Our Services

Inlay restorations are made out of composite material, gold, or porcelain. Once the inlay has been created in our professional dental laboratory, the material will be permanently cemented into your tooth.

Inlays are a good option for those who want to conservatively restore teeth that have suffered any type of decay or trauma, or even for restoring faulty fillings. They are considered more conservative than installing a crown because inlays require less tooth structure to be removed.

While considered permanent, inlays may require restoration or replacement in the future.

Great reasons to choose inlays:

• Broken tooth

• Decayed tooth

• Fractured fillings

• Oversized fillings

How Are Inlays Placed?

The inlay process typically needs two appointments for completion. The first appointment will involfe making molds of your teeth. These molds are the basis for creating your custom inlay, as well as helping us to make a temporary restoration until the inlay is placed.

Once your tooth is numb, the dentist will extract any residual fillings and decayed material. The tooth will be carefully cleaned and shaped for the inlay placement. A type of temporary filling will be inserted into this area while your inlay is being fabricated in our professional dental laboratory.

During your second appointment, the new inlay will be carefully installed into the space currently occupied by the temporary filling. Any adjustments will be made during this time and the inlay will be permanently cemented in place. As always, our team will provide you with instructions for care during your final appointment.

Onlay restorations are made out of composite material, gold, or porcelain. This type of restoration is sometimes call a "partial crown".

Once the onlay has been fabricated in our professional dental laboratory, the material will be permanently applied to the tooth surface.

Onlays are a good option for those who want to conservatively restore teeth that have suffered any type of decay or trauma, or even for restoring faulty fillings. Onlays make an excellent options to crowns since less tooth material is removed.

The main difference between an inlay and an onlay is that onlays help restore chewing cusps that may have been damaged.

While considered a long-term fixture, onlays may need restorative work or replacement in the future due to normal wear.

Great reasons to choose onlays:

• Broken chewing cusp

• Broken tooth

• Decayed tooth

• Fractured fillings

• Oversized fillings

How are Onlays Placed?

The onlay process takes two appointments for completion. The first appointment will involve our team making molds of your teeth. These molds are the source for developing your custom onlay, and allow us to make a temporary restoration for you until the onlay is placed.

After your dentist has numbed the tooth receiving treatment, any residual fillings and decayed material will be removed from the tooth. The tooth will be carefully cleaned and shaped for the onlay placement. It is during this time that a type of temporary filling will be applied to your tooth while your onlay is being fabricated in our professional dental laboratory.

During your second appointment, the new onlay will be carefully applied to the space currently protected by the temporary filling. All additional adjustments will be made during this appointment and the onlay will be permanently cemented in place.

As part of our normal procedure, our staff will go over instructions with you for long-term care of your new onlay.

The two options for dentures are "complete" and "partial". Complete dentures are used to replace a mouth that is missing all teeth. Partial dentures are used for mouths missing some teeth, but not all. A wonderful feature of partial dentures is that they help maintain current tooth alignment and keep your natural teeth from shifting.

Complete dentures give additional choices of either "conventional" or "immediate". Conventional complete dentures are made only after all remaining natural teeth have been removed and the tissue has had four to six weeks of healing. It is understood that during this time the patient will go without teeth. Immediate dentures, however, are for patients who want their dentures made in advance so that they can be instantly placed after the natural teeth have been removed. The disadvantage of this choice is that once the tissue has healed and shrank, follow-up adjustments will be required.

Dentures are made for long-term use and are known to be very durable. As with all dental applicances, however, dentures may require repair, adjustments, or even replacement in the future due to everyday wear.

Reasons for dentures:

• Complete or partial tooth loss

• Enhance ability to speak, chew, and properly digest food

• Increase health of facial tissues

• Give a confident smile!

How are Dentures Placed?

Many appointments over several weeks are required to receive dentures. We will make impressions and measurements of the inside of your mouth so we can create the most comfortable dentures imaginable! To accomplish this goal, many appointments for fittings might be required to ensure the best fit, shape, and color. During the last appointment, your dentist will adjust and place the completed dentures, making sure you are 100% satisfied with them before you leave.

A few initial side-effects are associated with dentures, but will gradually go away over time. These include soreness, increased saliva, and sometimes difficulty with speaking and chewing. As your muscles and surrounding tissues adjust to the dentures, you will find these effects to become less of an issue.

Fixed bridges offer a long-lasting option and very closely mimic the original tooth.

As a permanent fixture, porcelain bridges are administered to replace missing teeth. The bridge is a non-removable piece.

We most often use the "traditional bridge", which is where porcelain is fused to metal. Your real teeth will function as anchors in this restoration, as artificial teeth are adjoined to fill in spaces.

Sometimes fixed bridges need re-cementing or, on occasion, need to be replaced because of everyday wear.

What Is The Procedure For Receiving A Porcelain Bridge?

A minimum of two appointments are always needed to place a fixed bridge. Your dentist will apply anesthesia to the area receiving treatment as two of your original teeth will be readied for bridge "anchoring". This simply means a section of each tooth's enamel will be extracted to a crown will fit closely over the tooth.

A dental mold will then be required for our laboratory to produce a customized bridge for you. As we wait for the permanent bridge's arrival, we'll give you a temporary bridge to wear until your next appointment arrives.

During your second visit, the newly created bridge will be examined to make sure it's' the best match. Any needed adjustments will be made by your dentist during this time. The dentist will then permanently place the bridge to your tooth.

Root canal therapy becomes necessary when decay and infection infiltrate the nerve area of the tooth. At this point, saving the tooth requires the removal of all decay, nerves, dental pulp, and any bacteria residing in that space. We then take time to fill in the empty space with medicated dental substances that return the tooth to its complete function.

It needs to be stated that root canals are always a choice and create an alternative to removing a tooth that would soon die. We often come across patients who think tooth removal is the easiest solution, but do not understand that pulling a tooth is just as costly and can lead to considerable problems for the neighboring teeth.

Root canal therapy, on the other hand, has a very high success rate and often lasts a lifetime. Occasionally, new infections arise in the treated area and at that time the tooth would need to be retreated

Possible Symptoms Requiring Root Canal Therapy:

• Abscess or pimple on gums

• Hot and cold sensitivity

• Severe pain near infected area

• Tenderness and swelling

• Sometimes no symptoms at all!

How Are Root Canals Performed?

The root canal process typically requires two appointments

Your dentist will first numb the area for treatment. The surface of the tooth is then drilled to create an opening where small files can be placed. This is used to extract all decay, dental pulp, nerve tissue, and bacteria.

After the tooth has been methodically cleaned, the opening will be sealed with permanent filing. If a second appointment is needed, however, a temporary filling will be used instead.

When a second appointment is required, often seven days later, special dental substance will be used to fill the empty cavity of the tooth and then permanently sealed. The surface of the tooth will then be covered with a filling.

Any tooth receiving root canal therapy should also be covered with a crown. This will provide long-term protection of the tooth, prevent fracturing, and give the tooth complete functionality.

Sensitivity after treatment is common, but will fade away as inflammation decreases.

Porcelain crowns are a great option when fillings and other types of restoration will not work. The crown, or "cap", is an encasing that covers the original tooth surface and appears like a new, healthy tooth.

Crowns are quite durable and should be expected to last numerous years, although they may need replacing after a very long period of time.

Common reasons our patients get porcelain crowns include:

• cosmetic appearance

• having a cracked or broken tooth

• tooth decay

• root canals that need covering

What work is involved with crown placement?

We let our patients know that crown placement is not a quick procedure, usually requires two appointments for completion.

During your first appointment, impressions will be made of the area surrounding the area needing the crown for customization. A temporary crown will then be created for use until your new porcelain crown is produced in a dental lab, often taking around one weeks time.

Your dentist will be sure to numb your tooth during this appointment so that any decay can be removed before creating your mold. Using temporary cement, your dentist will then adhere a temporary crown over your tooth's surface.

During your second appointment, the temporary crown will be taken away so that the original tooth area can be properly cleansed. The new, permanent crown will then be permanently placed.

As always, we will provide you with care and maintenance material at the end so that your porcelain crown will last a long, long time! Having regular dental check-ups will also assist with its maintenance.

Fixed bridges offer a long-lasting option and very closely mimic the original tooth.

As a permanent fixture, porcelain bridges are administered to replace missing teeth. The bridge is a non-removable piece.

We most often use the "traditional bridge" which is where porcelain is fused to metal. Your real teeth will function as anchors in this restoration, as artificial teeth are adjoined to fill in spaces.

Sometimes fixed bridges need re-cementing or, on occasion, need to be replaced because of everyday wear.

What is the procedure for receiving a porcelain bridge?

A minimum of two appointments are always needed to place a fixed bridge. Your dentist will apply anesthesia to the area receiving the treatment as two of your original teeth will be readied for bridge "anchoring". This simply means a section of each tooth's enamel will be extracted so a crown will fit closely over the tooth.

A dental mold will then be required for our laboratory to produce a customized bridge for you. As we wait for the permanent bridge's arrival, we'll give you a temporary bridge to wear until your next appointment arrives.

During your second visit, the newly created bridge will be examined to make sure it's the best match. Any needed adjustments will be made by your dentist during this time. The dentist will then permanently place the bridge to your teeth.

A veneer is a thin translucent shell that is made out of porcelain. Veneers are place on front teeth to help improve their appearance (e.g. color, size, shape). Veneers will help to give you the beautiful, fuller Hollywood smile you want.

There are a couple of different ways to whiten your teeth: Zoom in-office teeth whitening, or the more traditional take-home method. Whether you call it whitening or bleaching, this simple cosmetic dental procedure can boost your self-confidence and make your smile fresh and new.

Our technique is simple and gently lightens the enamel of your teeth within a short amount of time.

We also take great care to make sure the whitening of your teeth will match any of your crowns or fillings, since only natural tooth enamel is capable of being whitened. Therefore, we may advise replacement of any restoration work you have received so that they'll blend with your new, whiter smile.

We have learned that those who enjoy tea, coffee, and wine are the best candidates for this procedure since these substances tend to stain and dull a tooth's enamel over time. However, everyone's enamel has a tendency to lose it's luster after years of "wear and tear".

Regular teeth brushing and cleaning between teeth helps to keep your teeth and gums healthy, and helps to prevent tooth decay and gum disease. Other things that may help include: mouthwashes, tongue cleaning, and eating a healthy diet, which includes limiting sugary drinks and foods. If you smoke, stopping smoking will improve oral hygiene. Have a dental check-up at least once a year.

Why Is Oral Hygiene Important?

Good oral hygiene helps to prevent dental problems - mainly plaque and calculus which are the main causes of gum disease and caries (tooth decay). Good oral hygiene may also help to prevent or delay dental erosion. Gum disease may be a risk factor for a number of serious health conditions such as heart disease and stroke, pneumonia and other respiratory diseases, diabetes and premature or low birth weight babies.

If you have gum disease, the bacteria from swollen or bleeding gums can travel through the bloodstream, potentially worsening or causing other types of health problems.

Dental plaque is a soft whitish deposit that forms on the surface of teeth. It forms when bacteria (germs) combine with food and saliva. Plaque contains many types of bacteria. You can remove plaque by good oral hygiene.

Calcutus, sometimes called tartar, is hardened calcified plaque. It sticks firmly to teeth. Generally, it can only be removed with special instruments by a dentist or dental hygienist.

Dental x-rays images, also known as dental radiography, are one of the most important pieces of equipment a dentist has for keeping teeth, gums and mouth healthy. A dental x-ray allows dentists to detect problems that are just not visible to the naked eye, such as cracks in fillings, decay in between teeth and bone loss. Our practice often gets questions about the amount of radiation received during routine x-rays.

According to the American Nuclear Society, this is how much radiation you expect from common activities:

• 620 mrem/year = the average level of radiation per person in the US

• 50000 mrem/year = the safe allowable dose for people that are exposed to radiation in their work

• 1 mrem = two hours in a jet plane

• 7 mrem = from living in a brick house

• 10 mrem/year = cooking with natural gas

• 2 mrem/year = from sleeping next to someone else

• 36 mrem/year = from smoking one pack of cigarettes a day

• 42 mrem/year = breast mammogram per breast

• 700 mrem = abdominal

• 0.5 mrem = one dental x-ray

The amount of radiation (mrem) that a patient receives during dental z-rays is very small when compared to other sources of radiation in everyday life. In addition, our office uses modern digital x-rays. The amount of radiation received from a digital x-ray can decrease up to another 80%. That means while a standard x-ray gives off 0.5 mrem, a digital x-ray can give off as little as 0.1 mrem.

If a tooth has been broken or damaged by decay, your dentist will try to fix it with a filling, crown or other treatment. Sometimes, though, there is too much damage for the tooth to be repaired. In this case, the tooth needs to be extracted. A very loose tooth also will require extraction if it cannot be saved, even with bone replacement surgery (bone graft).

Here are other reasons:

• Some people have extra teeth that block other teeth from coming in.

• Sometimes baby teeth do not fall out in time to allow the permanent teeth to come in.

• People getting braces may need teeth extracted to create room for the teeth that are being moved into place.

• People receiving radiation to the head and neck may need to have teeth in the field of radiation extracted.

• People receiving cancer drugs may develop infected teeth because these drugs weaken the immune system. Infected teeth may need to be extracted.

• Some teeth may need to be extracted if they could become a source of infection after an organ transplant. People with organ transplants have a high risk of infection, because they must take drugs that decrease or suppress the immune system.

• Wisdom teeth, also called third molars, are often extracted either before or after they come in. They commonly come in during the late teens or early 20's. They need to be removed if they are decayed, cause pain or have a cyst or infection. These teeth often get stuck in the jaw (impacted) and do not come in. This can irrate the gum, causing pain and swelling. In this case, the tooth must be removed.