Benefits of Digital X-rays at Prairie Hawk Dental

Dental technology has improved greatly over the years, enhancing every step of dental care, from diagnosis to treatment. New technology has even made dental X-rays safer and more convenient, and many dentists have adopted digital radiography to view their patients’ teeth. At Prairie Hawk Dental, we have use many state-of-the-art technologies, including digital X-rays, to provide our patients in Castle Rock, CO with the best dental care available.

Digital X-rays are taken in a similar manner to traditional X-rays that use film, but rather than placing film in the patient’s mouth, a digital sensor is used. This sensor is connected to an imaging program on a computer that projects the image, allowing Dr. Aaron Goodman to view your teeth more closely and with better accuracy than traditional dental X-rays. Better images mean that there is a greater chance that the dentist will spot potential problems and be able to fix them before they become more serious or possibly more painful. In addition to better accuracy, digital radiography produces 90 percent less radiation than regular film X-rays, granting peace of mind to those who take X-rays frequently.

Whichever treatment you’re receiving at our practice, from a regular check-up to dental implants, we will strive to provide you with the best service with the most up-to-date technology.

To schedule an appointment with our Castle Rock, CO office, call 720-515-1801. For more information on our practice, visit www.prairiehawkdental.com.

At our practice in Castle Rock, CO, we see many patients who suffer from bruxism, or teeth grinding. While many do this consciously throughout the day, even more grind their teeth at night while sleeping. Bruxism can cause damage to your enamel, as well as jaw pain, headaches and gum irritation, so it is important to treat it. Night guards are usually the best way to prevent grinding’s negative effects.

Similar to mouth guards worn by athletes during sports, night guards provide a barrier between your top and bottom teeth when you sleep. By reducing wear to your teeth and making it harder for you to grind, your teeth will be healthier and you will feel better overall. We custom fit these night guards to make them as comfortable as possible. If you are a night grinder, we will take an impression of your teeth and have a mouth guard created in our dental lab. These guards are very durable and can last for up to 10 years.

If you find yourself frequently waking up with headaches or pain in your jaw, it is very possible that you grind in your sleep. Often those who do not treat their bruxism end up with TMD, which can lead to a change in the appearance of their faces. To diagnose and treat your night grinding, call 720-515-1801 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Aaron Goodman. For more information about Prairie Hawk Dental, visit www.prairiehawkdental.com.

CEREC Crowns at Prairie Hawk Dental

Crowns are used to protect and strengthen teeth that have become extremely weak, decayed or fractured. By covering your affected tooth and restoring it to its original shape and size, dental crowns (sometimes called caps) can help reduce pain, save your tooth from needing to be extracted and keep your smile beautiful and functional. At our office in Castle Rock, CO, we can see if a crown is necessary to save your smile.

Over time, as your teeth begin to weaken, they become more susceptible to problems, including decay, cracks and discoloration. Crowns are usually only necessary if decay has reached the point where the tooth structure is compromised. At Prairie Hawk Dental, we use CEREC restorations, which are made of compressed porcelain and possibly stronger than the layered porcelain crowns created in a laboratory. In addition to being stronger and longer-wearing, CEREC restorations can also be created and installed in only one visit, unlike laboratory restorations, which can take weeks to complete and require a temporary crown or restoration to be placed in the meantime.

The placement procedure for a CEREC restoration is easy and doesn’t require you to bite on any goopy and uncomfortable impression material. First all the decay is removed from your teeth, and then the dentist shapes the tooth in preparation for the digital 3D video impression that is taken with a digital camera. The camera is attached to a computer screen, which displays the 3D image, allowing the dentist to design the restoration in front of you. Then the CEREC machine creates the crown in about 15-30 minutes and the dentist adheres it to the tooth preparation. The entire process, from design to installation, takes around an hour and a half per tooth.

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Aaron Goodman, call 720-515-1801. For more information, please visit www.prairiehawkdental.com. 

Snap-On Smile at Prairie Hawk Dental

If you’re looking to improve your teeth and increase your confidence, Snap-On Smile provides a way for you to make over your smile without extensive dental procedures. This procedure can solve your teeth insecurities and help you feel great about the way you look in only two visits to our office in Castle Rock, CO.

Without having to undergo extensive dental work, you can snap on a new smile with a custom set of teeth that fit right over your existing ones, covering up stains, chips, cracks and any crooked or missing teeth. During the first visit, you and Dr. Aaron Goodman will pick the shade and style of your new smile, and then he will take an impression of your teeth for proper fitting. The Snap-On Smile is made with a light and durable resin to create a set of teeth that are strong yet still thin enough to snap onto your smile. You need only wait three weeks between appointments, and when your new smile is snapped on, you will be able to leave our office with a grin you will love to show off.

With Snap-On Smile, you will be able to eat and drink normally, and the cosmetic device can easily be removed for cleaning your natural teeth, for participating in sporting events and for sleep. Snap-On Smile can last for three to five years with proper care.

Schedule an appointment with us by calling 720-515-1801. For more information, visit www.prairiehawkdental.com.

Extractions in Castle Rock, CO

If decay has reached too deeply into one of your teeth or if an infection has damaged too much of the supporting bone or tissue, you will need a tooth extraction, and at Prairie Hawk Dental, Dr. Aaron Goodman can perform one to help you restore your oral health in Castle Rock, CO.

   

Before the procedure is performed, a local anesthetic is used to numb the area around the extraction site. If it is a simple extraction, the tooth will be loosened with an elevator and then extracted with forceps. Dr. Goodman may choose to smooth and contour the underlying bone afterward, and once he is finished, he will possibly suture the gums.

After the extraction, it is critical to keep the area clean to prevent infection. A dry, sterile gauze will be placed over the gums to limit bleeding. You must make sure to keep it in place for 30 to 45 minutes while the blood clots. During the 24 hours after the procedure, you should not smoke, rinse your mouth vigorously or clean the teeth immediately adjacent to the extraction site. Strenuous activity, hot liquids and straw drinking should also be avoided. A certain amount of pain and discomfort accompanies an extraction, so a painkiller may be prescribed.

If you are suffering pain from decay, infection or impaction, the dentist can determine if a tooth extraction is required to save your smile. Schedule an appointment at our practice in Castle Rock, CO by calling 720-515-1801. For more information, please visit www.prairiehawkdental.com.

Crown Lengthening with Dr. Aaron Goodman

A dentist’s first goal is always to save your teeth, which means that dental professionals have developed many dental procedures that help prevent tooth extraction. One such procedure is crown lengthening, which we use at Prairie Hawk Dental in cases where decay has decimated a tooth to a point where there is not enough tooth structure left upon which to fix a crown.

If a tooth has broken below the gum line or if decay has developed underneath an existing crown or filling, crown lengthening allows a new crown to be placed rather than extracting the tooth.

While called crown lengthening, this common surgical procedure does not actually lengthen the crown. What it does is lower the gum line, and it does this by removing gum tissue, bone or both to expose more of the tooth and provide a foundation for the crown.

The procedure is performed with a local anesthesia to numb the area. When the area is fully numb, Dr. Aaron Goodman will gently and with a state-of-the-art laser expose the roots and surrounding bone. In some cases, removing a little of the gum tissue will expose enough of the tooth for placing a crown. However, it is more likely that some bone will also have to be removed from around the roots of the teeth. After removing the necessary amount of tissue and bone, the area will be washed. 

Occasionally, the gums will have to be sutured or stitched, but most of the time with the laser, that is unnecessary. 

Our office works hard to always protect your teeth and to provide the best quality of dental care available. To schedule an appointment at our practice in Castle Rock, CO, call 720-515-1801. For more information, please visit www.prairiehawkdental.com.

Sirona XG 3D CBCT at Prairie Hawk Dental

At Prairie Hawk Dental, we use Sirona’s Orthophos XG 3D imaging—an advanced imaging technology that allows Dr. Aaron Goodman to access 3D, high-resolution images of our patients’ mouths and provide superior dental care in Castle Rock, CO.

Orthophos XG 3D technology provides 3D, high-resolution images that allow the dentist to accurately assess your mouth and customize your procedures for the highest quality of care. Offering a clear view of the teeth, the entire upper and lower jawbone, the temporomandibular joints, the nasal sinuses and the mandibular nerve, the technology allows Dr. Goodman to visualize parts of the anatomy that cannot be diagnosed externally or with only two-dimensional images. A typical scan only takes 14 seconds, and images are ready for viewing in about three minutes.

Because they value the health and safety of their patients, Dr. Goodman also chooses to use this type of imaging for its low radiation emission. Able to capture a superior image while exposing patients to minimal radiation means that Sirona’s Orthophos XG 3D imaging is one of the best diagnostic tools on the market. 

Schedule an appointment by calling 720-515-1801. For more information about our services, please visit www.prairiehawkdentalcom.