Our Dental Services
Our office is committed to the prevention and preservation of your natural smile for a lilfetime. Let us guide you on your path to a lifelong healthy and beautiful smile. Modern restorative dentistry preserves and conserves your natural teeth. We offer routine and specialized dental care and cleanings with oral cancer exams at every check-up.
- Periodontal Laser Therapy
- Composite Fillings
- Root Canal Treatment
- Extraction
- Crowns
- Bridges
- Dentures
- Implants
- TMJ Concerns
- Cosmetic Dentistry Including Teeth Whitening, Veneers and Bonding
- Invisalign
Recent research suggests there may be a link between gum disease and other health problems. For example, several studies point out associations between gum disease and the development of CARDIOVASCULAR PROBLEMS. There is evidence that bacteria in the mouth which are associated with disease may be linked to heart disease, artery blockage and stroke.
Periodontal Disease is an infection caused primarily from bacteria and affects the gums and/or bone that the support the teeth. Early and moderate periodonatl disease may exhibit few, if any, symptoms. However, warning signs of advanced periodontal disease may include red, swollen, or bleeding gums; persistnet bad breath; permanent teeth that are loose or separating; or changes in the way your teeth come together when you bite.
Our goal is to provide the highest quality dental care. During each routine check-up you will be examined for periodontal disease. A full mouth periodontal probe assessment, medical health review, radiographs and visual exam help usdetermine which stage of periodontal disease you may have. Treatment will depend on the type of peridontal disease and how far the condition has progressed.
A non-surgical procedure called scaling and root planing with laser therapy are used in our office to treat periodontal disease. Scaling and root planing is the removal of plaque and tartar above and below the gum line. Laser therapy emits concentrated energy in the form a light beam which vaporizes unhealthy tissue and bacteria. Together these two treatments work to arrest peridontal disease by allowing the reattachment of gum to the tooth and prevent further bone loss.
Periodontal disease will not go away by itself. Left untreated, surgery may be needed to save affected teeth. Preventing and treating the disease in the early stages are the best ways to keep your smile healthy.
These direct restorations are used to repair teeth that have been damaged by tooth decay and cavities. They can be used for the repair of very small or moderately sized areas of decay in primary or permanent teeth. Fillings can be made from amalgam, composite resin, or glass or resin ionomers. We do not do amalgam fillings in this office. Composite resin is a tooth colored material that is bonded and light-cured.
If your tooth's nerve chamber becomes infected by decay, root canal treatment if often the only way to save your tooth.
Deep tooth decay, or an injury, can cause serious damage and infection to the pulp's nerves and vessels. Root canal, or endodontic, treatment cleans out the infected pulp chamber and repairs the damage.
Some indications of the need for root canal therapy may be:
- Spontaneous pain or throbbing while biting.
- Sensitivity to hot and cold foods.
- Sever decay or an injury that creates an abcess (infection) in the bone.
Extractiions are performed for a wide variety of reasons. Tooth decay that has destroyed enough tooth structure to prevent restoration is the most frequent indication for extraction of teeth.
The most common reason for extracting a tooth is tooth damage. Also there are several reasons why we may recommend that you have a tooth removed.
- Having extra teeth that block other teeth from coming in.
- Having severe gum disease which may affect the supporting tissues and bone structures of teeth.
- Tooth has decay or is infected.
- In preparation for orthodontic treatment.
- Break or fracture of a tooth by accident.
- Not having enough space for wisdom teeth.
When a tooth is fractured, has a large, old filling, or is severely damaged by decay, we may recommend the placement of a crown. Crowns strengthen and protect the remaining tooth structure and can improve the appearance of your smile. Types of crowns include the full porcelain crown or a CEREC crown, the porcelain-fused-to-metal crown and the all metal crown.
Fitting a crown can require at least two visits, unless it is a CEREC crown. A CEREC crown can be done in office in one visit. For more information, please visit www.cereconline.com.
Few incidents have greater impact on dental health and perosn appearance than tooth loss. When one or more teeth are missing, the remaining teeth can drift out of position, which can lead to a change in the bite, the loss of additional teeth, decay and gum disease.
When tooth loss occurs, we may recommend the placement of a bridge. A bridge is one or more replacement teeth anchored by one or more crowns on each side. This procedure can take two or more visits.
If you've lost all of your natural teeth, whether from periodontal disease, tooth decay or injury, complete dentures can replace your missing teeth and your smile. Replacing missing teeth will benefit your appearance and your health. Without supoort from the denture, facial muscles sag, making a person look older. You'll be able to eat and speak-things that people often take for granted until their natural teeth are lost.
There are various types of complete dentures. A conventional denture is made and placed in the patient's mouth after the remaining teeth are removed and tissues have healed which may take several months. An immediate complete denture is inserted as soon as the remaining teeth are removed. With immediate dentures, the denture wearer does not have to be without teeth during the healing period.
Dental implants can be an effective method to replace one tooth or several teeth. Each implant consists of a metal anchor that is inserted into the jawbone, and a protruding post, which is outfitted with an artificial tooth. Implants can also support a bridge, replace a partial denture or a secure a fixed denture. The process requires surgery and may take up to a year to complete.
"TMJ" stands for TemporoMandibular Joint, or the jaw joint. The joints allow movement up and down, side to side, and forward and back-all of the mobility necessary for biting, chewing and swallowing food, speaking and for making facial expressions.
Temporomandibular joint diseases and disorders, commonly called TMJ, are a collection of poorly understood conditions characterized by pain in the jaw and surrounding tissues and limitations in jaw movements.
Not all causes are known. Some possible causes or contributing factors are injuries to the jaw area, various forms of Arthritis, dental procedures, genetics, hormones, low-level infections, auto-immune diseases, stretching of th jaw and clenching or grinding of the teeth.
Pain is the most common symptom of TMJ. TMJ pain is often described as dull aching pain in the jaw joint and nearby areas, including the ear, which comes and goes. Some people, however, report no pain, but still have problems using their jaws. Other symptoms can include:
- Being unable to open the mouth comfortably.
- Clicking, popping or grating sounds in the jaw joint.
- Locking of the jaw when attempting to open the mouth.
- Headaches
- A bite that feels uncomfortable or "off".
- Neck, shoulder and back pain.
- Swelling on the side of the face.
Keep in mind that occassional discomfort in the jaw joint or chewing muscles is common, and is not always a cause for concern.
Treatment for this kind of pain may include stress reducing exercises, muscle relaxants, or wearing a nightguard or occlusal guard or an NTI* to prevent clenching and/or grinding.
*For more information on NTI please go to www.HeadachePrevention.com.
Cosmetic Dentistry Including Teeth Whitening, Veneers and Bonding
Thanks to advances in modern dental materials and techniques, we can help you attain the smile you've always wanted. The contour, color and alignment of your teeth can be changed by such cosmetic techniques as whitening, veneers and bonding.
We offer two types of teeth whitening. Zoom! -our in-house teeth whitening system which takes about two hours. Or our home whitening kit in which custom trays are made. For more information on Zoom!, please visit www.zoomnow.com.
Porcelain laminate veneers bond custom-made tooth-shaped shells to correct or camouflage discoloration, damage or misalignment.
Bonding restores chipped, cracked, miscolored or misaligned teeth by rebuilding the surface with a plastic or porcelain material.
Invisalign uses a series of nearly undetectable aligners instead of brackets and wires. So up close it's really hard for people to tell you're wearing Invisalign. This treatment can give you the smile you have always wanted without all the metal hardware. For more information on Invisalign, please visit www.invisalign.com/.