Dental Health Services at Artistic Dental

Artistic Dental at the biltmore offers dental health services for the whole family.  In addition to caring for the dental needs of all ages, our dentists and staff are highly trained in a wide variety of comprehensive dental procedures. What this means for our patients is that we can take care of a majority of your dental needs including orthodontics and wisdom tooth extractions, as well as many other treatments and procedures. If you are a current patient or interested in becoming an Artistic Dental patient, speak to Dr. Dougherty or Dr. Adhikari to learn how we can help.

In the meantime, here is a list of services and procedures we provide:

Preventative care:

Artistic Dental offers preventative care and diagnostic through routine exams and cleanings. Teeth cleanings are recommended every six months. During these cleanings, we scale and polish teeth to remove tartar and prevent cavities. In addition, we check for any signs of oral cancer and we carefully examine and monitor the gums overtime for signs of periodontal disease and gingivitis.

Orthodontics:

For patients with crooked or crammed teeth that are not aligned properly, Artistic Dental offers orthodontic services as mentioned earlier. Patients in need of orthodontics have the option of ceramic braces, traditional braces and Invisalign. All three options provide different benefits and choosing the right one for you depends on your situation and what the dentist recommend.

Veneers:

If you are unhappy with the shape, color or length of your teeth, Artistic Dental offers custom-made veneers. These porcelain veneers are permanent thin shells made of tooth-colored materials that bond to the surface of your teeth, creating an inconspicuous, natural-looking white smile. 

Laser:

 Advancements in laser technology, make procedures less invasive and nearly painless. Dr. Dougherty and Dr. Adhikari invest time for continued education and training along with investing in the latest equipment in order to provide the best treatment options. Diagnodent is a small laser that scans the teeth for hidden decay; NV Microlaser is a laser that allows the dentists to treat canker sores and other mouth ulcers; and Solea is a laser that removes cavities without a drill or the use of novacaine. With no drills and no needles, these technologies make procedures more comfortable for patients and improve diagnosis and treatment.

CEREC crowns:

Have an old filling or a cracked or chipped tooth that requires a crown ASAP? Traditionally, crown placements take multiple visits to the dentist due to the nature of having to mold the crown to the tooth and place a temporary crown while the permanent one is being made in a lab. The process can take weeks. Fortunately, Artistic Dental uses CEREC crowns where we are able to use computer-aided technology and 3D photography to mold and make a crown that matches the natural color of your other teeth in one visit.

Dental implants:

Artistic Dental offers dental implants for people who have lost a permanent tooth that needs to be replaced. Replacing the empty space with a dental implant is completely necessary because the implant protects the healthy bone in the jaw from decay and infection, just like a natural tooth does. So how does it work? Dental implants are permanently anchored to the jaw. The jawbone forms a mechanical and chemical bond with the implant, allowing for better chewing and a healthier smile.

Teeth whitening:

Everyone would like a sparkling smile, but stains and discoloration from diet and normal wear and tear happens. At Artistic Dental, we offer a few different whitening treatments to brighten your smile. One of the most effective is the take-home whitening trays with whitening gel refills. The whitening trays are custom-made from a mold of your teeth, giving you the best results and comfort throughout the whitening process.

Occlusal guards/ mouth guards:

If your teeth are worn down from clenching your jaw or grinding your teeth in your sleep (bruxism), the dentists recommend wearing an occlusal guard. For children and adults who play contact sports, a mouth guard is always recommended to prevent teeth from being fractured, damaged or knocked out. At Artistic Dental, we can provide our patients with custom-made mouth guards that mold to your teeth for the best protection and comfort. If you already have a mouth guard, remember to bring it in during your next visit and our staff will check the fit and clean it for you!

If you are interested in learning more about becoming an Artistic Dental patient or have questions, please call our office at (602)-840-5400 to schedule a complimentary consultation or visit our website at artisticd.com

Why Your Routine Professional Cleaning Involves Scaling Teeth

Do you ever wonder exactly what your dental hygienist is doing during a routine cleaning? Of course, they floss and polish your teeth as the last step but what about when they use the tool with the metal hook to scrap the bottoms of your teeth near the gum line? They also use compressed air and water to help get the job done. This process is referred to as scaling teeth, a crucial step in deep cleanings that can help prevent and treat periodontist (gum disease) by removing built-up plaque and tartar.

A study by the Centers for Disease Control says that 47.2 percent of people in the United States suffer from mild, moderate or severe periodontist. Periodontist, also known as gum disease or gingivitis at a certain stage, is caused by bacteria-ridden plaque and tartar that sits near the gum line. If plaque isn’t properly removed regularly, it releases toxins that attack gum tissue. Symptoms of periodontist include red, swollen gums that are sensitive and bleed when brushed. Other symptoms include gums that are receding or pulling away from the teeth ultimately resulting in elongated looking teeth.  

A severe case of periodontist can lead to tooth loss and permanent damage to the jaw. However, if treated early the damage can usually be reversed by scaling or gum surgery.  During a six-month check-up and teeth cleaning, if a patient is not consistently brushing and flossing, expect the hygienist to be scaling teeth to remove the build-up of plaque and tartar that is cemented on the teeth and cannot be removed with just brushing and flossing at that point.  That is one of the many reasons it is extremely important to get your teeth regularly cleaned by a professional and to properly brush and floss your teeth and gums twice a day.

How the hygienist does the job

There are a few instruments used to scale teeth and your dental hygienist may use depending on the situation. The most common instrument is the hand-held metal scaler. The hygienist will use this instrument to manually remove the plaque and tartar from the teeth by using both the sharp and blunt ends of the scaler. The sharp end is used to scrape build-up on the teeth and the blunt end is used to reach under the gum line and remove plaque without harming the gums.

A sonic scaler and an ultrasonic scaler are the other tools the hygienists use. A sonic scaler sprays compressed water and air, which allows the hygienist to break up the tartar and plaque and then with the ultrasonic scaler an electromagnetic field is generated to chip away at build-up with sound vibrations. The hygienist selects the appropriate tools, after examining the severity of the build-up and assessing the patients’ health. For example, if a patient has a pacemaker, the hygienist should not use an ultrasonic scaler because the electromagnetic field causes pacemaker malfunctions.

At Artistic Dental, we recommend getting your teeth deep cleaned and scaled every six months. When you skip appointments, build-up of plaque and tartar is more likely. Dr. Dougherty and Dr. Adhikari, along with our highly-trained team of hygienists believe that proper cleanings are the best way to fight periodontist and gum disease. To make an appointment call (602)- 840-5400.

Four Reasons for Abnormal Pain After Root Canal Surgery

No one is happy to hear that they need a root canal, but if that’s the case it’s likely you are already in pain. Normally, the pain after a root canal will be minimal, if not at all. Unfortunately, there are instances where pain resurfaces. To help differentiate normal pain from abnormal pain, it is beneficial to understand more about the procedure.

A root canal surgery is performed when the pulp in the cavity of the root of the tooth is infected and it needs to be cleaned, repaired and sealed with a crown or a filling. Post procedure pain is normal for 3-5 days due to inflammation. This can range from a dull ache to a sharp pain.  If you experience pain for longer than 3-5 days or the pain went away and then came back days later, it could mean that you are having post root canal complications.

Here are four reasons for abnormal pain after a root canal:

Infection in bone:

As many know, the mouth is swarming with good and bad bacteria. Experiencing pain after the procedure could be due to infection in the bone. Since the root of the infected tooth has already been removed and filled, it is possible that there are still bacteria lingering around the bone of the tooth. Fortunately, this type of infection can be easily cured with a prescription for antibiotics from your dentist.  

Missed canal:

Some teeth have multiple canals in the root so it is possible that an infected canal was missed or undetected. If the dentist determines that there was a missed canal, then the root canal procedure has to be repeated. A repeat root canal is a little more invasive because the crown or the filling the tooth was originally sealed with must be taken out to perform the surgery again and this could risk cracking the tooth in the process.

Oversized Crown or Filling:

Speaking of crowns and fillings, it is possible to experience pain if the final crown or filling is too big or was misplaced. The pain comes from the crown or filling bothering the surrounding teeth or not being able to bite down properly. Luckily, it is very easy for dentists to fix this issue. All they have to do is adjust the filling or crown and the pain should subside in another 3-5 days.

Infected root canal:

If the dentist sealed the root canal with a filling instead of the crown, then there might be another infection due to saliva-carrying bacteria seeping in between the cracks of the filling and infecting the root canal. In this case, a repeat root canal would need to be performed. 

While complications from root canals can happen, it is important to remember that the risk of complications outweigh the risk of not getting the tooth treated in the first place. If you recently had a root canal, be sure to follow the proper after care steps which include brushing and flossing, visiting the dentist regularly and avoiding hard foods that can cause your teeth to break. If you are experiencing abnormal pain post- surgery do not hesitate to call your dentist or make an appointment to get it looked at. The sooner you have the dentist check to rule out or address a complication or infection, the better.