Teeth are meant to last a lifetime. No matter what your age, good oral health is important. When your mouth is healthy, you can smile, talk, laugh, and eat the foods you need for good nutrition.

Tooth decay is not just a problem for children. It can happen as long as you have natural teeth in your mouth. Periodontal (gum) disease affects three out of four adults at some time in their lives. It doesn’t necessarily hurt and you may not even be aware you have it until an advanced stage. Regular dental visits are essential for detecting it at an early stage, before the gums and the supporting bone are irreversibly damaged.

Here’s the good news: Most conditions that threaten oral health can either be prevented or else treated effectively. So don't wait -- call for an appointment today!

Regular Cleanings and Oral Exams
The best way to prevent oral diseases and tooth pain is to take steps to prevent them from occurring in advance. Although advances in dental technology have made it possible for Dr. Neuls to restore the health of your mouth with relative ease and comfort, it is always preferable to preserve and protect your existing teeth. In addition to maintaining a sensible oral hygiene regimen, it is essential that you visit Dr. Neuls regularly to have your teeth professionally cleaned and screened for potential problems. By doing so, you increase the chances that your natural teeth will serve you well your entire life.

Periodontal Care
Periodontal disease is an infection of the tissues that support your teeth. Your gum tissue is not attached to the teeth as high as it may seem. There is a very shallow v-shaped crevice called a sulcus between the tooth and gums. Periodontal diseases attack just below the gum line in the sulcus, where they cause the attachment of the tooth and its supporting tissues to break down. As the tissues are damaged, the sulcus develops into a pocket: generally, the more severe the disease, the greater the depth of the pocket.

Periodontal diseases are classified according to the severity of the disease. The two major stages are gingivitis and periodontitis. Gingivitis is a milder and reversible form of periodontal disease that only affects the gums. Gingivitis may lead to more serious, destructive forms of periodontal disease called periodontitis. With 80 to 90% of all teenagers having some form of gingivitis (inflamed gums) and 75% of adult tooth loss for people over the age of 35 due to periodontal disease, early treatment and prevention is essential.

Warning signs of periodontal disease include bleeding, swollen, red or tender gums, gums that have pulled away from the teeth, persistent bad breath, loose teeth and any change in the way your teeth fit together when you bite or how your dentures fit.. However, it is possible to have periodontal disease and have no warning signs. That is one reason why regular dental checkups and periodontal examinations are very important. Treatment methods depend upon the type of disease and how far the condition has progressed. Good oral hygiene at home is essential to help keep periodontal disease from becoming more serious or recurring. You don’t have to lose teeth to periodontal disease. Brush, clean between your teeth, eat a balanced diet, and schedule regular dental visits with Dr. Neuls for a lifetime of healthy smiles.

Sealants
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. The effectively seals the deep grooves where decay is most likely to start.

Bridges
A non-removable bridge can restore your teeth to normal function by replacing missing teeth. It will improve the entire health of your mouth by keeping the surrounding teeth in position and can also help maintain the structure of your face and jaw.

Root Canal Treatment
Once upon a time, if you had a tooth with a diseased nerve, you'd probably lose that tooth. Today, with a special dental procedure called a root canal therapy you may save that tooth. Inside each tooth is the pulp which provides nutrients and nerves to the tooth, it runs like a thread down through the root. When the pulp is diseased or injured, the pulp tissue dies. If you don't remove it, your tooth gets infected and you could lose it. After Dr. Neuls removes the pulp, the root canal is cleaned and sealed off to protect it. Then she places a crown over the tooth to help make it stronger.

Most of the time, a root canal is a relatively simple procedure with little or no discomfort involving one to three visits. Best of all, it can save your tooth and your smile!

Tooth Decay and Repair
Utilizing an intra-oral camera give us the opportunity to see potential problems occurring in your mouth, such as decay or fractured teeth. Often, a tooth will not start bothering you until there is significant loss of tooth structure. With the help of the intra-oral camera, problems can be detected earlier, before you experience a toothache.

Crowns
A crown can cover a tooth and restore it to its normal shape and size. It can make your tooth stronger and improve its appearance. A crown can cover and support a tooth with a large filling when there isn't enough tooth left. It can be used to attach a bridge, protect a weak tooth from breaking or restore one that's already broken. A crown is a good way to cover teeth that are discolored or badly shaped. It can also be used to cover a dental implant.

Implants
Crowns and conventional bridges or dentures may not be your only options when replacing missing teeth. For some people, dental implants offer a smile that looks and feels very natural. Surgically placed below the gums over a series of appointments, implants fuse to the jawbone and serve as a base for individual replacement teeth, bridges or a denture.

Implants offer stability because they fuse to your bone. Integration of the implants into your jaw also helps your replacement teeth feel more natural and some people also find the secure fit more comfortable than conventional substitutes.

Candidates for dental implants need to have healthy gums and adequate bone to support the implant. A thorough evaluation by Dr. Neuls will help determine whether you are a good candidate for dental implants.

Oral Surgery
The goal of modern dentistry is to prevent tooth loss. When a tooth cannot be saved, extraction (removal) of the tooth may be the only course of treatment. A panoramic x-ray allows us to see a complete picture of the alignment of your jaw, the positioning of your teeth and if there is sufficient space for your third molars (wisdom teeth) to fully erupt. In addition, it is an excellent diagnostic tool for evaluating the the supporting bone for possible cysts or tumors. Most minor surgeries are performed at our facility; however, Dr. Neuls may choose to refer more complicated cases to a maxillofacial surgeon.

Dentures
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. Neuls takes measurements and makes 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.

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.

NTI Tension Suppression System
The NTI Tension Suppression System is a prefabricated polycarbonate matrix that Dr. Neuls custom fits to the patient's teeth. Completely different from any other type of mouthpiece, it prevents medically diagnosed migraine pain, tension-type headaches, and jaw disorders like TMJ, without drugs or surgery, through the reduction of certain muscular activity of the jaw. Read more about the NTI Tension Suppression System here.

Athletic Mouthguards
We provide state-of-the-art, custom made athletic mouthguards for all patients requiring protection during athletic competition in "at-risk" sports. Store-bought, over-the-counter mouthguards do not fit as well, nor do they provide the necessary protection to help prevent dental/facial injuries. The only mouthguard that should be worn is one made from a model of the wearer's mouth. Each patient has individual requirements for fit, comfort, level of competition and compliance. Our professionally designed, custom made mouthguards satisfy all of these important requirements.
 

See before and after photos in our Smile Gallery!