Restorations

Dental Restorations in Louisville, KY


Cosmetic Dental Restorations In Jeffersontown


It’s great news that the incidence of tooth decay has significantly diminished over the years due to the use of fluorides and an increase in patient awareness.  

However, teeth are still susceptible to decay, infection, and breakage and sometimes need to be restored back to health. Through improved techniques and modern technology, we are now able to offer more cosmetic options for restoring a tooth back to its normal shape, appearance and function.

Should your teeth ever require a restorative treatment, you can rest assured knowing we will always discuss with you the available options, and recommend what we believe to be the most comfortable and least invasive treatment. Providing you with excellent care is our number one priority when creating your beautiful smile.

Reasons for restorative dentistry:

  • Enhance your smile.
  • Fill in unattractive spaces between teeth.
  • Improve or correct an improper bite.
  • Prevent the loss of a tooth.
  • Relieve dental pain.
  • Repair damaged and decayed teeth.
  • Replace missing teeth.
  • Replace old, unattractive dental treatments.
  • Restore normal eating and chewing.
Remember to give your teeth the attention they need, contact First Choice Dental Center!

What to Expect with our Jeffersontown Restorative Dentists

As patients’ dental goals are unique, so are the treatment plans we create for them. Our team takes the time to listen to your concerns and expectations to develop a strategy for a more beautiful smile, whether you want overall better health, bright new teeth, or both.

Air Abrasion in Louisville

Air abrasion is a new micro-dentistry technique that is used to treat tooth decay and prepare teeth for restorations.  Traditionally, dentists used noisy dental drills to remove decay and prepare the teeth for fillings, but air abrasion has proven to be a noiseless, heatless, minimally invasive alternative.  Air abrasion is similar to sandblasting, in that tiny particles are propelled toward small areas of decay to remove them.  A filling is then applied to seal the tooth from further harm. 


Here are some of the main advantages associated with air abrasion:

  •  More of the natural tooth is left untouched.
  •  No need for anesthesia in most cases.
  •  No vibrations, horrible noises or excessive pressure.
  •  Quicker, easier procedures.
  •  Reduced risk of further damage to the teeth (chipping and fractures).
  •  Teeth are left dry, which is advantageous for filling placement.

Who can benefit from air abrasion?

As with many dental procedures, air abrasion is not necessarily suitable for every person.  The best candidates for air abrasion are patients who are fearful of the dental drill, children, and individuals with minimal dental decay.  Regular dental check ups help diagnose cavities which may be forming on the surfaces of the teeth.  Spotting cavities early increases the chances that the air abrasion treatment can be utilized.


Air abrasion can be used in instances other than tooth decay, including the removal of existing composite fillings, the preparation of teeth for sealants and the removal of surface stains on teeth.  Amalgam and silver fillings cannot be used in conjunction with air abrasion because the procedure leaves the teeth too smooth for metal fillings to properly adhere.  Therefore, only composite fillings can be applied following air abrasion.

Composite Fillings in Louisville

A composite (tooth colored) filling is used to repair a tooth that is affected by decay, cracks, fractures, etc.  The decayed or affected portion of the tooth will be removed and then filled with a composite filling.


There are many types of filling materials available, each with their own advantages and disadvantages.  You and your dentist can discuss the best options for restoring your teeth.  Composite fillings, along with silver amalgam fillings, are the most widely used today.  Because composite fillings are tooth colored, they can be closely matched to the color of existing teeth, and are more aesthetically suited for use in front teeth or more visible areas of the mouth.


As with most dental restorations, composite fillings are not permanent and may someday have to be replaced.  They are very durable and will last many years, giving you a long lasting, beautiful smile.


Reasons for composite fillings:

  •  Chipped teeth.
  •  Closing space between two teeth.
  •  Cracked or broken teeth.
  •  Decayed teeth.
  •  Worn teeth.

Crowns, Also Known as Caps, in Louisville

A crown (or cap) is a covering that encases the entire tooth surface, restoring it to its original shape and size.  A crown protects and strengthens tooth structure that cannot be restored with fillings or other types of restorations.


Although there are several types of crowns, porcelain (tooth colored crown) are the most popular.  They are highly durable and will last many years, but like most dental restorations, they may eventually need to be replaced.  Porcelain crowns are made to match the shape, size, and color of your teeth, giving you a long-lasting, beautiful smile.


Reasons for crowns:

  •  Broken or fractured teeth.
  •  Cosmetic enhancement.
  •  Decayed teeth.
  •  Fractured fillings.
  •  Large fillings.
  •  Tooth has a root canal.

Dental Implants in Louisville

Missing teeth in the smile can be detrimental to your overall smile aesthetic and oral health. With tried-and-true methods like bridges and dentures, there are options to replace missing teeth. However, dental implants are a new and innovative solution to tooth loss. At First Choice Dental Center, Dr. Holly Votteler provides dental implants and restorations to restore the function of patients’ smiles.


Benefits of Dental Implant Supported Restorations and Prosthetics

Fixed bridges and removable dentures and partials only replace the missing teeth, but do not impact overall oral health. Dental implant-retained restorations, however, provide multiple benefits, such as:

  • Restored Jaw Bone Health
  • Stability
  • Retained Smile Alignment and Natural Teeth

Dr. Holly Votteler will help patients determine the best teeth replacement option for them. Dental implants provide a comprehensive solution that is long-lasting and effective. We utilize aesthetic materials to fabricate your implant restorations. This allows for your treatment to not only restore function and comfort but looks and feels natural. The number of missing teeth will prompt the type of restoration needed to restore the smile. The restorations at our practice include: 

  • Single Dental Implants with Crowns
  • Implant-Supported Bridges
  • Implant-Retained Dentures

Dentures & Partial Dentures in Louisville

There are two types of dentures - complete and partial dentures.  Complete dentures are used when all of the teeth are missing, while partial dentures are used when some natural teeth remain.  A partial denture not only fills in the spaces created by missing teeth, it prevents other teeth from shifting.


A complete denture can be either “conventional” or “immediate.”  A conventional type is made after the teeth have been removed and the gum tissue has healed (usually takes 4 to 6 weeks).  During this time, the patient will go without teeth.  Immediate dentures are made in advance and immediately placed after the teeth are removed, thus preventing the patient from having to be without teeth during the healing process.  Once the tissues shrink and heal, adjustments will have to be made.


Dentures are very durable appliances and will last many years but may have to be remade, repaired, or readjusted due to normal wear.


Reasons for dentures:

  •  Complete Denture - Loss of all teeth in an arch.
  •  Partial Denture - Loss of several teeth in an arch.
  •  Enhancing smile and facial tissues.
  •  Improving chewing, speech, and digestion.

It is normal to experience increased saliva flow, some soreness, and possible speech and chewing difficulty, however this will subside as your muscles and tissues get used to the new dentures.

Invisalign in Louisville

How Does Invisalign treatment work?

Invisalign clear aligners use the most advanced technology to gove you your best smile yet. Using a series of aligners made with advances, such as proprietary SmartTrack material, Invisalign treatment can straigned your teeth with 75% more predictability. Plus, your smile is shaped more comfortably than with braces. 


The Best Part:

Your lifestyle isn't interrupted, meaning you can still enjoy the activities you love and the foods you can't live without. All with no unexpected trips to the doctor due to broken wires or brackets.


Treatments are Designed for You

Invisalign clear aligners can treat a wide range of teeth straightening conditions such as crossbite, crowding, open bite, gapped teeth, overbite, and underbite. Using the most advanced technology, Invisalign treatment corrects simple to complex cases. 


Dont Stop Living Your Life

  • Keep eating all your favorite foods.
  • Stay active in all the sports and activities you love.
  • Keep brushing and flossing just as you normally do, with no brackets or wires to get in the way.
  • You'll experience fewer emergency visits, without the hassle of brackets and wires breaking.
  • Your Invisalign clear aligners are virtually invisible, so people may not even notice you’re wearing them.

Wearing Your Aligners

  • You'll be ready for anything, from movie night to coffee with friends. Just take your aligners out to eat and drink, then brush your teeth before putting them back in.
  • Wear your Invisalign clear aligners 20 to 22 hours a day for best results.
  • Parents, your teen's aligners will have blue compliance indicators to assure you they’re wearing them enough.

Porcelain Vaneers in Louisville

Veneers are very thin pieces of durable, tooth shaped porcelain that are custom made (for shape and color) by a professional dental laboratory.  They are bonded onto the front of teeth to create a beautiful and attractive smile.


Veneers can completely reshape your teeth and smile.  They can often be alternatives to crowns and the ideal solution in treating many dental conditions.


As with most dental restorations, veneers are not permanent and may someday need replacement.  They are very durable and will last many years, giving you a beautiful long lasting smile.


Reasons for porcelain veneers:

  •  Cosmetically, to create a uniform, white, beautiful smile.
  •  Crooked teeth.
  •  Misshapen teeth.
  •  Severely discolored or stained teeth.
  •  Teeth that are too small or large.
  •  Unwanted or uneven spaces.
  •  Worn or chipped teeth.

Root Canal Therapy in Louisville

Root canal therapy is needed when the nerve of a tooth is affected by decay or infection.  In order to save the tooth, the pulp (the living tissue inside the tooth), nerves, bacteria, and any decay are removed and the resulting space is filled with special, medicated, dental materials, which restore the tooth to its full function.


Root canal treatment is highly successful and usually lasts a lifetime, although on occasion, a tooth will have to be retreated due to new infections.


Signs and symptoms for possible root canal therapy:

  •  An abscess (or pimple) on the gums.
  •  Sensitivity to hot and cold.
  •  Severe toothache pain.
  •  Sometimes no symptoms are present.
  •  Swelling and/or tenderness.

Reasons for root canal therapy:

  •  Decay has reached the tooth pulp (the living tissue inside the tooth).
  •  Infection or abscess have developed inside the tooth or at the root tip.
  •  Injury or trauma to the tooth.

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