PREVENTIVE DENTISTRY
AT CASA GRANDE DENTAL OFFICE
The key to good oral and good overall health is prevention.
The safest and most conservative way to go about this is by getting
regular check-ups and cleanings at Dental office. Our Dentist with his caring and experienced staff uses
the latest technology and spends time with you to customize the best
prevention protocol for your dental needs.
COSMETIC
DENTISTRY at DM Family Dentistry in Casa Grande
Anyone who is unhappy with their smile can have
it fixed. The upper teeth show, usually, only when smiling, while the
lower teeth remain hidden. This is reversed when talking, with the upper
teeth remaining hidden while the lower teeth show. The color, alignment,
spacing as well as regularity of the teeth are the characteristics that
give the overall appearance. Any of these can be repaired to give a
stunning look to the mouth.
At Dr. Dill's dental office a wide of cosmetic dental options are offered. Some of these options are whitening, smile design, recontouring of the
shape of the teeth, veneers, bonding, and all ceramic/porcelain crowns.
FILLINGS at DM Family dentistry in Casa Grande
Fillings are done to remove decay, and replace the affected
tooth structure. It is called a filling because new material fills
the
hole that the decay left. Now days most teeth are treated with bonded tooth
colored composite resin fillings. Caught early enough, cavities can be
treated easily and painlessly. If not treated decay can lead to tooth
pain and/or infection, and the tooth would need root canal treatment or
extraction. Let our Dentist at DM Family Dentistry in Casa Grande do this
work for you.
VENEERS at DM Family Dentistry in Casa Grande
Veneers are a dental procedure in which a covering is placed
over the outside (visible area) of the tooth. Veneers are usually only
done to the part of the teeth that are visible when talking or smiling.
The first step in the fabrication of the veneers is for the cosmetic dentist to
design them in conjunction with the clients' desires. This is where artistry,
science, training, and knowledge
of materials and dentistry merge. The dentist must specify
the shape, thickness, and colors. Natural teeth are not pure white, but rather
have subtle colors, hints of yellow, blue, pink, and these vary throughout each
tooth. The cosmetic dentist must communicate the exact specifications for the
ceramist to follow.
The most beautiful, realistic restorations are individually hand made by a
master ceramist. Each veneer or crown is crafted from special tooth-colored
porcelain to create the most natural smile possible.
Veneers are natural looking, and can actually improve the strength of your
natural teeth because only a minimal amount of natural tooth is altered to fit
the veneer. The veneer is very secure, as it is tightly bonded to your natural
tooth. Veneers are stain resistant and can transform even the
darkest teeth to a brilliant white. The procedure can be direct or indirect.
The direct technique usually involves dentist to
place composite resin on the outside of the tooth using bonding. This method is usually
referred to as bonding.
The
indirect technique usually involves two appointments
because the veneers will be fabricated at a dental laboratory. At the
first appointment with our dentist the teeth are prepared, impressions taken, and the
teeth are given a temporary covering. In two to three weeks the veneers
are back from the laboratory, the temporaries are removed and the
veneers are bonded to the teeth. The laboratory fabricated veneers are
usually made using porcelain or pressed ceramic, and are very esthetic.
The advantage of veneers versus crowns is that much less
tooth material is removed, and the procedure is generally less
uncomfortable. Veneers are recommended for teeth that have large
fillings or little tooth structure.
Whiter Teeth
at DM Family dentistry in Casa Grande
Do you want whiter teeth right now? REV is the answer. The
REV! Custom
Whitening System uses advanced technology to whiten your teeth several
shades. It's a conservative and quick way to brighten your smile.
CROWNS at DM Family Dentistry in Casa Grande
Crowns are full coverage restorations that are used to cover
a tooth that is likely to break, or is too broken down to be restored
with a filling. They are most commonly done after root canal treatment,
or when a large filling wears out. The larger the hole made by a cavity
that has to be treated, the more likely a crown will be needed. Even
after a filling is put in a large cavity, a tooth is more likely to
break. Keep in mind that the jaw muscles are the strongest in the human
body. Teeth are subjected to tremendous pressures. Crowns ride over the
weakened tooth, providing strength and protecting the tooth against
breakage. A broken or cracked tooth is a far more serious matter and
much more difficult to treat. Crowns prevent this, as well as making for
a nice smile. It takes two appointments with our Dentist to restore a tooth with a crown.
In the first, any decay is removed from the tooth and it is shaped to
accept the crown. Then an impression is made of the tooth for use in
fabricating a crown. Between the two visits the crown is made, usually
of high-strength porcelain over gold alloy, all ceramic material, or
gold. During this time a temporary crown is worn. In the second visit
Dentist will remove
this temporary, and then the permanent crown is adjusted and cemented in place.
Call today Dentist Steven
H. Dill for a consultation so we can give you a preview of your
fabulous new smile. Do you have chipped, worn, crooked, discolored or
crowded teeth? Dentist Steven H. Dill will give you the perfect smile you've
always longed for. If you want to improve your smile, beautiful custom-made
porcelain veneers and crowns are the platinum standard that
world-class
cosmetic dentists use to create gorgeous smiles. Sometimes referred to as
porcelain laminates, veneers are thin, custom-made moldings that resurface
the face of unsightly teeth.
BRIDGES: this is an option for filling the space created by a missing
tooth. It is formed to look like the missing tooth, and it takes its
place in the mouth. The sides of a bridge use the two surrounding teeth
for support, hence the name. A bridge replaces the missing tooth, both
functionally and cosmetically. Bridge work is as much an art as it is an
exact science. The materials used may be gold alloys, porcelain bonded
to metal alloy, or all ceramic material. The choice of material depends
on requirements for strength, wear, and/or esthetics.
It is important that a missing tooth be replaced as soon as
possible for several reasons. If not treated the teeth surrounding the gap
begin to shift inward, creating a whole chain
reaction of bad things. Teeth use their neighbors for support, and, with
one missing, they start to "fall." As this worsens the bite changes in
response to the pressure. This can eventually result in problems with
the entire jaw, e.g. TMJ. The surrounding teeth deteriorate and it is
just a matter of time before them, too, are lost. Gum disease becomes a
serious problem, with the difficulty of treatment increasing as the
neglect continues.
DENTURES
There
are different types of dentures, but they share their
common function. They replace teeth that have become loose or been lost
due to bone loss. When bone loss around the roots of teeth is great
enough to loosen them or let them fall out, it's time for dentures.
Relax. No one enjoys losing their natural teeth, but you can still eat
and talk regularly.
The entire mouth is examined and a determination is made as
to which teeth will have to be removed, and which will remain. The loose
teeth are then extracted. Dentures are fitted to go over or around
whatever teeth remain in the mouth, depending on the type. There is an
adjustment period after dentures are placed in the mouth, and it can
take some getting used to. But once accustomed to the dentures, all the
normal functionality and appearance return and one just carries on as
usual. Often implants can used to further stabilize the dentures.
IMPLANTS at DM Family Dentistry in Casa Grande
A dental implant is an option to replace a missing tooth. In
this procedure, a small titanium shaft is surgically implanted into the
bone and
allowed to set. The bone grows around it forming a tight
connection, which additionally slows or stops the bone loss that occurs
when the root of a natural tooth is missing. Once the implant is firmly
set in the mouth, the dentist the
n works to attach the replacement tooth
onto the top of the shaft. This permanent solution has the advantages
over bridge work that it does not stress the surrounding teeth for
support, and, should the tooth wear out, another can simply be replaced
on the shaft.
Implants can also be used as support as part of an implant
bridge. This is an alternative to partial dentures, and has several
advantages. First, there is no adjustment period to acclimatize the
patient who,
once the work is done, only feels teeth, not metal supports
intruding into the mouth. Second, this slows the bone loss occasioned by
missing teeth. Third, there is no discomfort or difficulty in eating.
And, best of all, of course, they don't have to be taken out all the
time.
ROOT CANAL TREATMENT at DM Family Dentistry in Casa
Grande
Root canal treatment (also referred to as root canal therapy
or endodontic therapy) is made necessary when a cavity is allowed,
through neglect, to reach all the way to
this pulp. (Regular cleanings
and checkups prevent and detect problems early) Sometimes deep
restorations or trauma to a tooth may cause the nerve to be damaged to
the point it needs root canal therapy, also. Once this occurs the pulp
becomes infected, and can even extend through the root tip and begin to
eat away at the surrounding bone (this is an abscess). By the time the
pulp is infected it must be treated, and cannot heal on its own. It can
even weaken the entire immune system. This is dangerous, not to mention
very painful. Symptoms that the pulp has become infected may include
sensitivity to hot/cold or sweets, pain, swelling, pain to biting or
pressure, and a bad taste in the mouth. Sometimes, however, no symptoms
are apparent and the person is unaware of any problem until a checkup.
A root canal is then performed to clean out the infected
tooth pulp, and disinfect the canals of the tooth. The only other
treatment would be to extract the tooth. Once the infection is resolved,
the canal(s) are filled in to prevent any further infection. Usually a
core build-up and crown is recommended for restoring a tooth that has
had root canal therapy.
NON-SURGICAL GUM TREATMENTS
The gums, ligaments, and bone around the teeth form the
foundation for ones teeth. All structures are also referred to as the periodontium. When the periodontium is not healthy, it jeopardizes the
teeth just as a bad foundation would threaten the
stability of a house.
Signs of unhealthy periodontium (gum disease) may be as follows: gums
that are red and bleed easily, persistent bad breath, gums that are
pulled away from the tooth, loose teeth, and changes in the position or
bite of the teeth. Any of these signs may mean something is wrong. With
the proper care, however, it may be possible to return them to a healthy
state. This is where appropriate gum treatments come in. If you're
having a problem, come in and see us so we can take care of it right
away. The treatment usually involves a deep cleaning or root planing
done under a local anesthetic, along with local antibiotic agents. If
the gum disease gets too severe it may need to be treated through
surgery or extraction. This is why it is important to get it treated at
the first sign of a problem.
SEALANTS
at DM Family Dentistry in Casa Grande
This is used to fill in narrow grooves in a tooth that
cannot be adequately cleaned by brushing. In some cases, the tooth
structure has fine grooves or pits which accumulate plaque, not because
the person doesn't brush,
but because they're too narrow to allow even
one bristle into them. These will develop cavities over time, and you
don't want that. So the dentist will brush on a coating that seals the
grooves and pits, making it possible to brush off all the plaque and
keep your teeth healthy.
