At Logan Dental Associates, we offer a variety of services to care for your mouth. If you have any questions or would like more information on how we can care for your teeth and mouth, please contact us today.
Bleaching
Sometimes only one tooth is dark, and sometimes many or all of the teeth appear dark. Fortunately, both are treatable conditions. Even when the staining has lasted a lifetime, it can still be treated. We use three basic methods for bleaching:
- Single tooth bleaching for teeth that are dark after they die from trauma or following root canal treatment.
- For full mouth bleaching, we recommend using custom trays with replaceable bleaching agent. They are fairly cheap, reusable and do a great job!
- One hour Zoom bleaching. Most bleaching methods result in temporary sensitivity.
Veneers
Veneers are thin layers of composite or porcelain that are bonded to the front of the teeth to change their shape, color, spacing or orientation. While they look terrific, there may be alternatives that will work well for your situation (like combining bleaching and braces).
Cosmetic Reconstructions
Sometimes teeth are badly worn, broken or the bite isn’t what it should be. Some situations require a comprehensive approach to make many changes in a bite which will result in the best outcome. These situations may require prosthetic work in combination with other techniques to produce the desired goal.
Fillings, Crowns, Bridges
Sealants are provided to prevent decay in the grooves of the molars. Fillings are available in various materials to restore tooth structure lost to decay. Crowns or Onlays (or Caps) encircle and strengthen remaining tooth structure that has broken down too far to accept a simple filling. Bridges take the place of missing teeth when there is a healthy tooth on either side of the space.
Root Canals (Endodontics)
When a cavity gets into the nerve and blood vessels inside the tooth, bacteria may enter the bone and cause an infection (abcess). These problems may or may not be painful. A root canal is the only way to save a tooth in which bacteria have already gotten into the center (pulp) of the tooth.
Oral Surgery
We do more than just extractions. If needed, we can perform biopsies, bony recontouring, wisdom teeth removals, or changes in the surrounding structures. Releif of tongue ties, undesired muscle attachments, excess gummy smiles, squatty appearing teeth or other issues can often be resolved right here!
Braces
Moving the teeth to their optimal location is sometimes the best way to achieve the best bite. You’re never too old to have braces, and almost any tooth can be moved to its best place.
Gum Treatments
Periodontal disease (gum disease, pyorrhea) has effects on your heart and the rest of your body. It is caused by different bacteria than cause cavities and may produce a different type of pain. Eventually, it causes the teeth to get loose and fall out. Periodontal disease cannot be cured completely, but it can be treated so that your teeth last longer. Maintenance and regular cleanings are the best ways to keep up on this insidious problem
Sedation
If you are anxious about your dental treatment or would like to get a lot done at each appointment, ask about our various methods for relaxing you. You may opt for simple nitrous oxide (laughing gas) sedation, Oral sedation where you take some pills before your escort brings you to the office or IV sedation where a medication is injected via an IV to give you just the right amount of sedation desired. Both oral and IV sedation require that you have an escort for the day and that you not eat for the 6 hours prior to your appointment.
Pediatric treatment
Kids need good dental care too. We recommend a “Happy Visit” for all kids starting at 12 months old. They may not get X-rays or a full cleaning until they’re ready, but it will give you a better idea of ways to clean their teeth or of any problems that lie ahead. Brush your kids’ teeth as soon as you see them come in with a small toothbrush and normal toothpaste. Also, your dentist can prescribe a fluoride pill, drop or vitamin to take daily for stronger teeth. Both swallowed fluoride and applied fluoride (toothpaste) are important for kids to take daily.
Dentures, Partials
If you are missing many teeth, we can make a full denture to take the place of all teeth in an arch or a partial denture to replace just some teeth in an arch. Gum colored acrylic supports the teeth on your gums. We can also make either of these to be supported by implants or roots that are maintained. These may have snaps attached to them so that the denture stays in place!
Implants
Of the three ways to replace missing teeth (implants, dentures and bridges), Implants are the most natural. For one or a few teeth, an implant is a titanium root that replaces a missing tooth root. After a healing period of a few months, an abutment is screwed down onto the implant. A crown fits on top of the abutment to fit the area and bite precisely and to make the replacement look and feel like a normal tooth.
TMJ related treatments
The joint between the jaw and skull can be painful for some. Many people suffer from headaches, pain in their temples or behind their eye or pain along their jaw that may not be caused from their teeth. We can help diagnose your pain and offer treatments for many types of headache. Many patients obtain full relief by wearing a splint (plastic horseshoe custom fit between your teeth) at night.
Grafting
If your gums are badly receeded and the roots are exposed, the tissue may be grafted back. Bone that has shrunken away from where the remaining teeth are may be replaced. These procedures may be combined with implants or orthodontics to reach your treatment goals.