Discover Dental Care

Dr. Castaneda will be attending the Myotronics 42nd Anniversary Seminar held in Seattle, WA on July 18-19. New materials and techniques for aesthetic and restorative dentistry have propelled the public interest in dentistry to new heights. Aesthetic, Restorative, or TMD, the common denominator influencing all major dental procedures is occlusion. Neuromuscular evaluation with Myotronics instrumentation provides the doctor with additional information to aid in optimizing diagnosis of the occlusion that leads to more predictable and durable treatment. Dr. Castaneda will return from this seminar with a vast amount of knowledge to share and implement.

Labels: aesthic, dentistry, restorative

We had a patient come in with a missing front tooth. It was knocked out when he was 16 years old and on vacation. We were able to make a bridge instead of a partial. We only had to take tooth structure from the back of the tooth . He had never been given that option before. He left the office smiling!

Labels: bridge, cosmetic, partial

The patient came into our office desiring cosmetic treatment with sensitive teeth and a history of drinking soda and iced tea with lots of sugar. Her goal was to have the perfect smile with veneers. One of her fillings had fallen out. The patients teeth were so sensitive that she requested we only use plastic instruments on her. We used the Diagnodent Laser cavity detector. We discussed with the patient the option of composite veneers verses porcelain veneers. We offered cosmetic imaging so that the patient could see what she would look like with veneers. It will definitely be a life changing and dramatic transformation!

Labels: cosmetic, Porcleain Veneer. Veneers

Poor dental hygiene today leads to greater monetary expense tomorrow. A lifetime of proper brushing and flossing will preserve teeth as long as they are needed, but let those habits slip and tooth decay occurs. Extensive decay leads to restorative dental procedures such as inlays, onlays, or crowns.

Inlays are a restorative treatment used to treat damaged areas of the tooth inside the cusp of the tooth. Stronger than silver fillings, the inlay is bonded directly to the tooth to strengthen it and provide a more aesthetic appearance. Onlays are basically the same as inlays, except some portion of the onlay is fitted over the cusp of the tooth and is more exposed when biting. Inlays and onlays are considered to be more conservative options than their cousin the crown is.

Crowns or caps replace a significant amount of tooth material due to decay or breakage. In order to apply a cap, much of the original tooth is removed. The cap is created to fit the bite of the alternate tooth and is cemented into place. All three restoratives can be made of gold, dental porcelain, or composite resin depending on the patients needs.

In most offices, two visits are required for inlays, onlays, and crowns. The dentist prepares the tooth and makes impressions for the restorative during the first visit. A temporary is placed and the impressions are sent to a dental lab to be custom made. In a few weeks, during the follow up visit, the inlay, onlay, or crown is cemented permanently in place. In some offices, the processing time is reduced because the fabrication is performed during a single visit.

If you have neglected preventative dental care and need same day restorations in the Shawnee area, contact Dr. Castaneda, who specializes in sedation dentistry; go online to schedule an appointment today.