General Dentistry

Emergency Evaluation / Treatment

At Epic Smiles, we understand that in emergencies, there is no time to waste. Please contact our office if you are having any of the following dental urgencies:

Video 00:21 | “Dental emergencies can occur at anytime and after normal business hours. It is important to know what your options are in case of a dental emergency. Epic Smiles offers extended office hours and time open in their daily schedules to accommodate emergencies.”

Common Dental Emergencies

Toothaches

At Epic Smiles, we know that toothaches are almost unbearable. This pain can be a result of several dental problems like trauma, infections, teeth decay, and bruxism. Our team will determine what is causing the pain and provide alternatives to relieve it immediately.

If you are having a toothache, visit the office as soon as possible. In the meantime, rinse your mouth with water, and try to eliminate all food particles that might be present in the area. Apply a cold compress if there’s any visible swelling in or around the mouth, and take pain relief if necessary.

Broken tooth

The course of treatment will depend on how severe and extensive the fracture is:
–small chip or fractures: only the enamel (external tissue) is affected, so the tooth can quickly be restored with a composite filling.
– fractures that involve dentin: these fractures affect the inner layer of dental tissue. Usually, too much dental structure is lost to be treated with a dental filling. That’s why the treatment choice for these fractures tends to be a porcelain dental crown.
– fracture that affects the pulp: when the pulp is involved, there’s no other choice but to treat the tooth with root canal therapy. In these cases, patients will see some blood in the area of the fracture.
– complicated fractures: in some rare cases, the fracture extends in such a way that there’s no means of saving the tooth. The dentist will have no choice but to make an extraction.

If you have a broken tooth, please get in contact with our office. Our dentist will examine the fracture and its x-ray and determine which treatment is best for you.

Gingivitis Therapy

Oral health is not only about having bright, white teeth. So, at Epic Smiles, we also encourage our patients to start noticing other vital tissue in the oral cavity: the gingiva, commonly known as gums.

Video 01:00 | If your gums are tender, swollen or bleed easily when flossing, you may have gingivitis—the early stage of gum disease. Fortunately, gingivitis can be prevented by following a good oral health care routine and by regularly visiting a dentist. Find out more about how to reduce the risk of gingivitis and, if needed, how to treat it.

What is gingivitis, and how is it treated?

Gingivitis can be defined as the inflammation of the gum tissue. The most common cause of gums disease is bacteria-associated. The same dental plaque that causes cavities affects the soft tissues around teeth. However, we should also clear out that other factors influence the development of this disease. Some examples are medications (including certain types of anti-epilepsy drugs and cancer therapy drugs), habits like smoking, and systemic diseases.

However, as mentioned before, the most common cause is bacterial build-up. So the best way to treat gingivitis is with an extensive cleaning session.

Periodontal Therapy (i.e., SRP)

Unlike the sign of gingivitis, the consequences of periodontal disease cannot be reverted. This means that once the bone tissue has been lost, there’s no way of getting it back.

The main inconvenience is that the first stages of periodontitis are silent. That’s why our team emphasizes the importance of cleaning and examination sessions. If the patient skips appointments or doesn’t pay attention to gingivitis signs, once he or she starts seeing the problems arisen by the disease (shrinking gum issue or loose teeth), it might be too late for prevention. Oral health has already been severely compromised.

Our team has no other choice but to resort to periodontal therapy to stop the disease’s progression and wait until the tissues are no longer infected. Only then, the dentist will evaluate how to treat the consequences.

Video 01:00 | Gums that are red, tender or swollen may indicate periodontal disease, also known as gum disease. Because you can have periodontal disease without knowing it, it’s important to visit your dentist for periodontal screening. Discover more about how to prevent, detect and treat periodontal disease.

What treatment is recommended for the later stages of periodontal disease?

Once a patient is diagnosed with periodontitis, dentists will start treatment right away. The first step is to eliminate the infection that is causing the disease. 

Periodontal therapy involves what dentists call SRP (“scaling and root planing”). Our team considers it the best course of treatment for late-stage periodontal disease. It has the aim of eliminating the plaque and tartar from the surface of the teeth and roots below the gum line. For this purpose, our team at Epic Smiles can use an ultrasonic or a manual scaler: the choice depends on the amount and the consistency of the calculus. The length of the treatment will vary according to the severity of the illness: it can go from a few sessions to a long-term treatment. Sometimes, this therapy needs to be aided by antibiotics. 

Injections for Migraines, TMD & Teeth Grinding (Bruxism)

You might have heard about injectables before: it’s the most popular treatment option to get rid of wrinkles and other signs of aging. But nowadays, injectables are not only restricted to esthetic treatments. They are also being used in dentistry to treat pain with a high level of success.

In our field, these injectables are used to treat jaw pain and migraines associated with temporomandibular disorders (“TMD”). This disorder affects the temporomandibular joint (“TMJ”), a physiological structure that connects the lower jaw to the upper jaw. This joint enables a wide range of movements, including those involved in chewing.

There are many reasons why the TMJ may not work properly, like teeth grinding, birth malformations, and trauma. But in most cases, patients just notice (and suffer!) the signs: difficulty in chewing, headaches, tightness, limited mouth opening, locking, and sometimes clicking. So sometimes, reducing the symptoms is as urgent as treating the cause.

Although injectables cannot relieve all symptoms, they do a great job with the ones most dreaded by patients: migraines and jaw pain.

Video 01:00 | From time to time almost everyone has experienced facial pain. It’s possible that the pain may be related to the joint located in the front of your ear called the temporomandibular joint or TMJ. TMJ can occur in the form of headaches, tenderness around the jaw and clicking and popping noises when your mouth is open. Discover the various effects of facial pain and be sure to see your dentist who can give you a thorough exam and determine the cause of your facial pain.

Video 01:00 | Teeth grinding also known as Bruxism, often happens at night during sleep. Bruxism may be related to stress and anxiety, sleep disorders, an abnormal bite or temporomandibular joint. Learn more about the symptoms of teeth grinding and find out how your dentist can fit you with a mouth protector to help guard your teeth during sleep.

Teeth Cleaning

All patients need to visit the office at least every six months: dental examinations and cleanings are crucial to maintaining oral health. No matter how white and clean their smile may seem, there are some details that only dentists can spot.

These cleanings, also known as “prophylaxis” or “prophies”, are intended to remove both tartar and dental plaque that might have formed between appointments. Why do they accumulate? Simply, there are some areas of the dental arch that are more difficult to clean, like the back of the lower teeth or the lasts molars. If the patient doesn’t have a meticulous brushing and flossing routine, dental plaque will eventually appear. And the tartar is nothing but dental plaque that hardens over the time (and due to the action of some proteins and minerals present in saliva).

But it’s not only about eliminating plaque. While doing prophies, our team at Epic Smiles can also detect concerns like periodontal disease or dental cavities. These examinations allow our dentists to treat these concerns on time and keep more severe treatments like extractions and root canals away. Moreover, if patients are presenting signs of inadequate oral hygiene, our team will evaluate their brushing and flossing to see if they are using the appropriate technique.

Video 01:00 | Regular dental visits are also extremely important to prevent and treat oral disease. Learn why regularly visiting a dentist for a teeth cleaning can help keep your smile healthy for a lifetime.

How often should I have my teeth cleaned?

According to the ADA (American Dental Association), no more than six months should pass between cleaning and examination sessions. Patients need to visit the dental office regularly as it is the only way to act preventively and maintain oral health.