Dental Procedures
- Oral Cancer Screen
- Root Canal
- Extractions
- Crowns
- Bridges
- Dentures & Partials
- Restorations or Fillings
- Bonding
- Teeth Whitening
Oral Cancer Screening
An important part of the comprehensive oral evaluation is the advanced oral cancer screening exam. Approximately 70% of the time, abnormal areas are not visible until they have reached an advanced stage. When found in the early stages, oral cancer treatment is quicker, simpler and more than 90% successful.
Root Canal
A root canal is a common dental procedure that is performed when the tooth’s soft core or dental pulp is cleaned out, and the remaining space disinfected and filled. If a crack, abscess or disease has damaged the pulp, a root canal is performed.
A root canal requires one or more office visits and can be performed by a dentist or endodontist. An endodontist is a dentist who specializes in the causes, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases and injuries of the dental pulp or nerve of the tooth. The choice of which type of dentist to visit depends on the difficulty of the root canal procedure needed and the general dentist’s experience. Dr. Lo will discuss who is best suited to perform the work in your particular case.
Extractions
An extraction or tooth removal is required if a tooth is damaged beyond repair. Infection or severe tooth decay, crowding of teeth, periodontal disease and preparation for orthodontic treatment (braces) are other common reasons why an extraction may be required. An extraction can be performed by a general dentist, oral maxillofacial surgeon or periodontist, depending on the location of the tooth.
Crowns
A crown is a type of dental restoration that covers an existing tooth and improves the appearance of your smile while strengthening your teeth. A crown can restore a tooth, cover badly shaped or discolored teeth, attach bridges, protect fractured teeth, attach to dental implants and improve the way your bite fits together.
Bridges
A bridge is a dental restoration that consists of one or more prosthetic teeth that bridge the gap created by missing teeth. When teeth are lost and not replaced, the remaining teeth will shift to fill the empty space and can cause more problems. If you are missing one or more teeth, you are more susceptible to periodontal (gum) disease, bone loss, speech impediments, tooth decay and collapsed bites. A bridge can help prevent teeth from drifting in and out of position, prevent the loss of teeth, restore your smile, maintain the shape of your jaw line and alleviate stress on your bite.
Dentures & Partials
If you’ve lost some or all of your teeth, we have a solution for you! It is important to replace missing teeth in order to maintain a healthy smile. If missing teeth are not replaced, remaining nearby teeth can shift and affect your bite as well as your ability to eat and speak clearly. This can create problems with your jaw joint.
Without support from teeth, facial muscles can sag and make you look older. A denture or removable partial denture (partial) is often prescribed when a patient is missing multiple teeth and the surrounding teeth are healthy enough to support one.
A partial typically consists of prosthetic replacement teeth attached to gum-colored bases. Various methods and materials are available to attach them to your natural teeth. Partials are custom made in a dental laboratory to fit your mouth and match your gums, oral tissue and remaining teeth.
Restorations or Fillings
A dental restoration or dental filling is a dental restorative material used to restore the function, integrity and morphology of missing tooth structure. The structural loss typically results from caries or external trauma. It is also lost intentionally during tooth preparation to improve the aesthetics or the physical integrity of the intended restorative material.
Bonding
Cosmetic bonding can correct chipped, broken, misshapen, discolored or gapped teeth. Dr. Lo can apply a dental composite material that looks like enamel onto the surface of a tooth and sculpt it into shape before hardening it with a high-intensity light to bond it to your natural tooth. The result is a restoration that blends invisibly with the surrounding tooth structure to create a more attractive smile.
Teeth Whitening