Services

The team at The Smile Place offers a relaxing environment providing for your dental needs. Whether you need a cleaning or a crown we are here to take care of you. Our doctors offer a wide range of dental services including cosmetic dentistry. If you would like to brighten your smile with whitening or have us help you obtain the smile you have always wanted, we are here to help. Some of the services we offer include:

Comprehensive Evaluation / Oral Examination

During an oral examination, a visual inspection is performed to detect normal and abnormal structures of the entire mouth, head and neck. Along with radiographs, an examination detects cavities, abnormalities in existing dental restorations, gum and bone recession and any other abnormal findings within the mouth, head and neck.

Cleaning (Prophy)

A dental cleaning, also known as an oral prophylaxis, 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 emits vibrations and is cooled by water is used to loosen larger pieces of tartar. Next, hand tools are used to manually remove smaller deposits and smooth the tooth surfaces. Once all the tooth surfaces have been cleaned of tartar and plaque, the teeth are polished.

Scaling and Root Planing

Scaling and root planing is a non-surgical procedure used to treat gum disease. During the scaling process, specialized dental instruments are used to remove dental plaque and calculus from beneath the gums. Planing is the procedure used to smooth the tooth’s root after the scaling process. Root planing helps the gums heal and reattach themselves to a cleaner and smoother root surface.

Whitening

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.In-Office Bleaching usually requires only one office visit. A protective gel or a rubber shield is placed over the gums to protect the soft tissue. A bleaching agent containing carbamide peroxide is applied to the teeth, and a laser light is then used to enhance the action of the whitening agent .At-Home Bleaching requires an impression of the teeth to be taken to make a customized mouth guard to hold the whitening gel, containing carbamide peroxide, against the teeth. Once the mouth guard is made, it is worn for a period of time, generally from a couple of hours a day to every day during the night for up to four weeks or longer, if desired.

Crown

A crown is a dental restoration that completely covers the outside of a severely decayed tooth. Dental crowns can be completed in two visits. During the first visit, the tooth is prepped (shaved down) and an impression is taken. A temporary crown is placed while the permanent crown is being made. During the second visit, the permanent crown is fitted comfortably and then cemented into place for a permanent restoration.

Bridge

A bridge replaces missing teeth without the use of a denture or dental implant. A false tooth is held in place by being attached to a neighboring tooth. In order to fabricate a bridge a crown(s) is made for the teeth on either side of the space and a false tooth is placed in between the crowns, as a support.

Veneers

Porcelain veneers are thin pieces of porcelain used to recreate the natural look of teeth. To place a veneer, a very small amount of the original tooth enamel must be removed. Afterwards, an adhesive layer is placed between the slightly prepped tooth and the veneer. The veneer is then hardened with a curing light.

Dental Implants & Restorations

Dental implants are the replacement of tooth roots in the mouth. Implants provide a strong foundation for fixed or removable replacement teeth. Dental implants are small anchors made of biocompatible metal called titanium, which are placed in the jawbone. The anchors begin to fuse with the bone over a few months. After the fusing process, known as osseointegration, abutment posts are inserted into the anchors to allow for the permanent attachment of the replacement teeth. To fabricate the replacement teeth, an impression is taken and a model of the bite is created. The replacement teeth are based on this model. Replacement teeth can either be crowns or dentures.

Wisdom Teeth Removal (3rd Molars)

A wisdom tooth that is deemed problematic is normally extracted to avoid any oral complications. To have a wisdom tooth removed, a small incision is made to open up the gum tissue over the tooth and remove any bone that is covering the tooth. Once the tooth is in view, it is gently grasped with a dental instrument, known as a forcep, and gently rocked back and forth to loosen it from the jaw bone and surrounding ligaments. Sometimes the tooth may need to be cut into smaller pieces to make it easier or removal. Stitches may be necessary after the removal of a wisdom tooth.

Extractions

A tooth that can not be saved with restorative materials may need to be removed. Before removing your tooth, the area will be numbed with anesthesia. The tooth is then loosened using a special dental instrument known as an elevator. After it is loosened from the socket, it is gently removed by a forcep, a dental instrument commonly used in dental extractions. Stitches may be necessary after the removal of a tooth.

Bone Grafting

Bone grafting is the replacement or enhancement of bone around teeth. When a tooth is lost, the surrounding bone collapses. Bone grafting is performed to reverse bone loss or enhance bone. The bone can be taken from parts of the body or from synthetic material. Bone grafting allows for proper support of dental implants or prostheses.

Sleep Disorders

Sleep apnea is a disorder in which one experiences one or more pauses in breathing or shallow breaths while you sleep. Sleep apnea is an ongoing condition that disrupts sleep. When breathing is paused or becomes shallow, one will often move out of deep sleep and into light sleep, making the quality of sleep poor.Sleep apnea can be treated with lifestyle changes, mouthpieces, breathing devices, and/or surgery. For mild sleep apnea, a custom fitted mouth piece or some lifestyle changes (weight loss, smoking cessation, clearing nasal passages) may be helpful. For moderate to severe sleep apnea, a breathing device called CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) or surgery to widen the breathing passages by shrinking, stiffening, or removing excess tissue in the mouth and throat or resetting the lower jaw may be helpful. A CPAP machine uses a mask that fits over your mouth and/or nose and gently blows air into your throat. This air pressure helps keep your airway open while you sleep. Surgery to shrink the tissue involves a small shot into the breathing passages. Surgery to stiffen excess tissue requires a small incision in the tissue and inserting a piece of stiff plastic.

Apicoectomy

An apicoectomy is a root tip surgery. This procedure removes a tooth’s root tip to prevent further infection of the root. To perform an apicoectomy, a small incision is made in the gum and bone over the tooth’s root. After the root tip is accessed, it is cleaned and sealed with a small filling. The gum is then stitched back into place with stitches.

Gum Reshaping

Gum reshaping or contouring is a procedure performed to reshape the gums if they rest too low or too high on your teeth. In order to reshape the gum tissue, a line is drawn to mark the new gum line. Once approved, anesthesia is applied to the area and the contouring begins. Then, a dental instrument (typically a scalpel or laser) is used to reshape the gum tissue and trim away any extra tissue overhanging the tooth.

Dentures

A denture is a removable replacement for missing teeth. There are two types of dentures, complete (full) and partial dentures.Complete (Full) Dentures are made after all the teeth in the mouth have been removed and the gum tissue has healed. The denture includes an acrylic base that is custom made in the dental laboratory and are made to look like natural gums, which sits over the gums or can be anchored to dental implants.Partial Dentures are made only when a few teeth need to be replaced. The partial denture either attaches to crowns on either side of the denture or to a metal framework that is attached to the teeth on both sides of the partial denture. Partial dentures can be removable or they can be anchored in place by attaching them to dental implants.

Laser Dentistry

Lasers in dentistry allow for many dental procedures to be performed with no noise, very little pain and fewer appointments. All lasers work by delivering energy in the form of light. When used for surgical and dental procedures, the laser acts as a cutting instrument or a vaporizer of tissue that it comes in contact with. When used for “curing” a filling, the laser helps to strengthen the bond between the filling and the tooth. When used in teeth-whitening procedures, the laser acts as a heat source and enhances the effect of tooth-bleaching agents. The procedures performed with dental lasers are minimally invasive and preferable to conventional surgery.Other benefits of laser dentistry over traditional methods can include:

Reduced heat and vibration
Little or no need for anesthetic
Faster treatment time
Increased rate of retention
Less post-operative complications

Some of the dental treatment provided by lasers are as follows:

“Cure” or harden fillings
Whiten teeth
Reshape gum tissue
Biopsy or remove soft tissue lesions and ulcers
Remove areas of tooth decay
Eliminate pockets of infected gum tissue
Root canal therapy
Correct ankyloglossia (tongue-tied)
Oral surgery and extractions

Additional Services

Our office provides many other services that may not be listed here. Please don’t hesitate to call us with any questions about the services we offer, we will be happy to assist you.