Gilford Dental

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How can we help you?

We are happy to answer questions about our services and procedures.

These are a selection of some common questions that patients have. If your question isn't answered here, please contact our office. It's important to us that our patients understand their dental care.

Emergency Dentistry

We will do our very best to get you in the same day for dental emergencies. If this is not possible, we will see you the next day at the latest.

A fractured tooth is a tooth at risk. You may not even know a tooth is cracked or fractured, or you may feel pain or sensitivity when biting down or exposing the tooth to hot or cold temperatures. An endodontist specialist can diagnose and treat fractures in a tooth and damage to its inner pulp.

Treating fractured teeth is critical. With continuous pressure from chewing, the interior tissues of a tooth may be unable to heal, leading to irritation and even infection. These inner tissues, or pulp, include a tooth’s interior nerves, tissues, and blood vessels.

An endodontist specialist will treat a tooth fracture depending on its location and severity. A dental crown can usually protect teeth with small fractures above the gum line, and you can see your dentist for this type of restoration.

However, if the tooth has a crack below the gum line, you may need a root canal to treat the damaged pulp. Endodontists specialize in root canal treatment, preventing the fracture from spreading or even causing tooth loss. A dental crown completes the restoration.

If the tooth is severely damaged, an endodontist specialist may recommend endodontic surgery to save part of the tooth or an extraction. If the tooth needs extraction, your endodontist can discuss options for replacing the tooth, such as a dental implant.

Family Dentistry

We welcome all ages in our office! We are happy to discuss your scheduling needs, so just give us a call and speak with our friendly front desk staff!

Gum Disease Treatment

The appropriate treatment for your gum disease will vary depending on how far your disease has progressed and any contributing factors such as hygiene and other health conditions. Some of the treatments recommended for gum disease include:

  • An increased dedication to excellent oral hygiene
  • Antimicrobial rinses and other products
  • An antibiotic medication that is placed in the gum pockets
  • Deep cleaning (scaling and root planing)
  • Laser therapy
  • Gum surgery

We will discuss your situation with you and recommend the treatment that we believe will be the most appropriate for your unique needs.

 

Preventive Dentistry

X-rays are a dentist's most important diagnostic tool. Often, problems start inside your teeth or beneath the gum line. By the time the problem is visible to the naked eye, it can be painful and more difficult to treat. Using x-rays taken on a regular basis, we can catch problems early and treat them quickly and comfortably.

Tooth Extractions

A dental extraction poses many questions regarding the future of your smile and your oral health. Unless you have a wisdom tooth extracted, we recommend replacing a missing tooth. This will prevent your teeth from shifting and causing additional problems with your oral health. When your teeth shift, it can expose roots and cause problems with your bite. When you replace a missing tooth, you prevent the shifting that occurs with tooth loss.

Additionally, replacing missing teeth makes it easier to chew and to smile confidently. 

We offer a number of options to meet your needs:

Fixed dental bridge — We can replace a missing tooth with an artificial tooth anchored by two dental crowns. We will match your dental bridge to your existing teeth for an esthetic result.

Partial denture — If you are missing multiple teeth, we can replace multiple teeth at once with a partial denture. Partial dentures come in either a metal base or a lightweight acrylic base. We will discuss which option will work best for you.

Complete denture — If you are facing dental extractions of all of your teeth on your upper or lower arch, a complete denture will replace all of your teeth at once. Our dentures are highly esthetic and fit comfortably.

Dental implants — Dental implants are the gold standard of tooth replacement because they permanently replace one or several teeth, from root to crown. A dental implant is surgically inserted into the jawbone and integrates with the bone, becoming a part of your mouth's anatomy. It's the closest a patient can have to a natural tooth! 

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