Infection Control
Drs. Carr and our entire team follow procedures recommended by several federal agencies: the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). These measures include:
• Washing hands before and after treatment
• Changing gloves after each patient
• Gloves and face masks
• Chemical disinfection of countertops and surfaces
• Sterilization of all equipment before every use
• Disposable materials, including needles
All reusable equipment, including dental handpieces, are sterilized in an autoclave, a device that kills bacteria and viruses by steam, heat and pressure. Our staff is trained in these procedures and their appropriate use.
We are confident of our thorough infection control procedures and feel we provide our patients with a very safe environment in which to receive dental treatment . Specific questions
Regarding infection control procedures are welcome.
Periodontal Health
Prevention is at the heart of our practice. It is very important that a careful evaluation of the supporting tissues of the teeth be done prior to any treatment. Most people have gum disease at some degree. A house cannot be built on a poor foundation. The treatment of periodontal disease varies from a thorough prophylaxis ( cleaning) to procedures aimed at removing long-standing deposits present deeper under the gum tissue. Some cases require the intervention of a gum specialist (a periodontist) to save teeth from the ravages of gum disease. We make an evaluation and recommend the appropriate treatment from information collected at the initial examination.
The cause of gum disease is the sticky film of bacteria, called plaque, that forms on our teeth daily without fail. Even if you brush and clean between your teeth every day, you may not completely remove plaque, especially around the gum line. Plaque that is not removed completely hardens into tartar, a rough, porous deposit. Once tartar forms, it requires removal by a dentist or hygienist. The bacteria in plaque create toxins that injure the gums and underlying bone. Over time, these toxins can destroy gum and bone tissue leading to tooth loss. Because much of gum disease is painless, it can go undetected until the teeth are seriously affected.
Signs of gum disease:
• gums that bleed easily
• red, swollen or tender gums
• gums that have pulled away from the teeth
• persistent bad breath or bad taste
• changes in the way your teeth fit together when you bite
• permanent teeth that are loose or separating
Gum disease is preventable, but not curable. The mouth requires consistent care and monitoring to remain healthy. Periodontal diseases are progressive - left untreated, the condition will worsen.
Veneers
What are porcelain veneers?
Porcelain veneers are thin shells of ceramic that bond directly to the front surfaces of the teeth. They are an excellent choice for improving your smile and have become increasingly popular due to their beauty and versatility. Placing custom veneers requires a high degree of technical skill as well as attention to cosmetic detail. Drs. Carr design every case individually to match and enhance the characteristics of each patient's smile.
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Will they look like normal teeth?
When bonded to the teeth, the ultra-thin porcelain veneers blend well the existing teeth. For strength and appearance, their resemblance to healthy, white tooth enamel is unsurpassed by other restorative options.
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How durable are porcelain veneers?
With proper care, porcelain veneers will brighten your smile for well many years. Drs. Carr will ensure that your veneers are crafted from the highest quality porcelains and are bonded with the most advanced and proven materials available.
Refraining from using your veneers as tools to open and cut things will prolong their life, and if accidental breakage or damage occurs, it is usually possible to repair or replace the veneer involved.
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Inlay / Onlay
When more than half of the tooth’s biting surface is damaged a dentist will often use an inlay or onlay.
What are inlays and onlays?
Inlays and onlays can be made of porcelain, gold, or composite resin. These pieces are bonded to the damaged area of the tooth. An inlay, which is similar to a filling, is used inside the cusp tips of the tooth. An onlay is a more substantial reconstruction, similar to the inlay but extending out over one or more of the cusps of the tooth.
Traditionally, gold has been the material of choice for inlays and onlays. In recent years, however, porcelain has become increasingly popular due to its appearance, which can match the natural color of your teeth.”
How are they applied?
Inlays and onlays require two appointments to complete the procedure. During the first visit, the filling being replaced or the damaged or decaying area of the tooth is removed, and the tooth is prepared for the inlay or onlay. To ensure proper fit and bite, an impression of the tooth is made by the dentist, and sent to a lab for fabrication. The dentist will then apply a temporary sealant on the tooth and schedule the next appointment.
At the second appointment, the temporary sealant is removed. Dr. Thomas Carr and Dr. JoAnne Carr will then make sure that the inlay or onlay fits correctly. If the fit is satisfactory, the inlay or onlay will be bonded to the tooth with a strong resin and polished to a smooth finish.
Considerations
“Traditional fillings can reduce the strength of a natural tooth by up to 50 percent. As an alternative, inlays and onlays, which are bonded directly onto the tooth using special high-strength resins, can actually increase the strength of a tooth.. As a result, they can last many years. In some cases, where the damage to the tooth is not extensive enough to merit an entire crown, onlays can provide a very good alternative.
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Bonding
Bonding can be used as a restorative procedure for front teeth that are chipped, cracked, discolored or misarranged, and is an alternative to veneers. It is used on back teeth as a filling material in place of silver-mercury fillings.
How does it work?
The tooth is prepared for the procedure by lightly etching the surface and applying a bonding liquid. Once the liquid sets, a plastic resin is applied and sculpted into the desired shape by the dentist. Once set, the resin is trimmed, smoothed and polished to a natural appearance.
Considerations
The bonding procedure can often be completed in a single office visit, and can improve the appearance of a tooth significantly. However, since the plastic resin used is not as strong as your natural tooth enamel, it is more likely to stain, chip or break than natural teeth. Bonding typically lasts three to five years before need of repair.
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Dental Implants
Dental implants are designed to provide a foundation for replacement teeth that look, feel, and function like natural teeth. The person who has lost teeth regains the ability to eat much like they used to and can smile with confidence. The implants themselves are titanium posts that are placed into the jawbone where teeth are missing. The bone fuses with the titanium, creating a strong foundation for the attachment of artificial teeth. In addition, implants can help preserve facial structure, preventing the bone deterioration which occurs when teeth are missing.
Evaluation
If, like many others, you feel implant dentistry is the choice for you, we ask that you undergo a dental/radiographic examination and health history. During these consultation visits, your specific needs and considerations will be addressed by Drs. Carr and by an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon or Periodontist suggested by our practice. Your questions and concerns are important to us and our team will work with you very closely to help make your procedure a success.
Procedure
Dental implants are metal anchors, which act as tooth root substitutes. They are surgically placed into the jawbone. Small posts are then attached to the implant which protrude through the gums. These posts provide stable anchors for artificial replacement teeth.
For most patients, the placement of dental implants involves two surgical procedures. First, implants are placed within your jawbone. For the first three to six months following surgery, the implants are beneath the surface of the gums, gradually bonding with the jawbone. You should be able to wear temporary dentures and eat a soft diet during this time. At the same time, your restorative dentist designs the final bridgework or denture, which will ultimately improve both function and aesthetics.
After the implant has bonded to the jawbone, the second phase begins. The surgeon will uncover the implants and attach a small healing collar. Dr. Thomas Carr and Dr. JoAnne Carr can then start making your new teeth. An impression must be taken. Then posts or attachments can be connected to the implants. The replacement teeth are then made over the posts or attachments. The entire procedure usually takes six to eight months. Most patients do not experience any disruption in their daily life.
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Bleaching
Having a beautiful smile may be even easier than you think. Many people achieve the look they've been dreaming of with our simple "bleaching" procedure.
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What are the details?
It's safe, quick, and inexpensive. Just let us know at any appointment if you would like to begin bleaching. You can lighten only your upper teeth or both the upper and lower, depending on how much you show when you talk and smile.
In only a few days your custom bleach trays will be ready for you to pick up. We provide you with a special bleaching agent that you put into the clear, almost invisible trays. With only 30-60 minutes of wear per day, our special bleaching agent bubbles stains right out of your enamel and dentin in a very short time without altering tooth structure or existing dental work in any way. When your teeth reach their maximum brightness, only occasional treatment is needed to maintain the brightness of your smile..
Dental bleaching can be used to correct many tooth discolorations. These discolorations may have been caused by staining, aging, or chemical damage to teeth. Using the latest in bleaching technology, we can offer a safe method for creating a beautiful, "brilliant" smile. In cases of extreme tooth discoloration, crowns or veneers may be the only choice. But because of the low cost of bleaching treatments, bleaching is nearly always worth a solid try.
Key Benefits
- Corrects brown, yellow and mottled tooth staining
- Works on people of any age.
- Is a near permanent solution for a "dull" smile, restoring brightness and brings a smile alive.
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Bridges
All of your teeth play an important role in speaking, chewing and in maintaining proper alignment of other teeth. Tooth loss doesn't necessarily have to occur as you age, but if you do lose teeth, they must be replaced to maintain proper function of your mouth. Fortunately, there are options for correcting tooth loss. Implants are often an option, but bridges have been the conventional method of replacing teeth.
Options
A bridge — a device used to replace missing teeth — attaches artificial teeth to adjacent natural teeth, called abutment teeth. Bridges are either permanently attached (fixed bridges), or they can be removable.
Fixed bridges are applied by either placing crowns on the abutment teeth or by bonding the artificial teeth directly to the abutment teeth. Removable bridges are attached to the teeth with metal clasps or by precision attachments.
If you're missing one or more teeth, you may be aware of their importance to your appearance and dental health. Your teeth work together for many daily functions from eating to speaking. With missing teeth, it's difficult to do these things. Missing teeth can and should be replaced. Fixed bridges are a great way to restore your dental health and appearance.
What exactly is a bridge or fixed partial denture?
A bridge — a device used to replace missing teeth — attaches artificial teeth to adjacent natural teeth, called abutment teeth. Bridges are either permanently attached (fixed bridges), or they can be removable.
Fixed bridges are applied by either placing crowns on the abutment teeth or by bonding the artificial teeth directly to the abutment teeth. Removable bridges are attached to the teeth with metal clasps or by precision attachments.
If you're missing one or more teeth, you may be aware of their importance to your appearance and dental health. Your teeth work together for many daily functions from eating to speaking. With missing teeth, it's difficult to do these things. Missing teeth can and should be replaced. Fixed bridges are a great way to restore your dental health and appearance.
Fixed bridges are bonded into place and can only be removed by a dental professional. Removable bridges, as the name implies, can be taken out and cleaned. Fixed bridges offer more stability than their removable counterparts.
Why do I need a bridge?
Oral functionality and appearance are important reasons for wearing a bridge. A bridge helps support your lips and cheeks. The loss of a back tooth may cause your mouth to sink and your face to look older.
Dental health is the most important reason for a bridge. Teeth were designed to complement each other. Unusual stresses are placed on the gums and other oral tissues when teeth are missing, causing a number of potentially harmful disorders.
How is a bridge attached?
The attachment procedure usually takes two or three appointments to complete. At the first appointment Dr. Thomas Carr and Dr. JoAnne Carr will prepare the teeth on either side of the gap by removing a portion of the enamel and dentin.
Since the bridge must be fabricated very precisely to ensure correct bite and to match the opposing tooth, impressions of the teeth are taken and sent to a lab where the bridge will be constructed.
Fixed bridges are typically cemented to the natural teeth next to the space left by the missing tooth. A pontic (false tooth) replaces the lost tooth. Crowns, which are cemented onto the natural teeth, provide support for the bridge.
What materials are used?
Bridges can be constructed from gold alloys, non-precious alloys, porcelain, or a combination of these materials. Porcelain is often bonded to either precious or non-precious metal.
How do I take care of my bridge?
A strict regimen of brushing and flossing will keep the bridge and surrounding teeth clean. This is of critical importance as the bridge relies on the neighboring teeth for support.
Crowns
Most dentistry looks like dentistry. Our goal is to provide dentistry that is undetectable. We replace existing crowns and fillings with restorations that look and feel like your natural teeth.
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Where damage to a person's teeth is extreme, and apparently beyond repair, we can use porcelain or porcelain "pasted on gold" crowns to make the smile appear "as new". This is an extremely reliable technique for repairing the most severe of dental problems, even permanently replacing missing teeth to offer a complete smile and a functional bite. We are renowned for the quality of our work and the fantastic changes we make for people using this technology.
How long does it take?
Fitting a crown requires at least two visits to our office. Initially, we will remove decay, shape the tooth, and fit it with a temporary crown of either plastic or metal.
On the subsequent visit we will remove the temporary crown, and then fit and adjust the final crown. Finally, we will cement the crown into place and you have a new beautiful looking tooth.
Key Benefits
- Replaces missing teeth
- Offers support to misshapen teeth or badly broken teeth
- Looks completely natural
- Fixes "smile" and functional chewing problems.
What are the capabilities of crowns?
Crown and bridgework is a very reliable solution for major dental problems caused through accidents, diseases or wear and tear. Major problems can usually be corrected using these techniques. Material used in these repairs is either high-grade porcelain, or porcelain bonded to gold. A higher strength of the porcelain and gold materials is recommended to treat the most serious of dental problems. Where accidental damage has occurred, resulting in lost teeth, or where teeth have broken away through excessive wear, or as the result of old fillings breaking, crowns and/or bridges can be used as a long-term solution.
Many people have unexplained pain from filled back teeth, which is usually due to hairline cracks in the chewing part of the tooth. Placing crowns on these teeth relieves the pain and allows a return of full dental function for these teeth. In front teeth, older fillings can both weaken the teeth and cause "appearance" problems due to staining or chipping. Porcelain crowns and bridges are suitable in cases where porcelain veneers are not. In teeth with root canal fillings, crowns can prevent breakage.
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