339 Hancock Street, North Quincy, MA 02171 | Serving Quincy, Dorchester, and the South Shore
DMD, FAGD, FICOI, PC
Preventative and Restorative
Prophylaxis (cleaning)
By maintaining your professional cleanings we are able to ensure continuous oral health and removal of plaque and deposits before it accumulates to periodontal adverse buildup. We also encourage good oral hygiene habits and review technique, products on the market, and nutritional choices.
We firmly believe that the foundation to lifelong oral health begins with routine basic treatment. Our core beliefs are providing personalized treatment and taking a gentle approach to patient care.
ORAL CANCER SCREENINGS
According to the American Cancer Society, about 49,670 people will get oral or orapharyngeal cancer each year in The United States. Certain lifestyle choices such as avoiding risk factors can help with prevention. They include limit smoking and drinking alcohol, limit exposure to ultraviolet radiation, eating a healthy diet, wearing properly fitted dentures, be aware of HPV exposure, and treat pre-cancerous growths as soon as possible. Areas of concern are leukoplakia or erythroplakia patches in the mouth, or areas that don’t heal.
Please call our office and schedule an appointment if you have a concern in your mouth.
Safe Mercury/ Amalgam Removal Technique
Silver or amalgam fillings have historically been the most common material placed in peoples mouth until recently. Although composite restorations are now more popular, there are millions of people with several old and leaking amalgam restorations. Amalgam is a combination of metals, including silver, tin, mercury, copper, and sometimes zinc or palladium. The mercury in this mixture of ingredients main purpose is to make these ingredients more pliable to mold and shape the filling. It is the mercury exposure that has been associated with numerous health problems in people.
If you are concerned about your old amalgam fillings do not hesitate to call our Quincy office for safe amalgam mercury filling removal. We are certified and trained in the technique approved for safe amalgam restoration removal. During your visit we will evaluate the amalgam fillings for wear and leakage and check if there are cavities or cracks underneath them. We will consult with you and
weigh the risk/benefit for your particular case to make the best decision for your oral and overall health.
Mercury free tooth colored fillings
White fillings also known as composite resins have been the material of choice for many patients needing to restore the decayed portion of their teeth. Composite resin is made from a mixture of plastic and glass. After carefully removing the cavity, we condition the tooth with an etchant and place a bonding material. We then place layers of the composite material and light cure it. Placing layers of material to harden verses bulk filling a single layer gives a much better outcome but takes a little loner. We are able to select a specific shade to match the color of the tooth we are restoring. This gives a natural appearance. The dentist then adjusts the bite for comfort and polishes the composite to prevent premature wear and staining.
In addition, we are up to date on material composition. We carefully select our materials that we feel are the most biocompatible product available in dentistry for our patients. We have restorative composite filling materials that are BPA free, and free of other non-biocompatible components.
Senior Dental Care
As we age the mouth is one area in our bodies where challenges may occur. It is important to focus on proper nutrition, preventive care and brush and floss twice daily. Many medications that seniors take can cause dry mouth. Dry mouth makes wearing dentures uncomfortable and patients can get cavities easier.
Bone loss is also common with denture patients as they age. It is important to make sure the dentures are properly fitted for optimal use.
Additional Services Provided to Seniors:
-Reline/ repair of existing dentures
-Single tooth implant, implant retained bridge, and implant supported dentures
-Fabrication of new custom complete or partial dentures
-Dry mouth evalution
-Treating coronal or root caries
-Oral cancer screening
Root Canal Therapy
Tooth Sensitivity:
Sensitive teeth can stem from a variety of causes. Here is a list of common culprits:
1. Toothbrush abrasion- people may often brush a little too aggressively. This can wear down the outer layers of enamel and expose the dentin, which is sensitive to cold. We recommend to use a soft bristle toothbrush.
2. Old, leaking fillings. When a filling has an “open margin” this can cause fluids and perhaps bacteria to get underneath.
3. Tooth grinding. This may attribute to wearing down the top part of the teeth, creating an off balance bite, or also contributing to abfraction, which is loss of enamel at the gum line.
4. Gum recession. in advanced cases the sensitive structure of the root, cementum, is exposed causing sensitivity.
5. Acid erosion
Root Canal Treatment:
One common reason for needing a root canal is an infected tooth. Over time a cavity invaded the dentin until it slowly reached the pulp chamber, or nerve of the tooth. The bacteria involved in the cavity slowly builds up to the point of an infection. Teeth that are chipped or have lost a filling also may need a root canal. Whenever the delicate internal portion of the tooth is exposed it is an opportunity for bacteria to enter the pulp chamber. Trauma to a tooth such as blunt force impact may also cause nerve damage. If your tooth sustained any type of trauma whether it is broken or intact it is a good idea to get it evaluated.
Internal Bleaching:
Front teeth that have a root canal or nerve long gone tend to darken from the inside over time. This procedure doesn’t change the shape or remove tooth structure. A selection of ingredients will be placed over a certain period of time to produce the desired results. Talk to your dentist to determine which is the best product to use.
Cracked Teeth:
Over the years teeth can be affected by severe wear. Fillings that are large and deep can often contribute to small cracks in the surrounding tooth structure that slowly grow. This can cause the surrounding cusp to break off. Other contributing factors are bruxism/ grinding and eating hard foods.
If the crack extends to the nerve a root canal needs to be done, which sometimes happens. In extensive cases the tooth needs to be removed. If it is minor and depending on the cause we can do less involved procedures.
Cracked tooth syndrome: often difficult to diagnose. People may experience symptoms for some time before being diagnosed. The cracks may be hard to detect with the naked eye and are often under a restoration or natural tooth. Your dentist will be able to diagnose a cracked tooth syndrome with a variety of tests.
TMJ/ BRUXISM
Bruxism, or grinding/ clenching of the teeth is a fairly common occurence. It can happen with both pediatric and adult patients. Consistent grinding can cause a bite imbalance, headaches, migranes, and in extreme cases ultimately cause deterioration of the dentition and nerve exposure. We are able to mitigate the effects of chronic bruxism with a variety of different types of custom fitted occlusal guards. In some cases we can evaluate how your teeth meet. In cases of this type of parafunction there may be uneven contact points between the upper and lower teeth. These contact points cause extra stress on the masticatory system. Occlusal equilibration is the method used by dentists to reduce pressure from the uneven contact points to promote a more even bite.
