When you think of having a fun time with kids, a dental office is not often the first place that comes to mind.  At Dentate Smile Design, it’s all about fun and excitement as your child arrives at our office. We provide a child-friendly environment that helps prepare them for their dental visit. We encourage kids to be “doctor for a day”. They don gloves and mask, then “go to work” brushing our smiley-toothed stuffed animals’ teeth and decorating balloons made from examination gloves. By using some our tools of the trade, kids feel more comfortable when it’s their turn to be the patient.

Come see us to make your child’s visit fun and rewarding for both of you.

Your bone and gum tissue should fit snugly around your tooth like a turtleneck around your neck. With time, plaque and calculus can spread and form below the gum line and irritate the gums. Healthy gums will have measurements of 3mm or less with pink and firm tissue.  A person with gingivitis may have pocketing of 4mm with red, puffy tissue. An individual with measurements of 5mm or more may have bone loss, increased inflammation, and a possibility of tooth mobility. As the pocket depths increase, a larger space between your tooth and gum provide an environment for bacteria to live in. That increased space may make it harder for you to keep the area clean.

Our main priority is to help you maintain a healthy smile. Periodontal charting is just one tool we use to help us monitor your oral health.

Zoom WhiteSpeed lamp is our latest system that is drastically improved with the three settings (low, medium, and high) and three cycles of 15 minutes. This state of the art system minimizes sensitivity with a more advanced bleaching gel which releases active ingredients gradually, rather than all at once.  For highly sensitive patients, they have the option to limit their session with less time or with a lower setting.  After the procedure is completed, we immediately apply a fluoride based desensitizer with customized trays to help protect the enamel and to reduce even further possibility of experiencing sensitivity.

Most things in life last a moment, but photographs save the memories forever. With spring comes Prom, Graduation, Parties, and Weddings. Now is a great time to take advantage of our Zoom! WhiteSpeed In-Office Bleaching Special.   For $399, you can have a beautiful bright smile! In 1 ½ hours, you can have the smile you’ve always dreamed of. Also included in this special, customized take home trays and bleach for maintaining your new look.  Call to schedule for your free consultation to see if we can help you achieve that outstanding spring glow!

 To fix a cavity, fillings can be placed after the decay and bacteria are removed from the tooth by a dentist. Silver fillings were placed in the past but look nothing like natural tooth structure. Structurally, they simply sit in the tooth without bonding to the surrounding tooth structure. Leakage is frequently seen with removal of old silver fillings.

Composites are white fillings and are the preferred replacement to silver amalgams. Call or ask us about how to replace old leaking silver fillings with beautiful restorations that look like your tooth!

 The basic infection control techniques we utilize:

• The use of distilled/filtered water supplied to hand pieces
• The cleaning and sanitizing of each operatory completely with appropriate chemical agents as outlined by OSHA
• The use of barriers on all equipment in each operatory and their disposal after each use
• The sterilization of all instruments, including hand pieces, used intra-orally in an ultrasonic cleaner and heated autoclave
• The wearing of disposable gloves, masks and protective wear during any patient procedure to prevent cross-contamination

The design of our dental office, the selection of the equipment and dental materials, and the staff procedures are infection control driven. We are continually educating our team and re- evaluating our procedures to stay on top of the OSHA standards to keep our office a safe environment. So when you come to our office you can be assured that your overall health and well-being are our primary concern.

Your oral health is the key to your overall health. To help prevent gum disease, brush your teeth and floss twice a day. Untreated gum disease can be harmful to you and your baby. Visit our office and allow us to show you the most effective brushing and flossing techniques and keep us informed of any changes in your oral health during pregnancy.

Enamel is the outer layer of a tooth that protects it from daily wear, temperature extremes, and decay. It is the hardest substance found in the body. As with virtually anything, it can still deteriorate due to wear or acidic attacks. When a tooth loses its protective enamel layer, sensations like sensitivity and pain can be felt readily. There are many things you can do on a daily basis to help retain as much of your enamel as possible. Give our office a call and we can set up a one on one meeting with our hygienist and doctor to discuss prevention of enamel loss. Your teeth will thank you for it!

Saliva is the mouth’s first line of defense against tooth decay and retains the health of gum tissue.  It washes away food and other debris, while it neutralizes acids produced by bacteria in the mouth.  Saliva provides disease fighting substances throughout the mouth by protection against microbial invasion.

Common problems that lead to dry mouth are constant sore throat, burning sensation, trouble speaking, difficulty swallowing, hoarseness or dry nasal passages.

All foods lead to an increase of saliva, but those that are soft and easy to eat will give you the best results against dry mouth. Chewing sugarless gum can also help stimulate saliva. Avoid caffeinated beverages like soda or coffee which can dehydrate the body and dry out the mouth.

If you have dry mouth, your dentist may recommend the use of moisturizing dry mouth relief products which include toothpastes, mouthwashes, and moisturizing gels.