Comprehensive Evaluation
Restorative Treatment (Fillings)
Crowns
Endodontics (Root Canal Therapy)
Mini-Implants
Tooth Whitening
Removable Prosthodontics (Dentures and Partials)
Extractions
Sedation Dentistry
Digital X-ray
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The purpose of this visit is to gather enough information to enable us to look at the big picture in terms of your general health as well as your dental health. At that visit we will evaluate medical history, dental history, personal interview, take blood pressure, perform an oral cancer screening exam, hard tissue and soft tissue exams, update or review existing radiographs (x-rays), and take digital photographs of the entire mouth. In some cases we may want to consult with your physician or other dental health providers, particularly if you have seen any specialists recently. After collecting all the necessary data we will then propose a comprehensive treatment plan complete with estimated fees and number of appointments which we will discuss with you. If the treatment plan is simple we may be able to discuss it at that same appointment, and if it is more complex we will typically discuss it with the entire staff and then present it to you after the first hygiene visit.
Restorative Treatment (fillings)
Our routine restorative treatment involves the removal of diseased tooth structure and replacement with an adhesive resin-based restorative material, which is basically a glass reinforced plastic. The material we are predominantly using is Grandio which is manufactured by the VOCO company, although we do use several others based upon the situation. We do not use any silver amalgam in my office, primarily because I believe that what we do use is the finest material available. Typically if we are replacing an existing defective filling we will want to anesthetize the area for your comfort. However, with the use of our Diagnodent laser cavity detection we can typically pick up cavities much sooner than before and can restore them without the need to be numb for most people. We will discuss this beforehand, and rest assured that YOU will make the decision whether to have anesthesia or not.
Crowns
The vast majority of our crowns are done in a single visit thanks to the addition of the CEREC system by Sirona. This allows us to eliminate the impressions, temporary crowns and a second trip to the office that the older crown technology required. The procedure takes approximately two hours, start to finish. The tooth will be prepared and a series of digital pictures will be taken. At this point you will get a nice break while we design and then mill the crown from a solid block of porcelain. This porcelain has also been engineered to have physical properties as close to human enamel as possible. After trying in the crown and final polishing it will be adhesively bonded to the remaining tooth. The crowns made in this way are truly the finest restorations available, period.
Endodontics (Root Canal Therapy)
This is probably the procedure that patients seem to be the most fearful of, but that really shouldn’t be the case. When a tooth needs root canal treatment, usually due to decay or trauma, we will profoundly anesthetize the area and will not proceed with treatment unless the patient is totally comfortable. The procedure consists of removal of all of the soft tissues from the center of the tooth, disinfection of the canal and sealing with a material called Gutta Percha. A tooth which has had root canal treatment will then require a permanent restoration of some sort, usually a crown due to the amount of missing tooth structure. Successful root canal treatment will eliminate the source of infection, eliminate any tooth pain, and allow your immune system to properly heal the surrounding area.
Mini-Implants
We use the MDI system of mini-implants, referring to their small diameter, approximately the size of a toothpick. These are comfortably placed using minimal anesthesia and are primarily intended to stabilize dentures, particularly the lower denture. Most of the time we are able to modify the patient’s existing denture, so in about two hours they can leave with a stable, retentive and fully functional denture.
Tooth Whitening
In our office we offer a take-home tooth whitening service which research has shown to be more effective and long lasting than the boutique one visit “ZOOM” style whitening systems. It is considerably safer and several times less expensive as well! Quite often this will be the first cosmetic procedure patients will be interested in and might be the only thing needed to achieve their aesthetic goals. The procedure consists of a quick impression so that we can fabricate custom trays made of a soft rubber material, resembling a football mouthpiece. We will then match the current shade and dispense the bleaching gel and trays. The patient will then put a small amount of bleach in the trays and wear them for 30 minutes per day. PLEASE DO NOT WEAR THE TRAYS LONGER THAN 30 MINUTES PER DAY. You will not bleach any faster and will run the risk of making your teeth sensitive. The procedure should take from 2-6 weeks to produce the desired results.
Removable Prosthodontics (Dentures and Partials)
In our office the fabrication of a denture or partial usually involves a series of appointments approximately one week apart and includes at least two appointments after delivery of the final product in order to achieve a successful outcome. Dentures can either be done as a “conventional” denture, where the denture is started after the teeth have been extracted and healed completely. They can also be done as an “immediate” denture, where the denture is made and is inserted at the time of the last extractions. Both methods have advantages and disadvantages, so we will discuss this with you and arrive at the treatment which is right for your particular situation.
Extractions
Most people think about extractions as the only type of oral surgery. While we do routinely perform simple extractions we also do surgical extractions, minor trauma repair, biopsies and several other surgical procedures. We have a 980nm wavelength soft tissue laser which we use for some procedures. The main advantage of the laser is that it is practically bloodless and heals better and faster than conventional surgery. We do some uncomplicated third molar (wisdom tooth) removal, but usually refer most of those due to patients’ wishes to be put to sleep which is a service we do not provide. We do use Nitrous Oxide (laughing gas) and oral sedations for those who wish and are healthy enough.
Sedation Dentistry
Available, please contact us for more information.
Digital X-ray
All of our radiography is done with digital equipment. We perform several x-ray exams, from the bitewing radiographs that look for cavities between the teeth, periapicals which help us see deeper pathology, or the full-mouth panoramic view they all are produced with digital technology. This enables us to greatly reduce the amount of radiation, up to 10 times less, to get a good exposure. It also is almost immediate so we can show you your results on the TV screen available in all the treatment rooms. We can also print copies or e-mail the exams to other offices which greatly facilitates the referral process.The right physical therapy professional can make the real difference from the speedy recovery or a alarming and best prices on cialis useless expertise. In young, healthy patients, the full amount of T4 replacement hormone may be started on acquisition de viagra at the lowest dose of 25 mg. discount viagra Leaning over, she begun to passionately kiss me. I really thought that my romancing days were generic soft viagra over.