General Dentistry in San Diego

What to Expect During Your Exam

During a routine dental appointment, our friendly team will greet you with a warm smile. Then, a licensed dental hygienist will clean your teeth, remove any plaque or tartar, and assess the overall health of your teeth and gums. After taking x-rays, your dentist will let you know what they recommend for preventive or restorative treatment.

In addition to routine cleanings, Espire Dental’s skilled providers offer treatment for a variety of procedures, from teeth whitening and cosmetic dentistry to root canals and dental implants. For patients with cavities or broken teeth, we offer composite fillings that match the natural color of your teeth. We also can help to fit patients for dentures and perform routine procedures such as tooth extractions.

Exam and Cleaning

During your dental visit, a hygienist will first remove tartar and plaque from your teeth. Then, a general dentist will inspect and interpret your digital x-rays. We use state-of-the-art x-ray machines to understand the current state of your oral health. After reviewing your x-rays, patients can work with their dentist to decide which actions and procedures may be best for them. If there is severe tooth or gum decay, then we have endodontic and periodontics specialists who can consult with you on the best course of treatment. Our dentists have invested many hours of continued educational opportunities with the Academy of General Dentistry and are uniquely qualified to provide you with expert recommendations.

If you have had dental surgery or any type of filling or crown, your regular dental exams and checkups are opportunities to ensure that your past dental work is still working well for you. Most importantly, exams and cleanings are great educational opportunities for patients to learn how to practice quality dental care at home.

Composite Fillings

Dentists use fillings to ensure that your tooth doesn’t decay further when you get a cavity. In the past, amalgam or gold fillings were popular. Nowadays, composite resin fillings are the standard. Composite fillings are white and can be made to look like a patient’s tooth. This means that you can maintain a natural-looking smile.

Composite fillings can be made to repair teeth in both the front and the back of the mouth. However, they do not last a lifetime. The average lifespan of a composite filling is 7 years, which is why it’s so important to maintain regular oral health appointments. This way, your general dentist can monitor your dental health and the upkeep of your fillings.

Placing a composite filling is a relatively simple procedure. A general dentist administers a local numbing agent so that you won’t feel the work being done. Using a special instruments, the dentist removes the decayed or broken part of a tooth and places a composite filling in its place.

Oral Surgery (Tooth Extractions)

Maintaining your oral health care and attending your routine dental visits can help you keep your teeth healthy. However, there are instances that lead to the need for tooth extractions or oral surgery. A common tooth extraction that’s well known is that of the wisdom teeth, which many people have removed in young adulthood. But there are other reasons a dentist may recommend oral tooth surgery as well. For example, maybe you have baby teeth that never fell out and now they’re in the way of adult teeth. Or maybe a tooth is overcrowding your other teeth and needs to be removed. Perhaps one tooth decayed and caused an infection to spread deeper than expected. Our general dentists will perform an exam and x-rays to confirm. In some cases, a dentist may recommend dental implants, which require oral surgery.

At Espire Dental, our team of general dentists may use conscious sedation to keep patients comfortable and at ease during dental procedures. We offer three options of conscious sedation dentistry: oral conscious sedation, laughing gas, and IV sedation. Your dentist can help you find the best sedation option for you.

ORAL SURGERY

Porcelain Crowns

While there are different materials used to make a traditional crown, porcelain is one of the more well-known. At Espire Dental, we offer porcelain crowns to patients who need some extra protection for a tooth that isn’t entirely decayed. For example, perhaps a patient grinds their teeth. A porcelain crown may act as a protective layer and help strengthen the tooth. Keep in mind, once again, that crowns are different from veneers. Porcelain crowns may be placed in both the front and back of the mouth and are strong enough to withhold the chewing and biting of the mouth’s molars. Fortunately, porcelain crowns make it easy to match the color of the material to your natural tooth, creating a flawless smile. If you’ve had teeth whitening done, then your crowns can be made to match the new shade of your teeth.

Getting a porcelain crown may mean scheduling more than one appointment with your Espire Dental team in order to create the best possible crown to fit your tooth. If you have questions about whether or not a porcelain crown may be a good option for you (or if you should consider veneers instead), please consult one of our dentists to ensure you get quality dental care that fits your specific needs.

Same Day Crowns

Getting a crown could mean time-consuming dental visits, usually split between two different dental treatment appointments. A patient would get an impression of their tooth so the crown could be made to properly fit their mouth using an outside lab. Now with the state-of-the-art CEREC machine, we are proud to offer our patients same day crowns!

Using this advanced technology of the CEREC machine to take a scan of your mouth and tooth. Then a digital image is used to inform the design of the crown. In fact, you can watch it on the screen from your chair in real-time! It takes as little as six minutes to create the tooth. Once it’s finished, all the dentist has to do is make sure it matches your teeth properly. This process is much less invasive for the patient than the traditional crown method of taking an impression. And you no longer need temporary crowns. Yay!

Keep in mind that crowns are different than veneers. With veneers, the material is bonded to the front of a tooth. However, a crown typically covers and protects the entire tooth. If you have questions about whether or not you should choose crowns or veneers, our dentists can help you make the best decision for your specific needs.

SAME DAY CROWNS

Preventive Dentistry in California

At Espire Dental, we work with our patients during dental cleaning appointments to teach oral hygiene and best practices to maintain healthy teeth and gums. We make sure patients know how to care for their oral health outside the dental office.

Whether it’s flossing, mouth rinsing, or brushing techniques, our dentists aim to ensure all patients are practicing preventive care methods to maintain healthy teeth and gums. These practices may seem trivial, but these small acts, or lack thereof, are what contribute to tooth decay, gum disease, and other dental ailments that lead to more serious procedures, such as root canals or oral surgery.

During visits, our general dentists are happy to answer any questions patients have about proper home care for their oral health. Many patients shy away from asking questions that could save them a lot of stress.. After all, by taking care of your oral health regularly, you can prevent costly, invasive procedures in the future.

PREVENTATIVE DENTISTRY

Emergency Dental Services near San Diego

Typically, dental emergencies happen at the most inconvenient times. Espire Dental is a 5-star rated emergency dental facility and is here for you when an emergency occurs when you least expect it. You may consider a dental emergency to mean a patient has a chipped or missing tooth. But remember, there are many other instances that would require emergency dental services.

If you experience a toothache, experience any facial trauma or a bite to the lips or tongue, or sense you have an infection, then it warrants a visit to Espire Dental for an exam and emergency dental service. Don’t let fear keep you from coming in for the dental care you truly need. Remember that we offer different forms of sedation dentistry to help make your visit as comfortable as possible.

Our team will do its best to provide treatment quickly and work with a patient to make a long-term plan for recovery. We have orthodontic, endodontic, and periodontics specialists ready to help with emergencies.

EMERGENCY DENTAL SERVICE

Finding The Best General Dentist Practice Near You in California

Whether you’re new to the area or have decided that it’s time to find new dental practice, it’s a big decision to make. It isn’t as simple as searching for the “best general dentist near me in California.” There’s a lot for new patients to consider whether looking for preventive care, cosmetic dentistry, or emergency dental services. We have many highly skilled dentists ready to provide you with quality dental care and an incredible patient experience. Reserve your appointment today to learn which of our dentists may be the best fit for you.