The following are some common services available:

Fillings:
Tooth-colored fillings, or composites, can be used to fill in areas of tooth lost to decay, abrasion, or erosion. These fillings can also be amalgam, which are silver in color.

Onlay / Inlay:
These are restorations used when the amount of tooth structure missing is too big for a standard filling. An impression is taken and they are made in a laboratory.

Crowns:
Crowns (or “caps”) are used in situations where too much tooth structure is missing to allow a filling or onlay to be successful. The entire top part of the tooth is covered (the “crown” or the area of the tooth above the gums) and brought back to a full size tooth. These are often also required after root canal treatment to prevent the tooth from breaking. There are different types of materials crowns can be made of and this should be discussed based on the circumstance. However, the end result will look and function as a normal tooth.

Oral Surgery
Most routine extractions of teeth, as well as numerous other surgical procedures can be done in the office.

Endodontics
Root canals, or root canal treatments. This may be required as a result of pain or trauma to the tooth, or often as a result of severe decay which can cause future symptoms. Different teeth require different treatment due to their size, shape, and anatomy. Nerve tissue needs to be removed through a series of procedures and careful steps must be taken to make sure that symptoms will not arise in the future.

Root Canal

Periodontics
Often, as a result of periodontal disease or other gum/tissue defects, further treatment is needed beyond routine cleaning and care. All patients require routine maintenance at least every 6 months, but many require an even higher frequency. A scaling, or “deep cleaning” procedure may be required if plaque/calculus has built up below the gumline and needs to be removed.

Teeth Whitening
This can be done chairside, through a procedure involving gel and light and can take about one hour. It can also be done at home, through a take home kit and special customized trays.

Night Guards
Many patients show evidence of wear on their enamal as a result of grinding, or “bruxing”. This can be dangerous to the long term health of the teeth and a custom fitting guard should be worn. There are different types of guards that may be prescribed specific to a patient’s needs. These guards can also be used to assist in TMJ disorders and pain.

Sports/Athletic Guards
Should be used for patients participating in contact sports, should be custom made for the individual’s mouth as well as level of contact in the sport.

When a tooth is missing it can be replaced in a number of ways:

Bridges:
A bridge is used to replace a missing tooth by connecting teeth around the empty space. Crowns are placed in adjacent teeth and they are permanently cemented as one piece.

Implant Restorations:
A titanium implant is surgically placed in the bone of the mouth in the empty space, and when its ready it can be restored with a single crown or a bridge. Implants can also be used to make dentures fit better and tighter.

Removable Appliances:
Conventional complete dentures and partial dentures that can be removed by the patient.

The above information is to be only used for general knowledge purposes and is not specific to any individual case. Every patient is different and every tooth is different and some patients are not candidates for certain procedures. Some or all of this information may not be applicable and sometimes treatment may require a referral to a specialist. A comprehensive consultation with a dentist is required to determine proper treatment.