Preventive Dental Care helps you maintain a healthy mouth, reducing the need for dental intervention or restorative care.
Dental Exam and Cleaning
You don’t have to floss all your teeth, just the ones you want to keep! Remember, be true to your teeth or they will be false to you. The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends annual dental check-ups, professional cleanings, and daily brushing and flossing to prevent common issues like cavities and gum disease. These measures go a long way toward preventing cavities and more serious dental problems, such as gingivitis and gum disease that can lead to tooth loss.
Tooth decay and gum disease are the leading causes of tooth loss, but they can be prevented through proper dental care. Our team of skilled dentists and hygienists will work with you to maintain your oral health. Regular exams help catch issues early, reducing the need for more extensive treatments like fillings, extractions, or root canals. We also screen for oral cancer during routine visits, ensuring comprehensive care for our patients.
A course of treatment may be recommended to get your mouth into good condition, and a maintenance plan will be worked out to help you keep it that way. Routine exams also allow dentists to screen patients for oral cancers.
Dental Sealants
Dental sealants are a highly effective preventive treatment designed to protect teeth, especially molars, from cavities. Molars, with their deep grooves and uneven surfaces, can be challenging to clean thoroughly, particularly for children. Sealants act as a protective barrier, sealing off these grooves and preventing food particles, plaque, and bacteria from settling in and causing tooth decay.
Sealants are typically applied to the chewing surfaces of back teeth (molars and premolars), where cavities are most likely to form. The application process is quick, painless, and non-invasive. First, the teeth are thoroughly cleaned and dried, and then the sealant material—typically a thin, plastic coating—is painted onto the tooth’s surface. Once applied, the sealant bonds directly to the enamel and hardens, providing a protective shield.
Studies show that dental sealants can reduce the risk of cavities by 80% in the first two years and continue to offer protection for several years thereafter. While commonly used for children and teenagers who are at a higher risk of cavities, dental sealants can also benefit adults who have deep grooves or pits in their teeth that are prone to decay.
Fluoride Treatment
Fluoride is a natural mineral that plays a crucial role in protecting your teeth from decay. It works by strengthening the tooth enamel—the outer protective layer of your teeth—making it more resistant to acid attacks from plaque bacteria and sugars in your mouth. Regular exposure to fluoride helps to reverse early signs of decay before they become more serious cavities, ensuring your teeth stay strong and healthy.
Fluoride treatments are especially important for those who are at a higher risk of developing cavities, including children and adults who do not get enough fluoride through their drinking water or toothpaste. During a fluoride treatment, a highly concentrated fluoride solution is applied to the teeth in the form of a gel, foam, or varnish. This simple, painless process takes only a few minutes and provides lasting protection against tooth decay.
Treatment of Gingivitis
Gingivitis is an inflammation of the gums surrounding the teeth. Gingivitis is one of many periodontal diseases that affect the health of the periodontium (those tissues that surround the teeth and include the gums, soft tissues, and bone).
Periodontal diseases are often classified according to their severity. They range from mild gingivitis, to more severe periodontitis, and finally acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis, which can be life threatening. Bacteria can cause inflammation of the gums. Although bacteria are normally found in our bodies and provide protective effects most of the time, bacteria can be harmful.
The mouth is a great place for bacteria to live. The warm, moist environment and constant food supply are everything bacteria need to thrive. If not for a healthy immune system, bacteria in the mouth would rapidly reproduce out of control overwhelming the body’s defense system. An infection begins when the body’s immune system is overwhelmed. Gingivitis is an infection that occurs when bacteria invade soft tissues, bone, and other places that bacteria should not be. At the moment of infection, bacteria no longer help us, they begin to harm us. Infections, like other diseases, range from mild to severe or life threatening.
Pain in your teeth, mouth and gums are usually signals that something isn’t quite right.
Our dentists assess your oral health and, when needed, help restore your teeth to keep your mouth healthy and functional.
Fillings
A dental filling is a common restorative procedure used to repair teeth damaged by decay, cracks, or fractures. When a cavity forms, your dentist will remove the decayed portion of the tooth and clean the affected area. The empty space is then filled with materials like composite resin, silver amalgam, gold, or porcelain, restoring the tooth’s structure and function. Fillings not only protect your teeth from further decay but also strengthen them for everyday use.
Fillings can also be used to fix teeth that have been worn down by bruxism (teeth grinding) or other habits like nail-biting. Modern tooth-colored fillings are designed to blend seamlessly with your natural teeth, making them an aesthetically pleasing option for front and back teeth alike.
Dental Bridges
Dental bridges literally bridge the gap created by one or more missing teeth. Bridges consist of two or more crowns—one for each of the abutment teeth on either side of the gap—and one or more false teeth, known as pontics, in between. Pontics are typically made from porcelain, gold, or a combination of materials, and they function like natural teeth in both appearance and function.
Bridges help restore your ability to chew and speak properly while maintaining the shape of your face. They also prevent your remaining teeth from shifting out of place, which can cause bite misalignment or lead to other oral health issues. A dental bridge is a long-lasting, durable solution for a complete, healthy smile.
Dentures
Complete dentures are a removable solution for individuals who have lost all their teeth in either the upper or lower jaw. Dentures are custom-made to fit comfortably in your mouth, and they restore both the aesthetic appearance of your smile and the functional ability to chew and speak.
Modern dentures are designed to look as natural as possible, and they are made from durable materials that allow for easy maintenance and long-term wear. Regular dental visits are essential for adjusting the fit of your dentures over time to ensure continued comfort and performance.
Partial Dentures
A partial denture is a removable appliance that replaces missing teeth. It is held in place by your existing teeth. It is important that these teeth be healthy in order to support your partial; often they may need treatment prior to making the partial. A partial can restore aesthetics and function to your mouth. With the loss of your teeth you may find it more difficult to chew as well as you used to. The partial can give you back much of this function, though not as much as natural teeth. A partial can also help stabilize your remaining teeth. This stabilization can minimize tooth drift, bite changes, and periodontal problems.
Root Canal Therapy
Root canal therapy is a vital procedure for saving teeth that have been severely damaged by decay or infection. When the pulp—the soft tissue inside the tooth—becomes infected or inflamed, it can lead to severe pain or an abscess. A root canal involves removing the infected pulp, cleaning and disinfecting the inside of the tooth, and then sealing it to prevent further infection.
This treatment not only relieves pain but also prevents the need for extraction, helping you preserve your natural tooth. After a root canal, the tooth is usually restored with a dental crown to provide additional protection and function.
Dental Crowns
A dental crown is a versatile solution for restoring a tooth that is severely decayed, broken, or worn down. Crowns are custom-made to fit over the existing tooth structure, providing strength, durability, and an improved appearance. They can be made from a variety of materials, including porcelain, metal, or porcelain fused to metal, depending on the tooth's location and your aesthetic preferences.
Crowns not only restore the tooth’s shape and size but also help strengthen it to prevent further damage. They are also commonly used after a root canal to provide long-term protection for the treated tooth. In addition to functional benefits, crowns can enhance the appearance of discolored or misshapen teeth, offering a complete smile makeover.
Dental Implants
Dental implants are the most advanced and durable option for replacing missing teeth. Implants consist of a titanium post that is surgically placed in the jawbone, acting as a root replacement for the missing tooth. Once the post has fused with the bone, a custom-made crown is attached, mimicking the appearance and function of a natural tooth.
Implants not only restore the ability to chew and speak comfortably but also preserve the bone structure of the jaw, preventing bone loss and maintaining the integrity of your facial structure. Whether you’re missing a single tooth or multiple teeth, dental implants offer a long-term, natural-looking solution that can last a lifetime with proper care.
Everyone wants that perfect smile and yet almost no one develops perfect teeth. Poor hygiene or lack of preventive care can harm your smile.
Cosmetic dentistry helps create & restore a beautiful smile while preventing long-term damage to your teeth and gums.
Teeth Whitening
Tooth whitening can be performed to reduce discoloration and staining, or simply to correct discoloration of the teeth by removing the brown and yellow staining. The term “teeth whitening” can refer to a number of techniques to improve the brightness of the patient’s teeth. Among them are chemical whitening, mild acid whitening, abrasive teeth brightening and the newest technique, laser teeth whitening.
Your teeth are not all naturally the same color. The goal of teeth whitening is to achieve each tooth's optimum whiteness and uniformity of color while still looking natural. During your first consultation for tooth whitening, your dentist will go over what you can personally expect for your smile.
Dental Bonding
The dental bonding procedure utilizes a composite resin to restore chipped or broken teeth, fill in gaps, and reshape or recolor your smile.
Porcelain Veneers
Porcelain veneers are ultra-thin shells of ceramic material, which are bonded to the front of teeth. This procedure requires little or no anesthesia, and can be the ideal choice for improving the appearance of the front teeth. Porcelain veneers can mask undesirable defects like teeth staining from tetracycline, injury, or root-canals. This is an ideal method for masking discolored fillings in the front teeth. Highly resistant to permanent staining from coffee, tea, or even cigarette smoking, the wafer-thin porcelain veneers can achieve a tenacious bond to the tooth, resulting in an aesthetically pleasing naturalness that is unsurpassed by other restorative options. We offer and recommend Lumineers ™ for most patients. Lumineers are thinner and stronger than other forms of veneers and do not require drilling.
Dental Implant Technology
Implants are very durable and will last many years. They require the same “maintenance” as real teeth, including brushing, flossing and regular dental check-ups. Dental implants can help restore almost anyone’s smile even if natural teeth have been lost to injury or disease.
A very common reason people consider implants is because a sliding lower denture makes chewing and talking difficult. Implants can also replace individual teeth and partial bridges in the upper and lower jaws. The majority of patients treated with dental implants experience a significant improvement in their ability to chew food and feel more comfortable.
Dental implants are permanent fixtures of titanium posts anchored to the jawbone and topped with individual replacement teeth or a bridge that screws or cements into the posts. Implant technology and materials used today in the United States were developed more than 30 years ago in Europe. The success rate for implants is remarkable: 98 percent for lower implants and 91 percent for upper implants.
Wisdom Tooth Extraction
Your wisdom teeth are four permanent adult teeth located at the back corners of your mouth on the top and bottom. For some, these teeth grow in without issue. However, if a wisdom tooth doesn’t have room to grow it can become impacted and result in pain, infection or other dental problems and will need to be removed to alleviate those symptoms.
Tooth Extraction
Tooth extraction is the removal of a tooth from its socket in the bone. Overcrowding, placement of braces, and teeth that are severely broken or damaged by decay and cannot be repaired may require tooth extraction.
Periodontal Disease Treatment
Periodontal disease treatment depends on the severity of the decay in your mouth. If decay has progressed, surgical treatment may be needed to restore health to the gums and bones in your mouth in order to prevent progression of the disease.
Bone Grafting
This procedure is generally performed when periodontitis has destroyed the bone surrounding your tooth root. Bone grafting uses either your own bones, donated bones or synthetic material. Bone grafting helps hold your tooth in place to prevent tooth loss. It also encourages regrowth of the natural bone.
Gingivectomy
A gingivectomy is the total removal of a portion of gingiva (gum) from in and around a tooth or teeth to treat gum disease. At Dedicated Dental, we generally use laser technology to reduce bleeding and decrease healing time. The laser is used to remove and cauterize the gum and then sutures are used to reattach the remaining gums.
Bone Growth Removal
Often called Tori Removal or Reduction. Tori are excess bone that develop in the mouth. With some these are painless growths that don’t cause any issues but with others they can cause pain and irritation, and can be removed.
A beautiful smile and a healthy mouth are critical for self-confidence. But fear and anxiety over dental procedures and cleanings are very common and often keep patients from visiting the dentist regularly. We believe your comfort during dental visits is just as important as your oral health and offer nitrous oxide (laughing gas) upon request so you can have the beautiful smile and healthy mouth you desire.
-Mary Martin