OUR SERVICES
We offer a variety of general and cosmetic options to suit your needs
We are a mercury-free practice. However, many people still have silver/mercury fillings in their mouths from years past. These fillings are not particularly pleasing to the eye, and we know that by unavoidable design, silver/mercury fillings ultimately result in a weaker tooth structure. We can create tooth-colored restorations that are not only beautiful, but also add strength to weakened teeth.
Silver (or mercury) fillings have many drawbacks. The edges of these fillings tend to wear down, becoming weak and ultimately breaking. This results in the tooth not being protected and lets cavities get started once again. With age, the metal of a silver filling expands, contracts, and can split. Silver fillings contain 50 percent mercury. They can corrode, leak and cause stains on your teeth and gums. Fortunately, silver fillings can safely be replaced with Tooth Colored Restorations.
There are many advantages to tooth colored restorations. Resin onlays are bonded to the teeth creating a tight, superior fit to the natural tooth. Such restorations can be used in instances where much of the tooth structure has been lost. The tooth remains intact and stronger. Since the resin used in tooth colored restorations contain fluoride this can help prevent decay. The resin wears like natural teeth and does not require placement at the gum line, which is healthier for your gums! Your teeth are restored to a natural look and feel, they are stronger and the tooth is protected!
Most dentistry looks like dentistry. Our goal is to provide dentistry that is undetectable. We replace existing crowns and fillings with restorations that look and feel like your natural teeth.
Where damage to a person’s teeth is extreme, and apparently beyond repair, we can use porcelain crowns to make the smile appear “as new”. This is an extremely reliable technique for repairing the most severe of dental problems, even permanently replacing missing teeth to offer a complete smile and a functional bite. We are renowned for the quality of our work and the fantastic changes we make for people using this technology. These treatments are used for a long lasting correction of major dental problems. It is usual for these treatments to last for 10 to 20 years, which is as close to permanent as dental treatment can get.
Fitting a crown requires at least two visits to our office. Initially, we will remove decay, shape the tooth, and fit it with a temporary crown that matches your other teeth. On the subsequent visit we will remove the temporary crown, and then fit and adjust the final crown. Finally, we will cement the crown into place and you have a new beautiful looking tooth.
1. Replaces missing teeth
2. Offers support to misshapen teeth or badly broken teeth
3. Looks completely natural
4. Fixes “smile” and functional chewing problems.
Crown and bridgework is a very reliable solution for major dental problems caused through accidents, diseases or wear and tear. Major problems can usually be corrected using these techniques. Material used in these repairs is either high-grade porcelain, or porcelain bonded to gold. A higher strength of the porcelain and gold materials is recommended to treat the most serious of dental problems. Where accidental damage has occurred, resulting in lost teeth, or where teeth have broken away through excessive wear, or as the result of old fillings breaking, crowns and/or bridges can be used as a long-term solution.
Many people have unexplained pain from filled back teeth, which is usually due to hairline cracks in the chewing part of the tooth. Placing crowns on these teeth relieves the pain and allows a return of full dental function for these teeth. In front teeth, older fillings can both weaken the teeth and cause “appearance” problems due to staining or chipping. Porcelain crowns and bridges are suitable in cases where porcelain veneers are not. In teeth with root canal fillings, crowns can prevent breakage.
All dental lab work is initiated, fabricated, and completed in the United States.
Porcelain veneers are thin shells of ceramic that bond directly to the front and top surfaces of the teeth. They are an ideal choice for improving your smile and have become increasingly popular due to their simplicity and versatility. With veneers as an alternative, there is no reason to put up with gaps between your teeth, teeth that are stained, badly shaped or crooked. A veneer placed on top of your teeth can correct these maladies, simply and quickly, to help you achieve a beautiful smile!
When bonded to the teeth, the ultra-thin porcelain veneers are virtually undetectable and highly resistant to coffee, tea, or even cigarette stains. For strength and appearance, their resemblance to healthy, white tooth enamel is unsurpassed by other restorative options. Because they are thin, light can shine through them and they take on the natural color of the underlying tooth.
With proper care, porcelain veneers will brighten your smile for well over a decade. Dr. Pacheco will ensure that your veneers are crafted from the highest quality porcelains and are bonded with the most advanced and proven materials available.
This procedure will require three appointments: Diagnosis and Treatment planning, Preparation and Bonding.
You will want to take an active role in planning your smile design. Dr. Pacheco will review the corrective limitations of this procedure and help you plan your new smile, using digital photographs and study models of your teeth.
The second appointment will take one to two hours. Although the porcelain veneer is very thin, the teeth are lightly buffed to allow for the added thickness. Approximately one half of a millimeter of tooth is removed. This may require little or no local anesthesia. Then a mold is taken of the teeth and sent to the lab for fabrication. Temporary veneers will be placed at this time. The veneer should be ready in approximately two weeks.
At the time of your third appointment, Dr. Pacheco will first place the veneer on your teeth with water or glycerin to check their fit and color. At this point the color of the veneer can still be adjusted by the shade of the cement used to adhere it. Once the color is determined, and the veneer is ready to be applied, the tooth is cleansed with specific chemicals to achieve a bond. A special cement is placed between the teeth and the veneer and a visible light beam is used to harden the cement. This appointment takes approximately one to two hours.
Brush and floss daily. Return for a follow-up visit after one to two weeks.
Brush and floss as you normally would. Don’t be afraid that you will damage your veneers by brushing and flossing. Non-abrasive toothpaste is recommended. A good home care regimen will insure the best esthetic success of your veneer. You may experience some sensitivity to hot and cold after placement of your veneer. This is due to the amount of enamel left on the tooth after preparation. Sensitivity is totally normal and should dissipate after one to two weeks. If sensitivity persists please call the office. If you are a known clencher (bruxer), please be sure to let us know. Dr. Pacheco may recommend a night guard for you to wear to minimize stress placed upon your teeth while you sleep. It will also help to protect your beautiful new smile. We will ensure that your new veneers fulfill your esthetic goal. With proper home care and scheduled visits, they are sure to provide you with a beautiful smile for years to come.
If you’ve lost all of your natural teeth, whether from periodontal disease, tooth decay or injury, complete dentures can replace your missing teeth and your smile. Replacing missing teeth will benefit your appearance and your health. Without support from the denture, facial muscles sag, making a person look older. You’ll be able to eat and speak—things that people often take for granted until their natural teeth are lost.
There are various types of complete dentures. A conventional full denture is made and placed in the patient’s mouth after the remaining teeth are removed and tissues have healed which may take several months. An immediate complete denture is inserted as soon as the remaining teeth are removed. Dr. Pacheco takes measurements and makes custom models of the patient’s jaws during a preliminary visit. With immediate dentures, the denture wearer does not have to be without teeth during the healing period since the dentures are delivered on the day of surgery.
Even if you wear full dentures, you still must take good care of your mouth. Brush your gums, tongue and palate every morning with a soft-bristled brush before you insert your dentures to stimulate circulation in your tissues and help remove plaque.
Today we can use implants to help retain your dentures, resulting in more confidence when eating and speaking. Loose dentures are a thing of the past. Ask us how we can use dental implants to help secure your dentures.
All dental lab work is initiated, fabricated, and completed in the United States.
You and Dr. Pacheco may determine that you need a tooth extraction for any number of reasons. Some teeth are extracted because they are severely decayed; others may have advanced periodontal disease, or have broken in a way that cannot be repaired. Other teeth may need removal because they are poorly positioned in the mouth (such as impacted teeth), or in preparation for orthodontic treatment.
The removal of a single tooth can lead to problems related to your chewing ability, problems with your jaw joint, and shifting teeth, which can have a major impact on your dental health. To avoid these complications, in most cases, we will discuss alternatives to extractions as well replacement of the extracted tooth.
At the time of extraction the doctor will need to numb your tooth, jawbone and gums that surround the area with a local anesthetic. During the extraction process you will feel a lot of pressure. This is from the process of firmly rocking the tooth in order to widen the socket for removal.
You feel the pressure without pain as the anesthetic has numbed the nerves stopping the transference of pain, yet the nerves that transmit pressure are not profoundly affected. If you do feel pain at any time during the extraction please let us know right away.
Occasionally, some teeth require sectioning. This is a very common procedure done when a tooth is so firmly anchored in its socket or the root is curved and the socket can’t expand enough to remove it. The doctor simply cuts the tooth into sections then removes each section one at a time.
After tooth extraction, it’s important for a blood clot to form to stop the bleeding and begin the healing process. Bite on a gauze pad for 30-45 minutes immediately after the appointment. If the bleeding or oozing still persists, place another gauze pad and bite firmly for another 30 minutes. You may have to do this several times to staunch the flow of blood.
After the blood clot forms it is important to not disturb or dislodge the clot. Do not rinse vigorously, suck on straws, smoke, drink alcohol or brush teeth next to the extraction site for 72 hours. These activities may dislodge or dissolve the clot and hinder the healing process. Limit vigorous exercise for the next 24 hours, as this increases blood pressure and may cause more bleeding from the extraction site.
After the tooth is extracted you may feel some pain and experience some swelling. An ice pack or an unopened bag of frozen peas or corn applied to the area will keep swelling to a minimum. Take pain medications as prescribed. The swelling usually subsides after 48 hours. Use pain medication as directed. Call our office if the medication doesn’t seem to be working. If antibiotics are prescribed, continue to take them for the indicated length of time even if signs and symptoms of infection are gone. Drink lots of fluids and eat nutritious, soft food on the day of the extraction. You can eat normally as soon as you are comfortable.
It is important to resume your normal dental routine after 24 hours. This should include brushing and flossing your teeth at least once a day. This will speed healing and help keep your mouth fresh and clean. After a few days you should feel fine and can resume your normal activities. If you have heavy bleeding, severe pain, continued swelling for 2-3 days, or a reaction to the medication, call our office immediately.
Having a beautiful smile may be even easier than you think. Many people achieve the look they’ve been dreaming of with our simple “bleaching” procedure. It’s safe, quick, and inexpensive. Just let us know at any appointment if you would like to begin whitening.
In only a week your custom trays will be ready for you to pick up. We provide you with a special whitening agent that you put into the clear, almost invisible trays. With less than one hour of wear per day, our special whitening agent bubbles stains right out of your enamel in a very short time without altering tooth structure or existing dental work in any way. When your teeth reach the brightness you want, only occasional treatment is needed to maintain your new smile. We’ll want to take “after” photos at your next appointment.
Dental bleaching can be used to correct many tooth discolorations. These discolorations may have been caused by staining, aging, or chemical damage to teeth. Using the latest in bleaching technology, we can offer a safe method for creating a beautiful, “brilliant” smile. In cases of extreme tooth discoloration, crowns or veneers may be the only choice. But because of the low cost of bleaching treatments, bleaching is nearly always worth a solid try.
1. Corrects brown, yellow and mottled tooth staining
2. Works on people of all ages.
3. Is a near permanent solution for a “dull” smile, restoring brightness and bringing a smile alive.
An impression is taken to make a specialized “mouthguard” or “stent” to hold the bleach against the teeth. The material is used each night for about 1 hour for a week or two, after which significant whitening will occur. In some cases, the change is nothing short of brilliant. For confidence in appearance, bleaching technology offers improvements in yellowing, aging or stained teeth. For very severely stained teeth, crowns or veneers may be more appropriate.
Over-the-counter bleaching agents are available at drug stores and pharmacies. However, since these products can harm the gums and teeth, it’s better to use products that our practice recommends.
Highly effective in preventing decay on the biting surfaces of your chewing teeth, sealants are a simple procedure in which a tooth-colored acrylic “coating” is painted onto the surface of the tooth. This effectively “seals” the deep grooves acting as a barrier, protecting enamel from plaque and acids. Sealants protect the depressions and grooves of your teeth from food particles and plaque that brushing and flossing can’t reach. Easy to apply, sealants take only a few minutes to seal each tooth. Sealants hold up well under the force of normal chewing and can last several years before a reapplication is needed. Children and adults can benefit from sealants in the fight against tooth decay.
If you experience night time teeth grinding, jaw clenching, or jaw pain, you might be a good candidate for a custom night guard. Many people unconsciously grind and/or clench their teeth while they sleep. This can cause irreparable damage to existing tooth structure and result in costly dental work.
A custom night guard can be fabricated and delivered to you in two appointments. The first appointment consists of us getting an impression of your teeth and sending it to our lab. At your second appointment, Dr. Pacheco will adjust your guard to ensure a snug fit for maximum protection.