General Services

An oral examination is a visual inspection of the mouth, head, and neck, performed to detect abnormalities.  Radiographs allow for a more complete examination, helping the doctor to detect cavities, problems in existing dental restorations, gum and bone recession or other abnormal conditions within the mouth, head and neck area.

A dental cleaning, also known as an oral prophylaxis, is the removal of dental plaque and tartar (calculus) from the teeth. Specialized instruments are used to gently remove these deposits without harming the teeth. First, an ultrasonic device that emits vibrations and is cooled by water is used to loosen larger pieces of tartar. Next, hand tools are used to manually remove smaller deposits and smooth the tooth surfaces. Once all the tooth surfaces have been cleaned of tartar and plaque, the teeth are polished.

Fluoride is a natural substance that helps strengthen teeth and prevent decay. Fluoride treatments are administered at this office as in important component of pediatric dental treatment. The fluoride is applied to the teeth in a gel, foam or varnish form.

Dental sealants are a safe resin material applied to the surfaces of teeth (commonly permanent molars) to prevent cavities. Sealants fill in the crevices of a tooth and “seal” off the tooth from cavity causing agents like food and plaque. The teeth are prepped for the sealant application and the sealant is painted directly on the chewing surface of the teeth and then hardens.

Sealants are applied in one visit.

Many sports require athletes to use a Mouth Guard to protect their teeth while practicing and playing. Frequently used in contact sports, the mouth guard covers the gums and teeth to provide protection for lips, gums, teeth and arches. A properly fitted mouth guard can reduce the severity of dental injuries.

Pre-formed, ready-to-wear mouth guards can be purchased inexpensively at many sporting stores, but they do not always fit well. They can be uncomfortable and interfere with talking and even breathing.

Sporting goods stores also offer semi-custom mouth guards, in which the plastic is heated and then the athlete bites on it while still warm to provide some level of custom fit.

Your dentist can make a custom mouth guard by taking an impression of your teeth and then creating a device fitted to your mouth for the highest level of both comfort and protection. A custom fitted mouthguard can be particularly important for athletes who wear braces.

Be sure to bring your mouthguard to your dental appointments so your doctor can be sure it still fits you well.

Tooth-colored fillings are the most lifelike material used to fill cavities. Composite fillings can be done in one visit. Once the decay is removed from the tooth, it is filled with this composite material and left to harden immediately afterwards.

A crown is a dental restoration that completely covers the outside of a severely decayed tooth. Dental crowns can be completed in two visits. During the first visit, the tooth is prepped (shaved down) and an impression is taken. A temporary crown is placed while the permanent crown is being made. During the second visit, the permanent crown is carefully fitted and then cemented into place for a permanent restoration.

A bridge replaces missing teeth without the use of a denture or dental implant. A false tooth is held in place by being attached to a neighboring tooth. In order to fabricate a bridge, crowns are made for the teeth on either side of the space and a false tooth is placed in between the crowns, which act as supports.

Dental implants are the replacement of tooth roots in the mouth. Implants provide a strong foundation for fixed or removable replacement teeth. Dental implants, which are placed in the jawbone, are small anchors made of a biocompatible metal called titanium. The anchors begin to fuse with the bone over the course of a few months. After the fusing process, known as osseointegration, abutment posts are inserted into the anchors to allow for the permanent attachment of the replacement teeth.

A denture is a removable replacement for missing teeth. There are two types of dentures: Complete (Full) and Partial Dentures.

Complete (Full) Dentures are made after all the teeth in the upper and/or lower jaw have been removed and the gum tissue has healed. The denture includes an acrylic base that is custom made in the dental laboratory and is made to look like natural gums. The denture sits over the gums or can be anchored to dental implants.

Removable Partial Dentures are made when only a few teeth need to be replaced. Removable partial dentures either attach to crowns on either side of the denture or to a metal framework that is then attached to the teeth on both sides of the partial denture. When worn during the day, removable partial implants can also be supported in place by dental implants. As opposed to being removable, partial dentures can also be anchored in place by being attached to dental implants.

Whitening, also known as bleaching, is the procedure used to brighten teeth. Opalescence Go™ prefilled whitening trays combine professional strength treatment with the convenience of at-home whitening.

Speak with one of our team members for more information about how Opalescence Go™ whitening can provide you with a whiter smile.

Scan the QR code below to view instructions on using your Opalescence Go™ whitening kit.

With the ClearCorrect aligner system, patients can straighten their teeth without wires and brackets, and without drawing attention to  a smile they’re already self conscious about, by applying pressure to gradually move the teeth and reshape the surrounding bone.
 
The process is easy and affordable. The doctor takes an impression, or scan, of the mouth, and a set of custom correcting aligners is created. The patient wears the aligners day and night, only removing them to brush and eat. The trays are changed at intervals as teeth move until treatment is complete.

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ClearCorrect

Cosmetic bonding is the process of filling or restoring teeth with a tooth-colored material in order to maintain a natural appearance. In order to bond a tooth, tooth colored material is added to the tooth to build it up.

An inlay or onlay is a partial crown restoration that can be placed when there is not sufficient tooth structure to support a filling, but not quite large enough to require a crown. They are made of a composite or porcelain that aesthetically and functionally replaces the missing tooth structure.

Porcelain veneers are thin pieces of porcelain used to recreate the natural look of teeth. To place a veneer, a very small amount of the original tooth enamel must be removed. Afterwards, an adhesive layer is placed between the slightly prepped tooth and the veneer. The veneer is then hardened with a curing light.

Scaling and root planing is a non-surgical procedure used to treat gum disease. During the scaling process, specialized dental instruments are used to remove dental plaque and calculus from beneath the gums. Planing is the procedure used to smooth the tooth’s root after the scaling process. Root planing helps the gums heal and reattach themselves to a cleaner and smoother root surface.

Dental implants are the replacement of tooth roots in the mouth. Implants provide a strong foundation for fixed or removable replacement teeth. Dental implants are small anchors made of a biocompatible metal called titanium, which are placed in the jawbone. The anchors begin to fuse with the bone over a few months. After the fusing process, known as osseointegration, abutment posts are inserted into the anchors to allow custom made restorations such as crowns, bridges and dentures to be placed on the dental implants to complete your new smile.

For more information, click below.

Dental Implants

Commonly used to treat root exposure resulting from receded gum tissue. Tissue is removed from the roof of the mouth or from gum tissue near the tooth and stitched into the area needing gingival repair.

The replacement or enhancement of bone around teeth. When a tooth is lost, the surrounding bone collapses. Bone grafting is performed to reverse bone loss or enhance bone. The bone can be taken from parts of the body or from synthetic material. Bone grafting allows for proper support of dental implants or prostheses.

Commonly used to expose more tooth structure. Crown lengthening involves the removal of gum tissue and/or bone to expose more of a tooth’s structure.

This procedure is used to regenerate lost bone around existing teeth, or in an area where teeth have been extracted. This procedure is often performed to protect your existing teeth and the tissues that keep them in place from bacterial plaque. The gingival tissue is folded back to remove the disease-causing bacteria. Membranes, bone grafts or tissue-stimulating proteins can be used to encourage the body’s natural ability to regenerate bone and tissue.

Lasers in dentistry allow for many dental procedures to be performed with no noise, minimal pain, faster recovery times and often fewer appointments. All lasers work by delivering energy in the form of light.

The procedures performed with dental lasers are minimally invasive and preferable to conventional surgery.

Other benefits of laser dentistry over traditional methods can include:

• Reduced heat and vibration
• Little or no need for anesthetic
• Faster treatment time
• Increased rate of retention
• Less post-operative complications

Lasers can be used to:

• Reshape gum tissue
• Biopsy or remove soft tissue lesions and ulcers
• Eliminate pockets of infected gum tissue
• Correct ankyloglossia (tongue-tied)

A tooth that can not be saved with restorative materials may need to be removed. Before removing your tooth, the area will be numbed with anesthesia. The tooth is then loosened using a special dental instrument known as an elevator. After it is loosened from the socket, it is gently removed by forceps, a dental instrument commonly used in dental extractions. Stitches may be necessary after the removal of a tooth.

The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is similar to a sliding hinge that connects your jawbone to your skull. TMJ disorders can cause pain in the jaw joint and in the muscles that control jaw movement.

To treat TMJ disorders, first the cause has to be identified. In less severe cases TMJ disorders can be treated with self-managed care (eating soft foods, using ice packs, avoiding extreme jaw movement) or nonsurgical treatments (anti-inflammatory medications, Botox® injections, stabilization splints).