Services Offered
We are a general dentist office providing comprehensive, family, and cosmetic dentistry. We treat all aspects of dentistry and hope to educate our patients extensively on their oral health status and how they can help improve and maintain their own oral health. We pride ourselves on being a family oriented practice in which we welcome all demographics from pediatrics to geriatrics. We hope everyone feels comfortable and welcomed into our practice addressing all your dental care needs.
DENTAL HYGIENE
Routine prophylactic cleanings are recommended every 6-months with your dental hygienist as well as exams by the doctor.
Routine intraoral radiographs (bitewings and peri-apical images) are recommended every 12-months with panoramic radiographs every 3-5 years.
Scaling and root planning or “deep cleanings” may be necessary for patients who have developed stages of generalized gingivitis or advanced periodontal disease. Gingivitis is the inflammation of gums from increased plaque buildup causing bleeding and swelling. Periodontal disease is the result of plaque/tartar/calculus building up on tooth structures above and below the gumline causing bone loss around teeth and tissue recession.
Recommended for kids and adults of all ages. Fluoride helps strengthen/remineralize dental structures to prevent cavities and protect sensitive teeth.
COMPREHENSIVE/RESTORATIVE DENTISTRY
Recommended for kids as their permanent molars and pre-molars erupt to prevent cavities from developing in the deeper pits and grooves of teeth.
Dental composite fillings are used as a restorative option when patients have a cavity or “tooth decay”. After removing and cleaning out the cavity from the tooth structure, we use white composite fillings or “bondings” to restore these structures so the tooth is fully functional again and cavity-free.
Dental crowns or “caps” are used when a tooth structure is severely decayed or undermined from excessive restorative treatment that has left the tooth weakened with minimal natural tooth structure remaining. These crown restorations help protect and cover the entire exposed tooth structure to prevent tooth fracturing and restore the tooth back to natural function. Crown restorations are a two-appointment treatment, with a dental lab completing the crown fabrication for delivery at the second visit.
Dental crown/bridge designs are similar in concept to the single crown restoration. However, these bridge restorations are used to replace one or multiple missing teeth in a single spanning space. When missing one tooth, a bridge acts as a permanent replacement option by prepping the adjacent teeth (tooth in front and tooth behind missing space) for crowns. The lab will then fabricate a multiple unit crown/bridge that is cemented on the adjacent teeth with a “pontic” or fake tooth fused in-between. Restores natural function and fills in the missing space. Two-appointment treatment.
Implant treatment is used for the replacement of missing teeth, either a single tooth or multiple teeth. Our office would like to see any patient interested in implants so that we can complete our initial consultation to evaluate if you are a good candidate for implants. Although our office does not place the actual implant, we do the final restoration of the implant crown (or denture) for your final function/esthetic result. The implant surgery/placement is completed by one of our many excellent referring specialists either an Oral Surgeon or Periodontist. The full implant process can range between 3-12 months depending on healing and the case specifics.
Extractions may be necessary for a variety of reasons – severe decay, abscessed or infected teeth, advanced periodontal disease, teeth fractured beyond restorative care, or malposition/crowded teeth for preparation of orthodontic treatment. In-depth surgical extractions, such as impacted wisdom teeth or full mouth reconstructive procedures, may be referred to one of our many trusted oral surgeons.
Bone grafting is an extra procedure used at the same visit as an extraction of a single or multiple teeth to help reduce bone loss following the extraction. Bone grafting is most often used for implant procedures or crown/bridge procedures to restore the natural bone volume and density where the tooth was extracted. This helps with the esthetics of final bone/tissue level when restoring the missing space with one of our many replacement options.
Dentures are most commonly known as removable appliances to replace missing teeth for both functionality and esthetics. Partial dentures are fabricated for top and/or bottom arches when missing SOME natural teeth in the anterior or posterior aspects of the mouth but still maintaining healthy natural teeth. The natural teeth are used as a retentive measure to hold in the partial denture appliance as it replaces the missing teeth. Complete dentures are fabricated for top and/or bottom arches when ALL natural teeth are missing. Complete dentures provide patients with a brand new full set of “artificial” teeth that restore functionality and esthetics.
COSMETIC DENTISTRY
Veneers are most commonly used as an esthetic repair for teeth in the anterior smile aspect of the mouth. They are designed to cover the front surface of the tooth for improved color, shape, size, or length of the original tooth appearance. Veneers are a two-appointment treatment, with a dental lab completing the veneer fabrication for delivery at the second visit.
Cosmetic composite bonding is the same product we use in our composite filling procedures when replacing cavities. However, in the cosmetic consideration we place white “bondings” on anterior/front teeth that have become discolored, broken/chipped, or even uneven appearance. We use bondings to cover stains, improve size, shape, or length of teeth, and overall improve patient’s desired smile.
Teeth whitening or teeth bleaching is the process of lightening the color of natural teeth. Teeth can become discolored for a number of reasons whether that is biologically or naturally in our everyday lifestyle. Most staining occurs from dark foods, drinks, poor oral hygiene, smoking, age, trauma, etc. Whitening products contain one of two compounds (hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide), which remove stains from the outer porous layer (enamel) of the tooth allowing them to become brighter and more natural white. Often teeth can become sensitive when whitening/bleaching due to the chemical breakdown of these stains.
Cosmetic tooth replacement options refer to Comprehensive/Restorative Dentistry tab to read about “crown/bridge restorations”, “implant crown restorations”, and “partial dentures and complete dentures”.
INVISALIGN/ORTHODONTIC APPLIANCES
Invisalign treatment or clear aligners are orthodontic devices that are a transparent, plastic form of dental braces used to adjust/move teeth and improve bite alignments. There are no brackets or wires used like conventional braces and none of the restrictions that come with metal braces. It is a more esthetic version of orthodontic treatment using a series of clear aligners that gradually straighten your teeth.
An occlusal guard, nightguard, or bite splint is a removable appliance that fits over your upper or lower teeth and is recommended for patients who show signs of grinding or clenching. Most often these grinding habits occur when patients are sleeping and unaware of it occurring. Signs/symptoms of grinding can be broken teeth/fillings/crowns, flattened chewing surfaces of the tooth, waking up with sore jaws or radiating headaches, or limited opening of the mouth due to tightened muscles. Occlusal guards help protect the teeth from destructive wear on the tooth surfaces and also prevent excessive activation of the chewing muscles when patients should be at rest.
Orthodontic retainers are thin clear aligners that are to be worn following the completion braces or Invisalign. It helps prevent tooth movement and maintain the natural smile position following orthodontic treatment.