Procedures

Regular dental visits are essential to make sure oral health problems — from tooth decay to oral cancer — are detected and treated in a timely manner. At our office, your oral health is our paramount concern. We want to make sure your teeth stay healthy, function well and look great! From regular cleanings and exams to advanced restorative treatments, all of your routine dental needs can be met right here.

Preventative Dentistry:
Preventative care includes dental cleanings and examinations, as well as x-rays. For children and teenagers, we may also provide fluoride treatments and sealants. Your initial visit will include a comprehensive dental exam, any necessary x-rays, and a cleaning. The examination includes checking for tooth decay (cavities), periodontal evaluation, and an oral cancer screening.

Our x-rays are all digital, and are necessary for detecting decay, pathology (infection, cysts, tumors, etc) and bone levels. Digital x-rays use a sensor connected to a computer that allows us to instantly view the film, and reduces the amount of radiation as compared to traditional x-rays. Dental cleanings include scaling (removal or calculus/tartar), polishing and oral hygiene instructions.

Depending on your periodontal condition, we may recommend 3 month or 6 month check up exams and cleanings.

Restorative Dentistry:
Fillings:
Fillings are placed to restore teeth affected by decay, cracks, or fractures. There are many different types of restorative materials, such as amalgam (silver fillings) and composite (white/tooth colored fillings). Depending on the size and location of the decay, we can recommend the best option for restoring your teeth.

Inlays/Onlays:
Inlays and onlays restore the areas of the tooth affected by decay, fractures, or old fillings, and allow us to maintain sound tooth structure. They allow us to be more conservative with tooth preparation, and provides a more esthetic, longer lasting, stronger alternative to large fillings or crowns.

Crowns:
Crowns are restorations that encompass the entire tooth and restore it to its original size and shape. Crowns are placed to protect and strengthen the tooth when a filling or other restoration cannot be placed, or when root canal therapy has been performed. Crowns can be made of many different materials, including traditional porcelain/metal crowns, gold crowns, or esthetic all porcelain crowns.

With our state of the art CEREC machine, we can take an optical picture of your prepared tooth, scan it into our computer, design and mill your porcelain crown and deliver it- all in one visit-and in under two hours.

Depending on your individual situation, we can discuss the best option for you.

Dental Implants:
Dental implants are a wonderful way to replace missing teeth. Implants are titanium screws surgically placed into the bone and restored with a screw retained or cemented crown. An implant requires a number of visits and several months to complete. They are the longest lasting, strongest, and least invasive way to replace missing teeth.

Fixed Bridges:
Bridges allow us to restore missing teeth by using a series of crowns that anchor (abutment) teeth on both sides of the space and attach them to artificial (pontic) teeth. Traditional bridges are porcelain fused to metal and resemble natural teeth. Bridges take several visits to make, and include preparing the teeth, making a temporary bridge, impressions and try in visits.

Dentures:
Dentures are removable appliances that replace missing teeth and surrounding structures. There are two types of dentures: Full dentures are where there are no remaining teeth, and partial dentures when some natural teeth remain. They are made of acrylic and or acrylic and metal, and must be removed every night. Making dentures requires several visits over several weeks, and involves making accurate impressions (molds) and try in visits to ensure a comfortable fit.

Endodontics/Root Canal Therapy:
No words strike fear in the heart of patients more than root canal. Root canal therapy is required when the nerve of a tooth in irreversibly affected by decay, infection, or trauma. In order to save the tooth, the remaining tissue (pulp) of the tooth is cleaned out, and a medicated filling is placed inside the canal(s). Over time, the tooth becomes brittle and more susceptible to decay and fractures, so it is restored with a post and core to build it up, and a crown. In most cases, root canals are performed with little or no discomfort, and have a very high rate of success.

Porcelain Veneers/Laminates:
Laminates are thin porcelain restorations used to reshape, restore, and enhance your teeth and smile. The teeth are minimally prepared, and the laboratory custom makes the laminates to ideal shape, size and color. Laminates usually require two visits.

Tooth Whitening/Bleaching:
There are many different causes behind tooth staining. Foods, beverages, medicines, trauma and age can cause discoloration. Professional tooth whitening is the best option to safely and comfortably lighten the teeth, and takes about an hour. The most common side effect is a mild, transient tooth sensitivity, which goes away in a day or two.

Oral Cancer Screenings:
Over 35,000 Americans are diagnosed with oral or pharyngeal cancer every year. Roughly about half will be alive in 5 years. The mortality rate is not because it is difficult to diagnose but because it is usually discovered in later stages. Risk factors include age (over 40), tobacco and alcohol use, previous cancer diagnosis, HPV as well as others. Oral cancer can start as a small white or red patch or ulcerated lesion that does not heal in 14 days, a lump/mass in head or neck, difficulty swallowing, speaking, chewing, or unilateral (one sided) numbness or earache. The most common sites include the floor of the mouth and tongue. We routinely screen patients for any suspicious lesions or abnormalities during our check up exams.

Emergency Dental Treatment
If you have a life-threatening or severe injury, call 911 or go directly to the nearest hospital emergency room. We can treat a variety of traumatic dental injuries, including teeth that have been chipped, moved, or knocked out entirely. Please call our office for assistance.