Diagnostic

• Dental Examination
  It's understandable that you might be tempted to skip regular dental exams/dental checkups when the economy is bad or if you're experiencing a financial crunch. But brushing and flossing aren't enough to keep your dental health in tip-top shape. And the fact is putting professional dental care on hold can result in serious dental problems later - and treatments that are much more costly.
• X-rays
  Dental x-rays are a type of picture of the teeth and mouth. X-rays are a form of electromagnetic radiation, just like visible light. They are of higher energy, however, and can penetrate the body to form an image on film. Structures that are dense (such as silver fillings or metal restoration) will block most of the photons and will appear white on developed film. Structures containing air will be black on film, and teeth, tissue, and fluid will appear as shades of gray.
• Oral Cancer Screening
  Oral cancer, the sixth most common cancer, accounts for almost 4 percent of all cancers diagnosed, with more than 30,000 new cases of oral cancer reported annually in the United States. The vast majority of oral cancers occur in people older than 45 years, with men being twice as likely as women to develop the disease. If not diagnosed and treated in its early stages, oral cancer can spread, leading to chronic pain, loss of function, irreparable facial and oral disfigurement, and even death. Oral cancer accounts for roughly 8,000 deaths annually (about 3 percent of all cancer-caused deaths). Because oral cancer is usually not diagnosed in its early stages, less than half of all oral cancer patients are cured. Of all major cancers, oral cancer has the worst five-year survival rate at about 57 percent. The good news is that if oral cancer is caught early enough, your chances for survival increase dramatically – from 57 percent to more than 80 percent. What’s the best way to catch it early? Be sure to visit your dentist regularly for oral examinations, which typically include an oral cancer screening in the form of a soft tissue exam.

Preventive

• Teeth Cleaning
  Enamel remineralization is performed after a thorough teeth cleaning of stone and sediment. First, a special product with high fluorine content is applied on the teeth. The minerals penetrate deeply into the microscopic damages in the enamel. As a result, the structure of the enamel is reconstructed and strengthened. The teeth gain protection against harmful acids produced by oral bacteria. Enamel remineralization stops the development of dental caries and can keep your teeth healthy for a long time.
• Fluoride Treatment
  Professional dental cleaning - procedure in which your dentist uses a variety of tools to help deep clean your gums and the surface of your teeth. First, your dentist will use an ultrasonic cleaner and a water sprayer to loosen and remove plaque and tartar from your teeth and gums. Your dentist will then scrape additional plaque and tartar off your teeth by using a metal tool called a hand scraper. You could feel mild discomfort during this part of the procedure. Your dentist may also sand and smooth the roots of your teeth in order to remove plaque and other bacteria. Finally, the dentist brushes your teeth with a rotary toothbrush and a gritty type of toothpaste that polishes and cleans your teeth. After doing this, your dentist may floss your teeth or give you a fluoride treatment to strengthen them.

Restorative

• Fillings
• Resin Composite
  Bonding is among the easiest and least expensive of cosmetic dental procedures. The composite resin used in bonding can be shaped and polished to match the surrounding teeth. Most often, bonding is used for cosmetic purposes to improve the appearance of a discolored or chipped tooth. It also can be used to close spaces between teeth, to make teeth look longer or to change the shape or color of teeth.
• Veneers
  Dental veneers are custom-designed shells of tooth-like ceramic material that, when applied over the surface of a tooth, can cover worn tooth enamel, uneven tooth alignment or spacing and chips or cracks. Because dental veneers are so thin, they might require little-to-no tooth reshaping when bonded onto the tooth. Once veneers are bonded into place, they are strong and durable. Veneers are used to fix the shape, color and size of your teeth. The famous “Hollywood smile” is just a set of veneers. A veneer is a very thin layer of material adhered to the front surfaces of the teeth to improve the aesthetic appearance.
• Crowns
  Sometimes after your dentist removes the tooth decay, there isn't enough tooth structure left above the gum line to support a dental crown or even a large tooth filling. Without enough structure to grab on to, ill-fitting dental crowns may cause chronic inflammation and irritation. Even worse, tooth decay may get in under the dental crown, creating the need for more dental treatment. You might even lose the tooth completely.
• Bridges
  During the first visit we will evaluate if you are a candidate for a dental bridge. If you are we will prepare the teeth required to support the bridge. If the support teeth are decayed or badly broken down we may have to build them back up before they can be used as support teeth for a bridge. Your bridge is fabricated based on tooth model by a skilled lab technician so that it precisely fits the prepared teeth. It is important that your restoration fit perfectly to avoid additional oral health problems such as tooth decay. While your bridge is being fabricated, your dentist fits you with a temporary bridge so the teeth and gums can be protected from damage until your permanent bridge is ready. To complete the dental bridge procedure, you must return for a second visit to have the bridge fitted and cemented.
• Dental Bonding

Endodontics

• Root Canal Treatment
  Root canal treatment (also called a root canal) is done when decay will likely damage or has already killed a tooth. Root canal treatment involves removing the infected pulp inside the tooth, from the pulp chamber. The pulp is made up of nerve cells and blood vessels, and therefore the removal of the pulp must be carried out under anesthesia so that patients do not feel any pain. The purpose of a root canal treatment is the proper disinfection - or removal of all the bacteria from the inside and sealed filling of the root canal system. Thanks to the root canal treatment patients retain their own teeth without having to remove them. This can also prevent the development of a painful infection in the pulp that may spread to other teeth. This procedure can relieve toothache, stop infection, and promote healing.
• Apicoectomy
  Apicoectomy, also known as root end surgery, is a surgical removal of a dental root apex. It is an endodontic surgical procedure whereby a tooth's root tip is removed and a root end cavity is prepared and filled with a biocompatible material. The endodontist will cut and lift the gum away from the tooth so the root is easily accessible. The infected tissue will be removed along with the last few millimeters of the root tip. He or she will use a dye that highlights cracks and fractures in the tooth. If the tooth is cracked or fractured, it may have to be extracted, and the apicoectomy will not continue.

Periodontics

• Periodontal Surgery
  Dr. Jane Kim works in Prospect Dental since 2007. As a Diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology, Dr. Jane Kim limits her practice to surgical therapy including treatment of periodontal disease, gingival recession, cosmetic periodontal surgery, crown lengthening, dental extractions, and dental implant therapy. As a specialist, she partners with her restorative colleagues to provide comprehensive dental care to her patients. Dr. Kim firmly believes in a team approach to delivering individualized care and attention consistent with patient goals and desires.
• Deep Cleaning
  Scaling and root planning - deep cleaning, nonsurgical procedure, done under a local anesthetic. During this procedures plaque and tartar from above and below the gum line are scraped away (scaling) and rough spots on the tooth root are made smooth (planning). Smoothing the rough spots removes bacteria and provides a clean surface for the gums to reattach to the teeth. Scaling and root planning is done if your dentist or periodontist determines that you have plaque and tartar under the gums that needs to be removed.

Prosthodontics

• Dentures
  If you've lost some or all of your natural teeth, whether from periodontal disease, tooth decay or injury, dentures can replace your missing teeth and your smile. Replacing missing teeth will benefit your appearance and your health. Advances in dentistry have made many improvements in dentures. They are more natural looking and comfortable than they ever used to be. Dentures supplement or reconstruct missing teeth. They are made of metals and alloys (e.g. aluminum, silver, cobalt, nickel, and titanium), plastics and ceramics. Types of dentures available...

Implants

• Dental Implants
  This revolutionary method allows for a complete revitalization and rehabilitation of tooth loss. Thanks to only four implants on the upper and lower jaw, we can restore a permanent and naturally looking smile - during only ONE VISIT.

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

• Oral Surgery
• Flap Surgery
  Flap surgery/pocket reduction surgery - the gums are lifted back and the tarter is removed. In some cases, irregular surfaces of the damaged bone are smoothed to limit areas where disease-causing bacteria can hide. The gums are then placed so that the tissue fits snugly around the tooth. This method reduces the size of the space between the gum and tooth, thereby decreasing the areas where harmful bacteria can grow and decreasing the chance of serious health problems.
• Tooth Extractions
  The most common reason for extraction is tooth damage due to breakage or decay. There are additional reasons for tooth extraction...
• Bone Grafting
  Bone grafting is a surgical procedure that completes the missing bone with a special material in order to maintain the alveolar process. The material not only complements the missing bone but also helps the body to rebuild lost bone.

Orthodontics

• Orthodontics
• Invisalign Orthodontics
  You like your smile - but you want to love it. Maybe just a few uneven teeth prevent you from smiling with confidence. Maybe you have a special event coming up, or you want to take on the world. Small fixes can make a big difference. Invisalign can help to achieve the effect you desire.
• Braces
  At Prospect Dental we offer tooth straightening for those with generally straighter teeth utilizing discreet, clear custom fitted trays (aligners) worn daily. The significant advantage over traditional braces is that the patient is able to take the aligners out and diligently clean and floss their otherwise healthy teeth to prevent cavities and stains. Because the aligner material is completely see-through, they are hardly perceptible when worn. The fitting procedure is simple - we take digital pictures and an imprint and send it to the lab which prepares the trays. These simple cases often respond within weeks to months of wearing the aligners; afterwards a special, invisible to the onlookers, retainer is placed in the back of teeth to prevent tooth regression. This method is approved for orthodontic treatment of children and adults alike, although we reserve the right to refer the more complicated cases to an orthodontist, which may involve a longer and more involved specialized treatment.

General

• Teeth Whitening
  Philips Zoom DayWhite and NiteWhite offer superior at-home whitening for a visibly whiter smile in one day and your whitest healthiest smile in seven to fourteen days.
• Cosmetic Dentistry
  Dental contouring is a cosmetic dentistry technique that removes small amounts of tooth enamel (the outer covering of the tooth) in order to change the shape, length, or surface of one or more teeth. “Even a few millimeters of reduction in the right places can really improve the appearance of teeth,” says Dr. Harms, who has a private dental practice in Farmington, Minn. The process is often combined with bonding - a cosmetic dentistry treatment that uses tooth-colored composite material to sculpt and shape the teeth.
• General Dentistry
  Dr. Golemo believes that a beautiful and healthy smile is a huge confidence builder and can be life changing. This is why she is committed to providing highest quality care for every patient based on their individual needs while building strong lasting relationships with her patients. Dr. Golemo dedicates her time to continuing education to broaden her knowledge and services, and she is a member of the American Dental Association, Illinois State Dental Society, Chicago Dental society, and Academy of General Dentistry.