Services
Preventative Care & Restoration Services
At our Gretna practice, we believe in taking a comprehensive approach to your dental care. This includes a personalized treatment plan, oral cancer screening, periodontal exam, home care technique assessment and more. Our office provides Preventative, Restorative and Cosmetic Dentistry from throughout the New Orleans area. These services include bondings, fillings, veneers, crowns, bridges, extractions, soft tissue management, root canals, partial and complete dentures, dental implant restoration as well as routine hygiene care. Here are some definitions of frequent dental procedures.
Fillings
A dental restoration or dental filling is a dental restorative material used to restore the function, integrity and morphology of missing tooth structure. The structural loss typically results from tooth decay or external trauma.
Crowns
A crown is a type of dental restoration which completely caps or encircles a tooth or dental implant. Crowns are often needed when a large cavity threatens the ongoing health of a tooth. They are typically bonded to the tooth using a dental cement. Crowns are often used to improve the strength or appearance of teeth.
Bridges
A bridge is a dental restoration used to replace or span a missing tooth space by joining permanently to adjacent teeth or dental implants.
Root Canals
Endodontic therapy is a sequence of treatments for the pulp of a tooth which results in the elimination of infection and protection of the decontaminated tooth from future microbial invasion. This set of procedures is commonly referred to as a "root canal." Root canals and their associated pulp chamber are the physical hollows within a tooth that are naturally inhabited by nerve tissue, blood vessels and other cellular entities. Endodontic therapy involves the removal of these structures, the subsequent shaping, cleaning, and decontamination of the hollows with tiny files and irrigating solutions, and the obturation (filling) of the decontaminated canals with an inert filling such as gutta percha and typically a eugenol-based cement.
Dental Emergencies
As healthcare professionals, we have been trained on how to help you receive the care you need in a dental emergency. Generally speaking, if something is causing you pain, you need to see a dentist. Please note that not all dental emergencies may cause immediate pain. If you have broken or chipped teeth, don’t wait until you feel pain to call a healthcare professional.
Toothaches are a sure sign something is wrong. In the event of a toothache, you should first rinse your mouth with warm water then floss around the tooth to remove any food particles that may be causing pressure. If there is swelling, apply a cold pack to the outside of the affected area. Do not put a painkiller directly against your gums near the problematic tooth as this may cause tissue damage.
Chipped or broken teeth may or may not cause immediate pain, but should still be fixed soon. It is advisable to save any pieces of your tooth that have broken off if at all possible. Rinse them and your mouth with warm water. If bleeding occurs, place some gauze or a moist tea bag to the area for 10 minutes until bleeding has stopped. To prevent swelling and help relieve pain, you may apply a cold compress to the outside of the area.
Partially dislodged teeth need to be treated right away. A cold pack can be placed on the outside of the mouth or cheek of the affected area to reduce pain and swelling. You may also benefit from an over-the-counter pain reliever such as Ibuprofen or Acetaminophen.
Foreign objects stuck between teeth that cannot be removed by gentle flossing must be removed by a dental professional.
Lost fillings will leave a space inside your tooth that is likely to trap food and bacteria, causing further breakdown and decay of the tooth. They need to be replaced as soon as possible by your dentist.
Abscesses are infections of the tissues around a tooth root or between the teeth and gums. They can cause serious damage to the surrounding teeth and gums, possibly spreading to other parts of the body when left untreated. To relieve pain before you are able to visit the dentist, you may rinse your mouth several times a day with a solution of warm salt-water.
Give us a call if you think you are experiencing a dental emergency. We will work to treat you as soon as possible.