Menu
Over time our teeth begin to weaken and become more susceptible to problems such as decay, cracks, discoloration and others. If you feel your smile isn’t what it once was, crowns can help you recover your smile. If your dentist notices that a tooth is decayed or seems weakened/cracked a crown may be necessary to make sure that there are no additional problems with the tooth. In cases like this a filling or bonding will not be sufficient.
Crowns can be made from porcelain, porcelain fused to metal, or a full gold crown. To maintain a natural look and feel a porcelain finished crown is best, as it can be matched to the shade of your other teeth. This will allow it to blend in and appear just like one of your natural teeth.
The process of installing a crown takes 2-3 visits to the dentist. On the first visit the tooth will be reshaped by filing down the enamel so that the crown can be placed over it. You will be given a local anesthetic before this part of the procedure so that you do not experience any discomfort. Once the tooth has been reshaped, a mold will be taken of that tooth and the surrounding teeth. This mold will be sent to a dental lab so that your new crown can be made so that it fits in the spot created for it and looks the same relative to the surrounding teeth. Before leaving, your dentist will fit you with a temporary crown until your permanent crown is ready.
The crown takes about 2-3 weeks to be returned to your dentist. At this time you will have another appointment to place and fit the permanent crown. You will again have a local anesthetic to numb the area and the tooth will be placed using a cement to ensure the tooth sets in place. When you look in the mirror, you will see your old smile back. Crowns are durable and will usually last about 10-15 years. You should care for it as you would any of your other teeth with regular brushing and flossing. Call us today if you would like to learn more about how crowns can help restore your smile.
Dental bridges are a great way to replace missing teeth. Your existing teeth are used to literally create a bridge to cross the area where your tooth is missing. Bridges are made from gold, metal, alloys, or porcelain to ensure that they are strong and durable.
The process of creating a bridge begins by creating abutments out of your existing teeth where the bridge will be attached. The existing teeth are recontoured to provide a base for the bridge. After the abutments have been created, a mold is taken of the area which is sent to a dental lab. The lab is able to use the mold to create a bridge that will fit properly and feel as close to your natural teeth as possible. The bridge consists of two crowns on either end to place on the abutments and a pontic, which is the new tooth that replaces your missing tooth.
We will fit you with a temporary bridge while we wait for the lab to craft your permanent bridge. This will protect the abutments and the exposed gum areas and look more appealing than having a missing tooth. When the permanent bridge has been created, you will have a follow up visit to set the bridge. It will be placed on the abutments and the dentist will then use an adhesive to make sure that the bridge is set.
The bridge may take a little while to get used to, but after a few days it should feel like you have your own teeth back again. You should eat soft foods for the first few days after having your bridge placed. After the initial phase, you will be able to eat whatever you want with no issues.
If you are missing a tooth you should strongly consider having it replaced. Besides the aesthetic disadvantage of missing a tooth, it could also cause structural changes to your mouth and jaw, as well as making it difficult to eat or speak properly. Set up an appointment today to restore your smile.
“Root canal” has become a scary term for dental patients to hear, but the benefits of the procedure and advances in dental technology have made it much less “scary”. Local anesthetics and proper pain medication allow the procedure to be performed with little to no pain in most cases. There may be some soreness following the procedure, but that is normal for most dental procedures. Over the counter painkillers are usually enough to relieve any pain afterwards, but your dentist may prescribe medication. The procedure will also relieve you from pain caused by the infection allowing you to enjoy all the foods you love without any pain from heat, cold, or biting too har
Endodontics, more commonly known as root canal therapy or a root canal procedure, can relieve the pain caused by diseased or injured pulp tissue in the center of the tooth.
Historically, a tooth with a diseased nerve would be removed immediately, but endodontists are now able to save the natural tooth in most cases with root canals. Root canals involve extracting the inner tooth structures, then sealing the resulting gap with a crown, restoring health and functionality to damaged teeth.
After a well-performed root canal treatment, you should have no lasting pain or sensitivity in the tooth and with good oral hygiene, and the tooth should last for years. With most patients, we use local anesthetics that will make your treatment as comfortable and pain free as possible.
Endodontic treatment is necessary when the soft tissue inside the root canal becomes inflamed or infected. If this inflammation or infection is left untreated, it can cause pain and eventually lead to an abscess.
Signs and symptoms of endodontic problems include:
On the day of the procedure a local anesthetic will be typically be administered, unless you and your dentist have discussed other options.
The first step in a root canal procedure is to gain access to the inner tooth. If a temporary crown and post have been placed, these will be removed.
Next, filling material and obstructions that block the root canals will be removed. Small instruments will then be used to clean and reshape the root canals. X-rays may be taken to ensure that the roots are thoroughly clean.
When the root canals are completely clean, gutta-percha is used to pack the space. This rubbery material seals the canals to prevent bacterial invasion. Finally, a temporary crown or filling is applied to tooth. At a later date, the color-matched permanent crown will replace the temporary crown.
If you are experiencing discomfort or tooth pain, please make an appointment as soon as possible.
Snap-On Smile is a great product for those looking to makeover their smile without undergoing extensive dental procedures. It works exactly like it sounds, a new set of “teeth” are created that are placed over your current teeth by snapping them in place. You can have a beautiful new smile in just two quick and painless visits to our office.
Snap-On Smile is a great option for patients with stained, chipped, cracked, crooked, or missing teeth. On your first visit with us you will pick the shade and style of your smile. We will then take an impression of your teeth so the Snap-On Smile can be properly fitted. The Snap-On Smile is then made with a light, durable resin to create a strong yet thin set of snap on teeth. In about three weeks you will return for your next visit where your new smile will be waiting! The Snap-On Smile will be placed onto your current teeth and you will leave the office with a bright new smile. No drilling, no extractions, no whitening chemicals are necessary – the whole process is quick, easy, and painless.
Your friends and family will be amazed by your transformation. You will be able to eat and drink with your Snap-On Smile, and caring for it is very easy. We will supply you with a cleaning solution during your final appointment. It can also be easily removed to clean your natural teeth, to participate in sporting events, or before you go to sleep. With proper care your Snap-On Smile can last from 3-5 years. If you have any questions about Snap-On Smile or would like to schedule a consultation please give our office a call. Remember, you are only two short, painless visits away from a beautiful new smile.
Keeping our teeth their whitest is a lot harder than it sounds. With all the coffee, wine, smoking and other foods that have the ability to stain our teeth on a daily basis, even proper maintenance sometimes leaves them a little lackluster. Teeth whitening is an excellent way to restore the natural color of your teeth or even make them whiter than your natural color if you would like.
To accomplish the whitening of your teeth, we utilize a tray whitening system. This tray whitening system is completed in 2 steps. The first step is to make an impression of your teeth. With this impression, we’ll craft you custom whitening trays that you can use over and over. Finally, you will take the whitening gel and put it in the gel for a short period of time over a period of a few days. This often results in a whiter smile of 4 – 8 shades!
Keeping our teeth their whitest is a lot harder than it sounds. With all the coffee, wine, smoking and other foods that have the ability to stain our teeth on a daily basis, even proper maintenance sometimes leaves them a little lackluster. Teeth whitening is an excellent way to restore the natural color of your teeth or even make them whiter than your natural color if you would like.
To accomplish the whitening of your teeth, we utilize a product called ZOOM!. ZOOM! is a chairside whitening procedure that uses a safe whitening gel and a low intensity light to activate the gel. This combination allows us to provide you with teeth that are 6-10 shades whiter in about an hour!
Please contact us today to see if you are a candidate for this type of whitening.
Veneers are an excellent way to redesign and reshape your entire mouth. Veneers are a very thin ceramic shell that covers your existing tooth structure. In placing these new veneers on your teeth, you are able to fix the look of issues such as staining, cracked teeth, spaces, misaligned teeth, chipped teeth and many other issues.
In terms of the process to place veneers, it is a process that takes approximately two to three visits. In the first visit, we will discuss the new shape and look of what we are going to accomplish by placing the veneers. Once we have put a plan in place, we will carefully prepare the teeth for the placement of the new veneers. As we complete this piece of the process, the next step is to take an impression of the newly prepared teeth. This impression will be sent to our laboratory for the final product to be fabricated. We only utilize the highest standard laboratory for fabrication of all of our work. This process at the laboratory takes between 10-14 days. While the new veneers are being fabricated at the lab, we will provide you with a beautiful temporary solution to wear for this time.
As the veneers are finalized, we will make every effort to make sure that your new veneers will feel just like your natural teeth. We will bond them into place ensuring that you can enjoy your new smile for a very long time!
Osstell specializes in instruments for analyzing dental implant stability. The company’s latest product, Osstell ISQ, measures the stability of implants in an objective, non-invasive manner using the universal ISQ scale (Implant Stability Quotient). The ISQ values help dentists determine the optimal time to load each implant. Also, by detecting decreasing stability, Osstell ISQ can help prevent failure caused by premature loading. For more information please, go to our website www.osstell.com.
Dental implants are a permanent and appealing solution to replace missing or extracted teeth. They are better than other alternatives like bridges because no additional teeth need to be altered to place the new tooth.
Advantages of dental implants include:
The entire implant process is performed over the course of several months. The first part of the process is to install the implant itself, where a screw is placed into the jaw bone. A small incision is made in the gum so that the implant can be inserted. Multiple implants can be placed at once if necessary. After the implants are placed the gums are sutured.
The implant must be allowed about 3-6 months to heal, and during this time the jaw bone will form around the implant in a process called osseointegration. During this healing time, you may have temporary crowns installed so that you can eat and speak normally and maintain a proper aesthetic appearance for your smile.
After the implant has healed it is time to place an abutment on the implant. The abutment serves as the base for your new tooth. Once this is placed, an impression of the abutment is taken and is used to create your permanent restoration. After the restoration is completed, you’ll return to the office to have the restoration permanently attached. Your smile will look just like it used to, and after a short period of getting used to the implant it will feel just like one of your own natural teeth.
The dentist will also go over instructions to help care for your new implant and crown.
Are you in need of dental implants? Call our office today for a consult.
In our Reno dental office, our warm and caring team works to ensure you receive the highest level of service and our dental work is of the highest quality. To ensure that you maintain great oral health, this level of quality needs also depends on your personal oral hygiene routine at home. We’re happy to help you establish a dental hygiene routine that will keep your teeth healthy and white. If you have any questions about your current hygiene plan, please ask us.
Your teeth are not the only important part of your mouth. Your gums are essential to oral hygiene as well. We can provide periodontal cleanings and treatment, or refer you to one of our recommended specialists.
Preventive dentistry procedures include the most basic services and advanced technological innovations. These procedures can include:
A comprehensive dental exam will be performed by the dentist at your initial dental visit. Part of your ongoing care includes regular check-up exams where your dentist and hygienist will perform the following:
Simply known as teeth cleaning, these are usually performed by Registered Dental Hygienists. Your cleaning appointment will include a dental exam and the following:
Depending on the severity of tartar building and plaque, you may need what is known as a “deep teeth cleaning” or scaling and root planing. Deep cleanings are used when there is a large amount of tartar and bacteria under the gums.
Other treatments that fall under preventive dentistry include:
Taking preventative steps with your oral hygiene and keeping up to date with your dental visits help avoid serious and costly dental problems, and is the key to having a healthy, confident, beautiful smile.
Schedule an appointment today to get your initial comprehensive exam and teeth cleaning.
If you ever get nervous just thinking about going to the dentist, you’re not alone. Dental anxiety and fear of going to the dentist is very common. It has been estimated that 9% to 15% of Americans avoid seeing the dentist because of anxiety and fear. Some factors that contribute to this may that you’re scared the visit might hurt, you have medical conditions that cause more pain or discomfort, or you haven’t been in a while and not sure what the dentist will find.
Has dental anxiety made you put off getting the dental care you need for years? What if you could finally receive all of the treatment while relaxed and at ease?
We offer different types of sedation dentistry that enable us to treat people with dental phobias and anxieties.
Which sedation option is best for you depends on the needs of the patient. Our doctors will go over each option with you and walk you through what is best for your specific needs.