Comprehensive Dental Care the Whole Family Can Trust

Dental implants have been one of the most important developments in the history of dentistry. Single or multiple tooth implants replace teeth that have been missing since birth, or have been lost due to gum disease, infection, trauma, or decay. Dental implants provide a safe and effective method of tooth replacement even for those who have worn dentures for years: with implants, patients no longer experience the slipping, moving, and irritation of dentures, so eating can be enjoyable again. Dental implants are now considered the standard of care for replacing missing teeth.

Sedation Dentistry is for that part of the population who never seek dental care unless they are in extreme pain. Why do they wait? The answer is fear. These individuals have either had a bad dental experience in the past or mistakenly think that dentistry is unpleasant and painful.

Oftentimes these people can be successfully treated with little or no discomfort and without apprehension or fear. This is accomplished with sedation dentistry.

Dr. Grubb provides several options for those who are apprehensive about their dental treatment. For those patients who are mildly fearful, an anti-anxiety tablet or laughing gas (Nitrous Oxide) may be adequate. For extremely fearful patients “twilight sleep” utilizing intravenous sedation may be appropriate, which provides maximum relaxation and little or no memory of the experience.

Dr. Grubb has had advanced hospital training in sedation dentistry and is licensed by the State of Maryland to provide his patients with safe, comfortable sedation to make their dental visit as pleasant as possible.

IV Sedation

IV Sedation is also known as Twilight. With this method, drugs are administered to you intravenously at the time of treatment. This is Dr Grubb’s preferred method of sedation for surgical procedures. It is safe, effective, and less risky than general anesthesia.

A combination of drugs is given to lessen your sensation of pain and to provide a deeper level of sedation than the other methods described. With this technique you will have little or no awareness or memory of the procedure performed. If you receive I.V. sedation, someone has to bring you to the office and drive you home afterward.

With all these sedation dentistry techniques, local anesthetic is given to make your treatment pain-free.

Nitrous Oxide

Nitrous Oxide is also known as Laughing Gas. This mild sedative relieves apprehension and makes procedure time pass more quickly. The major advantage to using laughing gas is that it is almost immediately reversible and you are back to a normal mental state, which means that you can drive yourself home.

Crowns are necessary when a tooth is severely damaged or has suffered from advanced decay and cannot be fixed with bonded filling material. Crowns cover the remaining tooth and restore its function, strength, and esthetics. Several crown material options are available and Dr. Grubb will discuss these on an individual basis depending on the area of the mouth that needs to be restored.

Bridges can be utilized when tooth loss occurs due to gum disease, decay, or injury. The loss of the tooth can create greater problems for your dental health if it is not corrected. The teeth next to the missing tooth (or teeth) can begin to move and result in pain, discomfort, and can look unsightly. With bridges, we can close gaps in your mouth. The bridge looks and acts just like natural teeth, is permanently cemented, and helps to maintain the position of the rest of your teeth.

Veneers are an effective cosmetic dentistry treatment that can enhance the beauty of your smile. At Family Implant & Reconstructive Dentistry, we provide porcelain veneers because they look and feel like natural teeth. Dr. Grubb will place the porcelain veneers onto the surface of your teeth to correct:

• Large gaps between the teeth
• Chipped or cracked teeth
• Stains and discolorations on the teeth
• Teeth that are crooked, uneven, or misshapen

Veneers typically require very little tooth preparation and can be placed in just two visits to our office. When your veneers are completed, you will be able to enjoy the bright and beautiful smile you have always wanted. We invite you to call or visit us today if you are interested in improving your smile with veneers and cosmetic dentistry!

What is a Filling?

A dental filling is a treatment that restores the look and function of a tooth that’s been damaged by decay. To do this, Dr. Grubb removes the damaged portion of the tooth and then he fills the region to enhance the tooth’s structure and prevent further infection.

We feature tooth-colored composite fillings which deliver a number of significant advantages over traditional silver restorations:

• They’re practically invisible
• Strong and long-lasting
• Less sensitive to heat and cold than traditional metal fillings
• No unpleasant metal color bleeding through
• The filling bonds directly to your teeth, eliminating spaces where bacteria can grow
• The procedure is typically completed in one office visit

Your smile is meant to last a lifetime when given the proper care. When you visit our office for regular checkups at least twice a year, we provide a number of benefits that you won’t get anywhere else, including a complete examination and a professional cleaning:

Professional Cleaning: Our dental hygienist will safely remove the plaque, tartar, and other debris that threaten your smile. This protects your smile against tooth decay and gum disease. Then we’ll polish your teeth, which leaves them looking nice and also makes it harder for dangerous cavity-causing bacteria to penetrate your enamel.

Our staff also provides our patients with essential information on what you can do at home to maintain your healthy smile. When you leave our office, your smile will be looking good and feeling fresh.

Professional Examination: Dr. Grubb will review your x-rays and provide you with a complete dental examination. He’ll check for signs of potential issues such as tooth decay, gum disease, tumors, or impacted teeth. The earlier we discover a potential issue, the easier it is to treat. You’ll also be given a full screening for oral cancer.

Preventative dental care is crucial to the health of your teeth and gums, and Dr. Grubb is the preferred dentist in Harford County.

Your diligent home care is critical to your dental health, but even if you brush and floss every day, eventually calculus (also called tartar) will form on your teeth, and under your gum line, where the toothbrush cannot reach. Calculus is a form of hardened dental plaque, and can only be removed by professional dental care treatments.

Preventative Dentistry is a priority with us, which we provide through a variety of dental services, including regular dental checkups, x-rays, fluoride treatments, periodontal evaluations, oral cancer screenings, and oral hygiene instructions with the intent of preventing dental decay and gum disease.

During your visit, Dr Grubb will check for tissue changes in your mouth that could signify oral cancer. More that 30,000 people in the US will be diagnosed with oral cancer this year-that’s three every hour. Only half of them will be alive in five years. Today oral cancer is not only diagnosed in men who are smokers, but in nonsmoking individuals in their 30’s and 40’s.

We consider this area so important that we allow one hour or more for hygiene/recare appointments even though most HMO-practices allow only 30 minutes.

Fluoride is a great agent used to help prevent tooth decay. It is naturally present in different amounts in almost all foods and water supplies. Benefits of using fluoride have been well known for over 50 years and are supported by many health and professional organizations.

Works in two ways:

As a topical fluoride it helps to strengthen the patient’s teeth once they have erupted by getting into the outer surface of the tooth enamel, helping to make the teeth more resistant to decay. We gain topical fluoride by using fluoride containing dental products such as toothpaste, mouth rinses, and gels.

Systemic fluoride strengthens teeth that are still developing under the gums. Systemic fluoride is gained from most foods and our water supply. It is also available as a supplement in drop or gel form and can be prescribed by your dentist or physician. Usually, fluoride drops are recommended for infants, and tablets are best suited for children up through the teen years.

Do you wish you had a brighter, more radiant smile? Then professional teeth whitening may be right for you! Teeth whitening can remove certain stains from:

• Tea, coffee, wine, and soda
• Certain medications
• The natural aging process
• Tobacco use
• Fluorosis

Soon after starting treatment at our office for teeth whitening, you will start to see a whiter and brighter smile. Schedule an appointment for a consultation with Dr. Grubb to see if you’re a candidate for teeth whitening!