CJ Henley, DMD, PA / San Marco, Jacksonville, Florida
Restorative dentistry in Jacksonville, FL.
Worn, broken and missing teeth, rebuilt to last.
Restorative dentistry is the work of repairing and replacing teeth: fillings, crowns, onlays, bridges, implants and dentures, and, when a whole bite has broken down, rebuilding it. Dr. Henley plans and does this work himself at our San Marco office, and every crown and bridge is handmade by a local lab he works with case after case.
- 2 hoursfor a new-patient visit, about an hour of it with Dr. Henley
- 0crowns milled in the office. Each one is handmade by a local ceramist
- Since 2010Dr. Henley in practice, in a San Marco office open since 1972
- 10 yearson the Baptist MD Anderson Head & Neck Tumor Board
Top-rated on Google: 4.9 stars from more than 225 patient reviews.
Restorative dentistry, explained
What is restorative dentistry?
Restorative dentistry repairs teeth that are decayed, cracked, worn or broken, and replaces teeth that are missing. It covers fillings, onlays, crowns, bridges, root canal treatment, dental implants and dentures. The goal is a mouth that is comfortable, chews well and holds up for years, not just a single tooth that looks fixed.
Cosmetic dentistry and restorative dentistry overlap more than people think. A crown on a front tooth has to look right. A set of veneers has to work with your bite. The difference is where we start: restorative care begins with what is broken, what is at risk, and what will last.
That’s why the first visit is long. Before we recommend anything, Dr. Henley wants to see the whole picture: your X-rays and, when it helps, 3D imaging, your gums, how your teeth meet, any signs of grinding, and your medical history.
The rule we work by
Do the smallest repair that will actually last. A small cavity gets a filling, not a crown. A tooth that has lost one cusp can often get an onlay that keeps the healthy part of the tooth. A crown is for a tooth that truly needs to be held together.
Problems we fix every week
What restorative dentistry treats.
Most people come in for one of a handful of reasons: a cavity or an old filling that is failing, a cracked or broken tooth, teeth worn down by grinding, a tooth that needs a root canal, or a missing tooth. Each has more than one good answer, and the right one depends on the tooth and the rest of your mouth.
Cavities and old fillings
Decay is cleaned out and the tooth is rebuilt with tooth-colored composite. Large old silver fillings that are cracking or leaking are replaced, sometimes with an onlay or crown if too little tooth is left to hold a filling.
Cracked or heavily filled teeth
A tooth that is cracked, mostly filling, or weak after a root canal usually needs a crown or onlay to keep it from splitting. See crowns and bridges.
Teeth worn down by grinding
Grinding and clenching can flatten teeth until they are short, chipped and sensitive. We protect them first with a custom night guard, then rebuild what is lost. See tooth grinding and bruxism.
An infected or dying tooth
A root canal can often save it, followed by a crown. When a tooth can’t be saved, a careful extraction and a plan to replace it come next.
One missing tooth
The usual choices are a dental implant with a crown, a bridge anchored to the teeth on either side, or a removable partial. We go through the trade-offs of each for your situation.
Many or all teeth missing
Options run from a partial or full denture to implant dentures that snap in, and fixed full-arch teeth on implants that stay in all the time.
A broken front tooth
Small chips are often repaired with composite bonding. Bigger breaks may need a crown or a porcelain veneer, matched by hand to the teeth around it.
Crowns or veneers from somewhere else
Work that is chipped, dark at the gumline, or never looked right can usually be redone. See veneer replacement and redos.
Filling, onlay, crown, bridge or implant?
Choosing the right repair.
The right repair depends on how much healthy tooth is left, where the tooth is, how hard you bite, and the health of your gums and bone. This table is a starting point. Your exam is what decides it.
| Situation | Usually | Sometimes | Learn more |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small to medium cavity | Composite filling | Onlay if a cusp is weak | Exams |
| Large failing filling | Onlay or crown | New filling if enough tooth remains | Crowns |
| Cracked back tooth | Crown | Root canal first if the nerve is involved | Crowns |
| Back tooth after a root canal | Crown | Onlay on some teeth | Root canals |
| Chipped front tooth | Bonding | Veneer or crown for larger breaks | Bonding |
| One missing tooth | Implant and crown | Bridge or partial | Implants |
| Several missing teeth | Implant bridge or partial | Traditional bridge | Implant costs |
| All teeth missing in a jaw | Implant denture | Full denture or fixed full-arch teeth | Dentures |
Full mouth restoration in Jacksonville
When the whole bite needs rebuilding.
A full mouth restoration rebuilds most or all of the teeth together, usually because years of grinding, acid wear, old dental work or missing teeth have changed how the bite works. It is planned as one case so the teeth, the bite and the jaw joints all fit together, and it is often done in stages.
A thorough exam and records
X-rays and 3D imaging when needed, a digital scan of your teeth, photos, gum measurements, and a look at your jaw joints and muscles. If you snore or wake up tired, tell us. Grinding and sleep apnea can be connected, and we also make sleep apnea oral appliances.
Planning the finished teeth first
We plan where the teeth should end up, their length, shape and how they meet, before any tooth is prepared. You see the plan and can ask for changes before anything is permanent.
Getting the foundation healthy
Gum problems, infections and cavities are treated first. Teeth that can’t be saved are removed and replacements are planned.
Rebuilding in stages
Many cases are done one section at a time to spread out treatment and cost. Others are done together. We decide that with you.
Protecting the result
Most people who needed a full mouth restoration ground their teeth to get there, so a custom night guard is usually part of the plan, along with regular checkups.
See a rebuilt worn bite in our before and after gallery, and how we pair restorative work with appearance in a smile makeover.
Who makes your crown
Handmade crowns from a local lab, not a milling machine.
Every crown, bridge and porcelain veneer from our office is handcrafted by Dynamic Dental Solutions, a local dental laboratory. Ceramist Paul Robert layers and characterizes our front-tooth porcelain by hand. We don’t offer same-day milled crowns.
Same-day crowns are a reasonable option at some offices and for some teeth. We made a different choice. A handmade crown takes a second visit and a temporary crown for about two to three weeks. In return, the lab can choose the right material for each tooth, layer and stain porcelain so a front tooth matches its neighbors, and check the fit and bite on a model before the crown ever reaches your mouth.
Dr. Henley sends the lab a detailed digital scan, photos and a shade map. Because he works with the same people case after case, they know exactly how he wants margins, contacts and biting surfaces finished.
Materials, chosen tooth by tooth
Strong zirconia for back teeth and heavy biters, layered porcelain where appearance matters most, and combinations of the two. People who grind often do best with zirconia, plus a night guard.
Your dentist, start to finish
Who does the work.
Dr. Henley does your fillings, onlays, crowns, bridges and dentures himself, and places many dental implants here in our office. When part of a case is better handled by another doctor, he refers you to someone he works with, and the restoration is still planned and placed here.
Done here by Dr. Henley
Exams and treatment planning, fillings, onlays, crowns and bridges, many implant placements and all implant restorations, dentures and implant dentures, bonding and veneers, night guards, and root canals on teeth that aren’t complex.
When we refer
Most molar root canals and retreatments go to an endodontist. Some implant surgeries go to an oral surgeon or periodontist, and advanced gum surgery to a periodontist. You come back here for the crown, bridge or denture.
Dr. Henley is a general dentist, not a specialist. He has taught in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at the University of Florida College of Dentistry and works in the operating room at Baptist Medical Center Jacksonville. Meet Dr. Henley.
Restorative care with a medical history
Rebuilding teeth when your health is complicated.
Diabetes, blood thinners, bone medicines, heart conditions and past radiation to the head and neck all change how restorative work should be planned. Dr. Henley coordinates with your physicians when it matters, and he has spent ten years on the Baptist MD Anderson Head and Neck Tumor Board.
After radiation, an extraction or implant in the treated jaw carries a risk of osteoradionecrosis, and dry mouth makes new decay much more likely. We plan around both, often with custom fluoride trays. Read more about medically complex dental care and dental care around head and neck cancer.
Cost of restorative dentistry in Jacksonville
What affects the cost.
The cost depends on how many teeth are involved, which repair each one needs, the materials, and whether other steps such as gum treatment, extractions, grafting or a night guard are part of the plan. We don’t publish fees, but you get the fee for each step in writing before treatment starts.
What drives the fee
The number of teeth, the type of restoration, lab work and materials, and any preparatory treatment.
Phasing the work
Larger cases can often be done in stages, with the most urgent teeth first, so the cost is spread out.
Insurance
We are an out-of-network practice. Many plans still pay part of the cost of restorative work, and our team will help you understand your benefits. See dental insurance and payment.
Implants
For what goes into an implant fee, see our guide to dental implant cost.
Frequently asked questions
Questions about restorative dentistry.
Where can I get restorative dentistry in Jacksonville?
Dr. Henley provides restorative dentistry at our office at 3675 Hendricks Avenue in San Marco, Jacksonville. He plans and does fillings, onlays, crowns, bridges, dentures and implant restorations himself, and places many implants in the office. Call 904.398.1549 or request an appointment to start with an exam.
What is the difference between restorative and cosmetic dentistry?
Restorative dentistry repairs and replaces damaged or missing teeth so they work and last. Cosmetic dentistry changes how teeth look. In practice they overlap: a front crown has to look natural, and veneers have to work with your bite. Many of our cases are both.
What is a full mouth restoration?
It is the rebuilding of most or all of the teeth as one planned case, usually because grinding, acid wear, old dental work or missing teeth have changed the bite. It starts with a thorough exam and records, the finished teeth are planned first, and the work is often done in stages.
Do I need a crown or can I get a filling?
If enough healthy tooth remains, a filling is usually the better choice because it keeps more of your tooth. A crown is for a tooth that is cracked, mostly filling, or weak after a root canal. An onlay sits in between and can protect a weak cusp while keeping the rest of the tooth.
Do you offer same-day crowns?
No. Every crown and bridge is handmade by a local lab, Dynamic Dental Solutions, so you wear a temporary for about two to three weeks. That lets the lab choose the material, match the color by hand and check the fit and bite before the crown is placed.
How long do crowns and bridges last?
Many last well over ten years, but no lifespan can be promised. Grinding, new decay at the edges, gum health and how well the teeth are cleaned all matter. A night guard and regular checkups help protect the work.
Is it better to replace a missing tooth with an implant or a bridge?
An implant replaces the root and doesn’t involve the neighboring teeth, so it is often the first choice when bone and health allow. A bridge can be a good option when the teeth next to the gap already need crowns, or when an implant isn’t a good fit. We go through both for your situation.
Does restorative work hurt?
Most people are comfortable with local numbing. Nitrous oxide and oral sedation are available if you are anxious. It is normal for a tooth to be a little sensitive for a few days after a filling or crown. Call if pain gets worse or a temporary comes off.
Your next step
Talk with Dr. Henley about rebuilding your teeth.
Whether it is one broken tooth or a bite that has been wearing down for years, start with an exam at our San Marco office. Dr. Henley will tell you what he sees, what needs attention now and what can wait, and lay out the options in writing.
CJ Henley, DMD, PA3675 Hendricks Avenue
Jacksonville, FL 32207
Prefer a nonurgent text? 904.762.5616 is our practice on-call and text line. Please don’t send sensitive health information by text, and call for anything urgent.