Plaque & Tartar

Plaque, a combination of bacteria, saliva, and food remnants can easily get stuck to your teeth. Plaque can harden into tartar, which can only be cleaned by a dentist with special tools. Plaque and tartar can cause the following dental issues:

• Cavities: Tiny holes in your teeth.
• Tooth infections: When bacteria enter the inner parts of your tooth.
• Gum disease: Infection of the gums.
• Halitosis: Chronic bad breath.
• Tooth loss: The unnatural loss of multiple teeth.

Smart Dental Care can help you avoid these issues with dental cleanings.

Dental Cavities

Easily one of the most common dental issues, dental cavities are holes in the enamel of your teeth.

General dentistry examinations are key in catching cavities early. We can resolve the issue quite simply with dental fillings. If a cavity isn’t caught in the early stages, it can lead to an infection that puts the damaged tooth and the surrounding teeth at risk.

The modern dental filling is often made of a biocompatible material known as composite resin which is colored to match the color of your natural teeth. It’s great for cavities!

Oral Cancer Screening

An important part of a general dentistry appointment is cancer screening. The most common type of oral cancer is a condition called squamous cell carcinoma. The squamous cells are the lining of your mouth.

During a cancer screening, we look for certain signs and symptoms that could indicate something is not quite right:

• A white or red patch inside your mouth
• A lump or swelling
• A sore that doesn’t go away
• Loose teeth and mouth pain

Various treatment options are available depending on the severity of your condition and the type of cancer.

Gum Disease

While gum disease in any stage can cause painful swelling of your gums, it is also a serious medical concern. Periodontitis—the most severe form of gum disease—can severely damage the roots of your teeth, causing tooth loss and jawbone degeneration.

With routine dental checkups, stopping the advancement of gum disease is possible. These appointments include professional dental cleanings that remove problematic plaque and tartar. We can help you keep your gums clean and healthy with deep cleanings and gum disease treatment.

Toothaches

While a toothache can be caused by a cavity or dental trauma such as a fracture, it can also be a sign of a serious infection that can put your tooth at risk for removal. If a toothache is simply causing dental discomfort, many tend to put treatment off, but if you are experiencing any tooth pain, contact our office quickly!

We can fix your toothache with general dentistry treatments such as:

• Fillings
• Dental crowns
• Root canal therapy

Each service treats a different cause of tooth pain. Get rid of your toothache with general dentistry today!

Cracked or Broken Teeth

Accidents happen! Chipped, broken, or cracked teeth are fairly common dental mishaps. They are not just a blemish in your smile, however. Damaged teeth can lead to a few other dental problems:

• Tooth pain
• Decay
• Tooth infection
• Scratched/cut gums

Smart Dental Care has beautiful options for treatments to patch up cracks and fix the broken edges of teeth:

• Dental Crown: A cap that fits over the broken tooth.
• Dental Bonding: Moldable putty that can reshape a tooth.
• Porcelain Veneers: Thin layers of porcelain laid over the front of teeth.

Stained, Gapped, or Stunted Teeth

Are your teeth not looking the way you’d like? We have services that can improve those annoying teeth:

• Veneers: These thin porcelain sheets cover stains, build up stunted teeth, or fill in small gaps.
• Teeth Whitening: You can have a bright new smile in an hour! We offer take-home whitening kits for your convenience.
• Clear Aligners: Close gaps between teeth with SureSmile® aligners. These clear braces are more comfortable than traditional braces.
• Dental Bonding: Bonding is for building up small teeth and filling in gaps where food gets stuck.

Mouth Sores

Canker sores and cold sores aren’t any fun, but usually, they go away on their own without dental treatment.

Tips for caring for mouth sores:

• Avoid acidic foods
• Eat food high in iron
• Rinse and spit a little baking soda mixed with water
• Purchase an oral numbing agent from the pharmacy

If your mouth sore lasts longer than two weeks, pay us a visit. Some mouth sores, or abscesses, can signify an infection of the tooth or gums or even oral cancer, so it’s very important to seek treatment if you have a mouth sore that just isn’t going away.

Impacted Teeth

When a tooth has no room to erupt and therefore stays below the gumline, it is called impaction. This usually happens with wisdom teeth but can apply to other teeth as well. Impacted teeth can cause the following:

• Pain when chewing
• Shifting teeth
• Infection
• Tender jaw and gums
• Unpleasant taste when biting down with the affected area

If you notice any of these symptoms, we want to see you! Impacted teeth can be painful and damaging to your oral health. We can solve the problem with an extraction or with SureSmile® orthodontics to relieve your pain.

Tooth Erosion

Our teeth, unfortunately, are not designed to last forever. Even if we take excellent care of them, they will eventually get worn down from daily use. Tooth wear or tooth erosion is commonly asymptomatic, but you may experience:

• Sensitivity
• Pain when chewing
• Dark tooth stains
• More frequent cavities

At Smart Dental Care, you can keep your beautiful smile with treatments such as porcelain veneers, dental crowns, and dental bonding. Treating tooth erosion is important not only for your comfort but also to prevent tooth infection and tooth loss.