Comprehensive Restorative Dentistry Services

We provide most of the services needed to maintain your oral health and, when needed, to restore it to the most functional, healthy, and esthetic condition you and dental science allow us to.

Services

Comprehensive Exams
  1. Our initial examination includes a thorough visual and palpation exam of the hard and soft tissues of the oral structures to check for decay, gum disease, problem restorations, and screen for oral cancer.
  2. We have the latest digital x-ray technology for intra-oral and extra-oral (panorama) imaging and will take the necessary images to provide a complete understanding of the health of the mouth.
  3. It is necessary to construct models of the teeth to properly diagnose the function and relationships of the teeth when determining the health of joints, to evaluate and plan for crowns or replacement of missing teeth, to do a smile analysis for cosmetic services, and to evaluate signs of early wear of the teeth.
  4. We strive to gain an understanding of our patients’ desires and expectations so that we a certain our resulting treatment plans coincide with what the patient wants and needs.
Prevention & Cleanings
The foundation for success in having a healthy mouth is good hygiene maintenance both at home and at the dental office. Most adult patients should be seen at least every six months and a few even more often to maintain optimum periodontal ( gum and bone) health and to allow early intervention if problems occur.
Periodontal Treatments
When there is moderate periodontal disease that can be treated non-surgically with root planing and scaling procedures, we do these for our patients. More advanced surgical procedures which may require alteration of the soft or hard tissue contours or grafting, are typically referred to a Periodontist who specializes in these procedures.
Fillings
We have virtually eliminated the use of amalgam (silver) fillings. All of our direct fillings are done with direct bonded composite resin which strengthens the tooth and provides an esthetic, usually invisible, restoration. We also do indirect ceramic inlays and onlays when ultimate strength, esthetics and longevity are desired.
Crowns and Bridges
We make gold, porcelain to gold and all porcelain crowns and bridges using the latest materials. The new Zirconium substrate material for metal free crowns and bridges provides strength approaching that of metal and is certainly more esthetic.
Partials/Dentures
A partial removable denture, as the name implies, replaces a few missing teeth and is supported by the remaining teeth. These are done when there are too few teeth for a fixed, non-removable bridge or implant replacement cannot be done. Full dentures replace all the teeth in the upper or lower arches. Fabrication of a functional, natural looking, esthetic denture requires time and a number of appointments. Maximum retention and stability can be obtained by utilizing dental implants.
Root Canals
Root canal treatment involves cleaning out the diseased or injured pulp tissue of the tooth and replacing it with a material that seals the entire inside of the tooth from the end of the root to the top of the tooth. Dr Box does most of the endodontic (root canal) treatment required by his patients. Most root canal procedures are accomplished in a single visit utilizing the latest instrumentation and techniques available and typically are no more eventful than any other restorative treatment.
Extractions
Dr Box does extractions and surgical removal of teeth when restoration is not practical or possible or as part of a restorative treatment plan.
Dental Implants
Dr Box places many of the dental implants his patients need. Sometimes a coordinated interdisciplinary team approach is necessary and either a Periodontist or Oral Surgeon may place the implants. Replacement of individual or multiple teeth can now be done predictably with titanium implants which replace the missing root. The crown or bridge is then constructed to be attached to the implants. Implants also provide support and retention for removable full or partial dentures.
Teeth Whitening
The best way to bleach teeth is with a custom fit tray made by the dentist on models of the patient’s teeth. The tray is worn for one to two hours a day and most bleaching is accomplished within two weeks. Touch-ups are required every few months. We do not do the one hour bleaching as it adds considerably to the cost, still requires wearing the trays to complete the process and usually causes much more sensitivity than using the trays alone. The sensitivity that may arise with bleaching will subside.
Veneers
Veneers allow partial coverage of a tooth to allow changing the shape or color of tooth without having to aggressively reduce the tooth. Minor orthodontic esthetic problems can be corrected with veneers depending on a number of factors such as tooth size, tooth position, lip and gum line positions, and existing restorations and decay. These are determined in the comprehensive exam.
TMJ
Joint pain, popping or locking of the jaw, limited movement of the mandible, and excessive wear of the teeth are indications of a problem with the way the jaw joints (temporomandibular joints) function. We often must do special evaluations using additional bite records and x-ray imaging to evaluate the problem.
Cosmetic Dentistry
This is one of the great buzzwords in dentistry today. In our office we are capable of doing most of the cosmetic procedures involving the teeth. Periodontal Plastic Surgery to graft missing soft tissue is referred to one of the very fine periodontal surgeons in the area. We do not, however, put cosmetic desires over health requirements. The teeth, gums and supporting bone must be in a maintainable, sustainable healthy condition for ideal esthetic results.
Interdisciplinary Treatment
When it is necessary to seek specialized diagnosis or treatment out side our office, Dr Box utilizes a system through Teamlinks (soon to be US Healthrecords) whereby diagnostic information is shared through secure electronic records. This allows the initial treatment planing to be carried out in a coordinated manner, prevents duplication of many records, improves communication between offices, and results in better treatment for the patient.