Invisible fillings

Replace old un-esthetic fillings with tooth colored restorations.

Whitening procedures
In-office bleaching: Have your teeth whitened while watching your favorite movie in our office. Take home bleaching: have our teeth bleached at the convenience of your own home. Usually the whitening gel is applied to the teeth for one hour per day. The procedure takes an average of two weeks to reach the desired shade.
The results vary depending on the original shade and the desired shade.

2. Implant reconstruction
What are dental implants?
Dental implants are small titanium screws that are placed in the upper or lower jaw bone. Dental implants are a comfortable replacement to your natural teeth. They are an alternative to bridges, partial and complete dentures. They may also be used to hold loose dentures.

History and success rate
Primitive forms of dental implants were used by the early Egyptians and the Romans. The first endosteal dental implant was placed in Sweden in 1965. Dental implants were introduced to the US in the early 1980s. Long and short term studies have shown success rate to be 90% and higher.

Who is a candidate for dental implants?
Anyone missing single, multiple or all their teeth is a candidate. Dental implants are indicated as long as you are in good general and oral health.

Are dental implants painful?
Most patients experience very mild discomfort following implant placement, usually less that a tooth extraction.

What are the benefits of dental implants?
Better chewing ability
Stabilizes partial and complete dentures
Improved speech
Maintains the bone after tooth loss
Improved appearance
Improved comfort
Improved self-esteem

How long does it take?
It varies depending on the complexity of the situation. It may be as short as few weeks to as long as 18 months.

Teeth-in-an-Hour

What is Teeth-in-an-hour?
It is a new unique technology provided by Nobel Biocare, a leader in implant manufacturing, which provides an excellent option to the patient to have the implants placed with the final fixed restoration in the same visit. It can be used for single missing tooth, or for patients who are missing all their teeth

How is it done?
This treatment modality requires pre-planning through the use of CT scan technology in a combination with 3-D implant planning software. It usually requires few visits to the dentist prior to the surgery followed by the CT scan.

Benefits:
No waiting between implant placement and final restoration
Immediate function
Immediate beautiful teeth
Non-removable restoration
Less time on the chair
Minimally invasive procedure
Minimal post-operative discomfort

3. Crown and Bridge Reconstruction

A. Crowns:
Crowns, also known as caps, are lab-fabricated coverings for teeth that are broken-down, worn, or with large fillings. They can be made for one, or several teeth.

Benefits:
Repair broken-down and chipped teeth
Replace old broken fillings
Close open gaps
Improves esthetics
Restores the bite

Types of crowns:
Porcelain fused to metal crowns:
Made of a metal core and covered with a layer of porcelain. They are made to match the existing teeth in color. They can be used for the front as well as the back teeth.

All-ceramic crowns:
These crowns have a porcelain core, rather than a metal core. They are more esthetic than the porcelain fused to metal crowns, but that are less strong. For that reason, they are used mostly for the front teeth.

Gold crowns:
These are the classic crowns. They are the most durable. Their use is confined to areas of the mouth that are not visible.

B. Bridges:
Bridges are lab-fabricated prosthetics made to replace one or several teeth.

Types:
Bridges, like crowns, can be made using several materials. They can be made using ceramics, porcelain fused to metal, or in gold.

Benefits:
Replace a missing tooth
Improve esthetics
Restore and maintain the bite

4. Denture Treatment

Types:

A. Complete dentures:
To replace all the missing teeth in the upper jaw, lower jaw, or both. Complete dentures can be made to resemble the patient's old teeth, or they can be made to change the way the natural teeth looked.

B. Partials:
Partial dentures are made to replace few missing teeth in the upper jaw, lower jaw, or both.

C. Immediate complete or partial dentures:
These dentures are made to be inserted immediately after the extraction of few or all teeth. Tissue healing after the extractions may affect the fit of these dentures, for that reason they are usually used as temporary dentures. After complete healing (1-3 months), conventional dentures
are made.

The main advantage is that patients do not have to go without teeth for any length of time.

Benefits:
Improve esthetics
Improve function
Increase self-confidence

5. Obstructive sleep apnea

What is OSA?
Obstructive sleep apnea is a medical condition where the airways are completely blocked during sleep. In this condition, the tongue collapses to the back of the throat and completely obliterates the airways and restricts the flow of oxygen to the lungs. Snoring, which may be harmless, may also be one of the signs of obstructive sleep apnea.

What are oral appliances?
Oral appliances can be made for patients suffering from obstructive sleep apnea.

Oral appliances are small plastic devices that are worn in the mouth, similar to orthodontic retainers or sports mouth guards. These appliances help maintain the lower jaw in a forward position, thus preventing the collapse of the tongue and soft tissues in the back of the throat, keeping the airway open during sleep.

Oral appliances may be used alone or in combination with other means of treating OSA, including general health and weight management, surgery, or CPAP.

Indications:

• Snoring or mild OSA
• Moderate to severe OSA with patients who did not tolerate, or refuse treatment with CPAP

For more information, please visit the web site of the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine. Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine

6. TMJ therapy

What is the TMJ?
The TemproMandibular Joint, also known as the jaw-joint, is the joint that connects the lower jaw with the skull. One joint exists on each side of the face, in front of ear.

What are the symptoms of TMJ disorders?
TMJ disorders can be caused by a variety of factors. Some of the symptoms include pain, clicking or popping, inability to chew comfortably, inability to open the mouth comfortably, headaches and earaches. Other symptoms may also be present.

A thorough history and clinical examination are necessary to determine the appropriate diagnosis, as well as the proper treatment.

What are the available treatment options?
This can vary widely. It can be as simple as avoiding hard and chewy food. Intra-oral splint therapy is another option. This is an intra-oral dental appliance similar to orthodontic appliances (Also known as Bite guard). Surgery may be another option for some of the cases.

7. Intra-Oral maxillofacial prostheses

These are prostheses made to deal with congenital and acquired defects in the head and neck area.

Who may benefit form these prostheses?

• Cleft lip and palate patients
  
• Post-cancer surgery, where the surgery has left an intra-oral defect.
  
• Post-traumatic communication between the oral cavity and
  the mouth
  
• Post-stroke patients with speech difficulties
  
• ALS patients with speech difficulties

Communication between all members of the team treating these conditions is extremely important to assure the best quality of care to the patient.