Teeth Scaling and Root Planing

For people with mild to moderate gum disease, one of the most effective ways to prevent it from becoming severe is with a procedure known as scaling and root planing. During this treatment, the gums and teeth are thoroughly cleaned all the way down to the roots. Scaling and root planing is a very simple dental procedure that is quite effective in stopping the progression of gum disease.

Why Scaling and Root Planing is Performed

When plaque and tartar is not removed from the teeth, it provides the ideal environment in which bacteria can thrive. This bacteria often irritates the gum, causing them to bleed easily. If you are noticing blood when you brush your teeth, it is an early sign of the gum disease gingivitis. When left untreated, gingivitis can lead to inflammation that, eventually, works its way into the root of the tooth, causing what is known as a periodontal pocket. Bacteria grows in this pocket and can lead to severe gum and tooth damage. Sometimes, the gums start to pull away from the teeth.

Scaling and root planing is performed to remove the buildup of plaque and tartar and clean out any pockets that may have formed. This stops the progression of gum disease and allows the gums to heal.

What to Expect During Scaling and Root Planing

In many cases, local anesthesia is used to numb the gums prior to treatment. Another option is topical anesthetic gel that is delivered directly into the pockets in the gums to minimize discomfort without causing numbness in the lips or tongue.

When the pockets are not deep, there may be no need for anesthesia, and there is little to no discomfort during the treatment. Typically, patients only experience a scraping sensation on the teeth, similar to the sensation of a normal dental cleaning.

Minor cases with relatively shallow pockets can generally be treated in one session, but when deeper pockets are present, and the root surfaces require extensive cleaning, it may be necessary to break treatment up into two to four appointments.

After Your Appointment

You may experience a bit of discomfort following a scaling and root planing procedure. It is also common for the teeth to develop sensitivity to temperature, and the gums often bleed for a few days. Most often, over-the-counter painkillers like ibuprofen work well to manage discomfort, but sometimes stronger painkillers are necessary. Sometimes patients are required to take antibiotics following scaling and root planing to prevent the gums from becoming infected. This is most often necessary for individuals who are at high risk for developing infection, including people who have impaired immune systems, certain problems or have had major surgery recently.

For the first few days, you may have to avoid brushing or flossing or do so very gently to avoid causing additional pain in tender gum areas. You may also be instructed to rinse your mouth using salt water. With proper dental care following your procedure, your gums will heal and become healthy again.

If you are experiencing bleeding gums when you brush your teeth, you may be in need of scaling and root planing to prevent minor gingivitis from becoming a major problem. To schedule an appointment with the dental professionals right here at Castle Rock Family Dental, give us a call today at (303) 688-2229.

Protect Your Teeth With Mouth Guards

What are mouth guards?

A mouth guard is a dental appliance made of plastic material most commonly used to protect teeth from injury during athletic activities or tooth damage caused by tooth grinding. There are three different kinds of mouth guards available on the market today, although they are not all created equal. We will discuss them below in order of their effectiveness and give you an idea of what you can expect from each in terms of ease of use.

Preformed mouth guards

Preformed or stock tooth protectors are inexpensive and are sold ready to wear. They can be purchased at any sporting goods or drug store but offer limited options in terms of customizability. Although they are recommended for use in sports they are impractical and too bulky to be used as overnight mouth guards to protect against grinding.

Boil-and-bite mouth guards

Thermoplastic mouth guards can often be found on the same shelves as preformed mouth guards, but are a better option for those looking to protect their teeth from nighttime damage due to clenching and grinding. Made from thermo-formable plastic, they are dipped into hot or boiling water to soften them, then placed into the mouth where they are bitten down upon in order to create a mold of the teeth using the tongue and fingers.

Custom-fitted mouth guards

Custom-made mouth guards are designed specifically for your teeth and made in your dentist’s office. At Castle Rock Family Dental, we specialize in this procedure and will make an accurate impression of your teeth, which we then use to mold your custom-fitted mouth guard made of special, dental composite material. Although the custom mouth guard may cost more than stock or boiled mouth guards, there is simply no comparison in terms of comfort and protection, which is why we recommend their use over anything else on the market.

If you are concerned about your tooth grinding or potential dental injury during sports, I encourage you to give us a call at 303-688-2229 or visit our website. In addition to our contact details you will also find information about our custom-fit nocturnal bite plates and mouth guards as well as the full range of dental care services we offer.

What You Need To Know About Teeth Whitening

Teeth Whitening Options And Safety

Teeth whitening is an incredibly popular procedure these days and has become a very popular cosmetic dentistry option, with dozens of companies offering a dazzling variety of do-it-yourself whiteners and bleaches that people can use in their own homes. The belief that whiter teeth communicate youth and attractiveness is deeply ingrained in our psyche and causes some people to try any new product that comes on the market in pursuit of brighter, shinier teeth. But, is it safe to go it alone and use over the counter products to attempt to whiten one’s own teeth?

Perhaps the most popular tooth whitening option on the market today is the ubiquitous whitening toothpaste. Although they have become quite commonplace, they have been criticized for being abrasive and wearing away the enamel of the user’s teeth. Furthermore, the hydrogen peroxide which is often used as a bleaching agent in these toothpastes is now thought to be both responsible for weakening teeth and possibly carcinogenic.

Aside from toothpastes, home-use tooth bleaching kits are another popular option for those in pursuit of stain-free teeth. These kits are comprised of trays which the user fills with hydrogen peroxide and wears at night for a length of up to two weeks. Although such kits claim to be able to dramatically whiten teeth the risks associated with the in-home use of hydrogen peroxide over such a long period of time cannot be overstated and people should consider whether or not it is worth it in the long run.

So, are there any safe options for tooth whitening? It may come as no surprise that tooth whitening is best done by the professionals but it needs to be said in a market flooded with DIY products. At Castle Rock Family Dental, we know how to correctly use tooth whiteners and bleaches to prevent damage and over-exposure to potentially carcinogenic chemicals. We also have the facilities to ensure that all procedures are carried out safely, hygienically and effectively—something that cannot be said for an OTC kit you use in your bathroom before going to bed. In fact, when done by a dentist, even a hydrogen peroxide bleaching can be safe because the chemical only comes into contact with tooth enamel, which is not a living tissue. In addition to chemical bleaching we can also offer you the option of laser whitening—an approach that you can get over the counter.

In short, tooth whitening can be a great way to improve your smile, but as with most things, you should leave it to the professionals to get the best results. 

Give us a call at 303-688-2229 or visit our website at http://castlerockfamilydental.com to schedule your appointment today!

TMJ Disorder And TMD Treatment

Ever get pain, soreness or discomfort in your jaw you can't quite place? Pay attention to those pains! Your mouth is one of the most important aspects of your overall health. If you have missing teeth or have teeth that have become infected, those situations can pose significant adverse side effects, but so to can your jaw. If you are experiencing pain in your jaw, this could cause other problems most people often don’t realize. There are a number of signs and symptoms that oftentimes patients don't associate with TMD.

Here at Castle Rock Family Dental, I often hear people refer to jaw related troubles as TMJ. Let's take a moment to clear this terminology up. TMJ is the wrong acronym to use. TMJ stands for Temporomandibular Joint which is the name of the joint where the lower jaw attaches to our skull, and every one has TMJ. If you are experiencing pain or discomfort in your jaw joint, the proper term is in fact TMD. TMD stands for Temporomandibular Dysfunction, which I think is a more appropriate acronym and term to use when patients are having issues.

TMJ Disorder TMD Treatment
Before & After

As it happens, people suffering from TMD experience a number of signature symptoms. You may be aware if you have TMD with symptoms such as clicking and popping of the jaw joint, headaches, neck pain and back pain, issues as well as grinding your teeth that your spouse might hear while you sleep are all common side effects of TMD. Another side effect is visible wear on someone’s teeth. This wear is caused by grinding your teeth while you sleep to the point that patients often require some form of restorative treatment.

Because there are a number of other symptoms associated with TMD that people aren’t aware of, at Castle Rock Family Dental we offer complimentary consultations. It is through this consultation that I will be able to make you aware of the extent of your disorder and then inform you about an appropriate treatment method that should alleviate your condition. If you’re interested in taking advantage of our complimentary consultation offer, you are encouraged to call our office at 303-688-2229, or you can visit the Castle Rock Family Dental website and schedule an appointment directly from there. Talk to you soon!

Cosmetic Veneers Can Improve Your Smile

Hello everyone! One of the most popular forms of cosmetic dental work I see here at Castle Rock Family Dental is cosmetic veneers. They are an excellent way to improve the appearance of your smile! If you have crooked or damaged teeth, or your teeth are discolored due to coffee, tea, or cigarette smoke, you don't have to hide your smile any longer.

The process of getting cosmetic veneers is relatively simple. Veneers are usually made out of porcelain or plastic and then are bonded over the exiting teeth. Veneers also have a longer life expectancy and color stability than bonding, and highly resist permanent staining from coffee, tea, or even cigarette smoking.

The process of getting a veneer usually requires two, two to three hour visits at our office to complete. During the first visit a mold of your teeth will be made and then sent off to a lab where a technician will craft the cosmetic veneers to fit your natural smile. Veneers are usually irreversible so it`s necessary to remove a small amount of enamel from your teeth to allow the veneer to bond and hold into place.

Once the veneer is in place, it's important for you to floss and brush daily. During a two-week period of adjustment that follows,you may notice the change of size and shape in your teeth. It's because of this that I must stress the point that veneers are a facsimile of your natural smile and not a perfect replacement.

If you are concerned about the appearance of your smile, and would like to meet with me and my staff at Castle Rock Family Dental, go ahead and give us a call at 303-688-2229 or visit our website. Our website also hosts additional information about other cosmetic and smile restorative procedures that we can consult with you about.

Root Canals Castle Rock

Welcome back everyone! Today we're going to be dealing with root canals. I know what you're thinking, that implies pain, discomfort, and another trip to the dentist. But really the alternative could be far worse! When an infection takes a hold of a tooth, it's necessary to get in there and clean it out. Before root canals, the only option left to dentists was to pull the tooth and hope that got all of the infection out of there. 

To start with, root canal therapy is the process of cleaning out the infected pulp of the tooth. This is where all of the blood vessels, nerve endings, and other tissues reside. This is the surest way to remove the infection and prevent it from returning. Once the chamber within the tooth and the tiny canals are cleaned out and disinfected, it is then filled with an medicated, elastic-like material that will prevent the tooth from becoming infected again. Most patients who have a root canal experience little or no discomfort or pain and enjoy a restored tooth that can last almost as long as its healthy original.

You might be asking yourself, "but why go through all of that?" The simple answer is to restore and maintain as much of the natural tooth as possible. Any good dentist will tell you this is the best course of action to take. Sure, the tooth could be pulled and an implant or a bridge could be inserted in its place. The thing you must consider is that an implant is pretty expensive and a bridge requires a dentist to damage the adjacent teeth increasing the likelihood of infection of those teeth and then require a root canal! So if you've recently chipped or cracked a tooth, or if you're experiencing a constant source of aggravating pain emanating from a tooth, believe your dentist when he or she tells you a root canal is the best way to go!

As always, if you are having dental troubles, or if a tooth is giving you problems - Castle Rock Family Dental is here for you. Give us a call at 303-688-2229 or you can visit our website at http://castlerockfamilydental.com to schedule your appointment! 

Sedation Dentistry Makes It Easy To Calm Down About Coming To The Dentist

             Are you one of those people that gets nervous and worked up about going to the dentist so you end up delaying your visits? Don't worry! It's perfectly normal and I understand completely where you're coming from! However, I do have some good news for you that you're going to want to hear about. Here at Castle Rock Family Dental, we offer sedation dentistry to any patient that experiences overwhelming anxiety about coming in and seeing us.

            Just what is sedation anxiety you might ask? Very simply, it's an effective means to help people like you relax and be able to keep regular dental visits. The night before you come into the office for your appointment, we'll give you a small dose of valium to help you get a good nights rest. We don't want you awake all night long worrying yourself about the next day's visit. Valium is also very safe for people to use with minimal risks or any kind of lingering side effects. The next morning, we'll give you another small dose, to help you relax even more, and after about an hour, we can begin your procedure with you perfectly calm and at ease, or even sound asleep!

            Throughout the procedure my staff and I will monitor your pulse, blood pressure, and your breathing to ensure you're getting enough oxygen. And in very rare cases, if you were to get too sedated for my liking, we have the means to bring you out of it very quickly minimizing any kind of health risk. Laughing gas may also be used to help keep you calm.

            The nice thing about sedation dentistry for you, in addition to not being worried about going to the dentist is the amount of work we're able to get done! We can get quite a lot of dentistry done while you're sedated. This ensures that your smile is bright and beautiful, but also that your needs are being taken care of. Sedation dentistry also helps us minimize the number of return visits you'd have to make to our office, so there's no need for extra anxiety than you're already experiencing.

            Once you're done, we have a member of your family or a friend on standby; they come pick you up, take you home, and you're likely to take a good long nap. When you wake up, your smile will look great and very likely you won't have much of any memory of coming to the dentist at all. Only under very rare circumstances is someone not a viable candidate for sedation dentistry, and this only involves very serious medical conditions. We may consult with your physician or alter the treatment protocol, but again, that's only under very rare circumstances. Really just about everyone is a great candidate for sedation dentistry.

            At Castle Rock Family Dental, we're currently accepting new patients all the time. So if you've been putting off giving us a call because you're nervous, you don't have to be any more! Sedation dentistry really is a great way to ensure your smile gets the TLC it deserves. You can reach us via phone at 303-688-2229 or our website http://castlerockfamilydental.com to schedule your appointment!