Q Dental Education
Procedures Library
Below is a listing of many common procedures. If you want more information about a specific procedure, just click on the procedure name and you will be taken to a detailed explanation.
Anesthesia
New advances in dental medications have virtually eliminated the discomfort of dental procedures. There are several elements to creating a comfortable experience for your dental appointment:
Comfort and Relaxation
The first step is to make you relaxed and comfortable. From the comfortable environment in our reception area to the soothing environment we have created around the dental chairs, no detail is too small when your comfort is concerned. Our caring, professional staff are committed to creating a stress-free environment for your comfort.
Topical Anesthetic
A topical anesthetic is used any time the surface of the gum needs to be "numbed", such as easing the discomfort of a painful mouth sore or preparing a site for an injectable local anesthetic.
Local Anesthetic
Modern fast-acting local anesthetics, in conjunction with effective topical anesthesia, have virtually eliminated the discomfort of "getting numb". Local anesthetics are available in several strengths so you don't have to experience the "fat lip" sensation for hours after leaving the dental office.
Post-visit Analgesics
Generally, if there is any discomfort at all after a dental procedure, over-the-counter analgesics such as aspirin or non-aspirin pain relievers are all that is needed. In exceptional circumstances a prescription pain reliever will be used.
Any questions?
If you have any questions or concerns about anesthesia, Dr. Faucheu will be happy to discuss them with you. We want you to be as comfortable as possible.
Bleaching / Teeth Whitening
Listed on Cosmetic Dentistry Page
Bonding
Listed on Cosmetic Dentistry Page
Bridges
Listed on Cosmetic Dentistry Page
Cleaning
Your regularly scheduled check-up is often referred to as a "cleaning," but there is much more to it than that! The technical term is oral prophylaxis, which means prevention of oral disease.
One way to prevent oral disease is to remove harmful plaque and tartar (calculus) both above and below the gum line. You may also be given special instructions on brushing or flossing to keep clean the areas where we found significant buildup. That is the familiar "cleaning" part of your checkup.
Another way to prevent oral disease is by early detection and treatment. During your checkup you will be screened for many potential threats to your oral health, including:
- Cavities
- Gum Disease
- Oral cancer
In addition, some systemic diseases, such as diabetes, often present themselves first inside the mouth, so early detection extends beyond just oral disease.
Your Dental Hygienist is your first-line of defense against oral disease. Your hygienist is a highly trained professional who can evaluate your teeth and gums, both visually and with the assistance of x-rays and other modern technology, to discover threats to your oral or general health. Your dentist will review the findings of your hygienist and advise you on any threats to your oral or general health.
Contouring, Enamel
Enamel Shaping (Contouring) is the process of shaping natural teeth to improve their appearance. Shaping can be used to correct minor cases of crowded or overlapping teeth, smooth rough edges, or make small adjustments to the shape of a tooth.
Crown Lengthening
In many cases of dental decay, tooth fracture, or even in instances where an individual has "short" teeth, a crown lengthening procedure will allow us to properly construct an esthetic and functional crown, bridge, or restoration.
Crown lengthening is a simple surgical procedure which adjusts the position of the gum around the affected tooth, thereby providing a more solid tooth on which to anchor the restoration of choice. A functional crown lengthening will help you regain a beautiful smile and allow you to eat and speak with comfort and confidence
Extractions
Extraction is the complete removal of a primary or a permanent tooth. An Extraction can be surgical or non-surgical. This depends on the difficulty of the extraction and whether or not the tooth is impacted or erupted, and whether it has straight or curved roots.
An Extraction may be done by our office or you may be referred to an Oral Surgeon (someone who specializes in difficult or surgical extractions). No one looks forward to an extraction, but modern anesthesia will help keep you comfortable throughout the procedure.
Reasons for an extraction are:
- Advanced Gum Disease. This is the #1 reason adults loose their teeth!
- An abscessed tooth that cannot be saved.
- A tooth with decay too deep to save the tooth.
- A tooth that has broken at the gum line and cannot be saved.
- Impacted tooth (typically a "Wisdom Tooth")
- Some Orthodontic cases require that one or more teeth be extracted.
Nothing is better than a healthy set of teeth, and many advances in dentistry allow us to save teeth that we could not previously, but sometimes an extraction is necessary.
When an extraction is performed, it is important to put something in the place of the missing tooth or teeth. If the space is just left open, your teeth will shift and cause many unnecessary complications. An extracted tooth may be replaced by a temporary or permanent bridge, an implant, or by a partial or complete denture.
Fillings
After decay is removed from a tooth, something must be placed in that space to give strength back to the tooth.
Fillings are the most common restorative procedure.
Inlays and inlays: In addition to fillings, lab fabricated inlays and onlays are sometimes used. Although many patients think of these as fillings as well, they are actually different since they are laboratory fabricated.
White fillings: White fillings are used almost all of the time in our office. They are an attractive, durable alternative to silver (amalgam) fillings. White fillings are made of a strong composite resin that is matched to the surrounding tooth color. In the past, white fillings were placed only on front teeth, but recently a stronger more durable material has been developed that can withstand the chewing pressure of back teeth.
White Porcelain or Resin inlay or onlay: A porcelain or resin inlay or onlay is used when the cavity is too big for a filling, but isn't so big that a crown is required. An inlay is a filling within the cusp tips of the tooth. Onlays (also known as overlays) will overlay one or more cusps in order to protect and strengthen the tooth.
An inlay or onlay may also be made of gold.
Gum Treatment
Gum treatment is the treatment of active gum and jaw bone disease. Gum disease treatment can slow or stop the progression of gum disease. Since there are different stages of gum disease (from gingivitis to advanced periodontitis), there are different levels of treatment. In some cases, the patient may be referred to a specialist.
Gum treatment consists of one or more of the following procedures, depending on the individual case:
Scaling and Root Planning
Scaling and Root Planning is a common non-surgical treatment for periodontal disease. By using special instruments, Dr. Faucheu removes bacteria and infection from the unhealthy deep pockets around the teeth below the gum line. This is often referred to as a "deep cleaning."
First the tooth is scaled to remove the plaque and tarter that has accumulated on the tooth. Then the root is planed or smoothed. This eliminates any rough areas on the root that can easily trap plaque and bacteria.
A smooth clean root provides a healthy environment to allow the gums to heal naturally and reattach to the tooth. This will create a reduced pocket, therefore eliminating areas for bacteria to hide and cause further disease.
Scaling and Root Planning combined with a strict home care routine and more frequent periodontal cleanings and exams will increase your chances of keeping your natural smile.
Advanced Medications
Recent advances in periodontal treatment allow us to now place medications directly at the site of infection. Two of the most commonly used medications of this kind are Arestin™ and Atridox™. The medication is often used in conjunction with scaling and root planning. In addition, an antimicrobial rinse is sometimes used after some procedures. Strict Home Care Regimen
A home care routine specific to the patient's individual needs may be prepared to prevent the patient from relapsing.
Intraoral Camera
The intraoral camera is a revolutionary diagnostic dental tool allowing us to more clearly identify potential problems within the mouth early on. The tiny intraoral camera can be inserted into a patient's mouth, taking pictures of the teeth and displaying the images on a computer screen. Using the intraoral camera saves time and makes problems easily visible to both patient and doctor. Patients can view the areas we will be working on, making procedures more understandable. The accompanying software also provides clear and accurate data so that the best treatment options can be selected. To learn more about the intraoral camera, please contact our office today.
Night Guard
Since most of the damage typically caused by bruxism is during sleep, a night guard can usually be made to stop further damage. A night guard is custom made to fit over the upper or lower teeth. With the night guard in place, the patient can't grind their teeth together and cause further damage.
Pocked Depth Reduction
Normal, healthy gums have small pockets around each tooth. The bacteria and infection associated with periodontitis causes these pockets to become deeper, trapping more bacteria and causing more infection. When the pockets become too deep for scaling and root planning, a Pocket Depth Reduction procedure is often a solution.
During a Pocket Depth Reduction procedure, Dr. Faucheu gently folds back the gum and removes the disease-causing bacteria and infection.
Dr. Faucheu will then smooth the root surfaces and, if necessary, reshape the gum and bone.
This will allow the gums to form smaller, healthier pockets.
Root Canal Therapy
When the nerve of a tooth becomes infected or abscessed, Root Canal Therapy is the only way to save the tooth. A tooth can become abscessed as a result of deep decay, a cracked tooth, or trauma to the tooth. The only alternative to Root Canal Therapy is an Extraction.
During Root Canal Therapy, the tooth is "numbed" (just like having a filling). Then the unhealthy nerve is removed and medication is placed in the tooth to treat the bacterial abscess (infection). After the infection is removed and treated, a filling is placed in the roots where the unhealthy nerve was.
A tooth that has undergone Root Canal Therapy is more brittle and must be crowned to give the tooth sufficient strength. The tooth is cared for in the same way as other natural teeth. Brush and floss daily, and visit your dentist for regular preventative dental check-ups.
High-Tech Root Canal Therapy
The way root canal therapy is performed today is vastly different than those done a few years ago, not to mention a decade ago. The potential level for quality care has dramatically increased. It is a thing of the past to do root canals in five to six appointments, or by "touch or feel" because we could not see. Root canals can be done painlessly, faster, and more accurately due to the new technology available.
Non-surgical Root Canal Therapy
Root Canal Therapy is a dental procedure, performed with local anesthetic, which involves the removal of the nerve inside of the tooth because it has become irreversibly damaged or infected. This is usually due to the entry of bacteria into the center most part of the tooth called the dental pulp (nerve). ROOT CANAL is a commonly used term for endodontic therapy or root canal therapy. This procedure involves the removal of the entire nerve system, as well as cleaning, shaping and 3-dimensional filling of the canal system with gutta percha and a dental sealer. The procedure enables you to keep your natural tooth, which is preferable to any type of replacement.
What Happens During Root Canal Therapy?
Step one:
After the tooth is "numbed", a small opening is made into the pulp chamber. The canals are located and measured, so they can be cleansed and shaped.
Step two:
The canals are filled with a rubber-like material called gutta- percha and the opening is sealed with sterile cotton pellets and a temporary filling.
Step three:
The tooth is typically restored within a couple of weeks. A crown is placed over the treated tooth in order to protect it, and if the tooth lacks sufficient tooth structure to hold the core build-up, a post may be placed inside. Any areas of infection around the roots will begin to heal.
The number of visits necessary to complete a root canal will vary depending upon the degree of infection, the number of canals in the tooth, if the canals are calcified, the anatomy of your tooth, and the complexity of the procedure. We always strive to achieve the best possible result; therefore, your treatment may take one visit, or it may take more.Back to Top
Veneers
Listed on Cosmetic Dentistry Page
X - Rays
What are Dental X-rays?
What most people call X-rays are actually X-ray photographs (also known as radiographs). An image is made using X-rays, which are similar to sunlight, but of a shorter wavelength, and able to show us what's below the surface of a tooth. Even though we call them X-rays, we are actually referring to the image created by X-rays.
Why are Dental X-rays Necessary?
X-rays are often the best way to identify problems that aren't externally visible. X-rays are very essential in doing a complete and thorough dental examination. They are especially important in diagnosing serious conditions early to allow for effective treatment before you experience discomfort. X-rays show bone anatomy and density, decay between the teeth or how extensive the decay is, whether an abscess is present, impacted teeth, or if children have permanent teeth.
This cavity was detected and filled before the patient felt any discomfort, and before the nerve became infected or the tooth became abscessed.
There is another cavity shown in the X-ray on the left. Can you find it? It's difficult for the untrained eye to spot.
How Often Do I Need Dental X-rays?
The number and type of X-rays you will need depends on several factors such as age, current dental health, and external signs that may trigger a cause for concern. We are sensitive, however, to your concerns about exposure to radiation, and we only perform those X-ray procedures that are necessary for your continued dental health.
Are Dental X-rays Safe?
Dental X-rays are very safe. They are taken at fast speeds with low radiation. A special lead apron is used to further reduce exposure. Everyone is exposed to a certain level of "background" radiation every day. Background radiation comes from many sources, including the sun. The amount of radiation from dental X-ray photographs (two views) is approximately equivalent to only two days of exposure to background radiation. In other words, you receive as much radiation in two days of normal activity as you do from two bite-wing X-ray photographs. If you are curious about panoramic X-ray photographs, they are equivalent to only about eight days of background radiation.*
If you have any questions or concerns about dental X-rays, feel free to discuss them with any of our staff. They are highly trained in the prudent and effective use of dental X-rays and share your concerns about exposure levels.
Orthodontics ( Invasalign )
Listed on Cosmetic Dentistry Page
Tooth – Colored Fillings
Listed on Cosmetic Dentistry Page
Dentures
Listed on Cosmetic Dentistry Page
Dental Implants
Listed on Cosmetic Dentistry Page
Fluoride
Does Fluoride Really Make a Difference?
In the past, cavities were a fact of life. But over the last several years tooth decay has been reduced dramatically due to fluoride. Fluoride is beneficial for adults as well as children. Research has shown that fluoride reduces cavities by up to 40% in children and 35% in adults.*
Is Fluoride Safe?
Yes. Numerous studies over the past 60 years have shown that fluoride at recommended levels is not only safe, but provides significant health benefits.*
How Does Fluoride Help Children?
Children benefit from fluoride both systemically (by ingesting fluoride) and topically (the fluoride that gets on their teeth). Systemic and topical fluoride work together to keep teeth strong. Fluoride works best in children while teeth are forming. This helps both primary (baby) and permanent teeth. Starting at birth, and until all permanent teeth have fully erupted, ingested fluoride helps strengthen teeth as they are forming. Topical fluoride helps people of all ages. Fluoride is the only known substance that will actually strengthen teeth and make them harder.
Does My Child Need Fluoride Supplements?
Most city water is fluoridated and is an adequate source of systemic (ingested) fluoride. If your family uses well water or bottled water, you should have your water tested to see if there is adequate natural fluoride, or if a fluoride supplement is needed. Check with your local Health Department or bottled water manufacturer for testing. If adequate fluoride is not present, your child may need a prescription fluoride supplement from Dr. Faucheu.
Topical fluoride is provided by fluoridated toothpastes and rinses. Additional fluoride treatments are applied as needed by Dr. Faucheu during regular check-ups.
Does Fluoride Benefit Adults, Too?
Yes! Topical fluoride helps people of all ages by stopping the progression of a newly formed cavity and preventing root cavities. Fluoride is also helpful for patients with sensitive teeth. A consistent daily use of topical fluoride will often dramatically decrease tooth sensitivity to hot and cold substances. At your regular check-up, we will evaluate your particular situation to determine if additional fluoride treatments are needed.
Infection Control
Dr. Faucheu shares your concern about the spread of disease and works hard to safeguard her patients, and staff, against infection.
When you visit our office, you will see a clean office carefully maintained by well-trained staff. Our dental team always wear gloves, eye protection and complete protective wear during each procedure. After each patient, they discard those gloves, wash their hands and put on a new pair of gloves.
Your protection starts long before you ever enter the treatment room. Here are a few of the things that you don't see: All surfaces are cleaned and disinfected, staff members sterilize all instruments after their use and dispose of anything that is potentially infectious.
Dr. Faucheu and her staff want you to know that your protection, care and comfort are our top priorities. That is why we meet, or exceed, the highest infection control standards.
If you have any concerns or questions, please contact us.