1305 N. Willow Ave., Suite 110, Clovis, CA 93619 - Phone:
559-323-2111
Procedures
Dental Technology
Preventive Care includes: dental exams,
dental cleanings, home care,
sealants, space maintainers,
fluoride treatments, and
night guards.
A comprehensive dental exam will be performed by your dentist at your initial dental
visit. This require gathering of information that may include: full mouth
digital X-rays, diagnostic models, photography and bite analysis.
At regular check-up exams, your dentist will perform the following:
- examination of diagnostic x-rays (radiographs): essential for detection of decay,
tumors, cysts and bone loss
- oral cancer screening: check the face, neck, lips, tongue, throat, tissues and gums
for any signs of oral cancer
- gum disease evaluation: check the gums and bone around the teeth for any signs of
periodontal disease
- examination of tooth decay: all tooth surfaces will be checked for decay with special
dental instruments
- examination of existing restoration: check current fillings, crowns, etc.
A dental cleaning is a professional cleaning you receive from a dentist or dental
hygienist. Cleaning should be performed every six month to prevent excessive
plaque buildup. Unremoved plaque can lead to tooth decay and unhealthy gums.
Most dental cleanings take only between 25 and 30 minutes. A routine cleaning
includes scaling and polishing.
Scaling: Is the process of removing plaque and tartar from all tooth
surfaces above gum line. Traditionally, dental hygienists perform scaling
by hand. However, new and advanced technology has lead to more modern methods
such as electric scalers that allow dental cleanings to be performed more efficiently
and in less time. To achieve best results, both electric and manual scaling
methods are combined for dental cleanings.
Polishing: This is the last step in tooth cleaning and involves finishing
the surface of the teeth to make them shiny and clean. There are two kinds
of polishing: air polishing and rubber cup polishing. Air polishing works
by spraying high pressured water mixed with baking soda onto the surface of your
teeth in order to remove plaque and stains. Rubber cup polishing uses a low-speed
hand piece and a polishing abrasive paste ideal for removing stains.
One of the best ways we provide our patients with excellent oral health is by helping
them establish proper habits at home. So while we take all the time necessary
during your appointment is our office to meticulously clean and polish your teeth,
we also evaluate you own dental care techniques. We will do our best to educate
our patients on proper home care techniques and we always reinforce that patient’s
cooperation in following a perfect oral hygiene is key to a successful treatment.
Daily preventive care, including proper brushing and flossing, will help stop problems
before they develop.
In between regular visits to the dentist there are simple steps that can be taken
to greatly decrease to the risk of developing tooth decay, gum disease and other
dental problems.
These include:
- Brush thoroughly at least twice a day and floss every time before you brush
- Replace your tooth brush every 3-4 months
- Eat a balanced diet and limit snacks between meals
- Use dental products that contain fluoride, including toothpaste
- Rinse with a fluoride mouth rinse if your dentist advises you to
- Make sure that your children under 12 drink fluoridated water or take a fluoride
supplement if they live in nonfluoridated water supply area
The following are indication of good oral hygiene:
- Your teeth are clean and free of plaque
- Gums are pink and do not hurt or bleed when you brush or floss
- Bad breath is not a constant problem
In some cases the tooth structure has fine grooves or pits which accumulate plaque
because they can’t be brushed properly since they are too narrow to allow even one
bristle into them. These will develop cavities overtime if left untreated.
So the dentist will brush on a coating that seals the grooves and pits, making it
possible to brush off all the plaque and keep your teeth healthy.
Space maintainers are appliances made to custom fit your child’s mouth after the
early loss of a baby tooth in order to maintain the space intended for the permanent
tooth. They hold open the empty space left by a lost tooth preventing movement
of the remaining teeth until the permanent tooth decides to come in. This
treatment is much more affordable and much easier on your child than to move the
teeth back later with orthodontic procedures. Do space maintainers require
any special care? Yes, they do. Make sure your child avoids hard and
sticky foods (gum, caramels, popcorn, hard crackers, etc). Teeth should be
brushed after each meal. Once a day, a fluoride mouth wash should be used
to help prevent decalcification of the teeth around the band and wire. Avoid
bending the wire for any reason with finger or tongue. Notify our office immediately
if the band comes loose or the space maintainer is damaged in any way, or if a tooth
erupts under the wire.
What is fluoride?
Fluoride, either applied topically to erupted teeth or ingested orally during tooth
development helps to prevent tooth decay, strengthen tooth enamel and reduce the
harmful effects of plaque. Fluoride also makes the entire tooth structure
more resistant to decay and promote remineralization which aids in repairing early
decay before the damage is even visible.
How can fluoride be taken?
Topical fluoride is found in products such as toothpaste, mouth rinses, varnishes
and/or gels that can be topically applied by a dentist or other oral health professional,
or prescribed as an at home regimen.
Systemic fluoride can be ingested through public and private water supplies, soft
drinks, teas, as dietary supplements, some bottled water supplies.
The risks associated with fluoridation are limited to over concentration.
To avoid over concentration call the local water department and/or health department
to evaluate the fluoride level in your local drinking reservoir. Overly fluoridated
water may cause teeth to become discolored, and may cause the enamel of the teeth
to look spotted, pitted or stained (a condition known as dental fluorosis).
Children are especially vulnerable to dental fluorosis as their developing teeth
are more sensitive to higher fluoride levels. Consult a dentist if you notice
changes in the condition of your child’s teeth.
Night guards are custom fitted acrylic appliances that can protect your teeth and
temporo-mandibular joints (TMJ) from the harmful effects of grinding and clenching.
Does your jaw feel stiff or do you have difficulty opening your mouth wide?
Are your teeth sensitive to cold drinks? Do your jaw muscles feel tired in
the morning? You may be grinding your teeth at night (a medical condition
called bruxism) or you may be clenching your teeth, which can be as harmful.
People with night time grinding habits may wear away their tooth enamel ten times
faster. Eventually, your teeth may be worn down and destroyed. Without
treatment, crowns, bridges, implants and dentures are often needed to repair or
replace worn and damaged teeth. In addition to reliving head, neck, jaw joint
(TMJ) and shoulder pains, treating bruxism and clenching is cost effective compared
to ignoring the condition.
Gum Disease Treatment/Laser Procedures/Arestin
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When gums are inflamed gum pockets (the spaces between the teeth and gum) become
deeper. The deeper the pocket, the easier is for the plaque deposits to become
trapped and worsen gum problems. Removing plaque and bacteria are crucial
to controlling periodontal disease. If not removed, plaque hardens into tartar.
Left unchecked, periodontal disease leads to, among other things, bone loss and
tooth loss.
Root planning is used to treat moderate to advanced gum disease. This is
the process of cleaning pockets in the gums to treat and prevent gum problems.
Root planning involves inserting a pointed dental tool called periodontal curette
into the pockets to clean plaque build-up. Depending on the degree of difficulty,
root planning may take several appointments and local anesthesia may be used to
prevent pain.
Statistically it is estimated that 80% of adults have periodontal disease (mild
to severe) – often undiagnosed or undetected. Studies have also concluded
that periodontal disease is a contributor to heart disease. A healthy mouth can
also mean a healthy body.
Our comprehensive preventive hygiene care program reduces the need for dental care
in the future, meaning you have fewer dental appointments, less time off of work,
less discomfort and less money spent on dental care over your lifetime. Comprehensive
hygiene care can include: taking x-rays, measuring the depth of periodontal pockets,
evaluating the effectiveness of home care, removing plaque above and below gum line,
treating and retreating with scaling and root planning as necessary to maintain
optimal tissue health.
When appropriate our comprehensive preventative hygiene care may include the use
of dental laser technology. Treatment with the laser minimizes swelling,
bleeding, speeds healing of gum tissue and reduces infection. The laser can
be used to reshape gum tissue, remove diseased soft tissue, clean and decontaminate
pockets. Additionally, the laser can be used for quick healing of lesions
such as cold sores.
To help control, minimize and /or eliminate periodontal disease we use Arestin.
Arestin is a powdered antibiotic that placed into the periodontal pocket releases
a controlled steady flow of medication for up to 21 days.
Consistency and frequency of periodic care helps break the stronghold of bacteria
in the mouth, minimizing the recurrence of infection and slowing or eliminating
its destructive effects.
Give us a call today to schedule an appointment!
When you visit our office your smile is our top priority. A beautiful
smile is a “gate to opportunity”. If you are unhappy with your smile we can
help you to improve it! Through cosmetic dentistry we can correct any imperfections
in your smile such as: alignment of your teeth, color, spacing, irregularities giving
you a natural-looking beautiful appearance.
Your smile makeover may include one treatment or a combination of treatments that
are right for you. Dr. Vorobchevici’s dental philosophy is to use the most
conservative dental techniques available to create your perfect smile. Most
are relatively simple procedures that are pain free, fast and affordable.
For example, doctor can recommend cosmetic bonding or porcelain veneers combined
with in office teeth whitening. Some cases may require more extensive procedures
or orthodontics.
Call us for an appointment and allow us to help you determine the best treatment
for your individual needs and desires!
Silver and gold fillings used to be the only choices for restoring small cavities
but advances in dental materials have created strong new synthetic tooth-colored
restorative materials that are custom made to precisely match your teeth or desired
shade. No one will even know! Because composites are bonded in place, treatment
is more conservative (removal of less tooth structure), so you retain more of your
natural, healthy tooth.
Bonding
Bonding involves adhering composite resin material which matches the color of the
tooth for cosmetic purposes such as: to alter the alignment of the tooth, close
gaps between the teeth, or to repair damage done by excessive wear.
Crowns
Crowns are recommended when the amount of tooth structures involved, via
decay, disease, cracks etc., cannot be successfully treated with just a filling.
They are custom made, typically with porcelain to match your surrounding teeth.
Crowns not only repair and strengthen a damaged tooth; they can also be used to
improve your appearance by covering a discolored or misshapen tooth.
Bridges
A bridge is one or more artificial teeth that are cemented into place using the
teeth on either side for support. A bridge replaces the missing teeth, both
functionally and esthetically. The choice of material depends on requirements for
strength, wear and/or esthetics. The materials used may be gold alloys, porcelain
bonded to metal alloy, or all ceramic material made to match your natural tooth
color.
It is important that a missing tooth be replaced as soon as possible because the
teeth surrounding the gap begin to shift inward and the opposing teeth begin to
migrate into the open spaces. This may worsen the bite and can eventually
create problems with the temporo-mandibular joints (TMJ).
Crowns and bridges are made by first taking an impression of your mouth that is
sent to a lab where your crown or bridge will be custom made to fit your mouth and
shade of your teeth. A temporary crown or bridge will be placed into your
mouth until your permanent crown or bridge is made. When the permanent crown or
bridge is ready, it will be cemented into place. Crowns and bridges are durable
and can last a lifetime by practicing good oral hygiene.
Used to permanently brighten smiles, strengthen crooked or misshapen teeth, fix
chipped, cracked or broken front teeth, permanently whiten stained or dark teeth
or improve the bite, these thin shells of porcelain are fabricated with the help
of a dental laboratory. Once in place, veneers virtually become part of the
teeth. Because the bond is extremely strong you can use them like you would
your own teeth. The final result is a new, natural looking, beautiful smile.
Dental implants are used primarily as permanent replacement for missing teeth; these
small titanium cylinders are surgically inserted into the bone, and covered with
a natural looking restoration once the bone surrounding the implant has had time
to heal. When a tooth is lost opposing teeth shift and when a tooth no longer
has anything to chew against it can migrate into the open space. Also the
bone level is continuously decreasing. These are the reason why a missing
tooth should be replaced as soon as possible.
Implants can be used to replace a single missing tooth or multiple teeth.
While implants are typically more expensive than other methods of tooth replacement,
they provide superior benefits. They are strong and do not depend on neighboring
teeth for support. To receive implants, you need to have healthy gums and
adequate bone to support the implant and be committed to excellent oral hygiene
and regular dental visits that are critical to the long term success.
The latest dental techniques offered at our office can now provide you with exciting,
new options for whitening your smile. The bleaching process begins with an
office consultation to evaluate if bleaching is a viable option for you teeth.
Teeth bleaching is used to whiten teeth that have darken or yellowed from age, coffee,
tea, wine or tobacco.
Both in office and at home teeth whitening is available. The results from
bleaching are temporary and can last from one to five years after the treatment
depending on your personal habits, thus periodic touch-ups are required to maintain
desired whiteness. Bleaching is quite safe and has a greater than 90% success
rate. Results do vary, depending on several factors:
- Intrinsic color of your teeth, yellowish hued teeth whitens best, brownish hued
teeth whitens moderately and grayish hued teeth might not whiten much at all
- Teeth stained form smoking
- Teeth stained from taking certain medications such as tetracycline during tooth
development
- Teeth affected by fluorosis -a condition occurring when too much fluoride is present
in drinking water supply
How safe is teeth whitening?
The American Dental Association’s seal of approval has been given to a wide range
of teeth whitening products deeming them safe and effective. Overall, the
only side effect from bleaching may be some sensitivity to hot and cold foods, which
usually dissipates within 48 hours.
There are several purposes for root canal therapy:
- stop the toothache
- prevent bacteria and pain from spreading into the jaw bone
- keep the original tooth instead of replacing it with an implant, bridge, or partial
denture.
The root canal is a channel running from the root of the tooth, which connects to
the jawbone, up to the top portion of the tooth. The canal contains blood
vessels, nerves and the complex cells that make up the pulp inside the tooth.
When a tooth is decayed or cracked, bacteria can get to the pulp, infecting it.
When the pulp becomes inflamed, it’s harder for blood flow resulting in pressure
that creates pain inside your tooth. Removing the infected pulp, cleaning and disinfecting
the inside of the tooth before filling it and capping it off with a protective crown
are the steps to be taken for root canal therapy.
Although dentist will use every measure to prevent tooth loss, there are still some
occasions when a tooth may need to be extracted. Good oral hygiene should
always be practiced since the loss of a single tooth can have major impact upon
your oral health and appearance. A tooth may need to be extracted if the following
occurs:
- Severe Decay
- Infection or Abscess
- Advanced Periodontal Disease
- Orthodontic Correction
- Malpositioned Teeth
- Fractured Teeth or Roots
- Impacted Teeth
Before the tooth is removed, the dentist will take an x-ray in order to understand
the shape and position of the tooth and surrounding bone. Based on the degree
of difficulty we may refer you to a specialist called an oral surgeon.
For a simple extraction we will first apply a local anesthetic to prevent pain and
discomfort. The tooth will be loosened with a tool called an elevator and
then removed with dental forceps. Once the procedure is complete, the area
may be closed with one or two stitches.
It is critical to keep the area clean to prevent infection. We will provide
you with dry, sterile gauze to bite down on for 30-45 minutes to limit bleeding
while clotting takes place. For the next 24 hours you shouldn’t smoke, rinse
your mouth vigorously, or brush teeth directly next to the extraction site.
A certain amount of pain and discomfort is to be expected following an extraction,
which can be minimized with a pain killer and ice packs applied to the face for
15 minute at a time. After a routine extraction, discomfort should lessen
within three days to two weeks. If you have prolonged or severe pain, swelling,
bleeding or fever call our office immediately.
Wisdom teeth are the last molars, or “third molars” that usually emerge in the back
of the mouth between the ages of 16-20. When the jaw isn’t large enough to
accommodate wisdom teeth, they can become impacted (unable to come in) or misaligned.
Wisdom teeth may grow sideways, emerge only part way through the gum or remain trapped
beneath the gum and bone. In those situations their removal is required.
A denture is a removable replacement for missing teeth and surrounding tissues.
There are two types of dentures available:
- Partial
- Complete Dentures
Partial dentures are used when some natural teeth remain, while complete dentures
are used to completely replace all teeth. Dentures are made to resemble your
natural teeth so there should be no noticeable change to your appearance and actually
improve your smile.
Partial Dentures
A removable partial denture is a device used when one or more natural teeth still
remain in the jaw. They usually consist of replacement teeth attached to a
gum colored plastic base that sits on a metal framework.
Complete Dentures
This restoration method is used to restore your smile and mouth function if all
your teeth have been lost. The dentures are custom made to resemble natural
teeth and are positioned into a patients mouth to take the place where natural teeth
used to be.
Dentures are removable and may require adjustments in order to create a proper fit
with the gums and mouth. They may feel awkward or loose for the first few
weeks until the muscles of your cheeks and tongue learn to keep them in place and
you are comfortable eating and speaking. This may require some practice, but
soon you will adjust and enjoy the benefits that a full mouth of teeth can provide.
When should dental care begin?
Most pediatric dentist agrees that regular dental care should start by one year
of age, with a dental check-up at least twice a year for most children. Some
children may need more frequent evaluations and care.
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry has provided the following dental checklist:
- Birth to 6 Months of Age: Clean the infant’s mouth with gauze after feeding
and at bedtime. Consult your child’s pediatrician regarding fluoride supplements.
- 6 to 12 Months of Age: During this time the first tooth should appear.
Brush teeth after each feeding and at bedtime with a small soft bristled brush.
- 12 to 24 Months of Age: Follow the schedule of dental examinations and cleanings,
usually every 6 months. As most primary teeth have erupted by this age and
your child learns to rinse his/her mouth, brushing using a small quantity of fluoridated
toothpaste becomes appropriate.
Proper care of a child’s decidous (primary or baby) teeth is very important as these
teeth hold the space for the future eruption of permanent teeth.
Infected baby teeth can cause the permanent teeth to develop improperly resulting
in stains, pits and weaker teeth. If a baby tooth is removed too early, the
space necessary for the permanent teeth is lost and can only be regained through
orthodontic treatment.
Most children begin losing their baby teeth around age of 7-usually the front bottom
teeth first and they continue to lose baby teeth until the age of 12-13. The last
permanent teeth (wisdom teeth) erupt around age 18.
Thumb sucking before age of two is normal and harmless. Prolonged thumb sucking
should be discouraged by parents because it may contribute to crooked teeth development
and bite problems.
Orthodontics is the branch of dentistry devoted to correcting tooth
alignment and bite problems. Braces and retainers used in orthodontics put
pressure on your teeth and /or jaw straightening teeth and correcting over or under
bites to create perfect smiles.
Often, orthodontic problems occur because the teeth and mouth are growing at different
speeds. Mouth injuries, prolonged pacifier use in infancy, thumb sucking in early
childhood and impacted teeth can also cause misalignment.
Many adults nowadays opt for orthodontics to correct problems that were left untreated
as adolescents –the results are the same, although coming later in life, a great
smile with straight teeth.
Invisalign is an orthodontic method of straightening teeth with
the use of clear aligners, there are no braces or wires involved, the aligners are
transparent, they don’t show and can be removed when eating and brushing your teeth.
To find out if you are a good candidate for this type of treatment, give us a call
to schedule a consultation appointment.
Dental Technology
In our office we use digital radiography which allows us to take x-rays using up
to 90% less radiation than conventional film x-rays. Using this technology,
we are able to take an x-ray of your teeth by using a small sensor which records
the image and sends it to a computer. The result is a highly detailed image
of your teeth and supporting bone that can be seen on a monitor in a matter of seconds
and that can easily be enhanced for better diagnosis of dental pathology.
We use a small camera about the size of a pen, called intraoral camera, to help
clearly see the condition of your teeth and gums. With this advanced technology
we can zoom in on a small diseased area, chip, crack or worn silver filling with
extreme precision. The full color images taken are sent to a computer screen
so we can clearly see and diagnose dental problems much easier and earlier than
before. Because images are displayed on a screen patients will also be able
to see areas of concern and get a better understanding of the dental procedures
being performed.
Our office utilizes electronic claims processing which means that rather than sending
your dental claim through the mail it is sent electronically to your insurance company
with the click of a button. In this way information is submitted faster and
with fewer errors. This benefits our patients because the turn around time
on claims is shorter and fewer claims are returned or denied. We are happy
to submit your dental claims to your insurance company on your behalf.