Other Services

Mouthguards

A mouthguard is a flexible appliance made out of plastic that is worn in athletic and recreational activities to protect teeth from trauma.

A mouthguard can prevent serious injuries – such as broken teeth, jaw fractures, cerebral hemorrhage and neck injuries – by helping to avoid situations where the lower jaw gets jammed into the upper jaw. Mouthguards are effective in moving soft tissue in the oral cavity away from the teeth, preventing laceration and bruising of the lips and cheeks, especially for those who wear orthodontic appliances. They may also reduce the severity and incidence of concussions.

Oral Surgery

Oral and maxillofacial surgeons are surgical specialists who diagnose, treat and manage the conditions, defects, injuries, and the aesthetic aspects of the mouth, teeth, jaws and face.

Wisdom Teeth

Wisdom teeth are the third molars. Normally, people have three permanent molars that develop in each quadrant of the mouth: upper, lower, right and left. The first molars usually grow into the mouth at around six years of age. The second molars grow in at around age 12. The third molars usually will try to grow in at around age 17 to 21 years. Since that is considered to be the age when people become wiser, third molars gained the nickname wisdom teeth. Actually, they are no different than any other tooth except that they are the last teeth to erupt, or grow into the mouth. They are just as useful as any other tooth if they grow in properly, have a proper bite relationship and have healthy gum tissue around them. Unfortunately, this does not always happen.

Dental Implants

Dental implants are substitutes for teeth and are the best alternative to your natural teeth. They offer a permanent solution for replacing one or more teeth. Made of biocompatible materials, they function as supportive anchors for traditional forms of dentistry, such as crowns, bridges, or dentures. With proper care, dental implants can have a high success rate of up to 97%.

Our patients will tell you that dental implants have changed their lives for many reasons, including:

Aesthetically and Functionally: They support teeth while looking, feeling, and acting like real teeth. Many patients say their self confidence is boosted because of the permanence and security of their dental implants.

Rejuvenation: Patients who have had dentures, bridges, or missing teeth enjoy being able to eat and chew again without pain or irritation. In fact, dental implants can actually improve the taste of food by requiring less plastic coverage over the roof of your mouth. You can enjoy natural flavors and sensations again.

No Adhesives: Dental implants eliminate the need for denture adhesives.

Preventative Maintenance: Dental implants can help maintain your bone structure and support facial tissues. They can reduce or eliminate bone atrophy which causes "shrinkage" or facial cosmetic changes.

Periodontics

Gum disease, or periodontal disease, is a chronic inflammation and infection of the gums and surrounding tissue. It is the major cause of about 70 percent of adult tooth loss, affecting three out of four persons at some point in their life. Periodontal diseases include gingivitis and periodontitis.

In the early stages of gum disease, most treatment involves scaling (a special cleaning), root planing (which removes plaque and tartar around the tooth) and smoothing the root surfaces. Antibiotics or antimicrobials may be used to supplement the effects of scaling and root planing. In most cases of early gum disease, called gingivitis, scaling and root planing and proper daily cleaning achieve a satisfactory result. More advanced cases may require surgical treatment, which involves cutting the gums sometimes with the assistance of a laser and removing the hardened plaque build-up and recontouring the damaged bone. The procedure is also designed to smooth root surfaces and reposition the gum tissue so it will be easier to keep clean.

Root Canal Therapy

Underneath your tooth's outer enamel and within the denti n is an area of soft tissue called the pulp tissue. While a tooth's pulp tissue does contain nerve fibers, it is also composed of arteries, veins, lymph vessels, and connective tissue. Each tooth's nerve enters the tooth at the very tip of its roots. From there, the nerve runs through the center of the root in small root canals, which join up with the tooth's pulp chamber. Root canals are very small, thin divisions that branch off from the top pulp chamber down to the tip of the root. A tooth has at least one but no more than four root canals.

Root canal therapy is necessary because the tooth will not heal by itself. Without treatment, the infection will spread, bone around the tooth will begin to degenerate and the tooth may fall out. Pain usually worsens until one is forced to seek emergency dental attention. The only alternative is usually extraction of the tooth, which can cause surrounding teeth to shift crookedly, resulting in a bad bite. Though an extraction is cheaper, the space left behind will require an implant or a bridge, which can be more expensive than root canal therapy. If you have the choice, it's always best to keep your original teeth.

A root canal is a procedure done to save the damaged or dead pulp in the root canal of the tooth by cleaning out the diseased pulp and reshaping the canal. The canal is filled with a rubberlike substance called gutta percha or another material to prevent recontamination of the tooth. The tooth is then permanently sealed, with possibly a post and/or a crown made of porcelain or metal alloy. This enables patients to keep the original tooth.

TMJ and TMD

The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is found on either side of the jaw, with both jointsnworking in unison. Pain or dysfunction of the this joint is commonly referred to as TMJ, when in fact, TMJ is the name of the joint while temporomandibular joint disorder (or dysfunction) is abbreviated TMD.

Bruxism

Bruxism is the technical term for grinding and clenching of the teeth and may cause facial pain. Bruxers, people who grind and clench their teeth, unintentionally bite down too hard at inappropriate times, such as in their sleep. In addition to grinding teeth, bruxers also may bite their fingernails, pencils and chew the inside of their cheek. People usually aren't diagnosed with bruxism until it is too late, as many people don't realize they have the habit. Others mistakenly believe that their teeth must touch at all times. About one in three people suffer from bruxism, which can easily be treated by a Minneapolis dentist.

Night Guard

An occlusal guard custom made to fit your mouth. Made to protect your teeth from further damage and to relax the muscle structures surrounding your jaw.

NTI

Nociceptive Trigeminal Inhibition-Tension Supression System (NTI) is an intraoral appliance intended for patients with chronic tension-type headaches, migraine headaches and intraoral damage from the destructive forces of clenching.

Patients