Bridges

Sometimes called a fixed partial denture, a bridge replaces missing teeth with artificial teeth and literally “bridges” the gap where one or more teeth used to be. Bridges can be made from gold, alloys, porcelain or a combination of these materials and are attached to surrounding teeth for support. Unlike a removable bridge, which you can take out and clean, a fixed bridge can only be removed by a dentist.

An implant bridge attaches artificial teeth directly to implants in the jaw or under the gum tissue. Depending on which type of bridge your dentist recommends, its success depends on the foundation. So it’s very important to keep your remaining teeth healthy and strong.

Children's Dentistry

Your child’s first dental visit should take place sometime around his or her third birthday. This initial appointment is typically short and involves very little treatment. The parents may stay in the room with their child or in some instances, we may ask the parent to sit in the dental chair with their child during the examination.

We will provide a thorough but gentle examination of your child's teeth and gums and assess the development of your child's teeth. We will clean your child's teeth and apply a fluoride treatment to help protect against decay. In addition, we evaluate whether any damage and the potential need for braces has occurred from adverse habits like thumb sucking. Most importantly, we will review with you how to clean and care for your child's teeth to develop good habits for a lifetime.

Crowns

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.

Dentures

Dentures are removable prosthesis 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 well fitting dentures make it easier to eat and speak better than you could without teeth—things that people with their own often take for granted.

When you lose all of your teeth, facial muscles can sag, making you look older. Dentures can help fill out the appearance of your face and profile. They can be made to closely resemble your natural teeth so that your appearance does not change much.

Fillings

Composite resins, or tooth-colored fillings, are a mixture of glass or quartz filler in an acrylic matrix that provide good durability and resistance to fracture in small- to mid-size fillings that need to withstand moderate pressure from chewing. They can be used on either front or back teeth. 

Dental amalgam, sometimes described as "silver-colored" fillings, is made from a combination of metals. Dental amalgam has been used for generations by dentists. Amalgam is very durable and more affordable than tooth-colored or gold fillings; however tooth-colored materials are more natural looking. 

Home Care

Dr. Hagarman provides a limited home care service for senior patients unable to come to the office. Typically this is a special emergency visit or to fix and repair dentures and bridges. An additional visit to the office may be required to follow up.

Implants

If you are self-conscious because you have missing teeth, wear dentures that are uncomfortable or don't want to have good tooth structure removed to make a bridge, dental implants may be an option for you.

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.

Root Canal Therapy

Root canal treatment is necessary when the pulp (soft tissue inside your teeth containing blood vessels, nerves and connective tissue) becomes inflamed or diseased. During root canal treatment, the diseased pulp is removed. The pulp chamber and root canal(s) of the tooth are then cleaned and sealed. If the infected pulp is not removed, pain and swelling can result, and your tooth may have to be removed.