- Headaches, Migraines, TMJ Solutions
- Crowns
- Bridges
- Laser Zoom Bleaching
- Instant Orthodontics
- Non-Metal Fillings
- Implant Restorations
- Laser Diagnostics
- Non Surgical Gum therapy
- Air Abrasion Dentistry
- Enamel Reshaping / Laser Gum Recontouring
- Bonding
Headaches, Migraines, TMJ Solutions
TMJ – The Neuromuscular Approach
TMJ, CMD(Craniomandibular Disorder), MPD (Myofacial pain Disorder), TMD (Temporalmandibular Disorder), are just some of the alphabet soup of descriptions of this disease that affects millions of Americans. If you are one of the estimated 40 million who suffer from this often-debilitating disorder, then we may be able to help you.
If you suffer from Myofacial Pain Disorder and are not sure of the nature of your condition or how to solve it, you may relate to several of the following conditions.
- Headaches
- Pain behind the eyes
- Neck, shoulder or back pain
- Dizziness
- Numbness of fingers and arms
- Difficulty swallowing
- Ringing in the ears
- Tender, sensitive teeth
- Ear congestion, pressure or fullness in the ears
- Grinding or clenching
- Jaw, joint noise
- Jaw, joint pain
How we can help:
The conditions underlying MPD are biomechanical, emotional and structural. The structural problem is almost always present and leads to over stimulation of associated jaw, head and neck muscles. Over time this leads to pain, tension and spasm resulting in the symptoms of the associated structures. To help correct this condition, the jaw must be brought into a muscularly balanced position. It is possible to have MPD without the headache or other symptoms. It is like a cup of water; each additional stressor adds to the amount until finally the cup runs over and the patient experiences the symptoms. Worn, chipped or broken teeth, broken fillings, changing position or shape of the smile are all indications the patient can benefit from treatment.
Difficult Diagnosis
The multifaceted aspect of this syndrome can make diagnosis the most difficult part of treatment. This is why an accurate assessment is important in a treatment or solution. We use sophisticated computer analysis to aid in measuring muscle dysfunction, which is the major culprit in over 90% of patients reporting headaches. We use low frequency TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Stimulation) to relax the muscles of the head and neck and determine a muscularly–oriented jaw to skull relationship. TENS can also be used to relieve pain caused by spasm and tension by releasing endorphins, the bodies own natural pain relievers. TENS, in combination with jaw tracking; is used to find a jaw position that is conducive to relaxed muscles. Electromyography (EMG) is used to objectively measure the electrical activity in muscles, and Sonography (ESG) is used to evaluate joint noise. These sophisticated instruments have been used in medical specialities, and are now being used in dentistry to measure muscle dysfunction of the jaws, the major component in most headaches. This objective collection of data is then analyzed, and in combination with computerized tomographic radiographs (special joint x-rays), to diagnose the problem. An individualized and precise treatment is developed that most often leads to improvement or elimination of pain, migraines, headaches, and other symptoms.
Change Your Life
TMD is a chronic degenerative disease and often takes years to develop. With new techniques and the objective computerized data, we have been able to help many find relief.
We invite you to discuss with us how this neuromuscular approach to your dentistry can enhance your life. Complimentary copies of a number of booklets on this subject, which are easy to understand summaries of this complex disorder, are available for you by simply contacting our office.
Don’t let headaches and Migraines ruin another day of your life. Call us today.
Crowns
Have you ever seen a friend or co-worker smile and noticed a dark lines along the gum line of their teeth. Maybe you have this problem yourself. These dark lines are created by porcelain fused to metal crowns. The dark line is actually a shadow created by the metal under the porcelain. As light hits the crown it is unable to penetrate the metal and the dark line appears along the gum line. When first placed, the crown margins are usually placed just below the gum line so the dark shadow is not visible. Over time, however, the gum line will recede and the dark shadow is exposed and becomes visible and unsightly.
The way to avoid these unsightly dark lines is through the use of all porcelain bonded restorations. Crowns made of tooth-colored porcelain are ideal to camouflage imperfections in your smile. Current technology allows us to closely match the shade of your crown to your surrounding teeth, or, you may choose to brighten your smile and have your crown blended to match.
Through the use of all porcelain restorations, we are able to regain the appearance of your natural teeth again both in form and beauty. Crowns are generally used to
- Replace a cracked or leaking filling
- Replace a large filling
- Restore a fractured or broken tooth
- Cover a discolored or mis-shapen tooth
- Cover a dental implant
- Cover a tooth that has been treated with a root canal
Metal free dentistry can provide a like appearance. These all porcelain bonded restorations are artistically designed to enhance the smile that can last you a lifetime.
Bridges
When a tooth is lost or missing, a bridge is often recommended. A bridge is a non-removable prosthesis, anchored to the neighboring teeth and replaces one or more missing teeth. When a lost tooth is replaced by bridgework, the teeth on either side of the missing one are prepared as crowns to serve as abutments, or anchor teeth, to hold the replacement tooth in place. Without the use of a bridge, spaces in the mouth from missing teeth can cause multiple teeth to shift and drift and lead to occlusion (biting) and/or jaw problems and may cause periodontal (gum) disease.
In cases of missing teeth, Implants may also be recommended as the most appropriate choice. Both bridges and Implants serve a wonderful purpose to safeguard the integrity of existing teeth and help maintain a healthy, vibrant smile.
Laser Zoom Bleaching
Your smile is a big part of the image you reflect. It is noticed before you even speak a word. If your teeth are stained or yellowed with age, they may have a negative impact on people around you and you may not realize it. Advances in cosmetic dentistry have made it possible to offer several whitening treatment alternatives that can correct years of discoloration. Even subtle changes in color can make a person look years younger in about an hour.
Several factors can contribute to the darkening of teeth, including the effects of age, certain foods and drinks, smoking and medications. Cosmetic whitening, also referred to as “bleaching”, has become one of the most popular ways to remove these stains and improve the overall appearance of your smile. Generally there are two ways to bleach your teeth. The first is Laser “ZOOM” Bleaching. The second is an at home bleaching process.
Popularized by TV shows such as “Extreme Makeover” and “The Swan”, Laser “Zoom” Bleaching has become one of the most recognized bleaching techniques used in dentistry today and is the bleaching technique of choice in our office. With “ZOOM” we can literally change your smile and your life in about an hour. “ZOOM” is an in-office Laser bleaching that is performed by the chairside assistant. Your teeth are isolated with the use of a rubber dam so that the bleaching material will not come in contact with your gums. A gel bleaching material is then placed on your teeth for three 20 minute periods and placed under the laser. Once the three sessions are complete, your teeth will be up to 10 shades lighter. Now that’s something to smile about!
The second way to bleach your teeth is through the use of an at home product. This type of treatment involves wearing a custom fitted clear plastic tray that our office will design for you from models taken of your teeth. The whitening material is then placed into the trays and they are worn generally at night. The duration of each whitening treatment and how long you continue at-home treatments will vary according to the results you wish to achieve.
Instant Orthodontics
We have all been there, or will be. You receive an invitation to a friends wedding or a high school reunion. You look yourself over in the mirror to assess the changes. Overall, you’re looking pretty good for the years, but what about your smile? Maybe you see some crowding, stained old fillings, or an overall dingy yellow reflection. You also think to yourself that your teeth have gotten shorter over the years, perhaps from grinding. Maybe you wish you had gone through braces as a child because you have never liked the fact that your teeth are crooked. Now you can bleach your teeth several shades whiter in a single office visit, but then you would simply be left with short, white crooked teeth with stained fillings. It's an improvement, but not the best answer. How about braces now and replacing those old fillings? It would be great, but you would need a couple of years and you will end up with straight, white, short teeth.
Porcelain veneers can enhance your smile, as well as improve function and reestablish chewing surface lost from years of grinding and bruxing. It should be mentioned, however, that if function is severely compromised, orthodontics should be considered as a phase in the cosmetic treatment.
Instant orthodontics, through the use of porcelain veneers, can transform smiles that were dingy, with crooked teeth, stained fillings and spaces into straight, white, natural appearing and confidence boosting dazzlers! Smiles that were at one time hidden by embarrassed half-grins are now broad ear-to-ear centerpieces. For more on how instant orthodontics through the use of porcelain veneers might be able to help you, please contact us by phone or through this web site to schedule a complimentary Smile Analysis to see how this and other procedures we offer might be able to help you.
Non-Metal fillings
Recent advances in dentistry have granted us the ability and pleasure of combining both beauty and strength when filling teeth. With the modern technologies of direct adhesion, tooth colored resin filling materials, and state-of-the-art ceramics, the new composite and porcelain restorations are close to rivaling nature in strength, wearability, function, and appearance. There are now sixteen-year studies showing that with properly administered techniques, these advanced restorations surpass traditional dentistry.
Amalgam fillings (also known as silver or mercury fillings) over time begin to leak, darken, crack, and become ugly over time. These metallic amalgams are unsightly, especially when the filling is on a tooth that can be seen when one is smiling or speaking. This type of filling does not bond or strengthen the tooth. In fact, it causes the tooth to expand and crack with age resulting in the tooth fracturing off. For this reason, our office does not do amalgam fillings.
When a tooth fractures, has a large cracked filling or extensive decay, an inlay or onlay may be ideal. Inlays and onlays are extremely strong and long lasting and they restore and protect the tooth against further fracture. They are also virtually undistinguishable from natural teeth.
Implant Restorations
A dental Implant is a small “anchor” made of titanium. It is inserted into the jawbone to take the place of your missing tooth root. After osseointegration, or when the surrounding bone has attached to the implant, a replacement tooth is secured to the top of the implant. The new tooth looks, feels, and performs just like your natural teeth.
Because the Implant is fixed to your bone, there are certain advantages over other tooth replacement options. When teeth are missing, the surrounding bone begins to shrink. This unhealthy bone loss can make your jawline recede. Dental implants can help prevent deterioration of the jawbone caused by loss of teeth, so your face retains its natural shape. As an alternative to bridgework, dental implants eliminate the need to grind down healthy teeth when replacing one or more adjacent teeth. Implants are also more comfortable. Because dental implants are securely anchored to the bone, there is no slipping or movement as there is with dentures. This eliminates some of the key worries of dentures, including poor fit, gum irritation, and pain from exposed nerves.
The dental Implant process involves several steps that take place over a time period that averages from 4 to 9 months, but once place and restored, they look and feel like natural teeth and naturally enhance your appearance. More importantly, the securely attached implant gives you the confidence of eating what you like, speaking easily and clearly, and freedom from embarrassment that sometimes can occur with conventional dentures.
Laser Diagnostics
It is our goal to help you maintain and improve your oral health. To help us achieve this goal, the dental care that you and your family receive in our office always includes state-of-the-art equipment. Among the newest technologies is a small laser instrument called the DIAGNOdent, which scans your teeth with harmless laser light searching for hidden decay.
Locating hidden decay before it destroys tooth structure (from the inside out) is a major goal for modern dentistry. The widespread use of fluoride supplements in dental materials, toothpastes and drinking water has made tooth surfaces harder and more resistant to decay. However, diagnosing cavities beneath the hard surfaces is more challenging because the disease process can start through microscopic defects in the hard surface enamel and can readily spread into the softer tooth structure beneath the surface. X-rays and probing with an explorer are limited in detecting sub-surface decay, particularly when the cavity is in its early stages. Fortunately, the new DIAGNOdent is a major breakthrough that allows the dentist to monitor the areas below the hard surfaces. The DIAGNOdent allows the dentist to locate hidden decay, and with treatment stop the spread of disease before it destroys the tooth from within.
This unique instrument provides instant feedback on the health of the tooth. A pen like probe simply glides over tooth surfaces constantly checking the health of the tooth. A number scale and an alarm signals the operator when there are signs of hidden decay. This new technology is completely safe and pain free as only the laser light ever touches the tooth.
Non Surgical gum therapy
Periodontal disease, also known as gum disease, is an infection of the tissues surrounding and supporting the teeth. It is a very serious disease that can result in tooth loss, but it is generally painless, so you might not know you even have it.
According to the American Academy of Periodontology, consequences of this disease may include not only permanent tooth loss but a higher risk of stroke and heart attack. Gum disease is silently affecting over 50 million Americans, most of whom are not seeking treatment because they are unaware there is even a problem.
The main cause of periodontal disease is bacterial plaque, the sticky, colorless film that constantly forms on your teeth. This plaque causes an infection in your gums which results in them becoming swollen, red, sensitive and tender. This condition is known as gingivitis. Surprisingly, gingivitis affects more than 50% of the population and if left untreated it will advance to periodontitis, causing the gums to separate from the teeth and form pockets (spaces between the teeth and gums). When the bacterial plaque enters into these pockets, the area becomes infected. Although there isn’t much pain associated with gum disease, the consequences are devastating and include an unsightly smile, in which the gums pull back from the teeth, offensive bad breath, gums that become infected and bleed, teeth that become loose and fall out, and even an increased risk of heart disease and stroke.
Treatment for this problem in the early stages is through a procedure known as Scaling and root planning. This is a special type of deep cleaning performed by the dentist or hygienist. This procedure removes plaque and tartar from below your gum line. This controls the growth of harmful bacteria and helps gums reattach firmly to the teeth. If left untreated, the damage that occurs may become so sever that surgery becomes necessary to treat the problem.
Air Abrasion Dentistry
Air abrasion is a relatively new technology intended to replace the dentist’s drill and the need for anesthesia in certain procedures. This can make restoring a cavity much less of an ordeal for young patients and people who dread noisy drills and injection anesthesia.
In the procedure, a small, precisely controlled stream of compressed air is blended with a super-fine abrasive powder and is gently propelled toward the tooth with a special handpiece to remove decay. The decay is then “vacuumed” away through suction. Finally, your dentist will fill the cavity with a nearly invisible non-mercury filling, making the entire tooth strong. Sometimes called “micro dentistry” or minimally invasive dentistry (MID), air abrasion enables your dentist to remove very small areas of decay while conserving healthy tooth structure.
Benefits of air abrasion would include 1) Eliminates the need for drilling and injections 2) Noiseless and odorless 3) Reduces or eliminates vibration, heat and pressure 4) Enables treatment of decay at earlier stages because less tooth structure is removed 5) Requires less time in the dental chair that conventional drilling 6)Enables your dentist to remove very small areas of decay 7) Allows use of smaller fillings that conventional drilling 8) It is less invasive.
If you would like more information about this procedure, pleas contact our office.
Enamel Reshaping / Laser Gum Recontouring
Enamel recontouring refines your smile. If the horizon of your smile is jagged due to chips, slight crowding or cuspids that appear too long, enamel recontouring may be your best option. Enamel shaping modifies your teeth by gently contouring and smoothing the enamel to balance the elements of your smile. The doctor will carefully reshape your enamel and smooth any rough edges to give you a natural, more attractive smile.
Because recontouring involves the enamel, local anesthetics are not usually necessary for this procedure and the improvements are immediate and permanent! The result is a natural looking, more youthful smile.
Too much gum tissue showing when you smile or irregular shaped gums can also detract from your beautiful teeth and smile. Do your teeth appear to be shorter that average? Is your gum line uneven? Have your gums receded leaving large spaces between the teeth, exposing root surfaces? If any of these gum related concerns prevent you from having a perfect smile, we may have a solution for you.
If your teeth appear to be too short and you have always wanted a “toothy smile”, not a “gummy smile”, then gum lifting or reshaping may be the perfect solution. This procedure can generally be completed in one visit. The doctor will remove a small amount of your gum tissue using a special laser and artistically contour it to expose more of your teeth and creating a fuller smile. The results are instant and dramatic. If you are tired of seeing more of your gums than teeth when you smile, ask us if gum recontouring would improve your smile.
Bonding
The application of tooth colored filing material (composite) to the teeth has been a dental technique for many years. Recent advances have increased the strength, durability and longevity of these restorations. Bonding material can be molded and shaped to achieve outstanding results, including tooth lightening, closing gaps and spaces, making teeth appear straighter, and repairing chips and cracks. When polished, bonding gives the appearance of natural tooth structure.
An advantage of bonding is that it is less expensive and is a conservative way to restore a tooth. The disadvantage is that it can discolor over time and is more prone to breakage than a veneer. Together, you and the doctor can assess your situation and determine what is best for your smile.
CONTACT US TODAY!
Call or email us to schedule a FREE SMILE CONSULTATION!
3444 Kearny Villa Road, Suite 406
San Diego, California 92123
Tel: (858) 278-4500
