Services

Opalescence Boost is a professional whitening treatment performed in the dental office. Powerful and award-winning, Opalescence Boost has proven effective at creating beautiful, long-lasting results after just one quick visit to the dentist.

Opalescence Boost is chemically activated, so it requires no light for whitening. Syringe-to-syringe mixing activates the product just prior to application. The activated 40% hydrogen peroxide is conveniently delivered via syringe and applied to teeth for whitening.

• NO LIGHT NEEDED!
• Powerful 40% hydrogen peroxide gel
• PF formula strengthens enamel, decreases sensitivity prevents caries
• Fresh chemical for each application
• Precise delivery
• Easy to see for complete removal
• Two 20-minute applications for a total of 40 minutes of treatment time

For more information on Opalescence whitening products, visit: opalescence.com or ultradent.com

A composite filling is a tooth-colored filling used to restore decayed teeth. Composites are also used for cosmetic improvements of the smile by changing the color of the teeth or reshaping disfigured teeth.

How is a composite placed?
Following the removal of the decay and preparation of the tooth, the dentist places the composite in layers, typically using a light specialized to harden each layer. When the process is finished, the dentist shapes the composite to fit the tooth. The dentist then polishes the composite to prevent staining and early wear.The dentist also makes sure the patients’ bite has not changed.

What are the advantages of composites?
Aesthetics are the main advantage of composites, since dentists can blend shades to create a color nearly identical to that of the actual tooth. Composites bond to the tooth to support the remaining tooth structure, which helps to prevent breakage and insulate the tooth from excessive temperature changes.

What are the disadvantages?
After receiving a composite, a patient may experience postoperative sensitivity. Also, the shade of the composite can change slightly if the patient drinks tea, coffee or other staining foods, especially within 24 hours of placement. The average lifespan for a composite filling is 3-4 years. However, they can last a long time if the patient maintains good oral hygiene and dietary habits.

Periondontal disease is caused by some types of bacteria that dwell in plaque and tartar. These bacteria produce acid and toxins. These toxins and the acidic environment created by the bacteria eventually start causing bone loss and ligament support loss of the teeth. Also, the inflammation caused by the immune system to fight off the infection is an acidic environment so that also eventually contributes to bone loss. If not taken care of, the infection keeps spreading and can start causing tooth mobility and eventually tooth loss.

Some of the signs that can indicate someone has periodontal disease are the following:
– Gums that bleed while brushing and flossing
– Red, puffy gums, sometimes sensitive to touch
– Gums pulling away from the teeth (receding gumline)
– Generalized gum pain
– Teeth start looking longer
– Tooth mobility
– Tooth shifting positions
– Halitosis (bad breath)

Scaling and root planing is a term used for a type of gum treatment done to prevent further spread of periodontal disease. This form of gum treatment removes all of the infection above and below the gumline using special types of instruments. These instruments can easily access spaces between the tooth and gum to remove plaque and tartar which harbor infection causing bacteria.

Scaling and root planing removes all the infection, can reduce the pocket depths (space between gum and tooth: the shallower the pocket, the healthier the pocket), eliminate inflammation, prevent further bone loss and can help in the regeneration of the attachment between the teeth and gums.

Not only does scaling and root planning eliminate infection in the mouth but it helps prevent the spread of the infection throughout the body. Bacteria found in the mouth travel in the bloodstream throughout the body. People with periodontal disease have a higher risk of acquiring diabetes, strokes, heart attacks, preterm babies and rheumatoid arthritis, among other diseases.

The patient comes in for treatment for one side of the mouth, then another visit to treat the other side of the mouth. Then there’s is a subsequent visit in 4-6 weeks to re-evaluate the health of the gums where pocket depths are measured again and compared the pocket depths measured before treatment started. This will give us a good indication how much tissue has been regenerated and if there are still some areas of the mouth that need to be addressed. In some cases, antibiotic treatment is suggested to areas that might not have responded to the treatment as expected.

Once the treatment is finished the patient goes on a 3 month recall (cleaning and exam) schedule to closely monitor the oral health of the patient, his or her hygiene and if there are signs of periodontal disease creeping back under the gums.

If the patient does not improve oral hygiene habits, the infection usually comes back within a year to 2 years at which point the patient will need another scaling and root planing treatment. Therefore, daily, diligent oral hygiene habits are required for a lifetime.

Mouthguards or nightguards are clear plastic trays that are customized to fit your teeth very accurately. The dentist, at the first visit, takes an impression of the upper teeth and pours the model using the impression. The lab then uses the model to fabricate a custom nightguard. The second visit is fitting of the nightguard in the patients’ mouth. They are worn by the patient at night while sleeping. They are used to prevent bruxism.

What is bruxism?
Bruxism is the grinding of the upper teeth with the lower teeth, usually at night while the patient is asleep. You could have mild to moderate to severe bruxism with varying consequences.

Most people don’t realize it but the consequences of bruxism can be very serious such as:
– Receding gumline
– Cervical lesions (tooth chipping at gumline)
– Cervical fillings (gumline fillings)
– Tooth sensitivity
– Toothache
– Tooth mobility
– Wear and tear
– Bite changes
– Teeth chipping and fracturing
– Root canal therapy (in severe cases)

Signs that might indicate someone grinding their teeth are:
– Flat surfaces in both front and back teeth
– Receding gumline all around
– Shallow or deep notches in back teeth
– Chipped teeth
– More yellowish/orange teeth especially around gumline

A nightguard will help protect the teeth from further destruction. A nightguard is a cheaper alternative than getting fillings and crowns because of bruxism. So it’s a very good investment healthwise and financially. We rather you chew through your nightguard than your teeth.

Fluoride therapy is the delivery of fluoride to the teeth topically or systemically in order to prevent tooth decay (dental caries) which results in cavities. Most commonly, fluoride is applied topically to the teeth using gels, varnishes,toothpaste/dentifrices or mouth rinse. In our office we use a topical fluoride gel which is applied to all teeth.

Fluoride helps to increase tooth resistance to acid (produced by bacteria) attack which can lead to cavities, helps in reducing sensitivity and also interferes with the growth of certain oral bacteria.

Indications for Fluoride Therapy
• White spots
• Moderate to high risk patients for developing decay
• Active decay
• Orthodontic treatment
• Additional protection if necessary for children in areas without fluoridated drinking water
• To reduce tooth sensitivity
• Protect root surface
• Decreased salivary flow
• Institutionalized patients

Dental sealants are a great way to protect your child’s permanent teeth from cavities.

Dental sealants are a clear and protective coating that is applied to the biting surfaces of the back teeth (these are the areas most prone to cavity formation). The sealant protects the tooth from getting a cavity by shielding against bacteria and plaque. Sealants are most commonly placed on children’s permanent back teeth because they are more prone to cavities. Most insurance companies pay for sealants on children’s teeth. They can also be placed on adult’s teeth, however, insurance usually won’t cover them.

Dental sealants are a preventive measure that does not involve drilling the tooth nor needles. It is much cheaper than fillings, crowns and root canal therapy. It helps prevent decay on back teeth.

What are Dental Crowns and Bridges?
Both crowns and most bridges are fixed prosthetic devices, in other words unremovable. They can only be removed by a dentist.

What are the indications of a crown?
A crown is used to entirely cover a damaged tooth. Besides strengthening a damaged tooth, a crown can be used to improve its appearance, shape or alignment. A crown can also be placed on top of an implant to provide a tooth-like shape and structure for function. Porcelain or ceramic crowns can be matched to the color of your natural teeth.

Your dentist may recommend a crown to:

• Replace a large filling when there isn’t enough tooth remaining
• Protect a weak tooth from fracturing
• Restore a fractured tooth
• Replace a missing tooth with a bridge
• Cover a dental implant
  
• Cover a discolored or poorly shaped tooth
• Cover a tooth that has had root canal treatment

What are the indications of a bridge?
A bridge may be recommended if you’re missing one or more teeth, assuming your teeth have a solid foundation (no mobility, no deep pockets). Gaps left by missing teeth eventually cause the remaining teeth to rotate or shift into the empty spaces, resulting in a bad bite and difficulty in cleaning those areas. The imbalance caused by missing teeth can also lead to gum disease and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders.

Bridges span the space where the teeth are missing. Bridges are cemented to the natural teeth or implants surrounding the empty space. These teeth, called abutments, serve as anchors for the bridge. A replacement tooth, called a pontic, is attached to the crowns that cover the abutments. As with crowns, you have a choice of materials for bridges. Your dentist can help you decide which to use, based on the location of the missing tooth (or teeth), its function, aesthetic considerations and cost. Porcelain or ceramic bridges can be matched to the color of your natural teeth.

Bridges can last a long long time IF oral hygiene is maintained religiously and diligently.