Regular dental exams/checkups– generally twice yearly visits to our office so that we can monitor your oral health and offer helpful advice and tips on oral homecare.
Prophylaxis/cleaning – usually performed by a registered dental hygienist at the same time as your checkup, a professional
teeth cleaning eliminates hardened tartar deposits and cleans the hard to reach places your toothbrush can’t reach.
Digital radiology – our office uses up-to-date diagnostic x-ray technology, allowing us to better observe the parts of your mouth that we can’t see as well as giving us a clearer picture beneath the surface when we’re working. We offer panoramic imaging, which produces an x-ray photo of a patient’s entire mouth, as well as a state of the art digital CBCT scanner, which produces a 3-dimensional scan of a patient’s bone and tooth structure.
These images are used in the treatment planning of dental implants and for the diagnosis of hard tissue pathologies.
Restorations:
Fillings – we offer tooth-colored composite restorations in most small to medium-sized cavities. The composite material matches your natural tooth color and offers good wear and stain resistance.
Unlike silver amalgam fillings, the composite fillings are cured to full strength and hardness during the procedure, allowing you to use that tooth as normal immediately.
Crown and Bridge:
Crowns – crowns, or caps, are tooth-shaped covers that are made of very hard materials and are used to enclose and protect a tooth that has been extensively damaged. In most situations, a crown can be colored to match your adjacent teeth so that it looks natural. The preparation, impression
and provisional crown are usually performed all in one visit, and the final crown cemented in place at the following appointment.
Bridges – A bridge is essentially 3 or more crowns, all in a line, designed to replace missing teeth in between two other teeth. The teeth on either side of the space are prepared for crowns, and the lab designs attached teeth,
called pontics, to take the place of the missing teeth. It looks and functions as if the original tooth was still in place.
Endodontics:
Root canal therapy (RCT) – Bacteria from a cavity can enter the nerve and blood supply, or pulp, of a tooth, resulting in infection, pain and swelling. Physical trauma, such as a sports accident, can cause problems with the pulp. A “root canal” is a type of treatment designed to save a tooth that has died or has been severely injured. The pulp of the tooth is removed, the canals in the tooth roots are filed open and cleaned out, and a sterile rubber filling material is placed to seal the tooth closed.
After the RCT, a core/build-up and crown are necessary to protect the tooth, as loss of structure can cause catastrophic fracture.
Core/Build-up – this procedure is performed after RCT has been finished, with the goal of rebuilding the tooth to sufficient size so that a crown maybe placed over it.
Depending on the situation, amount of tooth lost and location of the tooth, pins or a post may be used to secure the buildup material in place.
Oral Surgery:
Simple extractions - removal of extensively decayed/broken down teeth without complications
After the RCT, a core/build-up and crown are necessary to protect the tooth, as loss of structure can cause catastrophic fracture.
Surgical extractions - removal of teeth involving difficult circumstances that require tissue and/or bone removal.
3rd Molar/Wisdom teeth - we can remove most wisdom teeth in the office under local anesthesia.
Children - we can remove baby teeth in the office, sometimes without the need for a shot!
Pre-prosthetic surgery - in certain cases for patients wishing to have dentures, they may need augmentation or reduction of bone and/or tissue prior to denture impressions.
There are certain circumstances where we will choose not to perform the indicated procedures ourselves, including but not limited to extensive patient medical considerations, inadequate access to the area to be treated and patient request. Patients needing these procedures will be referred to an Oral Surgeon's office.
Removable Dentures:
Complete dentures – For patients who have no teeth remaining, a full denture can replace the patient’s missing teeth and restore function. Tooth shades and shapes can be chosen to closely resemble a patient’s original smile.
Partial dentures – A partial denture, or partial “plate” is a removable device that can be fabricated when a patient has several teeth missing, and is easier to wear than a complete denture, especially on the lower jaw. The denture is designed with clasps that wrap around certain teeth and help hold it in place firmly.
Comfortable Anesthesia:
Local anesthesia – everyone has a different tolerance for pain, and for that reason, we cannot guarantee “pain-free” dentistry. We strive, however, to make treatment as comfortable as possible for our patients.
“Laughing Gas “- While we do not put patients to sleep under general anesthesia (like for hospital surgeries), we do offer nitrous oxide as an option for very nervous or anxious patients. Nitrous oxide is a safe and effective adjunct to local anesthesia, allowing the patient to relax during treatment. Since the gas is not processed by the body, patients are safe to drive themselves upon leaving the office.
Comfortable Anesthesia:
Children are welcome in our office! If the child’s needs are too extensive, we have excellent referral options for parents. Also, for parents of children 1 to 2 years old, we offer complimentary "Well Baby" exams to help get your child accustomed to the dentist's office and to observe the health of their teeth and gums.
