RESTORATIVE
Tooth decay, physical trauma, acid erosion, and natural wear and tear can cause damage to your teeth. While our aim at Mukilteo Smiles is to prevent dental issues before they even arise, we are also here to restore your smile and the health of your teeth and gums with a variety of rehabilitative services. We always talk with you in detail about the different treatment options available, so you can make a choice that is best for you.
Dr. Sype specializes in advanced dentistry for patients in need of extensive reconstruction. With her commitment to ongoing continuing education at advanced dental training centers such as the world-renowned Kois Center, Dr. Sype is able to offer her patients the highest-quality solutions available in dental medicine. Mukilteo Smiles’ cutting edge technology includes the use of the Gemini Dual Wavelength technology to treat a variety of issues, including inflamed gum tissues, infections, and harmful bacteria levels. This treatment delivers precise energy in the form of light, and it reduces pain and symptoms while speeding up healing times. We also offer BOTOX® to alleviate pain caused by temporomandibular disorders (TMD) or other conditions that cause facial pain. Read more about our BOTOX® treatments here.
Patients sometimes come into our office in severe pain with extreme tooth loss or decay that makes it difficult to eat or even talk. If this is what’s happening with you, it’s understandable if you feel a sense of hopelessness and frustration that previous dental treatments elsewhere have not successfully helped you. We are here to guide you through the process of full mouth rehabilitation. Dr. Sype utilizes her extensive knowledge and decades of experience to restore severely compromised teeth and gums. The goal is to return full function to your mouth, eliminate pain, and give you a smile that you are happy to show the world.
To treat cavities, we create fillings made from strong, durable materials that restore your tooth and prevent further decay. In line with our overall wellness approach, we offer mercury-free fillings. We also offer CariFree products, which is a line of self-care products (treatment rinses and toothpastes) that reduce the overall acidity of your mouth. While brushing and flossing can reduce bacteria, neither alters the acidic bacterial balance in your mouth, and some patients with high acidity will continue to get cavities even if they practice good at-home care habits. CariFree’s pH elevated products can change the chemical balance of your mouth and prevent cavities.
When a filling won’t solve the problem, crowns or bridges are often the ideal solution. A crown is a type of dental restoration that covers the entire surface of a tooth and restores it to its natural function. A dental bridge is a replacement prosthesis that bridges the gap created by one or more missing teeth. It relies on the support of the healthy teeth surrounding the gap.
In some cases, a dental implant may be needed to replace teeth that have been lost to decay, injury, or gum disease. Implants are also sometimes needed to support bridgework. Dr. Sype restores existing implants, and if you are in need of having a new implant placed, she can refer you to a trusted oral surgeon.
Sometimes a deep cavity or injury to the tooth can cause the soft tissues inside your tooth to become infected or inflamed. The infection can spread to the tissues around the root of the tooth, and if it’s left untreated, your tooth might need to be removed. However, our root canal therapy can often prevent this and save your natural tooth. The therapy involves first numbing your tooth to make you comfortable and then cleaning out your tooth’s infected canal and sealing it from further infection.
In some cases, a tooth and its roots have gotten so damaged from infection or injury that a tooth extraction may be your best option. Before you decide to move forward with an extraction, we will talk in depth with you about different options, including alternatives to extractions and secondary treatments to possibly pair with an extraction, such as an implant.
Making a choice about the best restorative treatment for you is personal and specific to you. We are here to guide you through that process and work with you to ensure you are comfortable with your decisions and happy with your results.
