PROPHYLAXIS - Also known as a “cleaning”. A prophylaxis visit is usually performed by a hygienist. They may take several x-rays of your teeth to check for any decay, pathology or misalignment of your teeth. Your health history will be reviewed, and you will be asked to update any changes. Please note that you should give your hygienist a full list of any medication, herbs, vitamins or OTC drugs that you may take, including creams and drops as they may be important to your care. Also reveal any surgeries or illnesses that you may have had since your last checkup. The hygienist may then scale and polish your teeth. Fluoride may also be given at this time. The doctor is then called in for an exam and to review all information you have given. OPERATIVE - Also known as a “filling” appointment. Woodlyn Dental uses the most up-to-date composite (tooth colored) material for most of our operative visits. Though no definitive studies have revealed any concrete evidence of silver fillings being harmful to your health, we find that the composite works best for our patients at this time. SEALANTS - Dental sealants are placed on teeth that have very deep grooves. These grooves are a breeding ground for bacteria, and because your toothbrush can’t get to them, they usually end up getting decayed. A sealant is a thin plastic material that fills in these fissures, so that bacteria cannot enter them anymore. BLEACHING - We at Woodlyn Dental highly recommend the Night White tray bleaching system. We have experimented with the popular "one visit" systems that are out there, but we have found Night White to be the safest, most comfortable and successful tratment available at an affordable cost. We take impressions of your teeth and then make a custom tray to fit YOUR mouth. With the trays, you get a supply of bleaching gel and you are on your way! Depending on what percentage of bleaching gel you choose, you will fill and wear your trays for 1 hour or overnight for about a week. We have seen many great results and beautiful smiles with Night White! ENDODONTICS - Also known as a “root canal”. Endodontics is usually required when a root of a tooth becomes infected or inflamed. This may or may not cause pain. To see an illustration and explanation of a root canal visit, please CLICK HERE CROWNS - Also known as “caps”. A crown is a tooth shaped “cap” placed over a tooth that has been damaged or has had root canal. It helps protect the tooth from further damage. Crowns can be made of all different kinds of materials. To see how a crown is prepared, you can CLICK HERE VENEERS - Veneers are often used to close diastemas, or spaces, in between teeth. A thin layer of enamel is removed and the veneer is made to fit the tooth. It is not unlike fake nails being applied. This procedure is usually done when the total support of a crown is not needed, and the esthetic result is amazing. DENTURES - Dentures are made for people that have little or no remaining teeth. A partial denture is made to replace teeth that are missing from a dentition. It can replace one or several teeth and is usually held in place with clasps that lock onto adjacent existing teeth. A full denture is made when there are no remaining teeth, and it is formed over the existing ridge of gum and bone. Woodlyn Dental is also proud to be using the MDI implant system, which helps anchor a denture by placing implants first, and constructing the denture to fit securely over the implants to have better stability while also withstanding natural lifting forces.