We have included the following essays to provide helpful information for our patients. If you have questions about what you've read or would like more information about these topics, or any others, please feel free to ask us.
Advanced-Yet Simplified Help for Jaw & Bite Problems
Sometimes chronic stress or high-pressure situations can cause people to develop a damaging habit known as bruxism, or unconsciously biting down with too much force at non-mealtimes.
Crowns
If you're self-conscious about your smile due to cracked, broken, decayed, or worn teeth, we can bring back your healthy, natural-looking smile with dental crowns.
Digital X-Rays
See through dental x-rays concerns and discover the importance of this procedure.
Implants - Permanent, Secure Tooth Replacements
When people lose permanent teeth due to accident, injury, disease or extraction, dental implants can be a secure, functional replacement option.
Porcelain Veneers
Porcelain veneers can often provide people who have chipped, stained, discolored, unevenly spaced, or even slightly crooked front teeth with a completely new-looking smile in just a few simple appointments.
Jaw and Bite Problems: Advanced yet Simplified Patient Information
For many people, the way their teeth fit together causes stress on the jaw muscles and joints. Many people grind or clench their teeth. Regardless of the reason, a poor bite and frequent grinding and/or clenching can cause serious damage and pain to teeth, jawbone and the muscles and joints controlling the jaw. Many people suffer from headaches, head and neck muscle pain as well as ear pain, including popping and clicking noises near the ear when they open or close the mouth. Often it is due to a poor bite, clenching or grinding of the teeth.
Whether the problem is due to a poor bite or frequent grinding or clenching, the jaw muscles never get a chance to rest. They are overworked, fatigued and go into spasm. Some people can wear their teeth right down to the gum line, some will experience loose teeth, and some will have pain in or near the ear and possibly radiating over the head and neck. The muscles need a chance to rest.
A new device, known as an NTI, can provide rest for the muscles and thus alleviate all of the above symptoms. It is quicker to fabricate than previous appliances used for these problems, and it has been shown to give more complete relief. It is so effective the FDA has approved it for reduction of pain for migraine headache sufferers. It is custom fitted to your upper front teeth, and provides a flat surface for your lower front teeth to rest on in whatever position is comfortable for your jaw muscles. It also helps break the cycle of grinding or clenching, which other appliances used in the past did not do.
Crowns
If you're self-conscious about your smile due to cracked, broken, decayed or worn teeth, we can bring back your healthy, natural-looking smile with crowns. A filling can restore a small defect in a tooth, but a crown is the most durable, strongest way to restore a tooth with extensive front or back damage for the long term. With all the materials and techniques modern dentistry has to offer, crowns can be totally natural looking.
Additional benefits of crowns are correcting bite problems, closing spaces between teeth, and changing the angulations of teeth. They can also be used to replace missing teeth permanently, as part of a bridge, or over an implant.
Digital X-Rays
What We See Is What We Get
To improve your care we've invested in a new way of looking into your mouth – a procedure that's fast, and incredibly precise – digital x-rays. What's even more amazing is that we get an image immediately that is large, clear, and accurate, right next to your chair…ready for discussion. Digital x-ray technology speeds and simplifies the diagnostic part of your treatment, and most importantly allows us to provide a much higher level of care.
Reduced Radiation, Radical Results
Digital x-rays use 50-90% less radiation than old-fashioned x-rays. Additional benefits include the elimination of old fashioned dark room chemicals, which is better for the environment. The highly detailed image of your teeth on our computer screen, can be rotated, magnified, adjusted for contrast, and even color-coded for educational purposes. Furthermore, we can store it on our computer files, thus saving paper. For insurance purposes, referrals or patient education, it can be accurately reproduced any number of times. In summary, digital x-rays are faster, cleaner, and allow us to provide better quality care.
Dental Implants
Permanent, Secure Tooth Replacements
When permanent teeth are lost, regardless of the reason or number of teeth, dental implants can offer a new lease on life. They are superior to other choices because they are solid, secure, and esthetic. After nearly 35 years of use, they have a 90-95% proven success rate in appropriately chosen cases.
An implant is a special surgical grade titanium post, manufactured to highly precise specifications, under strict sterile conditions, that is inserted surgically into the jawbone below the gum surface. With proper use of the newest anesthetics and medications you need not be concerned about pain.
As the bone bonds to the post, it forms a secure foundation onto which your new teeth are then attached and shaped to match your mouth. The number of teeth being replaced will determine the best kind of restoration for you. Implants can help replace a single tooth, or a full set of teeth.
If you have been suffering with partial or full dentures, or are missing teeth, or feel you need teeth extracted, do not hesitate to call to be evaluated for implants.
Porcelain Veneers
Take Your Smile From Average to Dazzling
Many people desire a brighter, cleaner, more attractive smile, but have chipped, stained, discolored, unevenly spaced, or even slightly crooked front teeth. If this sounds like you, we will be glad to help evaluate your specific situation, listen to the exact changes you have in mind, and show you examples of the end result, before any treatment is performed.
Often, porcelain veneers can provide a completely improved and dazzling smile in just a few appointments.
The actual treatment usually involves only two visits. The number of pre-operative visits, to work out details to ensure predictable results, depends on the complexity of your situation and the changes you desire. There usually is a follow up visit or two for final adjustments and polishing, and to review instructions for care of your new smile to ensure it lasts for years to come.
