Advanced technology and biotechnology

Following are some of the technologies available to help you regain your dynamic smile. Contact Dr. Nick if you would like more information or if you think you are a candidate for any of our services. He will be glad to set up an initial consultation to choose the option best suited to your specific needs. Most procedures can be accomplished in fewer visits than you might think. Remember, however, that not all of these options are right for every patient.

To be an eligible candidate for any of these treatments, it is important that your overall oral heath be good. Thus many of these treatments require a thorough preliminary examination of remaining teeth, gum and cheek tissue, even bone structure. This examination will often include x-rays, bite registrations, impressions and models. Dr. Nick will advise if further examination or preparation is necessary.

Bridges
A bridge is a prosthetic replacement (one tooth or more) fixed to adjacent teeth. A bridge requires the adjacent teeth be healthy to offer maximum support, and it is usually permanently fixed into position.

Crowns
Modern materials allow Dr. Nick to resurface the entire tooth visible above the gum line or to merely repair a broken tooth. Although crowns strengthen weakened teeth, they are a viable option only as long as there is enough of the original tooth structure remaining to support the new crown.

Dental Implants
Nowhere is modern technology more evident or successful than in dental implants. A small titanium fixture is surgically implanted below the gum tissue and into the jawbone to serve as a root for a prosthetic crown (the visible part of a tooth). Such implants are practically indistinguishable from your natural teeth and can be used to replace one tooth or a partial or complete denture.

Dentures
Dentures, commonly called “false teeth,” are prosthetic teeth set into artificial gums. Complete and partial dentures are removable for easier cleaning.

When some natural teeth remain, a partial denture can be fitted to replace the missing teeth. A partial denture rests on natural gum tissue and is usually held in place by metal clasps securing it to adjacent teeth.

Of course, when no natural teeth remain, a complete denture can be fitted to rest on the soft tissue of the mouth for the upper or lower jaw, or even both.

Inlays/Onlays
Tooth-colored inlays and onlays are solid one-piece fillings cemented into position on the chewing surface of a tooth. They are pre-molded to fit and are generally used when not enough tooth structure remains to hold a typical filling. An onlay covers more surface area than an inlay.

Tooth Whitening
Some patients want whiter teeth immediately--or at least as soon as possible. Dr. Nick offers one-visit technology that can whiten your teeth up to eight shades in about an hour, and he offers a take-home whitening system that can lighten teeth up to six shades in three nights.

Veneers
A veneer is a thin layer of translucent porcelain or plastic material bonded to front teeth discolored by age, medication or certain beverages. A veneer strengthens the tooth. This procedure is also effective for closing gaps or covering misshapen or chipped teeth.

Follow-up Care
Some of these treatments might require periodic in-office checkups and/or adjustments to maintain optimum dental heath. All of them do require at-home care: regular cleaning, flossing, etc. Good oral health care is not an accident. Dr. Nick and his staff will give you instructions to help care for your new smile.

The healing time for these various processes is as different as the individuals who choose to have them done. Each patient is treated as an individual for optimum oral health.