DENTAL SERVICES & PROCEDURES

Preventive dentistry services are labeled as such because they allow your dentist to monitor your oral health, promote healthy habits, prevent new disease through a variety of treatment services, and catch signs of oral health problems early.

• Diagnostic services utilized to catch signs of oral problems early including:

• Oral evaluations (check-ups)
• X-rays

• Fluoride treatments, especially for children
• Sealants, which are coverings that are applied to the top surfaces of permanent molars to prevent decay inside the grooves that naturally occur in these teeth
• Educational instruction provided by your dentist or dental hygienist, including:
• Techniques for proper brushing, flossing and use of other oral hygiene aids
• Nutritional and/or tobacco cessation counseling
• Space maintainers for children
• In special circumstances, preventive resin restorations or decay arresting medication applied to teeth, typically given to children at high risk for developing decay

You could need oral surgery for a number of reasons. Your dentist might recommend it if you have:

• Extensive tooth decay.
• Badly broken teeth.
• Gum disease.
• Impacted teeth.
• Missing teeth.
• Temporomandibular joint disorders (TMD).
• Bone loss in your jaw.
• Sleep apnea.
• Oral cancer.
• Benign oral pathology (noncancerous lumps or bumps).
• Dental Implants

Preventive dentistry services are labeled as such because they allow your dentist to monitor your oral health, promote healthy habits, prevent new disease through a variety of treatment services, and catch signs of oral health problems early.

• Diagnostic services utilized to catch signs of oral problems early including:

• Oral evaluations (check-ups)
• X-rays

• Fluoride treatments, especially for children
• Sealants, which are coverings that are applied to the top surfaces of permanent molars to prevent decay inside the grooves that naturally occur in these teeth
• Educational instruction provided by your dentist or dental hygienist, including:
• Techniques for proper brushing, flossing and use of other oral hygiene aids
• Nutritional and/or tobacco cessation counseling
• Space maintainers for children
• In special circumstances, preventive resin restorations or decay arresting medication applied to teeth, typically given to children at high risk for developing decay

Dentures are removable appliances that can replace missing teeth and help restore your smile. If you've lost partial ( Partial dentures)or  all of your natural teeth, whether from gum disease, tooth decay or injury, replacing missing teeth will benefit your appearance and your health.

One type of implant-supported denture that I place is called an “overdenture.” This type of dental implant forms a gum-supported base onto which a removable or fixed denture can be placed. Overdentures are a denture choice for those who are missing most or all of their teeth. If a person is only missing a few teeth, but experiencing problems with the rest of their teeth.

Dentures are held in place by adhesives, natural suction, or a combination of both. Overdentures look like conventional dentures from the outside, but they are actually secured in your mouth by clipping or screwing onto titanium dental implants that have been placed in your jawbone.

Dental crowns are tooth-shaped “caps” that can be placed over your tooth. Think of it like a snug hat for your tooth. The crown restores the tooth's shape, size, strength and appearance. The dental crown is cemented into place on your tooth and it covers the visible portion of the tooth.

• To protect a weak tooth (for instance, from decay) from breaking or to hold together parts of a cracked tooth

• To restore an already broken tooth or a tooth that has been severely worn down
• To cover and support a tooth with a large filling when there isn't a lot of teeth left
• To hold a dental bridge in place
• To cover misshapen or severely discolored teeth
• To cover a dental implant
• To make a cosmetic modification

For children, a stainless-steel crowns may be used on primary (baby) teeth in order to:

• Save a tooth that has been so damaged by decay that it can't support a filling.
• Protect the teeth of a child at high risk for tooth decay, especially when a child has difficulty keeping up with daily oral hygiene.
• Decrease the frequency of general anesthesia for children unable because of age, behavior, or medical history to fully cooperate with the requirements of proper dental care.

A comprehensive dental exam includes far more than just cleaning your teeth. It involves a complete and thorough patient examination covering everything from pre-existing conditions, gum health, even screenings, and diagnostic exams to guarantee optimal oral health.

During a dental examination, we will perform a visual examination, and most likely x-rays.

We may also perform a visual and palpation examination of lymph nodes throughout the face and neck looking for any abnormalities, pain, or flexibility within the nodes that could be markers for disease.  A similar examination of your lips, gums, tongue and other internal mouth surfaces will be conducted, again looking for various signs of illness or disease.

Root canal is a treatment to repair and save a badly damaged or infected tooth instead of removing it. The term "root canal" comes from cleaning of the canals inside a tooth's root. Decades ago, root canal treatments often were painful.

If you feel pain in your tooth while you're drinking or eating something hot or cold you might need a root canal. The sensitivity can manifest itself as a sharp pain or a dull ache, and if you can feel it for a longer period of time, even after you finish drinking or earing.

During an oral cancer screening exam, your dentist looks over the inside of your mouth to check for red or white patches or mouth sores. Using gloved hands, your dentist also feels the tissues in your mouth to check for lumps or other abnormalities. The dentist may also examine your throat and neck for lumps

Early detection of oral cancer can improve a patient's chances of successful treatment. That's why many dentists recommend having regular oral cancer screenings that examine the entire mouth. Adults over the age of 20 should have a screening every three years while those over 40 should have annual screenings.

A dental implant (also known as an endosseous implant or fixture) is a prosthesis that interfaces with the bone of the jaw or skull to support a dental prosthesis such as a crown, bridge, denture, or facial prosthesis or to act as an orthodontic anchor. The basis for modern dental implants is a biologic process called osseointegration, in which materials such as titanium or zirconia form an intimate bond to bone. The implant fixture is first placed so that it is likely to osseointegrate, then a dental prosthetic is added. A variable amount of healing time is required for osseointegration before either the dental prosthetic (a tooth, bridge or denture) is attached to the implant or an abutment is placed which will hold a dental prosthetic/crown.