Diagnostic

• Dental Examination
  The condition is very common in our culture, so we evaluate every patient for TMJ dysfunction at their regular dental exam. If we detect a problem, our goals are to arrest it, protect teeth from further damage, and correct underlying bite misalignment. Therapy may involve fitting you with a physiologic bite appliance, suggesting ways to alleviate stress, and recommending symptom relief measures. Typically, TMJ patients need to avoid chewing gum or hard, chewy food, take small bites, and alternate chewing between both sides of the mouth. Good nutrition will help the joint heal more quickly; good posture will also help relieve discomfort. A straight back, relaxed neck, and side-sleeping position are also helpful. To relieve soreness, light temple and jaw massage will stimulate circulation and relax the muscles. If pain is present, we suggest alternating moist heat and cold for 20 minutes to further increase circulation. Over-the-counter anti-inflammatories or analgesics can be very helpful as well.
• X-rays
• Oral Cancer Screening
  Oral cancer is diagnosed in 8000 Americans each year. Half of the people diagnosed will live less than five years. If we find oral cancer in the earliest stages, the potential for survival increases by 50-70%. Oral cancer screening is a service we provide during your initial consultation and at every re-care appointment.

Preventive

• Teeth Cleaning
• Fluoride Treatment
  If you have small cavities, get them filled as soon as possible, before they grow and cause extensive damage. Professional fluoride treatments and dental sealants can also help deter tooth decay. Some patients have more problems with plaque than others. We’ll gladly help you understand the particularities of your mouth and recommend ways to prevent bacteria and tooth decay.
• Dental Sealants
  Some patients experience mild and temporary post-placement sensitivity from composite resin fillings. The only caution we usually mention is that coffee, tea, and other staining foods and beverages may discolor your composites unless you ask to have them coated with a clear plastic sealant.

Restorative

• Fillings
• Resin Composite
  If you're embarrassed about your smile because of decay or dark fillings in your teeth, you may be a good candidate for composite resins. A silicon dioxide-filled, tooth-colored plastic mixture, composite resins can restore teeth to an attractive, healthy state. Composite resins represent several advantages over traditional silver, or amalgam, fillings.
• Veneers
  Just as an engineer creates a model to ensure that a machine will work correctly, the dentist often fabricates a wax-up model of jaws and teeth when working on more complex restorative or cosmetic cases. By building an accurate model of your mouth, we can test prosthetics, veneers, and other dental work to ensure a proper fit. You can also see what our proposed solutions will look like on the wax model, so you'll make a truly informed decision about your dental work. If adjustments are required, the dentist adapts the model to reflect changes before the case goes to the dental laboratory. Wax-ups provide us with a realistic projection of how your dental work will look and function, which results in more accurate restorations.
• Crowns
  You have a big filling that needs replacement. Do you have to get a full crown? Not necessarily. A more conservative option, inlays and onlays fit into a tooth similarly to a filling, yet they are milled restorations, much like a crown. The bumps on top of a tooth are called cusps. Inlays fit between cusps, while onlays fit over one or more cusps. Inlays and onlays allow a patient to retain more natural tooth structure, which is always best.
• Bridges
  With a traditional crown and bridge system, we must crown the healthy teeth on either side of the space the bridge will fill. The healthy teeth's crowns hold the fixed bridge in place. Implants, however, require no alteration of healthy tooth structure. The implant posts can be positioned in the sockets that formerly held teeth. An implant-supported bridge connects to the implant posts rather than healthy teeth.
• Dental Bonding
  If you have a chipped, slightly misaligned, or otherwise imperfect tooth that needs cosmetic restoration, we may suggest one-appointment bonding. The dentist can apply liquid composite resin, shaded to blend with your tooth's color, to rebuild a pleasing shape to your tooth. After hardening the resin with a curing light, he will artistically sculpt and polish the restoration. In just one visit, you can enjoy a beautiful new smile! Cosmetic bonding can be a viable, affordable alternative to porcelain veneers, but it lasts only 5 to 10 years with proper care. Bonding will not discolor as your natural tooth enamel will, so touch-up whitening may be required to keep your natural teeth the same shade as the bonded area.

Endodontics

• Root Canal Treatment
  Your teeth contain several layers: the outer protective enamel, a secondary layer of sensitive dentin, and an inner pulp that contains components commonly referred to as the “nerve” of the tooth. Each pulp chamber branches off, forming canals that lead toward the tooth root tip. These infamous root canals provide a means for the tooth to absorb what it needs from the blood and get rid of toxins or other unnecessary materials via the blood stream. A deep cavity, traumatic injury, or tooth fracture can make the canal susceptible to bacterial infection, which can kill the pulp, stimulate increased blood flow, and create pressure within the tooth. This can cause severe tooth pain and may initiate bone degeneration, tooth loss, and even more acute pain. If you see a dentist in the earliest stages of this condition, the tooth may be saved with a root canal. Otherwise, it should be extracted and replaced with a prosthetic.

Periodontics

• Gingivectomy and Gingivoplasty
  For patients who have excessive gum tissue, teeth can appear stubby. What you may not know is that beneath that overgrown soft tissue, your teeth are just waiting to be revealed! If you have a gummy smile, we may recommend a gum lift, otherwise known as a gingivectomy.

Prosthodontics

• Dentures
  Oral cancer kills more people nationwide than either cervical or skin (melanoma) cancer, and only half of patients diagnosed will survive more than five years. One American dies every hour from oral cancer. The most common risk factors are tobacco use, frequent high quantity alcohol consumption, constant sunlight exposure, habitual cheek or lip biting, or poorly fitting dentures. Although 80 to 90 percent of oral cancers are found in people who use tobacco and/or drink alcohol excessively, 25 percent of oral cancers occur in people who have no risk factors at all.

Implants

• Dental Implants
  By imitating an entire natural tooth, from the root up, dental implants offer a prosthetic that closely mimics nature. The result? Dental implant patients enjoy restored function, which allows a healthy diet of hard-to-chew foods. Speech may also improve. Strong and secure, your new smile will boost your confidence, enhance your appearance, and improve your quality of life.

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

• Oral Surgery
  After a thorough evaluation, your dentist can tell you whether you’re a candidate for dental implants. They require adequate bone structure for placement. The first stage of the procedure involves oral surgery in which a titanium post is implanted into the jawbone for each missing tooth or for the new teeth that will anchor a bridge or denture. Nature will take its course, allowing your bone tissue to fuse with the titanium post. This creates a solid foundation.
• Tooth Extractions
  Pulling teeth, as the saying goes, does not have to be a drawn-out, negative experience. We can perform tooth extractions quickly and with minimal discomfort to treat a host of dental conditions, including advanced gum disease. Patients suffering from broken, cracked, and/or excessively decayed or damaged teeth (that aren’t good candidates for the alternative treatment--root canal) will benefit from this often simple and straightforward procedure. We may recommend extractions, also called exodontias, in these situations...
• Ridge Augmentation

Orthodontics

• Orthodontics
  Teeth whitening, porcelain veneers, orthodontics, replacement teeth…so many options exist to help people achieve the smile of their dreams. As a cosmetic dental practice, our team can help you determine which treatments will give you the smile you've always wanted. In fact, we encourage patients to bring photos of some of their favorite celebrity smiles so that we can pinpoint attributes to incorporate in a smile makeover plan. The dentist will examine your oral health, discuss your vision of a gorgeous smile, and study the dynamics of your face, mouth, and skin tone.

General

• Teeth Whitening
  Popular, safe, and effective, teeth whitening has given patients across the world a reason to smile. Your appearance can affect you socially, emotionally, and even in business successes. People who smile with confidence are viewed as warm, inviting, and beautiful. Now, with professional whitening systems...
• Cosmetic Dentistry
  Our office is conveniently located near the airport midway between Sarasota and Bradenton. The entire Midtown Dental Center team is dedicated to providing excellent care for quality-conscious patients from across the area. Discover a new age in dentistry by exploring our website, then call today to reserve your personal consultation with Dr. Engelsberg. We're passionate about improving lives through restorative and cosmetic dentistry, and we can't wait to see your smile!
• General Dentistry
  Dr. Engelsberg has trained in all aspects of general dentistry, as well as implant dentistry, so that he can bring the best of contemporary oral healthcare to you. In addition to providing regular checkups, comprehensive cleanings, tooth-colored fillings, and esthetic crowns, Dr. Engelsberg can place and restore dental implants. If your mouth is in serious condition, we congratulate you on your decision to prioritize good oral health. We offer full-mouth reconstruction for complex cases and will do everything in our power to ensure your peace of mind and body during the process. You deserve comfortable oral function and a smile you can be proud of. We'll deliver.