A general dentist is your primary care dental provider. This dentist diagnoses, treats, and manages your overall oral health care needs, including gum care, root canals, fillings, crowns, veneers, bridges, and preventive education.

Composite Fillings

Composites are tooth colored fillings made from durable plastic materials called composite resins. Similar in color and texture to natural teeth, these fillings are much more attractive and less noticeable than the traditional silver fillings known amalgams.
 

Our office also restores implant crowns on patients with existing dental implants.

 Crown and Bridge Placement, Implant Retained Crowns

A crown is indicated when a tooth has extensive decay, missing tooth structure, a very large filling or a fracture. A crown completely caps or covers the entire tooth and can be made of several different types of materials depending on the location and function of the tooth. This procedure requires an initial visit to prepare the tooth and take an impression for the lab to customize your new crown. You will leave this appointment with a temporary crown in place. Your custom crown will be placed and fitted on your second visit. 

A bridge is used to replace missing teeth by attaching to the teeth in front and back of the space and is very similar to a crown procedure. Bridges are permanent restorations and are cemented in place with dental cement.
Crowns and bridges closely match your natural teeth and are less noticeable than partial dentures.

Partial Dentures and Dentures

Partial dentures also replace missing teeth but are removable restorations which require taking the partial in and out daily to clean. Partials stay in place by clasping to the teeth around the space created by the missing teeth and are much more noticeable than bridges or other permanent restorations.

Dentures are removable and are indicated when a patient has no remaining teeth.

Extractions

Extractions come in two different types, simple and surgical.
Simple extractions are performed using an elevator to loosen the tooth. Once the tooth is loosened, the tooth is grasped by forceps and moved back and forth to remove it. The procedure and healing time are generally quick.

When a tooth cannot be removed simply by elevators and forceps, it becomes a more involved procedure requiring the tooth to be cut out. Commonly, a drill is used to section the tooth into pieces to make it easier to remove. Sutures may also be placed. This procedure is more involved and the healing time is longer. You may be required to return to the office for a post-op check.

Root Canals

When a tooth has extensive decay or is fractured, a root canal may be required to treat the infection. Often a tooth needing a root canal will have an abscess and be painful, but it is possible to have an abscess with no painful symptoms.
Root canals involve removing the nerve and blood supply inside the root of the tooth. After the nerve is removed, the canal is cleaned and shaped before a filling material is placed in the root. Once a tooth has had a root canal, a crown is recommended to prevent the tooth from breaking. The prognosis of a root canal treated tooth with a crown is six times that of one without a crown.
Dr. Conine most often refers patients to a specialist for root canal on back teeth or if the tooth has complex anatomy.

KOR Whitening Systems

KOR is a highly effective whitening system which works by restoring the tooth’s ability to absorb oxygen. The oxygen from the whitening gel is absorbed deeply into the tooth dissolving and removing stain molecules. This system also removes tetracycline stains which were previously thought impossible to remove.