
General Dentistry
Helping our patients maintain a healthy mouth and smile is the main goal of general dentistry. We prefer to provide more minor, preventive care than to see patients suffer with more intensive treatments from a problem that was not managed in time. We want to ensure that your oral health is in its optimal state and positively contributing to the health of your entire body. We are here to brighten your smile and pave the way for a brighter life.

Preventative Dentistry
It is important to brush your teeth at least twice daily to help remove plaque and food particles that get stuck to your teeth. It is recommended that you brush your teeth for two minutes (or longer), though most people rush through this time. You need to make sure that you reach every side of each tooth, including the inside and outside. To help keep your breath fresh, you should also brush your tongue. Then, you can begin flossing.

Cleanings And Exams
Having a dental practice perform a checkup and regular cleaning gives a preventive approach to dental care. These general dentistry treatments help prevent problems with your teeth, gums and jaw bones, or they catch and manage problems before they worsen. During your visit, our hygienists will take a picture of the current standing of your dental health and what would be needed to keep your oral hygiene in its best state.

Teeth Whitening
A common request we receive is how to make a smile whiter and brighter. This is a relatively simple and quick treatment option that can be performed periodically. Certain foods and beverages, such as wine and coffee, stain the teeth and contribute to discoloration. The teeth whitening process provides a solution that lightens the shade of the teeth.

Fillings
Composite fillings act as a dentistry solution for problems such as tooth decay or cracks. A composite filling is a tooth-colored plastic and glass mixture used to restore decayed teeth. This procedure is also utilized for cosmetic improvements of the smile by fixing any discoloration or reshaping any disfigured teeth. Another alternative to restoring teeth is silver amalgam.

Root Canals
Root canals are needed when decay and bacteria spread for too long without treatment. Root canals are sometimes required when there is trauma to a tooth. At a certain point, this decay makes it to the pulp inside the tooth. This pulp includes nerves, therefore infection generally causes a lot of pain. Since this is happening on the inside of the tooth, you won’t necessarily see the damage. Instead, you could feel it through pain and notice other signs that include bleeding, swelling and bad breath.

Extractions
An extraction is performed to remove a tooth, whether because of disease, crowding, or damage. When extractions are required, the area around the tooth will be numbed and your dentist will remove the tooth. A small amount of bleeding is normal and the blood clot formed is a necessary part of the healing process.

Implants
When you have missing teeth, an alternative is dental implants. Dental implants provide permanent new teeth to restore your mouth’s function and appearance. Dental implants offer a successful and lasting solution to missing teeth.

Sealants
When we apply a dental sealant, we paint a plastic coating on top of your teeth. This makes your teeth smooth getting rid of the rough edges, depressions, and grooves that are commonly found on teeth. It is essentially a protective coating against tooth decay and cavities.
The most common place to paint sealants is on back teeth since they are often irregular. They can also be very hard to reach, even if you brush your teeth regularly. We use it more on children though we do perform sealants on adults too!

Night Guards
It can be beneficial to use a guard, or covering, to protect your teeth from grinding while sleeping. Similar to how a mouthguard protects teeth during sports, this layer prevents damage to the teeth that can occur naturally.
There are a wide variety of different types of mouthguards, ranging from pre-formed pieces to ones that are custom fitted to your teeth and jaws. Some of these can even be formed at home through a boil-and-bite process.
Typically these mouthguards cover your upper teeth only, but in certain instances they are used for the lower teeth as well.
Grinding of teeth can be a serious problem that does major damage to your teeth, so wearing a nightguard is an effective way to prevent this damage.

Emergency Dental Care
Emergencies can, and do, happen at any time. Being prepared and discussing emergency situations with your dentist is the best way to save valuable time and stress in the unfortunate situation of a dental emergency. Knowing what to do can be the difference between losing and saving a tooth. Always have your dentist’s number readily available in the case of an emergency.
You should always contact your dentist right away in an emergency. If you lose a permanent tooth, try to keep it moist while you get to the dentist. You can try placing it back in the socket if that is not painful, or between your cheek and gums. If that is not possible, placing it in milk can help improve the chances of saving the tooth.
If you crack a tooth or bite your tongue or lip, rinse your mouth with warm water and apply a cold compress to reduce swelling. For toothaches or objects stuck in your mouth, gently use floss to clean the area and remove any debris.
Wearing a mouthguard during physical activity will help protect your teeth. And avoid chewing foods like ice, popcorn kernels, or hard candy to reduce the chances of cracking a tooth. Also, refrain from cutting or tearing objects with your teeth.