General Dentistry
Giving You Reasons to Smile Again
The Importance of Hygiene Visits
One of the most important reasons to visit the dentist is to have your teeth cleaned by a professional hygienist. Plaque and tartar form on teeth over time. Plaque is soft and sticky, but regular brushing can usually remove most of it. But plaque hardens into tartar, which is beyond the scope of your typical toothbrush and floss. Tartar accumulates below the gumline as well as on the surface of the teeth. If you don’t remove plaque, you risk more serious problems with your teeth and gums later on. Recent research shows a definite link between untreated gum disease and other serious conditions like heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. Having your teeth cleaned regularly is one of the best things you can do to stay healthy!
Amalgam Fillings
Bonded White Fillings
No Mercury! No Metals! No Kidding!
For years, the silver-mercury amalgam was the standard filling material used in dental practices, and many practices still use it. While they are a reasonable restoration, amalgams have certain shortcomings. Metal does not bond well to teeth, so decay can and does eventually leak into the tooth. But the biggest reason many of our patients are choosing the white bonded fillings has to do with the way they look. Many people just don’t want an ugly black plug in their teeth. We offer modern restorations that are a natural-looking white, contain no metals, and can actually strengthen your teeth. They also bond very tightly with the healthy part of the tooth so there is much less chance of decay in the future.
Full-Mouth Rehabilitation
Oral health can have a far bigger impact on a person’s life than regular cleanings and the occasional filling can address. Many patients who’ve dealt with injury, illness, bite problems, and simple wear and tear can have chronic problems that they don’t even realize began in the mouth. Bruxism (tooth grinding), TMJ, periodontitis, crooked or misshapen teeth, and missing teeth can combine to cause headaches and migraines, toothaches, chronic bad breath, and an unattractive appearance. But you don’t have to live like that.
Dr. Simpson will sit down with you to discuss your concerns, symptoms, and goals. After taking digital X-rays, photos, and imprints of your mouth, he will present options for a treatment plan to address your issues and achieve a healthy, pain-free, beautiful smile. We can also discuss phased treatment and financial planning that will put your dream smile within reach.
In-House Tooth Extractions
If a tooth is extensively damaged or infected, of if third molars are impacted, extraction is the solution to the problem. We do most extractions in our office, so you will not be inconvenienced with a referral to another office. Our compassionate manner will make you feel comfortable in our care for this treatment.
Natural-Looking Crowns Made While You Wait
You know the routine. You visit the dentist. You need a crown. The dentist prepares the tooth, takes an impression and places a temporary crown. You then wait two weeks to return to the dentist, and he applies the permanent crown. But if the fit isn’t perfect, then it goes back to the lab and you wait again.
And return to the dentist again. But now, that’s all changed. Dr. Simpson can reduce that two-week waiting period and the two or three office visits down to just a single visit with new technology! This new technology is called CEREC™, a computer-aided design and milling device. CEREC allows us to create a permanent crown in just a few minutes. Now, there’s no more waiting for the lab and no return trips to the dentist. Patients love it!
Before
After
CEREC Allows Us to Repair a Damaged Tooth in About an Hour
We no longer need to take putty-based impressions or create temporaries, and CEREC enables us to satisfy patients seeking a long-lasting, esthetic alternative to silver or plastic fillings.
To make the restoration, we use a digital scanner to take an impression of the tooth. The picture is then displayed on a computer screen, enabling us to design the restoration. Then CEREC takes over and automatically creates the crown, inlay, or onlay. Finally, we bond the new restoration to the surface of the old tooth.
All this makes going to the dentist much easier and faster, and who really wants to spend more time in the dental chair?
Dental Care in a Relaxing Environment
Even though Dr. Simpson takes great pride in being able to deliver painless injections, some people are naturally anxious at even the thought of a needle. If you or a loved one breaks into a cold sweat at the mention of the word “dentist,” we have a simple solution.
One hour before your visit, you take a pill that we dispense to you. You will reach a level of sedation that allows you to respond to questions but mostly sleep through your entire visit. This is ideal for fearful people or those who have a busy schedule and want to get all their treatment done in one visit.
Nitrous Oxide Sedation
Also known as “laughing gas,” nitrous oxide is commonly used to make treatment more comfortable. This sedation is inhaled through a mask that allows you to breathe in the medication and induce a light state of relaxation. Local anesthetic will be administered in conjunction with nitrous oxide to eliminate pain in most cases. Because it wears off quickly, you can drive yourself home when it’s over!
The STA System™ with The Wand™
The first computer-controlled local anesthetic system. Just one injection at a single tooth with The Wand is all that’s needed to numb an area. It lets the dentist precisely anesthetize a single tooth in only one to two minutes, rather than administering an anesthetic that numbs your entire lip. This is a more accurate and safer delivery of anesthesia. The STA works immediately, whereas the typical anesthetic can take 8 to 12 minutes, and lasts as long as traditional anesthesia. This technology has been clinically proven to provide a pain-free injection.
Oral Cancer – Early Detection Can be a Lifesaver
Dr. Simpson has adopted a super early detection system for oral cancer. He is able to shine a special light in your mouth called the OralID™ screening system, to see if there is cause for concern. With an estimated 50,000 cases of oral cancer diagnosed last year, a quick and painless oral cancer screening can be more than just a good idea. When oral cancer is discovered at an early stage, treatment is faster, simpler, less invasive and 90% successful. Not only is OralID painless, it might just save your life.
Goodbye Goopy Impressions!
The Cadent iTero™ digital impression system is an awesome breakthrough in dental technology. With iTero, the dentist takes a highly accurate digital impression for your crown or bridge area, for the Invisalign treatment plan, and more. This completely eliminates the uncomfortable tray and putty impression. What’s more, iTero technology all but guarantees a perfect fit, so you spend less time at the dentist’s office and more time enjoying your new smile.
For Your Peak Athletic Performance
You may not realize how important the jaw is when it comes to power and strength. A properly aligned jaw is an important part of training to full capacity. We are proud to offer our athletes UnderArmour ArmourBite™ Mouthguard. This custom-fitted mouthguard incorporates 40 years of proven neuromuscular dentistry research to give that extra edge to your training. Whether you seek better balance, longer endurance, improved strength, or more power, ask us how we can put ArmourBite on your team!
Isolite™ – An Advance in Patient Comfort
We are very pleased to offer an incredible technology that makes your dental care much more comfortable. Isolite is a suction device and a brilliant light that illuminates the oral cavity and eliminates shadows. What does this mean for you?
- Patients spend about a third less time in the chair.
- Patients don’t get that “drowning or gagging” feeling because saliva doesn’t build up.
- Debris won’t be swallowed because the mouth is continuously being “vacuumed.”
- The mouth doesn’t get tired because it’s being held open.
- The advanced illumination helps the doctor be more accurate.
Modern dentistry requires a dry “field” for best results. The Isolite keeps the teeth and gums dry and often eliminates the need for the bulky rubber dam.
75% Reduction in Radiation
Introducing digital X-rays, available at our practice. With this technology, an image is taken of your mouth with a digital sensor and downloaded into our computer, where it is immediately available. We can also view your entire mouth in one shot, including the upper and lower jaws, with panoramic digital X-rays. These methods result in 75% less radiation than conventional X-rays. No more waiting for images to develop and no more chemical waste to pollute the environment.
Intra-Oral Camera Makes You a Part of the Team
Dr. Simpson works hand-in-hand with patients to create a bond of teamwork. One of the ways he brings this about is through the use of a high-tech tool, the intra-oral camera. This amazing device is a miniature video camera that displays a closeup picture of the inside of your mouth. You can see for yourself what work needs to be done and which teeth are doing fine. You then become a participant in each dental decision. You’ll love how this works!
