Crowns + Bridges

  • A crown is a cover or cap your dentist can put on a tooth in order to restore the tooth to its normal shape, size and function. Its purpose is to make the tooth stronger or improve the way it looks. According to the American Dental Association, “A crown can help strengthen a tooth with a large filling when there isn’t enough tooth remaining to hold the filling.” Crowns can also be used to attach bridges, protect a weak tooth from breaking or restore one that’s already broken. A crown is a good way to cover teeth that are discolored or badly shaped. It’s also used to cover a dental implant.

    Do You Need A Crown?

    • Have a cavity that is too large for a filling?

    • Have a missing tooth and need a bridge?

    • Need to cover a dental implant?

    • Have a tooth that is cracked, worn down or weakened?

    • Have had root canal treatment; the crown will protect the restored tooth?

    • Want to cover a discolored or badly shaped tooth and improve your smile?

  • A bridge is a dental restoration that replaces one or more missing teeth. It extends across an area that has no teeth and is typically made up of an artificial tooth fused between two crowns. The bridge is held firmly in place by your own teeth on each side of the missing one(s) or by dental implants. A bridge is permanent and cannot be removed.

Veneers

  • Veneers are thin durable shells made of tooth colored materials that are bonded to the surface of a tooth to enhance its appearance. The American Dental Association says, “Veneers are thin, custom-made shells crafted of tooth-colored materials designed to cover the front side of teeth. They are an option for correcting stained, chipped, decayed or crooked teeth. Veneers are made by a dental technician, usually in a dental lab, working from a model provided by your dentist. Placing veneers is usually an irreversible process, because it’s necessary to remove a small amount of enamel from your tooth to accommodate the shell.”

  • Dental veneers are a great solution for people with discolored, worn down, chipped, misaligned, spaced, uneven or irregularly shaped front teeth. Veneers can transform your smile and boost your confidence. Dr. Virdi may recommend that you avoid some foods and beverages that might stain or discolor your veneers, including coffee, tea or red wine; for most people the results are worth it!

    Before veneers can be placed, you should meet the following criteria.

    • You must be committed to excellent oral hygiene – brush and floss at least twice a day.

    • You must have excellent periodontal and good general oral health.

    • You must have the right amount of healthy tooth enamel because thin layer typically gets removed in order to place the veneers.

Dentures + Partials

  • Dentures are removable appliances that can replace missing teeth and help restore your smile. If you’ve lost all of your natural teeth, whether from gum disease, tooth decay or injury, replacing missing teeth will benefit your appearance and your health. That’s because dentures make it easier to eat and speak better than you could without teeth – things that people often take for granted.

    Removable partial dentures usually consist of replacement teeth attached to pink or gum-colored plastic bases. Depending on your needs, your Dr. Virdi will design a partial denture for you. The partial denture may have a metal framework and clasps that connect to your teeth, or it can have other, more natural looking connectors. For example, in some cases a removable partial denture is made to attach to your natural teeth with devices called precision attachments. Typically, precision attachments are more aesthetically pleasing than clasps and generally cost more.

  • Conventional.

    This full removable denture is made and placed in your mouth after the remaining teeth are removed and tissues have healed, which may take several months.

    Immediate.

    This removable denture is inserted on the same day that the remaining teeth are removed. Your dentist will take measurements and make models of your jaw during a preliminary visit. You don’t have to be without teeth during the healing period, but may need to have the denture relined or remade after your jaw has healed.

    Overdenture.

    Sometimes some of your teeth can be saved to preserve your jawbone and provide stability and support for the denture. An overdenture fits over a small number of remaining natural teeth after they have been prepared by your dentist. Implants can serve the same function, too.

Dental Implants

  • Dental implants are a popular and effective way to replace missing teeth and are designed to blend in with your other teeth. They are an excellent long-term option for restoring your smile. In fact, the development and use of implants is one of the biggest advances in dentistry in the past 40 years. Dental implants are made up of titanium and other materials that are compatible with the human body. They are posts that are surgically placed in the upper or lower jaw, where they function as a sturdy anchor for replacement teeth.

  • Unlike natural teeth, dental implants are not susceptible to dental disease such as decay, but maintaining healthy gums is vital to lasting implant success. You must be committed to good oral hygiene at home and continue your regular dental check ups.

Teeth Whitening

  • Dr. Virdi will customize a treatment plan so you can get the smile you’ve always wanted. Whether you want to whiten in the comfort of your own home or in our Moline, IL office, teeth whitening can give you the bright white smile you’ve dreamed of.

    Teeth whitening is a safe, comfortable way to get a bright, white smile. Results and treatment time may vary depending on the level of staining and whiteness desired. Crowns, bridges, fillings, and veneers will not whiten. Pregnant women, breastfeeding women, those with gum disease, worn enamel, cavities, and exposed roots may not be good candidates for whitening their teeth. We recommend visiting Dr. Virdi for a pre-whitening consultation.

    • Opalescence Tooth Whitening System

    • Philips Zoom! Teeth Whitening

Tooth Extraction

  • We recommend removing a tooth that has been damaged by disease, trauma or crowding. Tooth extraction can be a little uncomfortable, so Dr. Virdi will thoroughly numb the area around the tooth. Afterwards, she’ll provide you with an extraction regimen to follow. In most cases a small amount of bleeding is normal. With proper care, your mouth will heal quickly with minimum discomfort.

  • As with any wound, be gentle with the area. Don’t rinse your mouth vigorously or eat hard crunchy foods. Avoid drinking through a straw for at least 24-hours after the extraction. This can create suction in your mouth and delay healing.

    Wait for 24-hours before you clean the teeth around the affected area. However, you may brush and floss your other teeth normally. You can also brush your tongue to get rid of bad breath or bitter taste that often follows a tooth extraction. The day after the extraction, you should start gently rinsing your mouth with warm salt water after every meal. This will keep food particles from becoming lodged in the extraction site.

    When To Call Dr. Virdi

    If you have any of these issues after your extraction, you should call our offices right away. If it is after hours, go to your nearest hospital emergency room.

    • Fever, nausea or vomiting

    • Severe pain, swelling or bleeding

    • Pain that gets worse over time, rather than better