The American Dental Hygienists’ Association recommends that adults schedule dental exams every six months. Regular dental exams are an important part of preventive health care. During a dental exam, the dentist or hygienist will clean your teeth and identify gum inflammation or bone loss. The dentist or hygienist will evaluate your risk of developing tooth decay and other oral health problems, as well as check your face, neck and mouth for abnormalities. A dental exam may also include dental X-rays or other diagnostic procedures.

A dental cleaning is a routine dental procedure. Those who have not had their teeth cleaned in a long while may expect to experience a longer cleaning, and some additional pulling or scraping to remove plaque from teeth. Dental cleanings involve removing plaque and tartar deposits that have built up on the teeth over time. Your teeth are continually bathed in saliva which contains calcium and other substances which help strengthen and protect the teeth. While this is a good thing, it also means that we tend to get a build-up of calcium deposits on the teeth. This chalky substance will eventually build up over time. If the tartar is allowed to accumulate on the teeth it will unfortunately provide the right conditions for bacteria to thrive next to the gums. The purpose of the cleaning and polishing is basically to leave the surfaces of the teeth clean and smooth so that bacteria are unable to stick to them and you have a better chance of keeping the teeth clean during your regular home care. It also leaves your teeth feeling lovely and smooth and clean.

For most people, a beautiful smile is the most obvious benefit of orthodontics. After your braces come off, you’ll feel more self-confident.

Traditional Braces
Traditional metal braces are the most common type of braces and are more comfortable today than ever before. Made of high-grade stainless steel, metal braces straighten your teeth using metal brackets and arch wires. With metal braces, you have the option of adding colored elastics (rubber bands) for a more unique and colorful smile.

Treatment time typically ranges from one to three years, depending on the growth of the patient’s mouth and face, and the severity of the problem. Patients grow at different rates and will respond variously to braces, so the time until case completion may differ from the original estimate. Interceptive, or early treatment procedures, may take as few as six months.

Invisible Braces
Invisalign® uses a series of invisible, removable, and comfortable aligners to straighten your teeth. And, no one can tell you are wearing Invisalign because it’s invisible! Not only are the aligners invisible, they are removable, so you can eat and drink what you want while in treatment, plus brushing and flossing are less of a hassle. The aligners are comfortable and have no metal to cause mouth abrasions during treatment. Please visit our Invisalign page to learn more.

Early orthodontic treatment
It is in harmony with modern medical thought: It is better to prevent than to cure. The ideal age for initial orthodontic visit is when a patient is about 6 or 7 years old. The goal of the first examination is to discover any discrepancies that would worsen in time. This treatment will be followed eventually retention and reevaluation after eruption of the permanent dentition is completed. The objective of early treatment is to avoid or to simplify treatment of the permanent dentition. Problems to watch in 6-7 year olds are:
-    anterior cross bite
-    anterior open bite
-    crowding
-    protrusion

When you need to replace missing teeth, you want something as close to natural teeth as possible. Dental implants represent the state-of-the-art in dental technology, making it possible to restore your smile to its natural state. Dental implants are the only solution that replaces the entire missing tooth and preserves the supporting bone, making them the preferred choice over fixed bridges or removable dentures.

Dental implants are designed to provide a foundation for replacement teeth that look, feel, and function like natural teeth. The person who has lost teeth regains the ability to eat virtually anything and can smile with confidence, knowing that the teeth will appear natural and that facial contours will be preserved. The implants themselves are tiny titanium posts that are placed into the jawbone where teeth are missing. The bone bonds with the titanium, creating a strong foundation for artificial teeth. In addition, implants can help preserve facial structure, preventing the bone deterioration that occurs when teeth are missing.

Do not ignore a missing tooth!

Each tooth plays an important role in your oral health. Once you lose a tooth, the immediate solution is to replace it, especially if it is not a front tooth. Any missing tooth can have a negative impact on your quality of life, as well as dental and oral health. When we chew, a healthy tooth strengthens the quality of the bone; similar to how exercise protects against bone loss, affecting how our upper and lower teeth meet.

This may affect how we place pressure on the teeth when chewing, and have an impact on surrounding muscles and joints, resulting in pain and various other symptoms such as headaches or migraines. Hence, each tooth plays an important role in ensuring that teeth in front of and behind it stay in alignment, and maintaining the health of the jaw bone.

Dental implants offer you many advantages

Dental implants are accepted by dental professionals for over 40 years, as a successful and trusted method of tooth replacement used today, act like your natural tooth root. You do not feel the difference.

Implants are made of bio-compatible materials. As a result, they are accepted by your body. Your implant can actually last a lifetime with proper care and good oral hygiene. They are also minimally invasive; your adjacent healthy teeth are untouched. Unlike conventional bridges, there is no need to grind down adjacent natural teeth. They help maintain natural bone, and minimize further bone loss due to bone stimulation – one of their most important advantages. Implants also provide stability and comfort, with no adjustment necessary after placement.

Invisalign takes a modern approach to straightening teeth, using a custom-made series of aligners created for you and only you. These aligner trays are made of smooth, comfortable and virtually invisible plastic that you simply wear over your teeth. Wearing the aligners will gradually and gently shift your teeth into place, based on the exact movements your dentist plans out for you. There are no metal brackets to attach and no wires to tighten. You simply pop in a new set of aligners approximately every two weeks, until your treatment is complete and you achieve the confident smile that you’ve always wanted. The best part about the whole process is that most people won’t even know you’re straightening your teeth.

What are Invisalign Invisible Braces?

Invisalign is a system of straightening teeth without the use of conventional braces. A series of clear plastic aligners are utilized to create tooth movement. Invisalign uses a series of clear aligners that are custom-molded to fit you. The virtually invisible aligners gradually reposition your teeth into a smile you’ll be proud of. Some advantages of Invisalign braces over regular braces:

•    You can remove your aligners to eat, brush, and floss
•    You can change aligners every two weeks (for freshness)
•    Your teeth will adjust little by little
•    You have regular progress checks with your dentist/orthodontist
•    You often get great results in just 12 months

Why Invisalign?

The convenience and ease of use of the Invisalign system have made it the choice of over half a million people. In fact, Invisalign has been effective in giving hundreds of thousands of people amazing new smiles.

•    Most people won’t notice you are in treatment
•    Won’t disrupt you’re lifestyle
•    No metal wires or bands to irritate your mouth

Developed by internationally renowned cosmetic dentist and bleaching expert Dr. Rod Kurthy, the KöR Whitening Deep Bleaching™ System is considered to be the most reliable and effective bleaching system ever developed.

So, if you’re too embarrassed to smile, have dark-stained teeth, or just simply want a whiter smile, the superiority of KöR Whitening is just what you need.

•    Beautiful, healthy and natural looking white result
•    Effective even on tetracycline-stained (dark) teeth
•    Low to no sensitivity
•    Comfortable, easy process
•    No need to give up coffee, tea, or red wine
•    Permanent results – white teeth for your lifetime!
•    Entirely safe for teeth and gums
•    Perfect for ages 14 – 90

KöR® Whitening Deep Bleaching™ is the most effective whitening system in the world today. KöR Whitening is the only system recognized to significantly whiten even difficult tetracycline stained teeth within a short time.

KöR Whitening is available for at-home only whitening, and Deep Bleaching system which includes one or two in-office whitening visits and at-home whitening.
Most dentists providing teeth whitening have found frustration after frustration, in terms of predictability, effectiveness, longevity of effect and complaints of sensitivity by patients. Dentists who have whitened the teeth of teenagers have found that the teeth routinely become white very quickly, whereas the teeth of geriatric patients are seemingly impossible to whiten well.

Over years stains from foods become intrinsic within the teeth, working their way deeply into the microstructure of the enamel rod complex. The space among the enamel rods becomes solidly packed with stain debris, preventing peroxide byproducts from penetrating the microstructure of the tooth. The result is minimal and unpredictable results.
Clinical Research Associates (CRA) as well as other researchers have found that whitening gel in conventional whitening trays is only strongly active for 25-35 minutes. This is due to rapid contamination of the whitening gel by saliva.

Both saliva and sulcular fluid contain an abundance of the anti-oxidant enzyme peroxidase. When filling a set of upper and lower whitening trays with whitening gel, approximately 6.5mg of peroxide is placed in the trays. Saliva is capable of destroying a full 29mg of peroxide per minute! It takes very little contamination of the whitening gel in the trays by saliva to destroy whitening gel on contact.

KöR Whitening Deep Bleaching™ Trays seal both saliva and sulcular fluid out of the whitening trays. Deep Bleaching Trays in combination with KöR® Whitening gels provide a full 6+ HOURS of whitening activity compared to the typical 25-35 minutes.

The result is a thorough cleansing out of debris from between enamel rods, rejuvenating the enamel, more closely resembling that of a young person, and of course amazing whiteness.

This is just the start of Deep Bleaching. A final in-office whitening session with more concentrated peroxide results in the ability of the peroxide byproducts to actually flood into the now refreshed microstructure of the teeth, finishing the degradation of any remaining stubborn stains, providing the most WOW result you have ever seen.

Of course there is much more to KöR® Whitening Deep Bleaching™, including the various whitening gels specifically designed with the exact physical properties to work best with his Deep Bleaching protocol, constant refrigeration of the entire KöR line of whitening products from the instant of manufacture until received by the dental practice, and the most effective anti-sensitivity approach ever seen.

Why Do I Need A Filling?

A filling is necessary to treat your cavity because if left untreated the decay will eventually grow and will enter into your nerve canal. And yes, this can be as painful as it sounds. It can also lead to more serious problems such as infection or abscess.

A filling may also be needed to replace or repair an old worn down existing filling or to fix a chipped tooth. In addition to potential pain and discomfort and possible tooth loss, if you wait to have your cavity filled it may end up requiring a more difficult process, such as a root canal, to save your tooth. And it could also cost you a lot more money to fix. We recommend you should get your cavity filled as soon as you can.

What Is A Cavity? Why Did I Get One?

Cavities, as their name implies, are essentially holes in your teeth caused by decay. You can sometimes spot a cavity, as the area surrounding the hole generally looks dark brown or gray.

The main culprits to blame for your cavity are certain types of bacteria in your mouth. These bacteria are contained in plaque and they interact with the carbohydrates and sugars in your food creating an acidic environment that dissolves the protective enamel on the outer layer of your tooth. Once the acid succeeds in eroding the enamel, your tooth is exposed, leaving just the softer dentin layer, which will ultimately cause the formation of a cavity. At this point the decay process rapidly speeds up and spreads deeper into the tooth.

White/Tooth Color Fillings

Composite is the filling material of choice when it comes to matching your tooth color. Composite fillings consist of plastic and glass particles. They have become the most popular filling materials because they can match your existing tooth color and they also solidly bond or glue to the tooth. After the decay in your tooth has been cleaned a cleansing gel is applied. Next a bonding solution is applied, finally followed by the composite filling material. Composite is hardened by applying a high intensity blue light. It only takes a few seconds for the materials to harden. Once the tooth is filled and the composite has hardened, the filling is checked to insure the proper shape and look. At this point any necessary adjustments are made and then your filling is complete.

One of the most popular options in restorative cosmetic dentistry today are veneers. Veneers are made of thin, durable porcelain material and can provide natural looking, long lasting results. Veneers recreate your smile by concealing damage or defects on the fronts and sides of your teeth. Veneers can correct the appearance of stains, chips, breaks and cracks, oddly shaped or permanently discolored teeth and unsightly fillings.

Why Veneers?

Veneers are routinely used to fix:

•    Teeth that are discolored, due to:
1.    Dark natural tooth color
2.    Trauma or other event: tooth injured, root canal treatment, stains from tetracycline or other drugs, excessive fluoride present in a child’s diet, etc.
•    Teeth that are worn down from grinding (bruxism).
•    Teeth that are chipped or broken.
•    Teeth that are misaligned, uneven, or irregularly shaped.
•    Teeth with gaps between them.

What are Dental Crowns and Tooth Bridges?

Both crowns and most bridges are fixed prosthetic devices. Unlike removable devices such as dentures, which you can take out and clean daily, crowns and bridges are cemented onto existing teeth or implants, and can only be removed by a dentist.

How do Crowns Work?

A crown is used to entirely cover or “cap” a damaged tooth. Besides strengthening a damaged tooth, a crown can be used to improve its appearance, shape or alignment. A crown can also be placed on top of an implant to provide a tooth-like shape and structure for function. Porcelain or ceramic crowns can be matched to the color of your natural teeth. Other materials include gold and metal alloys, acrylic and ceramic. Porcelain bonded to a metal shell is often used because it is both strong and attractive. A crown may be recommended to:

•    Replace a large filling when there isn’t enough tooth remaining
•    Protect a weak tooth from fracturing
•    Restore a fractured tooth
•    Attach a bridge
•    Cover a dental implant
•    Cover a discolored or poorly shaped tooth
•    Cover a tooth that has had root canal treatment

How do Bridges Work?

A bridge may be recommended if you’re missing one or more teeth. Gaps left by missing teeth eventually cause the remaining teeth to rotate or shift into the empty spaces, resulting in a bad bite. The imbalance caused by missing teeth can also lead to gum disease and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders. Bridges are commonly used to replace one or more missing teeth. They span the space where the teeth are missing. Bridges are cemented to the natural teeth or implants surrounding the empty space. These teeth, called abutments, serve as anchors for the bridge. A replacement tooth, called a pontic, is attached to the crowns that cover the abutments. As with crowns, you have a choice of materials for bridges. Your dentist can help you decide which to use, based on the location of the missing tooth (or teeth), its function, aesthetic considerations and cost. Porcelain or ceramic bridges will be matched to the color of your natural teeth.

What is a Root Canal?

A root canal is a treatment used to repair and save a tooth that is badly decayed or becomes infected. During a root canal procedure, the nerve and pulp are removed and the inside of the tooth is cleaned and sealed. Without treatment, the tissue surrounding the tooth will become infected and abscesses may form. “Root canal” is the term used to describe the natural cavity within the center of the tooth. The pulp or pulp chamber is the soft area within the root canal. The tooth’s nerve lies within the root canal. A tooth’s nerve is not vitally important to a tooth’s health and function after the tooth has emerged through the gums. Its only function is sensory — to provide the sensation of hot or cold. The presence or absence of a nerve will not affect the day-to-day functioning of the tooth. A tooth’s nerve and pulp can become irritated, inflamed, and infected due to deep decay, repeated dental procedures on a tooth, and/or large fillings, a crack or chip in the tooth, or trauma to the face.

What Are the Signs That a Root Canal Is Needed?

Sometimes no symptoms are present; however, signs you may need a root canal include:

•    Severe toothache pain upon chewing or application of pressure
•    Prolonged sensitivity/pain to heat or cold temperatures (after the hot or cold has been removed)
•    Discoloration (a darkening) of the tooth
•    Swelling and tenderness in the nearby gums
•    A persistent or recurring pimple on the gums

A tooth that is severely damaged may need to be removed. Extractions are performed for a wide variety of reasons, including tooth decay that has destroyed enough tooth structure to render the tooth non-restorable. Extractions of impacted or problematic wisdom teeth are routinely performed, as are extractions of some permanent teeth to make space for orthodontic treatment.

We will do everything we can to reduce your stress and anxiety so that your tooth removal is as quick and simple as possible. After the tooth has been removed, it’s always best to replace the gap it creates with dental bridge work or a dental implant. Not only does this permit normal eating, chewing, and smiling, it eliminates an ugly gap into which the other teeth may drift. This movement of teeth can create nooks and crannies that can harbor bacteria, trap food, and lead to disease.