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Office Hours:
Tuesday |
8-1, 2-6 |
Wednesday |
8-1, 2-5 |
Thursday |
10-5 |
Friday |
8-3 |
(Closed Mondays)
For directions: Click Here
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Services
Comprehensive Dental Care
Comprehensive Dental Care is centered on the foundation of the patient’s total health and well-being. Our approach does not focus exclusively on the teeth, but rather emphasizes complete oral health, including the gum tissue, bone and joints. Our patient-centered practice offers dental care with an equal emphasis on preventative, restorative and cosmetic dentistry. We value personalized attention and long-term relationships with our patients. Should a dental emergency occur, we make every effort to care for you as soon as possible. In addition, we are committed to the highest standard of patient safety; infection control is very important to us. To protect our patients, we strictly maintain sterilization and cross contamination processes using the standards recommended by the American Dental Association (ADA), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and the Center for Disease Control (CDC). We are proud to offer leading dental technologies and techniques in a small, family oriented practice. We provide a wide range of high quality, personalized dental care.
Preventative Care
Complete Oral Evaluations – including oral cancer screening, checking health of gum tissue, x-rays to check for decay, and cleaning the teeth. We offer oral hygiene instruction when necessary.
Perio Cleanings and Maintenance – for those patients with gingivitis or gum disease.
Restorative Care
Intra-Oral Camera
When was the last time you actually saw the cavity the dentist told you that you had? Probably not often! Even with all of the mirrors, lights and tools that are commonly used, patients rarely have a clear picture of their dental health. That is all changed with our intra-oral camera technology. A tiny camera at the end of a pen-sized wand takes detailed, real-time photos of your mouth and sends the images directly to a computer monitor so you can follow along as the dentist explains the problem and the treatment options.
Sedations Available
If you are one of many patients that feel very apprehensive about dental treatment, we offer ways to help you cope and relax during your visit.
Nitrous Oxide (laughing gas) – This is a sweet-smelling gas made up of nitrogen and oxygen. It has a calming, comforting effect while allowing you to be in control and awake through the procedure. It has the effect of raising pain threshold and may even make time feel like it passes more quickly. It can be individually adjusted to your personal need. It is administered during your dental procedure by breathing through a device that fits over your nose. Anesthetic, such as Novocain, can then be given with more comfort. Once the procedure is finished, the mask is removed, with no lingering effects. This is a safe, effective way to lower anxiety during treatment.
Oral Medications – After you have been seen for a consultation or an initial patient exam, (with a thorough check of your medical history), you have the option of taking a prescription relaxant before you receive treatment. With this option, you would need to have someone drive you to and from your appointment.
Fillings – White and Silver
When a tooth decays and requires a filling, options of materials are presented to each patient.
| Option 1 – |
Amalgam (silver) filling – is durable, highly resistant to wear and relatively inexpensive, in comparison to other materials. Dental Amalgam is the most thoroughly researched and tested restorative material among all those in use. It is a stable alloy made by combining several elements, including mercury. However, since the mercury is combined with other metals, it is rendered stable and safe for use in filling teeth. (ADA) |
| Option 2 – | Composite Resin (tooth-colored) filling – is by far the most aesthetic choice in filling material. This material has improved greatly over the last few years. However, durability has to be discussed when being placed in some areas of the mouth. |
| Option 3 – | Gold filling – is recognized as the premium material by all professionals in the dental field. This material is recommended for any posterior (back) teeth restorations. |
We take pride in providing our patients with treatment (such as root canals and extractions) that, in other offices, may be referred out on a regular basis. With the experience and expertise of Dr. Dunbar, we are able to spare our patients the need of seeing a specialist for these procedures. However, in those cases when a specialist is absolutely necessary, we are happy to provide a referral.
Root Canals
A tooth with a diseased nerve requires a special dental procedure called root canal therapy. Inside each tooth is the pulp, which provides nutrients and nerves to the tooth. When the pulp is diseased or injured, the pulp tissue dies. If you don’t remove it, your tooth gets infected and you could lose it. After the pulp is removed, the root canal is cleaned and sealed off. If required, a permanent crown is then placed to protect the tooth. Most of the time, a root canal is a simple procedure with little or no discomfort, involving one to three visits. Best of all, it can save your tooth and your smile!
Extractions and Oral Surgery
As a last resort, when restoration procedures such as root canal therapy, crowns, or fillings are not enough to save a tooth, it may need to be pulled (extracted). With our gentle approach, a patient who has a tooth removed experiences little or no discomfort, and only minor bleeding.
Cosmetic Care (for a glamorous smile)
Teeth Whitening
If you don’t smile because your teeth have become discolored, dingy, or stained, teeth whitening can get you smiling again. We offer two options for bleaching your teeth:
Option 1 – |
Take-Home system – Custom bleaching trays will be made to fit your upper and lower teeth. We will provide the bleaching gel and instructions so you can bleach your teeth in the comfort and convenience of your own home. |
Option 2 – |
In-Office system – This process is done in the dental chair in one visit to our office. The appointment usually takes approximately 90 minutes. |
Veneers
There’s no reason to put up with gaps in your teeth or with teeth that are stained, badly shaped or have defects in the enamel. A veneer placed on top of your teeth can correct these conditions and help you have that Hollywood smile you want. Veneers are thin, custom-made shells crafted of tooth-colored material that are then bonded to the front side of the teeth. You should know that this is usually an irreversible process, because it’s necessary to remove a small amount of enamel from your teeth to accommodate the shells. Though veneers are not as strong as your natural teeth, they provide an end result that is astonishingly natural looking.
Crowns
Crowns are synthetic caps that are placed on the top (crown) of a tooth. Crowns, or caps, are typically used to restore function and appearance following root canal therapy, when a tooth fractures (cracks), or when a filling in the tooth is too big to replace. Crowns also serve a cosmetic purpose, and can be applied when a discolored or stained tooth needs to be restored. The crown completely covers the area of the tooth that you can see; it looks and functions just like a natural tooth.
Bridges
Bridges (crowns hooked together) help maintain the shape of your face, as well as alleviating the stress in your bite by replacing missing teeth. Sometimes called a fixed partial denture, a bridge replaces missing teeth with artificial teeth that literally bridge the gap where one or more teeth may have been. The restoration can be made from gold, alloys, porcelain or a combination of these materials and is bonded onto surrounding teeth for support. An implant bridge attaches artificial teeth directly to the jaw or under the gum tissue. Regardless of the type of bridge recommended for you, its success depends on its foundation. So it’s very important to keep your remaining teeth healthy and strong.
Partials and Dentures
Commonly referred to as “false teeth”, partials and dentures replace some or all of the natural teeth. Partial dentures are pinkish gum-like plastic bases, on to which replacement teeth are attached. Small clasps are used to attach the denture to existing teeth. Most full dentures are made from a combination of metals and synthetic material such as acrylic resin. They replace an entire set of teeth (upper and/or lower dentures). Both partial dentures and full dentures are made to be removable and can be taken in and out of the mouth.
 
Invisalign’s advanced technology now lets you straighten your teeth invisibly. Invisalign straightens teeth using a series of custom-made, nearly undetectable aligners. It’s been proven to be effective in both clinical research and in practices nationwide. So whether your teeth are crowded, too far apart, or have shifted since wearing braces, Invisalign will help you to start smiling more.
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