General dentistry encompasses a wide range of treatments and services performed to diagnose, treat, and maintain the oral health of a patient. Our practice is designed to accommodate the care of patients of all ages and bring them a healthier smile. Through our care, skill, and experience, we are prepared to determine and provide what it takes to maintain the health of your teeth and gums for a lifetime. When you’re ready, we invite you to schedule a general dentistry service with our team in New Albany, IN. Call today!
Having your teeth cleaned and examined regularly is important not just for your teeth’s overall health, but for your overall well being as well. At our office, our team of dental professionals will take care of everything for you during your cleaning and examination. We’ll clean your teeth thoroughly, removing any plaque or bacteria that may be present, and then we’ll inspect them for any abnormalities that may require treatment or special attention. In addition, your gums will be examined to see if there’s been any recession, inflammation, or other irregularities.
Oral cancer is one of the most common cancers diagnosed worldwide. It is defined as the growth or spread of abnormal cells in any area of the mouth. The main risk factor for this disease is smoking or chewing tobacco products.
Oral cancer screenings are essential services that are a part of every cleaning and examination appointment. During this screening, we will check the tissues in your mouth, on your face, and along your neck for rashes, patches, lumps, or tenderness. We may also ask questions regarding persistent ulcers or painful lesions that won’t go away.
Crowns and bridges are two common dental restorations that can be used to improve the appearance and function of a damaged smile. Crowns are custom-built caps that fit over a badly damaged or severely decayed tooth, while bridges are custom-built prosthetic appliances that replace one or more missing teeth in a sequence.
Crowns are often used following a root canal treatment, as they protect the tooth from future damage and help to keep it from being extracted. Crowns are durable and can withstand the daily wear and tear of your teeth while remaining beautiful and complementing your smile. Kept well maintained by regular brushing and flossing, a crown can last for up to 15 years
Bridges are composed of multiple dental crowns fused together to replace one or more missing teeth. In order to apply a bridge, two of your natural teeth on either side of the gap must be reshaped and prepared to fit the crowns. Once the two natural teeth have been prepared, your dentist will take an impression of them and send it to a dental lab. The lab will use the impression to create a bridge that fits perfectly over the two prepared teeth. When the bridge is ready, your dentist will cement it in place and you’ll have a beautiful new smile! Kept in well-maintained condition, a dental bridge can last for 15 years.
Dental fillings are a type of restoration used to repair a damaged or decayed tooth. You may need a filling if you notice any of these problems with your teeth:
The filling can be made from differing materials, such as metal or gold, but our fillings are made from durable composite. Composite is a great restorative material because it can blend with the shade and texture of the natural tooth, giving the restoration a seamless appearance.
When we apply a filling, we will first take care to numb the tooth by using a local anesthetic.
We will then remove all decay from the tooth and thoroughly cleanse it.
Once this is complete, the tooth-colored filling will be placed and cured with an LED light.
We may also polish the filling a bit to ensure it is smooth and comfortable.
Upon returning home, avoid chewing hard foods for the next two days and allow the restoration to settle into your tooth. If you have any questions, please feel free to give us a call!
Dentures are another great solution for patients with missing teeth. The appliance is custom built with a polymer, gum-colored base and teeth made from porcelain or dental resin. We currently offer both full dentures and partial dentures for our patients.
Full dentures are designed to replace a full arch of missing teeth. This prosthetic is held in place by suction or dental adhesive.
Partial dentures can replace one or more missing teeth along the top or bottom arch. Usually, this denture is held securely by clips or clasps that anchor onto neighboring teeth for support.
Both partial and full dentures must be cleaned and removed every night, allowing time for the gums to rest. To prevent gum disease, patients should brush their gums, tongue, and the roof of their mouth every morning and night with a soft toothbrush.
As much as we always strive to save every tooth, there are some situations where extraction is the better option. For example:
In each of these scenarios, we may suggest extraction to improve your oral health and protect surrounding teeth and gum tissue. During a simple extraction, we will remove the tooth by gently rocking it back and forth in its socket until it becomes loose. From there, it will be gently removed.
When a tooth is below the surface of the gums, like an impacted wisdom tooth, the situation is a bit more complex. This will require a surgical extraction method; we will create a small incision in the gum tissue above the target tooth and remove it as a whole piece or in fragments.
In either of these extraction methods, you will be provided with sufficient anesthetic to ensure you are comfortable and numb throughout the procedure.
A nightguard is a special device formulated to protect teeth from subconscious clenching and grinding. Patients that grind their teeth may suffer from:
Grinding and clenching are behaviors that typically happen at night while sleeping but sometimes may occur during the day. Rather than resting the mouth in a natural position, with the teeth slightly apart and tongue behind the upper teeth, these patients may find their upper and lower jaw clenched tightly together, putting tension on their teeth and jaw joints. The nightguard helps bring relief by creating a barrier between the top and bottom arch of teeth. The appliance is worn at night, or whenever the patient notices themselves grinding or clenching. Over time, this will help to soothe the tense jaw joints and begins acting immediately to protect the teeth.
Pediatric dentistry is a specialized field of dental care that focuses on caring for children’s oral health between the ages of 0-18 years old. Receiving up to two or three extra years of training after completing dental school, these specialists are capable of providing the best possible care for children. They do this by:
Using special tools built for tiny mouths
Recognizing bad habits (thumb sucking, bottle sipping, etc) and correcting them from a young age
Caring for primary teeth properly
Making dental care fun and educational
By taking your child to a dentist at an early age, you’re being proactive and giving them the best chance at a healthy smile for life!
When a tooth is badly damaged or decayed to a point that it causes the internal structure of the tooth to become compromised, a root canal may be necessary to save the tooth.
Although some people may think a root canal is scary or painful, that couldn’t be further from the truth; in fact, root canals alleviate pain rather than cause it.
Once the internal portion of a tooth becomes infected, the pulp (tissues, nerve endings, blood vessels) becomes inflamed, leading to a toothache.
During a root canal, we will access this internal portion of the tooth and remove the pulp and cleanse the entire interior chamber of the tooth.
After everything is properly cleaned, we will fill the tooth with a biocompatible material, known as gutta-percha, and seal the tooth with a dental crown.
From a broken tooth, a severe toothache, a strange ulcer, or a mouth injury, a dental emergency can truly happen at any time. In the case that it does occur, we want you and your family to be prepared.
In the case of dental emergencies, we can offer relief and save your smile with our emergency treatment services. We make every effort to get an appointment set up for you the same day and get you back to better health.
If you’re suffering from a dental emergency, call our office now!
Spring Family Dental is always striving to be better for our patients; better care, more efficient processes, higher standards, and an overall improved level of service than what you may have experienced at other offices.
We are dedicated to exceeding your expectations and bringing you are your family the care you deserve. We invite you to call our office today and experience dentistry at its finest. Our team is looking forward to hearing from you!