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.
Clear Aligners
While metal braces have come a long way in comfort and appearance, adults and older teens have more aesthetic options that better suit their lifestyles. Clear aligners can fix many cosmetic dental problems and are virtually undetectable. Since the trays are removable, you can clean your teeth thoroughly and eat the foods you enjoy.
Your orthodontist specialist can tell you if you’d benefit from clear aligners. In general, you’re a good candidate for clear aligners if:
- Your oral issues are not severe. For example, an excessive open bite or underbite requires shifting the jaw using a more intensive treatment.
- Your jaw has stopped growing, and you have all your permanent teeth.
- You have the discipline to wear clear aligner trays for about 22 hours a day, removing them only to eat and clean teeth.
If you do have a severe misalignment issue, your dentist may be able to develop a treatment plan for you that includes both braces and clear aligners.
That doesn’t mean that less severe problems aren’t important enough to fix, however. Even slightly misaligned or overcrowded teeth can cause more serious problems if not treated. If you have any of these oral health issues, clear aligners might be perfect for you:
- Mildly misaligned teeth
- Minor bite problems
- Protruding teeth
- Gaps in teeth
- Overcrowding
- Malocclusion
- Overbite
Cosmetic Dentistry
We offer a range of cosmetic dentistry services such as veneers, porcelain crowns, bonding using tooth-colored composite, and even orthodontic treatments like Invisalign. All our dentistry is done with an eye toward aesthetics. We know that it's important that your teeth are both healthy and attractive. If you'd like to find out which of our services can help you meet your goals, call our office to schedule your consultation.
Crowns and Bridges
Dental crowns are designed to be very durable and to function much like your own teeth. You need to use common sense, however, and avoid biting down directly on foods like hard candy or nuts. A broken crown is not just costly to replace, but you may also damage underlying healthy tooth structure.
Dental Implants
While dental implants do tend to cost more than bridges or dentures, they are also the most life-like, stable, and functional replacement, closely mimicking the appearance and function of your natural teeth. They also last longer, which can save you money in the long run. Call our office today to schedule your consultation.
Dentures and Partials
It will take your mouth some time to get used to the feel of dentures. After a few months, however, you will feel comfortable eating and speaking with your dentures in and experience little to no soreness or discomfort. If you ever do experience soreness or if your dentures aren’t fitting right, please let us know.
Emergency Dentistry
The goal of an emergency dental appointment is to address the immediate need, resolve your problem, and relieve your pain. If we believe further care is needed, we will schedule you a regular appointment to follow up and set up an appropriate treatment plan to prevent future problems.
Family Dentistry
We know that convenience is important for today’s busy families. That is why we offer dentistry for the whole family including your children. We begin seeing kids at a young age to make sure they have a healthy dental foundation.
Periodontal Treatment
The appropriate treatment for your gum disease will vary depending on how far your disease has progressed and any contributing factors such as hygiene and other health conditions. Some of the treatments recommended for gum disease include:
- An increased dedication to excellent oral hygiene
- Antimicrobial rinses and other products
- An antibiotic medication that is placed in the gum pockets
- Deep cleaning (scaling and root planing)
- Laser therapy
- Gum surgery
We will discuss your situation with you and recommend the treatment that we believe will be the most appropriate for your unique needs.
Tooth Extraction
We are in the business of protecting teeth. When we recommend a dental extraction, it is only because no other option exists and we need to remove your tooth to relieve symptoms or to protect your oral health.
A dental extraction is not the end of the world, though it does create some concerns for our patients. We are here to help. While you may have some anxiety about you dental extraction, we always strive to provide gentle, comfortable treatment by using appropriate levels of anesthetic to make sure you don’t feel any pain.
Losing a tooth can cause concern about your smile and being able to eat the food you need to stay healthy and that you enjoy. We offer many tooth-replacement options to complete your smile. We will go over all of your options at your appointment and start an appropriate plan to have you feeling yourself again as quickly as possible.
Dental extractions are sometimes avoidable with preventive and restorative dentistry. If you notice something is wrong or if you feel any symptoms, including pain or swelling, contact us right away. Acting fast will often give us the opportunity to save your tooth.
Give us a call to schedule a dental appointment.
Tooth-Colored Fillings
Yes. Unlike amalgam fillings, tooth-colored fillings are a custom-mixed resin composite. The composite mixture is matched to your tooth color and bonded directly to the tooth. This usually results in a filling that is nearly indistinguishable from your natural tooth.