We emphasize cleanliness throughout the entire office.

For our mildly anxious patients, we can prescribe a very minor medication to help take the edge off minor apprehension.  This is a very small dosage of a drug that many people take on a daily basis for anxiety.  If taken an hour before the appointment, it can help patients who have very mild anxiety and make the experience much more enjoyable.  The term for this treatment is anxiolysis.

If the apprehension and anxiety is much greater, we have a different medication that is much stronger.  While still an oral medication, this treatment brings the patient into a deeper level of sedation than just

anxiolysis.  Enteral sedation requires the patient to come to our office about an hour before their appointment for the first dose of medication.  After an hour, the patient will be evaluated to determine the level of sedation.

Most of the time, another dose will then be given.  During this time, the patient will be hooked up to a vital signs monitor.  The monitor will stay active during the entirety of the procedure.  Since enteral sedation is a deeper level of sedation, law requires that the patient have someone to drive them to and from their appointment and monitor them after going home.  Enteral sedation is not general anesthesia, but usually causes patients to sleep through most of the procedure.  It is very effective for most fearful patients!

When enteral sedation is not enough, we have one further option.  Because enteral sedation is taken by mouth, the level of medication that actually reaches the blood stream is variable based on every person’s own biological make up.  We can remove this variable from the equation by circumventing the digestive system all together.  This is done by placing an IV line in the back of the hand.  Using this IV line, we can push medications directly into the blood stream.  Because of this we are able to keep a more consistent level of sedation through out the procedure.  When a patient requires IV sedation, we have a dental anesthesiologist come into the office to perform the sedation while Dr. Austin performs the dental treatment.  This type of sedation is best for very fearful patients.

No matter what your level of fear and anxiety may be, we have the perfect prescription to make your dental care a breeze!

Custom Made Whitening Trays- This is the most tried and true method of whitening teeth.  It begins with the fabrication of custom made trays that you will use to load whitening gel into during your treatment.  The trays are fabricated by taking quick alginate impressions of your teeth.  These impressions are used to form stone models.  Using a thermal forming machine, we make custom trays on these stone models of your teeth.  The trays are trimmed in a very specific manner so that none of the whitening gel is held in contact with your gum tissue.  This is a tedious and exacting process, but it is vital for the success of the procedure.  After a day or so, you will return for the delivery of your custom trays and your whitening gel.  You will load the trays with the gel and wear for approximately 30-45 minutes per day.  We use only the best whitening gel, Opalescence 35%.  This is very strong and effective whitening gel.  It does have some extra ingredients mixed in to help combat sensitivity, the most common side effect of whitening.  In addition, after we make your impressions for the trays we coat your teeth with a fluoride varnish that will combat sensitivity.  This is all included in the fee.  Custom made whitening trays are very effective for most patients.  Whitening begins occurring after the first treatment and continues.  Most patients whiten for about 5-10 days, depending on how quickly their teeth respond to the gel.  Generally, patients have plenty of gel in the initial pack to whiten to their satisfaction and have left over gel for future touch ups.

Zoom! Whitening- This method is an in-office technique that whitens teeth quickly.  Zoom! does not whiten teeth any more than custom trays but it will achieve the same effect faster.  In a Zoom! procedure, your teeth are isolated using various products so as to protect the gum tissue.  Strong whitening gel is applied to your teeth and a special light is used to activate the gel.  Three sessions of  about twenty minutes will be performed.  The entire process takes about 90 minutes.  Because the whitening is being done all at one time, sensitivity can be an issue.  A treatment with fluoride varnish a few days before the Zoom! procedure will help to reduce this.  Usually, we like to make custom trays to go along with the Zoom! procedure to allow for future touch ups of your whitening.

Kor Power Whitening-  This method allows us to whiten stained teeth that has not previously been possible.  For people with teeth stained developmentally with excessive exposure to things like antibiotics or minerals, whitening has been out of reach.  With Kor Power Whitening we can now remove these areas of mottling, banding and staining.  This method involves both custom made trays and in-office whitening procedures.  Because the whitening gel used in this method is very very strong, the custom made trays must by made in a very special way.  The trays are made by a special laboratory from specially made impressions.  Again, this method is for people with special and intense staining from  developmental exposures or years of neglect.  Kor Power Whitening does take time.  There are several visits involved in the process, but the results are outstanding.

It is important to note that no dental whitening is permanent.  We all consume various amounts of stain-producing food and drinks on a daily basis.  Coffee, tea, soda, red wine, berries, tomatoes, etc all cause build up of extrinsic stain in teeth.  These stains build up over time and push older stains deeper into the tooth.  The whitening process initially bleaches all of these stains out of the teeth.  After whitening your teeth initially, we recommend touching up your bleaching for 1-2 sessions every six to eight months.  The touch up is done using your custom trays and whitening gel.  Usually 1-2 sessions of 30-45 minutes will bleach out all the new stains that have built up.

If you are interested in whitening your teeth, set up a free consultation and we can help you determine which whitening option is best for you!

1)  Boil & Bite Sports Guard- These can be purchased at any sporting good store.  The plastic is softened with hot water then the patient bites into them, roughly forming the guard around the teeth.  Boil & Bite guards are inexpensive but are larger and more bulky than custom fit guards.  This makes boil & bite guards uncomfortable which leads to patients not wearing them during activity.

2)  Custom Sports Guards- These are made from a custom mold of the patient’s teeth.  A custom guard will fit intimately to the patient’s teeth reducing bulk and allowing easier breathing during activity.  Custom guards can be made out of various colors and logos and names can be added for that professional look and feel!

3)  Under Armour Sports Guards- These are the ultimate in sports guard technology.  You may have seen many professional athletes sporting these guards in recent months.  These are made by a custom laboratory and can offer protection that other guards can not.  Some preliminary studies show that clenching and grinding of teeth during athletic activity causes an increase in cortisol release.  Cortisol is a stress hormone that can cause problems in the body like fatigue, weight gain, and depressed immune system.  Under Armour has some proprietary studies that show their guards used during various contact and non-contact sports decrease cortisol release.  This can lead to an increase in athletic performance, strength, and endurance.  There are two different versions of Under Armour sports guards.  One fits on the top teeth which is recommended for contact sports such as football and basketball.  The other fits on the bottom teeth and is recommended for non-contact sports like golf or weightlifting.  We do offer a significant team discount (10 more sports guards) for the Under Armour sports guards.

As you can see, there are several options when it comes to sports guards.  If you are interested, please let us know and we can help you choose the right sports guard for you and your activity!

Many people have existing amalgam (silver) fillings from their teenage years that fit this criteria.  In some cases, these amalgam fillings have been replaced with a large resin composite filling.  No matter the material, we know the tooth is suspect to breaking.  It just becomes a matter of time before that tooth will break.  We want to try and strengthen these teeth before they break because we can never be sure where they will break.  In some cases, they can break deep into the nerve necessitating a root canal.  In other cases, they can break deep under the gums necessitating a gum surgery to repair.  In a worst case scenario, a tooth can break to a point at which is unrepairable which leads us to extraction and replacement.

Here is a photo of a tooth that we treated here in our office last week.  This tooth has a large amalgam filling.  One of the functional cusps of the tooth fractured.  When the cusp fractured, it broke deep into the nerve and underneath the gums. This tooth was not restorable and required extraction.  We are now examining replacing the tooth with an implant after the area has healed.  This tooth could have been saved with a crown had it been placed prior to the fracture.

This photo demonstrates a phenomenon often seen in these situations.  If you notice, the part of the tooth that fractured was natural tooth structure and the amalgam filling still remains.  This is what we usually see in these situations.  That part that fractures is rarely the filling, but the weakened area of natural tooth structure.

Patients often ask me when they should have their teeth with large fillings crowned.  This is a complex question that can vary from patient to patient.  Certainly, there are times in which we can predict that a tooth is more subject to fracturing than another, but this is a very inexact science.  Most of the time we have no clue when a tooth with a large filling will fracture.  It could happen tomorrow or ten years from tomorrow.  The bottom line is that we would like to crown the tooth before it breaks.  I generally recommend to patients that we proceed with crowning a tooth when the proverbial stars align.  When a patient has the time to undergo the crown procedure, one of the stars has aligned.  When a patient’s insurance benefits (if applicable) are adequate, another star has aligned.  Finally, when a patient is able to make financial arrangements for their part of the fee, the third star has aligned.  When all of these things come together, it is time to proceed with crowning a tooth with a large filling.

Sometimes, a tooth just can’t wait until all the stars align and pain or sensitivity begins.  This can often be attributed to cracked tooth syndrome.  These teeth with large fillings and fracture lines can sometimes become sensitive to cold, bite or both.  In these instances, we should proceed with crowning the tooth immediately.  If treatment is delayed, the likelihood of a catastrophic breakage is increased.  If you notice this phenomenon, call our office ASAP to set up an emergency evaluation!

The word just implies that the task is unimportant. Nothing could be further from the truth in respect to our routine dentalcleanings and exams.  Even with todays high- powered electric toothbrushes, it is impossible to remove all the plaque and tartar from our teeth.  If left to build, this can cause periodontal disease and bad breath. When your teeth get cleaned, all of this excess plaque, tartar, and stain is systematically removed. Some patients even need cleanings every 3 to 4 months to eliminate this build-up. Many times a fluoride treatment will be administered which can help strengthen teeth against future decay.

At least once a year, diagnostic radiographs called bitewings, should be taken. This will give Dr. Austin a view into the inside of your teeth and gums. Decay and gum disease can be diagnosed from good bitewings. The doctors also examine all the tissue in your mouth looking for a multitude of disorders including oral cancer. After this, the doctors examine your teeth to look for decay, recurrent decay under existing crowns and fillings, fractures, and various other issues.

As you can see, getting your routine cleaning and exam is vital to your oral health.  We now have evidence that shows periodontal and dental diseases are linked to systemic health.  People with periodontal disease are at an increased risk for cardiovascular disease, heart disease and diabetes.  Ignoring your dental health can lead to problems with your systemic health.  To schedule your cleaning and exam, call the office today at (210) 408-7999.