Services

Preventive and Maintenance Care

Dental examination: It is important to have regular dental examinations so problems can be caught early. Not all dental problems have obvious symptoms. Sometimes, by the time the patient realizes there is a problem, it may be too late. Periodontal disease is a common example.

TMJ (temporomandibular joint) examination: Many people do not realize that they grind or clench their teeth during sleep. This can potentially damage the TMJ and teeth. In certain situations, a night guard should be worn during sleep to help reduce the risk of damage.

Oral cancer screening: Identifying cancer early can significantly improve recovery and outcome. Examples of key areas include under the tongue and the floor of the mouth.

Digital radiography: Digital radiography generally gives 70% less exposure to radiation than conventional x-rays with films. We also use aprons and thyroid guards to further reduce exposure.

Cleaning (scaling, root planing, polishing): Regular dental cleanings are vital in fighting periodontal disease. Calculus are hard deposits that form on teeth over time. They cannot be removed with brushing and flossing, but require scaling and root planing by your dentist or dental hygienist. If calculus is not removed, persistent gingival inflammation may progress to irreversible bone loss (periodontal disease). Generally, it is recommended to have cleanings every 6 months for people without periodontal disease. For those that do have periodontal disease, the frequency may be every 3 to 4 months. Polishing is used to remove stains.

Sealants: Permanent molars, and sometimes permanent premolars, have fissures on the biting surfaces that are more susceptible to decay. When these teeth erupt, sealants may be placed to cover the fissures and help protect against decay.

Restorations: When teeth are damaged from tooth decay, fractures or other defects, we can use tooth-colored composite resins to rebuild the tooth structure. There are many different shades of color to choose from in order to match the tooth being worked on.

Porcelain, porcelain-fused-to-metal, full gold crowns: Crowns are used to rebuild a tooth in some situations, such as in more extensively damaged teeth, or teeth that have been root canal treated. Crowns are custom-made, and do require some reduction of the tooth structure, usually 1 to 1.5 mm.

Implant crowns: Dental implants are generally the best option when replacing missing teeth. They can chew food as strongly as real teeth, and do not directly depend on adjacent teeth to support them. Dental implants are surgically placed in bone to replace missing teeth. Crowns are then fitted on top of the implants. Typically, only the crown portion is visible in the mouth.

Removable partial dentures (RPD): When a patient is missing some but not all teeth, a removable partial denture can be made. It can be made with flexible base resin completely without any metal, or use a metal base.

Bridges: If there are adjacent teeth on both sides of the missing tooth, a bridge can be made. For a single missing tooth, the bridge would typically consist of a pontic (to replace the missing tooth) connected to a crown on each side. A bridge may be porcelain, porcelain-fused-to-metal, or full gold.

Internally, a tooth has a root canal system containing nerves and blood vessels. If a tooth dies or the root canal system becomes infected, RCT is needed to clean the root canal system and save the tooth. A lot of times, after RCT is done, a crown is recommended to reduce the risk of tooth fracture.

Sometimes, a tooth may become unrestorable or periodontal disease around a tooth is too severe. Wisdom teeth (third molars) may also be badly positioned so that they cannot be cleaned or are at risk for infection. In these cases, removal of the tooth may be recommended.

Used to prevent the spread of tooth decay or correct any cosmetic damage, a filling is one of the ways our dentists preserve your health.

A dental implant mimics the form and function of a natural tooth, which consists of a root and a crown. The crown is the visible part of your tooth. It is used to chew food and is therefore the most susceptible to cavities.

Tooth alignment can be corrected by conventional braces or a series of transparent trays (for example, Invisalign). This not only improves esthetics, but in some cases, also improve the ease of oral hygiene.

Among the causes for periodontal (gum) disease are genetic susceptibility, smoking, and other illnesses like diabetes. Periodontal maintenance involves removing plaque and tartar from above and below the gumline.