We are proud to provide the highest quality of care to our patients utilizing the most up to date techniques and technologies.
Exam and Diagnosis
We utilize modern technology to diagnose tooth decay including digital x-rays to reduce radiation exposure to the patient as well as the use of the Diagnodent Laser Caries Detector which uses a beam of laser light to find decay below the surface of the tooth.
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Pediatric Dentistry
Each child receives a thorough examination, prophylaxis, x-rays and fluoride treatment as needed. Home care instructions including proper flossing and tooth brushing and dietary counseling if needed. We recommend the placement of sealants to prevent decay on the biting surfaces of permanent molar teeth.
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Periodontal Therapy (gum treatment)
The most common cause of tooth loss in adults is gum disease. When diagnosed and treated early this problem can be controlled. We provide periodontal screening as part of our comprehensive and recall examinations. Early gum disease can be treated in our office with conservative treatment called scaling and root planing. This is essentially a very thorough, deep cleaning which can be accomplished utilizing topical anesthesia.
In more advanced cases, we work closely with gum disease specialists (periodontists)
in order to restore and treat and maintain periodontal health.
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Pit and Fissure Sealants
One of the most common areas of tooth decay in children involves the chewing surfaces of permanent molars. Sealants are a thin, flowable filling like material which fill in all the small pits and grooves on the teeth and prevent cavity causing food materials from being lodged in these hard to clean areas. The procedure does not involve needles or drilling and can help protect teeth from decay for many years.
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Fillings
While many offices no longer use silver amalgam fillings containing mercury, forcing patient to pay higher fees for composite resin (tooth colored fillings). Our office will allow you to choose which type of material you receive. Silver amalgam fillings have been in use for over a hundred years and are safe, inexpensive and very durable. While resin fillings look nicer they do not last as long as silver amalgam and are more costly.
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Root Canal Therapy (Endodontics)
Each tooth has a central core of nerves and blood vessels called the dental pulp. This is the part of the tooth from which pain eminates. Placement of large deep fillings, crowns, onlays or other dental restorations or trauma to the tooth can cause injury to the pulp and eventual death of the living tissue producing abcesses and/or pain. Root canal thereapy removes the diseased tissues from within the tooth and replaces that tissue with an inert filling material. This treatment can allow the tooth to remain functioning in the mouth indefinitely when properly restored and maintained. The success rate for endodontic treatment is well over 90%. Most treatments can be completed in a single visit. In very complex cases we work closely with local root canal specialists (endodontists) in order to ensure the best outcome possible.
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Crowns and Onlays including Cerec Single Visit All Porcelain Restorations
Severely decayed or broken teeth cannot always be restored with convention filling materials. In these cases the entire tooth or large areas of the chewing surface of the tooth must be covered with a durable material in order to withstand chewing forces.
In our office full coverage porcelain crowns and partial coverage onlays can be fabricated in a single visit utilizing our Cerec technology.
Cerec allows us to take infrared pictures of the remaining tooth structure and design an all porcelain restoration which is milled by means of CAD/CAM technology right in our office and completed in a single visit. No more temporary crowns having to be re cemented and no more second visits for placing the final restoration.
In those cases where all porcelain restorations are not indicated convention impressions are made and cast gold restorations, with or without porcelain, are fabricated by a dental laboratory and placed at a subsequent visit.
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Replacing Missing Teeth
Tooth replacement can be accomplished in a number of different ways including placement of fixed bridgework, implants, as well as partial or complete dentures.
Fixed Bridgework
When replacing missing teeth a fixed restoration (one that stays in the mouth and is not removable by the patient) is preferred. This type of restoration involves placing crowns (caps) on the teeth adjacent to the missing tooth. These caps are joined to the replacement tooth as one piece and cemented in the mouth. This procedure involves the placement of an acrylic temporary bridge
Implant Restorations
Our office works closely with highly trained periodontists and oral surgeons who perform the surgical placement of dental implants for our patients. After implant healing and integration into the bone, patients return to our office for placement of the final restoration which can be anything from a single tooth crown replacement to a full denture supported by implants.
Removable Partial and Full Dentures
When many teeth are badly damaged or periodontal disease is severe, removal of these teeth may be necessary. In cases where implant placement is not an option our office can fabricate partial or complete removable dentures. The dental laboratories we work with utilize only the highest quality of materials and the most modern techniques in fabricating a prosthesis.
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Extractions and Minor Oral Surgery
In those instances where teeth are damaged beyond repair they must be extracted. Our office performs these procedures using local anesthesia and nitrous oxide (laughing gas) when requested. Minor surgical procedures including surgical removal of badly broken down teeth can be accomplished in the same manner.
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Laser Dentistry
Our office utilizes the Waterlase hard and soft tissue laser to accomplish many procedures with little or no anesthesia. Procedures include cavity preparations (often without the need for drilling) as well as removal of gum and bone tissue.
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Whitening
Our office utilizes many different teeth whitening systems, one of which will fit your budget. We offer Rembrandt in-office 1-hour bleaching as well custom tray take-home bleaching kits. We also offer Crest White Strips Professional System, which includes more strips that are larger than those found in the kits you can purchase at retail establishments.
Another option is TresWhite. This is a non-custom tray take home bleach system which is less costly than custom trays but is an effective means of bleaching.
