At Dentistry by Brian Weber, we want to help you get the most out of your dentist visits to keep your teeth healthy for life! We’ll provide comprehensive dental care and equip you with the best practices and dental products for maintaining a healthy smile at home.
Routine dental cleanings and regular checkups are a critical part of oral health. Visiting the dentist every six months gives you the chance to discuss questions about your oral health with Dr. Weber and find out about new treatments that could brighten your smile even more!
Here’s what you can expect your dental hygienist to do during your regular checkup:
It’s not enough to visit the dentist regularly — you need to keep good oral hygiene habits at home, too! Preventative dental care is necessary to maintain a bright, healthy smile throughout your life. Here are a few simple tips for preventing plaque and cavity buildup:
Gum disease, also known as periodontal disease, is an infection of the gums surrounding your teeth. Gum disease is one of the top reasons for tooth loss in adults, and because it is virtually pain-free, many patients do not know they have it. During each regular checkup, Dr. Weber will check for signs of periodontal disease by measuring the space between your teeth and gums.
Treatment for gum disease can vary based on the severity a patient experiences. Typically, periodontal disease can be treated with at-home periodontal trays and deep cleaning from your dentist. However, full treatment may require periodontal surgery, laser gum surgery, or dental implants in severe cases.
Scheduling regular dental checkups and cleanings can help you mitigate gum disease and maintain a healthy smile. And good oral hygiene at home can help you avoid it altogether! Remember to brush your teeth regularly, floss regularly, and eat a balanced diet.
Traditional dental restoratives, or fillings, may include gold, porcelain, and composite. Newer dental fillings include ceramic and plastic compounds that mimic the appearance of natural teeth. These compounds, often called composite resins, are usually used on the front teeth where a natural appearance is important. Still, they can also be used on the back teeth depending on the location and extent of the tooth decay.
Before your treatment begins, Dr. Weber will discuss all your options with you and determine the best filling for your needs. To help you prepare for this discussion, it’s helpful to know the two basic types of dental fillings: direct and indirect fillings.
Direct fillings are immediately placed into a prepared cavity and are done in one appointment. Direct fillings include glass ionomers, resin ionomers, and composite (resin) fillings.
Indirect fillings typically require two or more visits to complete. Indirect fillings include inlays, onlays, veneers, crowns, and bridges fabricated with gold, base metal alloys, ceramics, or composites.
Root canals are relatively simple procedures involving one to three office visits. Best of all, having a root canal when necessary can save your tooth and your smile!
Dr. Weber will remove the affected tissue during treatment, then clean and seal the tooth’s interior. Finally, he will fill the tooth with a dental composite. As long as you continue to care for your teeth and gums with regular brushing, flossing, and checkups, your restored tooth can last a lifetime.
If you experience any of these symptoms, contact our office at (952) 925-3555.
Oral sedation dentistry allows us to provide several dental treatments safely and comfortably to our patients who may be anxious about the pain associated with dental visits. Patients who have chosen oral sedation dentistry will tell you it’s a simple, relaxing, pain-free way to experience dentistry!
Sedatives can be administered through inhalation, oral consumption, intramuscular (IM) administration, and intravenous (IV) administration. With oral sedation, you will be awake and conscious of the procedure, but will not experience any pain or discomfort.
Any certified dentist and licensed to administer oral sedation has undergone additional specialty training. They are legally certified by their state’s Board of Dental Examiners to deliver medical drugs for a comfortable, pain-free treatment.
Millions of Americans suffer from chronic facial and neck pain, as well as recurring headaches. In some cases, this pain is due to Temporomandibular Disorder, or TMD.
Your temporomandibular joints (TMJ) connect your lower jawbone to your skull. These joints get a lot of use throughout the day as you speak, chew, swallow, and yawn. Pain in and around these joints can be unpleasant and may even restrict movement.
While snoring is a common problem for many people, it can also be a sign of other major health complications. Typically, snoring is caused by the relaxing of the muscles and soft tissues in the throat and mouth, making the air passage smaller.
Other causes of snoring may include:
A Mandibular Advancement Device (MAD) is a specially designed dental device that gently keeps the lower jaw (or mandible) in a forward position. This increases the space between the airway passage and helps you breathe better for a full night’s sleep!
Dr. Weber will fit these special appliances to your specific needs and condition. Rest assured that these devices are made to be comfortable so you can sleep the whole night through without realizing you’re wearing them! You may experience some jaw stiffness for the first few nights, but this feeling is temporary. Contact us at (952) 925-3555 to schedule your consultation today!
Oral cancer kills one person every hour in the U.S. Without proper detection methods, a person may have oral cancer and not even know it. A patient’s five-year survival rate is 80-90% greater by diagnosing and treating oral cancer early.
The VELscope® screening system consists of a specialized white light source and viewing scope that make it easier for your doctor to look closely at the tissues inside your mouth. Normal tissues will almost glow a bright green color. However, abnormal tissue shows up much darker under the special light.
An abnormal screening does not always mean that the patient has cancer. If an abnormal screening occurs, your doctor may schedule a second scan later to see if the dark spots disappear or may choose to perform a gentle, non-invasive brush biopsy to make sure it’s not cancer.
Contact Dentistry by Brian Weber to schedule a complimentary, no-obligation oral cancer screening with a VELscope® examination.
DIAGNOdent™ is a revolutionary new way for your dentist to find even the smallest areas of tooth decay and cavities. By using the advanced DIAGNOdent™ technology, we can treat small cavities and areas of tooth decay before they become more significant issues requiring multiple procedures.
DIAGNOdent™ uses a precise laser scanning system to scan over all of your teeth while sending out an audio signal and registering a digital read-out. DIAGNOdent™ is comfortable and takes only a few short minutes to examine your entire mouth for cavities and decay.