Preventative Dentistry Is Important To Your Health
Preventative dentistry is extremely important to your overall health. Regular care helps prevent oral disease and its further development. Home care is essential to maintaining good dental health. Here are a few tips:
- Brushing– brushing two times a day with a soft toothbrush helps fight plaque, keeps your gums healthy and breath fresher. Toothpaste with fluoride can help fight decay.
- Flossing– flossing at least once a day will help remove plaque between your teeth and below the gums.
- Special Aids – Ask our hygienists and doctors what may be helpful for your unique needs. Electric toothbrush, special dental picks or individual brushes for difficult areas are just a few options available at Fifth Avenue Dental.
Preventative dentistry includes:
- Prophylaxis – This dental term means “cleaning”, the removal of plaque by a hygienist use special instruments and techniques.
- Exam– Our doctors combine visual ,tactile and xrays when checking your teeth. They will perform and oral cancer screening during the examination.
Our General Dental Services Anoka, MN
Click on a dental service to learn more
- Bonding & White Filling
- Bridges
- Crowns
- Hygiene/Periodontal Health
- Teeth Whitening
- Veneers
- Dental Implants
- Dentures/Partial Dentures
- Root Canal (Endodonics)
Bonding & White Fillings
Composite fillings are made of an acrylic resin mixture that produces a tooth-colored restoration. This material is commonly used for a couple of purposes. One, an alternative to amalgam (silver) filling for cavities or secondly for cosmetic treatment commonly referred to as bonding. Composite fillings typically require less tooth structure to be removed by the dentist and the material is “bonded” by a ultraviolet light that adheres the resin to the tooth.
Bridge
A bridge is a way to replace one or more missing teeth. It can improve your appearance and makes it easier to chew. Spaces left by missing teeth affect the rest of your teeth. Teeth slowing shift out of place, chewing becomes difficult and your bite does not come together. These changes can make your jaw sore, lead to tooth decay, gum disease and may change your smile.
The procedure will take a couple of visits. Our doctors will prepare the teeth on either side of the “gap” to hold crowns. After the preparation is complete impressions are taken to have a dental lab create the final restoration. During this time, one of our assistants will create a beautiful tooth-colored temporary bridge to cover your teeth until the permanent bridge is seated.
Crowns
A crown is a cover or “cap” that our dentists will permanently place on a tooth to restore the normal shape, size and function. Crowns are recommended for many reasons such as when a tooth has a cavity too large for a filling; when cracked, broken or weak; when a tooth has had root canal treatment; or to change the color or shape of a tooth. Crowns can be made from metal alloys, ceramic, porcelain or a combination of materials.
The process for creating a crown involves removing the outer portion of a tooth as well as any decayed, broken , or weak areas. An impression is then made of the remaining tooth structure. A temporary plastic crown is made and worn while a dental lab creates the final restoration, Usually the process of making your permanent crown takes about two weeks, at which a second appointment is necessary. During the second appointment the temporary crown is removed and the permanent is placed.
Dental Hygiene & Periodontal Health
Healthy Hygiene Visit
Here at Fifth Avenue Dental, we make sure that you receive the highest level of service and ensure that our dental work is of the highest quality. Our hygienists work with you to help you maintain great oral health by reviewing your personal oral hygiene routine.
Your teeth are not the only important part of your mouth, but your gums are essential to oral health as well. We offer periodontal cleanings (scaling and root planing) , or refer you to one of our recommended specialists.
Periodontal Care
Periodontal disease or “gum disease” is an infection of the gum and bone that support the teeth. Often, this disease is not painful, and if untreated, will lead to bone loss and missing teeth.
Plaque and tartar that accumulate below the gum line form a sticky film of bacteria. When teeth are not cleaned well, gums pull away from the tooth structure forming pockets. These pockets trap more plaque that can not be removed from regular brushing. Pockets that are untreated allows the gum disease to get worse. Fortunately, our highly skilled hygienists can treat the disease with a ‘deep cleaning’ called scaling and root planing. This procedure is accomplished with one or more visits and medications may be recommended to help control the disease. A month after treatment is complete you will return for an evaluation of your gum tissue. Your hygienist will review the results with you and determine how often you should return for maintenance.
Whitening
Tooth whitening is one of the easiest procedures we provide to improve your smile. Teeth become darker with age and coffee,tea,wine,dark soda,tobacco add to the process. After your exam, one of our doctors would determine if you are a candidate for our whitening process. Our take home whitening system starts with custom made trays. Once the trays are completed, you will receive specific instructions form our clinical staff on how to begin making your smile brighter. After several days of using the product we have you return to our office and check on your progress. This is our most popular system and we know you will love the immediate results.
Please contact us today to see if you are a candidate for this type of whitening
Veneers
Dental Veneers are a way of changing the size, shape or color of your tooth while removing minimal natural tooth structure. Veneers are often a good option when the choice is for more of a cosmetic change to the tooth. Veneers can have some limitations based on the initial color of a tooth, the bite or large existing restorations or fillings. Veneers are typically made of a porcelain or ceramic material.
The veneer process involves removing minimal tooth structure from the front side of the tooth. An impression is made of the remaining tooth structure and sent the lab. While the lab is creating the final veneers, temporary plastic veneers are placed and adjusted to look like the anticipated final result. This allows everyone involved a chance to visualize the final result and make any changes necessary before permanent veneers are placed. Once completed at the lab, the temporary restorations are removed and the final veneers are bonded to the tooth structure.
Dental Implants
Dental Implants are an effective and permanent way to replace missing teeth. A single implant can be used to replace an individual tooth while keeping the adjacent teeth intact or multiple implants can be used to replace up to any number of teeth or to keep a denture from slipping.
The implant process involves placement of the implant into the jawbone using x-rays and pictures to find the ideal placement. Post-surgery the area may be a little tender with possible swelling or bruising. The healing process can take anywhere from 2-6 months as the implant integrates into the bone through a process called osseointegration. Once the healing phase is complete the replacement tooth or teeth are custom made at a dental lab using an impression taken by our doctors. Once finished, the replacement teeth are attached to the implant posts and the final outcome is a comfortable and stable restoration allowing you to bite and chew more naturally.
Dentures
Dentures are a replacement option for missing teeth and restore your smile. They can either be a partial denture for some missing teeth or a complete denture when all teeth are missing. Dentures are not real teeth, but a porcelain or plastic alternative. The teeth are created into different sizes, shapes and colors which then are embedded into tissue colored plastic which covers and rests against the gum tissue for support.
The process of making dentures involve several appointments in order to customize the fit to your mouth. Once completed, dentures will act as a replacement to help with chewing, speaking and swallowing. However, dentures will feel very different from natural teeth. Dentures can feel a bit bulky or like there is not enough room for the tongue. At times they may rub and create a sore spot or become loose. Our doctors are here to adjust or improve the fit of your denture.
Dentures and any remaining teeth still need to be cared for. This involves brushing and cleaning the replacement teeth on a daily basis with products created just for dentures. Regular dental appointments are necessary to check the fit of your denture and the health of your gum tissue.
Root Canal
Root canal treatment (endodontics) is the removal of the nerves in a tooth. This procedure is performed due to infection. Many patients experience tooth pain, but not always. Our doctors will examine the area of concern and use an x-ray to form a diagnosis. One of the instruments that is used to perform a root canal is an electrical hand piece. This system is referred to as Rotary Endodontics and is an aid to perform the treatment with ease, allowing for a more comfortable experience for you.
A root canal has become a scary term for dental patients to hear, but advances in dental technology have made it much less “scary”. There may be some soreness following the procedure, but that is normal for most dental procedures. Over the counter painkillers are usually enough to relieve any pain afterwards, but our doctors may prescribe medication. You will be relieved from pain caused by the infection allowing you to enjoy all the foods you love without any pain from heat, cold, or biting too hard.