Patient Services
General and Preventive Dentistry
Checkups & Cleanings
A preventive dental cleaning (prophylaxis) is done every six months. In our office, a dental cleaning includes removal of plaque, tarter, and stain, an assessment for gum disease (periodontal disease), patient education and product recommendations. X-rays are taken once a year to detect cavities or any other problems that you may be having. Dr. German checks each patient’s overall dental health and also does a cancer screening.
Children’s Dentistry
Our team welcomes children age 3 and over. The first time we see a child, we do as much
as the child is willing. If a child is not ready for x-rays, we will not force the child to do so. We do “happy visits” for children to get them accustomed to the dental environment. Children are also seen every six months.
Fluoride Treatment
Fluoride helps create strong healthy teeth. We recommend a fluoride treatment for all children and adults prone to cavities.
Gum Disease Treatment
Red, swollen and bleeding gums are a sign of infection. After assessing the extent of the infection, we will recommend the appropriate treatment. Untreated gum disease can result in loss of bone around the teeth and eventual loss of teeth.
More Info: http://www.ada.org/public/topics/periodontal_diseases.asp#ar
Desensitizing Treatments
We offer 2 types of desensitizing treatments which include a take home paste and an in office treatment. Patients have the option to do both of these methods or just one.
Sealants
Sealants are a great way to protect against cavities. Sealants are a plastic-like material that is bonded to the chewing surfaces of teeth. They are generally placed on permanent molars and sometimes premolars. More info: http://www.ada.org/public/topics/sealants_faq.asp
Restorative and Replacement Dentistry
Tooth-Colored Composite Fillings
Composite fillings are strong, durable, and cosmetically more pleasing than silver amalgam fillings. Composite fillings are less likely to cause fractures in teeth because, unlike amalgam fillings, they are bonded to the tooth.
More info: http://www.ada.org/public/topics/fillings.asp#composite
Cerec One-Visit Crowns, Onlays & Inlays
A Cerec crown is a new revolutionary way to do crowns or onlays. A computer picture is taken of the tooth after it is prepared. Through the use of a computer program, a crown or onlay is designed that will exactly fit your tooth. It is then milled in the Cerec machine in our office and cemented at the same appointment.
More info: http://www.cereconline.com/cerec/
Conventional Crowns
A crown feels and looks just like a natural tooth and is needed when there is no longer enough tooth structure left to do a filling or Cerec. This may be because of the tooth breaking, fracturing or having a very large cavity. It can be made of ceramic, metal, or porcelain-covered metal. A crown is a two appointment process. At the first appointment, the tooth is prepared, impressions are taken, and a temporary crown is made. The temporary crown is worn for approximately three weeks. During that time a lab fabricates the actual crown. The crown is then cemented in the patient’s mouth.
More info: http://www.ada.org/public/topics/crowns.asp
Root Canal
When the nerve inside a tooth becomes infected or diseased and now is dying, or dead , a root canal is needed. A patient is completely numb for this appointment and should not feel anything. The nerve of the tooth is then removed, the inside of the tooth is disinfected and then sealed so that no bacteria can re-enter the tooth. A root canal makes a tooth brittle, so a crown is then needed to prevent the tooth from breaking. Dr. German does perform some root canals here in her office. Click on the root canal image to see a larger view.
More Info: http://www.ada.org/public/topics/root_canal.asp
Extractions
When a tooth is infected or decayed beyond restoring, the tooth needs to be removed. Dr. German does selective extractions.More complicated extractions are referred to the Oral Surgeon’s office here in Warsaw. More Info: http://www.ada.org/public/topics/extractions.asp
Implants and Implant Crowns
If a patient is missing a tooth, they have the option of filling that space with an implant and implant crown. An implant is surgically placed by an oral surgeon into the jaw bone. A 4 to 6 month period of time is needed for the bone to grow around the implant. Implants often feel more natural than other replacement options such as a bridge or partial. An implant crown is then placed over the implant to have a natural looking and feeling tooth. More Info: http://www.ada.org/public/topics/implants.asp
Bridges
When a patient lost a tooth, they have the option of filling that space with a bridge. A bridge helps prevent the teeth from shifting and improves the patients chewing ability so that other teeth aren't damaged. A bridge feels and looks very natural. It is a great option for replacing teeth.
More Info: http://www.ada.org/public/topics/bridges.asp
Partials
Another option when replacing missing teeth is a removable partial denture. It is made of metal and acrylic or all-acrylic. A partial can replace one tooth or many teeth and should be taken out at night and cleaned.
Dentures
Dentures are used when a patient has lost all of their natural teeth. Dentures will help a patient regain the ability to eat, speak, and smile as they did before losing their teeth.
More Info: http://www.ada.org/public/topics/dentures.asp
Grinding Relief
Grinding, also known as bruxism, can be caused by stress, anxiety, or an abnormal bite. It can cause problems varying from headaches and jaw pain to fractured or worn down teeth. To relieve these problems a hard plastic bite splint is made for you to wear at night. The splint can reduce the grinding, protect your teeth from wearing down and relieve the headaches and jaw pain.
More Info: http://www.ada.org/public/topics/grinding.asp
Gum Recontouring - Tissue Removal
In some patients, the little tissue that attaches to their upper lip or tongue is too thick causing problems cosmetically or with speech. In these cases, a laser is used to trim the tissue back to normal size. Sometimes the gum tissue will grow up over a tooth causing pain or problems. The laser can also be used in this case to trim the gum back to normal size. More Info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frenectomy
Cosmetic Dentistry
Bonding
Bonding can improve the appearance of teeth that are chipped, stained, or have spaces between them. The composite filling material used is closely matched to your normal tooth color.
More Info: http://www.ada.org/public/topics/cosmetic.asp
Whitening
If a patient decides they would like whiter teeth, they have two options at our office. We offer both in-office and professional take-home tooth whitening. The in-office procedure consists of isolating the teeth to be whitened and applying a high concentration whitening solution in 15-20 minute increments. It gives a quick boost to the color of the teeth, but generally requires being sent home with custom trays and professional solution to finish the process, and get the best results.
The professional take-home whitening consists of having custom trays made. The trays and professional strength solution will then be sent home with you. This method takes a little longer but has excellent results. The length of time it takes to whiten teeth depends on how easily your teeth whiten. Some teeth just whiten more easily than others. Other factors that affect the length of time are how often you wear the trays and dietary habits.
Veneers
Veneers can be placed on top of teeth to improve the shape, color, or all around look of a smile. Veneers are a lot like crowns but instead of covering the whole tooth just a small shell of porcelain covers the front of the tooth. More Info: http://www.ada.org/public/topics/veneers.asp
Inman Aligner
If you just need front teeth straightened, and don't want braces, an Inman Aligner may work for you. It is a custom-made appliance that uses springs and gentle pressure on the teeth that need to be moved. After the teeth are in position, it is worn at night like a retainer to keep them in place. Treatment usually last 6 to 16 weeks.
More info: http://www.inmanaligner.com/
For Your Comfort
Nitrous Oxide (Laughing Gas)
For your comfort we do offer Nitrous Oxide, which relaxes you during the appointment. Nitrous is very safe and leaves your body almost as soon as it is turned off, allowing you to drive yourself home. Unlike sedation you are fully awake with nitrous oxide. We do not offer full sedation. We like to assist our patients through their appointment, allowing them to see that our office delivers gentle care.
T.V.s
To help our patients relax, each room is equipped with a T.V. on the wall and a T.V. in the ceiling to allow a distraction for our patients. Each T.V. has access to 53 Comcast channels.
Headphones
Each room has headphones that allow the patient to listen to the current radio station playing in the office. If patients prefer listening to their own music, they are more than welcome to bring their own portable music playing device.
Isolite
When doing restorative work it is important to keep the mouth dry by eliminating the saliva. In the past, a doctor’s best option was a rubber shield that covered your mouth and had a clamp that fit around your tooth. For some patients this caused discomfort. Now we are able to offer a much easier and comfortable device to keep things dry. The Isolite is easy to place and remove and is usually much more comfortable for patients. The Isolite has built-in suction, light, and tongue retractor, making the restorative process much easier and quicker. More Info: http://www.isolitesystems.com
Dental Technology
Intraoral Cameras
Three of our six opera tories are equipped with intraoral cameras that allow us to show the patient areas of concern in their mouth such as fractures, decay, or other abnormalities.
Chair Side Computer Monitors
Three of our six operatories are equipped with chair side computer monitors which allow the patient to view the intraoral photos that we have taken. It is a great educational tool, as well as a way of recording and storing information about specific problem areas in the mouth.
DIAGNOdent
The DIAGNOdent is an easy and painless device that helps aid the doctor in cavity detection. The device uses fluorescence to check density of enamel and cavities in areas not seen by the eye. This is used in addition to traditional techniques in order to detect decay earlier and be more conservative with our restorations. More Info: http://www.kavo.com/Default.aspx?navid=550100&oid=002&lid=en
Biolase Dental Laser 5
Our office uses the Biolase Dental Laser to recontour abnormal gum tissue or to remove excess gum tissue around teeth, under lip, or tongue. Gum recontouring and removal is a painless quick procedure usually completed in 15 minutes. See Tissue Removal.
