San Diego General Dentistry

Examinations

Our doctors perform thorough, in-depth evaluations of your teeth, gums, mouth, and jaw to determine the current state of your oral health.

Images

Using the latest in technology, our team gathers detailed information about your mouth with digital photographs, digital low-radiation x-rays, and 3D imaging.

Gum Measurements

A vital part of confirming the health of gums is taking measurements called probing depths. Your dentist or dental hygienist will measure your gums at least once per year.

Oral Cancer Screenings

Each oral evaluation includes a full-mouth oral cancer screening. With the increasing occurrence of oral cancer and its onset at even younger ages, these screenings are more critical to dental health than ever.

Professional Teeth Cleanings

Whether it’s the first teeth cleaning you’ve had in a while or a maintenance cleaning right on schedule, a professional teeth cleaning is essential to the health of your mouth. Cleanings remove the causes of bad breath and gingivitis. They also polish away surface stains, leaving your teeth looking brighter and your gums healthier.

Fluoride treatments

Are you prone to cavities? Are your teeth sensitive to colds? Ask us about a professional fluoride treatment. Fluoride treatments strengthen tooth enamel, making your teeth less sensitive and more resistant to cavities.

Dental sealants

Sealants are protective coatings placed on the biting surfaces of teeth. They adhere to the tooth and prevent food and bacteria from collecting in the deep pits and grooves, which often leads to cavities.

Mouthguard

Mouthgards are key in preventing damage to teeth from injuries, clenching, or grinding. If you are active in any sport that could lead to a facial injury, an athletic mouthguard protects your teeth and prevents unnecessary, expensive dental repairs. If you clench or grind your teeth at night, a nighttime mouthguard reduces the risk of irreversible damage like cracks and shortened teeth.

A deep cleaning is a specific type of professional teeth cleaning to treat periodontal disease. This cleaning involves removing buildup underneath the gums and may requires anesthetic to keep you comfortable. Deep cleanings can treat a single tooth or your entire mouth. Once your doctor has diagnosed the state of your gums, a specific treatment plan is designed to treat any gum disease.

A bridge is the permanent replacement of a missing tooth by anchoring on two neighboring teeth. Bridges require healthy teeth on each side of the missing one in order to function properly. With a bridge, only the outer part of the missing tooth is replaced. Bridges do not replace the root of the missing tooth; only an implant does that.

Fillings repair problems like cavities and small cracks. Old, failing fillings should be replaced. We use only tooth-colored, mercury-free filling material that is biocompatible and safe.

A crown completely covers a tooth. This coverage is necessary when a tooth has had a major breakdown from large cavities, cracks, or previous dental work. Crowns are also used to cover and protect teeth that have had root canals.

In some cases, a tooth cannot be repaired. In the case of wisdom teeth, the mouth may not have room for the teeth to come in, causing crowding and improper function. We perform tooth extractions when necessary in order to keep a mouth in perfect oral health.

Complete dentures replace all missing teeth. Just like partial dentures, these can be a temporary fix, or a more permanent solution. Dentures may become necessary when all of the teeth have a poor or hopeless prognosis.

A root canal is a procedure that removes the nerves and blood vessels from the hollow core of the tooth, filling it with a biocompatible material. Root canals are required to treat a tooth with an infected or irreversibly-irritated nerve. Many teeth needing root canals will cause a severe toothache. However, there are some cases when a root canal treatment is needed without having any pain at all. Our doctors use sophisticated diagnostic testing to determine whether a root canal is needed.

When someone is missing multiple teeth, a partial denture is a removable option to replace them. Partials can be used as a short-term, temporary replacement of missing teeth, or may last for several decades. We also use implants to anchor removable partials for better fit.