General Dentistry
When you go to your dentist for general dental care, these visits help you prevent major dental problems and treatments. That’s because dental problems tend to be preventable when you take care of your teeth and gums properly, as well as when the dentist catches issues in time to manage them before they get too serious. A general dentistry visit to Stellar Family Dental will promote oral health for you and your whole family.
Preventing Problems With General Dentistry
When patients wait to go to the dentist and avoid general dental care, they often need to have more extensive procedures done in the end. This causes more stress, discomfort and expenses from dental problems that could have been prevented or treated earlier in a simpler way. Finding an issue early gives a dentist many more options, whereas putting off dental care limits options to invasive treatments like surgery or putting in full rows of teeth.
Since general dental treatment cuts down on the need for more extensive treatment, it helps save money on dental care. Many people are fearful or anxious about going to the dentist but the process would have been much quicker and easier if they had received general dentistry to begin with. Plus, general dentistry helps you have a brighter smile and a healthier mouth that improves your overall health.
Providing a Full Spectrum of Services
At Stellar Family Dental, we offer a full range of general dentistry services to patients. These services help keep your oral health in good condition and include fillings, root canals, crowns, gum care and other similar services. Along with treating problems, our dentist diagnoses problems, manages oral health and provides education to prevent problems.
Helping our patients maintain a healthy mouth and smile is the main goal of our general dentistry. We strive to promote your dental health with the minimum level of care required rather than encouraging you to get more care or pay more than you need to. We prefer to provide more minor, preventive care than to see patients suffer with more intensive treatments from a problem that was not managed in time. We also follow dental ethics to help your entire family afford our services and continue to have healthy mouths.
At Stellar Family Dental, we understand and care that your dental health affects your overall health and well-being. We want to make sure that your oral health is in its optimal state and contributing to the health of your whole body. We welcome you to maintain your oral health with us. We provide convenient hours to help you schedule appointments that work with your family’s needs. Make sure everyone in your household has their best state of oral health by taking care of general dentistry. To make your appointments, contact us today.
Preventative Dentistry
It is important to brush your teeth at least twice daily to help remove plaque and food particles that get stuck to your teeth. It is recommended that you brush your teeth for two minutes (or longer), though most people rush through this time. You need to make sure that you reach every side of each tooth, including the inside and outside. To help keep your breath fresh, you should also brush your tongue. Then, you can begin flossing.
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Cleanings And Exams
Having a dental practice perform a checkup and regular cleaning gives a preventive approach to dental care. These general dentistry treatments help prevent problems with your teeth, gums and jaw bones, or they catch and manage problems before they worsen. This type of appointment should be part of your regular oral health care that includes brushing and flossing. We will educate you on taking care of your teeth and gums, yet your checkup and cleaning are also essential to your oral health. During your visit, our team at Stellar Family Dental will get a picture of your current dental health and what would be needed to keep your mouth in its best state.
Creating a Healthier Mouth
A cleaning and checkup appointment with Stellar Family Dental helps establish a healthy mouth. Our dental hygienist can check on your brushing and flossing habits and have the ability to helpfully recommend changes when needed. The dentist can also discover whether you have problems that need to be addressed to bring your mouth back to its prime state. Plus, the cleaning gets rid of the plaque and tartar that can create tooth decay and gum disease if it’s left alone. This general dentistry appointment helps get your mouth to its healthiest state and guides you in keeping it that way.
Providing Thorough Dental Exams
At Stellar Family Dental, we provide thorough dental exams to get a full view of the state of your dental health. You don’t have to feel anxious about a comprehensive exam as if you’ll get in trouble if your mouth isn’t in perfect shape. The staff’s job isn’t to make you feel bad but to clean the mouth and handle problems before they worsen. They are happy to help prevent and solve problems.
With thorough dental exams, we are able to find even minor problems before they turn into a dental disease. We come up with treatment plans that help you have the fewest number of visits and least intensive treatment necessary. We care about promoting health and practicing ethics in the dental profession rather than putting profits first. We strive to take care of problems early and help you have a clean and healthy mouth when you leave our office. With this goal, you end up having a calmer and more affordable experience with your dental appointments.
When a dentist only provides basic exams to patients, these adults can end up with dental problems that have limited solutions. That’s why a comprehensive dental exam like what we offer at Stellar Family Dental is so important. Our staff will provide a thorough checkup and cleaning to your whole family to keep everyone’s health and smile in great shape. If your family needs a thorough exam, contact us today to set up appointments.
Teeth Whitening
Did you know
… the most common complaint people have about their teeth is their color. There are a lot of whitening products on the market, so it is important to discuss your options with your dentist.
There are many things that can affect the color of your teeth. Most people believe discoloration is due to plaque and dirt, but that is not always the case. You might notice that your teeth become discolored due to the food and drinks you consume. Using tobacco can really stain your teeth. Sometimes medications and injuries can change the color of your teeth.
How Teeth Whiteners Work
Teeth-whitening products use bleach, either hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide, which breaks up stains into smaller pieces. This makes them harder to see, making your teeth brighter. However, bleaches do not work on all teeth, so it is important to talk to your dentist before you bleach your teeth.
It’s important to know that whitening will not work on caps, veneers, crowns, or fillings that were originally made to match your teeth’s natural color. They also do not always work on discoloration caused by certain medications.
There are many options when it comes to whitening methods, including toothpastes, at-home bleaching, and bleaching in our office. Each one works differently and varies in effectiveness and safety. For this reason, you should talk to us before you decide to bleach your teeth.
There are times when the bleach in the product can affect your enamel. This irritates the nerves, making your teeth and gums really sensitive. This usually goes away, but if you overuse whiteners, they can cause lasting damage, so if you are having any problems, you need to see your dentist.
If you have any questions about teeth whitening, don’t hesitate to contact us today.
Fillings
Composite fillings act as a dentistry solution for dental problems such as tooth decay or cracks. They fill in the tooth after it is cleaned out to restore the look and function. When we use composite fillings, this is considered a cosmetic procedure because they match the color of your natural teeth instead of standing out like the metal kind do.
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Root Canals
At Stellar Family Dental, we understand that hearing the term “root canal” is enough to keep people away from the dentist. Many horror stories circulate about painful root canals. But we want to let you know that root canals aren’t as scary as you might think. In most cases, it’s actually the infected teeth, rather than the treatment used to fix them, that are causing so much pain. We want to help you learn more about this treatment and when you might need it.
When Is a Root Canal Needed?
A root canal is a treatment dentists use to address an infected tooth. This happens when decay and bacteria spread for too long without treatment. At a certain point, this decay makes it to the pulp inside the tooth. This pulp includes nerves, so infection there generally causes a lot of pain. Since this is happening on the inside of the tooth, you won’t necessarily see the damage. Instead, you could feel it through pain and notice other signs that include bleeding, swelling and bad breath.
What Happens During a Root Canal?
Before performing a root canal at Stellar Family Dental, we use a thorough examination to check whether you have a tooth infection or a different problem. If we recommend a root canal to solve your trouble, we take out the affected pulp, which is no longer necessary for the tooth to function. We also clean inside the tooth, fill it and seal it. Finally, we use a crown or filling to restore it. The treatment and number of visits can vary slightly based on the severity of your infection.
While you might associate this procedure with pain, it takes away the pain of a problem tooth and brings your mouth back to a healthy state. This treatment can also prevent problems from worsening and spreading within your mouth.
Please come to us quickly when you have pain or other symptoms in your mouth. Treatments are quicker, easier and more cost-effective when we catch problems early compared to when they have progressed. A tooth infection will continue to progress if left untreated, which will cause worse pain than the root canal used to fix it. To have your tooth assessed for a possible infection, make an appointment today by calling us today.
Extractions
While no one wants to lose a tooth, situations sometimes present themselves when it’s necessary to remove a tooth. If this is the case, tooth extraction is a solution that helps solve a dental problem causing pain or discomfort. When left alone, these problems worsen and require more extensive treatment down the line. At Stellar Family Dental, we can make sure you need the tooth extracted by performing a thorough exam of the problem. We can provide the extraction treatment as well as follow-up treatment to restore proper function, appearance and health to your mouth.
When Is Extraction Needed?
Extraction tends to provide a positive solution when leaving the situation alone would create worse results. For example, you could have a tooth with severe decay. If you leave it alone, the infection could spread to affect other teeth as well as your gums. The spread would create the need for additional and more extensive treatment. Instead, we can simply remove the one tooth. Keep in mind that it’s better to lose one tooth than several.
Tooth Removal and Replacements
At Stellar Family Dental, we are fully equipped to extract problematic teeth. We safely remove the tooth or teeth to stop the problem and prevent worse problems from developing. For wisdom teeth, surgery might be necessary, but we will perform an assessment and discuss the situation with you.
If we remove wisdom teeth, replacing the teeth is unnecessary. But in the case of regular teeth, we can follow the extraction with a tooth replacement service. This could include a removable partial denture or a permanent dental implant. We will discuss the options with you to help you make the best decision for your needs.
If you have pain in a tooth or other tooth problems, come in to Stellar Family Dental for a full assessment of the problem. We will try to fix the tooth and will only perform tooth extraction if necessary. Make an appointment today by calling our office today.
Emergency Care
Stellar Family Dental is here for you, especially during emergencies.
It is very important to be prepared in case you have an emergency. Even though we wish that they wouldn’t, emergencies happen. Being educated and knowing what to do in an emergency can be the difference between losing and saving a tooth. You need to contact us right away if you are having an emergency! If we are not open, go to the nearest emergency center.
If you crack a tooth or bite your tongue or lip, you should always rinse your mouth with warm water. A warm compress will help reduce swelling. If you have something stuck in your teeth, gently use floss to get it out. You shouldn’t try to remove it with something sharp. For toothaches, don’t place aspirin right on your tooth or gums.
You should always wear a mouthguard during sports and other physical activities to protect your teeth. You should also avoid chewing hard food like hard candy, ice, and popcorn kernels. These are very good at breaking teeth. You should also use scissors instead of your teeth to cut or tear things.
Sealants
When we apply a dental sealant, we paint a plastic coating on top of your teeth. This makes your teeth smooth getting rid of the rough edges, depressions, and grooves that are commonly found on teeth. It is essentially a protective coating against tooth decay and cavities.
The most common place to paint sealants is on back teeth since they are often irregular. They can also be very hard to reach, even if you brush your teeth regularly. We use it more on children though we do perform sealants on adults too!
Night Guards
It can be beneficial to use a guard, or covering, to protect your teeth from grinding while sleeping. Similar to how a mouthguard protects teeth during sports, this layer prevents damage to the teeth that can occur naturally.
There are a wide variety of different types of mouthguards, ranging from pre-formed pieces to ones that are custom fitted to your teeth and jaws. Some of these can even be formed at home through a boil-and-bite process.
Sports Mouth Guards
As dentists, we are determined to make sure your mouth and teeth are well protected during sports activities, no matter what your passion is. To do this, we offer many different types of mouth guards, depending on the types of activities in which you are involved. There are some mouth guards for low-impact sports and others for high-impact sports.
Mouth guards not only protect your mouth and teeth, but also have other purposes. Mouth guards will help decrease the impact if you get hit in the jaw. They have also been shown to increase an athlete’s performance.
Many people clench their teeth while playing, which can give them temporomandibular joint syndrome (TMJ). Clenching your jaw the whole time can be quite exhausting. Mouth guards help to relax your jaw, allowing you to completely focus on the game!
TMJ Treatment
Here at Stellar Family Dental, we are proud to offer solutions to temporomandibular joint disease (TMD).
TMD causes pain and discomfort in the jaw joint, called the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), and the muscles that move your jaw.
Symptoms of TMD:
- Headaches
- Pain in Jaw, Face, and Ear
- Trouble Chewing
- Uncomfortable Bite
- Neck Pain
- Experience Dizziness
Most people try to treat the symptoms at home with pain relievers and ice packs. However, you may need additional help from our dentist. Mouthguards are often used to help. Surgery or implants might be necessary.