Diagnostic

• Dental Examination
  It may seem reasonable to skip dental appointments, especially if you are not experiencing any pain, when you have dental anxiety. However, avoiding the dentist can lead to the build-up of plaque and unknown dental conditions worsening, requiring more complex treatments later on or the need for emergency dental care.Postponing dental care and visits can lead to more intensive dental work, feeding the patient’s dental anxiety and unease. Routine dental examinations and cleanings help to prevent dental disease and detect problems early on before they progress. This allows for simpler, less invasive, and more cost-effective treatment options as many dental conditions are preventable.

Preventive

• Teeth Cleaning
  Here at Des Moines Dental Center, we are proud to offer dental cleanings for our patients. Professional cleanings will remove the buildup of plaque and tartar. Then, your teeth are polished nicely. If you need it, fluoride will be applied to your teeth. We will also preserve any teeth that you have had restored.

Restorative

• Fillings
• Veneers
  Veneers are thin shells intended to cover the front side of teeth to hide stains, chips, decay, or irregularities. A dental technician uses a model created by a dentist to make a custom shell out of special materials.
• Crowns
  Dental crowns are permanent prosthetics that cover a damaged tooth. A dentist might use them in place of a large filling or when a tooth is weak or fractured.
• Bridges
• Dental Bonding
  Here at Des Moines Dental Center, we are proud to offer dental bonding for our patients. Dental bonding is the procedure where we apply a tooth colored plastic material to a patient’s tooth. Using a special light, the material hardens and bonds the material to the tooth.

Endodontics

• Root Canal Treatment
  Root canals are needed when decay and bacteria have spread within a tooth for too long without treatment. After a while, the infection will make its way into the pulp within your tooth which contains nerves that can cause a lot of pain if infected. Since the infection is happening within the tooth, you won’t necessarily see the damage, but instead will feel it or notice other signs such as bleeding, swelling, and bad breath.

Periodontics

• Periodontal Surgery
  LANAP/Laser Treatment periodontal surgery is a full-mouth procedure usually completed in two 2-hour visits. We complete one side of the mouth during the first visit, and complete the other side on the second visit. Surgeries are usually scheduled within one week of one another. It is common to quickly return to work or other activities.

Prosthodontics

• Dentures
  Removable dental replacements, or dentures, are a common service that we provide for our clients. We provide both complete dentures (for when all teeth are missing) and partial dentures (for when some teeth are missing).

Implants

• Dental Implants
  Here at Des Moines Dental Center, we are proud to offer dental implants and restorations so that you can be proud of your smile.

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

• Oral Surgery
• Tooth Extractions
  While tooth extraction is usually a last resort treatment option for a tooth that is damaged, infected, or causing problems to nearby teeth, we are here to help if you are ever in one of these situations.

Orthodontics

• Orthodontics
• Invisalign Orthodontics

General

• Teeth Whitening
  Options for teeth whitening usually include whitening toothpastes, at-home bleaching, and in-office bleaching. Of course effectiveness, safety, and results vary greatly between products, so consult with your dentist if you are considering these choices.
• Cosmetic Dentistry
• General Dentistry
  Dr. Kristin Vernon was born and raised in San Diego, CA. She attended San Diego State University and graduated in 1995 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology. In 1999, Dr. Kristin was awarded her Doctor of Dental Surgery (D.D.S.) from Northwestern University Dental School in Chicago, Illinois. Upon graduation, she decided to further advance her knowledge in dentistry by completing a 1-year Advanced Education in General Dentistry residency program through the U.S. Army. Dr. Kristin served 2 more years in the Army, stationed at Ft. Lewis, WA (JBLM).