After a thorough evaluation, the dentist can tell you whether you're a candidate for dental implants. Good bone density and oral health are prerequisites. The first stage of the procedure involves oral surgery in which Dr. Kerbs places a titanium post into the jawbone for each missing tooth or for the new teeth that will anchor a bridge or denture. Nature will take its course, allowing your bone tissue to fuse with the titanium post. This creates a solid foundation.

Once the implants are secured, you'll return to our office for the restoration. Our lab will fabricate a handcrafted, permanent crown or denture according to the dentist's design. We will secure the restoration in our office. Your new teeth will match the color and size of your natural teeth, so they'll blend seamlessly with your smile.

By imitating an entire natural tooth, from the root up, dental implants offer a prosthetic that closely mimics nature. The result? Dental implant patients enjoy restored function, which allows a healthy diet of hard-to-chew foods. Speech may also improve. Strong and secure, your new smile will boost your confidence, enhance your appearance, and improve your quality of life.

Dentures & Partials
A complete smile is crucial to oral and overall health. Natural-looking replacement teeth will renew your appearance, make you feel better about yourself, and improve your quality of life. At our Florence dental office, Dr. Kerbs creates custom dentures and partials to give patients beautiful, healthy smiles.

Full Dentures
If you've lost all or most of your teeth, full dentures may be the ideal solution for you. Your dentures will contain an upper and/or lower row of realistic-looking prosthetic teeth to restore your smile. The gum-colored base adheres to gum tissue with natural suction or over-the-counter adhesive. For maximum denture stability, Dr. Kerbs may recommend securing your prosthetic with traditional dental implants. We also offer one-step, minimally invasive mini dental implants to hold dentures in place.

Partial Dentures
Dr. Kerbs creates partial dentures to complete the smiles of patients who still have some healthy teeth remaining. A partial attaches to healthy neighboring teeth and fills gaps in an incomplete smile. We'll use unobtrusive metal clasps to secure your partial, or Dr. Kerbs may suggest a metal-free Valplast Flexible Partial.

You have choices when it comes to renewing your smile! We'll explain your options and help you choose the best solution for your unique needs. Want to finance your dental work? Learn more here.

Fixed Bridges
A Stable Solution that Renews Your Smile
If you've lost teeth due to accident, injury, or gum disease, we can create a permanent bridge to restore your solid smile. A bridge not only fills the gap, but it also prevents repositioning of remaining teeth. It can also correct a misaligned bite, improve chewing function and speech articulation, and provide internal structure for the face to give you a more youthful appearance.

What is a Fixed Bridge?
First of all, a bridge is a prosthetic tooth (or teeth) that attaches on one or both sides to teeth prepared with dental crowns. A fixed bridge is permanently joined onto the neighboring abutment teeth (crowned teeth) and consists of three basic units: the false tooth or teeth (called a pontic) and two abutment crowns. The style of bridge we suggest will depend upon the strength and health of the abutment teeth, as well as the location of the gap in relation to the rest of your dentition. If healthy adjacent abutment teeth aren't available, a surgically-implanted metal post, known as a dental implant, may offer a solid alternative. For a bridge that replaces many teeth, we may recommend a removable partial denture or implant-supported prosthesis. With proper care, a fixed bridge may last at least 8 to 10 years.

Full-Mouth Reconstruction
When disease, decay, or damage wreck a smile, a patient may feel embarrassed about seeking professional help. Our office welcomes patients with broken-down smiles. We applaud you for taking a step toward reclaiming a strong and healthy smile for a healthier life! You'll feel better emotionally and physically when you have a comfortable, beautiful smile to share with the world.

Sometimes a few crowns, fillings, or replacement teeth aren't enough to completely restore dental health. When you visit, the dentist will evaluate your teeth, gums, and soft tissues, as well as your occlusion (how your teeth fit together when you shut your mouth). We will take X-rays, intra- and extra-oral images, and possibly a Panorex image to provide us with detailed information to create your full-mouth reconstruction plan.

We will also talk with you about your concerns. Do you have pain? Does dental work make you nervous? What do you want to achieve from your dental work? The dentist will address your concerns and present a plan to restore your optimal oral health. We will explain our suggestions, your options, and the time and financial commitment involved. With creative scheduling and financing, as well as options for anesthesia and sedation, you can enjoy the healthy, comfortable, beautiful smile you deserve.

We may recommend fillings, crowns, inlays, or onlays to restore teeth. Crown and bridgework, partials, dentures, and dental implants offer exciting, lifelike solutions to replace missing teeth. Orthodontics, oral appliances, and other treatments may help your unique situation, as well. We sometimes work with specialists in an interdisciplinary approach to ensure that patients receive the treatment they need. Our goal is to deliver the smile you want, then help you maintain it for life.

Inlays & Onlays
You have a big filling that needs replacement. Do you have to get a full crown? Not necessarily. A more conservative option, inlays and onlays fit into a tooth similar to a filling, yet they are milled restorations, much like a crown. The bumps on top of a tooth are called cusps. Inlays fit between cusps, while onlays fit over one or more cusps. Inlays and onlays allow a patient to retain more natural tooth structure, which is always best.

Not every situation is right for an inlay or onlay, but the dentist will assess your problem and determine the best solution for you. Because they are created in a lab like a crown, inlays and onlays require two appointments. At the first visit, we will prepare your tooth by removing your tooth decay or old filling and cleaning the area. We will take a dental impression and send it to our dental lab so that a technician can create a custom inlay or onlay for you. The dentist will determine the best material to use, but in most cases, teeth that show when you smile or speak can have a white restoration. Back teeth incur extreme pressure, so a metal inlay or onlay may be indicated. You'll wear a temporary until the lab delivers your final restoration.

At the second appointment, the dentist will remove your temporary and permanently cement your final inlay or onlay into position. After polishing and modifying the restoration as necessary to ensure proper bite alignment, you'll enjoy your stronger, healthier smile for years to come.

Root Canals
Modern root canal therapy is a comfortable and conservative treatment to save an internally damaged tooth from extraction. Dr. Kerbs has advanced training in performing root canals. He uses state-of-the-art tools and techniques for a positive experience and successful outcome.

Why do I need a root canal?
When the canals that lead from the tooth pulp to the root become damaged by a deep cavity, tooth fracture, or other trauma, they can become infected. Left untreated, the infection worsens, and the pulp may die. This results in acute pain, pressure, and – ultimately – bone, gum, and tooth loss.

What's involved in a root canal?
First, Dr. Kerbs will clean out the canals of your tooth and fill them with a biocompatible material. Then, he'll mount a custom crown atop your tooth to renew beauty, form, and function. Your newly restored tooth will look and feel natural and provide long-lasting satisfaction.

Tooth-Colored Fillings
If you're embarrassed about your smile because of decay or dark fillings in your teeth, you may be a good candidate for composite resins. A silicon dioxide-filled, tooth-colored plastic mixture, composite resins can restore teeth to an attractive, healthy state. Composite resins represent several advantages over traditional silver or amalgam fillings.

Because composite resins are not made of metal, we can blend and mix shades to find the perfect color to match your natural teeth. This means only you and your dentist will know you have fillings. Another pro is that the tooth/composite bond actually supports the remaining tooth structure, deterring breakage and insulating against temperature changes. Medium and small composites can last seven to ten years – that's as long as the tried and true amalgams. Best of all, composite resins allow us to keep more of your natural tooth structure intact than amalgams. We believe in conservative dentistry – the more natural tooth structure you keep, the better teeth you'll likely have in the future.

Some patients experience mild and temporary post-placement sensitivity from composite resin fillings. The only caution we usually mention is that coffee, tea, and other staining foods and beverages may discolor your composites unless you ask to have them coated with a clear plastic sealant.