What is a ....
Learn about what we do as dentists
Implant
An implant comes in 3 basic parts: the implant itself (looks like a screw), the abutment (connects the screw to the crown on top), and the crown on top (the part that you will actually see in the mouth). The implant screw is commonly placed by oral surgeon or periodontal specialists with the abutment and crown being restored by general dentists.
For more information about the process to receive an implant, please visit our FAQs.

Night Guard
Many of our patients clench and grind their teeth especially at night. Untreated, it can cause potential TMJ muscle discomfort and early excessive wear on the teeth resulting in cracked teeth and sensitivity. A night guard is a removable prosthetic medical device that helps not only to prevent teeth on teeth grinding and wear, but also provides a cushion to alleviate muscle discomfort often felt right after waking up.

Our office commonly provides two different styles of night guards.
Clear Retainer (right)- Thinner and less bulky in the mouth
Hard-Soft (left) – Provides more protection and cushion and is able to alleviate muscle discomfort better

Filling
After a cavity forms, the decayed and bacteria filled tooth structure needs to be fully cleaned out to prevent further progression of the cavity. A filling (often composed of acrylate monomers and called composite) must be paced in the cleaned out space to prevent further entrapment of bacteria, food, and plaque that may cause additional recurrent decay.
Our office uses an unique composite material called Omnichroma to provide better esthetic color matching and blending to make your fillings look more natural and life-like.


Crown
A crown is a cap that covers all the sides of the teeth above the gums and the biting surface to protect and restore the teeth when regular fillings are not strong enough. Crowns can be made of different materials such as: porcelain, metal (silver or gold), and ceramics.
Our office commonly uses zirconia (a full ceramic material with high strength), e-max (a highly esthetic material for front teeth), and gold (a more malleable material when fracture resistance is paramount).

Whitening
Whitening removes staining and can alter the color of the teeth to provide a whiter teeth color. Whitening usually occurs through either a mechanical or chemical process. A mechanical process (usual involving a whitening toothpaste) uses a fine grit to lightly polish off surface staining; a mechanical process is usually unable to alter the actual intrinsic color of the tooth. A chemical process on the other hand, can actually alter the actual color of the tooth and will usually provide a more noticeable difference in tooth color. While whitening may not be for everyone, it can be an effective way to increase the esthetics of your teeth without the need for otherwise invasive dental procedures.
Interested in whitening? Please visit our FAQ section for more information and contact us for a consultation.
Dentures
Dentures are prosthetic devices that help replace missing teeth. Dentures are usually supported by the tissues and bone structure in the mouth, where the teeth usually would be, and require healthy and stable tissues and bone as a result. Often used in situations where multiple teeth are missing and where placing implants would be contraindicated, dentures are usually removable for easy cleaning. There are many different types of dentures, from ones with metal frameworks for extra support to ones with fully acrylic bases.

Deep Cleaning
Plaque and calculus (the mineralized and hard feeling form of plaque) can accumulate, both above the gums and underneath the gums, where it is usually not visible to the naked eye. A regular cleaning can comfortably only clean above the gums, whereas a deep cleaning allows us to clean underneath the gums due to the use of anesthetic or an alternative non-injection numbing agents. In cases of gross plaque and calculus buildup it is essential to remove all buildup in order for the gums to be able to transition to a healthy and stable state.

Root Canal
A root canal is when a dentist, oftentimes an endodontist specialist, removes the infected nerve tissue inside the tooth. With the nerves gone, the tooth is devitalized and usually stops hurting. After a root canal is done, it is usually recommended to protect the tooth with a crown to help lower the risk of fractures in the future. Sometimes a tooth may also need a “post” and “buildup” to provide more strength and surface area for a crown to fit on.