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227 Mount Auburn Ave., Auburn ME 04210 |
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COSMETIC
(METAL-FREE) RESTORATIONS By using the newest dental materials and technologies, we can offer for most patients, restorations with no metal. All of our small restorations are tooth colored composite fillings. We have not used amalgam mercury containing fillings for over five years. The best and longest lasting metal-free restorations are lab-fabricated porcelain or porcelain-resin restorations. These two-visit restorations are bonded in place to restore your tooth to almost its original strength while saving as much natural tooth as possible. Helping you save your natural tooth structure is our main objective. When possible, porcelain crowns are used in the back of your mouth for aesthetic reasons. The cost of lab restorations is initially more; however, they save you time and money in the long run. ONE VISIT LAB-FABRICATED PORCELAIN RESTORATIONS With CEREC 3D technology our office has the capability to fabricate all porcelain restorations in our in-office lab. We can fabricate porcelain crowns, inlays and onlays in one visit, so this means no temporary and no return visit. CEREC 3D uses CAD-CAM technology. We start with a digital picture using infrared sensors, then design a restoration to fit your tooth, then the CEREC 3D milling unit can fabricate a one of a kind porcelain restoration specifically for you needs. Gum disease or periodontal disease is the main reason for tooth loss (yes, even more than tooth decay!) If you are diagnosed with periodontal (gum) disease, it means you have pockets in the gum tissue and have bleeding (Remember, healthy gums never bleed). We will begin a conservative (non-surgical) periodontal therapy program of 2-6 visits to control the periodontal (gum) disease. With our Dental Fitness Program you will be given a dental fitness report card at your initial visit and at each subsequent hygiene maintenance visit. The goal of the periodontal therapy visit is to remove hard deposits and bacteria below the gum line in order to shrink pockets, eliminate bleeding points and create a healthy environment within your mouth. After your initial therapy, we will recommend a regular continuing care visit so that your new level of periodontal health can be monitored and maintained. Personal home care is critical in the continued success of your treatment. Certainly, we will do all we can for you to succeed because your dental health is important to us. PORCELAIN VENEERS Porcelain veneers are the latest in dentistry. Porcelain veneers are thin porcelain laminates which can change your smile and the way you look in two office visits. They can lighten, straighten, change the shape of your teeth, close spaces in addition to serving many other purposes. Research has shown that an attractive smile is one of the most important features of self-image which in turn impacts personal success. One study concluded that those who met people with attractive smiles deemed they were more honest and successful and were more willing to be associated with them. Another study concluded that when interviewing for a job, the individual with the more attractive smile was more likely to be hired, even receiving a higher starting salary. It is important to note however, that a nice smile not only serves to enhance self-image but also improves your oral as well as overall health. Our staff has been specially trained to provide this state-of-the-art procedure which other offices may find too cumbersome either in technique or time. We pride ourselves in our continuous training and our very current approach. "2
VISIT" ORTHODONTICS The purpose of properly aligned and functioning teeth is more than merely aesthetics, or appearances. Properly aligned and functioning teeth last longer since they are easier to keep clean. Our goal is for you to achieve the smile of your dreams for the rest of your life. If braces are not the best option for you, with new modem dental materials we are able to straighten crowded teeth, close spaces, align or perform any number of cosmetic procedure in two visits. Before we begin, we will perform a computerized smile design (no charge). We are also able to have the laboratory wax up a model of your new teeth so that you may see them first. For cases involving several teeth, we will utilize the best of technology and materials using porcelain veneers. If only one or two teeth are involved, we can sometimes reshape the teeth and/or place composite filling material on them. Again, our goal is to help you achieve the smile of your dreams for the rest of your life. ALL BONDED
RESTORATIONS (NO MERCURY) All of our filling materials are made of composite resin which are bonded in place to seal the tooth. Mercury amalgam restorations never seal the tooth from harmful bacteria and actually expand over time causing cracks and fracturing of the tooth structure. Many offices still use this one-hundred and fifty-year-old technology. We have not used mercury containing restorative material since 1994. CROWNS AND BRIDGES Most everyone has heard the term crown or "cap". Whenever there is not enough tooth to support a filling or other restorations we will recommend a crown. Since a crown is fabricated by a laboratory, it is a two visit procedure which can restore your tooth to its original form and function. This new tooth will last longer and more easily be kept clean. Crowns in our office are made from either: porcelain, porcelain fused to gold, or all gold. In the aesthetic front of your mouth we use all porcelain crowns when possible. With dental technology advances we are now able to use more and more porcelain restorations in the back of the mouth. Bridges are needed when a tooth is missing between two healthy teeth. A bridge is when we attach a tooth in the missing space to the teeth on each side. New technology gives us new ways in which to attach this tooth to the adjacent teeth. Materials have also become very aesthetic allowing for metal-free restorations eliminating darkness along the gum-line. This is very exciting for the field of dentistry. BLEACHING/WHITENING Whitening your teeth by bleaching can dramatically improve your smile! Bleaching is a simple, low cost way to whiten your teeth in the privacy of your own home. The procedure involves only two steps in our office. We will take an impression of your mouth. Second, you return for your custom bleaching trays (which we have make in our laboratory) and personal instructions on how to get the best results for whitening your teeth. You will wear these trays one or more hours a day until your teeth have lightened. For some people it will take a few days, while others take a few weeks. After this you can touch-up by bleaching 2 to 3 days every three to six months. Our entire staff has bleached their teeth so please ask any of us questions about home bleaching. SEALANTS Sealants are a plastic coating which is painted into the grooves of your teeth to prevent cavities. The ideal time for sealants is in childhood after the teeth have erupted into a child's mouth, but can certainly be placed on an adult's teeth of any age. Sealants have proven to be a reliable, preventative procedure saving patient's teeth, money and time. Preventing cavities prevents more costly restorations in the future. ROOT CANALS Root canals give most people a negative feeling, but the procedure is usually painless. The anxiety is typically due to the time before root canal treatment in which there has been some type of painful episode. Separating this experience from the actual treatment is usually the concern. The root canal appointment is virtually painless. The need for a root canal (endodontic treatment) is from some type of trauma to the tooth. Usually this is decay, but could also be a traumatic blow to the tooth, i.e. popcorn, ice or a baseball are a few examples. We try our best to prevent root canals by early detection of decay or by placing lab fabricated restorations to protect the tooth. Our goal is to help you keep your teeth for a lifetime with the fewest visits to our office. IMPLANT PROSTHESIS In some instances a person has lost their teeth due to disease or trauma, and there are no adjacent healthy teeth available on which to place a bridge. If you desire a fixed replacement versus a denture which is removable, with technology today we are able to place an implant where the tooth was and then attach a crown or denture to this implant. We work with the finest oral surgeons in the area to help us restore your dental health. DENTURE / PARTIALS When someone has lost posterior teeth or cannot afford a bridge the one option may be a removable denture or removable partial denture. We can attach these to sound healthy teeth or, in the case of a full denture, sit on a sound, healthy ridge. With proper care and maintenance, dentures can last many years. Lakewood Office Park
Copyright © 1999 |
James
F. Helmkamp, D.D.S.
