Services Offered
Preventive Dentistry - In our office we stress regular dental check-ups. Most of our patients are seen every six months for a regular exam and “cleaning.” Cavity detecting x-rays are taken once per year. We hesitate using the word “cleaning” for these visits as each patient has unique circumstances that require individual dental care. Due to gum or bony problems some patients may need to be seen as frequently as every three months. Our goal in preventive dentistry is to find and correct any problems which are discovered in the examination. We will prepare a custom treatment plan for you to address any issues that you have or that we find.
Early treatment is the key to a healthy mouth. Our office is but one part of the total dental health puzzle that we try to stress. You, the patient, are the MOST important piece of the puzzle. Our hygienists will take the time to give you oral hygiene instructions in brushing, flossing, using fluoride or other medicaments that we feel will benefit your health. Thorough exams including oral cancer screening and TMJ diagnosis, soft tissue and bone analysis will complete the data gathering so that we have a good understanding of your baseline conditions.
Operative Dentistry - If it is found that you have areas of decay or breakage, our office will be able to restore your mouth to its original function using a variety of “filling” methods. Tooth-colored fillings that are directly bonded to the tooth are available along with the older “silver” fillings. Included in this category as well are the temporary tooth-colored crowns that can be used to “buy some time” before the permanent crown is placed. More conservative restorations that are made by our laboratory called onlays or inlays are just some of the new methods that we have to restore your smile.
Cosmetic Dentistry - Our office provides a large array of Cosmetic Dentistry. Dr. Blake has completed extensive education in this area. He attended PAC-Live which is directed by Dr. William Dorffman as seen on ABC’s Extreme Makeovers. We provide simple procedures such as whitening, and tooth-colored fillings all the way to extensive procedures such as Smile Designs (including veneers) as well as orthodontics and full mouth reconstruction. If this is something you are interested in, please come visit us for a consultation.
Implant Dentistry - In the new age of dentistry, many advances have been made to replace missing teeth regardless of the reasons that they were lost.
Implant dentistry allows us to restore empty spaces with natural-looking replacements without having to alter any other teeth in the mouth. We will assist you in coordinating your appointments with the oral surgeon to assure the highest quality result. Although there is a period of healing (approximately 6 months) during which the implant will become secure in the bone, the crown or bridge that will rest on the implant takes about one month to construct. The final appointment involves cementing the restoration in place. Our staff will be happy to show you what exciting technology has been developed.
Fixed Prosthodontics - In our office we provide crowns, and bridges that are permanently cemented. With a tooth that is broken and can’t be filled, we need to restore the tooth with a crown. This procedure involves two appointments. At the first appointment we would take an upper and lower impression, reduce the tooth structure, take a bite registration, and then make a temporary crown for the patient to wear while the laboratory is constructing the permanent crown. These temporaries are cemented with a temporary adhesive and can be used like normal after 24 hours. It takes about three weeks for the lab to complete its work. There are several different options available to you in the fabrication of the crown. You may choose a full porcelain crown, a full gold crown or a crown that is a combination of both.
Like the crown description above, a bridge replaces a missing tooth or missing teeth. Hopelessly decayed teeth can be extracted and a temporary non-removable bridge can be placed during the healing process. Like the crown, upper and lower impressions are taken along with a bite registration. The teeth that will anchor the bridge are reduced so that a temporary bridge can be fabricated. The laboratory takes three weeks to complete this restoration as well.
Our knowledgeable staff will show you how to brush and floss properly with your new restoration in place. As always, please feel free to ask any questions or call the office.
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Cracked Tooth Syndrome  (click for larger view) |
Orthodontics - Our office provides orthodontic treatment to our patients. Orthodontic is used for the correction of malaligned or crooked teeth.
Orthodontics provides many options for patients starting from children up to adults. Children can benefit from orthodontics by early intervention. Since baby teeth guide the path for permanent teeth, braces and other appliances can be used to help this process. Teenagers and adults can benefit by using braces not only for aesthetic reasons but also functional reasons.
Every day Dr. Blake and his staff perform orthodontic tasks and have recently taken classes to master the Invisalign process. These are commonly referred to as the invisible braces. To learn more please ask Dr. Blake or one of his staff members.
Oral Surgery - We provide oral surgery procedures including extractions of 3rd molars, commonly referred to as wisdom teeth. We are not able to use general anesthesia; (put to sleep) however, there are many options available to make the procedure easier. These include premedicating with Valium and/or using nitrous oxide or “laughing gas.” Many times using these methods will make the recovery time much easier. If you prefer general anesthesia, we will provide you with a referral to an area oral surgeon.
Our office also provides routine extractions of other teeth (including baby teeth). We will be happy to discuss the best treatment options to replace the extracted teeth so that your smile and bite will sustain their form and function.
Endodontics - Also known as a root canal, this procedure is used when a tooth is abscessed or infected at the root tip of the tooth. The process is similar to taking the lead out of a pencil as the infected center portion (pulp) of the tooth is removed. A special electric handpiece quietly and painlessly make this procedure very comfortable to the patient.
After the pulp removal, an artificial nerve is placed into the canal and sealed in to place. At the end of the root canal procedure, the restoration of the tooth can occur. The usual ways to restore the tooth are either with a simple filling or a crown.
In the case of tooth fracture, a post can be inserted and a tooth built up to restore the new tooth to original form and function with the addition of a crown. The posts are made of a high technology metal which is very durable and can only be placed within the tooth if a root canal has been completed on the tooth.
Our office performs this service on all teeth except for the molars. We will be happy to refer you to one of the excellent endodontic specialists in the area to complete the treatment of these teeth. In the modern day of dentistry there are really very few reasons that a patient ever has to lose a tooth.
Removable Prosthodontics - In our office we provide the service for those in need of replacing missing or non-savable teeth. The usual restorations that fall in this category are the full denture which replaces all of the teeth or a partial denture which replaces one or more missing teeth. From start to finish this process takes us about one month to deliver your new or improved smile. This service also includes any adjustments needed to make the partial or denture comfortable to the patient. We also can repair or add teeth to older dentures or partials if needed.