Services
Providing Everything A Healthy Smile Needs
Routine Exams
Routine exams help in detecting potential problems early on and take preventative measures that can save a lot of pain/discomfort/$$$ down the road. Here's what your dentist typically looks for:
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Visually examining your teeth, gums, tongue, and throat for signs of decay, disease, or abnormalities.
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Oral cancer screening.
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Taking X-rays to detect hidden cavities, bone loss, or issues under the gumline.
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Examining your bite and jaw joint for proper function and signs of wear and tear.
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Cleaning your teeth to remove plaque and tartar buildup.
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Discussing your oral hygiene habits and offering recommendations for improvement.
Dental Hygiene
Dental hygiene plays a crucial role in maintaining oral health. Here are some of their key steps our hygienists perform:
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Cleanings and Deep Cleanings: Routine teeth cleanings to remove plaque and tartar (calculus) buildup from the surfaces of teeth. This helps prevent cavities and gum disease. For more advanced gum problems, we can perform scaling and root planing, which is a deep cleaning procedure that removes plaque and tartar from below the gumline.
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Examinations and X-rays: Oral examinations to assess for signs of gum disease, tooth decay, and other oral health problems. Dental X-rays provide a more comprehensive view of your teeth and jawbone.
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Preventative Care: Application of topical fluoride treatments to strengthen tooth enamel and prevent cavities. If needed, we can also recommend and place dental sealants on children's teeth to provide extra protection against decay.
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Patient Education: Providing patients with instructions on proper brushing and flossing techniques, as well as other oral hygiene practices. We can also offer guidance on diet and lifestyle choices that can impact oral health.
While some procedures may require collaboration with a dentist, dental hygienists are vital oral healthcare providers who play a significant role in preventive care and maintaining good oral health.
Dental Fillings
Dental fillings are essentially patches for your teeth. They are a type of dental treatment used to repair damage or holes in teeth, most commonly caused by tooth decay (cavities).
The procedure normally involves removal of the compromised tooth structure and filling it with a material that hardens up to almost a similar strength level as teeth.
Depending on the remaining sound tooth structure left, a filling may not be sufficient to support the tooth and a crown might be necessary.
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Here are some of the reasons why fillings might be required:
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Cavities: Tooth decay happens when plaque buildup on teeth eats away at the enamel. Fillings remove the decayed area and plug the hole to prevent further damage and infection.
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Cracked or broken teeth: Minor chips or cracks can be repaired with fillings to restore the tooth's shape and function.
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Worn down teeth: Teeth can wear down due to grinding or other habits. Fillings can rebuild the tooth structure and improve chewing ability.
By restoring the tooth, fillings help maintain its health and function, preventing further problems and potential tooth loss.
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Here is some more information on dental fillings on WebMD.
Dental Crowns
A dental crown is a tooth-shaped cap that fits over a damaged or weakened tooth. It encases the entire visible portion of the tooth above the gumline. Crowns are used to restore the tooth's shape, size, strength, and appearance.
The dentist needs to prep the tooth and scan or get an impression of the area first. This scan/impression then gets sent to a lab for making a crown.
While the crown is made, a temporary cap will be placed on the tooth. It is important to take safety precautions to avoid damage to this cap and the underlying tooth. Please follow the instructions provided by the office for proper care.
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There are several reasons why someone might need a dental crown:
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To restore a severely decayed or fractured tooth
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To protect a weak tooth from breaking
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To hold together a cracked tooth
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To cover a tooth that has undergone root canal therapy
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To replace a large filling
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To improve the appearance of a discolored or misshapen tooth
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To support a dental bridge
Dental crowns are typically made from zirconia, metal, or porcelain fused to metal. The type of crown that is best for you will depend on the specific situation. With proper care, dental crowns can last for many years.​
Implant Crowns
An implant crown is a type of artificial tooth that is used to replace a missing tooth. It is attached to a dental implant, which is a small, screw-like post that is surgically inserted into the jawbone. The implant acts as a replacement for the tooth root, and the crown is the visible part of the tooth that sits above the gumline.
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People need implant crowns for a variety of reasons, including:
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To replace a single missing tooth
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To replace multiple missing teeth
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To support a dental bridge
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To improve the appearance of a smile
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To improve chewing function
Implant crowns are a popular choice for replacing missing teeth because they offer a number of advantages over other options, such as dentures or bridges. These advantages include:
Improved stability and function: Implant crowns are anchored directly to the jawbone, which provides excellent stability and function. They feel and function more like natural teeth than other options.
Improved appearance: Implant crowns can be made to look very natural, and they can even improve the appearance of your smile by filling out gaps and supporting the surrounding facial tissues.
Durability: Implant crowns are made from strong, durable materials that can last for many years with proper care.
Improved oral health: Unlike bridges, implant crowns do not require the alteration of healthy teeth. This can help to improve your overall oral health.
Socket Preservation
Socket preservation, also known as alveolar ridge preservation, is a dental procedure performed to preserve the alveolar ridge, the bony socket that housed the tooth after a tooth extraction.
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Here's why we recommend socket preservation:
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Prevent bone resorption: When a tooth is extracted, the jawbone that surrounded the tooth socket starts to deteriorate naturally. This is because the body no longer needs to support the tooth root. Socket preservation helps to prevent this bone loss by filling the socket with a bone grafting material. This material can be synthetic, derived from an animal source, or even your own bone from another location in your jaw. The bone graft material helps to stimulate new bone growth and maintain the integrity of the jawbone.
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Prepare for dental implants: Socket preservation can also be used to prepare the jawbone for dental implants. Dental implants are artificial tooth roots that are surgically placed into the jawbone. In order for a dental implant to be successful, there needs to be enough healthy bone tissue in the jawbone to support it. Socket preservation can help to ensure that there is enough bone tissue available for implant placement.
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Maintain facial aesthetics: When bone loss occurs in the jawbone after a tooth extraction, it can lead to changes in the facial structure. This can cause the cheeks and lips to collapse inward, giving the appearance of a sunken face. Socket preservation can help to prevent this bone loss and maintain a more youthful appearance.
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Prevent dry socket: Dry socket is a painful condition that can occur after a tooth extraction. It happens when the blood clot that forms in the socket is dislodged or doesn't form properly. Socket preservation can help to prevent dry socket by promoting healthy blood clot formation.
Teeth Whitening
Teeth whitening is a cosmetic procedure that aims to make your teeth appear brighter and whiter. There are two main ways it works:
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Bleaching: This uses peroxide-based products to break down stains on and within the tooth enamel.
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Removing surface stains: Some products act as abrasives or contain chemicals to polish the teeth and remove surface stains, but don't bleach the enamel itself.
A brighter smile can boost confidence and make you feel better about yourself. Here are some of the things that can stain teeth, making whitening desirable:
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Drinks: Coffee, tea, red wine, and soda can all stain teeth over time.
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Food: Certain fruits, vegetables, and curries can also stain teeth.
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Smoking: Tobacco use can stain teeth and make them yellow.
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Medications: Some medications can cause discoloration of the teeth.
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Aging: Teeth naturally darken as we age.
It's important to note that teeth whitening isn't permanent. The whiteness will eventually fade, and how long it lasts depends on your habits and the type of whitening treatment used. If you're considering teeth whitening, it's always best to consult with your dentist to discuss if it's right for you and which method would be most effective.
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Emergency Dentistry
We understand that life happens! We do our best to schedule patients with emergency dental problems at a short notice because unlike regular dental issues, these problems can cause significant pain, bleeding, or even threaten the health of the tooth itself.
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Please reach out to us immediately if you find yourself in any of these situations:
Severe toothache: This could be caused by a cavity, infection, or cracked tooth.
Knocked-out tooth: If a permanent tooth gets knocked out, it's crucial to see an emergency dentist within a few hours to try and save the tooth.
Broken or cracked tooth: Depending on the severity of the crack or break, you may need prompt attention to prevent further damage or infection.
Object lodged between teeth: If something gets stuck between your teeth and you can't remove it safely on your own, a dentist can help.
Dental abscess: This is a pus-filled infection that can be very painful and requires prompt treatment with root-canal and antibiotics if needed.
Lost filling or crown: A lost filling or crown can leave your tooth vulnerable to further damage and discomfort.
If you're unsure whether you have a dental emergency, it's always best to err on the side of caution and call us.
Dentures
We provide removable partial dentures and complete dentures. These are made of a plastic base that fits over the gums and metal/acrylic clasps that attach to the surrounding teeth.
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Dentures have a variety of applications:
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Improving appearance: Missing teeth can cause the face to sag and make a person look older. Dentures can help to restore a more youthful appearance.
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Improving speech: Missing teeth can make it difficult to speak clearly. Dentures can help to improve speech by filling in the gaps left by missing teeth.
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Improving ability to eat: Missing teeth can make it difficult to chew food properly. Dentures can help to improve chewing ability by replacing missing teeth.
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Improving dental health: Missing teeth can cause the remaining teeth to shift out of position. Removable Partial dentures can help to prevent this from happening by keeping the remaining teeth in place.
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If you are considering getting Dentures, please consult with us to discuss your options. There are different types of removable partial dentures available, and the best type for you will depend on your individual needs.