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Restorative Dentistry
At Buckwalter Dental Care in Blufton, Dr. Joel Darrah believes that everyone deserves the smile of their dreams. If you have chipped, damaged, stained, or missing teeth, we can help! Led by Dr. Darrah, the Buckwalter team specializes in a variety of dental procedures to help you restore your beautiful smile.
Why
Dental Crowns
If you have a severely damaged, decayed or misshapen tooth, a dental crown may be the perfect solution for you. A dental crown, or a cap, is placed on the tooth, most often after a filling or root canal. Crowns are built to mimic the appearance, function and feeling of your natural tooth, and are cemented in place for a permanent fit. They help preserve the integrity of your existing tooth, and restore your smile.
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The Benefits of Dental Crowns
Dental crowns have a number of benefits. First, they cover and protect your entire tooth, unlike a filling or a dental inlay/onlay. This means that they are ideal for protecting a tooth that has been seriously compromised by decay, infection, or an oral injury.
Dental crowns are also built to look and feel completely natural. At Buckwalter Dental Care, we specialize in porcelain dental crowns, which look just like a natural tooth. Dr. Darrah will develop and create a crown that matches your existing teeth perfectly, ensuring that your smile looks beautiful and that your crown feels just like a natural tooth.
About
Dental Implants
If you have a missing tooth, a dental implant is a great restorative option. Using a two-part implantation process, a titanium post is first implanted into the gum where the missing tooth used to be. This post will bond to the surrounding tissue, permanently attaching itself to the gums and jaw. Then, Dr. Joel Darrah will permanently attach an abutment and crown to the exposed post. With proper care, dental implants will last your entire life, permanently restoring your smile.
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The Benefits of Dental Implants
While Dental implants are more costly up-front than dentures or bridges, they are a permanent, long-lasting way to restore your smile. Dental implants stimulate your jaw and gum tissue, preventing bone resorption, which is a common issue with both dentures and dental bridges. This means that dental implants help safeguard your long-term oral health.
Dental implants last 30+ years with proper care, and most patients keep their implants for the rest of their lives. This means that an implant can be very cost-effective in the long term since they do not need to be replaced every 5-15 years the way that dentures and bridges do.
Finally, dental implants look and feel just like natural teeth, and they do not require any special care precautions. Simply brush and floss as you normally would, and see Dr. Darrah for regular oral exams and teeth cleanings in Blufton.
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Dental Bridges
Dental bridges are a less-invasive method of restoring missing teeth. As the name suggests, dental bridges literally “bridge the gap” created by a missing tooth. Two dental crowns are attached to the teeth on either side of the missing tooth, and a prosthetic is placed in between them. Dental bridges are preferred by those who wish to avoid lengthy surgeries, and are ideal for those who are not candidates for dental implants.
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The Benefits of Dental Bridges
Dental bridges are a cost-effective way to restore missing teeth and avoid common issues with partial dentures, such as teeth shifting when you chew or speak. Because dental bridges are permanently anchored to abutment teeth, they do not move when eating or speaking.
In addition, dental bridges do not need to be removed for cleaning. Simply brush and floss with care, and make sure you see Dr. Darrah for regular six-month checkups to ensure that your bridge remains in great shape.
Dental bridges are cost-effective, while still offering natural-looking results, so they may be a better choice if you are on a budget. Since dental bridges do not require oral surgery, they are less invasive, making them an ideal choice if you do not like the idea of surgery or if you have dental anxiety.
why
Dentures
Dentures are sets of false teeth built to fit over your gums, providing a natural appearance without requiring surgery. If you’re missing multiple teeth and you wish to avoid surgery, partial or complete dentures are a great option for restoring the natural appearance and function of your smile.
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The Benefits of Dentures
Dentures are the most affordable way to restore one tooth, several, or a full arch of your teeth, and the cost is usually mostly covered by dental insurance.
Modern partial and full dentures look and feel quite natural, and help prevent common issues associated with tooth loss, like teeth shifting and excessive wear on your remaining teeth. However, they require more care than dental bridges or implants. Dentures must be removed and cleaned twice a day and will need to be replaced more often than bridges and implants.
Still, dentures are non-invasive and can be built in just a few appointments, offering patients at Buckwalter Dental Care a simple, affordable way to restore their smiles.
Can I Wait
To Get Treatment?
If Dr. Joel Darrah recommends a restorative treatment like a filling, a dental crown, or a root canal, it’s not a good idea to wait to get treatment. Problems like tooth decay and tooth infections won’t go away on their own, and will only get worse over time. This could cause you more pain and discomfort, raise your risk of other complications, and cost you more time and money during the treatment process.
For example, if Dr. Darrah recommends a filling for a cavity, waiting too long to get treatment could mean the cavity will turn into a tooth infection. This will require a root canal, which is a more invasive and expensive treatment.
We understand that budgeting for dental care can be difficult, but getting care as soon as possible is always the best choice. We accept most major insurances at our office, and we do our best to keep treatment affordable for our friends and neighbors in the Bluffton area.
Are
Restorative Treatments Covered By Insurance?
Yes. We work with most major dental insurance companies at Buckwalter Dental Care. As long as the treatment is medically necessary, restorative dental treatments like fillings, crowns, and root canals are covered by dental insurance. That means that your insurance may pay for most of the procedure.
However, every plan is different. Most plans pay for 80% of the cost of minor treatments like fillings, but only 50% of the cost of major restorative care like crowns or bridges. In addition, every dental plan has certain coverage limits and yearly maximums.
It’s also important to note that some restorative treatments may not be covered by insurance. For example, most policies will cover the cost of a partial denture or a dental bridge, but treatments like dental implants usually are not covered.
Understanding your dental insurance can be complex, so we recommend consulting with your insurance provider to make sure you understand your policy before getting treatment. This is the best way to make sure there are no surprises after your treatment at our office in Bluffton.
Do
Restorative Treatments Hurt?
No. At Buckwalter Dental Care, Dr. Darrah provides gentle and pain-free treatment. Before your treatment begins, Dr. Darrah will thoroughly numb your mouth to make sure you don’t feel any pain or discomfort.
We also offer sedation dentistry. We offer laughing gas (nitrous oxide), which will keep you feeling calm, safe, and comfortable throughout your operation. We also have oral conscious sedation, which uses sedative pills for a deeper level of sedation. You will feel groggy and may fall asleep, or even forget most of what happened during your appointment. Either way, choosing dental sedation will keep you comfortable during your treatment at Buckwalter Dental Care.
You may experience a little bit of discomfort after your procedure is over. However, restorative dentistry is actually often the best way to avoid pain and discomfort. If you have a toothache, for example, getting a root canal and a dental crown will relieve your pain, and allow you to get back to your normal day-to-day routine.
visit Buckwalter Dental Care
For Restorative Dentistry in Bluffton
Buckwalter Dental Care is one of the best in the business. If you’re not yet convinced, take a look at our reviews and see what our patients have to say about our services!
Dr. Joel Darrah is friendly and knowledgeable, and is always willing to discuss every option when it comes to improving your smile! Whether you’re interested in crowns, bridges, dental implants or dentures, Dr. Darrah will help you find the best treatment plan for you.
Contact us today at at (843) 815-3232 to schedule an appointment, or visit us in-person at 31 Innovation Drive Unit 2, Bluffton, SC 29910. We look forward to hearing from you, and discussing your restorative dentistry needs!
