Our General Dentistry practice focuses on your complete dental health which includes the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of a wide variety of conditions affecting the teeth, gums and what’s called the “maxillofacial” areas of the body, which are associated with the jaw and face.
General and Family Dentistry
The American Dental Association recommends that you see your dentist at least every six months to take full advantage of the "preventative" treatments and therapies available today for proper hygiene and bite alignment for the optimal function and appearance of your teeth and gums. Regular checkups and proper maintenance can prevent the development of serious dental problems that may become quite costly to restore to health if left untreated.
Dental Hygiene
Proper dental hygiene includes primarily brushing your teeth and flossing. Twice a day or after meals, each time, make sure you brush for at least 3 minutes with an ADA-approved toothbrush and toothpaste. Ask your dentist for suggestions as to the best products for your use in cleaning your teeth as part of a daily routine. Plaque builds up in and around your teeth and gums resulting in bad breath, tooth decay and gum disease. Infections can develop in children and adults who do not take proper care of their teeth and gums. Other dental health tools available for proper dental hygiene can be purchased from any good pharmacy, and can include toothbrushes, inter-dental cleaners like picks, waxed and un-waxed floss, mouth rinses and more.
Sealants
Bacteria and food can accumulate in, around and in-between teeth. Dental sealants are applied to protect teeth against tooth decay. They are thin plastic coatings applied to the chewing surfaces of the back teeth, usually the permanent molars. They are invisible and their protection can last from 5-10 years. Sealants don’t replace toothpaste and good dental hygiene, but sealants can be an effective part of a child’s preventative dental care plan.
Fillings
You may be surprised to learn that dental fillings are not just for cavities. Fillings can be used to replace the portion of the tooth removed by your dentist due to cavities, or they can be used to repair cracked or broken teeth caused by habits like teeth grinding or nail biting or normal wear and tear. Teeth can be filled with gold, porcelain or silver amalgam or tooth-colored, plastic, and glass materials known as composite resin fillings. Your dentist will recommend the best filling material for your particular situation.
Teeth Whitening
The porcelain-like enamel surface of your teeth is what gives it the bright white color we are all born with, however as we age, and the enamel is worn down, it becomes more transparent, exposing the yellow color of “dentin.” Your tooth enamel protects the teeth from the damages caused by chewing, nervous grinding, trauma and acid caused by sugary drinks and foods. Tooth whitening has become very popular to address the various types of tooth staining in order to restore those “pearly whites.” There are many options to choose from and your dentist will help you decide what’s best for you.
Bonding
Usually considered part of Cosmetic Dentistry, tooth bonding is another method your dentist may recommend as a solution to restore decayed teeth. Bonding can change the color of your teeth or reshape teeth that have been damaged. Bonding can improve your “smile” by lightening stains, closing up gaps and straightening crooked teeth. Bonding material is applied to the teeth and sculpted by your dentist, who then applies a high-intensity light that hardens the material that is now ready to be finely polished. Bonding can last about 10 years, much longer than traditional silver fillings.
Inlays/Onlays
Sometimes known as “indirect” fillings, inlays and onlays are two methods of dental restorations that your dentist may recommend. In some instances, inlays and onlays can be an alternative to full-coverage dental crowns. They are fabricated in a lab and then sent to your dentist. Inlays and Onlays fit well, and they are stronger and last longer as a repair for tooth decay or tooth damage.
Crowns and Porcelain Veneers
A dental crown, also known as a "cap," is placed over a tooth to restore its shape and size. A crown can bolster the strength of the tooth and improve its appearance. Crowns are cemented into place and completely enclose the visible portion of a tooth at and above your gum line. Sometimes a crown is needed to protect a weak tooth from breaking, to restore a broken tooth, or to cover a tooth with a large filling when little tooth material is left. It can hold a dental bridge in place, cover crooked or discolored teeth, cover an implant or make some cosmetic change to your teeth.
Dental veneers can be made from porcelain or from resin composites. Porcelain is often preferred because of its natural resistance to stains and because they tend to look more like natural teeth. Dental veneers are very thin, custom-made shells of tooth-colored materials, which are designed to cover the front surface of teeth to improve your appearance. These shells are bonded to the front of the teeth and can change the color, shape, size, or length of your teeth to match the others.
Dentures
When patients come in complaining of missing teeth, one option is to replace them with “dentures.” A denture is a removable replacement for missing teeth and surrounding tissues, and they can be complete or partial dentures. Complete dentures are used when all the teeth are missing, while partial dentures are used in conjunction with some natural teeth that remain.
Dental Implant Restoration and Bridges
One method available to address a missing tooth is dental implants. The principal part of a dental implant is the titanium (which works well with bone and bonds with it) that is positioned within the original tooth’s bone pocket, known as the “alveolus.” The implant is then capped with a crown which imitates the enamel of the tooth. Usually the end result is a tooth that functions even better than the original.
In contrast, a fixed dental bridge is attached to remaining natural teeth, “bridging” the gap between natural teeth. In the past, fixed bridges were the best alternative to replace missing teeth, but they have been known be problematic due to the fact that the teeth that are located on either side of the bridge are filed in order to accept the bridge. This procedure can cause bacteria to accumulate leading to tooth decay and disease. Root canals and other treatments may be necessary to address those problems. Your dentist will help you decide on which procedure best fits your condition.
Extractions
A tooth that is severely damaged by decay, disease or other conditions may have to be removed or “extracted.” Before removing the tooth, your dentist will take an x-ray of the area in order to plan the best way to extract it and to observe the relationship between the affected tooth and its surrounding neighbors. Xrays also help your dentist detect any infection, tumors, or disease that may be present.
Extractions can be “simple,” which is done on a tooth that the dentist can see. Or, if the extraction is more complex, as in a tooth that may have broken off or that is not yet visible in the mouth, this may require a “surgical” extraction.
Beforehand, depending on the circumstances of the extraction, your dentist may administer anesthesia, which can range from conscious sedation to general anesthesia. Your dentist will give you clear instructions as to how to prepare for the extraction and what will occur. During a tooth extraction, you can expect to feel some pressure, but no pain.
Nitrous Oxide
If your dentist recommends a sedative for your dental procedure, your dentist may recommend the use of “Nitrous Oxide,” a safe and effective sedative that is mixed with oxygen. Your dentist will instruct you to inhale nitrous oxide through a small mask that fits over your nose to help you relax. Unlike other methods of anesthesia, with Nitrous Oxide you are not necessarily asleep; you can hear and respond to requests or your dentists instructions. Breathing normally through your nose, within a few minutes, you should feel the effects and just as quickly, shortly after the mask is removed, the effects wear off. During the treatment, you will feel calm and comfortable. It’s best to discuss with your dentist whether nitrous oxide is an option you should consider.
Endodontic Therapy
Endodontic Therapy, also known as “root canal treatment,” may be recommended by your dentist when the pulp or soft tissue inside your teeth is inflamed or shows signs of disease. This happens when either the insides of your teeth become infected by a deep cavity, or because of repeated dental procedures on the same tooth, a cracked tooth or some other injury. When your dentist performs endodontic therapy, the diseased portion of the tooth is removed and the root canal of the tooth is cleaned and sealed to prevent any pain and swelling due to infection. This doesn’t mean your tooth is immune from cavities, however. You can still develop cavities or gum disease in this tooth, but your restored tooth could last indefinitely.
Oral Cancer Screening
Oral cancer can sometimes be detected before a patient experiences any debilitating symptoms. Cancer found at an early stage, when abnormal tissue is just beginning to emerge, is easier to treat than cancer that has already spread. An oral cancer screening test can look for early signs of cancer in patients who have particular risk factors or if your dentist finds abnormal mouth sores, lumps or other abnormalities during a routine dental exam. If a screening test result is abnormal, your dentist will recommend additional diagnostic tests to confirm the presence of cancer.
Cosmetic Dentistry
Cosmetic dentistry involves dental work that improves the appearance of your teeth, gums and/or your bite.
Most of us would love to achieve that “perfect smile,” and therefore dentistry has evolved to include procedures like "bleaching" to make teeth whiter, repairing chips or rough spots with fillings that match your teeth, filling cavities with tooth-colored materials, re-shaping teeth to match the others, closing gaps between teeth, capping broken teeth with porcelain crowns and many more similar types of procedures.
Emergency Dental Services
When you have a dental emergency such as a persistent tooth ache, swollen jaw or tooth injury, call the dentists at Press & Berman. Our office is open on Saturday’s 9:00 am -1:00 pm in addition to weekday hours. If you are experiencing pain during office hours, please call us at 973-777-2524 or 973-473-8543 and we will find the earliest available appointment. If you have an after-hours emergency, our answering service will take your message and relay it to the dentist on-call.
