Our Services

General Dentistry

General Dentistry services offered by Today's Dentistry include fillings, extractions, and Inlays, Onlays and Crowns. At Today's Dentistry is it our philosophy to catch decay in its beginning stages in order to catch the decay when it is small so that we have to remove as little natural tooth surface as possible. We can do this with our patients who come in for routine cleanings and check-ups. Sometimes, however if a patient waits too long and the decay is large it is necessary to remove a larger amount of tooth surface and either do a larger filling or an inlay or an onlay. It is an exciting time in Dentistry with the advent of Digital Tools like the Diagnodent which enable to measure decay that is not visible to the naked eye or the two dimension digital x-ray. Our dental hygienist and dentist will use the Diagnodent which doing your routine dental exam and checkup.                                         Make An Appointment Now!

Decay - What Is It?

Dental caries is the medical term for tooth decay or cavities. It is caused by acid erosion of tooth enamel when plague is left on teeth forming a sticky film. Some of the plaque bacteria convert sugar and carbohydrates (starches) in the foods we eat into acids. These acids dissolve minerals in the surface of the tooth. This erodes the enamel or creates pits in it that are too small too see at first. But they get larger over time. The damage can occur anywhere the tooth is exposed to plaque and acid. This includes the hard outer enamel on the tooth crown or parts of the root that have been exposed because of receding gums. Once decay penetrates the protective enamel, it can enter the softer, vulnerable dentin. This is the main body of the tooth.

Expected Duration

How long caries lasts only in the enamel without penetration of the dentin is determined by the stage at which it is found. White spots may indicate early caries that has not yet eroded through the enamel. Early caries may be reversed if acid damage is stopped and the tooth is given a chance to repair the damage naturally. Caries that has destroyed enamel cannot be reversed. Most caries will continue to get worse and deeper. With time, the tooth may decay down to the root. The amount of time the erosion takes will vary from person to person. Caries can erode to a painful level within months or years. At Today's Dentistry we recommend coming in for early caries detection every six months.

Prevention

You can prevent cavities by reducing the amount of plaque and bacteria in your mouth. The best way to do this is by daily brushing and flossing daily and getting professional dental cleanings twice a year. You also can reduce the amount of acid in your mouth by eating sugary or starchy foods less often during the day. Your mouth will remain acidic for several hours after eating, so snacking is more likely to lead to caries than avoiding between-meal snacks. Chewing gum that contains xylitol helps to counteract the acidity that occurs after eating.

Amalgum (Silver) Versus Composite (Tooth Colored) Fillings

A silver (or amalgam) filling is a mixture of approximately 50% silver/tin alloy and 50% mercury. After tooth decay is removed and cleaned, this gray colored material is packed into the tooth and shaped. Silver fillings have been used for more than 125 years. Their biggest advantage is that they are quickly placed, making them relatively inexpensive. Silver fillings do not bond (stick) to the tooth structure. This requires the removal of more healthy tooth structure than is necessary. This weakens the tooth and predisposes it to fracture when biting into hard items. Since fillings will break down from normal wear, they will eventually need to be replaced, and this will require the removal of even more healthy tooth structure.

Composite fillings cannot be seen when the patient opens their mouth when laughing, smiling, eating, or talking. Composite fillings are more than just attractive. They are non-toxic to the body and to the environment because they use no mercury. They are stronger because they bond directly to the surface of the tooth. They protect the tooth from fracturing because they don't require the severe "undercut" (removal of healthy tooth structure) of a mercury filling. Today's Dentistry offers the latest in composite filling dental materials as this has now become the preferable technology over silver fillings.

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