Cavities/Decay

Defeat decay, that enemy of your beautiful smile!

Cavities destroy tooth enamel when foods containing carbohydrates (sugars and starches) are frequently left on the teeth. Milk, pop, raisins, cake or candy often cause problems. Bacteria that live in the mouth thrive on these foods, producing acids as a result. Over time, these acids destroy tooth enamel, resulting in cavities or tooth decay.

Checkups/maintenance

You deserve a clean mouth, fresh breath and a pleasant smile. To have this, you need to brush your teeth after meals to remove tiny particles of food from your mouth.

Food left in the mouth feeds bacteria that grow in a sticky film on your teeth. This film, or plaque, causes tooth decay and gum disease. Using a fluoride toothpaste can help kill bacteria and make your teeth stronger.

Ask your dentist to recommend a toothbrush of a size and shape that allows you to reach every tooth. Generally, a brush with soft, end-rounded or polished bristles is less likely to injure gum tissue. Replace the brush every three or four months.

Floss daily to remove plaque and food particles from between teeth and under the gumline where your toothbrush cannot reach. Tooth decay and periodontal disease often start in these areas. Your hygienist can teach you a quick and easy method for flossing.

Prevention and checkups

Keep your smile healthy and beautiful with checkups every six months. Let your dentist keep your teeth healthy and catch potential problems early.

Childhood Care

Baby your baby's teeth!

We love babies, and our pediatric specialist knows just what to do. Bring your child in for a checkup by his or her first birthday. We will check for decay and other problems, teach you how to clean your child's teeth daily and identify your child's fluoride needs. By starting early, you'll help your child build a lifetime of good dental habits.

Can babies get cavities?

Yes. Serious tooth decay can develop as soon as your baby gets teeth. Even though these primary teeth will eventually be replaced with permanent ones, baby’s first teeth are critical for proper chewing, speaking and appearance.

Baby bottle tooth decay can occur when an infant is allowed to nurse continuously from a bottle of milk, formula, sugar water or fruit juice during naps or at night. If these liquids pool around the child's teeth during sleep, serious decay can result. To avoid this, give your baby only water bottles at night or naptime. And never dip a pacifier into sugar or honey.

Is teething painful?

Yes. When babies are teething their gums may be sore and tender. Try gently rubbing baby's gums with a clean finger, a small, cool spoon or a wet gauze. Chewing on a clean teething ring may also help soothe the pain.

Teething does not cause a fever. An elevated temperature needs to be addressed as a separate medical concern. If your baby continues to be cranky and uncomfortable despite your attempts to ease teething pain, call your physician.

When should thumbsucking stop?

Children should stop sucking their thumbs by the time their permanent front teeth are ready to come in. Usually, children stop between the ages of two and four years. Peer pressure often encourages school-aged children to stop.

Can a child lose a primary tooth too early?

Sometimes a primary tooth comes out before the permanent tooth is ready to come in. Nearby teeth may tip or move into the vacant space, causing teeth to become uneven. To avoid such problems, your dentist may recommend using a space maintainer to keep teeth properly aligned.

Cosmetic Dentistry/Veneers

Your smile is the most eye-catching part of your face. Fortunately, you no longer have to settle for gaps or stained, chipped or misshapen teeth. You have many options that can help you love your smile.

Even a subtle change in your smile can make a dramatic difference in the way you look and feel about yourself. Talk to your dentist about the options most suitable for you and about your expectations.

Veneers are thin, custom-made shells crafted of tooth-colored materials designed to cover the front side of teeth. A veneer placed on top of your teeth can correct nature's mistake or the results of an injury. They can help you have a beautiful smile. Veneers are a permanent improvement because it's necessary to remove a small amount of enamel from your teeth to accommodate the shell.

Bonding corrects chips, cracks, stains or gaps in your teeth. Your dentist prepares your tooth with an etching solution, and then blends special composite resin materials in colors that match your own teeth. These materials are applied to your teeth and shaped into just the right contours. Finally, they're hardened in place with a high-intensity light. Teeth that have been bonded look just like your own teeth.

Fillings can be gold, silver-colored amalgam, or tooth colored. Your dentist can advise you on the types of fillings that are right for you, taking into account the size and location of the cavity, your dental history, cosmetic concerns and cost.

Whitening techniques can brighten your smile.

Dental Implants and dental bridges can replace missing teeth.

A crown or cap can cover a discolored or badly shaped tooth and restore it to a normal appearance. A crown can also correct problems with grinding teeth, decay, deteriorating fillings or improper bite. This can improve appearance as well as make your tooth stronger. Crowns and caps may be made of gold, ceramic, or ceramic on a gold shell.

Tooth contouring and reshaping is a rapid cosmetic treatment. It can correct crooked, chipped, cracked or overlapping teeth in a single visit and can even substitute for braces under certain circumstances. This procedure alters the length, shape or position of your teeth.

Cosmetic gum surgery can correct a "gummy" smile in which too much of your gum shows. The dentist surgically removes some of the gum from the neck of the teeth, which makes your teeth look longer. Cosmetic surgery can also correct a "long-in-the-tooth" smile, which often develops when we get older. This can also result from an improper bite or gum disease. Correcting this can make you appear much younger.

Dark or discolored teeth

Can you make my teeth whiter?

Yes. Whiter teeth make you look younger and healthier. One popular approach uses a prescription bleaching solution in custom fitted forms that cover your teeth. You can choose daytime or nighttime bleaching. Other good options include internal bleaching after a root canal, in-office bleaching, veneers and crowning.

Why do I need to see a dentist to whiten my teeth?

Bleaching is not necessarily the best option for every person. Only a trained dentist can determine the best approach for you. If bleaching is the best approach, a trained hygienist will make an impression of your teeth and create a personalized tray with a perfect fit.

Why are my teeth discolored?

The most common causes include aging and the use of staining substances such as coffee, teas, colas and tobacco. Injury to teeth, use of antibiotics, excessive fluoride and nerve degeneration can also darken teeth.

Will my teeth whiten evenly?

Sometimes the biting edges and the sides of the teeth whiten first. That’s because your enamel is thinner in these areas and responds faster. As you continue to use the bleaching gel, the rest of your teeth will catch up and the color will even out.

Is whitening safe?

Yes. Research and clinical studies indicate that whitening teeth with carbamide peroxide and/or hydrogen peroxide under the supervision of a dentist is very safe. In fact, many dentists consider this whitening process the safest cosmetic procedure available today.

Diet/nutrition

Eating a balanced diet will help your mouth tissues resist infection. This may help avoid gum disease, which is the main cause of tooth loss in adults. Although poor nutrition does not actually cause periodontal disease, many researchers believe a poor diet makes the disease progress faster and become more severe.

A healthy diet includes the four basic food groups. Minimize soft, sweet, sticky foods, such as cakes, candy and dried fruits. Brush and floss your teeth after eating such foods to remove clinging residues that promote tooth decay. If you cannot clean your teeth immediately after snacking, choose foods such as nuts, raw vegetables, plain yogurt, cheese, popcorn and sugarless gum or candy.

What about fluoride?

Fluoride is vital for strong, decay-resistant teeth. Ask your dentist if you and your family are getting the fluoride you need.

Fillings

Is there a tooth-colored filling material?

Yes. When old amalgam fillings deteriorate, they can be replaced with new, safe tooth-colored replacements. These advanced materials make your mouth look and feel natural and healthy.

Composite resins are tooth-colored, plastic materials (made of glass and resin) that are used both to fill and to repair defects in the teeth. They can be matched to look like your natural teeth.

What metals are used for fillings?

Alloys are combinations of metals that make durable restorations. Alloys may include precious metals, like gold and palladium, and non-precious metals such as nickel or chromium.

When is porcelain an option?

Porcelain is a natural-looking restoration made of a very strong glass. It is used to make veneers, crowns, inlays, onlays or the artificial teeth in bridges and dentures. Porcelain can be blended to match the color of adjacent teeth. Crowns can be made entirely of porcelain or made with a metal inner lining, which strengthens the crown.

Grinding teeth

Stop grinding your teeth at night and you may stop waking up with that dull headache, facial pain or fatigue.

Ask your dentist to evaluate signs of grinding and talk with you about treatment options. The appropriate treatment depends on the cause and severity of the grinding.

How Will I Look?

See for yourself how you will look after cosmetic treatment. Parkcrest Dental Group offers a cosmetic imaging service that allows you to preview your appearance.

We use a computer and a digital camera to take your picture. We then have your picture modified to create a realistic finished image of the procedure you are considering. In a few days we’ll give you a folder with a professionally finished, clinically-accurate picture of how you will look after your procedure.

Missing or damaged teeth

Dental Implants
Do you miss the crunch of an autumn apple or the sweetness of corn on the cob? Are you embarrassed to smile or eat in public? Dental implants can give you a new sense of security and confidence.

Dental implants can improve your appearance, comfort, speech, and ability to chew and enjoy food. Ask your dentist if you are a good candidate.

Is it painful to get an implant?
Excellent anesthetics are used to block pain during surgery and pain medications relieve discomfort afterwards. Dental care has come a long way!

Bridges
One way to replace missing teeth is to create a strong "bridge" that spans a natural tooth to securely anchor new replacement teeth.

Partials
A partial denture fits securely between your natural teeth.

Crowns/Caps
Porcelain crowns cover the teeth like a cap. They are used when the filling area becomes too large. The glass-like porcelain material can be matched to your natural teeth and reflects light with a natural, healthy glow.

Dentures
Replacing missing teeth can give you a whole new lease on life! You will see amazing benefits in your health and appearance. Ask your dentist to recommend the best options for replacing your missing teeth.

Today, high quality dentures are very comfortable. A complete denture, also called a full denture, replaces all the natural teeth and provides support for cheeks and lips. Without this support, sagging facial muscles can make a person appear older. Several types of partial dentures are also available.

Will dentures make me look different?
Dentures often improve your smile and help fill out the appearance of your face and profile. Dentures can be made to closely match your natural teeth.

Should I use a denture adhesive?
Dentures are made to fit precisely and usually do not require use of an adhesive. A denture that fits poorly will cause irritation and sores. If your denture begins to feel loose, or causes pronounced discomfort, see your dentist immediately. In an emergency, denture adhesives can be used until you see the dentist, but prolonged use can mask infections and cause bone loss in the jaw.

Can I adjust or repair my dentures?
Don’t try this at home! See your dentist if your dentures break, crack, chip, or if one of the teeth becomes loose. A denture that is not repaired properly can cause serious problems in your mouth.

A dentist can often adjust or repair your denture the same day. You can seriously damage your dentures by trying to adjust or repair them yourself. Glue sold over the counter often contains harmful chemicals and should not be used on dentures.

How long do dentures last?
Dentures will need to be modified periodically due to normal wear. Your mouth naturally changes with age. Bone and gum ridges can recede or shrink, causing dentures to fit less securely. Loose dentures can cause health problems, including sores and infections. A loose denture also makes chewing more difficult and may change your facial features. It's important to replace worn or poorly-fitting dentures before they cause problems.