Services Offered

Dental procedures we offer at Shadow Creek Cosmetic and Family Dentistry

Cosmetic Dentistry:

Porcelain Veneers can greatly improve the overall appearance of your smile. Using your desires for your smile as our guide, we can close spaces lengthen or shorten teeth, change odd shaped teeth and whiten and brighten your entire smile, thus creating a dazzling new you. Porcelain Veneers are made of flawless porcelain. Your teeth are carefully prepared and a beautiful provisional is made. The beauty of Veneers is that they replace only the front surface and edge of your teeth. Thus you save precious tooth structure. The Veneers are then custom- created by our State of the Art Dental Lab. Your new Veneers are then returned to us and bonded directly to your natural teeth. In as few as two visits you can have a new smile.

Porcelain Bridges are another amazing cosmetic enhancement. Missing teeth can be replaced with a porcelain bridge that looks and feels like your natural teeth. A bridge uses crowns that are connected together to bridge over a gap. The teeth will look like normal individual teeth and your space will be gone. The bridge is cemented permanently and is not removable. You can eat and chew normally thus returning your mouth and smile to health.

Porcelain Crowns are used to replace damaged or diseased teeth. Some teeth have very old fillings that have worn out or teeth have new large decay or perhaps your tooth broke because you are a clincher or a grinder. First, all disease is removed and a new core is placed in the tooth. Then the tooth is reduced and prepared for a crown. A porcelain crown covers over, protects and strengthens the damaged portion of tooth like a hat would cover and protect a cold head.

White Fillings are an excellent way to replace old black silver fillings. Not only do they look 100% better than the old silver fillings, but also they are now stronger than ever. They are bonded to the tooth with composite material to strengthen it and return it to its natural color. New white fillings are a great way to give your smile a lift.

ZOOM whitening is a scientifically advanced teeth-whitening system. It is safe, effective and fast. In about an hour your teeth will be noticeably whiter and your smile brighter. The procedure is simple. It begins with a preparation period to protect your lips and gums, followed by the application of the bleach and three 15-minute sessions under the special ZOOM light. The Light combined with the special bleaching gel gently penetrates your teeth breaking up stains and discolorations. ZOOM whitening is an excellent way to give your smile a quick makeover.

Rapid, invisible braces are the latest technology in teeth straightening. Very few people have naturally straight teeth. Until recently conventional metal braces were the only option for correcting crooked teeth. Now wearing braces can be virtually unnoticeable. Once it is determined that this course of treatment is right for your smile, we will have your aligners fabricated. Using the latest advances in 3-D computer technology and Dr Lockhart’s specific instructions the Lab will fabricate your new trays. A series of customized undetectable clear tray aligners will be worn by you. Each aligner will be worn for approximately 2 weeks. Your teeth will move gently and gradually throughout your course of needed treatment. The beauty of clear aligners is not only can you smile throughout your treatment with confidence but also the trays are removable so you are able to care for your teeth normally with your brushing and flossing. So lets get started today on your new confident straight smile.

Dental Implants are an amazing innovation in the field of dentistry. We as Dental clinicians have the ability to replace missing teeth with man made root forms. Imagine the confidence gained when you can chew again on natural feeling teeth. Implants can be used in a variety of ways to improve a smile. You can replace a single tooth or multiple teeth. You can also use implants as a support for an existing denture or partial. Implants can be used as a foundation to snap a new denture on to. There are many options available. The first criteria is a healthy foundation, otherwise known as sufficient healthy bone. An implant is only as good as the supporting structure surrounding it. That is why a thorough exam is needed to confirm the health of your bone. Once that is completed and a plan for your smile is formed and you are on your way to an new confident comfortable smile.

General Dental Services:

Regular dental cleanings and examinations are the most important part of a healthy adult’s oral life. At your regular check up we not only clean and polish your teeth, we complete an oral cancer screening. We check and probe for periodontal disease (the leading cause of tooth loss in adults). We check for cavities and tooth fractures, both of which can cause severe pain if left undetected. We make every effort to make your visit as comfortable as possible. We believe in warding off oral problems before they become uncomfortable or painful. Be sure to schedule your regular visit today, your teeth are worth it and so are you.

Periodontal services are necessary for those patients with gum-disease, piarea, periodontal disease and other localized bone and gum issues. All the above named conditions are due to disease in your bone that supports your teeth. If you do not have a strong foundation (bone), then your teeth, no matter how healthy they are, are at risk! Some people are more susceptible to damage from the presence of oral bacteria in their mouth. Others have a genetic pre-disposition to the disease. Luckily most people can completely stop the effects from the disease. The key is to begin your treatment as soon as possible once you have been diagnosed with the gum disease. The lost bone does not grow back but the disease can be intercepted and arrested. There are also bone-grafting procedures that can help. Due to the very vascular nature of our gums that cover our teeth just by changing your oral hygiene habits with the help of interceptive therapy great results can be achieved.

Root Canal Therapy can be a scary thought for most people. The interesting fact about root canals is that 90% of them are non-painful. It just so happens that the 10% that are painful are the ones everybody talks about. In most cases the entire process can be completed comfortably and easily. A root canal is necessary when a tooth nerve dies or is infected. This can happen for a number of reasons the most common being large decay that goes into the nerve. A tooth can also die from trauma (e.g.: being hit in the mouth with baseball or from a fall). Teeth that bite together incorrectly can also experience trauma. Another strange occurrence with teeth needing root canals is the fact that some teeth with severe nerve damage don’t hurt or have any outward symptoms. These teeth must be diagnosed from a x-ray and any nerve damage can thus be revealed. Yet another reason that regular visits to the dentist are so important. Most people cannot imagine having a problem in their mouth that doesn’t hurt. The truth is damage to teeth and nerves can occur without pain. And if a tooth infection is not treated in a timely manner you could lose your tooth. A root canal is a fairly simple procedure. The infected nerve of the tooth is removed. The empty tooth canal is then cleaned, shaped and then filled and sealed completely with a man made material similar to rubber. That’s it, a root canal in a nutshell. So don’t put off a needed root canal any longer.

Oral surgery consists of a variety of different procedures. From simple extractions to more difficult gum surgery we aim to make your appointment as comfortable and relaxing as possible. We are pleased to offer you a caring and gentle environment to make your surgery visit with us go smoothly and your healing commence both rapidly and comfortably.

TMJ and Occlusal or bite problems are treated thoughtfully in our office. We want our patients to be comfortable as we work together to solve your TMJ and bite issues. We fabricate custom-made bite splints and TMJ appliances to treat your symptoms. Most appliances can be worn primarily at night when most para-functional habits are performed. Meaning the damage you are doing to your teeth and TMJ happens while you are asleep.

Partials and Dentures are a necessary dental appliance for many adults to replace missing teeth. The great news is that there are many choices regarding the materials and the type of teeth replacement. The name partial comes from the fact that it will replace only part of the teeth in your mouth, meaning you still have some teeth remaining. Dentures give you a complete set of teeth, meaning you either have no teeth remaining or the teeth or implants that you do have are underneath the denture and are not seen. The materials for booth appliances are fabricated with very strong plastics that look just like your natural teeth and gums. Partials and Dentures can also both have a metal substructure designed for strength. One really great new invention is the Valplast partial. It is comprised of a thermal plastic that moulds and gently hugs close to your gums thus negating the need for ugly silver wire clasps. Your partial can now look much more natural as well as feel strong and comfortable. If a partial or Denture is what you need, call us so we can go over the benefits of these great materials to complete your smile.