This information is for educational purposes only and should not be used for self-diagnosis or as a substitute for a professional dental exam and consultation (no matter how much you hate going to the dentist). Each case will vary depending on the needs and concerns of each individual. We hope that this information will provide you with some basic dental knowledge so that you and your dentist can devise a plan to keep your smile healthy and looking great.

Prevention
And early detection are key in avoiding costly and painful dental treatment. Prevention begins with the control of plaque and calculus, the main cause of decay and gum disease.

Periodontonics
Our office provides a full range of periodontal (gum) treatment, both non-surgical and surgical.

Treating gum disease involves a detailed, comprehensive periodontal examination. This is necessary to accurately determine the degree of periodontal damage present, and to determine an effective treatment plan to restore your gums to a healthy condition. Often an initial dental cleaning, called a ‘gross debridement’ will be performed. This allows the healing process to begin, and is sometimes necessary to do a proper examination.

If your condition is mild, a second, thorough dental cleaning may be all you need to restore health. This is usually the case for treatment of ‘Gingivitis’, which is a mild for of gum disease. If your condition is more advanced, dental cleanings are set up over multiple appointments, concentrating on one area of the mouth at a time. Usually local anesthetic is used , as these are ‘deep’ cleanings. This treatment is termed: Scaling and root planing.

In addition to the non-surgical treatments discussed above, we have a Periodontist, a gum specialist, on staff here at Bluth Family Dental. Dr. Robert Kaufmann is highly skilled in the latest surgical techniques such as grafting and regenerative procedures. Dr. Kaufmann routinely places dental implants for our patients, replacing missing teeth without compromising and stressing adjacent natural teeth.

Restoring Damaged Teeth
Unfortunately, teeth damaged by decay or injury will not heal like most other tissues in the body. They require an artificial material to replace and restore the damaged tooth structure.

Root Canal Therapy
If a tooth's pulp (nerve and blood supply) become infected or inflamed, root canal treatment is often the only way to save the tooth.

Cosmetic Dentistry
Through advances in modern dental materials and techniques; the shape, color, and alignment of your teeth can be improved to give you the smile you've always wanted.

Dentures
Many people believe that once they have dentures, they no longer need regular dental care because they don't have any teeth. Denture wearers require regular check ups and maintenance to ensure their health, comfort, and appearance.

Implants
To replace missing teeth, dental implant represent one of the most successful and longest lasting treatment options. Over the last 5 years, significant advances in technology have allowed us to place more implants than ever before, in a shorter amount of time. At the same time, having both the surgical placement and the restorative phase of dental implants completed in our office has kept the costs down considerably. Many times the cost to replace teeth with dental implants is similar to other options. If you factor in the significant longevity of dental implants, the long-term costs of dental implant restorations is lower than the cost of repairing and replacing other forms of dental prostheses. Caring for dental implants is usually easier, and dental implants cannot decay, as they are fabricated from medical grade titanium.

Removal of Teeth
The goal of modern dentistry is to prevent tooth loss; however, there are situations in which extraction is the only course of treatment.

High Tech Dentistry
Learn how technology helps provide more effective treatment for certain dental conditions and increases your understanding of recommendations made by your dentist.

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