Adult Dentistry

Because one of the biggest dental problems for most adults is gum disease, it is extremely important to exercise good daily oral hygiene, as well as visit your dentist regularly for cleanings. Sometimes, that alone is not enough to prevent gum disease. In those cases, your dentist or hygienist at Dedicated Dental may recommend a deep cleaning.

A deep cleaning is a method of getting rid of plaque, tartar, and bacteria deep below the gum line. This can put a stop to serious dental problems – before they become serious. By removing these harmful elements, it can help close the gap between teeth and gums. When this result is maintained with good oral hygiene practices, it can prevent the problem from recurring.

Deep cleaning involves manual scraping and use of specialized devices (e.g., ultrasonic removal device) to get rid of any plaque and tartar beneath the gums. The process is also sometimes referred to as a scaling and root planning procedure.

At Dedicated Dental, we are proud to offer our adult patients who are candidates for a deep cleaning Perio Protect. This unique product is an at-home treatment designed to resolve a bacterial infection that is a common cause of periodontal (gum) disease. It is often used along with the cleanings you receive in our office.

Because your toothbrush and flossing can only get a few millimeters under the gum line, specially designed Perio Trays® are used. These fit comfortably over all the teeth in your upper and lower jaw and deliver medication deep under the gums to help fight infection. The tray is customized so that it is unique to your mouth, teeth, and jaw shape. Initially, you may be told to use the tray multiple times a day, for 10-15 minutes at a time. Guidelines for long-term use of Perio Protect is just once a day.

Getting cavities and needing fillings is extremely common in both children and adults. It can even occur despite good dental hygiene. So, it may be no surprise that you’re always at risk of developing cavities and requiring fillings, at any age.

At Dedicated Dental, we regularly fill cavities for our adult dental patients, using material that is durable, nonmetal, and nontoxic.

We also offer inlays and onlays – which fall somewhere in between a filling and a crown. The three procedures can sometimes be confused, so here are the differences, in a nutshell: A filling is when composite material is inserted into the space where a cavity used to be. Inlays and onlays are first created based on an impression of the tooth taken after the cavity has been removed from the tooth – then, the inlay or onlay is fit into the space where the cavity used to be. Onlays cover the cusp of a tooth (the protruding points at the top of a tooth), whereas inlays fill in the area between the cusps.

Here at Dedicated Dental, we offer same-day inlays and onlays, thanks to our in-house CEREC® machine.

Dental crowns – also called caps – are fabricated covers placed over damaged or missing teeth to restore their shape and protect against further damage. Crowns are designed to look identical to your natural teeth.

We regularly advise our patients whether they are good candidates for a dental crown. We can also expertly and painlessly provide you with a customized crown that won’t look out of place among the rest of your teeth.

A tooth may need to be completely removed from its socket – a process known as tooth extraction – for many different reasons, including:

• Significant tooth decay or damage
• Impaction (when a tooth is stuck, wholly or partially under the gum)
• Gum disease
• Abscess (infection)
• Tooth overcrowding
• In preparation for braces, to allow space for teeth to move

The best time to replace a missing tooth is immediately after it is removed.

At Dedicated Dental, we create natural-looking, well-fitting bridges to cover the gaps left by one or more missing teeth. Bridges can be an excellent, affordable solution to handle missing teeth without requiring the use of dental implants or partial dentures. Even if you have a missing tooth in the back of your mouth where it’s not so noticeable, it’s still important to fill the gap so your teeth don’t shift and to maintain good oral health.

When missing teeth are not replaced right away, your face can get a sunken look. It can also cause occlusion (bite) problems, which can change your smile, make your jaw sore, make chewing difficult, and make your teeth harder to clean. Missing teeth can also lead to tooth decay and gum disease.

A typical bridge consists of a pontic (a filler tooth) that is attached to two surrounding abutments (crowns). Once complete, this bridge structure is bonded into the abutment teeth and stays in permanently. It is not removable.

Getting braces as an adult is a big decision. You may feel uncomfortable initially, but the good news is that orthodontic technology has come a long way in recent years. Today's braces are smaller, more comfortable, and more effective than before. Adult braces can be very effective in correcting dental problems that have been present for many years.

When you have missing teeth, you have options to fill the gap those teeth leave.

Crowns and a bridge may be used to protect the space left by the missing teeth, so your teeth don’t shift in an undesirable manner. If all teeth in your upper and/or lower jaw are missing, dentures are recommended to replace them. If just a few teeth are missing, a removable partial denture may be an option for you as well. Implants are another method of filling that gap.

Implants are secure devices anchored into your jawbone and covered with a crown. The implant will look and function like a normal tooth. Patients may choose implants because they require no work and cause no damage to abutting teeth. Because implants are considered permanent, they will last longer than a crown. Implants are also easier to clean and maintain compared to full or partial removable dentures.

Whether or not you are a good candidate for removable partial dentures depends on how many teeth are missing, and the structure and strength of the surrounding teeth.

Removable partial dentures are dental appliances that include the prosthetic teeth (to fill the gap left by your missing tooth or teeth). It is meant to be put in place and removed from the mouth, as needed. Removable partial dentures stay in place with a discreet wire or mold that fits behind the front teeth or against the roof of the mouth. It is often a budget-friendly option that can restore your smile and preserve regular chewing, talking, etc.