General Dental Services in
South Jordan and Daybreak
Preventative and Diagnostic
An oral examination is a visual inspection of the mouth, head, and neck, performed to detect abnormalities. X-rays allow for a more complete examination, helping the doctor to detect cavities, problems in existing dental restorations, gum and bone recession, infections, widom teeth, or other abnormal conditions within the mouth, head, and neck area. It is true, that 80% of the exam is not relying on the x-rays, but the 20% that we use the x-rays for is where the serious problems hide. We have invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in digital x-ray machines so that we need a very minimal x-ray dose to get the information we need. Our biggest investment has been in a machine that takes the x-rays and turns them into a 3-D model, and gives us 3 viewing planes like and MRI. This uses less x-ray dosage than the old film machines. The accuracy of diagnosis is amazing! I can’t imagine planning, or doing treatment on someone without this new technology.
A routine dental cleaning, is the removal of dental plaque and tartar (calculus) from the teeth. Specialized instruments are used to gently remove these deposits without harming the teeth. First, an ultrasonic device that vibrates and flushes the teeth and gums with water is used to loosen larger pieces of tartar. Next, the typical hand tools are used to remove smaller deposits and smooth the tooth surfaces. Once all the tooth surfaces have been cleaned of tartar and plaque, the teeth are polished.
Many sports require athletes to use a mouth guard to protect their teeth while practicing and playing. Frequently used in contact sports, the mouth guard covers the gums and teeth to provide protection for lips, gums, teeth, and arches. A properly fitted mouth guard can reduce the severity of dental injuries.
Pre-formed, ready-to-wear mouth guards can be purchased inexpensively at many sporting stores, but they do not always fit well. They can be uncomfortable and can interfere with talking and even breathing.
Sporting goods stores also offer semi-custom mouth guards in which the plastic is heated and then the athlete bites on it while still warm to provide some level of custom fit.
Our office can make a custom mouth guard by taking an impression of your teeth and then creating a device fitted to your mouth for the highest level of both comfort and protection. A custom fitted mouthguard can be particularly important for athletes who wear braces.
Be sure to bring your mouthguard to your dental appointments, so we can be sure it still fits you well.
Restorative Dentistry
Almost every filling we do is made with the tooth-colored material call “Composite”. Sometimes people mistakenly call them porcelain fillings. It is called a composite because it is a mixture of resin and small glass-like materials that make the fillings strong and smooth. Once the decay is removed, the tooth is filled with a composite material which is then cured (hardened) using a specialized light. Composite fillings can be done in one visit and are completely ready to go as soon as the appointment is over. Because we are bonding (glue) the fillings into the teeth, we don’t need to make the hole in the tooth any larger than the damage the decay caused. The old metal fillings didn’t bond to the teeth and large excavated areas needed to be prepared to hold the material. Back in the 70’s and 80’s, tooth-colored fillings were still too soft to use in back teeth, and they turned yellow or brown after a few years. As with almost everything else, they have come a long way since then. A tooth-colored filling is now a stronger, more predictable filling than the old metal ones used to be.
An inlay or onlay is a partial crown restoration that can be placed when there is not sufficient tooth structure to support a filling but enough tooth structure left that a full crown is not needed. Inlays/onlays are made of porcelain or gold, and they aesthetically and functionally replace the missing tooth structure.
CAD/CAM is an acronym that stands for computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing. CAD/CAM technology is used to help the dental team fabricate precise shapes and sizes for dental restorations including inlays, onlays, crowns and bridges.
A crown is a dental restoration that completely covers the outside of a tooth that was cracked, broken, worn down, or severely decayed. Sometimes there is not enough natural tooth left to support the extreme forces applied when chewing. To prevent the tooth from splitting, a crown is made to completely replace the enamel and the shape of the natural tooth. Dental crowns are usually completed in two visits. During the first visit, the tooth is prepared (shaved down to make room for the porcelain that replaces the enamel) and then we use a 3-D camera to capture the shape and fine details of your teeth. The amazing computers, machines, and technicians at the lab use those 3-D images to perfectly make a custom crown that is strong, smooth, and natural looking. A temporary crown is placed while the permanent crown is being made at the lab. During the second visit, the permanent crown is carefully fitted and then cemented into place.
A bridge can replace missing teeth without the use of a denture or dental implant. A bridge is composed of two crowns and a replacement tooth or teeth. Crowns are typically placed on the teeth on either side of the space, with the false tooth or teeth attached in between.
For multiple missing teeth, an implant may be used to anchor the bridge.
Dental implants are composed of three pieces: the implant itself, which looks like a metal tooth root; a supporting connection between the implant and the porcelain crown (called an abutment); and the final restoration, usually a porcelain crown. The implant, which is placed in the jawbone where the root of an extracted tooth used to be, acts as a replacement for the tooth root, providing a strong foundation for the replacement tooth or teeth. The jaw bone begins to fuse with the implant over the course of a few months. After the fusing process, known as osseointegration, the abutment is inserted into the implant to support the new porcelain tooth.
If you are missing the majority, or all of your teeth, a denture is one option to help you get your smile back. A denture is a removable replacement for missing teeth. There are two types of dentures: Complete (Full) and Partial Dentures.
We do not make dentures in our office because most dentures are now supported by dental implants for increased stability. For a dentist to do this well, a lot of experience, and daily procedures is best. For anyone who is in need of a denture, there are some very good Prosthodontists (a denture specialist) whom we can refer you to.
Cosmetic Dentistry
Whitening, also known as bleaching, is the procedure used to brighten teeth. There are two different ways to achieve a desired whiter smile: In-Office Bleaching and At-Home Bleaching. There are so many different products and methods, I can’t touch on all of them. The basic principle for most systems is some form of peroxide. The peroxide breaks up the little particles of stain on and in your teeth. The stronger the peroxide, the sooner you will see results, but you will also experience more sensitivity.
Many people ask about the advantages to different whitening systems. Some use lights, some use retainers or trays, some are paint on or stick on, some are used for minutes, some all night long…. Based upon my experience these past 20 years, I have seen a general pattern to the different systems. Most systems are effective to some degree. I have noticed that the one hour, or daytime use whitening systems, as a whole, tend to not whiten as deeply through the teeth, and therefore the teeth don’t get as white, or stay light for very long. The wear-at-night systems, tend to produce a more natural whitening that is more stable for years. But you do need to do the whitening every night for 10-14 days in order to achieve the best results.
So, you have many options to chose from. I would base my decision on what your desired result is, how long you are willing to whiten each day, and what you can tolerate to achieve the result you are hoping for.
Veneers are the great rumor in cosmetic dentistry. They are so popular because they are quick (2 weeks) and beautiful. What a veneer made by grinding off any stained, or crooked areas of your front teeth, and bonding a new ceramic face to the tooth. This is done quite often in Hollywood for actors who need straight, white teeth, but can’t spend 2 years in braces. Yet, as with any procedure, there is a physical and financial price to be paid. The physical price is the damage done to the teeth to prepare them for the porcelain. As much as the world of marketing would like to make you believe otherwise, there really is no way to get beautiful porcelain veneers without cutting off 1-2mm from the front and top of your teeth. Porcelain is beautiful and can be lifelike. But it needs to be built up in subtle layers. Some white layers, some more opaque, some transparent. And the best veneers can only be made with adequate space. So, a lot of tooth needs to be removed. You also need to replace the veneers as the teeth and bonding age. Teeth generally don’t last a lifetime, and neither do veneers.
Generally, insurance companies do not pay for a cosmetic service. Therefore, the cost of each veneer is left completely to the patient. These can run from just under $1000, to more. Depending on what needs to be accomplished, and how real you want them to look. Many labs can make a nice looking veneer, that is great for most people. Those are the standard veneers that cost close to $1000. However, a very high end, perfect veneer is very expensive.
Cosmetic Bonding is using filling material to make small changes to the shape or color of a few teeth. This is a great option for kids who have chipped a tooth, or who have adult teeth that are misshapen or small. Because it is filling material, it does not have the beauty and strength of a porcelain veneer, but they can be made to look very close to a natural tooth. Cosmetic bonding can also be done to get the first step towards veneers. Due to the cost of veneers, some patients choose to do one or two veneers a year, but want their overall smile improved on 6 or more teeth at once. With cosmetic bonding, you can get an improved smile before the veneer treatment is completed. Cosmetic bonding is more of a short-term, option. A couple of years, rather than many years.
Additional Services
Sleep apnea is a disorder in which a patient experiences one or more pauses in breathing or shallow breaths during sleep. The sleep disruption caused by sleep apnea can negatively impact your quality of sleep, leaving you tired and irritable.
Sleep apnea can be treated with lifestyle changes, mouthpieces, breathing devices, and/or surgery.
Some patients who suffer from loud snoring and mild to moderate sleep apnea can get great improvement by using a special night guard. This night guard holds the lower jaw slightly forward to keep the tongue and throat tissue from falling back and closing off your airway during sleep.
Sleep health is such a critical part of your health, in order to make certain a night guard made for sleep disorders is the most healthy option for you; a prescription from your sleep doctor, and having tried, and failed CPAP therapy is needed before we can make you an appliance.
The name of this treatment is terrible, isn’t it?! It should just be called a deeper cleaning. Sometimes, the plaque and tartar have established hard mineral deposits on the roots of your teeth. These are sharp like crystals, and made out of bacteria. Since they form like minerals, they are cemented to your teeth roots, and can not be removed with brushing and flossing alone. The large amount of bacteria cause the gums to swell, bleed, and hurt when you brush. To properly clean this bacterial mineral off your roots, we get you good and numb. Once you are numb we can clean below the gum line and remove all of that infectious mineral deposit from your teeth.
There are many causes for this mineral deposit to form. The most common is many years between dental cleaning, or inability to properly clean your teeth. We will help you understand what caused the infection to form, and how to keep it from returning. Most patients only need to have the deep cleaning done once.
When a tooth has a cavity the has become so deep that it reaches the middle of the tooth, where the nerve is, or if it has been broken by trauma to that depth; the nerve needs to be cleaned out and sterilized. Once the middle of the tooth has been properly cleaned, the small space occupied by the nerve is sealed tight with a special cement and the cavity or broken part of the tooth is repaired.
A tooth that can not be saved with restorative materials may need to be removed. Before removal of the tooth, the area will be numbed with anesthesia. The tooth is loosened from the jawbone and surrounding ligaments and tissues with a gentle rocking motion. Once it is loose, it is gently removed. Stitches may be necessary after the removal of a tooth
TMJ is the abbreviation for your jaw joint. A TMJ problem occurs when the jawbone can not open or close smoothly. Very similar to a bad disc in your back, or a bad knee. The problem occurs if the cartilage disc is not protecting the bones of the joint. This occurs when the joint is damaged from trauma, wear, arthritis, or other forces. The severity of the problem is determined by the extent the disc is damaged. You may have heard that chewing gum, grinding your teeth, or other influences can contribute to TMJ problems. This is true for some people, but not all. Anything medical can have a variety of causes and symptoms. For most people who experience TMJ pain, a mouthguard, that protects the teeth and increases the space between the bones of the joint helps. As with any joint, we are trying to reduce inflammation and wear. Occasionally, more extensive treatment is needed, and a specialist in TMJ issues is needed.