Primary teeth or "baby teeth" are important because they determine your child's future dental health. Establishing good oral hygiene and nutritional habits early are important
We offer a wide range of services for children. Preventive care is important. Children should first be seen at 18 months to 2 years old. The first visit is designed to get your child comfortable with our office. The first visit is usually limited unless specific problems need to be addressed. After age 3, regular, biannual visits are important to maintain your child's oral health. We emphasize proper brushing and good nutrition to keep your child's mouth disease free. Fluoride treatments are given in our office to strengthen your child's teeth. Radiographs, or dental x-rays, are taken to detect the presence of decay between the teeth.
For many years, however, dental implants have increasingly been used to replace single or multiple missing teeth and to stabilize dentures.
BRIDGES
A bridge is a restoration that "bridges" the space where a tooth is missing. A bridge is similar to a crown in that it is cemented into place. A bridge can be placed over natural teeth or over implants
(see implants).
A bridge helps maintain space and helps support your facial structures. Losing a tooth and not replacing it will cause other teeth to shift and can cause your face to look sunken and sagging.
Like crowns, bridges can be made from gold, porcelain fused to metal or in some select cases, porcelain only.
REMOVABLE PARTIAL DENTURES
Removable partial dentures, or partials, can also be fabricated to replace missing teeth. While a partial can be made to replace only one tooth, this is usually not the desired long-term treatment for single tooth replacement. Partials are usually fabricated to replace multiple missing teeth, either front or back teeth.
COMPLETE DENTURES
Complete dentures are fabricated to replace a full set of teeth. A conventional denture can be made for a person already missing all of his or her teeth. An immediate denture can be made for someone who does not want to go without teeth. In this case, the denture is fabricated, the teeth are then extracted and the denture is placed the same day.
Achieving stability with a complete denture is sometimes a problem. In those cases, implants can be placed that have abutments or a bar that the denture hooks into (see implants).
IMPLANTS
Bridges, partials, and dentures are no longer the only options for replacing missing teeth. Dental implants can offer a patient a much more comfortable, natural feeling dentition. Dental implants are surgically placed below the gums and over time they fuse to the bone. Once this is accomplished, the implants are uncovered and are ready to be restored. Implants can be used to replace single teeth and then restored with a crown, or they can be used to replace multiple teeth and restored with a bridge. Implants can also be placed to help stabilize partials or dentures.
EXAMS
Regular dental exams are an important part of your dental health regimen for many reasons:
PERIODONTAL SERVICES
Your regular "check-up" or "cleaning" is much more important than those terms imply. Three out of four adults will be affected by periodontal disease at some point in their lives. A routine "cleaning" twice a year along with good daily oral hygiene can keep your gums healthy for a lifetime. For those who are already afflicted with periodontal disease, after diagnosis, appropriate treatment can be prescribed. This treatment may include a "deep cleaning", called scaling and root planing, gum or bone surgery or the use of antibiotics or antimicrobials.
FLUORIDE
Fluoride is found in many foods, rinses, toothpastes, and water supplies. Some patients may require additional fluoride to fight tooth decay. This may involve the use of a high fluoride toothpaste at home or a topical application of fluoride in our office.
SENSITIVITY RELIEF
Teeth can be sensitive for a variety of reasons: cavities, cracked teeth, worn enamel. In the case of mild sensitivity due to worn enamel, a desensitizing toothpaste may be recommended. For more severe sensitivity, sensitive teeth may be "sealed" to prevent the sensitivity.
SEALANTS
Dental sealants are tooth colored coatings applied to the chewing surfaces of back teeth. Sealants keep plaque and food out of the pits and grooves of teeth, reducing the risk of decay. Sealants are an inexpensive way to protect your child's teeth from decay and they only take a few minutes to apply.
ATHLETIC MOUTHGUARDS
Contact sports can be harmful to your teeth. A tooth can be fractured, avulsed (knocked out) or can eventually die from a direct blow. These injuries can be significantly reduced with the use of a mouthguard. Custom-made mouthguards provide the maximum protection and are the most comfortable to wear. Children with protruding teeth are at higher risk for injury. Children participating in any contact sport should be fitted with some form of mouthguard.
NIGHTGUARDS
Many people suffer from daily stresses. In some people, these stresses contribute to wear and tear on their teeth in the form of clenching and grinding. Many people are unaware that they are wearing down the chewing surfaces of their teeth or the chewing surfaces of their fillings or crowns. A soft acrylic guard can be worn at night or during periods of intense concentration to help eliminate the wear on your teeth.
TMJ SPLINTS
The temporomandibular joint, or TMJ, can become inflamed or the muscles connected to this joint can become sore due to injury or overuse. In some cases, a soft appliance can be used short-term to alleviate the stress on the muscles and the TMJ. For more severe TMJ problems, a hard acrylic splint may need to be worn or a specialist may need to be seen for additional treatment.