General Dentistry

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MORE THAN AN OUNCE OF PREVENTION.

While we prioritize aesthetics, our foundation is built on excellent oral health. Our approach to general dentistry is rooted in wellness and prevention. We start by evaluating your overall health, as well as the condition of your teeth, gums, jaw, and mouth. From there, we’ll create a tailored treatment plan to address both immediate and long-term needs. Alongside preventive care, we’re fully equipped to handle any restorative or cosmetic dental treatments that may be required. By addressing issues early, you can avoid more costly procedures in the future. However, should the need arise, we’re also skilled in providing complex treatments such as crowns, implants, or full reconstructions.

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Oral Health Exams

Before any work begins, each patient receives a thorough examination and health assessment. This typically includes digital x-rays and a complete survey and charting of your teeth, including cavities, restorations and missing teeth.
We also evaluate your periodontal health, occlusion (teeth position and bite) and TMJ (jaw joint), as well as screen for oral cancer. Of course, your exam will include a personal evaluation from Dr. Bryant or Dr. Pavinee, where they will discuss your needs, answer your questions and make recommendations for treatment.

Comprehensive Exam and Consultation

For patients who need extensive treatment or significant cosmetic changes, we conduct a more thorough examination. Depending on your specific needs, we may use additional tools such as digital x-rays, CT scans, plaster models, and other diagnostic methods, offering a more detailed assessment than a standard dental exam.

This additional information helps us get a more accurate picture of your health and treatment options, which is important if you need extensive care. For example, certain procedures, such as implants, require satisfactory underlying structures and soft tissues to support the reconstruction. If necessary, we may recommend certain procedures, such as bone or gum grafting, to better achieve a successful result. To ensure you have the best understanding of your health and treatment options, we often create a multimedia presentation to use as a visual aid in discussing your needs and unique situation with you. We have found this really helps patients truly understand their options as well as the advantages and disadvantages of each procedure.

Ultrasonic Cleaning and Maintenance

Using ultrasonic technology, we can provide thorough and comfortable cleanings, even in the most challenging cases. The device employs gentle, high-frequency sound waves to create vibrations (known as cavitation), which effectively remove heavy deposits and debris with far less scraping.

Routine professional cleanings are crucial for keeping your teeth and gums healthy. After each cleaning, you'll experience smoother teeth and fresher breath, leaving you feeling better overall.

Periodontal (Gum) Treatment

A healthy smile depends on healthy gums. Unfortunately, most adults have some degree of periodontal (gum) disease, which can lead to bleeding gums, gum recession, sensitivity and — in the worst case — tooth loss. In fact, periodontal disease is the most common cause of tooth loss among adults.

We offer the latest gum treatments to stop gum disease from progressing, which includes soft tissue management, medications, gum grafts and new tissue regenerative procedures. If your gums are detracting from the appearance of your smile, we also offer procedures such as gum lifts and pocket elimination surgery.

Sedation Dentistry

It’s not uncommon to have anxiety about dental treatment, especially when complex procedures are involved. When nitrous oxide gas or anti-anxiety medications are not enough, Dr. Pavinee can provide conscious sedation, which allows you to be near sleep while your work is completed.
With conscious sedation, you will be given oral medications, and we continuously monitor you for maximum safety and comfort. For more extreme anxiety, we also offer general anesthesia, administered by a certified anesthesiologist. Under general anesthesia, you are completely asleep during your procedure, waking up to a new, beautiful smile.

Technology

Dental technology has made great strides in recent years, and we have done more than just keep up. Our office features some of the most advanced equipment available, allowing us to thoroughly and accurately perform everything from routine care to complex procedures.

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FAQ

A healthy smile is the basis for a beautiful smile, and it is imperative that we get a complete picture of your oral health before any work can take place. In some cases, your requested procedure may be ineffective (bleaching for tetracycline stains) or even damaging (gum lifts for patients with certain health problems). Often, we can recommend alternative treatments to get similar results, but we need the information from your exam to know for sure.
A prosthodontist is best viewed as the “architect” of your smile. Dr. Pavinee will develop a treatment plan customized for each patient, which may include adjunctive procedures (such as orthodontics). We supervise everything to ensure the results live up to our exacting standards.
Most healthy people should get a checkup and cleaning every six months. If you have certain general health problems (such as diabetes or prior radiation treatment) or oral health issues (like periodontal disease or dry mouth), you should come in more often. We will make our recommendations during your first examination.
We’re always happy to see patients for regular wellness and preventive dentistry. In fact, we encourage it! If you live or work downtown, our office is very convenient. We also offer early-morning, lunchtime and after-work appointments for busy professionals.
No, our practice is focused on adult patients only, but if you need a good pediatric dentist, we’re happy to refer you to some excellent providers.
We realize that dental fear is very common, especially during more complex procedures, and we offer several levels of sedation. Nitrous oxide (or “laughing gas”) produces a subtle, relaxing effect that wears off immediately. In other cases, we have oral medication that provides a deeper level of relaxation. For patients undergoing serious procedures and/or who have severe anxiety, we offer total sedation under the care of a certified anesthesiologist.