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Our team diagnoses and provides a wide range of dental services
including, but not limited to:
 Cleanings
Cavities and Fillings
Whitening with Zoom
Straightening with Invisible
braces
Crowns
Veneers
Periodontal Disease and
Gum Treatment
Root Canal Therapy
Extractions
Wisdom Teeth
Fixed Bridge
Implants
Dentures
Sealants
Mouthguard
Arestin®
Additional services include:
State of the art sterilization
CPR certified
Emergency care
Most insurance plans accepted
Services offered in English, Spanish, Mandarin and Taiwanese
All major credit cards accepted
Cleanings
A healthy smile starts with healthy gums. Cleanings are customized according to each patients needs and generally include
gentle vibrating water tip cleanings with polishing and education about your oral health.
Cavities and Fillings
Cavities develop as a result of bacterial infiltration into a tooth’s surface. Today there are multiple options to
comfortably and aesthetically restore a tooth’s structure. There are two major types of filling materials used. The more
traditional material used is amalgam, a silver colored filing. Alternatively, tooth colored or resin fillings can be customized to
match your natural or whitened tooth color! Resin fillings provide a much more aesthetic alternative and are comparable in
function to amalgam fillings.
Whitening with Zoom
www.discusdental.com/consumer/
The Zoom!™ In-Office Whitening System is a revolutionary tooth whitening procedure. It's safe, effective and fast, very
fast. In just over an hour, our teeth will be dramatically whiter. Zoom!™ Whitening is ideal for anyone looking for immediate
results. The convenience of Zoom!™ in comparison to days of wearing trays and gradual whitening makes it the perfect choice for
the busy individual.
For more information please contact us at (619) 299-1122 to schedule a free consultation.
Straightening with Invisible braces
www.invisalign.com
Invisalign® is the invisible new way to straighten teeth without braces. Invisalign® uses a series of clear, removable
aligners to gradually straighten teeth, without metal or wires. It's been proven to be effective in both clinical research and in
practice nationwide. So whether your teeth are crowded, too far apart, or have shifted since wearing braces, you'll have a new
reason to smile.
For more information please contact us at (619) 299-1122 to schedule a free consultation.
Crowns
If you want a smile that's your crowning glory, you may need a crown to cover a tooth and restore it to its normal shape and
size. A crown can make your tooth stronger and improve its appearance.
It can cover and support a tooth with a large filling when there isn't enough tooth left. It can be used to attach a bridge,
protect a weak tooth from breaking or restore one that's already broken. A crown is a good way to cover teeth that are discolored
or badly shaped. It's also used to cover a dental implant.
There are different types of crowns that can be placed for a more natural look. All porcelain crowns are custom matched to
adjacent teeth to maximize your aesthetic appearances.
Veneers
There's no reason to put up with gaps in your teeth or with teeth that are stained, badly shaped or
crooked. Today a veneer placed on top of your teeth can correct nature's mistake or the results of an injury and help you have a
beautiful smile.
Veneers are thin, custom-made shells crafted of tooth-colored materials designed to cover the front side of prepared teeth.
They're made by a dental technician, usually in a dental lab, working from a model provided by your dentist.
Sometimes a veneer might chip or fracture. But for many people the results are more than worth it.
If you have any questions about veneers please feel free to ask.
Periodontal Disease and Gum Treatment
Periodontal disease is an infection of the tissues that support your teeth. Your gum tissue is not attached to the teeth as
high as it may seem. There is a very shallow v-shaped crevice called a sulcus between the tooth and gums. Periodontal diseases
attack just below the gum line in the sulcus, where they cause the attachment of the tooth and its supporting tissues to break
down. As the tissues are damaged, the sulcus develops into a pocket: generally, the more severe the disease, the greater the depth
of the pocket.
Periodontal diseases are classified according to the severity of the disease. The two major stages are gingivitis and
periodontitis. Gingivitis is a milder and reversible form of periodontal disease that only affects the gums. Gingivitis may lead
to more serious, destructive forms of periodontal disease called periodontitis.
Some factors increase the risk of developing periodontal disease:
Tobacco smoking or chewing
• Systemic diseases such as diabetes
• Some types of medication such as steroids, some types of anti-epilepsy drugs, cancer therapy drugs, some calcium channel
blockers and oral contraceptives
• Bridges that no longer fit properly
• Crooked teeth
• Fillings that have become defective
• Pregnancy
Several warning signs that can signal a problem:
• Gums that bleed easily
• Red, swollen, tender gums
• Gums that have pulled away from the teeth
• Persistent bad breath or bad taste
• Permanent teeth that are loose or separating
• Any change in the way your teeth fit together when you bite
• Any change in the fit of partial dentures
It is possible to have periodontal disease and have no warning signs. That is one reason why regular dental checkups and
periodontal examinations are very important. Treatment methods depend upon the type of disease and how far the condition has
progressed. Regular cleanings combined with deep cleanings and gum therapy with localized Arestin antibiotics may be needed.
Proper home care instructions will also be provided as good oral hygiene at home is essential to help keep periodontal disease
from becoming more serious or recurring. You don’t have to lose teeth to periodontal disease. Thorough brushing, and cleaning
between your teeth, eating a balanced diet, and scheduled regular dental visits allows for a lifetime of healthy smiles.
Root Canal Therapy
Once upon a time, if you had a tooth with a diseased nerve, you'd probably lose that tooth. Today, with a special dental
procedure called a root canal therapy you may save that tooth. Inside each tooth is the pulp which provides nutrients and nerves
to the tooth, it runs like a thread down through the root. When the pulp is diseased or injured, the pulp tissue dies. If you
don't remove it, your tooth gets infected and you could lose it. After the pulp is removed, the root canal is cleaned and sealed
off to protect it. Then a crown is placed over the tooth to help make it stronger.
Most of the time, a root canal is a relatively simple procedure with little or no discomfort involving one to three visits.
Best of all, it can save your tooth and your smile!
Extractions
What should you expect when you are scheduled for a tooth extraction?
The area will be numbed to lessen any discomfort. After the extraction, you will be advised of what post extraction regiment
to follow, in most cases a small amount of bleeding is normal.
Avoid anything that might prevent normal healing. It is usually best not to smoke or rinse your mouth vigorously, or drink
through a straw for 24 hours. These activities could dislodge the clot and delay healing.
For the first few days, if you must rinse, rinse your mouth gently. For pain or swelling, apply a cold cloth or an ice bag.
Ask your dentist about pain medication. You can brush and floss the other teeth as usual. But don't clean the teeth next to the
tooth socket.
When having an extraction, today's modern procedures and follow up care as recommended are there to provide you the patient
great benefit and comfort.
Wisdom Teeth
Wisdom teeth are a valuable asset to the mouth when they are healthy and properly positioned. Often, however, the jaw isn't
large enough to accommodate wisdom teeth and they can become impacted (unable to come in or misaligned). Wisdom teeth that grow
sideways or emerge only part way from the gum or remain trapped beneath the gum and bone cause irritation to the gums, bone and
teeth around them. In addition, due to their location in the back corners of the mouth, inadequate cleaning can also lead to
irritation and inflammation of the surrounding tissue.
Extraction of wisdom teeth is generally recommended when:
• Wisdom teeth only partially erupt. This leaves an opening for bacteria to enter around the tooth and cause an infection.
Pain, swelling, jaw stiffness and general illness can result.
• There is a chance that poorly aligned wisdom teeth will damage adjacent teeth.
• A cyst (fluid-filled sac) forms, destroying surrounding structures such as bone or tooth roots.
• Cavities infect the tooth
• Severe gum disease is present and can be alleviated by wisdom tooth removal
Patients should ask about the health and positioning of their wisdom teeth. A recommendation for removal may be made or
patients may be referred to an oral surgeon for further evaluation.
Fixed Bridge
If you're missing one or more teeth, you may notice a difference in chewing and speaking. There are options to help restore
your smile.
Bridges help maintain the shape of your face, as well as alleviating the stress in your bite by replacing missing teeth.
Sometimes called a fixed partial denture, a bridge replaces missing teeth with artificial teeth, looks great, and literally
bridges the gap where one or more teeth may have been. The restoration can be made from gold, alloys, porcelain or a combination
of these materials and is bonded onto surrounding teeth for support.
Unlike a removable bridge, which you can take out and clean, a fixed bridge can only be removed by a dentist
A bridges success depends on its foundation. So it's very important to keep your remaining teeth healthy and strong.
Dental Implants
Crowns, conventional bridges, or dentures may not be your only options when replacing missing teeth. For some people, dental
implants offer a smile that looks and feels very natural. Surgically placed below the gums over a series of appointments, implants
fuse to the jawbone and serve as a foundation for individual replacement teeth, bridges or a denture.
Implants offer stability because they fuse to your bone. Integration of the implants into your jaw also helps your replacement
teeth feel more natural and some people also find the secure fit more comfortable than conventional substitutes.
Candidates for dental implants need to have health gums and adequate bone to support the implant. A thorough evaluation will
help determine whether you are a good candidate for dental implants.
Dentures
There are two main types of dentures: full and removable. Full dentures replace an entire palate of missing teeth with natural
looking false teeth mounted on a gum colored base. Removable partial dentures replace a few teeth and usually consist of
replacement teeth attached to pink or gum-colored plastic bases, which are connected by metal framework. This framework is
supported by remaining teeth and gums. Also available are newer age partials are more natural looking without metal.
Sealants
Dental sealants act as a barrier, protecting the teeth against decay-causing bacteria. The sealants are usually applied to the
chewing surfaces of the back teeth (premolars and molars) in children where decay occurs most often.
Mouthguard
Use a mouthguard during any activity that could result in teeth grinding or a blow to the face or mouth. A properly fitted
mouthguard can help prevent broken teeth and injuries to the lips, tongue, face or jaw. It will stay in place while you are
wearing it, making it easy for you to talk and breath.
Talk to us about having a custom mouthguard made specifically for you. This will fit comfortably and offer the best protection
for your smile
Arestin®
Arestin® (minocycline HCl 1mg) microspheres is a treatment for chronic periodontitis, an infection of the gums that can lead
to tooth loss. Research has shown periodontitis may be linked to other serious diseases such as cardiovascular disease,
osteoporosis, and diabetes. Microsphere technology enables extended release of the antibiotic minocycline to effectively kill the
germs that cause periodontal disease
When used together with scaling and root planing, Arestin significantly reduces the depth of infected pockets and helps
prevent disease progression. A combined therapy of Arestin plus scaling and root planing is more effective at fighting periodontal
disease than scaling and root planing alone.
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