Lakind Dental Group

Preventive care In many ways this is the most important care we provide. The best way to treat dental problems is to prevent them from happening. As you would expect, preventive care includes regular professional cleaning along with good home care and a healthy diet. But it also means a focus on education, early detection and, when necessary, quick intervention to avoid minor issues from becoming major ones. Our preventative services include screening for oral cancer. For more information on oral cancer screening, visit The Oral Cancer Foundation(OCF) website at www.oralcancer.org.

Periodontal therapy Healthy gums, including the soft tissue and bone that surrounds your teeth, is one of the most important elements of dental health. Our highly skilled and gentle dental hygienists are passionate about their profession. Their non-surgical approach is aimed at preventing gum disease and helping you maintain your teeth for a lifetime. They consult closely with the doctors to determine if further care is needed.

Occlusion & TMD Occlusion refers to the position of the teeth when the jaws are closed. In other words, how the teeth meet when you bite together. Even though occlusion is one of the three most fundamental elements of total dental health, it is often misunderstood, ignored or mistreated.

One of the many problems associated with a dysfunctional occlusion (bite) is TMD- temporo-mandibular dysfunction (sometimes incorrectly known as TMJ.) Signs and symptoms can include worn, broken or loose teeth, sensitive teeth, headaches and joint pain.

We include an occlusal screening in our routine examination. However, when symptoms dictate, we will suggest an in-depth analysis of the occlusal system. This is a very important part of preventive dentistry and will help to avoid the destructive consequences of failure to treat.

Tooth-colored fillings Unsightly metal fillings can expand over time, contain mercury, and can cause teeth to break. We work with durable porcelain and ceramic composites that, once in place, are indistinguishable from the surrounding tooth. And, since these mercury-free composites bond to the tooth, they help to strengthen it.

Dental crowns A crown is a tooth-shaped covering for a tooth that is badly damaged or decayed. Crowns can give support to a weak tooth, help support a bridge, or cover up a badly chipped or cracked tooth, restoring that tooth to its proper form and function. Crowns can be made of ceramic (porcelain) material, ceramic with a high noble metal substructure, or full or partial gold.

Root canals Left untreated, sometimes decay may progress into the pulp of a tooth. A root canal procedure – the cleaning, prepping and sealing of the tooth’s root system – can usually be accomplished in one appointment and enable long-term retention of the tooth.


COSMETIC DENTISTRY

Tooth whitening (ZOOM!™) Though we have the well-known Zoom system, we strongly recommend a system called “deep bleaching”.

It’s the most scientifically advanced tooth whitening procedure available today. It’s safe (no sensitive teeth and gums) and extremely effective.

Talk to us about the differences between these systems. We also offer the more traditional take home bleaching systems.

Porcelain veneers (Now offering Cerinate Lumineers®) For teeth that are stained, chipped, or crooked, porcelain veneers are often the best remedy. Veneers are a more conservative treatment than crowns. They can hide stains and chips and can correct misalignments as well. Veneers can create a straight, white, beautiful smile in weeks.

Bonding Bonding can be a relatively simple solution for repairing discolored, cracked, or chipped teeth, or for filling in gaps between teeth. With bonding we apply a composite resin to teeth and smooth it into the appropriate shape, color and texture.

Orthodontics (Clear braces) We are proud to offer the most discreet orthodontic braces available today – the Invisalign® option. Invisalign® consists of a series of removable custom-made aligner trays that are completely invisible. This means that no one will even know you are straightening your teeth. You can eat, drink, and floss throughout treatment without the problems associated with traditional braces. The Invisalign® method is also much more comfortable than wire braces.


RESTORATIVE DENTISTRY

Dental bridges Dental bridges are designed to fill gaps created by missing teeth. A bridge often consists of two crowns that fit on the teeth on either side of the gap and an artificial tooth that fits perfectly into the empty space between. This creates a uniform row of natural-looking teeth. Bridges are non-removable and usually composed of a combination of metal and ceramic (porcelain) materials.

Dental implants If you are missing one or more teeth, dental implants can provide you with a natural-looking, highly functional alternative to bridges. Dental implants use a surgically placed “titanium root” capped by a natural-looking aesthetic crown.

Dentures Dentures, either full or partial, are removable restorations, sometimes with hidden clasps that utilize the remaining natural teeth or implants for retention and stability.