All of our custom restorations are designed to be long lasting and aesthetically pleasing. We can provide a full range of expertly fabricated crowns, bridges and partial dentures to replace missing or damaged teeth. We also offer tooth-colored fillings, as well as Kinetic Cavity Preparation – the removal of decay without a drill in an extremely comfortable, easy and conservative fashion.
Kinetic Cavity Preparation
Our office recently acquired the KCP (Kinetic Cavity Preparation) System, an exciting new advance in dentistry. The KCP can be used as an alternative to “the drill” in many procedures. It is a miniature sandblaster that uses a pressurized stream of abrasive powder to literally spray away decay without heat, vibration or the whining noise of the dental handpiece. In most cases, we do not even need to use anesthetic. That’s right – no injection needed!
Coupled with our digital intra-oral cameras, the KCP System will allow us to treat tooth decay at its earliest stages. Here’s how these new technologies can work together. Fifty percent of all decay in school-aged children is in pits, fissures and grooves on the tops of teeth. The pits, fissures and grooves of the tooth in question are first cleaned out by using the KCP System. The intra-oral camera can now help. Part of the intra-oral camera is a bright fiber-optic light, which illuminates the tooth. Together with the lens of the camera that magnifies the tooth 10 to 12 times its normal size, translucency changes, color changes and reflectance changes can be viewed. These changes occur long before decay appears to the naked eye or to an X-ray. If only a small amount of decay is present, only a very small amount of tooth is removed and filled. The rest of the tooth is removed and filled. The rest of the tooth is sealed and saved. Diagnosing decay earlier means less tooth structure destroyed and more conservative fillings in the tooth.
In some situations, the KCP System can be used to remove old, stained or broken down tooth-colored (not silver) fillings. Chipped front teeth and removal of stains can also be added to the list of possible uses. One can easily see the benefits for treating children quickly and more comfortably. We can be more conservative and less invasive in our treatment without anesthesia. Also, when working on adults, we can get more treatment done in shorter visits without having the patients numb all over. This should certainly help reduce the apprehension level of most of our patients, young and old.
This technology is not new to dentistry. It was originally developed in the 1940s. The first commercially available air abrasion unit was introduced in 1951 with more than 2,000 dentists trying them as an alternative to the standard dental air turbine handpiece. Due to many technological shortcomings, the original machines were quickly abandoned. In the early 1990s, the idea resurfaced and was reintroduced to the dental marketplace. The KCP system is the top of the line of this new breed of kinetic cavity preparation units. With all this new technology, the intra-oral camera, the KCP unit and high-powered curing lights, it will allow us to best fulfill our dental philosophy to deliver the highest quality dentistry in a pleasant, relaxed environment. These procedures are kinder to teeth and pulp, quicker and more comfortable for our patients and will improve our ability to be as conservative as possible, allowing us to preserve your smile efficiently and effectively.
You will be seeing this unit used at hygiene appointments on a regular basis to remove stain and detect decay. This will give us the ability to treat small areas of decay at the hygiene appointment when Dr. Mark does his examination. By being able to treat these areas quickly and efficiently, when possible, we will save patients and parents time, by not having to make another short appointment and disrupt parent and child’s busy schedules.
Tooth Colored Fillings
The concept of a “filling” is replacing and restoring your tooth structure that is damaged due to decay or fracture with a material. Dr. Mark can restore your smile and teeth to a more natural look and feel. With today’s advancements, no longer will you have to suffer the embarrassment of unsightly and unhealthy silver/mercury fillings or metal margins of the past. We can eliminate the dark, black appearance in your teeth with new-age, state-of-the-art, tooth-colored resin or porcelain materials. White fillings bond to the tooth; they strengthen the tooth by restoring most of its original shape. Silver amalgams, on the other hand, weaken the teeth and make them more susceptible to breaking. Broken teeth can be very expensive to replace; white composite fillings can actually save time and money in the long run and are preferred by most of our patients. This is due to the natural color, strength and overall appearance and feel. Composites are naturally more comfortable. Hot and cold sensitivity is greatly reduced with composite material, and composite restorations require less removal of tooth, less structure to place than those with amalgams and especially with new cavities. White fillings are also healthier because no traces of mercury are used, unlike silver amalgams.
Porcelain Veneers
Veneers are thin, semi-translucent “shells” typically attached to your front teeth. Veneers are customized from porcelain material and permanently bonded to your teeth. They are a great alternative to otherwise painful dental procedures to improve the appearance of your smile. Many of our patients seek veneers to correct spaces between the teeth, broken or chipped teeth, permanently, stained or discolored teeth or crooked or misshapen teeth. Dr. Mark can make subtle changes to your smile with veneers, and in most cases, veneer application is completed in only two office visits. Veneers are a great aesthetic solution to your smile that may even help you avoid orthodontic treatment.
Invisible Crowns
A crown is a permanent covering that fits over an original tooth that is decayed, damaged or cracked. Crowns are made of a variety of different materials such as porcelain, gold, acrylic resin or a mix of these materials. Patients love the aesthetic benefit of our crowns made of tooth-colored material, as they are virtually invisible. Dr. Mark first numbs the tooth to remove the decay in or around it. After re-sculpturing the tooth to provide an ideal fit for the crown, he will make an impression of your teeth to create a custom-made crown. That process takes one to two weeks, so a temporary crown will be made and fit onto the tooth during the interim period. When the custom crown has been created, Dr. Mark will fit the new crown and cement it into place. Once the procedure is completed, proper dental hygiene, including daily brushing and flossing, is required to maintain healthy, bacteria-free teeth, gums and crowns. This helps in the prevention of gum disease. Given proper care, your crowns can last a lifetime.
Invisible Bridges
A bridge is a dental device that fills a space that a tooth previously occupied. The materials used to create your bridge are so natural-looking, they are virtually invisible. A bridge may be necessary to prevent shifting of the teeth that can lead to bite problems (occlusion) and/or jaw problems and resultant periodontal disease. Bridges also safeguard the integrity of existing teeth and help maintain a healthy, vibrant smile. Dr. Mark will decide whether an invisible bridge is right for your specific condition.
