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Santa Cruz Dentist

OUR SERVICES

YOUR SMILE IS OUR TOP PRIORITY

 

Whether your dental needs are an exam and cleaning, or a full-mouth restoration,
we promise to provide you with exceptional care you deserve as we enhance the natural beauty of your smile. Below are just a few of the many services we provide to our patients.
Dr. Tina-Lise Curtis Dental Exam

Pediatric Dentistry

We strive to create a friendly and fun atmosphere for children. Dental fears often begin in childhood and can continue into adulthood, so it's important that children have a positive experience as early as possible. With children we emphasize the proper maintenance and care of baby teeth, which help facilitate good chewing habits and proper speech production as they hold space for permanent teeth later on. 

By tracking growth and development, we can anticipate dental issues such as malocclusion (bad bite), or bruxism (grinding) and quickly intervene before it gets worse. Space maintainers can be fitted, a nighttime mouth guard may be recommended, or reconstructive surgery may be scheduled. Working towards early corrective treatment preserves a child’s positive self-image.

 

Bridges

A bridge is a permanent, non-removable appliance used to replace missing teeth, prevent remaining teeth from drifting out of position, restore chewing and speaking ability, and restore your smile. It's an exclellent way to upgrade from a removable partial denture. A bridge is usually made of porcelain fused to metal. A 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. Dental bridges will last many years, but may need replacement or need to be re-cemented due to normal wear. Getting a bridge usually requires two or more visits.
 

Crowns

A crown is a covering that encases the entire tooth surface restoring it to its original shape and size. Crowns are used to strengthen fractured teeth and fillings, a tooth that has had a root canal, or tooth structure that cannot be restored with other types of restorations. Porcelain (tooth colored) crowns are the most popular, because they can be made to match the shape, size and color or your natural teeth giving you along-lasting beautiful smile. For this reason  crowns are often used for comsetic ehnhancement. Crowns will last many years, but may eventually need to be replaced. A crown procedure usually requires two appointments.

 

Dentures / Partial Dentures

A denture is a removable replacement for missing teeth. They are made to closely resemble your natural teeth and may even enhance your smile.

 

There are two types of dentures - complete and partial. Complete dentures are used when all of the teeth are missing. Partial dentures are used when some of your natural teeth remain. A Partial denture not only fills in the spaces created by missing teeth, it prevents other teeth from shifting.

A complete denture can be either “conventional” or “immediate.”  A conventional type is made after the teeth have been removed and the gum tissue has healed (usually takes 6 to 8 weeks).  During this time, the patient will go without teeth. Immediate dentures are made in advance and immediately placed after the teeth are removed, thus preventing the patient from having to be without teeth during the healing process. Once the tissues shrink and heal, adjustments will have to be made. Dentures are durable but may eventually have to be remade, repaired, or readjusted due to normal wear. Getting dentures requires several appointments, usually over a period of several weeks.

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Veneers

Veneers are thin pieces of durable, tooth-shaped porcelain that are custom made by a dental laboratory and bonded onto the front of your teeth. Veneers are used to cosmetically treat misshapen, chiped, discolored or stained teeth to create a uniform, beautiful smile. Veneers can be an alternative to crowns. Getting veneers usually requires two visits, with little or no anesthesia required during the procedure. 

 

Composite Fillings

A composite filling (a filling that matches your tooth color) can be used to repair a tooth that is cracked, chipped, worn or decayed.  Composite fillings and silver amalgam fillings are the most widely used today. Because composite fillings can be matched to the color of your existing teeth, they are better suited for use in your more visible front teeth. Composite fillings are can be usually placed in one appointment. They are highly durable, giving you a long-lasting, beautiful smile.

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Teeth Whitening

Whiter teeth is the number one aesthetic concern of most patients. Teeth whitening (or bleaching) is an non-invasive treatment used to change the color of natural tooth enamel and is an ideal way to resore yellow or brown stained teeth. The most popular method is using a home teeth whitening system that will whiten teeth dramatically. Since teeth whitening only works on natural tooth enamel, it is important to evaluate replacement of any old fillings, crowns, etc. Replacement of any restorations will be done after bleaching so they will match the newly bleached teeth. Teeth whitening is not permanent. A touch-up may be needed every several years, more often if you smoke, drink coffee, tea, or wine. Teeth whitening usually requires two visits.

 

$127 in-office teeth whitening! This 20-minute procedure causes no sensitivity. Add whitening to your next cleaning, or come in for this alone. Includes take-home whitening pen. 

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Extractions

An extraction means to have a tooth removed, usually because of disease, trauma or crowding. After an extraction, a small amount of bleeding is normal. Avoid anything that might prevent normal healing. Don’t smoke or rinse your mouth vigorously. If you must rinse, rinse your mouth gently. If you experience swelling, apply a cold cloth or an ice bag and call us away. You can brush and floss the other teeth as usual, but avod the area where the tooth was removed. Your mouth will slowly fill in the bone where the tooth root was through the formation of a blood clot.

 

Hygeine/ Periodontal Health

The word periodontal means “around the tooth”.  Periodontal disease attacks the gums and the bone that support the teeth, and  is  the number one reason for tooth loss. Plaque is a sticky film of food debris, bacteria, and saliva.  If plaque is not removed, it turns into calculus (tartar).  When plaque and calculus are not removed, they begin to destroy the gums and bone.  Symptoms of periodontal disease include; bleeding gums, red and puffy gums, loose teeth and persistent bad breath. Research suggests that there may be a link between periodontal disease and other diseases such as, stroke, bacterial pneumonia, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and increased risk during pregnancy. Good oral hygiene, a balanced diet, and regular dental visits can help reduce your risk of developing periodontal disease.

 

Implants

Implants are used to replace missing teeth, resolve joint pain or bite problems, restore chewing and speech, and to support a bridge or denture. Dental implants are artificial roots (usually titanium) and teeth that are placed into the upper or lower jaw bone. The teeth attached to implants are natural looking and often enhance or restore a patient’s confident smile. On occasion, dental implants may need to to be re-tightened or replaced due to nomral wear. Getting implants requires a number of visits over several months.

 

Inlays / Onlays

An inlay restoration is a custom made filling made of composite material, gold, or tooth-colored porcelain. Inlays are used to conservatively repair a fractured tooth or large filling, a tooth that has been damaged by decay or trauma, or for cosmetic enhancement. An inlay is made by a dental laboratory and is permanently cemented into the tooth. Inlays are an ideal alternative to conventional silver and composite fillings. They are also more conservative than crowns because less tooth structure is removed in the preparation of inlays. An inlay procedure requires two appointments.

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Dr. Tina-Lise Curtis Teeth Whitening
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