Diagnostic

• Dental Examination
  Periodontal disease starts small. Bacteria and sugar on teeth become acidic, and while saliva typically works to counteract this acid, when there is more acidic bacteria on the teeth than the saliva can effectively neutralize, a sticky film of bacteria and sugar called plaque forms. Over time, this plaque can build up below the gums irritating the soft tissue. This irritation or inflammation is referred to as gingivitis. Left untreated, gingivitis leads to more serious gum disease causing gum tissue infection, tooth decay and gum tissue and bone density deterioration. This more severe form of gum disease is called periodontists. With regular preventive care, most patients will never experience this level of periodontal disease. At Dr. Utz’s dental practice, each patient has gum tissue charting and screening for periodontal disease as part of every six month dental examination. Based on the results of your examination, Dr. Utz and his team may recommend a soft-tissue management program to regularly review and treat soft tissue preventing possible periodontal disease from developing into actual periodontal disease. Some signs and symptoms to be aware of in order to seek treatment as soon as possible...
• Oral Cancer Screening
  Velscope Oral Cancer Screening: Over 40,000 new oral cancer cases are discovered every year. The early detection of oral cancer is essential to producing positive treatment outcomes.

Preventive

• Teeth Cleaning
  Dental Cleanings: Dental hygiene appointments will keep your teeth plaque and tarter free to reduce the chances of developing gum disease. Tooth cleaning, polishing, and fluoride treatments will all help to keep your smile both healthy and bright.
• Fluoride Treatment
• Dental Sealants

Restorative

• Fillings
  At the Bowling Green, OH dental practice of Dr. Derik E. Utz, we offer patients beautiful, cosmetic dental restorations that look as good as they feel. Our all porcelain crowns, onlays, and inlays protect and support natural dental structure, and blend seamlessly with your smile. Our goal is always to preserve as much of your tooth as we can, and we will choose the appropriate restoration accordingly starting with the most conservative, fillings. We then attempt an inlay or onlay, and use crowns to replace extensively damaged or missing teeth. All porcelain restorations look great, but they’re also beneficial for patients who have sensitivities to metal. While amalgam fillings may not be extensive enough to cause irritation, these larger restorations often do.
• Resin Composite
  The next advantage is the strength of composite resin materials that are used in tooth-colored fillings. These fillings are strong enough to be used for all teeth, including molars. Moreover, tooth-colored fillings usually require less tooth preparation. In layman’s terms that means Dr. Utz will need to use the drill less. And with more of your original tooth structure left intact, you’ll have stronger tooth when the filling is completed.
• Veneers
  Porcelain veneers are ultra-thin, stain-resistant pieces of dental porcelain that are affixed to the front surfaces of the teeth that show when you smile. They are meticulously crafted to recreate the look of tooth enamel, promoting a completely natural appearance. The porcelain used to craft veneers even reflects light in the same way that natural tooth enamel does, so you never have to worry that your teeth will look anything but beautiful.
• Crowns
  Onlays are used for decay that has damaged the cusps of the tooth. An onlay replaces the cusp structure, and lays over the top of the tooth. Whenever possible, we use an only to restore the tooth rather than removing additional dentition to make room for a full crown.
• Bridges
• Dental Bonding
  Sometimes small changes can make a big impact -- and that couldn’t be more true than with how cosmetic bonding can work for your smile. If you’ve got slight imperfections in your front teeth, find out how you can have them improved quickly, easily and painlessly with cosmetic bonding from Dr. Derik E. Utz.
• Restorative Dentistry
  Though tooth enamel is the hardest substance in the human body, it is still vulnerable to damage caused by decay and injury. Fortunately, even the most severely impaired smiles are reparable with the right restorative dentistry services. At the Bowling Green, OH dental office of Dr. Derik E. Utz, you’ll find the most advanced restorative technology available in the industry today coupled with a genuine passion for building strong, beautiful smiles.

Endodontics

• Root Canal Treatment
  Inlays, as the name suggests, are used when there's damage to tops of teeth in-between the cusps (pointed or raised parts of teeth). This is a good option when tooth decay has moved beyond the point of filling restoration, but before damage has advanced to the inner pulp layer of the tooth requiring root canal therapy.

Periodontics

• Deep Cleaning
  Regular brushing, flossing, and dental checkups can help you stop periodontal disease before it starts, but even the best oral care routine isn't impervious to plaque buildup or gingivitis. That’s why being aware of the way your teeth and gums look and feel is essential. Gingivitis can, for the most part, be treated with deep cleaning, and antibiotic treatment. Periodontitis typically requires more extensive treatments. Some therapies we offer to treat periodontitis include...

Prosthodontics

• Dentures
  Partials: Removable partial dentures usually consist of replacement teeth attached to pink or gum-colored plastic bases that are connected by metal framework. Partial dentures attach to your natural teeth with metal clasps or devices called precision attachments. Precision attachments are generally more aesthetic than metal clasps and they are nearly invisible.

Implants

• Dental Implants
  In addition to offering a stronger, more secure bite, dental implants let you reclaim a beautiful, confident smile that looks and feels completely natural. You’ll love the freedom you feel to express yourself and speak clearly with your custom-crafted dental implant restorations.

Orthodontics

• Orthodontics
  A mouthguard is a flexible custom-fitted oral appliance that is worn during athletic play and practice. The American Dental Association recommends a mouthguard for almost all sports, both impact and non-impact. So whether your chosen sport is football or basketball, track or gymnastics, a mouthguard can help you protect your teeth, lips, gums, cheeks and tongue while your play. For people wearing metal orthodontics, a mouthguard is particularly important in order to prevent lacerations to your lips, cheeks or tongue that can result from a blow to the face.
• Braces
  We offer several alternatives to braces. For information about the various cosmetic services Dr. Utz offers, please visit our services page or feel free to call us for some initial information on how we can improve your smile without braces. We put great new smiles on our patients’ faces every day!

General

• Teeth Whitening
  Dr. Utz understands that not every patient is the same, therefore not every dental situation will be the same. Some patients will have more staining than others, which depends on multiple factors including eating and drinking habits, proper dental hygiene and more. Our whitening treatment consists of two systems: EZ-White Pro and the Venus teeth whitening system.
• Cosmetic Dentistry
  As your Bowling Green, OH cosmetic dentist, Dr. Utz offers a full selection of services designed with your most beautiful smile in mind. Every one of our cosmetic dentistry solutions is personalized to meet the needs of each of our patients. Whether you are in need of a simple boost to brighten the shade of your smile or you are looking for a full smile makeover, we can help. With the latest in dental technology and a gentle, truly caring touch, we can turn your smile into a stunning work of art faster than ever before.
• General Dentistry
  We believe that patient comfort and state-of-the-art technology can be used together to provide a relaxing, superior dental experience. Dr. Utz provides treatment in all areas of general dentistry, including the rehabilitation of dilapidated dentitions, conservative periodontal therapy and implant-supported prosthetics. Using state of the art technology in all procedures, Dr. Utz assures you receive the most advanced level of care.