Our practice provides the highest-quality services for restoring mouths that have been damaged by dental disease and injury and common problems that require cosmetic dentistry. Our primary goal for our patients is to achieve and maintain optimum oral health through advances in techniques, technologies and by maintaining their scheduled dental exams.

Crowns

A crown is a permanent covering that fits over an original tooth that is either decayed, damaged or cracked. Crowns are made of a variety of different materials such as porcelain, gold, acrylic resin or a mix of these materials. Porcelain generally has the most natural appearance.

The treatment plan for a patient receiving a crown involves:

• Numbing the tooth to remove the decay in or around it.
• Re-sculpturing the tooth to provide an ideal fit for the crown.
• Making an impression of your teeth in order to create a custom-made crown (usually takes two weeks).
• Making a temporary crown out of acrylic resin and fitting it onto the tooth during the interim period when the permanent custom-made crown is being created.
• Applying the permanent crown (when received from the lab) by removing the temporary crown and fitting the permanent one onto the tooth.
• After ensuring that the crown has the proper look and fit, the dentist cements it into place.
• This process generally consists of a minimum of 2-3 visits over a three to four week period.

Once the procedure is completed, proper dental hygiene, including daily brushing and flossing, is required to maintain healthy, bacteria-free teeth, gums and crowns. This helps in the prevention of gum disease. Given proper care, your crowns can last a lifetime.

Bridges

A bridge is a dental device that fills a space that a tooth previously occupied.

A bridge may be necessary to prevent:

• Shifting of the teeth that can lead to bite problems (occlusion) and/or jaw problems and resultant periodontal disease.
• Bridges safeguard the integrity of existing teeth and help maintain a healthy, vibrant smile.

There are two main types of bridges, namely:

• Fixed bridge- this is the most popular and consists of a filler tooth that is attached to two crowns, which fit over the existing teeth and hold the bridge in place.
• The Cantilever bridge is often used when there are teeth on only one side of the span. A typical three-unit cantilever bridge consists of two crowned teeth positioned next to each other on the same side of the missing tooth space. The filler tooth is then connected to the two crowned teeth, which extend into the missing tooth space or end.

Fillings

The concept of a “filling” is replacing and restoring your tooth structure that is damaged due to decay or fracture with a material. We will replace old, broken-down amalgam/metal fillings with white fillings (composites) to restore your smile and teeth to a more natural look and feel.

With today’s advancements, no longer will you have to suffer the embarrassment of unsightly silver fillings or metal margins of the past. Eliminate the dark, black appearance in your teeth with new-age, state-of-the-art, tooth-colored resin or porcelain materials.

Comparing White Fillings Versus Silver Amalgam Fillings:

• White fillings bond to the tooth; they strengthen the tooth by restoring most of its original shape. Silver amalgams, on the other hand, weaken the teeth and make them more susceptible to breaking. Broken teeth can be very expensive to replace; white composites can actually save time and money in the long run.
• White filling composites are preferred by most patients. This is due to the natural color, strength and overall appearance and feel.
• Restorations with composites require less removal of tooth, less structure to place than those with amalgams and especially with new cavities. Dramatically smaller holes are needed with a composite.

Root Canal

A root canal is a procedure that extracts decayed pulp from the central part of the tooth, reshapes the canal and replaces it with strengthening filler.

A cavity is the result of superficial decay of the enamel of the tooth. Left long enough, this decay can burrow into the deeper reaches of the tooth, causing extensive damage to tooth structure. When the damage goes beyond what can be treated with a filling, dentists can perform a root canal (or endodontics), preserving the tooth and retaining its original integrity; thereby, saving a tooth that in the past would have to have been pulled.

Procedure:

• tooth gets anesthetized.
• A dental dam is used to isolate the tooth.
• The tooth is opened to allow for removal of infected or dead dental pulp.
• The tooth is comprehensively cleaned, including any cracks and canals.
• With special tools, the doctor reshapes the canals.
• The tooth is filled again with cutting edge biocompatible filling material.
• A temporary or permanent covering is used to cover the access opening (depending on how the tooth will be restored).
• Patients MUST have a permanent restoration for the tooth to prevent reinfection and longevity of the tooth.

Implants

Do you wish that you could replace one or more of your teeth but don’t want to get dentures?

Dental implants are a natural looking, long lasting, comfortable and safe alternative to bridgework or dentures. For people with good oral health, replacing a lost tooth with an implant is an ideal option and the most conservative replacement procedure.

Implants look like your natural teeth, and because of their “root” being secured to your jaw like a real tooth, neither you nor anyone else will know the difference. You don’t have to worry about implants coming loose and embarrassing you; you won’t have to take them out to soak; and you won’t worry about losing them, either.

Not everyone is a candidate for implants. We will inform you about the different factors that determine whether or not a patient fits the criteria of an implant recipient. Factors like pre-existing disease, smoking, and bone loss can affect a patient’s ability to receive implants.

Dentures

Periodontal disease, injury and tooth decay can all cause a loss of your natural teeth.  However, we can bring back the smile on your face with dentures to restore your missing teeth.  With improved technology and updated materials, dentists can now make them appear more natural and more comfortable for the patient.  A denture is a removable prosthesis, which means you will have to take it out to clean it.

There are two types of dentures: 

• Complete dentures are for those who are missing all their teeth on the top or bottom or both.
• Partial dentures replace missing teeth but then anchor onto the existing, natural teeth

It may take some time to adjust to your dentures.  Speaking and eating may feel different at first, but these regular activities will fill more natural once you are accustomed to your dentures. There are options to incorporate implants with a denture to help stabilize the denture, especially while eating.

Invisalign

Invisalign is the clear way to straighten teeth without braces, using aligners. Aligners are removable and virtually invisible, which means you can straighten your teeth without anyone knowing; and you can still eat and drink what you want. Also, you can brush and floss normally to maintain healthy gums and teeth; and there are no wires, metal or brackets to cause mouth abrasions.

Many of our patients had never considered traditional braces but are now happily and comfortably improving their smiles with Invisalign.

What is Invisalign?

• Invisible way to straighten your teeth without braces.
• Series of clear, removable, custom-made Aligners.
• Uses no metal wires or brackets.
• Custom-made for comfort.

How does Invisalign work?

• Wear each set of Aligners for about two weeks.
• Remove only to eat, drink, brush and floss.
• Your teeth will move gradually each week
• Visit us every 8-10 weeks.
• Total treatment time averages 6-15 months
• Average number of Aligners is between 18 and 30.