Our Services

Professional Cleaning
Professional cleanings performed by a certified hygienist are just as important to your dental health as daily brushing and flossing. Using specialized tools and training, your hygienist or dentist will:

Examinations
Regular examinations help detect and prevent health issues before they become serious. Consistent dental check-ups help catch problems when they are small and easier to treat. Left unattended, small treatable problems become worse and may require more extensive, expensive procedures to repair. Dental examinations in our office generally include the following:

X-rays & Digital X-rays
X-rays are a primary tool for early identification of dental problems. Detecting issues with X-rays before they become problems can save you money in the long run by preventing the need for more extensive, expensive procedures or surgeries.

X-rays are primarily used to detect:

Digital X-rays have several advantages over traditional film based X-rays:

The Happy Visit
We encourage all children who are new to our practice, whether other family members are already patients or not, to come visit us for an introduction to 'Mr. Whistle', 'Mrs. Squirty', and 'Mr. Sunshine' and a fun visit filled with magic, stories, prizes, and stickers all at absolutely no charge! This offer for a free tour and introduction to our staff is also extended to 'Kids at Heart' of all ages.

Please contact us to schedule a Happy visit during regular office hours, and tell all of your friends and family!

Periodontal Therapy
Sore, bleeding gums can indicate the beginning of Periodontal Disease. However, periodontal disease often has no signs detectable by you until it is quite advanced. This makes an evaluation by a dental professional even more critical. If untreated, discomfort, bad breath, and tooth loss will result. Research has detected a strong link between gum disease and other diseases such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and low birth weight babies.

If indication of gum disease exists, a non-surgical, very comfortable treatment is available for many stages of gum disease. Straightening crowded teeth that are difficult to clean can also be advantageous in managing gum disease, and we are often able to accomplish this with Invisalign® clear aligners.

If you have periodontal (gum) disease, Scaling and Root Planing (SRP) is needed. Gum disease is caused by bacteria and we often recommend SRP be accompanied with an Arestin anti-bacterial treatment to make sure the root cause of the gum disease is being addressed.

Fillings
Fillings are used to restore tooth damage caused by tooth decay. Our office uses primarily composite or tooth-colored fillings which are virtually undetectable. Composite fillings, in addition to being more esthetically pleasing, bond directly to the tooth surface, unlike traditional amalgam or silver fillings. Amalgam is used only in the rare instances where composite would not have a good prognosis.

Composite fillings are tooth-colored to blend in with the remaining natural part of the tooth. The term composite refers to the actual filling material, which is a mixture of glass or quartz filler in a resin medium.

Composite fillings provide good durability and resistance to fracture in small-to-mid size restorations that need to withstand moderate chewing pressure. Less tooth structure is removed when the dentist prepares the tooth and this may result in a smaller filling than with of an amalgam.

Dental Bonding
Bonding is a procedure in which we apply a tooth-colored composite material to a tooth, shape it, allow it to harden, and polish it. It can be used in certain situations where a tooth has been damaged or become stained. These are generally minor repairs, ones that can be resolved through this relatively inexpensive means rather than through a more costly dental procedure.

Crowns and Bridges
Crowns are used to restore severely damaged teeth due to fracture or decay. After the tooth surface is cleaned and prepared, the crown is placed to cover the remainder of the tooth. The crown strengthens the tooth structure and helps prevent future decay. Crowns also improve the tooth's look, shape, and alignment. Today's crowns are stronger and more beautiful than ever, including all porcelain, zirconia, porcelain fused to metal, or gold. Some (CEREC) can even be made and delivered in a single visit! Crowns are used to:

Bridges are used to replace a missing tooth in both a cosmetic and functional fashion. A bridge structure is one or more artificial teeth anchored in place by natural teeth, crowns, or implants, on each side of the bridge. Using a bridge to fill the gap from missing teeth helps restore proper bite and prevent teeth from shifting to fill the gap (which may lead to additional bite and jaw joint issues). Bridges can be constructed from gold, porcelain and metal, or all ceramic. Ceramic bridge color is made to match your natural tooth color. Material choice will depend on structural requirements, wear, and esthetics.

Dental Implants
A dental implant is a post made of metal that is designed to replace missing teeth. It is usually made out of titanium and is placed surgically into the jawbone where the tooth is missing. Unlike a bridge, an implant is a more permanent solution.

You have several options when replacing teeth; it isn't limited to crowns and conventional bridges or dentures. Dental implants are esthetically pleasing and feel very natural. Implants are surgically placed below the gums over a series of appointments. With time, they fuse to the jawbone and serve as a base for individual replacement teeth, bridges or dentures.

Through a process called osseointegration, implants offer stability because they fuse to your bone. Integration of the implants into your jaw also helps your replacement teeth feel more natural. Some patients have reported the secure fit more comfortable than alternatives. Dental implant candidates must have healthy gums and bone to support the implant.

Veneers
Dental Veneers are custom crafted porcelain laminates fitted over the front of an existing tooth. They bond directly to the front of the tooth, dramatically enhancing or restoring its shape, color, and appearance. Veneers are very thin porcelain shells which are extremely strong and durable when bonded to natural teeth. They generally require only a minimal amount of enamel to be removed from the tooth. Veneers can cover dark shades, minor twists and overlaps, small gaps, and chips to create a natural-looking beautiful and bright smile.

Teeth Whitening / Snap-on Smile
Teeth whitening (or bleaching) is a simple, non-invasive dental treatment used to change the color of natural tooth enamel, and is an ideal way to enhance the beauty of your smile. Because having whiter teeth has now become the number one aesthetic concern of most patients, there are several ways to whiten teeth. The most popular method is using an at-home teeth whitening system that will whiten teeth dramatically. Since teeth whitening only works on natural tooth enamel, it is important to evaluate replacement of any old fillings, crowns, etc. Replacement of any restorations will be done after bleaching so they will match the newly bleached teeth.

Dreaming of a new smile but not quite ready to make the investment? Snap-On Smile is a removable dental appliance that gives you an immediate smile transformation! It can give you a preview of a smile makeover, replace missing teeth, and give you a way to restore worn down teeth in phases. For more information, go to www.snaponsmile.com.

Custom Mouth Guards
Mouth guards are used not only for athletic activities, but also in the case of bruxism. Bruxism (teeth grinding) can cause long-term damage to teeth, from moderate to severe. A custom-made mouth guard can help guard your teeth against the damage they inflict on themselves while you sleep. Some of the damage that can occur includes:

Root Canal
A "root canal," or endodontic therapy, is a procedure available to save a tooth that is infected and would otherwise require extraction. There are many reasons that teeth can become infected including cavities, previous large fillings, crowns, cracks, trauma, and extreme wear.

Root canal therapy is needed when the nerve of a tooth is affected by decay or infection. In order to save the tooth, the pulp (nerve and blood supply), bacteria, and any decay are removed and the resulting space is filled with an inert material called gutta percha. After the tooth is healed, getting a crown is recommended, because the tooth will become brittle.

Having a root canal done on a tooth is the treatment of choice to save a tooth that otherwise would die and have to be removed. Many patients believe that removing a problematic tooth is the best (and most economical) solution. Extracting, or pulling a tooth, could ultimately be more costly and cause significant problems for adjacent teeth, as well as causing loss of bone around the extraction site.

While root canal therapy has a high degree of success, it is not 100% guaranteed. It is very important to have a permanent restoration (usually a crown) placed within 30 days of the root canal. If a permanent restoration is not placed, the tooth can fracture or further decay to the point where the root canal must be re-done or, worse, the tooth must be removed.

Dentures and Partials

Full Dentures

When the condition of the teeth has deteriorated so far that they can no longer be repaired, removal is the only option. Dentures are a "replacement" option for missing teeth. There are two variations of dentures: partial dentures and full dentures. The difference between the two lies in how many natural teeth remain.

A complete denture is a removable prosthesis of white plastic teeth in a pink gum-colored plastic base; the denture rests on the remaining gum ridge once all of the teeth in the arch have been removed.

It is important to note that life with an upper and/or lower denture is a major lifestyle change when compared to natural teeth. Dentures impact the type of food you are able to eat, your self-confidence in social situations and even your self-esteem.

Reasons for a Full Denture

An upper full denture will almost always feel better than a lower full denture. In order to dramatically improve the fit of a lower full denture, we frequently suggest using dental implants as a retentive mechanism. Implants placed in the lower jaw can help anchor the denture and significantly improve comfort. Sometimes, the implants can even be placed in the jaw after a denture has been in use for several years.

Partial Dentures
Often called a "partial," this type of denture is often used when only some of the teeth are missing.

A partial denture is a removable appliance held in place by gripping the remaining healthy teeth, usually with metal clasps or wires.

It is an economical solution that allows all missing teeth in the same arch (either the upper or the lower) to be replaced with one appliance. A partial denture is inherently much more stable and therefore more comfortable than a complete denture. There are many factors that help us to determine if you are a candidate for tooth replacement with a partial denture. Among these factors, the health of the gums and the shape of the anchor teeth are most important.

Reasons for Partial Dentures

The metal clasps are usually visible and usually affect the beauty of your smile. Often, there are options available to reduce or eliminate the need for visible clasps.

Finally, partial dentures can be designed to allow for the future loss of teeth which may not be as healthy as the rest. Alternatives to partial dentures include bridges, implants, and, occasionally, full dentures.

Sleep apnea is a cessation of breath for 10 seconds or longer during sleep, usually caused by the collapse of soft tissue on the rear of the throat resulting in a blocked or narrowed airway. Signs of sleep apnea may include:
If left untreated, sleep apnea could result in:
Most traditional treatment has involved the use of CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure). For mild to moderate sleep apnea, an oral appliance has been accepted as an equally viable method of treatment. We are pleased to offer the oral appliances in our practice to apnea sufferers. We are certified by the Sleep Optima Network and are members of the Academy of Clinical Sleep Disorders Disciplines.

If you feel that you may have sleep apnea, you should be evaluated through a sleep study, or polysomnogram. You may contact your primary care physician to pursue this, or we would be happy to refer you to a local sleep physician.

Temporomandibular Joint Disorder has three main categories:

•	Myofascial pain - discomfort or pain in the muscles that control the jaw as well as the neck and shoulder muscles
•	Internal derangement of the joint - a displaced disc or dislocated jaw
•	Degenerative joint disease - osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis

Many patients will have more than one of these conditions occur simultaneously.

Symptoms can vary greatly, may be acute (short-lived) or chronic (lasting many months, years, or even decades), and may include any or all of the following:

Thorough extensive research and years of studying with leaders in the field of TMJ disorders, Dr. Cheryl Freeman has developed an extensive evaluation process to help identify causative factors of TMJ pain and dysfunction and implements a conservative approach to therapy. If you are suffering, call our office today to schedule a TMJ Evaluation and we will partner with you in working toward health and comfort.

Soft Tissue Laser
Excellent for laser gum scultping; many different gum surgeries accomplished with no stitches and minimal bleeding or post-operative discomfort.

CEREC one-visit crowns
With CEREC technology we are able to create a custom fit crown in our office while you wait, saving an extra office visit and wearing a temporary crown for weeks.

Digital Impressions
CEREC imaging often allows indirect restorations like crowns to be made without messy impression materials.

Diagnodent Laser Cavity Detection
Allows us to analyze stained pits and grooves in the back teeth for the presence or absence of decay.

VELscope
As part of an annual oral cancer exam, utilizes a safe, high energy blue light and special filtering technology to help thoroughly evaluate the oral tissue for abnormal areas of concern.

IntraOral Camera
This camera allows you to see specific areas for informed participation in treatment decisions.

Syringe-Less Numbing
The Wand Anesthesia Delivery System numbs without a syringe using a pen-like instrument for a comfortable beginning to procedures.

Digital X-rays
Digital technology allows almost instantaneous access to X-rays photos and greatly reduces the radiation exposure.

Digital Photography
Allows better communication between doctor, patient, and laboratory.