Comprehensive Evaluation and Oral Examination

A comprehensive oral evaluation is an initial exam or assessment of one’s oral health. Clinical findings, radiographs, and other diagnostic tools are used to detect cavities, gum disease, and other abnormalities involving the mouth, head, and neck.

Cleaning (Prophylaxis)

A dental cleaning or prophylaxis is the removal of plaque, tarter, and stain from the teeth. This procedure often involves the use of ultrasonic scalers and hand instruments. Teeth are polished with a fluoride paste and flossed.

Fluoride Treatment

Fluoride gel is a mendicant used on the surfaces of teeth to help prevent tooth decay. Fluoride helps strengthen the chemical structure of the tooth’s surface, making it much less likely to get a cavity.

X-Rays

Dental radiographs or x-rays are commonly used in a dental practice. They can help identify sources of tooth pain, cavities, bone loss, and many other abnormalities that can be seen in the mouth.

Dental Sealants

Sealants are a great preventative restoration placed on the biting surface of molars and premolars. It consists of a resin composite that is gently placed on deep grooves of teeth, and prevents entry of bacteria and decay.

Filling

A filling is a type of restoration that is used to treat cavities, chipped teeth, and other conditions. It typically consists of a resin composite, a tooth colored material that is matched to the shade of a patient’s natural tooth.

Crown

A crown is a dental restoration that completely covers the outside of a tooth. Crowns are often used for severely decayed teeth. They can also be used to improve the function and appearance of a patient’s smile. The crowns are made of porcelain and look similar to a natural tooth.

Bridge

A bridge is the term used to describe a dental restoration that replaces missing teeth. A false tooth is held in place by crowning the neighboring teeth, which is all connected to form one complete unit.

Dental Implants

A dental implant is used to replace missing teeth. Implants can be used to replace a single tooth, or they can be used in conjunction with a removable denture to increase retention and stability. Implants are placed in the bone of a patient’s jaw, and used as attachments for replacement teeth.

Dentures

A denture is a removable appliance that is used to replace missing teeth. A complete denture is used to replace all of a patient’s missing teeth. The teeth are held together by an acrylic base, similar looking to natural gums. A partial denture; however, is used when only some of the teeth are needing to be replaced. It consists of an acrylic base and metal framework that uses the existing teeth to stay in the patient’s mouth. Dentures can also be used in conjunction with dental implants to improve how they fit in the patient’s mouth.

Tooth Extraction

Some teeth are often needed to be removed in order to relieve tooth pain, or since they cannot be restored for various clinical reasons. Wisdom teeth can often cause pain in young adults and often need to be removed. The extraction of teeth is done with profound anesthesia (numbing). Conscious level sedation can sometimes be used for anxious patients.

Root Canal Therapy

This procedure can be used to relieve severe tooth pain. If a tooth ache is constant and does not go away, then root canal therapy is needed. It is most often needed when decay has reached the nerve of the tooth and has become infected with bacteria. The procedure is done with anesthetic (numbing) of the tooth, and often relieves the patient of severe pain. Conscious level sedation can sometimes be used for anxious patients.

Scaling and Root Planning

Scaling and root planing is a non-surgical procedure used to treat gum disease. During the scaling process, specialized dental instruments are used to remove dental plaque and calculus from beneath the gums. Planing is the procedure used to smooth the tooth’s root after the scaling process. Root planing helps the gums heal and reattach themselves to a cleaner and smoother root surface.

Bonding

Cosmetic bonding is the process of filling or restoring teeth with a tooth-colored material in order to maintain its natural appearance. In order to bond a tooth, tooth colored material is added to the tooth to build it up.

Whitening

Tooth whitening, or bleaching, can be used in-office or at home. In-office use usually consists of one office visit. At-home bleaching requires an impression of the teeth in order to create a custom mouthpiece. Then, a whitening gel is dispensed into the mouth guard and worn by the patient for a specified amount of time.

Veneers

Veneers are a type of crown restoration that do not cover the entirety of the tooth. They are often used to improve the esthetics of a patient’s smile, and only involve removing the visible side of teeth in order to restore. They are made of porcelain and can be used to recreate the look of natural white teeth.