Erbsville Dental Treatments/Services
At Erbsville Dental we are a full service, one stop clinic, with any dental treatments you may need. Whether you are looking for:
- A family dentist to preform regular check ups,
- A Collage or University student wondering about dental benefits,
- A full time worker looking for evening or weekend appointment,
- A young person needing braces,
- Emergency dental work,
We can help!
When it comes to dental care, you need someone you can trust to carry out all the work to a high standard. Erbsville Dental clinic offers a full range of dental services suitable for everyone from families to students seeking benefits for dental treatments.
By scheduling regular checkups, we can maintain your dental health, prevent disease, and solve issues like halitosis and cavities. If you have a busy schedule, you can visit our clinic with weekend or evening appointments.
For teens with crooked, overlapping, overcrowded teeth or an underbite or overbite, we correct problems with braces and other alignment treatments. We can help you regain a beautiful smile. If you were in an accident or are experiencing a sudden onset of toothache, we are available for emergency dental work.
Never again delay going to the dentist. If you suffer from a phobia, our medical staff will ensure you feel comfortable and secure throughout any procedure. From routine cleanings to tooth extraction we will help you through.
Dental Implants
It can be hard to live with a missing tooth! Some are self-conscious about smiling too broadly or eating in public. Even if the lost tooth is not visible, it is important to replace the tooth. Replacement prevents bone loss, abnormal speech, and misalignment caused by other teeth that shift towards the empty space. A dental implant enables you to regain the look, feel, and function of a natural tooth.
What Is a Dental Implant?
A dental implant itself is actually a small titanium rod that replaces the root of the missing tooth. The process to install the implant requires two or three appointments spread out over several months.
Your dentist will begin by removing the remains of the damaged tooth, if needed. Then, he will insert the metal post into the jawbone. You will need to wait for the implant to become attached, during which time your dentist may provide you with a temporary tooth. When the bone holding the implant has healed, your dentist will attach a porcelain crown to the base.
An anesthetic will be given throughout the entire procedure. After, your dentist may recommend you take an analgesic to recover. This usually takes three to four months.
Benefits of a Dental Implant
There are several reasons why you may like to consider a dental implant:
- It provides you with a permanent solution. A dental implant has a crown permanently affixed that you never need to remove. Implants can last for years without requiring a replacement.
- It requires no additional care. Treat your dental implant just like the rest of your teeth — brushing, flossing, and receiving regular checkups.
- It looks natural. No one will know your implant is anything other than a natural tooth. It always stays in position, with no risk of slips, slides, or falls.
- You will be able to eat comfortably. Dental implants are strong enough to allow you to bite and chew normally without fear of damage.
Is a Dental Implant Right for You?
Before you can opt for a dental implant, your dentist must assess you for eligibility. Most people are able to able to receive the procedure. Good oral health and a jawbone strong enough to support the implant are needed. Your dentist may recommend a different option if you are a heavy smoker. Other things that could prevent you from getting an implant include: chronic, uncontrolled diabetes, heart disease, or past head and neck radiation therapy.
If you have lost one or more of your teeth due to injury, gum disease, or tooth decay, a dental implant may be the right option for you. Schedule an evaluation at our clinic to meet a dentist who has the expertise to carry out the procedure. We will assess your eligibility for a dental implant, discuss possible alternatives, and book an appointment to begin treatment once you have reached a decision.
Sedation Dentistry
Phobia of the dentist is common, and such fears lead many people to delay or avoid treatment — even regular checkups. However, left alone, even the simplest problems can become serious and undiagnosed issues more difficult to treat. A far better solution than shirking the dentist is to overcome your fears. At Erbsville Dental we can help you — with our sedation dentistry services.
Sedation Dentistry Explained
Unlike general anaesthesia, sedation keeps you awake but helps you feel relaxed and less anxious. Depending on the extent of sedation, you may remember little or none of the procedure, although you will be conscious the entire time. Your reflexes will remain intact and you will be able to move and react to instructions from the dentist.
Who Is Eligible for Sedation Dentistry?
Whether you are nervous to terrified, you can receive sedation for any type of treatment, from a routine cleaning to complex work. Sedation dentistry is particularly suited to:
- Those who have never received dental treatment before
- Patients who had a bad experience in the past
- People with a low pain threshold, sensitive teeth, or poor gag reflex
- Anyone unable to sit still in the dentist chair (including children), especially in the case the dental work will take a long time to complete
The Sedation Process
There are two ways to receive sedation:
Inhaled
For minimal sedation, patients inhale nitrous oxide, which you may know as laughing gas. A mask will be placed over your nose and you will breathe normally. This method allows your dentist to adjust the sedative throughout the treatment. Although you will quickly feel a sense of calm, the effects wear off soon after you remove the mask. Minimal sedation is a viable option for those who are a little agitated about dental work but want to drive themselves home after the treatment.
Oral or Nitrous Sedation
For moderate sedation, you can take oral medication around one hour before you arrive at the clinic. You will feel sleepy, speaking may become difficult, and you will need someone to bring you and take you home after the treatment, as you will be unable to drive yourself. The dentist is likely to recommend this option if you suffer from severe anxiety.
Is Dental Sedation Safe?
When provided by a trained and experienced dentist like Dr. Mathews, sedation is completely safe and unlikely to lead to any side effects. However, to ensure sedation will result in no complications, we will first check your medical history, take into consideration any medication you are currently taking, and discuss potential risks with you.
Never let anxiety or a phobia stand in the way of your oral health. Before your next teeth cleaning or dental treatment, talk to us about sedation and whether it could be the right solution to quell your fears.
Invisalign
In the past, the cost of straight teeth was uncomfortable and unattractive braces. Now, you can correct your teeth without anyone knowing — with Invisalign.
What Is Invisalign?
With Invisalign, clear plastic aligners adjust the position of your teeth gradually. The treatment can correct misalignment, overbite, underbite, crooked teeth, and overcrowding, provided that problems are not too severe. By using the device for between 20 and 22 hours per day, your teeth will be perfectly aligned in one year or less.
When you choose Invisalign, your dentist will take a 3D image of your teeth and create a simulation to show you how your teeth will change over the course of the treatment. Your dentist will also use computer models to produce a treatment schedule with 20 to 30 customized aligners for you to use in a series. You will need to come to the clinic every four to six weeks for us to check your progress and change your aligner.
Benefits of Invisalign
The advantages of Invisalign go beyond aesthetics, making this device popular with adults and teenagers alike.
- It is comfortable. Aligners are less than a millimeter thick and fit close to your teeth. No tightening is involved as with braces.
- It is removable. You can take out your aligners for eating (to continue enjoying all your favorite foods) and for sports (to prevent damage to the aligner).
- You will maintain good oral health. You will have no problem brushing and flossing your teeth.
- The aligners are easy to care for. You will receive an Invisalign cleaning kit to keep your aligners in top condition, but you can also rinse the aligners in cold water whenever you wish.
Find out if Invisalign is right for you by scheduling a consultation at our clinic. We will discuss the treatment as it will relate to you personally, including how to use coverage from your insurance plan and potential flexible payment options.
Wisdom Tooth Removal
Around the end of your teen years, it is likely that wisdom teeth began erupting in the back of your mouth. Many people have insufficient space for this final set of molars and the teeth never fully develop or remain partially under the gums. Even if this is causes you no discomfort, there are several reasons why your dentist may decide it is best to extract the teeth.
Why Extract Wisdom Teeth?
When wisdom teeth remain under the gums, it is difficult to brush properly and oral hygiene suffers. Bacteria building up below the surface often leads to pericoronitis, an infection with symptoms including swelling of the gums, pain when eating, bad breath, and even cysts.
Other reasons to remove wisdom teeth include:
- Damage to other teeth or jaw due to wisdom teeth erupting at an angle
- Overcrowding, which may reverse the effects of previous treatments
- Sinus problems
How Do We Extract Wisdom Teeth?
Most patients receive local anaesthesia for the extraction process, but general anaesthesia may be an option if work is particularly complex, such as if your dentist is extracting all your wisdom teeth at the same time. In the case of the latter, you will be asleep throughout the surgery.
The process involves first opening the gum tissue and removing any bone covering the tooth. Your dentist will then separate the tissue holding the tooth to the bone to extract the tooth itself. It may be necessary to cut the tooth into segments for easier removal.
After the tooth extraction, you may receive stitches that either dissolve or require removal a few days later. Your dentist will apply gauze to the extraction area to control bleeding.
Aftercare
As wisdom tooth extraction involves surgery, it is important you adhere to your dentist’s aftercare instructions. Recovery is typically fast and bleeding should cease within 24 hours, during which time you will need to change the gauze pad frequently. To decrease bleeding, keep your head raised, avoid strenuous activity, and drink without a straw. If you are still bleeding after a full day, call your dentist.
Your dentist will likely prescribe an analgesic for you to take for a few days and may suggest you use an ice pack on your cheek for the first day, followed by a warm washcloth for the following two or three days. Another way to reduce pain and swelling is to rinse your mouth with warm saline water several times throughout the first day.
You will need to stick to liquid foods initially, progressing to solids gradually. You should also refrain from smoking for at least 24 hours to keep bacteria and contaminants away from the site of extraction. You will be able to clean your teeth, but be careful to avoid contact with the surgery area both with your brush and tongue.
Book an appointment at our clinic if you have any concerns about your wisdom teeth. If you feel anxious about the procedure, remember to ask us about nitrous sedation.