Our skilled hygienists provide routine cleanings for removal of tarter and biofilms. They also identify potential problems and provide prevention education in proper brushing, flossing, and dental care. X-rays and an exam with the doctor are done at the time of a dental cleaning. Bitewing

x-rays that identify cavities and bone levels are recommended every six months or one year depending on your dental history.

When treating cavities, the procedure includes removing the softened material and the bacteria within. The resulting hole is then lined with a protective material and filled with a restorative material. This stops the process of further decay. There are several kinds of filling materials; amalgam

(silver), composite (white), and gold. When choosing the appropriate material for a filling, the dentist considers the different strengths of the material, what color it is, how workable it is, how long it takes to apply, how well it will wear, and how expensive it is.

A crown is a special method used to restore weak teeth. The crown surrounds and supports tooth structure which is not strong enough to support itself. The tooth is reduced and shaped around the outside and across the top so a crown can fit tightly over it. Crowns require two

or more appointments. At the first appointment, precise drilling is done, impressions are taken to make

plaster models and a temporary crown is placed. The permanent crown is fabricated in a dental laboratory through a series of complicated procedures and is then

returned to the dentist. At the second appointment, the permanent crown is tried in the mouth, checked to ensure proper health, function and aesthetics and is then cemented into place.

Root canal treatment eliminates infection, or the potential for infection, by removing damaged pulp from within the tooth and sealing the canal against bacteria.  Access to the interior of the tooth is obtained by drilling through the biting surface of back teeth and through the back of front teeth. The pulp is then removed by careful filing of the canals, using tiny metal files. The filing also shapes the canals to accept filling material. The remaining contents of the empty canals (e.g. dust from the filing, bits of pulp) are removed by washing out the canals with special liquids. This irrigation process also reaches areas inaccessible to filing. The cleaned canals are sealed with an endodontic filling material. This prevents bacteria from re-entering the space so infection is controlled.  If infection has extended into the bone, the dentist may also recommend the use of antibiotics.

In a periodontal exam the dentist is looking for signs of early gum disease. If left untreated, gum disease progresses and can result in bone loss. Advanced gum disease, called periodontitis (or pyorrhea),

is often diagnosed by x-rays and probing which show the amount of bone loss already suffered. Bone loss can be measured because there are spaces (pockets) which occur naturally between the teeth and gums. Normally these spaces are only one to three millimeters deep. Pockets which are greater than five millimeters deep usually indicate advanced periodontal disease and probable bone loss.

Implants, usually made of titanium metal similar to that used in pins to join fractured bones, are permanent replacements for missing teeth. Part of the implant acts as the root of a tooth and supports a section which extends above the gum upon which

replacement teeth may be fixed. There are

different types of implants so procedures will vary. Bone integration implants (osteointegrated) are done in stages. The first stage inserts implants directly into the

jawbone below the level of the gums. The gums are closed and healing takes place over many months. The bone actually heals

to the implant on a microscopic level. In the second stage, access to the implants is attained through small incisions in the gums. Sections which extend above