PROCEDURES

Fillings:

There are two types of filling materials: silver & white. Silver fillings are made of different types of metals & have been around for a long time but are somewhat controversial due to its mercurey content. These types of fillings are not used as much readily because of their lack of cosmetics and presence of mercury. White fillings are made of resin & although they are very technique sensitive, they have some advantages over silver fillings: more cosmetic, & require less tooth preparation because they get "gluded" onto tooth structure. "Gluded" is technically called bonded, which is a chemical process adhering white fillings to tooth. Because of this white fillings are not "stuffed" into a cavity like silver fillings, which reduces tooth fracture as commonly seen with silver fillings.

With continuing advances in the dental field, we strive to provide state of the art procedures by keeping up with new, innovative research & technology. And the products we recommend & use are the highest quality & incredibly durable.

Crowns...

...are full coverage restorations that are used to cover a tooth that is likely to break, or is too broken down to be restored with a filling. They are most commonly done after root canal treatment, or when a large filling wears out. Teeth are subjected to tremendous pressures. Crowns ride over the weakened tooth, providing strength & protecting the tooth against breadage. A broken or cracked tooth is a far more serious matter & much more difficult to treat. Crowns prevent this, as well as making for a nice smile.
Traditionally it takes two appointments to restore a tooth with a crown. In the first, any decay is removed from the tooth & it is shaped to accept the crown. Then an impression is made of the tooth for use in fabricating a crown. Between the two visits the crown is made, usually of high-strength porcelain over gold alloy, all ceramic material, or gold. During this time a temporary crown is worn. In the second visit this temporary is removed, the permanent crown is adjusted as needed, & cemented in place. Second appointments NOT NEEDED with CEREC-One Visit Dentistry.

Endodontic Care:

When tooth decay is not addressed & it goes deep enough into the center of the tooth, it may penetrate what's known as the pulp chamber. The pulp chamber is where the nourishment of the tooth, such as the nerve & the blood vessels, are housed. Once bacterial has entered the pulp chamber root canal treatment is necessary. In this process the remnants of the nerve & blood vessels is cleaned out, canals that are inside of the roots are shaped & disinfected, & filled with special root canals filling material.

Periodontal & Oral Surgery:

The oral examination & study of your dental condition may have diagnosed that you have severe periodontal disease. Periodontal disease, is a silent, persistent bacterial infection around the gums & bone that support your teeth.
What are the symptoms:

• red, swollen, & tender gums
• gums that bleed after brushing & flossing
• persistent bad breath
• pain while chewing
• loose teeth

Early detection & conservative treatment, Soft Tissue Management, is performed to control disease & avoid need for surgical treatment.

As service to our patients & for their comfort, we try to perform almost every procedure needed in house. We have found over the years that it becomes an inconvenience for patients to travel to other offices to see different specialists. For this reason, we have an Oral Surgeon & a Periodontist that service our patients in our office with the procedures they need.
Complex cases such as multiple implant placements, various bone surgeries, very difficult wisdom teeth extractions & IV sedation cases are routinely referred to our oral surgeon. It is very common for wisdom teeth not to erupt fully out of the jaw bone, or straight. Therefore most common procedures performed by oral surgeons is wisdom teeth extractions. In cases as such, our oral surgeon sedates & extracts these teeth to prevent future problems.