Diagnostic

• Dental Examination
• X-rays
  Dental x-rays and clinical exams help determine if enough bone exists to place the dental implants. Sometimes, in conjunction with a clinical examination, the dentist feels comfortable in proceeding with the placement of a dental implant.

Preventive

• Teeth Cleaning
  Definitely. Some people never form calculus while others form it in varying amounts. Some individuals notice it days after a professional dental cleaning, while others hardly form any even months later. The rate of calculus formation is not an indicator of the amount and severity of periodontal disease, nor does it indicate that an individual will ever get it. But it's continued presence can always damage the gums.

Restorative

• Fillings
• Veneers
  This 23 year old female presents with two complaints regarding her smile. She is unhappy with the appearance of her front tooth that was previously restored with a porcelain fused to metal restoration. She feels like her smile is unbalanced. After consulting with her restorative dentist regarding our findings and the patient’s desires, we presented the following treatment plan: a hard tissue crown lengthening on her right side to match the length that she has on the left followed by veneers on teeth #4-13.
• Crowns
  Many cases of bad breath, or halitosis, are due to protein breakdown caused by the bacteria in the mouth. These odor-producing organisms can lurk anywhere: around the necks of the teeth, in pockets, next to fillings and crown margins, on the tongue, and in various other recesses in the mouth. Consider how prone the mouth is to grow these bacteria. It has all the ingredients of a successful incubator: it's dark, moist, warm, and has all the "food" necessary that the bacteria need to metabolize.
• Bridges
  Dental implants avoid removable bridges. Often, the loss of a critical tooth eliminates a fixed bridge as an option. Either there are not enough teeth to support a fixed bridge, or the span will be too long, or a critical abutment has been removed. Regardless of the cause, a fixed (cemented) bridge cannot be employed to replace the missing teeth, so a removable bridge is suggested. Is a removable bridge the only option to replace missing teeth when there are not enough suitable abutments? This is the time to consider dental implants.

Endodontics

• Root Canal Treatment
  This 25 year-old female presented to our office to replace her central incisor that she lost as the result of a failed root canal on the tooth. She desires a long-term solution, that requires no alteration to the neighboring teeth and look as "natural and life-like" as possible. Below we see the results of her implant treatment. The results are amazing and with regular professional check-ups, one can anticipate dental implants lasting for many years, if not a lifetime. When it comes to replacing missing teeth, dental implants are the most conservative, longest lasting treatment option available.

Prosthodontics

• Dentures
  Besides helping us look good, teeth are important for a host of other reasons. For one, strong firm teeth enable us to chew our food more comfortably. Properly masticated food makes for better digestion. Everyone likes a healthy, bright smile. First impressions count. Besides making you look and feel good, teeth help us to speak clearly. People who have had the misfortune of losing all their teeth and wearing dentures, can have difficulty speaking. They also cannot eat all the things they want, are often self-conscious about their "choppers," complain that they cant taste their food as well as they used to, and may even have trouble breathing when they sleep. Those are enough reasons to keep our teeth, and the best way to start is with good oral hygiene.
• Overdentures
  This otherwise healthy, active 21 year old male presented to our office missing both maxillary lateral incisors. His treatment objectives included; replacement of his missing teeth without having to compromise the adjacent teeth by grinding them done for a bridge. Secondly, he would like to explore the possibility of having his implants placed and restored all in one appointment. Below are the results of his implant treatment with Dr. Alex Bankhead and his team at Utah Valley Periodontics and Dental Implants. Upon gathering our clinical and radiographic examination, including a three dimensional CAT scan, we concluded that he had adequate bone for the placement of dental implants. Taking into consideration that he lost his natural teeth to periodontal disease, we recommended to him an implant solution that would not only fulfill his functional and esthetic dental desires, but would allow him to easily clean his teeth on a daily basis. We suggested implant support bar-clip overdentures to restore both arches. This treatment modality provides excellent results for those who have lost their natural teeth to periodontal disease or trauma which has resulted in the loss of bone and the need for lip support and fullness to their face. Additionally, with the ability to remove the denture on a daily basis for oral hygiene measures, this option works well for those have struggled with home care in the past.

Implants

• Dental Implants
  This beautiful 30-year-old presented to our office immediately following her orthodontic treatment. After a clinical examination we noted she had excessive mobility on her upper front six teeth as a result of her orthodontic treatment rendering them hopeless. The patient's dental desires were to have teeth she could use to bite into an apple without fear of them falling out; and a smile she could be proud to show off for years to come. With the placement of four dental implants, we were able to accomplish that for her.

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

• Oral Surgery
• Tooth Extractions

Orthodontics

• Braces
  For eight years an early childhood accident left me without one of my front teeth. That missing front tooth left me feeling self conscious and awkward for most of my adolescence. Most of my school pictures from that time period would be with a closed mouth smile or none at all. I was certain if I smiled my gap would ruin my pictures. I went through many painful dental procedures to try and restore my missing front tooth. None of them worked. After four years of braces and a retainer with a fake tooth for two years, I had a dentist who referred me to Dr. Bankhead. Dr. Bankhead and his staff were encouraging and positive about my outcome with an implant. I started feeling hopeful. At last as a junior in high school I was finally able to feel confident about my smile after my successful implant. Recently I applied for a job and was told I was hired because of my beautiful smile and I am complimented on my pretty teeth by people I help at my job. Thank you Dr. Bankhead for helping me find the self-confidence I was lacking for so many years! I love to smile now.

General

• Cosmetic Dentistry
  Remember that your general dentist is primarily responsible for your overall dental health. He/she will examine for - and repair - carious lesions (dental decay), change fillings, make new crowns or bridges, perform cosmetic dentistry, and whiten or bleach your teeth. Your dentist will make appropriate referrals to other dental specialists when needed, and in general, quarterback your overall dental needs.