison Family Dentistry also offers other types of oral surgery including extractions. We also offer cosmetic and preventative dentistry. If you are looking for outstanding customer service with an exemplary reputation, consider Garrison Family Dentistry.

 

For more information on bone grafting or any of our other services, please call our office at 816-532-8778 or visit us online at www.garrisondentistry.com. 

Mouth Guards

Does your child play a sport?  Whether they play a sport for fun or for a school team, mouth guards are an essential piece of equipment.  Mouth guards are used to protect your teeth when playing football, hockey, lacrosse, wrestling, basketball, baseball, soccer, and other contact sports.  Athletes of all ages who participate in contact sports should wear a mouth guard.  This dental appliance helps to prevent:

• Tooth damage
•  Jaw damage
• Concussions
• Lacerations to the checks, tongue and lips

We offer custom mouth guards at Garrison Family Dentistry.  We encourage parents to bring their children in for a mouth guard fitting for the best level of protection for your smile!

Dental Crowns

A dental crown is one option, which can repair a cracked or damaged tooth. Crowns can be used when a filling alone will not correct the problem. A crown will look just like your own teeth and also restore function.

 

At Garrison Family Dentistry, we are happy to offer our patients a variety of dental care including crowns. The process of getting a crown starts by repairing the damaged tooth, which involves removing decay. The tooth is then prepared and shaped in order for the crown to fit. An impression is taken and sent to a laboratory for the crown to be made. While you wait for your permanent crown, you will be fitted for a temporary crown.

 

Dental crowns are usually made of materials including porcelain and ceramic. The color is matched to your other teeth. A crown is usually indistinguishable from your other teeth in appearance. It also functions the same as your natural teeth. Crowns are durable and made to last. With proper care, a crown can last for 15 years or more.

 

At Garrison Family Dentistry, we offer a variety of dental services including cosmetic, preventative and restorative services. Our staff strives to provide you with the best possible dental care in a comfortable environment.

Dental Bridges

Dental bridges are a very good option in order to replace a missing tooth or teeth. A bridge involves using a crown to replace the missing tooth. The crown is attached to the existing teeth on the adjacent sides of the bridge. The existing teeth act as an anchor and hold the bridge in place.

 

Our team at Garrison Family Dentistry is experienced in all areas of restorative dentistry including dental bridges. Bridges are usually made of metal, alloys or porcelain, which ensures the bridge is both durable and strong. A bridge is also matched to the color of your natural teeth.

 

The process of getting a bridge involves a few steps. First, the dentist will extract the damaged tooth. The teeth on adjacent sides are prepared, which involves creating abutments in order to attach the crown. A mold is taken, and sent to a lab to create a bridge. While you are waiting for the bridge to be made, you will be fitted for a temporary crown. With proper care, bridges can last for many years.

At Garrison Family Dentistry, we believe in providing quality dental services in a comfortable, modern facility. We utilize the most advanced technology in order to provide you with the best care possible.

 

For more information on dental bridges or in order to schedule an appointment, please call Garrison Family Dentistry at (816) 532-8778.

Dental Crowns

Crowns are used to protect and strengthen teeth that have become extremely weak, decayed or fractured. Covering your affected tooth and restoring it to its original shape and size, dental crowns (sometimes called caps) can help reduce pain, save your tooth from needing to be extracted and keep your smile beautiful and functional. At our office in Smithville, MO, we can see if a crown is necessary to save your smile.

 

Over time, as your teeth begin to weaken, they become more susceptible to problems, including decay, cracks and discoloration. Crowns are usually only necessary if decay has reached the point where the tooth structure is compromised. When a crown is installed, the decay is removed from the tooth and a core build-up is used to insulate the nerve and create a surface to bond the crown to. An impression is then made of this surface so that crown can be custom fitted. Usually made of porcelain, gold or porcelain fused to metal, the crown is fabricated in a lab and then cemented onto the current tooth. This fabrication process can take between two to three weeks.

 

Crowns are made incredibly strong to protect the remaining tooth structure, and the custom fit ensures that the seam between tooth and crown is miniscule, which helps protect the tooth from further decay.

 

If you’re experiencing pain in one of your teeth, stop by our office to see if a crown can save your smile. Schedule an appointment with us at Garrison Family Dental by calling 816-532-8778 or visit www.garrisondentistry.com. 

Full Mouth Rehabilitation

Here at Garrison Family Dentistry in Smithville, MO, we keep our patients’ needs in mind when deciding what treatments and dental services we provide. This includes full mouth rehabilitation, as many of our patients have not one, but multiple problems with their dental health and smiles.

 

With full mouth reconstruction, patients choose from a variety of procedures performed in succession — ranging from dentures or implants to crowns and inlays — to give them a brand new smile.

Some of the common procedures our patients choose for their full mouth reconstruction include:

 

1. Dental fillings

2. Inlays and onlays

3. Dental bridges

4. Dental crowns

5. Dental implants

6. Dentures and partials

7. Root canals

8. Treatment for gum disease

9. Treatment for TMJ disorders

 

There are many reasons someone might choose a full mouth reconstruction. Examples include having had a trauma that caused loss or damage to several teeth, having severe decay or gum disease, or experiencing loss of tooth structure from extensive clenching and grinding of the teeth.

 

After consultation with our dentist Dr. Matthew Garrison, patients choose what procedures to receive for full mouth rehabilitation and reconstruction. Call Dr. Matthew Garrison at 816-532-8706 to learn more about your full mouth rehabilitation options.

Dr. Garrison on Smithville’s Decision to Stop Public Water Fluoridation

Dr. Garrison recently provided his expertise for Fox 4 news report on Smithville’s decision to stop fluoridation of the public water supply. Smithville, MO officials made the decision primarily as a cost-cutting measure, but as Dr. Garrison explains in the video report on Fox 4’s website, Smithville could end up paying for the choice with their oral health.

Since it was first implemented in the 1940s, fluoridation of drinking water has consistently shown to benefit public dental health, leading to less tooth decay, cavities and tooth loss. While fluoridation process does require additional cost to implement as a public practice, it saves community members a great deal of money in dental treatment. Per the CDC, every $1 invested in public water fluoridation saves roughly $38 in dental costs.

Comment and share your thoughts on this recent decision.  If you haven’t already, be sure to watch the report on Fox 4’s website: http://fox4kc.com/2013/03/19/budget-cuts-force-changes-to-smithvilles-water/

 

Source: http://www.cdc.gov/fluoridation/benefits/background.htm

Cosmetic Dentistry

For most of us, a smile plays a critical role in the impressions we give and take, the confidence we exude, and the way we feel throughout the day.  Depending upon how you feel about yours, a smile can be a serious asset or a source of apprehension.  That’s why cosmetic dentistry has been such a wise investment for many of our patients here at Garrison Family Dentistry.

Whether you’re seeking a basic improvement such as teeth whitening or a speedy orthodontic alignment, or a complete smile makeover with veneers, crown lengthening and more, we have the resources to get you closer to a smile you idealize.

Here at Garrison Family Dentistry, we know that when patients feel great about the look of their smile, they are all the more inspired to take excellent care of their smile.  Cosmetic dentistry is more than just an esthetic improvement; it’s a personal investment in confidence and oral health.

We offer a wide range of cosmetic dental services and invite you to visit for a consultation. We’ll help you assess the current state of your smile and discuss the options that will best suit your needs and desires.  For more information on our cosmetic dental services, please view our website and give us a call today.

Dental Implants

Are you familiar with dental implants? These restoratives are the closest you can get to the look and feel of a real tooth. Dental implants are strong, reliable, easy to maintain, and are also highly versatile.  Here at Garrison Family Dentistry, we use dental implants as a dependable solution to several smile concerns.

Since dental implants are placed directly into the jaw bone and provide the same stability you’d expect from natural tooth roots, they can be used to replace one or more missing, extracted, or severely damaged teeth.  Each implant can be topped with a custom fabricated crown that makes the restoration site virtually indistinguishable from the rest of your smile.  There’s no need to modify or disturb surrounding teeth to serve as a means of support, nor is there any external framework or components. Dental implants can also be used to solve the problem of denture instability, serving as a rooted component of traditional dentures. As a result, patients feel more confident, secure and comfortable as they eat, speak and smile.

If you’re considering dental implants to replace a tooth or if you’d like to transition into implant dentures, it’s a great time to visit us here at Garrison Family Dentistry. We are now offering $200 off implant treatments until June 1^st.  To learn more about this Spring Special and the dental implants we provide, please view our website and call us directly for details.

Digital X-Rays

Here at Garrison Family Dentistry, we’re committed to running a modern dental practice that is just as advanced as it is personable and friendly. We maintain a variety of dental technology that helps us provide you with better care. One example is our use of digital x-rays.

Digital x-rays offer a number of advantages over conventional dental film x-rays.  They process is a considerable safer as they emit 80% less radiation than film radiography methods.  The results are also more efficient, convenient and comprehensive.  The digital capture and display capabilities make it easy for us to zoom in an area of concern, plan procedures with greater precision, give you a better understanding of your current oral health, and easily share the results for insurance claim and patient record keeping purposes.

If you’re due for an exam or you’re ready to undergo a dental procedure at our practice, call us and ask how digital x-rays and our other capabilities can contribute to an optimal dental care experience.