GENERAL DENTISTRY

TEETH WHITENING

More and more people today are choosing teeth-whitening procedures to reverse the effects of aging and abuse from food, coffee, wine and tobacco stains.

There are many teeth whitening systems and products including whitening toothpastes, over-the-counter gels, rinses, strips, trays, and whitening products obtained from a dentist.

Some commercially available "whitening toothpastes" can be somewhat effective at removing stains and making teeth a few shades brighter. However, many of these products have abrasive substances that can actually wear away your tooth's enamel.

Professional whitening performed by our office is considered to be the most effective and safest method.

To accomplish the whitening of your teeth, we utilize a tray whitening system. This tray whitening system is completed in 2 steps. The first step is to make an impression of your teeth. With this impression, we'll craft you custom whitening trays that you can use over and over. Finally, you will take the whitening gel and put it in the custom trays for a short period of time over a period of a few days. This often results in a whiter smile of 4 - 8 shades!

Please contact us today to see if you are a candidate for this type of whitening.

BONDING / WHITE FILLINGS

Bonding is a conservative way to repair slightly chipped, discolored, or crooked teeth.

During dental bonding, a white filling, is placed onto your tooth to improve its appearance. The filling “bonds” with your teeth, and because it comes in a variety of tooth-colored shades, it closely matches the appearance of your natural teeth.

Tooth bonding can also be used for teeth fillings instead of amalgam fillings. Many patients prefer bonded fillings because the white color is much less noticeable than the silver amalgam fillings and are mercury free. Bonded fillings can be used on front and back teeth depending on the location and extent of tooth decay.

Bonding is less expensive than other cosmetic treatments and usually can be completed in one visit in our office. However, bonding can stain and is easier to break than other cosmetic treatments such as porcelain veneers. If it does break or chip, tell your doctor. The bonding generally can be easily patched or repaired in one visit.

VENEERS

Dental veneers (sometimes called porcelain veneers or dental porcelain laminates) are the perfect solution to cover stained, discolored or chipped teeth, or as a way to fill in the spaces between your teeth, as well as changing the shape of teeth.

Measuring 0.5 mm in thickness, these wafer-thin tooth color, custom-made shells are crafted to exhibit a beautiful, lifelike look and are bonded to the front of your teeth changing their color, shape, size, or length giving you the perfect smile that you always desired.

Dental veneers can be made from porcelain or from resin composite materials. Porcelain veneers resist stains better than resin veneers and better mimic the light reflecting properties of natural teeth.

Common problems that Veneers will address:

• Spaces between the teeth

• Broken or chipped teeth

• Permanently stained or discolored teeth

• Crooked or misshapen teeth

CROWNS / ALL PORCELAIN

A crown is a type of dental restoration which completely caps or encircles a tooth or dental implant. Crowns can be made from many materials, which are usually fabricated using indirect methods. Crowns are often used to improve the strength or appearance of teeth. While inarguably beneficial to dental health, the procedure and materials can be relatively expensive. The most common method of crowning a tooth involves using a dental impression of a tooth that has been modified or “prepared” by your dentist in order to fabricate the crown outside of the mouth. The crown can then be inserted at a subsequent dental appointment.

Crowns can be made from porcelain, porcelain fused to metal, or a full gold crown. To maintain a natural look and feel, a porcelain finished crown is best, as it can be matched to the shade of your other teeth. This will allow it to blend in and appear just like one of your natural teeth.

Why Is a Dental Crown Needed?

A dental crown may be needed in the following situations:

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 tooth left
To hold a dental bridge in place
To cover misshaped or severely discolored teeth
To cover a dental implant
To make a cosmetic modification

ROOT CANALS / ENDODONTICS

Root canal (or Endodontic) therapy refers to the process where your dentist treats (cleans and seals off) that space inside a tooth originally occupied by its "nerve" tissue. In this process we treat the pathological condition inside the tooth ( and frequently the tissues that surrounds its root as well).

The procedure itself is basically a two-staged process.

A) Cleansing the tooth's interior. - The first portion of the procedure removes compromised tissues and/or contaminates from within a tooth's nerve space.
B) Sealing off the treated area. - The procedure is completed by filling in and sealing off the cleansed space, so contaminates can't leak back in, or out.

After the Root canal therapy is finished we strongly suggest the placement of a permanent restoration on the tooth, such as a crown, which is necessary to seal and improve the stability and function of the tooth.

Root canal therapy is quite common. Over 21 million teeth undergo Endodontic therapy each year. While the basic Endodontic concepts have remained fundamentally unchanged, we are constantly improving and upgrading our equipment, as well as mastering advanced current techniques.

EXTRACTIONS

Extractions are performed for a wide variety of reasons, but most commonly to remove teeth which have become unrestorable through tooth decay, periodontal disease or dental trauma; especially when they are associated with toothache. Sometimes wisdom teeth are impacted (stuck and unable to grow normally into the mouth) and may cause recurrent infections of the gum (pericoronitis). In orthodontics if the teeth are crowded, sound teeth may be extracted (often bicuspids) to create space so the rest of the teeth can be straightened.

Tooth extraction is usually relatively straightforward, and the vast majority can be usually performed quickly while the individual is awake by using local anesthetic injections to eliminate painful sensations

After a tooth has been extracted your doctor will give you detailed instructions on what to do and what to expect after your surgery. If you have any questions, make sure to ask them before you leave the office.