Patient Services

To make a visit our office enjoyable, we provide complimentary coffee and ice water. Have children? Bring them along to play with the fun array of toys we have waiting for them in the play area. While getting your dental needs taken care of, enjoy watching your favorite program on television or just relax and enjoy the picturesque view of the Sierras while listening to soothing music. Especially for children, there are a variety of movies they can choose from to keep them amused.

Common Procedures

We have listed some of the most common procedures. If you have any questions about a dental treatment or procedure, feel free to give us a call.

Initial Exam
Full Mouth X-Rays
Prophylaxis
Root Planing
Root Canal Treatment
Crown
Post and Care

Initial Exam
At your first appointment you receive a comprehensive exam. The exam consists of x-rays, which provide the doctor with an internal view of your tooth structure. This enables her to check for decay, check the health of the bone, and helps her detect any other abnormalities that may not be visible with a visual exam.

The initial exam also includes a periodontal probing. The periodontal probe measures the pocket depths around the teeth, which is an indicator of your overall bone and gum health.

Normal readings are with in the 1-3mm range. Anything above 3mm could be an indicator that periodontal disease is setting in, and the tooth's stability may be at risk.

Full Mouth X-Rays
If you are over 18 and you have not had a full mouth series (FMX) of films within the last 5 years with another dentist, your initial visit will include a FMX. A FMX involves 18 separate films, which allows the doctor to examine your entire set of tooth roots,the bone structure, and areas between your teeth.

X-Rays are vital in helping determine your dental health. If you have a FMX from a previous dentist, we will be happy to give them a call and have them transferred to us. If an FMX is not needed, then a check up series is taken consisting of 6 films. The check up series is used in conjunction with your FMX to determine the current state of your dental health and what, if any, changes have occurred since your last check up.

Prophylaxis
This is the clinical term for a dental cleaning, also known as a prophy. If your overall dental health is within normal limits, a bi-annual check up includes a general cleaning. During this procedure the hygienist removes calculus and plaque from your teeth, and polishes them with a paste to help remove any external staining caused by coffee, tea, soda, cigarettes, and similar agents.

Root Planing
If during your initial exam the doctor determines that your gum and bone levels are in the unhealthy range you will be scheduled to return for root planing. Root planing is a deep cleaning procedure where 1-2 quarters of your mouth are cleaned at a time (such as, the upper left or the lower right).

Because root planing is intensive, it is necessary to numb the area so that the hygienist is able to thoroughly clean out the pockets in an area. Once the root planing procedure has been performed on your entire mouth, you will return 3 months later to take new measurements and re-evaluate the overall condition of your gum and bone levels.

Diligent home care is necessary for maintaining healthy gums. Depending on the diligence of your home care regiem and physiology, it may also be necessary to have you return every 3 or 4 months to help ensure a healthy mouth. Once your teeth and gums are well maintained for a year, you may able to move to 6 month intervasl for cleanings.

Root Canal Treatment
If your tooth has decay that penetrates the nerve, it is necessary to perform a root canal treatment (RCT). This procedure consists of 2 visits. During the first visit the tooth is opened and allowed to drain. You may be given a prescription for an antibiotic to help clear up the infection. The second visit, a week later, the doctor fills the tooth with a material to help stabilize it, and then the tooth is sealed. Usually upon completion of this procedure, a post/core and crown are necessary as the tooth is now susceptible to breakage.

Crown
A crown is an artificial tooth that is either made with porcelain fused to metal or gold. The tooth is prepared and a temporary crown is fabricated and placed over the tooth until you return about 2 ½ weeks later for your permanent crown to be cemented.

Post and Core
This is necessary for a root canal treated tooth that requires a crown as the post and core build up is used as the foundation for the crown, to prevent breakage.