Diagnostic

• Dental Examination
  In the early stage of gum disease, a condition known as gingivitis, in which gums may become red, swollen and bleed easily, can occur. In the more advanced stages of periodontal disease, teeth can loosen and even fall out. Good oral hygiene and regular dental examinations are essential in the prevention and early detection of gum disease.
• X-rays
  To diagnose an impacted tooth, the dentist will inspect the affected area and perform dental X-rays to confirm that the tooth is impacted.
• Oral Cancer Screening

Preventive

• Teeth Cleaning
  Seeing a dentist for a professional cleaning on a regular basis is essential to maintaining good dental health. A dentist can remove plaque and other substances that have built up on the teeth over time, and can recommend other preventive techniques to help maintain good oral health.
• Fluoride Treatment
  We also take in-depth medical histories from each of our patients when they come to our office. This helps us to better understand our patients' current health, predict what problems might develop in the future, and keep track of any medications they are taking that may impact their dental health.
• Dental Sealants

Restorative

• Fillings
  Amalgam fillings have been used for many years and are considered strong, durable and relatively inexpensive compared to other materials. Although strong and effective, many patients do not choose to use amalgam fillings because the silver color can be visible while eating, speaking or smiling.
• Crowns
  Crown lengthening, also known as crown exposure, is a surgical procedure performed when there is not enough exposed tooth structure to place a restoration on the tooth. This procedure removes gum tissue and/or bone to expose more of the tooth, allowing a crown or filling to be put in place. Crown lengthening is often performed after a tooth breaks off at the gum or a crown or filling is removed and the tooth underneath is significantly decayed. A decent amount of healthy tooth structure is needed in order to properly perform a restoration.
• Bridges
  Dental bridges are natural-looking tooth replacements that help maintain facial structure, reduce stress on the jaw and fill in the gaps caused by missing teeth.

Endodontics

• Root Canal Treatment
  A root canal is the most commonly performed endodontic procedure. It involves treating problems within the tooth's soft core, also known as the dental pulp. The dental pulp is the soft tissue found inside the tooth; it extends from the top of the tooth all the way down to the end of the root. It contains nerves, blood vessels and connective tissue that provide nutrients to the tooth as it grows.

Periodontics

• Gingivectomy and Gingivoplasty
  In preparation for a gingivectomy, a local anesthetic is applied to the gums. Usually a laser is then used to remove loose or diseased gum tissue, although a scalpel may also be used for this purpose. This process may take up to an hour. Once the gum tissue has been removed, a periodontal dressing, something like a protective putty, is placed over the gums to protect them as they heal.
• Periodontal Surgery
  If you're diagnosed with periodontal disease, Dr. Forrest may recommend periodontal surgery. Periodontal surgery is necessary when Dr. Forrest determines that the tissue around your teeth is unhealthy and cannot be repaired with non-surgical treatment. The two types of surgical treatments most commonly prescribed are Pocket Reduction Procedures and Regenerative Procedures.
• Deep Cleaning
  Scaling and root planing is a treatment usually performed during the early stages of periodontal disease to help remove plaque and tartar that has built up beneath the gum line. This procedure is considered a deep cleaning, and may be performed to prevent the disease from progressing to a more advanced stage, or to improve the quality of a patient's tissue before surgery.

Prosthodontics

• Dentures
  Before sinus lifts were available, upper-back tooth loss accompanied by significant bone loss meant that wearing loose-fitting dentures was a patient's only option.

Implants

• Dental Implants
  Guided bone and tissue regeneration is a relatively new process of eliminating pockets in the gum in order to combat progressive periodontal disease. Instead of the previously used method of recontouring uneven bone tissue, this new technique is now routinely used to stabilize teeth or to prepare the jaw for dental implants. Gum pockets have to be treated because otherwise they promote bacterial growth and spread infection.

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

• Oral Surgery
  Janine is a native Floridian with three children. She has worked in the area of periodontal and oral surgery for 20 years as a surgical dental assistant. She enjoys educating patients and sharing her experience and knowledge of dentistry.
• Flap Surgery
  If other methods of treatment are ineffective, flap surgery may be performed to lift away gum tissue so that it can be cleaned underneath. Gum or bone grafts may also be performed to help regenerate any bone or gum tissue that has been damaged or lost due to periodontitis.
• Gum Surgery
  Laser gum surgery can be used to promote healing of diseased gum pockets by eliminating or reducing pocket depth, and helping to restore and regenerate healthy gums. Bacteria levels in gum pockets are significantly reduced by this type of treatment.
• Osseous Surgery
• Tooth Extractions
  Ridge preservation enables dental implantation to take place much sooner than would otherwise be possible. For the patient, recovery from this dental surgery is similar to recovery from a simple tooth extraction. Extensive time, however is required for healing to take place before dental implantation can take place. Depending on the size of the ridge preservation procedure, the patient's age and healing ability, graft healing typically takes between 3 and 6 months.
• Ridge Augmentation
  Sometimes when you lose one or more teeth, you can get an indentation in your gums and jawbone where the tooth used to be. This happens because the jawbone recedes when it no longer is holding a tooth in place. Not only is this indentation unnatural looking, it also causes the replacement tooth to look too long compared to the adjacent teeth. Dr. Forrest can fill in this "defect" with a procedure called ridge augmentation, recapturing the natural contour of your gums and jaw. A new tooth can then be created that is natural looking, easy-to-clean, and attractive.
• Bone Grafting
  There are several steps involved in the ridge preservation process. Once the tooth has been extracted, an empty socket is exposed in the alveolar ridge, the ridge of the upper and lower jaw bones surrounding the roots of the teeth. Incisions are made in the gum line to create flaps. The sockets are filled with regenerative bone grafting material.

Orthodontics

• Orthodontics
  As we settle into the 21st century, technological advances continue to shape a challenging and innovative future for the dental health care profession. How can the demands of this rapidly changing field be met? What skills and knowledge will be necessary to move comfortably into the future? How can all aspects of dentistry, whether periodontics, oral surgery, endodontics, or orthodontics, be incorporated into one's practice, thereby "Bridging the Disciplines" ? The answers to these questions are crucial to comprehend the role continuing education will play in the future of our profession.
• Invisalign Orthodontics
  Invisalign aligners use the latest in 3-D computer imaging to determine a projected path of tooth movement for each patient. This allows a dentist to design a series of personalized aligners (repositioners) that work to straighten teeth over time. Each set of aligners is worn for approximately two weeks, at which point there is a changeover to a new set.
• Braces
  For people who are dissatisfied with their smiles but have not done anything about them because they are not interested in a mouthful of metal, Invisalign® "braces" may be a good option. They eliminate both the discomfort of metal wires and the inconvenience of adjustments. The Invisalign system uses virtually invisible aligners that straighten teeth without metal bands, brackets or wires. The custom-made trays are comfortable, and easy to remove for eating, brushing, flossing and special occasions. The clear-plastic Invisalign aligners are so inconspicuous that it is difficult to tell when someone is wearing them.

General

• Teeth Whitening
• Cosmetic Dentistry
  Periodontal procedures are available to lay the groundwork for restorative and cosmetic dentistry, and/or to improve the esthetics of your gum line. You may ask Dr. Forrest about procedures to improve a "gummy" smile because your teeth appear short. Your teeth may actually be the proper length, but they're covered with too much gum tissue. To correct this, "esthetic" crown lengthening is performed. During this procedure, excess gum and bone tissue are reshaped to expose more of the natural tooth. This can be done to one tooth, to even your gum line, or to several teeth to expose a natural, broad smile.