Professional Cleaning (scale & prophy)
Dental cleaning involves a scale/prophylaxis (prophy) to remove plaque and tartar deposits that accumulate on your teeth over time. The cleaning prevents bacteria from building up on the gums, which can ultimately lead to gum disease (periodontal disease). Daily brushing and flossing will keep dental calculus to a minimum but a professional cleaning at our clinic will help you remove calculus in places your toothbrush and floss have missed.
Sand blasting
Also known as “air abrasion” this relatively new procedure is used in place of drilling to remove decay from a tooth before placing a filling. Sand blasting is often preferred over drilling as it reduces noise and minimizes patient discomfort.
Extraction
An extraction, or removal, is done when the tooth can no longer be restored with either a crown or a filling due to severe decay, trauma, or disease. Extractions are also done when a tooth is causing pain or damaging the gums or other teeth. During this procedure an anesthetic is used so the patient only feels a little bit of pressure as the tooth is removed.
Extractions are also performed by our dentists on children who have advanced tooth decay in one or more of their temporary teeth or when there are spacing issues.
Gum abscess surgery
An abscess is a confined area of pus, which is usually caused by decay in the tooth. An abscess leads to swelling and can be very painful. Once the decay becomes very severe it affects the nerves and blood vessels, and the tooth becomes infected and dies.
Surgery is needed when the infection does not heal after a root canal treatment or when there is still some infection left in and around the root of the tooth. A small opening is made through the gum and bone over the apex of the root to clean out the infection.
Apical Surgery
This procedure removes infection from the tip of the root in the tooth. The infection is caused by bacterial build up on the outside of the root or in the surrounding bone. Apical surgery prevents bacterial leakage from the root-canal system into the adjoining tissues by placing a tight root-end filling following root-end resection.
Periodontics treatment
This treatment addresses periodontal disease, which is a chronic bacterial infection of the gums and underlying jawbone caused by plaque (or tartar). Daily brushing and flossing using proper techniques will help prevent most gum disease.
Gum disease may cause your gums to turn red, swell and even bleed easily. After a prolonged period, the gums will separate from the teeth causing spaces to form, and leading to deterioration of the gum tissues and bone. Left untreated, periodontitis can lead to severe pain and possible tooth loss.
Treatment options include gum surgery, laser treatments, or cleaning of the roots. If teeth are lost permanently to gum disease, dental implants or cosmetic procedures may be performe to replace them.
Root canal
A root canal procedure is performed to remove infected pulp from the inner portion of the tooth. The pulp consists of nerves and blood vessels that give life to the tooth. During the procedure, only the pulp of the tooth is removed while the tooth remains intact. The canal is the area containing the pulp, and it is cleaned and filled with a non-metallic filling material.
Dental fillings
Dental fillings are metal amalgams or composite resins used to restore teeth damaged by cavities. The dentist cleans out the decayed part of the tooth and fills the opening with an artificial material (a filling) to protect the tooth’s structure and restore the appearance and utility of the tooth.
Amalgam filling
Amalgam is a common material used to fill cavities, and is also known as a “silver” filling. Amalgam is actually a combination of metals, including silver, mercury, tin and copper. This type of filling is typically used on the rear molars, which endure the most stress when food is chewed. Amalgam fillings are normally used for large, deep cavities.
These “silver” fillings may now be safely replaced with tooth-colored restorations (onlays) thanks to new bonding technologies.
GIC filling
Glass ionomer cement (GIC) is made of acrylic and a specific type of glass material. GIC is used for fillings below the gum line and for fillings in young children. GIC releases fluoride that helps protect the tooth from future decay. GIC fillings are aesthetically appealing because of their natural tooth color.