General Services
We provide nearly every facet of dentistry under one same roof. Our group of general practitioners keep updated to the changes in dentistry by attending many continuing education seminars throughout the year and reading specialized journals. Therefore whether you need cosmetic dentistry, dental care for your child, wisdom teeth extractions, a root canal, implants, braces, gum treatment, a crown, dentures or just a cleaning you can get it all done right here. Below is a list of some of the most common treatment we provide as well as a brief definition and links for more information regarding these procedures.
Prophylaxis (getting teeth cleaned):
our professionally trained dental hygienists do not simply clean your teeth. One of the first objectives of a dental prophylaxis is to remove all the tartar from the teeth.Tartar is a hard, yellowish deposit on teeth. It is composed of mineral salts, food, and other debris that has hardened over time. Tartar cannot be brushed off. It has a rough surface, attracting more debris and food particles, causing a repeating cycle of tartar formation and buildup. Our office is equipped with state-of-the-art ultrasonics scalers which permit the removal of tartar in a gentle and atraumatic way.
Obturations (Fillings):
A dental filling can be defined as the replacement of a missing part of the tooth that was lost due to decay, wear or fracture by a bio compatible material. The two most used materials are commonly known as amalgam fillings (black or gray) and white fillings commonly called composites. This table summarizes the features of each:
| Features | Amalgam | Composite |
| Price | Less expensive | More expensive |
| Durability | Similar | Similar |
| Esthetics | Black or Grey | White |
| Adhesion | Does not bond to the tooth | Bonds to the tooth |
| History | Over 150 years | 1960’s |
| Health | Contains mercury | No mercury |
| Conservatism | Requires a certain thickness for adequate strength | Can restore smaller cavities |
White Filling
Veneers
are a thin layer of porcelain or composite material placed over a tooth surface, either to improve the aesthetics of a tooth, or to protect a damaged tooth surface or to permanently change the color and shape your teeth.
Severely worn teeth can be lengthened, narrow teeth can be widened, small spaces between teeth can be filled and the overall appearance of your smile can be greatly improved through the use of venerrs. Ask your dentist if veneers could improve your smile.
Crown
A crown or what some people call a cap is made of porcelain fused to metal or only of porcelain and is placed onto a tooth to restore or strengthen it. The tooth is reduced in size and an impression is taken and sent to the laboratory.
A dental technician will fabricate the prosthesis according to the prescription given by the dentist. Although new CAD/CAM equipment such as a CEREC can also be used to fabricate the crown, it is my opinion that a good dental technician will produce a more highly aesthetic final result re-creating subtle details and a better color match than the machine made restoration.
Bridge
A bridge, otherwise known as a fixed partial denture, is a prosthesis used to replace missing teeth and is not removable by the patient. A prosthesis that is removable by the patient is called a removable partial denture.
A dental bridge is fabricated by reducing the teeth on either side of the missing tooth or teeth than taking an impression (these teeth will serve as the pillars of the bridge and are called abutments) to send to the dental laboratory (just like for a crown).
The missing tooth or teeth will be replaced by porcelain teeth and called a Pontic(s). Just as for a crown the bridge will be cemented permanently into place and is not removable.
Root Canal
A root canal is needed when the pulp of the tooth (nerve) is sick. This happens when the tooth has been traumatized or when dental decay has reached deep within the tooth.
The objective of a root canal is to remove the inflamed (or abscessed) pulpal tissue and to replace it with a biocompatible paste. Although the tooth can be considered to be dead (no more feeling of hot and cold) it’s periodontal (gum) attachment remains healthy so you can still feel normal pressure on it when biting down.
A tooth which has had a root canal will however tend to darken and becomes dry and brittle and can fracture. When a tooth that has had a root canal becomes too fragile, it is preferable to protect it with a crown.
A dental implant
A dental implant is simply an artificial tooth root replacement which can be used to support an individual crown or a bridge or a removable venture.
Wisdom Tooth extraction
The permanent dentition is comprised of 32 teeth, four of which are called the third molars or wisdom teeth. Only 4% of people have enough space for the wisdom teeth to grow in. When these teeth don’t have enough room to erupt they often grow sideways and remain impacted or semi-impacted in the jawbone.
In the instances when they do erupt they often remain half trapped under the gum. Bacteria can then get beneath the gum and cause an abscess. Therefore it is usually best to have them removed before they cause a problem. It’s also often much easier to take them out before the roots of completed their formation. If you must have your wisdom teeth removed it’s often best to get all four out at the same appointment. This way you only have to go through healing once.
If you’re nervous about getting them out you need not be, we can give you nitrous oxide to help you to relax or if you prefer we can heavily sedate you with the use of conscious sedation. (Read on our information on conscious sedation found elsewhere on this website)
For more information, visit our section on implant dentistry.
Removable denture
A removable denture is a dental prosthesis made to replace a few (partial denture) or all (complete denture) teeth in a given arch.
We make all types of removable dentures: cosmetic, acrylic, metal, claspless, implant retained, partials, immediate (healing) and regular dentures. Typically people have a much harder time getting used to a removable denture in the lower arch (bottom denture). Whereas the upper denture covers the palate to give it suction, the lower denture is trimmed in a horseshoe shape and has the constant presence of the tongue to deal with.
Studies have shown that the lower denture can move up to 1 cm in all directions when chewing food. This is why so many people with lower dentures have problems wearing them. Fortunately today there exists a procedure which can permanently stabilize dentures by allowing them to snap into place. View our section on implants and mini implants to read more on this wonderful new procedure.
Orthodontics
Orthodontics is a dental specialty that deals with occlusion (the way your teeth bite together) and tooth alignment.
Commonly referred to as braces, orthodontics no longer requires to have the metal mouth look of yesteryear. In fact, certain techniques are more cosmetic in appearance such as white brackets or even no brackets at all such as Invisalign.
While most people associate braces to teenagers, the truth is you can straighten your teeth with braces at any time whether you be 10 or 80 years old.
Periodontal or gum treatment
Periodontal or gum treatment is needed when the tissues surrounding and supporting the teeth are affected. Gingivitis is usually the beginning sign of gum disease. Left untreated, gingivitis can progress to periodontitis and is the leading reason for tooth loss in adults. Common signs of periodontitis are bleeding gums and bad breath.
However many times gum disease goes unnoticed and the longer you wait to receive treatment the worse the gums become. Eventually teeth can become loose and are prone to abscess: it’s then too late to save them.
In its early stages we may treat gum disease by what we call a curetage. This is basically a deep cleaning where we may numb up the concerned teeth so that we may clean them below the gum line. If the disease has progressed too much for a curetage, surgery may be needed and we may refer you to a gum specialist called a periodontist
Teeth Whitening
At-home bleaching comes in a gel form along with a mouth-guard. Place the gel into the mouth-guard and use as directed. The duration and frequency of the treatment varies.
We recommend overnight use for a shorter period of time.
Teeth whitening is a safe and popular form of cosmetic dentistry. According to the American Dental Association, 96% of users report a whiter smile.
