General Dentistry (Adults & Kids)
Digital X-Rays and Intra-oral Camera
Digital x-rays have made it easy to diagnose and treat dental issues. With digital x-rays, there is no need to wait for x-ray reports, as the data is right there on the doctor’s monitor within a few minutes. Digital x-rays also use 90% less radiation than traditional film x-rays, making them a safer option for patients.
Digital x-rays offer high accuracy as they provide clear images that can be enlarged for a better view. This ensures that infections and other dental problems are quickly noticed and treated.
Intra-oral cameras have revolutionized the entire patient education process as a patient can now sit comfortably in a chair and get a clear picture of his or her tooth condition. This puts the patient in full control, giving them the opportunity to make an informed decision before their condition gets worse.
An intra-oral camera is a small pen sized tool that comes with a disposable plastic sheath for contamination prevention. An intra-oral camera allows a dentist to take a video of the inside of the mouth of a patient. The video is then transmitted via a cable to a TV screen and can be viewed by both the patient and the dentist. A patient can benefit from getting acquainted with a problem in its early stages.
Before starting any treatment, Dr. Boxwalla will review your medical history and explain how sedation dentistry can work for you.
We then prescribe a mild sedative to take the night before your first appointment to guarantee a restful night of sleep. This ensures you wake up relaxed and peaceful before your visit.
On the morning of your appointment, a companion will bring you to the office. Additional medications will be provided to create a very comfortable and completely relaxed state. The latest in monitoring equipment tracks your vital signs throughout the procedure to ensure your safety. After you have achieved the desired level of sedation we will proceed with the dental treatment that was planned for the day. With sedation dentistry you won’t feel any pain or discomfort in fact, you might not even remember the treatment you’ve received. Sedation dentistry is so effective that patients who have had years of oral hygiene neglect due to fear of dental procedures leave our office with beautiful and healthy smiles in a matter of a few hours.
Because of the lingering relaxed state from the sedatives, you will need a companion to take you home. Post treatment instructions and any necessary medications will be provided to you and your companion. This will ensure you continue to be comfortable after your care.
Periodontal disease/Gum disease
Periodontitis, also generally called gum disease or periodontal disease, begins with bacterial growth in your mouth and may end (if not properly treated) with tooth loss due to the destruction of the tissue that surrounds your teeth. Gum disease may progress painlessly, producing few obvious signs, even in the late stages of the disease. Although the symptoms of periodontal disease often are subtle, the condition is not entirely without warning signs. Certain symptoms may point to some form of the disease. The symptoms of gum disease include:
That’s why regular dental checkups are so important. Dentists spot trouble in the form of pockets of inflammation or places where gum tissue has eroded slightly, exposing the root of the tooth. With regular checkups, the condition of your gum tissue can be compared over time. Any erosion that has taken place is noted. Dental X-rays can reveal early signs of gum disease.
Once the implant bonds with the jawbone, a small connector called an abutment is placed on top of the dental implant to connect the implant to the replacement tooth or teeth. An individual tooth, an implant supported bridge, or dentures containing multiple teeth are then attached to the abutment to replace a single missing tooth or multiple teeth.
Strong and stable, a dental implant restores a lost tooth so that it looks, feels, fits, and functions like a natural tooth. Other options can lead to bone deterioration. Plus, they may interfere with eating, smiling, speaking, and other activities of everyday life.
Traditional tooth supported dental bridges only last five to seven years, and with proper care often more than 10 years, but at some point, they may need to be replaced. While dental implants may need periodic adjustments, they can last a lifetime when properly placed and cared for.
Enjoy Life Without Worrying About Your Teeth!
No need to stay home or feel uncomfortable in public, embarrassed because your smile looks different, or worrying that missing teeth will limit your ability to join in the fun. You also don’t need to worry that removable dentures or tooth supported replacement teeth will loosen or fall out when you talk, eat or laugh. Teeth restored with dental implants are teeth that let you, not your teeth, lead your life.
A face without teeth can sag, appearing sunken and sad. Dental implants allow you to maintain the natural shape of your face and smile.
Adjusting to removable dentures can mean struggling to pronounce everyday words. Not so with dental implants, which function just like natural teeth.
Taste and enjoy the foods you love without hesitation. You can bite naturally, eat virtually anything you want and, unlike removable dentures that can feel uncomfortable, you can experience the full taste of the food you eat with dental implants, too.
A tooth’s nerve and pulp can become irritated, inflamed, and infected due to deep decay, repeated dental procedures on a tooth, and/or large fillings, a crack or chip in the tooth, or trauma to the face. However, sometimes tooth decay can form without symptoms. This is why regular dental exams are so important.
Signs you may need a root canal include:
Root Canal treatment procedure:
Next, the dentist will use a drill and other tools to remove the pulp from the tooth. Finally, they will fill the inside part of the tooth below the gum line with medicines, temporary filling materials, and a root canal filling.
After the root canal, a permanent filling or crown is often needed.
A dental crown (cap) is a tooth-shaped restoration, that is placed over a tooth to cover the tooth to restore its shape and size, strength, and improve its appearance. A dental crown may be needed in the following situations:
A dental bridge is a fixed restoration that is made to replace one or more missing teeth in the mouth. A bridge is made up of two crowns for the teeth on either side of the gap — these two anchoring teeth are called abutment teeth — and a false tooth/teeth in between. These false teeth are called pontics and can be made from gold, alloys, porcelain, or a combination of these materials. Dental bridges are supported by natural teeth or implants. Bridges can:
During the first visit for getting a dental bridge, the teeth adjacent to the missing tooth/teeth are prepared as abutments. Preparation involves recontouring these teeth by removing a portion of enamel to allow room for a crown to be placed over them. Next, impressions of the teeth are made, which serve as a model from which the bridge will be made by a dental lab. Your dentist will make a temporary bridge to wear to protect the exposed teeth and gums while the bridge is being made.
During the second visit, your temporary bridge will be removed and the new permanent bridge will be checked and adjusted, as necessary, to achieve a proper fit. The bridge is then permanently cemented into place.
Dr. Boxwalla addresses cavities in a conservative and contemporary fashion. Composite fillings remain in vogue, rather than the silver ones that were once popular. Silver fillings are not only unattractive, but also do not provide any dental benefits. Composite fillings not only blend with the white color of the teeth but also retain 85 to 90% of tooth strength. The almost instantaneous bond with the tooth offers ease in the procedure, unlike other fillings which may require a day or two to settle.
Extractions
When a tooth infection reaches the pulp and a root canal is not an option, an extraction usually the only viable solution. If the tooth is fixed too tightly with the gums, then oral surgery may require a minor cutting of the gums. The process of extraction may also require the use of forceps to safely remove the tooth. Regardless of the specific needs you face, our team will help you feel confident about your oral surgery.
Although teeth grinding can be caused by stress and anxiety, it often occurs during sleep and is more likely caused by an abnormal bite or missing/crooked teeth. Because grinding often occurs during sleep, most people are unaware that they grind their teeth. However, a dull, constant headache or sore jaw is a telltale symptom of bruxism. Many times people learn that they grind their teeth by their loved one who hears the grinding at night.
In some cases, chronic teeth grinding can result in a fracturing, loosening, or loss of teeth. The chronic grinding may wear their teeth down to stumps. When these events happen, bridges, crowns, root canals, implants, partial dentures, and even complete dentures may be needed. Not only can severe grinding damage teeth and result in tooth loss, but it can also affect your jaws, result in hearing loss, cause or worsen TMD/TMJ, and even change the appearance of your face.
Your dentist can fit you with a special appliance called a night guard. It is made out of dental acrylic which is custom made to fit over your upper teeth in most cases. The night guard will protect your teeth from grinding during sleep and also relieve the tension on your jaw joint and muscles.
Dentures are an effective, non-invasive way to replace missing teeth. While dentures of the past were once bulky and awkward, modern dentures are subtle and well made. People won’t even be able to tell you are wearing them!
Dentures allow patients to eat the foods they enjoy without needing to worry about their missing teeth. They also let people smile with confidence. However, the benefits of dentures don’t stop there. Dentures also support the surrounding teeth, which may lose their position and support system due to empty space in the mouth.
At Cypress Creek Dental your dentures can be made either in plastic or porcelain. We offer complete and partial dentures, allowing us to serve patients with a variety of needs. The manufacturing of your dentures requires impressions of your surrounding teeth along with the missing space to get accurate measurements of the missing teeth. The result is a custom made set of teeth that fit perfectly within your mouth. Call us at 281-575-8600 to learn more about the modern denture process.