General Dentistry is the practice of preventing, diagnosing and correcting dental issues. We perform all general dental services to keep you healthy and smiling.

Why You Should See Your Dentist?
When you visit the dentist, you get more than clean, shiny teeth. Regular dental visits are a way to prevent dental disease and to check for signs of other diseases. If your mouth or neck do show any signs of disease, your dentist can help you get early treatment. Here's how.

You can stop tooth decay from getting worse

Tooth Decay

Some people think only children get tooth decay, but all of us are at risk our whole lives. The good news is that tooth decay can be prevented. By following a healthy oral care routine and making smart food choices, you can lower your risk for tooth decay.

What is tooth decay?

Tooth decay is a disease that damages and breaks down teeth. A tooth has a hard outer layer (enamel), a middle layer (dentin) and a center (pulp). The more layers affected by decay, the worse the damage.

Diagram of a Healthy Tooth


If tooth decay is not treated, it can lead to pain, the spread of infection, loss of teeth and loss of self-confidence. People with tooth pain often cannot eat or sleep properly and may miss days of work or school. And tooth decay is not only unhealthy, it also looks bad.

An abscess (pus-filled sac) from a cavity can cause serious or even life-threatening infections when not properly treated. It is much simpler and more affordable to prevent tooth decay than to repair or replace a decayed tooth.

What causes tooth decay?

Your teeth are covered by a sticky film of bacteria called plaque (sounds like PLAK). After a meal or snack, the bacteria turn the sugars in foods and drinks into acid. The acid attacks the tooth enamel.

When you have sugary foods or drinks many times a day, or if you sip on the same sugary drink for long periods of time, the acid attacks your tooth enamel again and again. The acid eats away at the tooth and can cause decay. A hole called a cavity can form.

Progress of Tooth Decay

Who gets tooth decay?

People of all ages can get tooth decay. Your risk may increase if you:

Can tooth decay be passed from person to person?

No, but the bacteria that cause tooth decay can be shared. Bacteria can be passed from one mouth to another by kissing, sharing a cup or spoon, or anything else that carries a drop of saliva.

Can tooth decay be prevented?

Yes. Here's how:

Your saliva helps prevent tooth decay, too. It reduces acid damage to a tooth by washing away sticky, sugary foods. Saliva also makes the acid weaker. Chewing sugarless gum after eating can increase saliva flow and help rinse away sugars. The minerals in saliva also can help repair the tooth.

When choosing dental care products, look for those that show the American Dental Association's Seal of Acceptance. The Seal of Acceptance tells you that, when used as directed, the product meets the ADA's standards for safety and effectiveness.

Common places where decay forms

Tooth decay can damage any tooth. It often occurs between the teeth and in the grooves of the back teeth, where bits of food collect. Back teeth are harder to keep clean because they are not as easy to reach. Also, toothbrush bristles cannot get into the grooves. Decay also can form at the tooth root and go below the gumline.

Common Places for Decay

Do you have tooth decay?

Symptoms of tooth decay can include spots on the teeth, bad breath and loose fillings. Tell your dentist if your teeth are sensitive to heat or cold or if you have any tooth pain. Your dentist will examine your teeth and take X-rays if needed.

How is decay treated?

Treatment depends on how early the decay is caught. Before cavities form, fluoride treatments may solve the problem. If you have a cavity, you'll need a filling. A large cavity may need a crown to replace the decayed part of the tooth. If the center (pulp) of your tooth is involved, root canal treatment may be your last chance to save the tooth. Finally, a badly damaged tooth might have to be pulled and replaced. Your dentist will discuss options and plan the best way to get your mouth healthy again.

Almost half of adults over 30 have gum disease

Have whiter teeth and fresher breath

For mouth and throat cancer screenings

The mouth can show if the body is not healthy

Even patients with dentures need an oral health checkup. Plus, over time, dentures can become loose because of changes in your gums and bones. Your dentist will make sure your gums are healthy, look for signs of cancer and check your dentures for proper fit.

At every exam, your dentist checks your mouth and neck for signs of disease. Your oral health is an important part of your overall health, so visit your dentist regularly.

Crowns

What is a crown?

A crown is a cover or "cap" your dentist can put on a tooth. The crown restores the tooth to its normal shape, size and function. The purpose of a crown is to make the tooth stronger or improve the way it looks.

Why do I need a crown?

You may need a crown if you:

Crown Used to Replace a Filling

What is it made from?

Crowns are made from several types of materials. Metal alloys, ceramics, porcelain, composite resin, or combinations of these materials may be used. In the process of making a crown, the material often is colored to blend in with your natural teeth.

Your dentist wants to create a crown that looks natural and fits comfortably in your mouth. To decide on the material for your crown, your dentist will consider the tooth location, the position of the gum tissue, the patient's preference, the amount of tooth that shows when you smile, the color or shade of the tooth, and the function of the tooth.

How is a crown placed?

Several steps are involved, and two dental visits are generally needed to complete the treatment.
1. The dentist prepares the tooth by removing its outer portion so the crown will fit. Any decay is also removed. If additional tooth structure is needed to support the crown, the dentist may build up the core of the tooth.
2. An impression is made to provide an exact model for the crown.
3. You will get a temporary crown while you wait for the permanent crown to be ready-usually less than two weeks. While you have the temporary crown, this tooth may be sensitive to hot and cold. Also, avoid chewing gum or sticky foods during this time.
4. The dentist or a laboratory technician then uses the model to help make the crown.
5. When the new crown is ready, the dentist places it in your mouth and makes the necessary adjustments. When you and your dentist are satisfied with how it looks and feels, the crown is cemented in place.

Caring for your teeth

To prevent damage to a crown, there are a few things you can do:

Bridges

What is a Bridge?

A bridge is a dental restoration that fills the space where one or more teeth are missing. The bridge restores your bite and helps keep the natural shape of your face. Before you get a bridge, your dentist wants you to know more about the steps involved. He or she can advise which type of bridge is best for you.

Why Do I Need a Bridge?

A missing tooth is a serious matter. Teeth are made to work together. When you lose a tooth, the nearby teeth may tilt or drift into the empty space. The teeth in the opposite jaw may also shift up or down toward the space. This can affect your bite and place more stress on your teeth and jaw joints, possibly causing pain.

Teeth that have tipped or drifted are also harder to clean. This puts them at a higher risk for tooth decay and gum disease. When a tooth is missing, the bone may shrink. If that happens, it may change the way the jawbone supports the lips and cheeks. Over time, this can make your face look different.

How is a Bridge Placed?

Placing a bridge usually takes more than one dental visit. On your first visit, your dentist prepares the teeth on either side of the gap. The bridge will later be attached to these teeth. When talking about bridges, your dentist may use these terms:

Your dentist then takes an impression of your teeth and the space and sends the impression to a dental laboratory. Technicians at the lab make the bridge. Your dentist will place a temporary bridge to protect your exposed teeth while you are waiting for the permanent one.

The bridge is then fixed, or cemented, to the prepared teeth. This type of bridge is permanent and cannot be taken out of your mouth without a dentist's help. During one or more follow-up visits, the bridge is fitted, adjusted and cemented in place.

Bridge Placement

Do I Need Implants?

Dental implants may be used to support a bridge when several teeth are missing. Implants are posts that are surgically placed into the jaw. The implants fuse to the jawbone to act as a base for the bridge. A key benefit of implants is that they don't need support from the surrounding teeth.

Because surgery is required, candidates for dental implants should have good general health and enough bone to support an implant. For some patients, implants help preserve the bone where teeth have been lost. Implants can be placed in one day or may require multiple visits, depending on your dentist's treatment plan for you.

Implant-Supported Bridge

What Materials Are Used in a Bridge?

Bridges are made from metal, ceramics or a combination. Ceramics often are bonded to a metal alloy. Your dentist will talk about the materials that are best for you and your mouth.

Caring for Your Bridge

A bridge can lose its support if the surrounding teeth or jawbone holding the bridge are damaged by dental disease. Follow these tips for good oral health:

Today, cosmetic dentistry is more popular than ever, from whitening and shaping to closing spaces and replacing teeth. We offer a wide array of services and techniques for improving the look of your smile. Our goal is to make your smile better and more beautiful than ever.

Improving your Smile

Smile Checklist

Look in the mirror

If your answers show that you might want a change in your smile, talk to your dentist about Improving Your Smile. A great smile can be the most attractive feature of your face.

A smile helps you express health, success, youth and sincerity. It is a great asset in your personal, business and social contacts. So it's important that you are happy with how your smile looks. But if you are like many people, you may not be.

Your dentist has many different techniques to shape, sculpt, and make your smile more beautiful. With a few simple steps, you can have a smile you feel great about. And treatment may be more affordable than you think.

Options for improving your smile include:

Tooth-Colored Fillings
Your dentist can use natural-colored materials to restore teeth that have cavities. Options include composite materials, such as resin, as well as lab-made porcelain inlays, inlays and crowns.

Tooth Whitening
Teeth become stained for many reasons - drinking coffee, tea or wine; smoking; and even aging can discolor teeth. Tooth whitening is a process that makes discolored teeth whiter. The bleach used for in-office (chair side) whitening is stronger than the bleach found in at-home whitening kits. Keep in mind that not everyone's teeth can become movie-star white. Your dentist can recommend the whitening treatment that is right for you.

Veneers
Veneers are thin, tooth-colored shells that are bonded, or cemented, to the front of your teeth. They are custom-made of ceramic or composite resin, and look like natural teeth. Veneers can be used to fill spaces between teeth and to cover teeth that are stained, poorly shaped, or a bit crooked.

Braces
Braces can help correct crowded or crooked teeth or an uneven bite. Braces have become much smaller and less noticeable over the years. Brackets, the part of the braces that attach to each tooth, can sometimes be attached to the back of the tooth to make them less noticeable. Some brackets are clear or tooth coloured-which help braces blend in.
In some cases, treatment may be done without using braces at all. A series of clear, removable aligners are used to move your teeth over time. These aligners are more discreet than traditional braces.

Enamel Shaping
Your dentist can "reshape" your teeth by contouring tooth enamel, the outer layer of the tooth. When teeth are a little crowded or uneven, or when teeth appear too long, your dentist can use enamel shaping to improve how the teeth look.

Crowns
If a tooth needs more a dramatic change than veneers or enamel shaping can provide, crowns are an option. The outer part of the tooth is removed and a crown is placed over it. The crown can be made to fit in with your other teeth. It's like a fresh start for your tooth.

First Steps to a New Smile
Once you decide to improve your smile, the first step is to visit your dentist. At this visit, you will talk about the best plan for you. If you have any signs of dental disease, your dentist may recommend treatment for this. It's important to have a healthy mouth before starting cosmetic treatment.

These treatments and others can help you have more natural-looking and attractive teeth. What are you waiting for? Talk to your dentist today about how to make your smile the best it can be.

Dental Implants

Dental implants are an effective way to replace missing teeth. When teeth are lost because of disease or an accident, dental implants may be a good option. You may want to choose dental implants if you:

• hide your smile because you have missing teeth
• wear dentures that are uncomfortable
• are dissatisfied with your removable partial dentures
• want to keep your other teeth intact

Many people choose implants to replace a single tooth or several teeth, or to support a full set of dentures. Implants are posts surgically placed into the upper or lower jawbone. They replace the root of one or more missing teeth.

Dental implants are made of titanium (a strong, lightweight metal) and other materials that are well accepted by the body. More than 5 million implants are placed each year by dentists in the United States.

Benefits of Dental Implants

• Implants offer firm support to man-made teeth. Dentures, bridges or single teeth attached to the implants won't slip or shift in your mouth-a very important benefit when eating and speaking.
• This secure fit also helps man-made teeth feel more natural than typical bridges or dentures.
• Some people may find implant-supported dentures more comfortable than dentures that do not use implants.
• Where teeth are missing, dental implants also help keep the jawbone from shrinking.
• Implants are a good value, because they can last a lifetime with good care.

Single Tooth Implants
The single tooth implant replaces the missing tooth's roots. A single tooth implant is a stand-alone unit and does not involve treating the teeth next to it.

If you are missing one or more teeth, there are many reasons why you should replace them:

• You may not like how the gap looks when you smile.
• Missing teeth may affect how you speak.
• A missing molar tooth can make it harder to chew.
• When a tooth is lost and not replaced, the teeth around it can shift.
• Bone loss can occur around the missing tooth. This may cause the remaining teeth to become loose over time.
• Loss of teeth and bone can make your face sag. You may look older.

Implant-Supported Bridges and Dentures
Dental implants can be used to support a bridge when several teeth are missing. The implant-supported bridge replaces the lost natural teeth and some of the tooth roots. Unlike traditional bridges, an implant-supported bridge does not need support from the teeth next to it.

If you are missing all of your teeth, an implant-supported denture can replace the missing teeth and some of the tooth roots. Because the dental implants integrate (or "fuse") with the jawbone, an implant-supported denture tends to be comfortable and stable, allowing you to bite and chew naturally.

Implant-Supported Denture Before

What Is Involved in Implant Placement?
Many kinds of implants are available. Treatment can take only one day, or it can take several months, or somewhere in between. Your dentist and you can discuss which type of implant is best for you.

Implant treatment usually involves three basic steps:
• Placement of the Implant
Your dentist will carefully locate where the implant should be placed, using x-rays or other pictures. Then the dentist surgically places the implant into the jawbone. You may have some swelling and/or tenderness after surgery. Your dentist may prescribe pain medicine to ease the discomfort. During the healing process, your dentist may tell you to eat soft foods.

• Healing Process
What makes an implant so strong is that the jawbone grows around it and holds it in place. This process, called osseointegration (OSS-e-o-in-te-GRAY-shun), takes time. It may be several months before the implant is completely integrated into the bone. Then the patient can get the permanent replacement tooth or teeth. In many cases, the implant and temporary replacement teeth can be placed in one visit.

• Placement of the Prosthesis (Replacement Tooth or Teeth)
For a single tooth implant, the dentist custom-makes a new tooth for you, called a dental crown. It is designed to look just like your other teeth. Implant-supported bridges and dentures are also custom-made to look like natural teeth and to fit your mouth. The replacement teeth are attached to the implant posts.

Replacement teeth usually take some time to make. In the meantime, your dentist may give you a temporary crown, bridge or denture. This will help you eat and speak normally until the permanent replacement teeth are ready.

Who Is a Good Candidate for Dental Implants?
If you are in good general health and your jaw can support an implant, this treatment may be a good option for you. Your health is more important than your age.

However, implants are not an option for everyone. Patients should be in good health or cleared by their physicians before scheduling any implant surgery. They should have enough jawbone to support the implant or be able to have surgery to build up the jawbone. Bone can be built up with a bone graft or with sinus lift surgery. Chronic illnesses, such as diabetes and leukemia, may slow healing after surgery.

Implant treatment may not be a good option for patients with these illnesses. Tobacco use also can slow the healing process.

If your dentist does recommend implant treatment, careful oral hygiene is essential for the success of the implant. You must spend time caring for the implant and making sure the area around it is very clean. If not, you might increase your risk for gum disease, which can weaken the bone and tissues needed to support the implant.

Other Things to Think About
You should discuss implant treatment carefully with your dentist. Dental implant treatment can take longer and cost more than other replacement options. But dental implants are often a good value because they can last a lifetime.

Regular dental visits are key to the long-term success of your implant. Your dentist will set up a program to help you keep your implant and natural teeth healthy. Your dentist also will suggest a home-care routine that meets your needs. It will include brushing twice a day and flossing once a day. You also may be advised to use a special toothbrush or mouth-rinse to help prevent cavities and gum disease.

Talk with your dentist about dental implants. He or she can help you decide if implant treatment is right for you. With careful treatment planning and good oral care, dental implants can provide a healthy smile for a lifetime.

Periodontal treatments depend on the type of the gum disease and how severe it is. If the disease is caught early (when it is gingivitis), and no damage has been done to the supporting structures under the teeth, you may simply need a professional cleaning. The dental team can give you tips for improving your daily oral hygiene.

Even with these measures, some patients develop more severe periodontal disease. The first step in treating the disease usually involves a special deep cleaning called "scaling and root planing." In this treatment, the dentist removes plaque and tartar down to the bottom of each periodontal pocket. This treatment may be done over several visits, depending on your needs.

The root surfaces of the teeth are then smoothed (or "planed") to allow the gum tissue to heal and reattach to the teeth. This treatment also may take more than one visit.

Your dentist may recommend medications to help control infection and pain or to aid healing. These can include a pill, a mouthrinse or a medication that the dentist places directly into the periodontal pocket after scaling and root planing.

If you smoke or chew tobacco, it is important to quit. Ask your dentist or physician for information about ways to stop.

Another dental visit will be scheduled within a few weeks or months after your last scaling and root planing treatment. At this visit, your dentist or hygienist will look at your gums to see how they have healed. He or she will measure the periodontal pockets again. If the pockets have gotten deeper and the supporting bone is lost, more treatment may be needed.

Periodontal Surgery
If the pockets do not heal enough after scaling and root planing, periodontal surgery may be needed. Surgery allows the dentist to remove tartar and plaque from hard-to-reach areas. Then the gums are stitched into place to hug the teeth tightly. Surgery can reduce pocket depth and make it easier to keep teeth clean.

If bone has been damaged by periodontal disease, surgery may be needed to rebuild or reshape the bone. Splints, bite guards or other appliances may be used to hold loose teeth in place and to help tissues heal. If too much gum or bone tissue has been lost, the dentist may do a gum or bone graft.

Care After Treatment

Once your periodontal treatment is completed, your dentist may recommend more frequent checkups and cleanings. Regular dental visits and deep cleanings are important to keep periodontal disease under control. In some cases, your appointments may alternate between your general dentist and periodontist.

Oral Hygiene at Home Good oral hygiene at home also is very important to help keep periodontal disease from becoming more serious or from coming back. Daily home cleaning helps keep plaque under control and reduces tartar buildup.

• Brush your teeth twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste.
• Floss your teeth (or use another between-the-teeth cleaner) once a day.

How Can I Prevent Periodontal Disease?

• Brush your teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste.
• Floss or use another between-the-tooth cleaner daily to remove plaque and bits of food from areas your toothbrush can't reach.
• Your dentist or hygienist may recommend using a germ-fighting mouth rinse or other products.
• Eat a healthy diet and limit snacks. Find out more at the website choosemyplate.gov.
• Visit your dentist regularly. If plaque stays on your teeth, it hardens into tartar (also called "calculus"). Professional cleanings are the only way to remove tartar, which traps bacteria along the gum-line.

Are You at Risk?
Anyone can get periodontal disease. These things can increase the risk:

• Poor oral hygiene
• Tobacco. People who smoke or chew tobacco are more likely to have periodontal disease.
• Diseases that affect the whole body-such as diabetes and AIDS-lower resistance to infection. If you have one of these diseases, you are at higher risk for periodontal disease.
• Many medications, such as steroids and blood pressure drugs, can affect your gums. Some have side effects that reduce saliva, which can affect soft tissues and make tooth decay more likely. Tell your dentist about all the medications you take and any changes in your health.
• Teens, pregnant women and those taking birth control pills face changes in hormone levels. These changes can cause gums to become more sensitive to plaque bacteria.
• Genes may play a role. If your parents wear dentures or you have a family history of tooth loss, be extra alert for changes to your gums.
• The bacteria that cause periodontal disease may be passed from parents to children and between partners through saliva.

Stages of Periodontal Diseases
Healthy Gums
Teeth are held firmly in place by the gums, bone and periodontal ligament. Gums hug the teeth tightly. There is little or no buildup of plaque and tartar.

Gingivitis
The bacteria in plaque irritate the gums, making them red, tender, swollen and likely to bleed. If plaque is not removed, it can harden into tartar.

Periodontists
In time, as plaque and tartar build up along the gum-line, plaque bacteria break down the soft tissues that support the tooth. As the disease progresses, bacteria attack the bone tissue also.

Checking for Periodontal Disease Your dentist or hygienist uses a periodontal probe to gently measure the depth of the pockets around each tooth. When teeth are healthy, the pocket depth is usually three millimeters or less. Generally, the more severe the disease, the deeper the pocket.

Dental x-rays usually are taken to check for the amount of bone supporting the teeth. If the dentist finds periodontal disease, he or she may provide treatment or may refer you to a periodontist (a dentist who specializes in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of periodontal diseases).

You don't have to lose teeth to periodontal disease. Brush, clean between your teeth, eat a healthy diet and schedule regular dental visits for a lifetime of healthy smiles.