Bleaching Information Sheet
We have been providing brighter, whiter smiles for our patients for over 15 years. The peroxide based formulas that we use are safe and effective. We currently offer 3 different methods of bleaching. See which one may be right for you!

Here is an overview of bleaching options we provide:

Boost: This is a one-time, one and a half hour bleaching treatment done in our office. Prior to the procedure you will be given prescription-strength, fluoride toothpaste for you to use for 2 weeks to help reduce sensitivity that may occur during and after treatment. The unique aspect of this treatment is that your teeth will continue to lighten for 24-48 hours after your in-office treatment. During this time you will need to stay away from foods and beverages that may re-stain teeth (i.e.: coffee, tea, dark sodas, berries, tobacco, red wine, curry and red sauces) until your teeth naturally become resistant again. Includes take-home bleaching trays

Take-home bleach trays: This is the preferred method for most people. Impressions are taken of your teeth and custom trays are made. The bleaching is done at home every day for 1-2 hours (or overnight) for 2-4 weeks. The advantage to these take-home trays is that you are in control of the final result. You can use your trays to do touch-ups as you please. (Bleach refill kits are avail. in office)

Crest Professional White-strips: This is the most economical way to bleach your teeth and it works well in most cases. Our professional strips are about 40% more powerful than the Crest bleaching strips sold in drug stores. The Crest Strips are simply placed right over the front side of your teeth and wrap around to the back. They are used twice a day for 30 minutes for a total of 1 hour per day. The most effective result will be reached by finishing the entire 28-day cycle of strips.

A small percentage of our patients have not been able to complete their bleaching due to tooth sensitivity. Bonded tooth-colored fillings and porcelain crowns and bridges are not affected by the bleach.

**Bleaching results differ from person to person. Dramatic results may not be achieved. **

• Did You Know? 87 million Americans snore. 40 million Americans are chronic sufferers of sleep disorders. But only 10% have been treated or diagnosed.
• If your spouse or partner has observed you snoring or stopping breathing during the nights……you may have sleep apnea.

Snoring can be very disruptive, and may disrupt or even strain your relationships with your spouse, family members or roommates. Snoring may also be a sign of sleep apnea, in which you actually stop breathing at times during the night, and it can potentially be very serious. The stoppage of breathing can last anywhere from 10 to 30 seconds per incident, up to nearly 7 minutes over the course of a single night with multiple occurrences.

Sleep apnea is not age specific. It can affect anyone from childhood up to old age. Both men and women can develop sleep apnea, but it is more common to men; particularly middle-age men who are also overweight.

Some general symptoms of sleep apnea or snoring can be waking up tired, even after a full night’s sleep, or waking up with a headache. Additionally, some people may feel very sleepy or fall asleep at inappropriate times. Because your sleep is repeatedly interrupted many times during the night, you may never truly get a full night’s sleep.

Other symptoms include: instances of irritability, short temper, trouble with concentration or memory, lethargy, anxiety, depression, frequent nightmares and sexual dysfunction. There are also indications that high blood pressure, with the added risk of heart attack and stroke (particularly early morning or during the night) may be attributed to snoring and sleep apnea.

So You Have a Sleeping Disorder, What Now?

We recommend you go directly to a sleep specialist, such as an ENT (Ears, Nose and Throat) physician. Or we suggest you go to one of our recommended sleep disorders centers and, with the proper physician referral, undergo an overnight sleep study. Through the use of various sophisticated physiological monitors, your heart rate, breathing, brain waves, muscle activity and grinding activity can all be measured and recorded. The results will be analyzed, and the sleep center will then determine if your sleep apnea is mild, moderate or severe, and advise you on the proper courses of further treatment.

What to Expect When You Visit Our Office

Your initial consultation will be complimentary and will consist of reviewing your completed sleep study results and discussing your dental appliance options based on a thorough examination of your teeth, mouth, TMJ and with the possible need for x-rays of your jaw joints. It will also consist of impressions/dental molds and photos, from which you may be fitted with a dental appliance, if chosen to do so.

At your next visit, we will choose an appliance based on our examinations. We will show you how to place the appliance in your mouth, how to care for it and how to use it. We will check with you in a few weeks to make sure you are comfortable with your appliance and wearing it regularly. To ensure that the device is actually effective in treating your snoring or sleep apnea condition, it is possible that we will be referring you back to your physician or sleep specialist for a follow-up sleep lab.

We will then see you at regular intervals several months apart to maintain and to adjust the appliance, when necessary, so that it remains effective.

No Temporary.

No Messy Impressions.

One Easy Appointment.

CEREC is an advanced dental technology that is utilized for the restoration of decayed, cracked, or chipped teeth. CEREC can create full crowns, inlays, onlays, and veneers. The CEREC machine crafts a restoration in a matter of minutes. CEREC restorations are made of compressed porcelain. It is for this reason that they are stronger than laboratory restorations, which are layered porcelain. The most beneficial feature of receiving a CEREC restoration is that it is accomplished in one visit. In addition to the benefit of a one visit restoration, there is no impression material or temporary to wear.
Procedure
The procedure for placement of a CEREC restoration is very simple. The first step is to remove any decay or chips that might be present in the tooth. The doctor will then shape the tooth in preparation of taking digital pictures. We then use our digital CEREC camera to take acceptable images. Once these images are captured, the tooth will appear on a computer screen in 3D. This will allow the doctor to design the restoration right in front of you. Once the design is completed, the CEREC will mill the restoration. You may watch some or all of this process- it takes 15 minutes. When the restoration is finished milling, the doctor will place the restoration. The entire process should take just over 2 hours.

To learn more about Cerec:

http://www.cerecstories.com/

Your first appointment with our office will include a comprehensive examination of your oral condition. This oral examination will include a visual examination of your teeth and gums, as well as x-rays to aid in the diagnosis of dental decay and gum disease. Our goal is to help you understand your dental condition and work with you to develop a treatment plan that best fits you. We prioritize minimally invasive dentistry and staying on top of the current research and studies. Patient education is a high priority of ours, and we want to make sure that you leave your appointment understanding what is best for you and why, and then we can work together as a team to enhance your oral health.

Tray Aligners are a popular way to straighten teeth without the need for metal brackets and wires. We work with a board-certified orthodontist to advise and determine if you are a good candidate for clear aligners. First we make sure that there are not any other underlying problems in your mouth that need to be addressed initially prior to starting to aligner therapy.

At your delivery appointment we give you your first set of trays and if determined to be needed, we bond tooth colored “buttons” on the front of some of your teeth which will help move your teeth in a more controlled manner. In addition, we give you care instructions to help guide you in your journey to straight teeth. We then see you for follow-up appointments approximately once a month to track your progress and make sure everything is looking good.

As you approach the end of the planned schedule, we work with you to determine if you are happy with the result or if any more refinement is necessary. After we are all happy with the result we remove the tooth colored buttons and congratulate you on our brand new smile! We then give you a set of retainers which you wear at night to help keep the teeth from moving back to their old position.

Do you have white spot lesions on some of your teeth and would like a minimally invasive solution to fix them? ICON may be perfect for you. With ICON we can fill and blend in these discolorations without any numbing or drilling.

View our gallery for full before and after of these cases and more

If you would like more information please talk to our doctors or for a more detailed description of the procedure and science please visit https://kidsteethandbraces.com/resin-infiltration-white-spot-lesions/

Porcelain Veneers
Veneers are tooth shaped porcelain that are custom made (for shape and color) by a professional dental laboratory. They are bonded onto the front of teeth to create a beautiful and attractive smile.

Veneers can completely reshape your teeth and smile. They can often be alternatives to crowns and the ideal solution in treating many dental conditions. Veneers can be used to close spaces between teeth, to change the shapes of the teeth, to change the color of permanently stained teeth, and to give the appearance of straight teeth.

Bleaching Information:
We have been providing brighter, whiter smiles for our patients for over 15 years. The peroxide based formulas that we use are safe and effective. We currently offer 3 different methods of bleaching. See which one may be right for you!

Here is an overview of bleaching options we provide:

Boost: This is a one-time, one and a half hour bleaching treatment done in our office. Prior to the procedure you will be given prescription-strength, fluoride toothpaste for you to use for 2 weeks to help reduce sensitivity that may occur during and after treatment. The unique aspect of this treatment is that your teeth will continue to lighten for 24-48 hours after your in-office treatment. During this time you will need to stay away from foods and beverages that may re-stain teeth (i.e.: coffee, tea, dark sodas, berries, tobacco, red wine, curry and red sauces) until your teeth naturally become resistant again. Includes take-home bleaching trays

Take-home bleach trays: This is the preferred method for most people. Impressions are taken of your teeth and custom trays are made. The bleaching is done at home every day for 1-2 hours (or overnight) for 2-4 weeks. The advantage to these take-home trays is that you are in control of the final result. You can use your trays to do touch-ups as you please. (Bleach refill kits are avail. in office)

Crest Professional White-strips: This is the most economical way to bleach your teeth and it works well in most cases. Our professional strips are about 40% more powerful than the Crest bleaching strips sold in drug stores. The Crest Strips are simply placed right over the front side of your teeth and wrap around to the back. They are used twice a day for 30 minutes for a total of 1 hour per day. The most effective result will be reached by finishing the entire 28-day cycle of strips.

A small percentage of our patients have not been able to complete their bleaching due to tooth sensitivity. Bonded tooth-colored fillings and porcelain crowns and bridges are not affected by the bleach.
**Bleaching results differ from person to person. Dramatic results may not be achieved. **

Bonding
Bonding can improve the appearance of teeth that are broken, chipped, cracked, stained, or have spaces between them. Bonded fillings are tooth colored, and adhere to natural tooth structure.

Composite (tooth colored) fillings are often done in our office when there is decay present or when we are replacing old, broken, deteriorating silver fillings.

Inlays and onlays are recommended when only partial restoration of a posterior tooth is required.

We use PrimeScan, a modern 3-D digital scanner to nearly eliminate the need to take physical impressions. This means we rarely use those gooey impressions anymore. Instead we use a camera to make a model of your teeth that we can use to make crowns, nightguards, orthodontic treatment and more!

Implants are placed in areas of missing teeth, and are surgically placed below the gums. They fuse to the jawbone, making them feel more natural than some conventional ways of replacing missing teeth (i.e. dentures). Implants need to have healthy gums and enough bone support for long term success

A denture is a removable dental appliance replacement for missing teeth and surrounding tissue. They are made to closely resemble your natural teeth and may even enhance your smile.

There are two types of dentures – complete and partial dentures. Complete dentures are used when all of the teeth are missing, while partial dentures are used when some natural teeth remain. A partial denture not only fills in the spaces created by missing teeth, it prevents other teeth from shifting.

A good preventive dental program is a cooperative effort by the patient, dentist, and dental team to preserve the natural dentition and supporting structures by preventing the onset, progress, and recurrence of dental diseases and conditions.

Preventing dental disease starts at home with good oral hygiene and a balanced diet. It is continued in the dental office by the efforts of the dentist and dental hygienist to promote, restore, and maintain your oral health. In our office, as well as many offices, we recommend cleanings at least every six months.

Prevention also includes regular dental exams, cleanings, and x-rays. Sealants and fluoride are also great preventive treatments that help protect the teeth in children.

Prevention helps avoid serious and costly dental problems and is the key to having healthy teeth.

Crowns

A crown covers a tooth to restore it to its normal shape and size. A crown can also cover and support a tooth that has a large existing filling when there isn’t enough tooth structure left. It can also be used to protect a weakened tooth or restore one that has broken.

In certain applications, all-porcelain crowns or bridges can be used in an area where esthetics is a concern.

Bridges

A bridge replaces missing teeth and “bridges” the gap where one or more missing teeth may have been. A bridge is cemented in permanently and provides a non-removable sturdy option to replace missing teeth.

Same Day Crowns (Cerec)

We are happy to announce the addition of Cerec AC CAD-CAM technology to our practice. With this new technology, we can make porcelain crowns and inlays in a single visit, so there is no need for impressions or temporaries.

Instead of taking an impression, your teeth are scanned into a computer. The crown is then designed in the office by the doctor and then made by a milling machine while you wait, thus eliminating the need for a second appointment and the temporary crown.

Patients with habits such as clenching or grinding can be fitted with a mouth guard to protect their teeth from more damage. A hard guard can be fitted for the upper teeth or the lower teeth. A hard guard for the lower teeth can be beneficial for those that tend to grind or clench during the day. Please download our TMJ fact sheet for more information about alleviating TMJ symptoms.

1. Periodontal disease is considered a chronic bacterial infection in the gums, and is known also as gum disease. In the United States, periodontal disease is the primary reason for adult tooth loss. This silent infection occurs when harmful bacteria travel under the gumline and create “pockets”—a space in between the gums and bone around the teeth. If left untreated, the pocket can harm the surrounding bone around the tooth, and can cause tooth loosening and ultimately tooth loss.
2. Pockets – Our office measures the pockets between the gum and tooth approximately every other cleaning. A 2-3mm reading is a “good” pocket. A 4-5mm reading may be an “at risk” pocket. A 6-7mm reading usually means some degree of gum disease has started.
3. Deep scaling treatments can aid in cleaning out the pocket, and can sometimes help the pocket reattach at a higher level, making the “pocket” smaller. We offer deep scaling treatments in our office when indicated. An adjunct to the deep scaling treatment is Arestin therapy.
4. Arestin is a small amount of antibiotic powder that is easily placed into the affected periodontal pocket which can help aid in the reduction of pocket depth.

We do simple extractions at our office. When the teeth’s roots have curvatures, or if we believe that an oral surgeon may be better equipped for the extraction, we generally will refer the patient to an oral surgery office. We generally do not extract wisdom teeth, although there are exceptions.

Our office prioritizes itself on making sure that our patients are as healthy as can be, and that includes monitoring for decay. We recommend yearly bitewing radiographs (x-rays), and approximately every 5 years a full mouth series of radiographs. We may adjust the recommended frequency either up or down depending on how frequently you get cavities over the years. We have one of our doctors come over for an exam at each of your hygiene appointments to provide an oral cancer screening and check for any cavities. We want to make sure to catch anything early before it becomes anything larger. If a cavity is really small or just starting up we may classify it as a “watch” which means we will watch and monitor that location because if you keep it clean teeth have the ability to remineralize. We perform conservative dentistry as we wouldn’t want to do any fillings on a tooth that may remineralize on it’s own.

We follow the ALARA principle in regards to radiation exposure. ALARA stands for “As low as reasonably achievable” and this means that we are making sure that when we take any radiographs that we are doing it in such a way to obtain as much useful information as possible. In addition we utilize a digital x-ray system which significantly reduces the amount of radiation exposure.