Family Dentistry

Cleanings & Exams

Professional dental cleaning and examinations may seem redundant when you brush and floss properly at home, but they are crucial to your oral health. Recommended every six months for patients of every age, these appointments give our team the opportunity to monitor your smile health, take notice of any changes or issues, and keep your teeth and gums in great shape!

• During a dental cleaning, we will brush, floss, and polish your smile. We will also use special tools to remove plaque and tartar from your teeth – plaque can generally be easy to remove with a toothbrush, but once it hardens into tartar, only a dental care professional can remove it safely. Many high-risk areas for tartar include behind the teeth, between the teeth, and along the gum line.
• Once your teeth are sparkling clean, we will conduct a full examination of your mouth. This will include taking x-rays, as well as visually inspecting your teeth, gums, and other oral tissues. If we notice any issues, we will explain to you exactly what they are and recommend treatment options to better your health.

Sealants

The application of dental sealants is a preventative service that we most commonly use on children who are just learning to brush their teeth. We will also use this option for adults who are prone to cavities, possess weakened enamel, or have deep fissures on the surface of their molars.

Dental sealants are applied between the crevices and grooves on the molar teeth (back teeth) to act as a barrier between the tooth surface and food debris or bacteria. Once set in place, sealants can work for up to 10 years.

• To begin this process, the tooth surface is thoroughly cleaned and dried.
• An appropriate amount of liquid sealant material is carefully applied to the tooth surface, covering the vulnerable areas.
• The sealant will take a few minutes to dry and harden under an LED light.
• Finally, the sealant is set into place. 

VELscope® Oral Cancer Screenings

Oral cancer is a rather frightening condition that can quickly spread to other parts of the body when left undetected. Fortunately, when caught early, the cancer is much easier to treat. Using the VELscope system, our team conducts a thorough assessment of your mouth during every six-month visit. While cancer in the early stages may not show any obvious symptoms or indications, we can quickly spot it using our screening device.

VELscope utilizes fluorescent lighting to penetrate the tissue and easily visualize areas of increased density or tumor development beneath the skin’s surface. Upon discovery of any abnormalities, we can quickly begin our mission of securing your health with a biopsy, analysis, and planning any subsequent procedures.

Sleep Apnea Therapy

Sleep apnea is a condition that impacts a patient’s ability to breathe properly once they fall asleep. The cause is most commonly associated with a passive muscle response as the body begins to relax; when this happens, the tongue falls back into the mouth, blocking the airway. This can lead to waking up repeatedly throughout the night, as well as headaches due to inadequate oxygen supply to the brain. Most commonly, patients with sleep apnea experience the following symptoms:

• Snoring
• Excessive fatigue
• Sore throat
• Irritability

It is necessary to visit a sleep specialist to diagnose this condition. Once the presence of sleep apnea is confirmed, you can count on our team to determine a treatment solution! While some patients may require surgical intervention or a CPAP machine, we find that most cases can be resolved by a simple oral device.

Our team can custom-craft an appliance to be worn while you sleep. The mouthpiece works by slightly bringing your lower jaw forward to open the airway. This ensures that you receive sufficient oxygen and get quality sleep each night.

Wisdom Tooth Removal

Otherwise known as the third molars, wisdom teeth are the last set of teeth to develop in the oral cavity; these teeth often grow in during the late teen years or early adulthood. The problem that most often occurs with these molars is that there is not enough space in the mouth for them to emerge. This can lead to impaction, infection, and nerve damage to other teeth and tooth roots. This is why we find removal to be the safest option for protecting your smile. Wisdom teeth are not always necessary to remove, but in the vast majority of cases, they are.

There are a total of four wisdom teeth (each located in the far back corners of the mouth). As soon as we notice their presence through your x-ray, we can begin formulating a plan regarding removal. 

If you notice any of the below symptoms, we recommend that you contact our office as soon as possible. That way, we may pinpoint the location of your wisdom teeth and determine the necessity of extraction:

• Swollen or tender gums
• Difficulty with chewing
• Bad breath despite regular hygiene
• Swelling along the jaw

Emergency Dentistry

While no one wants to experience a dental emergency, it’s important that you know where to turn when they happen. Our office is here to take care of you and your family and takes pride in our ability to act quickly and carefully to resolve emergency situations. 

If you or your child has experienced facial trauma or an accident resulting in a broken or knocked-out tooth, please call our office as soon as possible! You may also schedule an emergency appointment with us if you have lost a filling or a crown; our team will begin working on your restoration right away. Additionally, we can evaluate the cause of any toothache you may be experiencing, as well as swollen gums. Whatever your dental needs may be, we are here to help.