Your teeth do more than help you chew and speak. They affect your confidence, your overall health, and your daily life. When teeth become damaged, decayed, or go missing, the impact goes far beyond your mouth. That’s where restorative dentistry comes in.
At North Dental Professionals, Dr. Paul Chaiken and our experienced team restore damaged and missing teeth with proven treatments that bring back both function and appearance.
We serve patients at our Chicago office on Milwaukee Avenue in Jefferson Park and our Skokie location. Whether you’re dealing with a single broken tooth or need a complete smile reconstruction, we have the expertise and technology to help you eat, speak, and smile with confidence again.
What Is Restorative Dentistry?
Restorative dentistry focuses on repairing or replacing damaged and missing teeth. The goal is always to preserve as much of your natural tooth structure as possible while restoring full function and creating results that look completely natural.
Dr. Chaiken has spent over 30 years mastering restorative techniques. As an assistant clinical professor at Northwestern University School of Medicine, he’s recognized for his clinical expertise and commitment to staying current with the latest advances in dental restoration. He approaches each case with careful planning and meticulous attention to detail.
While we always emphasize prevention first, we know that sometimes damage happens. Accidents, decay, genetics, and wear over time can all compromise your teeth. When that happens, restorative dentistry can truly change your life by giving you back a healthy, working smile.
Why Restorative Dentistry Matters for Your Health
Many people think of restorative work as purely cosmetic, but it’s so much more than that. Missing or damaged teeth create real health problems if left untreated.
When you lose a tooth, the surrounding teeth begin to shift into the empty space. This can throw off your bite alignment, leading to jaw pain, headaches, and uneven wear on your other teeth. The bone in your jaw also begins to deteriorate where the tooth is missing. Over time, this bone loss can change the shape of your face and make it harder to place implants later.
Damaged or decayed teeth make it hard to chew properly, which can affect your nutrition and digestion. They also create spaces where bacteria can accumulate, increasing your risk of gum disease and tooth loss. Research has linked poor oral health to serious conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and stroke.
Restoring your teeth isn’t vanity. It’s an investment in your long-term health and wellbeing.
Patient Review
Our Comprehensive Restorative Services
At North Dental Professionals, we offer a full range of restorative treatments. Dr. Chaiken will carefully examine your teeth, discuss your concerns and goals, and create a personalized treatment plan that addresses your specific needs.
Dental Crowns
Dental crowns are one of the most versatile restorative solutions. These custom-made caps cover and protect damaged teeth, restoring their strength and appearance. We use crowns to repair teeth with large cavities, cracks, or significant wear. They’re also essential after root canal treatment to protect the weakened tooth structure.
Modern crowns are incredibly lifelike. We work with skilled dental labs to create crowns that match your natural teeth in color, shape, and translucency. Whether you need a porcelain crown for a front tooth or a durable metal crown for a back molar, we’ll recommend the best material for your situation.
Dental Bridges
When you’re missing one or more teeth, a dental bridge can fill the gap. Bridges consist of artificial teeth anchored by crowns on the adjacent natural teeth. They restore your ability to chew and speak properly while preventing the remaining teeth from shifting out of position.
We offer several types of bridges depending on your needs. Traditional bridges are the most common and work well when you have healthy teeth on both sides of the gap. Maryland bridges use a more conservative approach with less impact on the adjacent teeth. Dr. Chaiken will assess your specific situation and recommend the best option.
The bridge process typically requires two visits. We take impressions at the first appointment and have your custom bridge created at our trusted lab. At the second visit, we fit and cement the bridge securely in place.
Dental Implants
Dental implants are the gold standard for tooth replacement. Unlike bridges and dentures, implants replace both the root and crown of the missing tooth. A titanium post is surgically placed in your jawbone, where it fuses with the bone over several months. Once healed, we attach a custom crown to the post.
The result looks, feels, and functions just like a natural tooth. Implants don’t slip or click like dentures can. You can eat whatever you want without worry. They also preserve your jawbone, preventing the bone loss that occurs with missing teeth.
While the implant process takes longer than other options, most patients agree the results are worth it. Implants can last a lifetime with proper care, making them an excellent long-term investment.
Dentures and Partials
For patients missing multiple teeth or all their teeth, dentures offer an affordable, effective solution. Modern dentures are much more comfortable and natural-looking than older versions. We create custom dentures that fit securely and restore your ability to eat and speak normally.
Partial dentures work when you still have some healthy teeth remaining. They fill in the gaps while clasping onto your natural teeth for stability. Full dentures replace all the teeth in your upper or lower arch.
We also offer implant-supported dentures, which combine the affordability of dentures with the stability of implants. A few strategically placed implants hold the denture in place. This eliminates the slipping and irritation that sometimes happens with traditional dentures.
Root Canal Therapy
When a tooth becomes infected or the pulp inside becomes damaged, root canal treatment can save it. Despite their reputation, modern root canals are no more uncomfortable than getting a filling. Dr. Chaiken removes the infected tissue, cleans and seals the inside of the tooth, and places a crown over it for protection.
Saving your natural tooth is almost always preferable to extraction. Root canal therapy allows you to keep the tooth and avoid the need for more complex replacement options.
Tooth-Colored Fillings
Cavities happen, even to people who take great care of their teeth. We use tooth-colored composite fillings to repair decay and restore the tooth’s structure. These fillings bond directly to your tooth and blend seamlessly with your natural enamel. They’re durable, mercury-free, and far more attractive than old silver amalgam fillings.
Full Mouth Reconstruction
Some patients need extensive work to restore their entire smile. This might be because of severe decay, advanced gum disease, accidents, or years of wear from grinding. Dr. Chaiken excels at complex full mouth reconstructions that combine multiple treatments into a comprehensive plan.
A full mouth reconstruction might include crowns, bridges, implants, gum therapy, and bite correction. Dr. Chaiken carefully plans each phase to restore not just the appearance of your smile but also proper function, comfort, and long-term oral health.
TMJ Treatment
Jaw pain, clicking, headaches, and difficulty opening your mouth can all signal TMJ disorder. This condition affects the temporomandibular joint that connects your jaw to your skull. TMJ problems often stem from bite misalignment, teeth grinding, or injury.
Dr. Chaiken evaluates your bite and jaw function to identify the source of your discomfort. TMJ treatment might include a custom night guard to prevent grinding, bite adjustment, or other therapies to relieve your symptoms. Our restorative care can protect your teeth from further damage.
Periodontal Disease Treatment
Healthy gums are essential for restorative work to succeed. If you have gum disease, we’ll treat that first with professional cleanings, scaling and root planing, or other periodontal therapies. Restoring teeth on unhealthy gums leads to poor outcomes, so we take gum health seriously.
Sleep Apnea Treatment
Sleep apnea is more than just snoring. It’s a serious condition where your breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep. These pauses can prevent you from getting the deep, restorative sleep your body needs.
Many people don’t realize that dentists can treat sleep apnea. While severe cases may need a CPAP machine, Dr. Chaiken offers oral appliance therapy for mild to moderate sleep apnea. These custom-made devices fit comfortably in your mouth while you sleep and work by gently repositioning your jaw to keep your airway open.
Oral appliances are quieter, more portable, and often more comfortable than CPAP machines. Many patients who couldn’t tolerate CPAP find relief with a custom sleep appliance. Dr. Chaiken will evaluate your condition and work with your physician to decide if oral appliance therapy is right for you.
The Restorative Process at North Dental Professionals
Every restorative case is different, but our approach remains consistent. Dr. Chaiken starts with a thorough examination and discussion of your concerns. He’ll explain what’s happening with your teeth and present all your treatment options, including the pros and cons of each approach.
We believe in patient education. You should understand why we’re recommending a particular treatment and what to expect throughout the process. Dr. Chaiken takes time to answer your questions and make sure you feel comfortable with the plan before we begin.
Throughout your treatment, we prioritize your comfort. We offer sedation options for anxious patients and use gentle techniques to minimize any discomfort. Our goal is to make restorative dentistry as stress-free as possible.
Why Choose North Dental Professionals?
Dr. Chaiken’s three decades of experience mean he’s handled every type of restorative case, from simple fillings to full reconstructions. His role as a clinical professor at Northwestern demonstrates his commitment to excellence and staying at the forefront of dental techniques.
We use high-quality materials and work with trusted labs to ensure your restorations look beautiful and last for years. Dr. Chaiken’s meticulous approach means he won’t accept anything less than excellent results.
Our patients appreciate the personalized attention they get. We’re not a high-volume practice rushing patients through appointments. We take the time to do things right.
Serving Chicago and Skokie
We make comprehensive restorative care convenient with two locations. Our Chicago office at 5953 N Milwaukee Avenue in Jefferson Park offers free parking and easy access from throughout the northwest side. Our Skokie office serves patients from the north suburbs in a comfortable, modern setting.
Whether you need a single crown or a complete smile reconstruction, we’re here to help. Contact North Dental Professionals today to schedule your consultation with Dr. Chaiken. Call our Chicago office at 708-274-4192 or our Skokie office at 224-267-8083. You can also request an appointment online.