General Dentistry Service Including Cleanings, Fillings, and More

Preventative Exams/Cleanings

Comprehensive Exam

This is the exam that is completed by your dentist. Completed every three years, your treatment plan (What work and cleaning you need) is created.

Pediatric Exam

Usually is completed by your child’s pediatrician from birth to three. At CDC, you can schedule an exam for your child at three.

Limited Exam

Performed by your dentist; specifically for a singular problem.

Comprehensive Periodontal Exam

Performed either by your dentist, or your hygienist. It is a visual assessment of your gums, tissue, and bones. During this exam, we chart your periodontal health.

Periodic Exam

This is performed by a dentist and usually happens every six months at your cleaning appointment.

Cleanings

These are performed by our hygienists. Regular cleanings help with bad breath, help prevent gum disease, detect changes, problems and oral cancer. Good oral health contributes to our overall health and mental well-being. Most patients should have two cleanings per year.

Fluoride Treatments

These are optional and always offered at your cleaning appointments. Most insurances cover until age 12 or 13.

Restorative Dentistry

At Clarksville Dental Center we focus on your overall oral health. Restorative dentistry aims to restore the structure, function and appearance of your teeth. Oral health is of significant importance. Problems in the mouth can make their way to other parts of the body and create more health problems.

Fillings

A filling is a restorative procedure that repairs a damaged tooth from decay. We use composite (natural tooth color); we offer the option to replace old, amalgam fillings.

Bridges

Bridges are used as a replacement for a missing tooth/teeth, by attaching permanently to adjoining teeth or dental implants. A bridge is an alternate treatment than an implant.

Benefits of Bridges

  • Prevents moving and erosion
  • Maintain the shape of the face
  • Last a long time
  • Restore smile
  • Restore ability to chew properly
  • Aesthetically pleasing

Crowns

  • Crowns are needed for many reasons:
  • To protect a tooth after a root canal
  • To support the tooth after a large filling
  • Used as an anchor for a bridge
  • To restore a tooth’s shape, size and strength that has been severely weakened by decay, fracture or injury
  • Improve your smile

We offer porcelain crowns, (Aesthetically more appealing and very natural looking, and gold (usually used on the back teeth and requires less tooth to be drilled away).

Dentures

When people lose one tooth or several permanent teeth due to an accident, illness or aging, they may experience the inability to chew, and it may affect their self-esteem. Our dentists can give you back your beautiful smile by implementing a Partial or Full Denture. You will work with your dentist’s treatment plan, what suits your needs aesthetically and financially.

Full and Partial Denture Treatment Process

Your dentist will take an impression of your teeth and jaw alignment and match your dentures to the color and shape of your teeth. Temporary dentures will be provided to patients transitioning from failing teeth to dentures.

For patience transitioning to a full denture, the denture is created after all remaining teeth have been removed and the gums have healed, a process that takes around 3 months.

For patients receiving partial dentures, replacement teeth are bonded to a gum-colored base which is attached to a metal framework – this framework is held in place by attaching to the natural teeth on either side of the empty space.

Flexible Partials

Flexible partial dentures are an alternative to the traditional rigid metal-based dentures. They don’t require rigid attachment to the remaining natural teeth, provide a better fit and look more natural.

The appeal of flexible partials has to do with their better design, fit and materials. They are also made more quickly than traditional dentures, and the nylon resin does not break.

Extractions

Dental extractions, (tooth removal) are sometimes necessary because of badly fractured teeth, extreme loss, or decay, remove wisdom teeth, and to make room for orthodontic treatment. We do surgical and non-surgical extractions in our office.

Root Canals

  • WHAT IS A ROOT CANAL?

    To understand root canal, it helps to know something about the anatomy of the tooth. Inside the tooth, under the white enamel and a hard layer called the dentin, is a soft tissue called the pulp. The pulp contains blood vessels, nerves, and connective tissue and creates the surrounding hard tissues of the tooth during development.



    The pulp extends from the crown of the tooth to the tip of the roots where it connects to the tissues surrounding the root. The pulp is important during a tooth’s growth and development. However, once a tooth is fully mature it can survive without the pulp, because the tooth continues to be nourished by the tissues surrounding it.

  • WHY WOULD I NEED A ROOT CANAL?

    A root canal is necessary when the pulp becomes inflamed or infected. The inflammation or infection can have a variety of causes: deep decay, repeated dental procedures on the tooth, or a crack or chip in the tooth. In addition, a blow to a tooth may cause pulp damage even if the tooth has no visible chips or cracks. If pulp inflammation or infection is left untreated, it can cause pain or lead to an abcess.



    Signs of pulp damage include pain, prolonged sensitivity to heat or cold, discoloration of the tooth, swelling and tenderness in the nearby gums. Sometimes, there are no symptoms.

  • HOW DOES A ROOT CANAL SAVE THE TOOTH?

    Many root canals are performed to relieve the pain of toothaches caused by pulp inflammation or infection. With modern techniques and anesthetics, most patients report that they are comfortable during the procedure.



    For the first few days after treatment, your tooth may feel sensitive, especially if there was pain or infection before the procedure. This discomfort can be relieved with over-the-counter or prescription medications. Follow your dentist’s instructions carefully.


    Your tooth may continue to feel slightly different from your other teeth for some time after your root canal is completed. However, if you have severe pain or pressure or pain that lasts more than a few days, call your dentist.

  • ROOT CANALS:

    Root canals can often be performed in one or two visits and involves the following steps:


    The dentist examines and x-rays the tooth, then administers local anesthetic. After the tooth is numb, the dentist places a small protective sheet called a “dental dam” over the area to isolate the tooth and keep it clean and free of saliva during the procedure.



    The dentist makes an opening in the crown of the tooth. Very small instruments are used to clean the pulp from the pulp chamber and root canals and to shape the space for filling.



    After the space is cleaned and shaped, the dentist fills the root canals with a biocompatible material, usually a rubber-like material called “gutta-percha.” The gutta-percha is placed with an adhesive cement to ensure complete sealing of the root canals. In most cases, a temporary filling is placed to close the opening. The temporary filling will be removed by your dentist before the tooth is restored.



    After the final visit with your dentist, you must return to your dentist to have a crown or other restoration placed on the tooth to protect and restore it to full function.



    If the tooth lacks sufficient structure to hold the restoration in place, your dentist or dentist may place a post inside the tooth. Ask your dentist for more details about the specific restoration planned for your tooth.

  • WILL THE TOOTH NEED ANY SPECIAL CARE OR ADDITIONAL TREATMENT?

    You should not chew or bite on the treated tooth until you have had it restored by your dentist. The unrestored tooth is susceptible to fracture, so you should see your dentist for a full restoration as soon as possible. Otherwise, you need only practice good oral hygiene, including brushing, flossing, and regular checkups and cleanings.



    Most teeth treated by a root canal last as long as other natural teeth. In a few cases, a tooth that has undergone a root canal fails to heal or the pain continues. Occasionally, the tooth may become painful or diseased months or even years after successful treatment. Often when this happens, another root canal can save the tooth.

Implant Restorations

If you lost one or more teeth or have dentures and you’re ready for a permanent solution, consider an implant restoration. Replacing missing teeth can improve a patient’s self-esteem, the way they chew and how they talk.

Losing permanent teeth due to an accident, aging, or periodontal disease can be difficult, but you can get back the beautiful smile you’ve always wanted.

Dental Implant Restorations Facts:

  • Durable – the implant fuses to the bone making implants the most durable tooth replacement option
  • Long-Lasting – Implants can last a lifetime if properly maintained
  • Healthy Oral Solution – Implants don’t require reduction of bordering teeth
  • Natural Looking – Implants are designed to look like natural teeth
  • Improve Appearance and Restore Confidence

The Dental Implant Restoration Process:

  • The dental implant takes the place of the old root in the jawbone
  • Over the next 2-6 months the implant fuses to the bone becoming an anchor for the artificial tooth.
  • The next step is to design the new replacement tooth. Once ready, the new tooth is attached to the implant – the patient will be able to chew and speak normally
  • When a patient loses several teeth, an implant supported bridge can be created to replace the missing teeth.

Laser Treatments

Laser dental treatment is a beam of light pointed as your teeth. The light beam not only sterilizes infected areas with accuracy, it also closes off blood vessels. Most patients don’t need anesthesia, so your visit will be relatively short. Lasers are gentle on the mouth and effective at removing old fillings and fumigating infected root canals. Lasers are also used for crown lengthening, bone shaping and oral surgeries.

Benefits

  • Low noise level
  • Faster healing
  • Reduce risk of infection
  • Less need for anesthesia
  • Less need for multiple appts

Dental Specialties

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon

An oral and maxillofacial surgeon is an orthopedic surgeon focused exclusively on the facial region, dealing with a range of issues including:

  • Removal of impacted teeth
  • Jaw joint repaired with TMJ surgery
  • Jaw alignment or orthognathic surgery
  • Realigning of facial bones following facial trauma, such as a car accident
  • Replacing teeth with dental implants
  • Have a tooth extracted
  • Repair of facial trauma
  • Diagnosis and removal of facial, oral jaw cysts
  • Facial and jaw reconstruction

Periodontist

Periodontics is a specialty of dentistry concerned with diagnosing then treating gum diseases and the placement of dental implants. A dentist will recommend seeing a Periodontist when a patient’s gums are in need of a specialist’s due to disease, cosmetics, or implant placement. Together, working as a team, the dentist and periodontist will combine to decide on the most effective treatment option to provide the highest level of care.

Prosthodontist

Prosthodontists specialize in replacement of missing teeth and the restoration of teeth. They are at the forefront of dental implantology and concentrate on preserving a healthy mouth, creating tooth replacements and dynamic smiles.

Endodontist

Endodontists specialize in issues concerning the inside of the tooth. When the inside of the tooth is infected or inflamed, an endodontist may perform a root canal procedure, often referred to as endodontic treatment.