Diagnostic

• Dental Examination
  Gum disease or periodontal disease, a chronic inflammation and infection of the gums and bone, is the major cause of about 70 percent of adult tooth loss, affecting three out of four persons at some point in their life. The warning signs include red, swollen or tender gums, bleeding while brushing or flossing, gums that pull away from teeth, loose or separating teeth, puss between the gum and tooth, persistent bad breath, change in the way teeth fit together when the patient bites, and exposed roots. While patients are advised to check for the warning signs, there might not be any discomfort until the disease has spread to a point where the tooth is unsalvageable. That’s why patients are advised to get frequent dental exams.
• X-rays

Preventive

• Teeth Cleaning
• Dental Sealants
  A dental sealant is a thin plastic film bonded to the chewing surfaces of molars and premolars (the teeth directly in front of the molars). Because sealants act as a physical barrier to decay, protection is determined by the sealants’ ability to adhere to the tooth. As long as the sealant remains intact, small food particles and bacteria that cause cavities cannot penetrate through or around a sealant into the thin groove of the biting surface of your tooth where cavities most commonly start. Sealant protection is reduced or lost when part or all of the bond between the tooth and sealant is broken. However, clinical studies have shown that teeth that have lost sealants are no more susceptible to tooth decay than teeth that were never sealed. At Waterford Dental Associates missing sealants done at our office are replaced free of charge if the patient has maintained a regular recall schedule.

Restorative

• Fillings
  Yes. Mercury in dental amalgam is not poisonous. When mercury is combined with other materials in dental amalgam, its chemical nature changes, so it is essentially harmless. The amount released in the mouth under the pressure of chewing and grinding is extremely small and no cause for alarm. In fact, it is less than what patients are exposed to in food, air, and water. Ongoing scientific studies conducted over the past 100 years continue to prove that amalgam is not harmful. Claims of diseases caused by mercury in amalgam are anecdotal, as are claims of miraculous cures achieved by removing amalgam. These claims have not been proven scientifically. We at Waterford Dental Associates believe that silver amalgam fillings are appropriate for some situations.
• Resin Composite
  New improvements in tooth colored composite fillings allow them now to be often used in situations that once required the silver amalgam fillings. A composite resin is a tooth-colored acrylic mixture filled with glass (silicon dioxide). Introduced in the 1960s, dental composites were confined to the front teeth because they were not strong enough to withstand the pressure and wear generated by the back teeth. Since then, composites have been significantly improved and can be successfully placed in the back teeth as well. Composites are not only used to restore decayed areas, but are also used for cosmetic improvements of the smile by changing the color of the teeth or reshaping disfigured teeth. However in certain situations where it is impossible to obtain complete dryness, such as cavities that extend under the gum line, other alternatives such as inlays, amalgam fillings or crowns must be used.
• Veneers
  Cosmetic Dentistry consists of the improvement of the appearance of the teeth through straightening, shade lightening, reshaping, and repair of defects. There are many tools available for achieving the desired results and very often combinations of treatments such as gum recontouring, orthodontics, crowns, veneers, bleaching, bondings, and cleanings are necessary to achieve the desired results. The staff at Waterford Dental Associates will be happy to address your individual concerns and design a personal program for you to achieve the smile that you desire.
• Crowns
  Bridges are a method of replacing missing teeth with a cemented non-removable prosthesis that is held in place by adjacent teeth, which have been prepared for crowns, onlays...
• Bridges
• Dental Bonding
• Restorative Dentistry
  Restorative Dentistry includes those procedures that are meant to restore individual diseased or damaged teeth to proper health and function. These procedures can range from fillings to crowns (caps) depending on the severity of the condition.

Endodontics

• Root Canal Treatment
  Underneath your tooth’s outer enamel and within the dentin is an area of soft tissue called the pulp, which carries the tooth’s nerves, veins, arteries and lymph vessels. Root canals are very small, thin divisions that branch off from the top pulp chamber down to the tip of the root. A tooth commonly has between one and four root canals.

Periodontics

• Deep Cleaning

Prosthodontics

• Dentures
  A denture is a removable replacement for missing teeth and adjacent tissues. It is made of acrylic resin, sometimes in combination with various metals. Complete dentures replace all the teeth, while a partial denture fills in the spaces created by missing teeth and prevents other teeth from changing position, usually retained by metal cla

Implants

• Dental Implants
  A dental implant is an artificial tooth root (made of titanium) that is surgically anchored into your jaw. An abutment or precision attachment is locked into the implant and acts to hold a replacement tooth, bridge or denture. The benefits of using implants include the fact they don’t rely on neighboring teeth for support, they appear more natural and are easier to clean when selected over a convential bridge, they don’t decay and can tighten the fit of a denture or partial. Strategically placed, implants can now be used to support permanently cemented bridges, eliminating the need for a denture all together. Implants are one of the true miracles of modern dentistry.

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

• Oral Surgery
  The doctors at Waterford Dental Associates are trained in extraction of all broken and most impacted teeth using local anesthetic or nitrous oxide sedation in conjunction with local anesthetic. Patients who wish to have general anesthesia or have situations too complicated to be dealt with in our office will be referred to an Oral Surgery
• Tooth Extractions

Orthodontics

• Orthodontics
  Cosmetic Dentistry consists of the improvement of the appearance of the teeth through straightening, shade lightening, reshaping, and repair of defects. There are many tools available for achieving the desired results and very often combinations of treatments such as gum recontouring, orthodontics, crowns, veneers, bleaching, bondings, an

General

• Teeth Whitening
  Bleaching is done with chemical called carbamide peroxide, which actually lightens the tooth enamel that it comes in contact with. Peroxide-containing whiteners typically come in gels of different concentrations (10%, 16%, 22%), and are placed in a mouth guard. Usage regimens vary. Most are intended for use for 1-2 weeks, 2 – 4 hours per day. If you obtain the bleaching solution from your dentist, he or she can make a custom-fitted mouth guard for you that will fit your teeth precisely. Generally treatment does not have any side effects, but occasionally teeth can become sensitive during the period when you are using the bleaching solution. In many cases, this sensitivity is temporary and should lessen once the treatment is finished. The effects of bleaching gradually diminish over time, but a short regimen of additional bleaching on a yearly basis will usually return the teeth to their whiter color.
• Cosmetic Dentistry