Jeffery D. Hartman, D.M.D. / Smiles for Life Dentistry

Restorative Dentistry

There are a number of restorative techniques we employ to make our patients look good while providing optimal dental care. Some of these include:


Amalgam (Mercury) Filling Removal

Mercury is toxic. Dr. Hartman spacializes in amalgam removal and has many patients who travel great distances to rely on his expertise in this area. Our office is equipped with the best amalgam removal equipment and we use special protocols and detoxifications required to remove mercury fillings safely. For more info about safe filling removal, visit Questions You Should Ask Before Having Your Dentist Remove Mercury Fillings.


White/Composite Fillings

These fillings are made of tooth-colored biocompatible material composite fillings can restore the natural beauty of your teeth. Composite fillings can be matched to your natural tooth color.


Onlays

When a restoration is too large to use a composite filling, an onlay may be the solution. It is a custom fabricated onlay to provide support to a tooth as a conservative restoration method. Onlays made outside the mouth and bonded in place, can often be completed in one visit.


Veneers

Veneers are a beautiful way to enhance your smile. Customized from porcelain, veneers are thin, semi-translucent and are bonded to the front of teeth. They may be used on broken, chipped, crooked and discolored teeth.


Crowns

A crown is a restoration that completely covers the tooth in order to strengthen and restore a tooth to its normal shape and size. A crown usually replaces a large filling when there is little remaining tooth structure. It will serve to protect the tooth from fracturing. Any tooth that has been treated with a root canal will require a crown following treatment to provide strength and support for that tooth.


Bridges

A fixed bridge is used to replace missing teeth. A bridge helps create a normal bite. It also can be used to prevent the drifting and tilting of adjacent teeth. Bridges are composed of abutments (the support teeth), the pontics (the artificial teeth replacing the missing natural teeth) and the span which is the artificial teeth making up the bridge framework.