Serving all of your Family and General Dentistry Needs
From routine cleanings and fillings to bruxism devices, Little Falls Dental is equipped to handle all your dental needs.
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Cleaning & Prevention
A focus on preventive dentistry helps you maintain the highest standard of oral health while limiting dental expenditures. A partnership between you and our team pays dividends, protecting your smile now and well into the future.
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At home, prevention may include brushing and flossing twice a day. But many strategies and oral health aids exist that may fit your situation even better. Often patients are surprised to learn that a particular toothpaste, rinse, or specialized toothpick will serve them best and make all the difference in their efforts. Our team can help customize solutions that enhance your daily efforts, often turning frustration into smiles at the healthy changes that occur.
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Your diet plays a critical role in oral health as well. Acidic foods and drinks can accelerate deterioration of your teeth, and certain foods can enhance the health of your supporting jawbone and gums. Our team believes in bringing your efforts and ours into balance for optimum health.
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And of course, regular dental exams and cleanings prove vital in preventing decay and gum disease as you keep daily habits consistent. With a proactive approach, together we can prevent minor issues from becoming major procedures.
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To help you understand your options, we've included descriptions of some of our leading services on this page.
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Bonding
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Braces (Orthodontia)
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Cosmetic Dentist
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Cosmetic Contouring
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Cosmetic Fillings
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Crowns and Bridges
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Dental Implants
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Dentures
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Hygiene
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Invisalign ®
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Obstructive Sleep Apnea
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Oral Surgery
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Root Canal Therapy
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Scaling and Root Planing
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Sealants
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Specialty Dentures
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Teeth Whitening
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Veneers
Initial Oral Examination
Your initial oral examination includes a visual examination, charting, periodontal probing, diagnosis and treatment recommendations. We will also take x-rays, which includes the panoramic x-ray for proper diagnosis of the anterior (front) and posterior (back) teeth as well as the bite-wing x-ray series for proper diagnosis of proximal decay of posterior teeth.
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Implants​
Before development of dental implants, dentures were the only alternative to replacing a missing tooth or teeth.
Implants are synthetic structures that are placed in the area of the tooth normally occupied by the root. Implants are anchored to the jawbone or metal framework on the bone and act as a foundation for an artificial tooth or permanent bridge. In some cases, implants can be used to attach dentures.
Not everyone is a candidate for a dental implant, however. For a successful implant to take hold, a candidate must have proper bone density and have a strong immune system. In all cases, dental implants require strict oral hygiene.
Implants are so well designed that they mimic the look and feel of natural teeth. Implants are usually made of a synthetic yet biocompatible material like metal or ceramic.
Surgery is necessary to prepare the area for an implant and place the implant in the mouth. Following the procedure, a period of time is required for the implant to take hold and for bone tissue to build up and anchor the device. In some cases, metal posts are inserted into the implant during a follow-up procedure to connect the tooth.
Because implants require surgery, patients are administered anesthesia and, if necessary, antibiotics to stave off infection following the procedure.
Like any restoration, implants require diligent oral hygiene and proper care to ensure they last a long time.
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Veneers​
Teeth that are badly stained, shaped or crooked may be improved by a veneer placed on the surface of the affected teeth.
Veneers are thin pieces of porcelain or plastic cemented over the front of your teeth to change their color or shape. Veneers are used on teeth with uneven surfaces or are chipped, discolored, oddly shaped, unevenly spaced or crooked. Little or no anesthesia is needed. Veneers have a longer life expectancy and color stability than bonding, and highly resist permanent staining from coffee, tea, or even cigarette smoking.
Veneers are usually made by a dental lab technician working from a model provided by your dentist. Veneers are usually irreversible because it's necessary to remove a small amount of enamel from your teeth to accommodate the shell.
Porcelain veneers can mask undesirable defects, such as teeth stained by tetracycline, by an injury, or as a result of a root-canal procedure, and are ideal for masking discolored fillings in front teeth. Patients with gaps between their front teeth or teeth that are chipped or worn may consider porcelain veneers.
Typically, veneers entail at least three appointments: diagnosis and treatment planning, preparation, and bonding.
During the tooth preparation visit, usually lasting one to two hours, the teeth are lightly buffed to allow for the small added thickness of the veneer. Usually, about a half a millimeter of the tooth is removed, which may require a local anesthetic. During the same visit, a mold is taken of the teeth, and sent to the laboratory for the fabrication of the veneers.
During the final "bonding" visit, also about one or two hours, the veneers are placed on the tooth surface with water or glycerin on the teeth to check their fit and get a sense of the shade or color. While the veneers are resting on your teeth, they can be adjusted with various shades of cement to match the color of your teeth. To apply the veneer, the tooth is cleansed with specific chemicals to achieve a bond. Once a special cement is sandwiched between the veneer and tooth, a visible light beam, or laser, causes a catalyst to be released, hardening the cement.
For certain patients no preparation of the teeth may be necessary. Please see our specialties page for more information.
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Crowns
Crowns are synthetic caps, usually made of a material like porcelain, placed on the top of a tooth.
Crowns are typically used to restore a tooth's function and appearance following a restorative procedure such as a root canal. When decay in a tooth has become so advanced that large portions of the tooth must be removed, crowns are often used to restore the tooth.
Crowns are also used to attach bridges, cover implants, prevent a cracked tooth from becoming worse, or an existing filling is in jeopardy of becoming loose or dislocated. Crowns also serve an aesthetic use, and are applied when a discolored or stained tooth needs to be restored to its natural appearance.
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Bridges
Bridges are natural-looking dental appliances that can replace a section of missing teeth. Because they are custom-made, bridges are barely noticeable and can restore the natural contour of teeth as well as the proper bite relationship between upper and lower teeth.
Bridges are sometimes referred to as fixed partial dentures, because they are semi-permanent and are bonded to existing teeth or implants. There are several types of fixed dental bridges (cannot be removed), including conventional fixed bridges, cantilever bridges and resin-bonded bridges. Unlike a removable bridge, which you can take out and clean, your dentist can only remove a fixed bridge. .
Porcelain, gold alloys or combinations of materials are usually used to make bridge appliances.
Appliances called implant bridges are attached to an area below the gum tissue, or the bone.
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Teeth Whitening
Whitening procedures have effectively restored the smile of people with stained, dull, or discolored teeth. The darker tissue of your teeth, the dentin, can become exposed as the outer layer of enamel is worn away by the effects of aging or things like caffeine and tobacco.
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Root Canal Therapy
Root canals are tiny passageways that branch off from beneath the top of the tooth, coursing their way vertically downward, until they reach the tip of the root.
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Simple toothaches can often be relieved by rinsing the mouth to clear it of debris and other matter. Sometimes, a toothache can be caused or aggravated by a piece of debris lodged between the tooth and another tooth. Avoid placing an aspirin between your tooth and gum to relieve pain, because the dissolving aspirin can actually harm your gum tissue.
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Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery
Oral & maxillofacial surgery is the dental specialty that bridges medicine and dentistry. The oral surgeon at Little Falls Dental Center provides full scope oral surgical care. While most oral surgical procedures performed include extraction of teeth as well as dental implants, any of your oral surgical needs can be met, including repair of facial traumatic injury, maxillofacial tumor removal, reconstruction, cleft lip/palate repair, as well as treatment of skeletal malocclusions (underbite, overbite, open bite).
Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Do you snore? Do you wake up with headaches? Are you tired during the day? Over 18 million Americans suffer from Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). If you have a concern about your snoring speak to our staff about OSA. At LFDC we can assist you in the diagnosis and treatment of OSA, from dental appliances to maxillofacial surgery.
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Hygiene
Hygiene is a integral, and perhaps the most important, aspect of long term dental care. While our expert dentists and dental specialists can assist you in all of your dental needs, visiting our hygienists every six months for a thorough dental cleaning and exam is a critical part of maintaining your dentition.
