How can we help you?
We are happy to answer questions about our services and procedures.
These are a selection of some common questions that patients have. If your question isn't answered here, please contact our office. It's important to us that our patients understand their dental care.
Dental Implants
Dental implants are the gold standard for teeth replacement, providing a long-term, reliable solution. However, if the bone in your jaw is degenerative or genetically thin, the dental implant may fail. An oral surgery specialist can perform bone grafting in the area so that the dental implant has a strong support.
Bone needs stimulation to grow, and if a tooth is missing, the body begins to reabsorb bone in the empty space. This process can result in facial hollowness, changes to your gum line, and even misalignment of other teeth.
One of the main benefits of dental implants is that it stimulates bone growth in the area of the missing tooth. In this process, called osseointegration, the post of the dental implant fuses with the jawbone, causing new bone growth around the post and better oral health.
If you don’t have enough bone in the area of a missing tooth, an oral surgery specialist can perform a bone graft using your own tissue or a biocompatible synthetic material. The bone graft will stimulate new bone cell growth and allow you to benefit from a dental implant.
Bone grafting is a routine procedure that requires local anesthesia and sometimes sedation, if needed. An oral surgery specialist can tell you if you’re a good candidate.
Extractions
A dental extraction poses many questions regarding the future of your smile and your oral health. Unless you have a wisdom tooth extracted, we recommend replacing a missing tooth. This will prevent your teeth from shifting and causing additional problems with your oral health. When your teeth shift, it can expose roots and cause problems with your bite. When you replace a missing tooth, you prevent the shifting that occurs with tooth loss.
Additionally, replacing missing teeth makes it easier to chew and to smile confidently.
We offer a number of options to meet your needs:
Fixed dental bridge – We can replace a missing tooth with an artificial tooth anchored by two dental crowns. We will match your dental bridge to your existing teeth for an esthetic result.
Partial denture – If you are missing multiple teeth, we can replace multiple teeth at once with a partial denture. Partial dentures come in either a metal base or a lightweight acrylic base. We will discuss which option will work best for you.
Complete denture – If you are facing dental extractions of all of your teeth on your upper or lower arch, a complete denture will replace all of your teeth at once. Our dentures are highly esthetic and fit comfortably.
General Dentistry
As a general dentistry practice, we take care of most of the dental needs that arise on a day-to-day basis by supporting good oral health and wellness using preventive, restorative, and teeth replacement dentistry services. Dental exams, cleanings, x-rays, fillings, crowns, bridges, and dentures are all part of what we do here in our office.
We are also here to answer questions about your oral health and to educate patients on the importance of healthy teeth and gums.
In our office, we also offer cosmetic dentistry enhancements to improve the way you feel about the appearance of your smile. We can discuss this with you at your regular dental exam or we can schedule a cosmetic dentistry consultation.
Each patient is different. While we strive to provide most of the care you need here in our office, we want what is best for you and will refer you to treatment with a specialist when necessary.
Our goal is to help our patients maintain good overall health by promoting the health of their teeth and gums. We will let you know if we find any conditions that require treatment so that you and your dentist can discuss which options will work best for you.
For most patients, we recommend twice-yearly visits for cleanings and examinations. If you are currently being treated for a particular concern, we may recommend that you visit us more often.
Periodontal Disease Prevention and Treatment
In its earliest stages, we can reverse gum disease by improving your hygiene routine and adding in an antimicrobial treatment. Once gum disease has progressed past a certain point, however, the disease is not reversible. We can still provide treatment that will stop the disease in its tracks and prevent further deterioration of your gum and bone tissue.
TMJ and Bruxism
While teeth grinding, also known as bruxism, is very common among adults, it can cause serious damage to your teeth and jaw joints. If you wake up with sore muscles or you have noticed that you clench or grind your teeth, we can make a nightguard to help protect your teeth.