Dental Procedures
Dr. Kyle L. Lambert is skilled in all areas of dentistry and continues to invest in postgraduate dental courses to ensure that he provides the best treatment for you. "Rest assured I will do anything I can to save your teeth. Our services include root canal treatments, crowns and bridges. If extraction is the only possibility, we will provide you with anesthetics (freezing) so you may not even feel it and get a replacement that feels and looks right."
Below is a list of the most common reasons why patients visit our practice. If you are experiencing any of these, Highland Family Dentistry is the practice for you.
- Cavities or plaque
- Injured, discolored, or cracked teeth
- Fear of dentist or have not seen a dentist for a long time
- Need to replace a missing tooth
- Tooth pain or ache
Our services include:
Click here to enter Dr. Lambert’s Online Patient Education Center where you can learn more about these and other procedures. If you have any further questions, please call our office at (307) 637-7396. We will answer all of your questions whether or not you are a patient of ours.
Bonding
Composite bonding can work wonders for your smile. Using materials that match the shade, translucency and the texture of your teeth, gaps between teeth can be closed, spots and discolorations can be eliminated, and your self-confidence can be enhanced through the improved appearance of your smile.
Dr. Lambert will match the shade of your existing teeth and then tooth-colored composite resin is applied to the tooth much like the filling procedure.
The procedure is sometimes referred to as bonding because an adhesive agent is used to actually bond the resin to the tooth structure.
The resin is hardened (cured) with a curing light and then shaped, contoured, and polished to give a cosmetic and natural appearance. Bonding is the least expensive cosmetic procedure and can be completed during a single dental visit.
Composite bonding is excellent for small defects in the teeth -- spots, chips, or gaps between teeth. For smile alterations involving an entire tooth or multiple teeth, porcelain is the material of choice.
Bridge
Bridges are fixed, or non-removable prosthesis constructed to replace one or more missing teeth. The teeth on both sides of the existing space are used to attach the bridge to restore functionality and esthetics. Materials used for this process are noble alloys, porcelain or porcelain fused to metal. Bridges are indicated whenever at least one tooth is missing.
A bridge is composed of abutments and pontics. Abutments are the supports for the bridge and consist of crowns placed on the teeth surrounding the empty space. The pontics are special crowns that span across the empty space and connect to the abutments.
When teeth are prepared for a bridge, the abutments are prepared for crowns just as described in crowns. Dr. Lambert will then take an impression of the prepared teeth, make a temporary bridge to place on the teeth to protect them and maintain their positions, and send the impression to a dental laboratory to fabricate the bridge. At your next visit, Dr. Lambert will try-in the bridge to ensure a good fit and then cement the bridge in place.
Dentures & Partials
Dentures are divided into two main categories: complete dentures and partial dentures. If you are missing many teeth, Dr. Lambert may recommend dentures or partials.
Complete dentures are designed to replace the teeth in an entire arch when all the teeth are missing. Partial dentures are used when there are still teeth present in the arch.
Complete and partial dentures can provide patients with a functional replacement when teeth have been lost.
Complete dentures consist of an acrylic base to imitate gum tissue, and the teeth that can be made of acrylic or porcelain. The denture base is made to closely fit the contours of the arch to ensure the denture is stable during normal oral functions such as eating, speaking, or swallowing.
Partial dentures can be made with a metal framework that has acrylic base and teeth attached in the areas where the teeth are missing. The metal framework also has clasps or arms that extend out and fit around some of the existing teeth. The combination of the acrylic base and the arms that wrap around some of the teeth keep the partial denture stable during normal oral functions.
There are a lot of indications for the patients wearing dentures in order to maintain the health of oral tissues. The dentist will provide all necessary information for patient education. These prosthetics can be fixed or removable, and with modern dental materials, they look totally natural.
White Fillings
Dr. Lambert places composite resin fillings that are carefully selected to match your teeth. Modern dentistry has allowed us to combine beauty as well as strength when filling teeth.
That way the restorations are close to their original strength and appearance with composite resins and other modern materials. The patient comfort is always the main priority of the dental team, leading to a positive experience.
Fillings (restorations) are used to replace tooth structure that is decayed. Caries can be detected through direct observation or x-rays. Fillings are also used to repair fractured, broken, or severely worn teeth.
The dentist will proceed to cavity preparation, removing any remaining decay and shaping the final cavity. The next step will be the addition of composite-resin filling material, cured (hardened) after with a curing light. The final step will be polishing the filling to adapt it smoothly to the natural shape of the tooth.
In some cases cavity preparation could become very large for usual fillings and the dentist will recommend an inlay or an onlay (partial crown), restorations designed to replace more tooth structure. Those restorations are made in a dental laboratory after the dentist has taken you an impression of the preparation. The final placement of inlay or onlay will be made in a second visit at the dental office.
White Crowns
Crowns are used to restore both anterior and posterior teeth that have been broken or are at high risk of doing so due to large old fillings or fractures. There are a variety of materials used to design these reconstructions in laboratories. The crowns will look and feel close to your real teeth.
Crowns, also called caps are indicated if a significant portion of the tooth is missing. Usually, extensive decay, injury or root canal therapy, are the reasons when a crown is recommended. Crowns are usually either made of noble alloys, or porcelain. There are many different types of porcelain crowns and Dr. Lambert will determine which type is best suited for your particular need.
During your first visit to Highland Family Dentistry Dr. Lambert will prepare your tooth structure and then take an impression of the prepared tooth, make a temporary crown to place on the tooth, and send the impression to a dental laboratory to fabricate the crown. At your next visit, Dr. Lambert will try-in the crown to ensure a good fit and then cement the crown in place. When a tooth is compromised by decay or damage, Dr. Lambert may suggest a crown, inlay, or onlay. These restorations, made in a lab from fine dental porcelain, will blend seamlessly with your teeth, return the strength that you need for comfortable oral function, and maintain your all-white smile.
Tooth Extractions
Teeth may need extraction to make more space in your mouth or to replace a dead tooth with prosthetics. At Highland Family Dentistry we use gentle measures and offer anesthesia as well as Nitrous Oxide to make tooth extractions as easy and comfortable as possible. Dr. Lambert works with an oral surgeon if case a referral is needed.
Root Canals
Root canal means that the nerve from inside of your tooth is removed.
Root canal therapy is an indispensable procedure in treatment of teeth that are severely decayed, infected, or broken. Root canal therapy can maintain your teeth life saving them from extraction.
Dr. Lambert will access the pulp chamber in the crown of the tooth and will reveal the root canals contained in the roots of the tooth. The infected nerve is removed and the canals are shaped using special files to smooth the walls and ensure no pulp tissue or infection is left. The canals are then filled with a special material that seals off the root canals.
Unfortunately, after root canal therapy the tooth often becomes brittle. To protect the tooth from fracture, it is recommended that a tooth that has undergone root canal therapy be restored with a crown.
Because of the complexity and difficulty of root canal therapy (due to multiple configurations and particularities of root canal in each individual) this treatment is always a challenge for the dentist. Sometimes is necessary to refer the patient to endodontists specialized in root canal therapy.
Whitening
Tooth whitening is a procedure that can lighten the shade of your teeth and remove stain or discoloration caused by aging, certain medications, tobacco, coffee, and tea. Tooth whitening will not last forever, so the procedure will have to be repeated on a regular basis.
Tooth whitening can be done at home or in the dental office. The dentist will often take a photo of your existing tooth color to monitor your progress and compare the new lighter shade of your teeth throughout treatment.
For in-home whitening, the dentist will take an impression of your teeth and then make custom mouthpieces (trays) to fit your teeth. The dentist will give you a supply of bleaching gel (usually containing hydrogen peroxide) that is applied to the tray and then you will be instructed to wear the tray for a certain amount of time. Care should be taken to use only the prescribed amount of whitening gel as excess material can contact your gums and cause irritation.
In-office whitening often takes between 30 to 90 minutes to complete and usually requires a few visits to the dentist's office to achieve the amount of whitening required. The whitening agent (again, a gel containing hydrogen peroxide) is applied to your teeth. Some of the in-office whitening agents require special lights or heat for activation.
Both in-home and in-office bleaching can cause increased tooth sensitivity in some people. This is a normal side effect and usually subsides a few days after the whitening treatments have been completed. Whitening procedures should be avoided if you are pregnant.
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