Welcome to Albano & Greenwald Family Dentistry, where our commitment to restoring and enhancing your smile stands at the heart of our practice in Waterbury, CT. Our restorative dentistry services are tailored to meet the unique needs of each patient, utilizing the latest advancements in dental technology and techniques. With the expertise of Dr. Michael M. Greenwald and Dr. Dina Jo Albano, who bring decades of experience and specialized training, we are dedicated to providing you with exceptional care in a comfortable and welcoming environment.
Whether you need a routine filling or more comprehensive restorative work, our team is here to help you achieve a healthy, beautiful smile. From dental fillings to dentures, our services are designed to improve your oral health and overall well-being. At Albano & Greenwald Family Dentistry, we believe in creating lasting relationships with our patients through trusted, skilled, and compassionate care.
Take the first step towards a brighter smile today by scheduling a consultation with our team. Discover how we can help you smile with confidence and ease.
Dental Fillings
Dental fillings are a fundamental aspect of restorative dentistry, designed to fill cavities and restore the integrity of your teeth. At Albano & Greenwald Family Dentistry, we offer two primary types of fillings: composite and silver amalgam. Each type has its unique advantages depending on the specific needs and preferences of our patients.
- Composite fillings: Made from a mixture of plastic and fine glass particles, composite fillings are closely matched to the color of your natural teeth, making them an ideal choice for visible areas. They bond directly to the tooth surface, providing strong support and a more aesthetic appearance.
- Silver amalgam fillings: Known for their durability, silver amalgam fillings are often recommended for their longevity, especially in the back teeth where the chewing load is greatest. These fillings are less expensive than composite fillings and are highly resistant to wear.
Procedure
- Process: The treatment involves removing the decay, cleaning the affected area, and then filling the cavity with the chosen material.
- Durability: Composite fillings are aesthetically pleasing but may wear out sooner than amalgam fillings under heavy chewing pressure. Silver amalgam fillings offer excellent durability and a longer lifespan.
- Aftercare: Maintenance involves regular brushing and flossing, along with routine dental check-ups to monitor the integrity of the filling.
Inlays & Onlays
Inlays and onlays offer a conservative alternative to full crowns and are excellent for restoring moderately damaged or decayed teeth, particularly the chewing surfaces of back teeth. These treatments provide a fitting solution that preserves as much of the natural tooth as possible.
- Inlays: Inlays fit within the contours of the tooth and are used when the damage does not affect the tooth cusps.
- Onlays: Onlays cover one or more cusps and are more extensive than inlays, sometimes referred to as “partial crowns.”
- Materials used: Both inlays and onlays are typically made from durable materials like porcelain, composite resin, or sometimes gold, each offering benefits in terms of aesthetics and functionality.
Procedure
- Initial preparation: The damaged or decayed area of the tooth is thoroughly cleaned and reshaped to prepare for the inlay or onlay.
- Impression and fabrication: An impression of your tooth is taken and sent to a dental lab where the inlay or onlay is crafted.
- Fitting and bonding: Once ready, the inlay or onlay is precisely placed and securely bonded to your tooth.
Benefits
- Preservation of natural tooth: Inlays and onlays require less tooth reduction than crowns, helping to maintain more of the natural tooth structure.
- Durability: Made from strong, hard-wearing materials that help restore strength and prevent further decay.
- Aesthetic appeal: They are crafted to match the natural color of your tooth, ensuring a seamless blend with your natural teeth.
By choosing inlays or onlays, you’re opting for a highly effective and less invasive method to restore your smile’s functionality and aesthetic appeal, ensuring long-term health and satisfaction.
Root Canal Treatment
Root canal treatment is a crucial procedure in restorative dentistry, primarily aimed at alleviating discomfort and preserving a tooth that might otherwise need to be extracted. This treatment is recommended when the inner pulp of the tooth, which contains nerves and blood vessels, becomes infected or exposed. By addressing these issues, root canal treatment can save the natural tooth and prevent the need for more invasive procedures.
Procedure
- Access and removal: The dentist accesses the infected or inflamed pulp through the top of the tooth and then carefully removes it to prevent further infection.
- Cleaning and disinfecting: The root canals are meticulously cleaned and shaped with tiny instruments to remove all remnants of infection.
- Filling and sealing: The cleaned canals are filled with a biocompatible material and sealed to prevent bacteria from entering in the future.
Benefits
- Discomfort relief: Effectively removes the source of discomfort associated with tooth pulp infections.
- Tooth preservation: Allows you to keep your natural tooth, maintaining your natural smile and jaw alignment.
- Prevents spread of infection: By treating and sealing the infected tooth, further spread to adjacent teeth or into the jawbone is prevented.
Root canal treatment can significantly improve your oral health and comfort, restoring your tooth’s functionality and preventing further complications.
Same-Day Crowns
Same-day crowns represent a significant advancement in dental technology, offering a convenient and efficient solution for patients needing a dental crown. Unlike traditional methods that require multiple visits, same-day crowns are designed, created, and fitted within a single appointment using computer-aided design (CAD) and computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) technology.
Procedure
- Digital impressions: Your dentist takes a digital impression of your tooth, which is more comfortable and accurate than traditional molds.
- Design: The digital data is used to design your crown with precision in a matter of minutes.
- Onsite milling: The crown is then milled from a block of ceramic in the dental office, matching the color to your natural teeth.
- Placement: The crown is tested for fit, adjusted if necessary, and bonded to your tooth, all within the same visit.
Benefits
- Convenience: This process eliminates the need for temporary crowns and multiple dental visits.
- Custom-fit: Our same-day technology provides a precise fit customized to your mouth, helping maintain biting and chewing functions.
- Aesthetic and functional: Ceramic crowns look and feel like natural teeth, providing excellent aesthetics and strength.
By opting for same-day crowns, patients can enjoy immediate results with minimal disruption to their daily lives, making it a popular choice for those looking to save time while receiving necessary dental repairs.
Tooth Extractions
Tooth extractions are performed when a tooth is too severely damaged to be repaired or when removing it is necessary to protect the health of the surrounding teeth and gums. At Albano & Greenwald Family Dentistry, we ensure that every extraction is performed with the utmost care, aiming to minimize discomfort and promote a quick recovery.
When Tooth Extractions Are Necessary
- Severe decay: This occurs when decay extends deep into the tooth beyond what can be treated with a filling or crown.
- Infection risk: This is in cases where the risk of infection is high, such as in immunocompromised patients.
- Impacted teeth: Impaction is common with wisdom teeth that do not have space to emerge properly.
Gentle Extraction Process
- Preparation: The area around the tooth is numbed with a local anesthetic to ensure comfort throughout the procedure.
- Extraction: The tooth is gently loosened and removed with precise tools designed to minimize tissue damage.
- Post-procedure care: Instructions are provided for at-home care to ensure healing, such as avoiding certain foods and activities and managing hygiene.
Benefits
- Alleviates discomfort: Extraction removes the source of pain caused by the damaged tooth.
- Prevents further issues: Removing an unhealthy tooth can prevent more serious problems like the spread of decay or infection.
- Preparation for replacement options: Extraction sets the stage for future dental restoration solutions like implants or bridges.
By prioritizing patient comfort and using advanced extraction techniques, we ensure a positive and less stressful experience for patients who need tooth removal.
Dental Bridges
Dental bridges are a reliable restorative solution for replacing one or more missing teeth. They bridge the gap created by missing teeth, using the natural teeth on either side for support or implants when necessary. This not only restores the appearance of your smile but also maintains the alignment of your remaining teeth and distributes the forces in your bite more evenly.
Types Of Bridges
- Traditional bridges: Involve creating a crown for the teeth on either side of the missing tooth with a pontic in between.
- Cantilever bridges: Used when there are adjacent teeth on only one side of the missing tooth.
- Maryland bridges: Consist of a pontic that is held in place by a framework bonded onto the backs of the adjacent teeth.
Bridge Placement Process
- Preparation of abutment teeth: The teeth next to the missing tooth are prepared by reshaping them to hold the crowns that will support the bridge.
- Impression and custom design: Impressions of the prepared teeth are taken to create a precise model of the bridge.
- Bridge fabrication: The bridge is custom-made in a dental lab to ensure it matches the color and shape of your natural teeth.
- Fitting and adjustment: Once ready, the bridge is fitted, adjusted, and cemented into place, ensuring comfort and proper function.
Benefits
- Restores smile: The bridge fills the gaps in your smile, improving appearance and confidence.
- Improves functionality: it allows for better chewing and speaking abilities.
- Prevents misalignment: A bridge will keep the remaining teeth properly aligned by preventing them from shifting into the empty spaces.
Dental bridges offer a time-tested, effective way to replace missing teeth, providing both functional and aesthetic benefits. At Albano & Greenwald Family Dentistry, we are committed to restoring your smile with solutions that fit your individual needs and lifestyle.
Dentures & Partials
Dentures and partial dentures are a traditional and effective solution for replacing multiple or all missing teeth. These removable dental appliances help restore not only the functionality of your teeth but also your facial appearance by supporting the structure around the cheeks and lips.
Types Of Dentures
- Complete dentures: Used when all teeth are missing. These sit on top of the gums and replace all of your teeth.
- Partial dentures: Suitable for those who still have some natural teeth remaining. These are held in place by metal clasps that attach to the natural teeth, filling in the spaces and preventing other teeth from changing position.
Customization & Fitting Process
- Initial consultation: The consultation involves assessing the health of your gums and any remaining teeth to determine the best type of denture.
- Impressions and measurements: Detailed impressions and measurements of your mouth will be taken to ensure a precise fit.
- Trial fittings: Temporary dentures are fitted to check for comfort and aesthetics, and adjustments are made as necessary.
- Final fitting: The final dentures are adjusted to ensure proper fit and comfort before final placement.
Benefits
- Improved chewing and speech: Dentures help restore your ability to chew more naturally and speak more clearly.
- Enhanced appearance and smile: Dentures fill out your facial profile and improve the aesthetics of your smile.
- Increased confidence: Restoring teeth can significantly boost your self-esteem and quality of life.
Dentures offer a significant improvement in life quality for individuals missing several or all of their teeth, providing a functional and aesthetic solution tailored to meet personal needs and preferences.
Your Smile Is In Good Hands!
Choosing Albano & Greenwald Family Dentistry for your cosmetic dental needs means choosing a partner committed to excellence. Our goal is not just to transform smiles but to enhance lives through superior dental care. With cutting-edge technology, expert care, and a wide range of cosmetic services, we are equipped to help you achieve the smile you’ve always desired.
Your new smile awaits—don’t wait any longer to feel confident and proud of your dental appearance. Contact us today to schedule your initial consultation and start your journey to a brighter, more confident smile.
