Official Team Dentist for the Texas Stars Hockey Team
Composite Resin (Tooth-Colored) Fillings
When you develop early decay (cavity), the best option is to get a dental filling. Composite resin is a type of material that is used to fill a cavity after the tooth decay has been removed. By treating a decayed tooth early, we prevent the decay from spreading further. If decay is left untreated, it can continue to destroy healthy enamel and spread toward the sensitive pulp (nerve tissue) located in the root canal – which can cause discomfort and the need for more extensive dental treatment.
Crowns
Crowns can be used to restore the original size and shape of a broken or extensively decayed tooth, supply additional physical support for a root canal-treated tooth, or complete a smile makeover. Sometimes referred to as a "cap," the crown completely covers the visible part of the tooth. Essentially, the inside of your tooth remains, but the exterior is recreated. A crown can certainly help make your teeth stronger and enhance its physical appearance. Crowns can even be a sensible way to handle a tooth that is permanently discolored or poorly shaped.
Implant Restorations
A dental implant is an ideal tooth restoration for people who are missing one or more teeth because of injury, periodontal disease, congenital missing, or any other reason. A dental implant is a metal post that a periodontist or oral surgeon surgically positions into the jaw. Once in place and after the bone surrounding the implant has had time to heal, a replacement tooth is attached to the post. While implants are typically more expensive than other methods of tooth replacement, they provide superior benefits. They are also a more favorable approach than bridgework since they do not depend on neighboring teeth for support.
To receive implants, you need to have healthy gums and adequate bones to support the implant. You must also be committed to excellent oral hygiene and regular dental visits, as these are critical to the long-term success of dental implants.
Partials and Dentures (Prosthetics)
One can also lose teeth following an accident or prematurely if there is disease present in the tooth or supporting bone and soft tissues. Whether you lost a few teeth or many, dentures and partials can quickly return function and aesthetics.
Dentures are artificial teeth. They are prosthetic devices that can fit into your mouth and replace a few or many missing teeth. When you have lost teeth, dentures can return function and stability to your mouth. Not only will this allow you to eat and speak again with confidence, but it will also restore your smile.
Dentures come in two basic varieties – full and partial. Full dentures replace a full complement of missing teeth. Full dentures are specifically fitted and are held in place by a ridge of the jawbone and the muscles of the cheeks. They can be a great solution when all teeth are missing. Partial dentures replace a few missing teeth with a section of realistic-looking artificial teeth. They are usually attached by a metal or plastic structure. They attach to surrounding teeth with clips to fill the gaps left by lost teeth.
Veneers and Tooth Bonding
Veneers are slim, custom-made porcelain shells designed to cover the front side of a tooth. Veneers can be used to close spaces between teeth, restore chipped or worn teeth, cover permanently stained teeth, and create ideal dimensions and positions for poorly shaped or slightly crooked teeth. The porcelain veneer is a custom-made porcelain cover that is bonded to the front side of your teeth. Veneers are one of the most popular and effective advances in cosmetic dentistry. Veneers also have a natural appearance. They basically mimic the enamel of healthy teeth, which keeps your smile looking youthful and natural.
Bonding uses tooth-colored materials to replace missing tooth structures or hide cosmetically unappealing minor defects such as chips, discoloration, and even minor gaps in your teeth. This tooth-colored material is called "composite resin." The composite chemically "bonds" to your tooth – which is why we call it bonding.
Composite resins come in a variety of shades, which Dr. Mann will match to the color of your natural teeth. The best part of bonding is that the procedure can usually be completed in one visit.
Teeth Whitening
With age and time, your teeth can be stained by certain types of foods and drinks, such as coffee, wine, or tea. We offer several whitening options that can quickly improve the appearance of your smile by removing stains from your teeth. Whitening is safe and effective, and the procedure can be completed in a very short amount of time. Plus, you will likely see immediate results following your first procedure. We offer both take-home and in-office whitening. Before whitening can begin, you must qualify for whitening by being cavity-free!
In-office whitening is considerably faster than the take-home kits. A take-home kit takes additional time, but, the plus side is that it can be completed in the comfort of your own home. If you choose to do the Take-Home Whitening kit, you will first come in and get a digital scan of your teeth. After the scan is taken, we will then create your custom whitening trays. We encourage our patients who have whitened their teeth in our office to utilize the home trays up to once or twice a month for maintenance to keep their smile bright!
Whitening is a good way to improve your smile and your overall confidence. If you are looking for teeth whitening in Austin, Texas – you have come to the right place.
Professional Routine Hygiene Care
A dental cleaning is a professional cleaning you receive from a dental hygienist. Most dental cleanings take between 45 and 60 minutes. Cleanings should be performed every three to six months to prevent excessive plaque buildup and reduce gum inflammation. Plaque left untreated can lead to unhealthy gums and tooth decay. To achieve the best results, both ultrasonic and manual scaling methods are combined for dental cleanings. Our skilled professionals will diagnose what type of cleaning you need & recommended frequency, along with performing oral cancer screenings, providing personalized oral health instructions & more! Our practice prides itself on educating patients on how your oral health can affect your overall health.
Comprehensive and Routine Exams
The mouth is often considered a window to the rest of the body because many other illnesses first represent themselves as changes within the mouth. As a result, a comprehensive oral dental exam is recommended each time you visit a new practice to serve as a benchmark of your overall health.
During your examination, Dr. Mann will perform a visual examination, as well as a more detailed dental examination utilizing digital x-rays and take photos using an intra-oral camera to detect new cavities, weaknesses in existing crowns, fillings, and bridgework, gum or bone recession, teeth deterioration due to abnormal bite, bruxism, or TMJ.
Dr. Mann will also perform a visual and digital examination of lymph nodes throughout the face and neck, looking for any abnormalities, pain, or flexibility within the nodes that could be markers for disease. In addition, our office utilizes VELscope Vx technology, which uses natural tissue fluorescence to discover abnormalities in the oral mucosa. The VELscope is an extremely effective aid for discovering and defining the extent of a wide range of mucosal abnormalities, including oral cancer. The VELscope provides visual information that cannot be acquired in any other way. The VELscope helps discover problems that may not be apparent to the naked eye. According to the SEER database, when found early, oral cancer's five-year survival rate is 80-85%.
Likewise, a similar examination of your lips, gums, tongue, and other internal mouth surfaces will be conducted.
Since the comprehensive dental exam is designed to set a baseline of your health and to catch any early signs of serious illness that may be otherwise undetected, Dr. Mann and her team of professionals will be on the lookout for the following illnesses that can be detected during a comprehensive oral evaluation: Diabetes,, high or low blood pressure, cardiovascular problems, immune abnormalities, and sinus problems.
Comprehensive and routine oral evaluations are a valuable part of your preventative health maintenance plan, and Dr. Mann and your hygienist are your great allies in keeping an eye out for undiagnosed illnesses.
Periodontal Therapeutic Treatment
The gums, ligaments, and bones around the teeth form the foundation for one's teeth. All structures are also referred to as the periodontium. When your periodontium is not healthy, it jeopardizes the teeth, just as a bad foundation would threaten the stability of a house. Signs of unhealthy periodontium include gums that are red and bleed easily, persistent bad breath, gums that are pulled away from the tooth, loose teeth, and changes in the position or bite of the teeth. Any of these may be a sign of a problem. With proper gum treatments, however, it may be possible to return gum tissue to a healthy state. If you're having a problem, come in and see us so we may treat it right away. The treatment involves a deep cleaning or root planing done under a local anesthetic. If the gum disease gets too severe, it may need to be treated through surgery or extraction. The earlier the problem is detected, the more favorable the outcome!