From cosmetic dentistry to full-mouth rehabilitation, our practice is equipped to handle all of your dental needs. To help you understand more about our office, we have included brief descriptions of some of our most common services on this page.

Initial Oral Examination

Your first visit at our office is very important in establishing your oral health baseline. We will perform a complete oral examination which includes an oral cancer screening, periodontal evaluation, an analysis of your occlusion (bite) and a thorough examination of your teeth, their supporting structures and of the oral anatomy.

The Preventive Program

Both natural teeth and teeth with restorations survive best in an oral environment that is clean and where proper oral hygiene is maintained. Our dental hygiene program is designed to help prevent new cavities, preserve teeth that have been restored and manage periodontal disease. At the initial visit with our hygienist, oral hygiene instructions are reviewed and are reinforced at subsequent recall visits.

Dental Fillings

Traditional dental restoratives, or fillings, include gold, amalgam, porcelain, and composite. With the advent of the newest technologies in dental science, today's state-of-the-art restorative materials include ceramic and the latest composite materials. These materials are not only strong and durable, but restore the look of natural teeth and are very aesthetically pleasing.

Crowns & Caps

The terms dental crowns and caps are synonymous. Crowns are typically used to restore a tooth's function and appearance following a restorative procedure such as a root canal. When decay in a tooth has become so advanced that large portions of the tooth must be removed, crowns are often used to restore the tooth. Crowns are also used to attach bridges, cover implants, or to prevent a cracked tooth from becoming worse. Crowns also serve an aesthetic use, and are applied when a discolored or stained tooth needs to be restored to its natural appearance. Crowns are fabricated in a laboratory and are made either of porcelain baked onto a metal substrate, all-porcelain, or many of the new ceramic materials that have been developed.

Bridges & Dentures

A bridge may be used to replace missing teeth, help maintain the shape of your face, and alleviate stress on your bite. A bridge replaces missing teeth with artificial teeth, looks great, and literally bridges the gap where one or more teeth may have been. Your bridge can be made from gold, alloys, porcelain, or a combination of these materials and is bonded onto surrounding teeth for support. There are two basic types of bridges. A fixed bridge which remains in your mouth at all times and is supported by your natural teeth. Removable bridges (partials and full dentures) are removed from the mouth several times a day for cleaning and rest on the gum where the missing teeth are being replaced.

Teeth Whitening

Our in-office state-of-the-art bleaching system will make your teeth whiter and brighter. You may also use our take home bleaching system to achieve a brighter and whiter smile in a matter of days.

Veneers

Gaps, chips, stains, or misshapen teeth can now be treated with wonderful results and very conservatively using porcelain veneers. Veneers are natural in appearance, and are a perfect alternative for patients wanting to make minor adjustments to the look and feel of their smile. Veneers are thin, custom-made shells made from tooth-colored materials (such as porcelain) designed to cover the front side of your teeth.

Sedation Dentistry

Sedation dentistry is oral conscious sedation. Unlike general anesthesia, which is generally administered in a hospital setting, sedation dentistry is a safe and effective technique which we can provide in our dental office. During sedation, the patient is conscious at all times and is breathing on his own. IV sedation allows us to perform all dental procedures while the patient is in a relaxed state and unaware that dentistry is being done. This technique is very effective for people who are excessively nervous about dental treatment.

Dr. Fandel performs IV sedation for wisdom teeth extractions.

IV Sedation involves a sedative that is administered intravenously, or directly into a vein. It is indicated when deeper sedation is required and offers a comfortable, stress-free experience for procedures like wisdom teeth extractions. This type of sedation starts to work very quickly and can get readily modified to regulate the patient's state of consciousness as well as continued for as long as the procedure requires.

IV Sedation requires an empty stomach. Patients receiving this type of sedation will be instructed as to how many hours prior to their surgical procedure they should stop eating or drinking. In addition to this, patients receiving IV sedation will need to have an escort present for the appointment and to be able to drive them home when the appointment is completed.

Wisdom Teeth or Third Molar Extractions

Wisdom teeth, which are also known as the third molars, are the last permanent teeth to develop in the oral cavity as well as the final ones to come into place. However, as is often the case, many wisdom teeth do not have sufficient room to erupt, are not developing correctly, or are causing issues for the adjacent teeth and the surrounding tissues. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons frequently see patients with impacted or problematic wisdom teeth for an evaluation or extractions as indicated.

A wisdom tooth is considered impacted when it is submerged under gum tissue or bone and unable to erupt into position. Based on the type and amount of overlying tissue, impactions are classified in a few different ways. Soft tissue impactions occur when a wisdom tooth remains covered by gum tissue. If a wisdom tooth remains completely or partially obstructed by bone, it's known as a bony impaction.

Impacted wisdom teeth can potentially cause many problems and may need to be removed when they are the source of:

• Pain
• Infection
• Cysts
• Tumors
• Damage to adjacent teeth
• Gum disease
• Extensive tooth decay

Although the extraction of wisdom teeth might be recommended for an older patient, the early removal of problematic or potentially problematic ones in young adults is often the case. 

As performed by a skilled oral and maxillofacial surgeon, the removal of wisdom teeth involves minimal discomfort. After reviewing the patient’s medical and dental history, our oral and maxillofacial surgeon performs a clinical exam and takes diagnostic images, including a 3D x-ray as needed. In this way, the most detailed view of the tooth's anatomy, position, the degree of impaction, and a comprehensive view of the nearby structures is obtained. Following this assessment, every option in care, and any potential complications are discussed. All procedures are performed under appropriate anesthesia and sedation as needed to ensure patient comfort. 

Following the extraction of wisdom teeth, postoperative instructions to control any bleeding or swelling, or other sequelae will be provided — also, a prescription for pain medication as needed, antibiotics, and an appointment for any follow-up care are given. 

Implant Dentistry

If a tooth is extracted or missing for some other reason, it is now possible to replace it using dental implants. An implant is a new tooth made of metal and porcelain that looks just like your natural tooth. It's composed of two main parts: One part is the titanium implant body that takes the place of the missing root, and the second part is the tooth-colored crown that is cemented on top of the implant. In addition to tooth replacement, implants may be used to anchor dentures, especially lower dentures that tend to shift when you talk or chew. For patients with removable partial dentures, implants can replace missing teeth so that you have a more natural-looking smile.

Night Guards

If you grind your teeth while you sleep, a bite guard will reduce symptoms of TMJ problems. We custom make mouth guards in both soft and hard materials.

Periodontal Treatment

Periodontal treatment methods depend upon the type and severity of the disease. Periodontal disease progresses as the sulcus (pocket or space) between the tooth and gums gets filled with bacteria, plaque and tartar, causing irritation to the surrounding tissues. When these irritants remain in the pocket space, they can cause damage to the gums and eventually, the bone that supports the teeth. If the disease is caught in the early stages of gingivitis, and no permanent damage has been done, one to two regular cleanings will be recommended. You will also be given instructions on improving your daily oral hygiene habits and having regular dental cleanings. If the disease has progressed to more advanced stages, a special periodontal cleaning called scaling and root planing (deep cleaning) will be recommended. If the pockets do not heal after scaling and root planing, periodontal surgery may be needed to reduce pocket depths.