Examination
The examination is a complete visual inspection of the oral cavity along with any necessary x-rays. Screening for oral cancer and periodontal disease is part of the exam.
Cleaning (oral prophylaxis)
Cleaning is a preventative procedure. It is typically done on those individuals who visit the dentist regularly and who do not build up much calculus and stain. The cleaning appointment should be an easy visit. If a patient has had a long treatment gap between dental visits, or if they tend to build up large amounts of calculus or stain, or if their home care is especially lax, a “cleaning” may not be appropriate. Conservative periodontal therapy may be the treatment of choice.
Periodontal Therapy
Periodontal disease is the leading cause of tooth loss in adults. We screen every patient for periodontal disease and provide conservative, non-surgical therapy for those patients for whom it is appropriate, which is called Scaling, Root Planing and Debridement.
Periodontal Maintenance
After periodontal therapy, a patient is usually seen for maintenance visits (not ” cleanings”, though similar), on a more frequent schedule than that of a routine dental patient. We typically see “perio” patients 3 to 4 times a year, and for those patients who have been treated for advanced periodontal disease, we often alternate maintenance visits with their periodontist.
Sealants
A sealant is a plastic resin material that is applied to the chewing surfaces of molar teeth. This preventative measure enables us to seal out plaque and food from the grooves and pits in teeth that are prime targets for decay.
Fillings
Minor cavities can be restored with a composite resin material, which is tooth colored. Today’s fillings are practically invisible in the mouth and provide a wonderful cosmetic appearance. This is a good way of correcting small problems.
Crowns
When a tooth is fractured, badly decayed, or broken down, it is best restored with a crown (or cap). A crown is typically fabricated with porcelain (a tooth-colored material) or gold.
Porcelain Laminate Veneers
A PLV is a thin porcelain facing which can be bonded to a tooth to change the color, shape, or alignment.
Enamel Bonding
The appearance of certain malformed or broken teeth can be amazingly improved by “bonding”, which is the process of applying, shaping, and then curing a thin layer of composite resin to the tooth surface.
Bridges
Bridges are used to replace single or multiple missing teeth. They are cemented in place and are often the restoration of choice for a patient instead of a removable partial denture.
Dentures
When too many teeth are missing due to periodontal disease or tooth decay, full or partial removable dentures are often a solution to restore a functional dentition.
Whitening
Dentist supervised bleaching is the safest and most effective method to brighten your smile. Our office offers both take home tooth whitening systems with well fitting custom trays and in office whitening procedures.
Mouth Guards
Mouth injuries resulting in lost teeth, fractured jaws and concussions are often sports related. Wearing a mouth guard could prevent many of these injuries. A professionally fabricated mouth guard not only protects, but also allows for easy speech and breathing. Allow us to fabricate for your athlete the same quality sports mouth guard that we make for the Philadelphia Soul of the Arena Football League.
Inlays & Onlays
When teeth are damaged, fractured, or a filling needs to be replaced, the amount of tooth missing may be too large for another filling, but not large enough for a crown. In this case, conservative treatment with either an inlay or onlay may be indicated. This type of restoration replaces only the portion of the tooth which is missing thus restoring the tooth and coserving healthy tooth structure. Inlays and onlays can be made from both porcelain or composite for esthetic areas or the more traditional gold.
Implant Restoration
Dental implants are surgically placed artificial roots that take the place of missing teeth. You can have just one implant or many, depending on your individual needs. A replacement tooth or bridge are then fabricated to attach to the implant.