Dental Treatments

There are many different types of fillings available, and we will help you decide which type is best for you, depending on the location and condition of the tooth, the cost and your insurance coverage. For most patients, we use silver amalgam or composite fillings.

Silver amalgam fillings are made from a mixture of silver, tin, zinc, copper and mercury. These fillings are widely used because of their low cost, strength and durability, typically lasting as long as 25 years.

Composite fillings are also very popular because they are made of a tooth-colored material, making them less noticeable. Composite fillings are made of a soft resin/plastic material, and we use a bright blue curing light to harden the filling, bonding it to the tooth.

Both children and adults can benefit from the protection dental sealants can provide. By creating a barrier between food particles and plaque and those hard to reach grooves in your teeth, dental sealants help protect your teeth’s enamel.

Made from a tooth-colored acrylic material, sealants are painted onto the surface of your teeth, and last several years before reapplication is needed.

Dentures allow people who have lost some or all of their teeth regain confidence in their smile.

While full dentures replace all of a patient’s teeth and provide support for their cheeks and lips, partial dentures replace only the missing teeth, keeping the remaining teeth from shifting or becoming crooked.

Designed with comfort, stability and durability in mind, dentures are made of plastic or porcelain. Regular dental examinations are still important for denture wearers because over time, dentures wear and need to be replaced or re-lined.

To read more tips on how to care for your new dentures, click here.

Your Immediate Denture information sheet can be found here.

Crowns are a long-lasting option used to repair severe dental problems. Crowns are made of high-grade porcelain and and with proper care, can last a lifetime.

Fitting a crown requires at least two visits to our office, first removing decay, then shaping the tooth and fitting it with a temporary crown. On the second visit, the temporary crown is removed and the final crown is cemented into place.

A dental bridge is used to replace missing teeth. The device attaches artificial teeth to adjacent natural teeth, helping to maintain proper tooth alignment and aide in speaking and chewing.

While bridges are visually appealing, there are many health-related reasons bridges are important as well. Missing teeth cause stress on the gums, which could lead to harmful disorders like gum disease and speech disorders.

Attaching a bridge is very precise work and usually takes two dental appointments, starting with taking impressions of your teeth and sending them to a lab for the bridge to be constructed.

Dental implants are like artificial tooth roots. They are titanium posts surgically placed into the jawbone where teeth are missing, providing a foundation for artificial replacement teeth.

Once the bone bonds with the titanium, the artificial teeth can be placed over the posts. The process may take as long as 12 months, but the end result is implants that look, feel and function like natural teeth.

Dental implants are a good alternative for people with generally good oral health and have lost their teeth due to an accident.

We’ll try everything possible to save a tooth, but in some instances, including severe damage, decay or disease, extraction is the only option.

During an extraction, your tooth, jawbone and surrounding gums will be numbed so you only feel pressure throughout the procedure. Following the extraction, there will be a hole where your tooth once was and it will require some extra care, but after only a couple of weeks, the area will feel much better.

To read more tips on how to care for your mouth after an extraction, click here.

Inside each tooth is a nerve that provides nutrients and feeling to the tooth. When that nerve gets diseased or injured, it must be removed via a procedure called a root canal in order to save the tooth and prevent the need for a bridge or dental implant.

Symptoms of infection include swelling of the tooth, sensitivity to temperature or pain in the tooth and gums. During a root canal, the damaged nerve is removed, the root canal is cleaned out and the tooth is sealed off to protect it from further infection.

Learn about alternative options to root canal treatment, click here.

Instructions for our Root Canal patients can be found here.

Periodontal diseases are infections of the gums, which gradually destroy the support of your teeth. We perform many periodontal treatments and surgeries in our clinic, including gingivectomies, clinical crown lengthening and root planing.

Plaque is a primary cause of gum disease and other periodontal conditions. Daily brushing and flossing is considered the best way to prevent these issues.

Composite fillings are white in color, creating a natural looking tooth repair, compared to its silver counterpart.

Composite fillings are made of a soft resin/plastic material, and we use a bright blue curing light to harden the filling, bonding it to the tooth and insulating it from temperature extremes.

Bonding is a procedure we use to restore chipped, cracked, misarranged or discolored teeth. Using a tooth-colored plastic resin, we sculpt the affected tooth to the desired shape and texture, creating a natural appearance. Bonding takes only one office visit and can greatly improve a person’s smile.

Veneers are a thin tooth-colored porcelain covering placed over the front side of the tooth. Often used to cover discolored or crooked teeth, veneers have a natural appearance and are highly resistant to coffee, tea and cigarette stains. Veneers are durable and long lasting, and are becoming a popular way to enhance a smile.

Dental inlays and onlays are used to restore rear teeth that have a mild to moderate amount of decay, are cracked or fractured, but the damage is not severe enough to require a crown.

Inlays are used to repair damage between the cusps, or tips, on top of the tooth, while onlays are used when the damage extends to one or more of the cusps. Made of porcelain, gold or composite resin, inlays are similar to a filling while onlays are required for more substantial reconstruction.

Teeth whitening, or bleaching, is a safe and easy procedure we use to lighten the color of your teeth. Using custom-made bleach splints that you wear for only a few minutes each day, the stains on your teeth are removed, usually in less than two weeks.

Our inexpensive bleaching technology can remove discolorations caused by staining, aging or chemical damage to your teeth. For severely stained teeth, however, we may recommend veneers or another cosmetic dental procedure.

Maintaining good oral hygiene is one of the most important things you can do for your teeth and gums. Daily preventative care like brushing and flossing combined with regular dental checkups and cleanings will help prevent serious issues, like decay and gum disease.

Adults over age 35 are apt to lose more teeth to gum diseases than from cavities. Periodontal, or gum, diseases are caused by plaque. Contributing factors include smoking, diabetes, stress, clenching and grinding teeth, medication and poor nutrition. While early symptoms of gum disease include inflamed and bleeding gums, as the disease progresses, gum tissue and the bone that holds the teeth in place can deteriorate and lead to tooth loss if left untreated.

Daily preventative care like brushing and flossing combined with regular dental checkups and cleanings will help prevent these serious issues.

Children of all ages can be nervous about visiting a dentist. Crow River Dental is a family dentist that creates a fun, yet educational atmosphere for children to become comfortable while visiting with us. During your child’s first visit, we will gently examine their teeth and gums in a non-threatening and friendly way. During the exam, we will check for decay and potential problems with your child’s bite, gums and jaw.

It is generally recommended that a child be seen by a family dentist by the age of 3, or sooner if problems occur.

To find out more about our treatment methods for child dentistry, click here.

Everyone one has two TMJs, but no one has “TMJ”.  Temporomandibular joint disorders, or more correctly TMD, occur as a result of problems with the jaw, jaw joint and surrounding facial muscles that control chewing and moving the jaw. TMJ can be caused by grinding or clenching teeth, stress, or arthritis and can cause severe pain in the face, jaw, neck and shoulders, or around the ear when chewing, speaking or opening your mouth wide.

Once diagnosed with TMJ, we typically recommend massage therapy to relax your muscles, wearing a mouth guard at night to relieve pressure and taking anti-inflammatory medications. For the most severe cases, surgery may be considered.

To read more about TMJ, click here. You can also download info on our self-care program.

Family dentist Dr. Greg Glavan is a veteran general practice dentist with more than 20 years of experience. Providing dental care in Delano Minnesota for patients of all ages, Dr. Glavan and his team provide a variety of dental services, including:

Cosmetic procedures
Fillings
Crowns and bridges
Dental implants
Dentures
Gum disease treatment
Oral surgery
Dentures
Restorative care
Root canal therapy
Extractions
Sealants
Teeth cleanings
TMD/TMJ therapy