Most people will need to visit their dentist for a regular hygiene cleaning visit twice a year, or once every six months. However there are exceptions to this rule. If you have periodontal/gum disease, you may need more frequent visits. You may also need to see the dentist more frequently if you have orthodontic treatment. At a minimum you will need to see the dentist at least twice a year.
Digital x-rays are very safe. The amount of radiation that a digital x-ray produces is about the same as you would receive from a cross country airplane ride or a walk in the park on a sunny day. Radiation is measured in millirems and one digital x-ray only has .5 millirems.
Nothing last forever and that also includes dental restorations. Over time dental restorations may leak, break down or even become loose. Once that happens, decay can enter the tooth or around the old restoration and become problematic. Although you can’t expect your fillings, bridges, and crowns to last forever, you can do your part to make them last as long as possible. Maintain great oral hygiene and visit your dentist regularly to keep those restorations in great condition for as long as possible.
A cavity is simply a small hole in the tooth that develops as a result of tooth decay. In other words, decay eats away at the tooth and results in a hole that disrupts the structure of the tooth. It’s important to get cavities repaired because they will continue to grow larger with time.
The fastest and most effective way to whiten teeth is typically an in-office professional whitening procedure. Depending how dramatic you want your results to be, you may or may not require this type of procedure. We also offer a take home bleaching tray kit. With our take home kit, you have the option to either wear your bleaching trays in the day or in the evening. The best results are always going to be a result of a professional treatment, but your dentist can help you determine which treatment is right for you.
A CBCT or Cone-Beam Computed Tomography is very similar to a CT scan. By using CBCT technology, soft tissue, blood vessels, and muscles can be viewed more clearly. CBCT uses a cone-shaped x-ray to minimize radiation exposure and usually takes less than a minute to run.
Biomimetic Dentistry
Literally translated, biomimetic dentistry means to copy what’s life-like. When it comes to providing the most successful properties for maintaining the natural health of teeth, nothing can compete with Nature. When repairing broken, damaged, and decayed teeth, the goal of biomimetic dentistry is to restore teeth to their original aesthetic, function, and strength.
Biomimetic dentistry focus on returning dental tissues such as enamel and dentin back to full health through a hard tissue bond, which allows the stresses associated with daily use to pass through the tooth and return the damage structure of the tooth back to health. Biomimetic restoration differs from many of the commonly used restorative approaches found in dentistry today. Biomimetic restorations include stress-reduced composite restorations and porcelain and composite inlays and onlays that help to repair the biomechanics of damaged teeth.
For patients in need of oral surgery or extensive implant bone grafting, Hampden Dental Care is excited to offer Platelet Therapy as an all-natural, holistic way to improve patient healing. Leukocyte – Platelet Rich Fibrin (L-PRF) offers Dr. Edlund a revolutionary way to promote healing and bone growth in patients using their own bodies. Platelet Therapy with L-PRF uses your own blood. After a small sample is taken, our team can create L-PRF that’s custom made for you by you! The final results of the process help improve the body’s natural healing response and significantly decreases recovery time following surgery.
L-PRF basically act as a bioactive “bandage” that’s created using your own blood. The bandage is then placed at the site of your surgery to help improve healing. When placed at the site of a dental implant, tooth extraction, or other surgical treatment, L-PRF releases naturally created healing proteins, creating a more productive structure for cells that assist the body in the healing process.
With no additives or artificial components, L-PRF ranks as one of the most holistic and efficient methods for assisting and improving the healing process.
For more information on L-PRF Platelet Therapy call our office at 303.988.3800.
L-PRF stands for Leukocyte – Platelet Rich Fibrin. Leukocytes are more commonly referred to as white blood cells. They play a natural part in our immune system and have a significant role in helping our bodies heal.
Platelets are also blood cells that work to attract healing cells to wounded parts of the body to develop blood clots. Platelets also stimulate cells to create growth factors. Finally, fibrin is another component of your blood that works in tandem with platelets to create blood clots.
The L-PRF treatment process begins with a member of our team taking a small blood sample. The blood sample is then run through a sophisticated centrifuge that creates a blood clot. The clot is then placed in a device that compresses the clot to the needed density.
When reintroduced to your body, the clots created from platelets provide a concentrated release of healing proteins. These proteins create a foundation that helps direct natural healing factors while also forming a more efficient network for cells to communicate with each other and gum tissue.
Due to the high concentration of leukocytes and platelets found in L-PRF clots, the fibrin produces growth factors for two weeks following treatment. This is the time when the body is doing the majority of the work to repair itself and is in the most need of assistance.
L-PRF treatment utilizes your own blood and does not require the use of any additives. Because L-PRF clots are made using your own blood, it significantly lowers the risk of allergies or other side effects because your own refined platelets and their natural healing abilities are simply re-introduced to your body at the area of your tooth extraction, implant placement or other surgical area.