Composite (“White”) Fillings

A composite filling is a tooth-colored quartz-like material. After tooth decay is removed and cleaned, this tooth-colored material is layered into the tooth. Each layer is hardened or cured with highly intense visible light, and the final surface is shaped and polished to match the tooth. The final restoration is virtually invisible.

Laser Dentistry

Lasers allow us to fix many tooth and gum problems without resorting to uncomfortable, old-fashioned techniques. In these situations laser treatments provide a quicker, more comfortable solution to gum and tooth problems.

Crowns

For damaged or decayed teeth, crowns can be the perfect solution. Porcelain crowns fit over damaged teeth, restoring their strength, beauty, and health. The color of your crowns can be matched to your natural tooth color so the fact that you have had dental work is easily concealed.

Neuromuscular Dentistry

If you are contemplating major dental procedures such as reconstruction (including cosmetic dentistry), orthodontics, or dentures, or if you suffer head/neck pain or other "TMJ-like" symptoms, your choice of treatment becomes very important.

Traditional dentistry is based on mechanical concepts that assume your present bite is best for you. It is evaluated in two dimensions. Such dental treatment generally aims to restore your bite to that position. Neuromuscular dentistry takes into consideration the status and function of the muscles that control jaw position, chewing, and swallowing. Neuromuscular test results give your dentist added insight--that third dimension may very well allow us to improve the final treatment results.

Using computerized equipment, the dentist can measure and study the pattern of jaw opening and closing through its full range of motion in three dimensions. The computer can also document the precise point at which your jaw is being held in relation to the upper teeth and can measure the activity of the key muscles that control the jaw--both in function and at rest. Rather than relying on your present jaw position as being the best one for you, the dentist can use the additional information to determine if your bite should be left as is, or adjusted to a more optimal position.

The neuromuscular tests are "non-invasive"--there are no injections, and there is no pain. To do the examination, a tiny magnet is applied to your lower gum and a lightweight headgear is worn. Sensors in the headgear precisely follow the path of the magnet as you open and close your mouth, and send the three-dimensional information to the computer as your jaw opens and closes. An additional instrument, the myomonitor, is then used to painlessly exercise the facial and jaw muscles. This electronically-induced exercise will overcome the "programming" of your muscles and allow them to achieve a truly relaxed state. After 40-60 minutes, the same tests will be repeated to gather data in this relaxed state. The baseline and relaxed data are stored in the computer. The doctor now is able to see if your jaw is in a near optimal position or should be adjusted to provide improved function.

Inlays/Onlays

Some teeth need greater strength and support than can be provided by fillings alone. Inlays and onlays are tooth-colored restorations that can fill large cavities and repair damaged teeth. Tooth-colored inlays and onlays do their work subtly and beautifully.

Full or Partial Dentures

Dentures can help take the place of missing natural teeth. Dentures allow a patient to chew and speak more easily while improving appearance and often boosting self-confidence. Full dentures are used when all of a patients' teeth need to be replaced. Partial dentures are used when only a few teeth are missing. In either case, dentures can help you look and feel your best.

Root Canals

Teeth have root canals from the time they first merge. These canals are fill with a network of nerves and tissue known as pulp. Sometimes the pulp can become inflamed or infected. When teeth are growing, pulp helps to nourish them but as teeth mature the pulp can safely be removed. This is done in root canal treatment. The procedure can save teeth from eventually being lost or having to be removed. Once the infected pulp is removed, a crown is placed over the tooth. This type of restoration is often permanent.

Wisdom Teeth

Most people do not have space available in their mouths for their third set of molars. These molars, called wisdom teeth, must be removed in order to prevent or correct overcrowding problems. When there is no room for them, wisdom teeth may become trapped, or impacted, within the gums where they can move a patient's bite out of alignment or can cause other teeth to shift. Even wisdom teeth that are not impacted (i.e. they are able to break through the gums into the mouth) may crowd other teeth and require extraction. By removing wisdom teeth, a patient's smile can be preserved.

Implant Restoration

If you have dental implants, you know that there are many benefits that go along with them. Implants replace missing teeth so well that they look and feel very natural. Eating, talking, smiling, and feeling confident are all made easier with dental implants. If you already have the implant posts (the "artificial tooth roots") in place and need new restorations (replacement teeth), we can help! Our restorations are made of the finest materials, so your smile will be strong, healthy, and beautiful.