What a good resolution. Don’t forget to include your dental health. If you don’t floss, start there. Flossing is a great habit to begin! Add brushing after lunch, this is a time that most people forget. If we can help you with any supplies please let us know. We’d love to assist you and help you to achieve your dental health goals.
There are two types of filling materials to choose from when needing to have a tooth repaired.
The traditional silver (amalgam) filling or a tooth colored (composite resin) filling. There are advantages and disadvantages to both materials.
A composite (tooth colored) filling is used to repair a tooth that is affected by decay, cracks, fractures, and also for cosmetic reasons.
An amalgam (silver) filling is the traditional filling used for years. Some people do not like them due to the silver content, mercury content and the silver color. These fillings have been used for years and the American Dental Association finds them safe and considers them a good procedure. In general they are less expensive and last longer than tooth colored fillings.
Read more on the different types of tooth fillings.
We recommend discussing with your dentist what might be the best option for restoring your teeth. You can contact us through our online form or call us at (616) 364-8716.
Generally, we recommend treatments that will save teeth, but when a tooth is so damaged that it cannot be saved, a dental extraction is the best choice. Dental extraction might be best for:
Teeth may need a simple or surgical extraction. A simple extraction is when a tooth can be pulled out with out relieving any tissue. A surgical or impacted tooth may involve relieving tissue prior to the removal.
Before starting the procedure, we may offer nitrous oxide to relax you and we will numb the area with anesthetic to keep you comfortable.
During the procedure, you will feel pressure when the tooth is removed, but you shouldn’t feel pain. If you do we will stop and give you more anesthetic.
Most people feel fine and are back to normal routine the next day.
To learn more about tooth extraction. Please visit these pages:
You can contact us through our online form or call us at (616) 364-8716.
It only takes twenty four hours for plaque that is not removed from your teeth to turn into calculus (tartar). Daily home cleaning helps control plaque and tartar formation, but those hard to reach areas will always need special attention.
Once your periodontal treatment has been completed, your dentist and dental hygienist will recommend that you have regular periodontal maintenance or cleanings, usually four times a year. At these cleaning appointments, the pocket depths will be carefully checked to ensure that they are healthy. Plaque and calculus that is difficult for you to remove on a daily basis will be removed from above and below the gum line.
Good oral hygiene practices and periodontal cleanings are essential in maintaining dental health and keeping periodontal disease under control!
If you have any questions you can use our Ask the Dentist form. You can also contact us through our online form or call us at (616) 364-8716.
Your dental hygienist will check for periodontal or gum disease at your regular dental cleaning appointment.
A small dental instrument is gently used to measure the sulcus(pocket or space) between the tooth and the gums. Three millimeters or less is the depth of healthy sulcus. Your hygienist will use pocket depths, amount of bleeding, inflammation, tooth mobility to make a diagnosis that will fall into a category below:
Gingivitis is the first stage of periodontal disease. Plague and its toxin by products irritate the gums, making them tender, inflamed, and likely to bleed.
Plaque hardens into calculus. As calculus and plaque continue to build up, the gums begin to recede from the teeth. Deeper pockets form between the gums and teeth and become filled with bacteria and pus. The gums become very irritated, inflamed, and bleed easily. Slight to moderate bone loss may be present.
The teeth lose more support as the gums, bone, and periodontal ligament continue to be destroyed. Unless treated, the affected teeth will become very loose and may be lost. Generalized moderate to severe bone loss may be present.
Learn more about periodontal disease. You can contact us through our online form or call us at (616) 364-8716.
Tooth Whitening is a simple, non-invasive-dental treatment used to change the color of natural tooth enamel and is an ideal way to enhance the beauty of your smile.
Because having whiter teeth has now become the number one aesthetic concern of most patients, there are a variety of ways to whiten teeth dramatically. Since tooth whitening only works on natural tooth enamel, it is important to evaluate replacement of any old fillings, crowns, etc. before the whitening process. Replacement of any restorations will be done after the whitening process so they will match the newly whitened teeth. Tooth whitening is not permanent. A touch-up may be needed periodically.
Our office is currently running a special on tooth whitening kits. You can have custom made trays for $150.00.
You can contact us through our online form or call us at (616) 364-8716.
Veneers are very thin shells of durable tooth shaped porcelain that are custom made for shape and color by a professional dental laboratory. They are bonded onto the front of the teeth to create a beautiful and attractive smile. They can be a great choice for improving teeth that are stained, crooked, worn, or have gaps
Veneers can completely reshape your teeth and smile. They can often be alternatives to crowns.
For more information please visit our Porcelain Veneers page.
Contact our office to see if you are a candidate for veneers. You can contact us through our online form or call us at (616) 364-8716.
There are several types of bridges. The “traditional bridge” is the most popular type and is usually made of porcelain fused to metal. Porcelain fixed bridges are most popular because they resemble your natural teeth. This type of bridge consists of two crowns that go over two anchoring teeth (abutment teeth) and are attached to pontics (artificial teeth), filling the gap created by one or more missing teeth.
When you need to replace a missing tooth, a bridge can be a functional, good-looking solution.
To learn more about dental tooth bridges please visit our Dental Porcelain Fixed Bridge page. Call today and schedule an appointment at Dr Wildern’s office, and we will get you on your way to smiling again! We will discuss with you all of the available options and answer any questions you may have. You can contact us through our online form or call us at (616) 364-8716.
A dental crown is a tooth-shaped “cap” that is placed over a tooth – covering the tooth to restore its shape and size, strength, to improve the tooths appearance.
There are several reasons for needing a tooth crown. It could be that you have a broken or fractured tooth, deep decay, a large filling, or a tooth that just had a root canal.
There are two types of porcelain crowns. A complete porcelain or a porcelain fused to metal (PFM). A PFM crown consists of a tooth-colored porcelain layer baked onto a metal core. When a tooth needs a restoration, sometimes the best choice is a porcelain crown.
Both Porcelain and PFM crowns are precision-crafted in a dental laboratory, so it may take two or more appointments to restore your tooth with a porcelain crown.
Like all crowns, it covers and protects your tooth. But in addition, a PFM crown has
To learn more about tooth crowns please visit our dental porcelain crowns page. Call today and schedule an appointment at Dr Wildern’s office, and we will get you on your way to smiling again! We will discuss with you all of the available options and answer any questions you may have. You can contact us through our online form or call us at (616) 364-8716.
White fillings have several advantages over silver fillings.
White fillings can be a great choice to give you healthy teeth a beautiful, natural-looking smile. Learn more about tooth colored fillings.
Call today and schedule and appointment at Dr Wildern’s office and we will get you on your way to smiling again! We will discuss with you all of the available options and answer any questions you may have. You can contact us through our online form or call us at (616) 364-8716.