Extractions | Digital Imaging | Dental Lab
Extractions
General Extractions
An extraction is the complete removal of a tooth. Extractions are sometimes necessary if a primary tooth is preventing the normal eruption of a permanent tooth, if the tooth has suffered extensive tooth decay or trauma that cannot be repaired, if the patient has gum disease, or if the tooth is impacted (usually the wisdom teeth). Depending on the complexity of the case, an extraction can be performed surgically or non-surgically. A mild anesthesia is used to ensure your child is as comfortable as possible throughout the procedure.
Wisdom Teeth
Your third molars are more commonly called "wisdom teeth." Usually appearing in the late teens or early twenties, third molars often lack the proper space in the jaw to erupt fully or even at all. This common condition is called impaction. When any tooth lacks the space to come through or simply develops in the wrong place of your jaw and becomes impacted, problems can arise. Primarily, damage to adjacent teeth and crowding occur.
In certain cases, the wisdom tooth that cannot come through becomes inflamed under the gums and in the jawbone, causing a sac to develop around the root of the tooth that then fills with liquid. This can cause a cyst or an abscess if it becomes infected. If either of these situations goes untreated, serious damage to the underlying bone and surrounding teeth and tissues can result.
To potentially stave off this result, an extraction of one, several or all of the wisdom teeth may be advised. If that is the case, we have the equipment and training needed to perform such extractions, with an absolute minimum of discomfort. Ask our staff for more information regarding tooth extractions if you feel you may need one.
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Digital Imaging
In order to provide our patients with the highest quality of dental services, we use dental radiographs, or X-rays, in our office. These radiographs provide us with invaluable information about your oral and dental health.
While radiographic equipment does produce radiation (and depends on that radiation to function properly), modern advances in technology are continually reducing the amount of radiation that is produced. In fact, studies have shown that the amount of radiation produced by these machines is not significantly higher than other “normal” sources of radiation that we are exposed to on perhaps a daily basis, such as televisions and airplanes.
X-rays work on a simple principle: the X-rays are stimulated and sent through the mouth. When these rays pass through, they are absorbed more by the bones in your mouth than the gums and other soft tissues, creating a picture of how the teeth inside your mouth are positioned, as well as any potential areas of weakness or decay in your teeth.
While this radiation is very low, it is still recommended that pregnant women avoid any unnecessary X-rays. However, pregnant women are also more vulnerable to gum disease. Some X-rays may be recommended; in which case proper precautions should be taken, such as using a lead apron and thyroid collar.
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Dental Lab
Our in-office laboratory expedites the process of creating appliances and allows us to serve you in a more efficient manner.
Our lab produces aesthetic appliances for a variety of dental procedures. These appliances include dentures, crowns, bridges and other prosthetics. After our dentists provide an impression or mold of the patient's teeth, one of our laboratory technicians creates a model of the patient's mouth using plaster molds. The technician then places the model in a device that replicates the bite and movement of the patient's jaw. This model serves as the basis for producing the required appliance(s).
Our dentist and technicians then examine the model and make necessary adjustments and recommendations for each patient’s appliance. The technician uses the information from this consultation to shape, mold and cast the final appliance. The final cast duplicates the exact shape, size and color of the original tooth or teeth.
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