Advanced General Dentistry in Santa Rosa, CA
We are dedicated to building strong relationships with our patients. We focus on providing each patient with personalized, high-quality dental care that maintains and improves their oral health. Our talented dentist, is experienced in a wide variety of dental treatments to help you achieve optimal oral health, such as:
- Dental Crowns
- Dental Exams & Cleanings
- Dental Fillings
We recommend that you visit our dental office every six months for a routine dental exam and cleaning. Visiting our dental office regularly helps us to ensure that we treat any dental problems as soon as possible and allows us to help you prevent dental problems.
In addition, we encourage you to contact us if you experience any of the following symptoms or dental conditions:
- One or more missing teeth
- Tooth pain, especially when biting and chewing
- Swollen, red, or tender gums that bleed easily
- A broken, chipped, or cracked tooth
- Extreme tooth sensitivity
If you experience these symptoms or any other type of dental pain, please call us today for professional, compassionate dental care. We are committed to helping you live free from pain and gain a smile that you can show off with pride.
Bonding is an affordable cosmetic solution that can be successfully used to treat relatively minor cosmetic imperfections, including cracks, chips, gaps, and misaligned or misshaped teeth. The material used is called composite resin, which is also used to build tooth-colored fillings. Our doctors will select the closest match to your natural smile’s color and then apply the composite resin, carefully sculpting it into place to create the most pleasing and seamless appearance. Once securely in place, the addition will look and function just like natural enamel! Better yet, it can last for quite some time with the right levels of personal and professional maintenance.
Left untreated, missing teeth can lead to bone recession, misalignment, a prematurely aged appearance, and confidence issues.
To fill in gaps from tooth loss, we can provide a traditional or implant-supported dental bridge.
Bridges are a series of artificial crowns that are connected. Even though bridges consist of crowns, their purpose is different from that of a standard restoration. Instead of restoring a tooth after injury or decay, a bridge will replace missing or failing teeth by closing in the gaps of a smile. A bridge can replace up to four teeth in a row and is connected to biological teeth on each side. This custom series of prosthetics restores a patient’s ability to chew and speak comfortably and improve one’s appearance.
Like crowns, patients can choose which materials are used to fabricate a bridge.
A quality bridge can restore full dental function and also help you feel more confident about your appearance.
Regain Full Dental Function
Controlling Pain and Other Side Effects
Patients struggling with a limited diet or other issues associated with tooth loss can improve their quality of life and restore their smile with a custom-made dental bridge crafted by our dental team. We offer traditional dental appliances as well as partial and full bridges supported by dental implants. You can have implants placed and restored in our office and can often leave you appointment with same-day teeth.
About Dental Bridges
There are several types of dental bridges, and all are designed to replace one or more missing teeth, filling in gaps with natural-looking prosthetics. A quality bridge can restore full dental function and also help you feel more confident about your appearance.
A well-made dental bridge provides stability, making it easier to chew food and speak with confidence without concern that your prosthetic will slip out of place. A custom bridge can also provide cosmetic benefits by filling out contours to prevent a sunken appearance around the lips and chin.
Traditional fixed dental bridges are attached to dental crowns placed over healthy, adjacent teeth.
It will be necessary to have a bridge appliance periodically adjusted, because tooth loss causes bone disintegration in the jaw. You can prevent bone resorption with the placement of dental implants which provide regenerative signals to your jaw bone, preventing any further tissue loss.
With decades of experience in prosthodontics, we can design a bridge with a custom, snug fit. It will be necessary to have a bridge appliance periodically adjusted, because tooth loss causes bone disintegration in the jaw. You can prevent bone resorption with the placement of dental implants which provide regenerative signals to your jaw bone, preventing any further tissue loss.
Implant-Supported Bridges
If you have a cavity, you’re not the only one. According to one survey, over 85% of Americans have had at least one tooth affected by decay by the age of 40. We give you the option of choosing a durable composite resin filling that more closely matches the color of your teeth or a silver amalgam filling to seal a cavity.
Learn more about Tooth-Colored Fillings
While a dental bridge is sometimes called a partial denture, a full-arch implant bridge can replace an entire row of missing teeth. An implant-supported bridge provides ideal stability and requires no fit adjustments. The bridge is entirely supported by dental implants, which are titanium posts surgically placed in the jaw bone.
Implants are designed to provide a sturdy anchor for prosthetic teeth, and they work extremely well. Many patients who choose an implant-supported bridge report that their prosthetic feels very similar to having their own natural teeth.
After you receive your implants, you will use a temporary bridge until your jaw has fully healed, a process that typically takes anywhere from four to six months. When you are fully healed, you can return to receive your permanent dental bridge. Our implant bridges are available in porcelain or zirconia, a premium material that provides optimal durability and aesthetics.
If you have a cavity, you’re not the only one. According to one survey, over 85% of Americans have had at least one tooth
affected by decay by the age of 40. We give you the option of choosing a durable composite resin filling that more closely matches the color of your teeth or a silver amalgam filling to seal a cavity.
Learn more about Tooth-Colored Fillings
While a dental bridge is sometimes called a partial denture, a full-arch implant bridge can replace an entire row of missing teeth. An implant-supported bridge provides ideal stability and requires no fit adjustments. The bridge is entirely supported by dental implants, which are titanium posts surgically placed in the jaw bone.
Implants are designed to provide a sturdy anchor for prosthetic teeth, and they work extremely well. Many patients who choose an implant-supported bridge report that their prosthetic feels very similar to having their own natural teeth.
After you receive your implants, you will use a temporary bridge until your jaw has fully healed, a process that typically takes anywhere from four to six months. When you are fully healed, you can return to receive your permanent dental bridge. Our implant bridges are available in porcelain or zirconia, a premium material that provides optimal durability and aesthetics.
Dental exams and cleanings are essential to maintaining good oral health. Our knowledgeable dentist recommends that you visit our dental office every six months for a regular dental exam and cleaning. Dental exams include the following components:
- Oral cancer screening
- Thorough evaluation of your current and future dental needs
- Digital X-rays to further examine your teeth and dental health (digital X-rays require less than 1/10ththe energy of traditional film-based X-rays)
If needed, we may also take digital photographs of teeth, groups of teeth, or tissue for our records. Our dental team will recommend any needed dental treatments to improve your oral health and prevent future dental problems. Thanks to the computer screens in our treatment rooms, you will be able to comfortably view X-rays and photographs from the dental chair to better understand your oral health and dental treatments.
Our dental hygienists will also provide a careful dental cleaning, during which they will remove any plaque and tartar (hardened plaque) from the teeth that you may have missed during your daily flossing and brushing. Our hygienists are passionate about comprehensive care and dental education, and they are committed to helping you improve your home dental hygiene.
Fillings are used to restore minor tooth damage and decay. We provide white dental fillings to aesthetically and effectively restore your teeth and improve your oral health. White fillings, which are also known as composite fillings or tooth-colored fillings, are created using composite resin.
Our experienced dentist will match the shade of the composite resin to your natural tooth to ensure that your filling blends in beautifully with your smile. White fillings contain no metal and, unlike amalgam fillings (also known as silver, metal, or mercury fillings), do not contribute towards the weakening or cracking of teeth. In fact, the composite resin can even protect against future decay by bonding with and strengthening the natural tooth structure.
To place a dental filling, our dentist will first remove the decayed or damaged portion of the tooth before filling in the tooth with composite resin. Our dentist will then shape and polish the filling to comfortably fit your bite. We may also recommend white fillings in order to replace older amalgam fillings. Please visit our dental office soon to learn more about the benefits of white fillings and to schedule your consultation with our dentist. We are eager to restore your smile!
Patients often lose their teeth due to trauma, decay, injury, or circumstances requiring extraction. However, losing all or most of the teeth on an arch can prove to be a complicated issue, affecting your mouth’s bite and affecting your ability to chew, speak, and eat. Luckily, Santa Rosa Dental Care in Santa Rosa, CA offer dentures to replace your missing teeth quickly and easily.
Do I need dentures?
Dentures benefit patients missing all or most of their teeth. Some people choose for dentures for aesthetic reasons. Dentures give you a full, customizable, and natural-looking smile which can make you feel great about the way you look. Additionally, you may need dentures if you have trouble chewing or speaking due to your loose, missing, or shifting teeth.
Types of Dentures
- Full Dentures: Full dentures replace an entire arch of teeth. The denture itself fits into place on top of the gums, using suction to stay in place. Patients who need a full denture on both the bottom and top arches require a set of full dentures.
- Partial Dentures: Partial dentures use any healthy teeth remaining in the mouth as anchors to hold the denture in place. The teeth fit through the denture, which allows the natural teeth to fit into place next to the prosthetics seamlessly.
- Immediate Dentures: Patients who require extractions of their remaining natural teeth due to decay or trauma may qualify for immediate dentures. These dentures are designed before the extraction procedure and are worn by the patient immediately after extraction. The denture acts as a bandage for the fresh extraction sites and allows patients to wear their new smile home from their appointment.
- Implant-Supported Dentures: This type of denture uses dental implants to secure a fixed denture in place. The denture remains in the mouth and does not require patients to remove it for cleaning.
Caring For Dentures
Caring for your dentures will require that you remove them before going to sleep at night and soak them in denture solution while you sleep. Before replacing your dentures, brush them with a denture cleaner and denture brush to remove any food particles or bacteria from the prosthetic. Brush any remaining natural teeth and oral tissues, like your gums and tongue twice a day, and floss between each tooth at least once. Additionally, see your dentist for examinations and cleanings at the recommended two times a year.
An inlay or onlay restoration is a custom made filling made of composite material, gold, or tooth-colored porcelain. Porcelain inlays are popular because they resemble your natural tooth.
A porcelain inlay is made by a professional dental laboratory and is permanently cemented into the tooth by your dentist. An onlay is sometimes also referred to as a partial crown. Porcelain onlays are made by a professional dental laboratory and is permanently cemented onto the tooth by your dentist.
Porcelain Inlays
An inlay restoration is a custom made filling made of composite material, gold, or tooth-colored porcelain. Porcelain inlays are popular because they resemble your natural tooth. A porcelain inlay is made by a professional dental laboratory and is permanently cemented into the tooth by your dentist.
Inlays can be utilized to conservatively repair teeth that have large defective fillings or have been damaged by decay or trauma. Inlays are an ideal alternative to conventional silver and composite fillings. Also, they are more conservative than crowns because less tooth structure is removed in the preparation of inlays.
As with most dental restorations, inlays are not always permanent and may someday require replacement. They are highly durable and will last many years, giving you a beautiful long lasting smile.
Reasons for inlay restorations
- Broken or fractured teeth
- Cosmetic enhancement
- Decayed teeth
- Fractured fillings
- Large fillings
What does getting an inlay involve?
An inlay procedure usually requires two appointments. Your first appointment will include taking several highly accurate impressions (molds) that will be used to create your custom inlay and a temporary restoration.
While the tooth is numb, the dentist will remove any decay and/or old filling materials. The space will then be thoroughly cleaned and carefully prepared, shaping the surface to properly fit an inlay restoration. A temporary filling will be applied to protect the tooth while your inlay is made by a dental laboratory.
At your second appointment your new inlay will be carefully and precisely cemented into place. A few adjustments may be necessary to ensure a proper fit and that your bite is comfortable.
You will receive care instruction at the conclusion of your treatment. Good oral hygiene practices, a proper diet, and regular dental visits will aid in the life of your new inlay.
Porcelain Onlays
An onlay restoration is a custom made filling made of composite material, gold, or tooth-colored porcelain. Porcelain onlays are popular because they resemble your natural tooth. An onlay is sometimes also referred to as a partial crown. Porcelain onlays are made by a professional dental laboratory and is permanently cemented onto the tooth by your dentist.
Onlays can be utilized to conservatively repair teeth that have large defective fillings or have been damaged by decay or trauma. Onlays are an ideal alternative to crowns (caps) because less tooth structure is removed in the preparation of onlays. Onlays are essentially identical to inlays with the exception that one or more of the chewing cusps have also been affected and need to be included in the restoration.
As with most dental restorations, onlays are not always permanent and may someday require replacement. They are highly durable and will last many years, giving you a beautiful long lasting smile.
Reasons for onlay restorations
- Broken or fractured teeth
- Cosmetic enhancement
- Decayed teeth
- Fractured fillings
- Large fillings
What does getting an onlay involve?
An onlay procedure usually requires two appointments. Your first appointment will include taking several highly accurate impressions (molds) that will be used to create your custom onlay and a temporary restoration.
While the tooth is numb, the dentist will remove any decay and/or old filling materials. The space will then be thoroughly cleaned and carefully prepared, shaping the surface to properly fit an onlay restoration. A temporary filling will be applied to protect the tooth while your onlay is made by a dental laboratory.
At your second appointment, your new onlay will be carefully and precisely cemented into place. A few adjustments may be necessary to ensure a proper fit and that your bite is comfortable.
The word periodontal means “around the tooth”. Periodontal disease attacks the gums and the bone that support the teeth. Your mouth is filled with bacteria. When bacteria are not disrupted on a regular basis, a plaque, or a sticky film of bacteria, debris and saliva form on the teeth and under the gum line. If plaque is not thoroughly removed each day, it becomes mineralized and turns into calculus (tartar). This build up on the tooth and root surface become rough and harbor the harmful bacteria of the mouth which begins to destroy the gums and bone. Once calculus has formed your toothbrush will not removed the hardened substance and a professional dental cleaning is required to remove the harmful build up.
Periodontal disease is characterized by red, swollen, and bleeding gums; although not all symptoms need to be present for a diagnosis of periodontal disease.
Four out of five people have some level periodontal disease and don’t know it! Most people are not aware of the condition because the disease is usually painless in the early stages. If your gums are bleeding, this is not normal and is a sign of disease in your mouth.
Good oral hygiene, a balanced diet, and regular dental visits can help reduce your risk of developing periodontal disease. As well as, genetics and your overall health can play a role in periodontal disease progression.
Signs and symptoms of Periodontal Disease
- Bleeding gums – Gums should never bleed, even when you brush vigorously or use dental floss. Although bleeding gums are common, they are not healthy.
- Loose teeth – Also caused by bone loss or weakened periodontal fibers, which are ligaments that support the tooth to the bone.
- New spacing between teeth – Caused by bone loss.
- Persistent bad breath – Caused by bacteria in the mouth. More than just morning breath.
- Pus around the teeth and gums – Sign that there is an infection present.
- Receding gums – Loss of gum around a tooth that can expose the roots of the teeth resulting in sensitivity.
- Red and puffy gums – Gums should never be red or swollen. Medications, medical conditions and mouth breathing can also cause red and puffy gums. Only a dental professional can properly advise you of the condition of your gums supporting structures around your teeth.
- Tenderness or Discomfort – Plaque, calculus, and bacteria irritate the gums and teeth. They are irritants much like having a sliver in your finger. If you do not remove the sliver the tissue becomes sore and inflamed.
Gingivitis
Gingivitis is the first stage of periodontal disease. Plaque and its toxic by-products irritate the gums, making them tender, inflamed, and likely to bleed. This stage of disease is reversible with proper professional treatment and your compliance at home. This stage affects the gum tissue only, but left untreated it will progress into the surrounding bone.
Periodontitis
Plaque hardens into calculus (tartar). As calculus and plaque continue to build up, the gums and bone begin to recede from the teeth as a result of your own body attempting to fight off the bacterial byproducts associated with gum disease. Deeper pockets form between the gums and teeth and become filled with bacteria, fluid and sometimes pus. The gums become very irritated, inflamed, and bleed easily. Slight to moderate bone loss is present. This stage is often painless, therefore, it is easy to ignore.
Advanced Periodontitis
The teeth lose more support as the gums, bone, and periodontal ligament continue to be destroyed. Unless treated, the affected teeth will become very loose and will likely be lost. Generalized moderate to severe bone loss may be present. Often this stage of gum disease can still have little pain to alert you of the progression and need for professional treatment.
Treatment
Periodontal treatment methods depend upon the type and severity of the disease. Your dentist and dental hygienist will evaluate for periodontal disease and recommend the appropriate treatment. Be sure you dental exam includes a full periodontal charting that is documented for your review annually.
If the disease is caught in the early stages of gingivitis, and no damage has been done, one to two visits with your dental hygienist for professional cleaning above and below the gum line with medications to reduce bacteria counts are commonly recommended. You will also be given instructions on improving your daily oral hygiene habits and require regular dental cleanings.
If the disease has progressed to more advanced stages, a special periodontal cleaning called scaling and root planing (deep cleaning) will be recommended. This is a non-surgical procedure that can be done in the dentist office. One to three appointments will be needed to complete your treatment. Success of your treatment is largely dependent upon your compliance to homecare instructions.
Maintenance
It only takes 24 hours for plaque that is not removed from your teeth to begin emitting the harmful waste product that damages your tissues, teeth and bone. As well as it can turn into calculus (tartar)! Daily home cleaning helps control plaque and tartar formation, but those hard to reach areas will always need special attention. Brushing alone does not properly cleanse all tooth surfaces. Additionally, you must follow the professional maintenance-cleaning schedule your dentist and hygienist recommend for you.
Your personal periodontal evaluation and teeth cleaning appointment will usually include:
- Examination of diagnostic x-rays (radiographs): Essential for early detection of decay, tumors, cysts, and bone loss. X-rays also help determine tooth and root positions.
- Examination of existing restorations and appliances: Check current fillings, crowns, dental implants, dentures, partial dentures, orthodontic retainers, night guards to prevent tooth grinding damage and bridges.
- Examination of tooth decay: Check all tooth surfaces for decay.
- Oral cancer screening: Check the face, neck, lips, tongue, throat, cheek tissues, and gums for any signs of oral cancer or abnormalities.
- Oral hygiene recommendations: Review and recommend oral hygiene aids as needed. (Electric toothbrushes, special periodontal brushes, fluorides, rinses, etc.)
- Teeth cleaning: Removal stain and plaque, calculus, above the gum line. Polishing of the tooth surfaces with a fine polishing paste to smooth surfaces.
- Good oral hygiene practices and periodontal cleanings are essential in maintaining dental health and keeping periodontal disease under control.
Fear of visiting the dentist is one of the most common types of phobias. Fortunately, sedation dentistry can help put you at ease, whether you’re having your teeth cleaned or you need a filling. The sedation dentist at Santa Rosa Dental Care in Santa Rosa, CA explain how sedation dentistry can help you.
Sedation Dentistry helps reduce stress
Your Santa Rosa sedation dentist will help you relax during your visit to our dental office by offering oral or inhaled medications that will relieve your feelings of anxiety and help you feel calm during your examination or treatment.
Pain won’t be an issue
Although many people who have dental phobia say that they’re afraid of the dentist, what most are actually afraid of is experiencing pain. Whether you had a bad experience at the dentist when you were young, or your phobia is more recent, sedation dentistry will not only help you feel more relaxed, but will also increase your tolerance to pain. In fact, less anesthesia may be needed when you’re under sedation.
You won’t need to return as frequently
Often when a patient has a dental phobia, only a small amount of work can be done in one visit before they become overwhelmed. A visit that normally takes an hour may have to be broken up into two or three shorter visits. When you take advantage of sedation dentistry in Santa Rosa, you’ll be able to handle that hour-long appointment and won’t need to return to the dentist’s office until your next checkup.
Everything will be less scary when you take advantage of sedation dentistry in Santa Rosa
If you have a dental phobia, the sights, sounds and smells of the dentist’s office can make you feel nervous and fearful. When you choose sedation, those things won’t bother you. After a positive experience, you may feel a little more confident about returning for your next dental visit. In fact, depending on the type of sedation you choose, you may only have a hazy memory of the visit.