Unless you are a trained dentist, you probably don’t know about all of the modern dental services available to you. But, knowing which kinds of general dentistry treatments you can get could end up saving your smile (not to mention your pocketbook!). That’s why the team at Lakewood Dental Group is here to help you explore your options.
Dr. Shaun Sigurdson and Dr. Mihir Patel are dentists in Dallas, TX, specializing in patient-centered, affordable dental care. If you’re ready to get treatments tailored to your exact needs, then contact our team here or at (214) 827-1885 for scheduling.
In this blog post, we discuss six different types of modern dental services that you can get at our Dallas dental clinic. Knowing your options gives you the freedom to make the best choice for your smile, lifestyle, and budget.
Ultrasonic Dental Services
You might be familiar with the antiquated dental tools of yesteryear. Indeed, many of us have experienced the sharp, metal scalers used to poke, prod, and scrape around our mouths during a routine dental cleaning.
But, oh, how the times have changed!
Today, dentists have gentler tools at their disposal. Rather than using harsh metal scalers, our Dallas dentists use ultrasonic scalers. These unique scalers use the power of high-speed vibrations to loosen plaque and tartar buildup on the teeth.
This means that ultrasonic dental cleanings are:
- More effective
- Less painful
- Deliver better, longer-lasting results
- Save you time and money
Root Canal Therapy Using Apex Locators
Root canal therapy has a reputation for being one of the most traumatic dental services. But, similar to ultrasonic dental cleaning, the times have changed.
In today’s world, dentists can harness the power of new dental technology to help them deliver the highest caliber of care. One way that our dentists use advanced dental technology is with apex locators for root canals.
Apex locators find exactly where the roots of our teeth end. This is helpful because it allows our team to completely remove a root canal infection before sealing the tooth with a dental crown. As a result, root canals using apex locators have an extraordinarily high success rate of roughly 98%.
Low-Radiation Digital X-Rays
Historically, dental x-rays required a decent amount of radiation to collect images of our teeth and bones. In fact, a single dental x-ray delivered a dose of radiation that was the equivalent of days of ambient radiation exposure.
For many patients, this amount of x-ray exposure may not damage the DNA in their cells. But, other patients (like expectant parents and children), may be at a higher risk of cellular damage.
Luckily, our dentists in Dallas use digital x-rays.
Unlike traditional x-rays, digital x-rays use up to 90% less radiation to capture images with crystal clarity. This makes them safer for all patients, including expectant parents and children.
Non-Surgical Gum Disease Treatment
Gum disease is an inflammatory condition in which the gum tissue gradually weakens and recedes. This can lead to a whole range of oral health issues, including permanent tooth loss. And, unfortunately, gum disease will affect almost all of us at some point in our lives.
Experts believe that over 40% of American adults aged 30 and older have gum disease. Incidence rates only increase as we get older, with data suggesting that roughly 70% of adults aged 65 and over have the condition.
Gum disease can be difficult to treat. But, modern treatments (like non-surgical gum disease treatment) can help patients eliminate bacterial infections and repair gingival tissue.
Non-surgical gum disease dental services may include:
- Antibiotics: Gum disease is an active bacterial infection in the gum tissue. Antibiotics can eliminate disease-causing bacteria, which gives the gums time and energy to heal.
- Scaling: With the help of ultrasonic dental tools, our dentists in Dallas can easily and comfortably remove plaque and tartar, which harbor disease-causing bacteria.
- Root planing: Root planing takes place after scaling. This dental service smooths the roots of teeth to prevent plaque from forming around and below the gumline again.
Fully-Guided Implant Surgery
Dental implants are replacement tooth roots. As such, they are an ideal way to replace missing teeth and complete your smile.
Ordinarily, an oral surgeon manually inserts the implant directly into the jawbone. But, this leaves room for error.
Today, our Dallas dentists use advanced computer software to analyze images of your mouth. Using these images, we create custom-made guides that help us accurately place implants for optimal stability.
Fully-guided implant surgery leaves little room for error. This modern approach to implant surgery may be why many dental implants have a 98% survival rate over five years.
Neuromuscular Dental Services
If you want to get to the root of tooth and jaw pain, then neuromuscular dentistry may be the answer. This branch of dental science studies the way our oral structures align and interact, which is helpful for treating occlusal issues and temporomandibular joint disorders (TMDs).
TMD treatment is one of the most popular dental services, as roughly a third of the population displays at least one sign of the condition. Oral appliances (like custom night guards) offer protection and cushion against teeth grinding while taking tension off of the jaw joints.
Alternatively, occlusal adjustments using modern dental services (like Invisalign®) may be an easy way to get lasting relief from TMDs and other orofacial myofunctional disorders.
The major perk of neuromuscular dentistry is our team’s ability to address the root cause of dental issues rather than treat their symptoms. This is important because it means that you may be able to prevent years of pain and dysfunction with simple solutions today.
Modern Dental Services in Dallas, TX
These are just a few of the modern dental services that we offer at our Dallas dental office. We have plenty more treatments that you can explore with our team at a patient consultation. If you’re ready to meet our team and learn more about our dental services, then request an appointment at (214) 827-1885 or online here now!
