Patient Services

New Patients

We take your oral health very seriously and are interested in building a good working relationship with you. We like to conduct a thorough New Patient visit so we can get to know you fully and help to define your oral health needs and objectives.

This policy has been very well received by all who come through our doors. In fact, our New Patient visits have become so successful that we offer you an unconditional guarantee: if you are dissatisfied with any aspect of your visit, you may waive any fees and we will forward your records to another practice if you wish.

Our New Patient visits include the following:

• A tour of our facilities
• An in-depth examination and visit with the Doctor; ask any questions and voice any concerns
• Digital x-rays, dental impressions, and models
• A follow-up consultation with the Doctor after he has reviewed your exam results

Preventive Care Services In many cases, the key to future dental problems is Early Prevention. The forces of tooth decay, gum disease, and problems resulting from clenching and grinding are ongoing. We take a systematic approach to your “preventive maintenance” by proactively looking for any problems and keeping careful records that are reviewed during each visit so we can assess any changes. We offer the following preventive care services: We begin every exam by taking your blood pressure. Many people don’t have theirs checked often enough!

• Cleaning or Hygiene
• Dental Sealants
• Fluoride (for adults and children)
• Precision Detection of Decay Using Diagnodent
• Regular Checkups
• Patient Education
• Snoreguards
• Nightguards
• Sportsguards
• Breath Treatment—we use Breath Rx
• We also conduct a thorough analysis of your bite—we are looking for any possible signs of TMJ (Temporal Mandibular Joint) Disorder. When this joint in your jaw is not functioning properly, you may experience problems such as frequent headaches and/or neck pain, chipped or worn teeth, or excessive sensitivity of the teeth to hot or cold beverages or foods.

Restorative Services

Healthy teeth are beautifully designed instruments that do their job extremely well. We take a conservative approach to “restoring” your teeth, preserving as much of the original tooth as possible. We strive to “do justice” to your original teeth by providing you with restorations that are beautiful, comfortable, and durable.

We offer the following restorative services:

• Tooth Colored Fillings
• Porcelain Veneers
• Bonding
• All Porcelain Crowns, Onlays and Inlays
• Bridges
• Dentures & Partial Dentures

Implant Dentistry

We are trained and experienced in the most up-to-date techniques in tooth replacement. We only use state-of-the-art dental implant systems. These materials and techniques provide you with replacements that are lifelike and beautifully integrated with your other teeth.

We take a conservative approach whenever possible—for example, if you are missing just one tooth, we can do a replacement without touching the adjacent teeth.

Our implant services include:

• Implant-supported Dentures
• Implant-supported Crowns
• Implant-supported Bridges

Gum Disease

Fast facts on periodontal (gum) disease:

• 75% of adult tooth loss is caused by gum disease
• This disease is caused by the colonization of bacteria which in turn
  causes an active infection in your gums and jawbones
• The bacteria and chemical by-products the body uses to fight these bacteria can enter the blood stream and cause serious problems in distant parts of the body
• Scientists have found that some of these serious problems can include heart disease, stroke, diabetes, pre-mature births, and low birth weight
• Often there are no noticeable symptoms for a long time; a dentist or hygienist must do a thorough and complete examination to detect it, especially in its early stages
• Gum disease has been described as periodic and cyclical—meaning you may experience an episode and then the disease may remain dormant for a while before returning

While it is very important for you to thoroughly clean your teeth twice a day, it is also important to have a thorough cleaning and examination twice a year. We provide thorough examinations to monitor you for any potential signs of diseased gums. We offer the following services: Charting and Diagnostic Services In-office Non-surgical Periodontal Therapy Referral to a trusted periodontist if necessary (located right here in the Lone Star Crossing building)

Cosmetic Services

Collaboration is the cornerstone of our approach to cosmetic services. Together, we will design a treatment plan that is just right for you. As part of the process we will begin by asking you what you would like to change or improve, as well as what your goals are. For more extensive procedures, we can then use digital photos and imaging software to create actual wax models that we can place on your teeth. This process gives you the chance to “test drive” your new smile before the work begins.

Whatever your cosmetic needs, large or small, you can be assured that you will play a key role in the design process—after all, it’s your smile!

We offer the following cosmetic services:

• Orthodontics—we can provide you with a referral to a board-certified specialist
• Tooth Colored Fillings
• Porcelain Veneers
• Whitening or Bleaching
  --for in-office we offer Zoom II (as seen on Extreme Makeover)
  --for take-home products we use the Opalescence trays
• Bonding
• All Porcelain Crowns, Onlays and Inlays
• Recontouring

Patient Comfort

Your comfort is of the utmost importance to us. We go out of our way to make you feel relaxed as well as cared for. From our attractive, soothing décor, to our excellent team chemistry, to our unique “patient comfort checklist,” to our truly collaborative approach, we put you at ease by putting you in control.

Here are some of the things we do to enhance your comfort and well-being:

• Patient Education
• Sedation Dentistry (for IV sedation we bring in an anesthesiologist; we are certified to administer oral sedation in our offices)
• Nitrous (Laughing Gas)
• Our Patient Comfort Checklist includes: CD players, DVD players, blankets, neck pillows, and hot towels

Technology

Dentistry is a technology-driven field but we’re not interested in new “gadgets” just for the sake of new gadgets. We carefully research and select only those products and devices we feel will benefit our patients.

Basically, we break down technology into three main areas:

Dental Materials — we use only the finest materials to enhance or restore your teeth. These materials not only “do justice” to what Mother Nature gave you but also allow us to conserve more of your original teeth whenever possible.

Biotechnology — this area of science, as it applies to dentistry, means we can actually graft bone in your mouth, allowing us to fully integrate your dental implants in ways that are more comfortable and more beautiful than ever before

Digital Technology — these words apply to many areas of our practice, from the efficiency of storing and sending your complete x-rays/records, to less radiation during x-rays (up to 90% less), to more precision in our ability to diagnose problems or propose solutions.

Here are some of the services/products we utilize:

• Air Abrasion
• Diagnodent
• Digital Imaging
• Digital Radiography
• Intra Oral Camera
• Chairside Computers