Bleaching/Whitening

The dentist will use either a dentist supervised at home bleaching system or light (ZOOM) bleaching while you are in the dental chair.

Procedure
The first step in the at home whitening process is impressions. We will take full impressions of your upper and lower teeth. These impressions will be made into custom bleaching trays. The trays will fit onto your teeth which helps decrease the sensitivty of the bleaching solution running onto the gum tissue.

The second step is to place the bleaching solution in the trays and wear them for a few hours a day. Within 7-10 days, you will see a significant improvement in the color of your teeth. Your smile will look brighter and younger.

Bleaching only works on natural teeth and may not be effective in all cases. We will inform you as to the potential whitening for your specific situation.

ZOOM!
We offer a safe, inexpensive solution to an unsightly smile. Whitening your teeth is a very simple procedure that can be completed in relatively short period of time.

Procedure
Our office utilizes the Zoom chairside whitening procedure. The first step is to isolate the teeth and protect the gums and lips. When this has been accomplished, the whitening gel is placed on the teeth. The gel is activated by a specially designed light that is directed at the teeth. The entire procedure takes just over an hour. The results are usually between 6 and 10 shades whiter.

Bridges

Nearly everyone who has one or more missing teeth is a candidate for a dental bridge. A bridge is one of the few options that you have when deciding how to deal with a missing tooth or teeth. The replacement of these missing teeth is necessary in order to maintain the proper mouth functions. Tooth loss can affect the way you eat, speak, and the alignment of other teeth in your mouth.

Procedure
The procedure begins with preparation of the natural teeth, or abutments (tooth infront and behind space). We will shape the abutment teeth so that the ends of the bridge will fit comfortably on each one. The next step is to take an impression of the area. This impression will be sent to our lab where your new bridge will be crafted. While this new bridge is created, we will provide you with a temporary restoration. Our temporary restorations will resemble your natural teeth so that you can continue with your daily life without worrying about a missing or unattractive smile.
During your second visit to the office, we will proceed with the placement of your final restoration. This bridge will be fitted comfortably into the mouth. We will make every effort to ensure that the new bridge feels exactly like your natural teeth. The final step in the process is to cement the bridge into your mouth, leaving you with a beautifully restored smile.

Crowns

As we get a little older, our teeth begin to change and are prone to decay. There are many possible reasons for this change in your smile. These reasons can include bruxism (teeth grinding), general decay, cracked fillings, root canals, and many others. If your tooth is beyond repair with a filling material, we may recommend that the best viable option to save the tooth is a full crown. Some reasons for this type of restoration in a badly damaged tooth are durability, cosmetic appearance, and overall support of the chewing function.

Types of Crowns
If you are in need of a full crown, there are a few different options in the type of material crowns are made out of. These options include a full porcelain crown, a porcelain fused to metal or gold, or a full gold crown. We will recommend as to which of these options is the most appropriate for your situation. You can be comfortable in knowing that your new tooth will be virtually unnoticeable and will complement the rest of your smile.

Procedure
The procedure begins with the removal of all decay in the tooth along with shaping the tooth properly for a crown. Once this has been accomplished we will take an impression of the tooth. This impression will be sent to our lab where your new restoration will be crafted. While this new crown is created, we will provide you with a temporary restoration. Our temporary restorations will resemble your natural teeth so that you can continue with your daily life without worrying about a missing or incompatible tooth. During your second visit to the office, we will proceed with the placement of your final restoration. This crown will be fitted comfortably into the mouth. We will make every effort to ensure that the new tooth feels exactly like one of your natural teeth. The final step in the process is to cement the crown into your mouth, leaving you with a beautifully restored smile.

Post-Op Instructions
It is best to refrain from eating for at least 2 hours and until the anesthesia has worn off to prevent possibly injury to your soft tissue.

Temporary: Please be careful when cleaning around the temporary restoration. Do not pull up on the temporary when flossing this area. Make sure to brush this area gently and not to chew any hard foods on the restoration.
If your temporary comes off between appointments, please call our office so that we can reapply it for you.

Sensitivity: Sensitivity to hot and cold is to be expected following treatment. For the first few days, try to avoid extremely hot or cold foods and beverages.

It is normal to have discomfort in the gums around the tooth after the anesthesia wears off. If you feel discomfort in the gum tissue, rinse the area with warm salt water. You can also take an Advil or Tylenol if the discomfort persists.

Permanent Crown/Bridge: When the final restoration is placed, your bite may feel a little different. This is just your mouth adjusting to the new addition. If it still feels off in a few days, please call the office for a slight adjustment.

Home Care: It is important to resume regular brushing and flossing immediately. A consistent daily home care routine will increase the longevity of the restoration.

Tooth Fillings

Teeth that have been affected by tooth decay (caries or cavities) require a filling. There are many different types of fillings, including:

Dental amalgams
Dental amalgams, also known as silver fillings, are comprised of a mixture of mercury and an alloy of silver, tin, and copper. When it is combined with other materials in dental amalgam, mercury's chemical nature changes and it is no longer considered harmful to the body. However, it is important to note that there is a great deal of controversy surrounding the safety of this type of dental amalgam within the medical community.

Composite resins
Also know as white fillings, a composite resin is a tooth-colored plastic mixture that is used primarily for cosmetic improvements of the smile by changing or matching the color of your teeth.

Procedure for Composite
The bonding procedure is usually completed in one visit. The first step is to remove the decayed or unsightly portion of the tooth. The tooth is then etched with a liquid or gel and a bonding agent is then applied. This will allow the composite resin to be placed in the prepared tooth. The resin is then trimmed and polished, leaving you with a beautifully sculpted, natural-looking restoration.

Dentures

Dentures replace missing teeth and their adjacent tissues with a removable dental appliance made of acrylic resin and, in some cases, a combination of metals.
There are four primary types of dentures:

Complete
This type of denture replaces all of the teeth and their adjacent tissues.

Partial
Partial dentures fill in the gaps between a missing tooth or teeth. They have some of the same characteristics as a denture in that they use acrylic resin which holds the teeth being replaced and looks like your gum tissues.

Conventional
Conventional dentures allow a recovery time (usually four to eight weeks) after all of the teeth are extracted before the dentures are placed in the mouth. This allows the tissue time to heal before the denture process begins.

Immediate
This type of denture does not allow a healing period after all of the teeth are removed. The denture is immediately fit into the mouth after all teeth are removed. Additional adjustments in the fitting of this type of denture procedure may be necessary as healing occurs.

Root Canal Therapy

Root canal therapy is designed to correct disorders of the dental pulp - the soft tissue inside the tooth that contains nerves, blood vessels, and connective tissue. Teeth with abscessed, or infected, nerves were once removed with corrective therapy. But now, in 95 percent of these cases of pulpal infection, the natural tooth can be saved through modern endodontic procedures.

The most common causes of pulpal nerve damage are:
physical irritation - generally brought on by aggressive tooth decay (cavity) reaching down to the nerve or through deep fillings, which allows harmful bacteria to reach the nerve resulting in infection and decay.
trauma - a blow to a tooth or the jaw can cause damage to sensitive nerve tissue within the tooth.

Symptoms of pulpal nerve damage
The following are the most common symptoms of pulpal nerve damage. However, each individual may experience symptoms differently. Symptoms may include: pain in the tooth when biting down, oversensitivity of the teeth with hot or cold drinks which lingers on for a period of time, or facial swelling.
The symptoms of pulpal nerve damage may resemble other oral health conditions. Consult a dentist, or other oral health specialist, for diagnosis.

Why is root canal therapy necessary?
Without treatment, the infection of the dental pulp will spread to the bone around the tooth, making it not able to hold the tooth in place.

What does the root canal procedure involve?
Treatment begins with initially gaining access to the pulp tissue through the crown of the tooth. Once the affected pulpal tissue is exposed, the affected area is removed. The area surrounding and containing the pulpal tissue is carefully cleaned, enlarged, and shaped to provide a clean, bondable surface for filling with a permanent filler to prohibit any further infection and discomfort. After the root canal a crown is generally recommended to prevent further problems with the affected tooth.

Post-Op Instructions
It is best to refrain from eating for at least 2 hours and until the anesthesia has worn off to prevent possibly injury to your soft tissue. This will also allow the temporary restorative material to harden.

You will most likely feel soreness in the area as well as pressure when you bite down. For this reason, you should avoid hard and chewy foods. Do not eat on the treated side of your mouth for at least 24 hours. The soreness should decrease within a week.

Take any antibiotic medication prescribed to you by the doctor as this will eliminate any remaining infection in the tooth. If you notice any of the following symptoms please contact our office:

• Increasing tenderness or swelling in the area surrounding the tooth
• A reaction to the medication
• Loss of the temporary filling material
• Tooth fracture

Take any antibiotic medication prescribed to you by the doctor as this will eliminate any remaining infection in the tooth.

If you notice any of the following symptoms please contact our office:

• Increasing tenderness or swelling in the area surrounding the tooth
• A reaction to the medication
• Loss of the temporary filling material
• Tooth fracture