Bay Smile Dental

The dentist removes the plaque through a deep cleaning gum treatment method called scaling and root planing. Scaling means scraping off the tartar from above and below the gum line. Root planing gets rid of rough spots on the tooth root where the germs gather, and helps remove bacteria that contribute to the disease. In some cases a laser may be used to remove plaque and tartar.

Tooth fillings are are used to restore a tooth damaged by decay back to its normal function and shape. By closing off spaces where bacteria can enter, a filling also helps prevent further decay. The dentist first removes the decayed tooth material, cleans the affected area and then fills the cleaned out cavity with a filling material.tooth colored fillings fremont dentist At Bay Smile Dental, we use tooth colored material (composite resin) for most fillings. Several steps are required for tooth-colored fillings and are as follows. After your dentist has removed the decay and cleaned the area, the tooth-colored material is applied in layers. Next, a special light that “cures” or hardens each layer is applied. When the multilayering process is completed, the dentist will shape the composite material to the desired result, trim off any excess material, and polish the final restoration.

Root Canal treatment is done when decay will likely damage or has already killed the tooth. The pulp, which is soft tissue inside the tooth, contains blood vessels and nerves. Treatment is needed when the pulp becomes inflamed or infected. If damaged or infected pulp is not removed, the tissues around the root of the tooth can become infected.

A dental crown is a tooth-shaped “cap” that is placed over a tooth — to cover the tooth to restore its shape and size, strength, and improve its appearance. The crowns, when cemented into place, fully encase the entire visible portion of a tooth that lies at and above the gum line. Dental bridges literally bridge the gap created by one or more missing teeth. A bridge is made up of two crowns for the teeth on either side of the gap — these two anchoring teeth are called abutment teeth — and a false tooth/teeth in between. These false teeth are called pontics and can be made from gold, alloys, porcelain, or a combination of these materials. Dental bridges are supported by natural teeth or implants.

Digital X-rays, also known as radiographs, are an essential part of any dental care treatment plan. They are diagnostic, but they can also be preventive, by helping a dentist diagnose potential oral care issues in a patient’s mouth before they become a major problem. The X-rays allow dentists to:digital x-rays fremont dentist Find cavities Look at the tooth roots Check the health of the bony area around the tooth Help diagnose periodontal disease See the status of developing teeth Most of the modern dental offices use digital x-rays these days. There are several benefits to using digital radiography over traditional film X-rays: Less Radiation— Digital X-rays use up to 90 percent less radiation than film based X-rays. While conventional dental X-rays are relatively safe, digital radiography is an excellent option for those who take X-rays on a regular basis or for those who are concerned about radiation. Shorter Dental Appointments— Digital radiography can also shorten your dental appointment! With traditional dental X-rays, you’ll have to wait while your dentist develops the film. With digital radiography, the sensor develops the picture almost instantly and projects it onto a computer screen right before your eyes. digital x-rays fremont dentistHigher Quality Images— The standard size of traditional X-rays can make viewing difficult, but digital X-rays can be enlarged or magnified for a better visual of the tooth’s structure. Brightness, contrast and color can also be adjusted, allowing your dentist to see small cavities Transferring Dental Records— Digital images can be e-mailed to a dental specialist for immediate review, making it easier to transfer dental records or get a second opinion. Environmentally Friendly— Digital dental X-rays are better for the environment! With digital radiography, no chemicals are used to develop film.

Mouth guards, also called mouth protectors, help cushion a blow to the face, minimizing the risk of broken teeth and injuries to your lips, tongue, face or jaw. They typically cover the upper teeth and are a great way to protect the soft tissues of your tongue, lips and cheek lining. What are mouth guards used for? For Sports: When it comes to protecting your mouth, a mouth guard is an essential piece of athletic gear that should be part of your standard equipment mouth guards sports guards fremont dentistsfrom an early age. In fact, studies show that athletes are 60 times more likely to suffer harm to the teeth if they’re not wearing a mouth guard. While collision and contact sports, such as boxing, are higher-risk sports for the mouth, you can experience a dental injury in non-contact activities too, such as gymnastics and skating. The advantage of using a mouth guard during sports is that it can help limit the risk of mouth-related injuries to your lips, tongue, and soft tissues of your mouth. Mouth guards also help you avoid chipped or broken teeth, nerve damage to a tooth, or even tooth loss. dental mouth guards for bruxismFor Treatment for Bruxism: Bruxism is involuntary or habitual grinding of the teeth, typically during sleep. Grinding and clenching during sleep can generate forces in excess of 200 pounds, and over time, can lead to damage of the tooth enamel and other oral health problems. If untreated, teeth grinding can result in permanent tooth and oral damage that require surgery or other expensive treatments. Most patients who suffer from habitual teeth grinding require professional solutions to prevent serious, long term damage.

Tooth extraction is usually the last resort. After all other means of saving the tooth have been evaluated. Teeth are an important part of human body. Nothing can ever work as perfectly as the real body part. At Bay Smile Dental we use every possible procedure including root canal therapy, crown, filling to save your teeth. However there are certain situations where it is necessary to extract or remove the tooth. Dr. Harika performs a detailed evaluation before recommending a tooth extraction. She offers a FREE second opinion for all patients. To schedule a consultation with Dr. Harika please call 510.284.2511 or Click Here to submit an appointment request Online. Dr. Harika can also provide socket preservation with bone graft, at the time of tooth extraction. WHY WOULD A PATIENT NEED TOOTH EXTRACTION ? Most often an extraction is done to solve a problem when the patient is in pain. Every toothache does not requires an extraction. Only certain situations require a tooth extraction. Wisdom teeth – The Wisdom teeth need to be removed, When the jaw bone is not large enough to accommodate additional teeth. This is not the case with everyone. Some people retain their wisdom teeth all their lives. However, if the wisdom teeth begin to provide discomfort, the simplest handling is to remove them. Impacted Teeth – An impacted tooth is one which remains fully or partially below the surface of the gums as it grows in. Such teeth can become infected and push against other teeth, creating inflammation or infections. Impacted teeth are removed for the overall health of the patient and to relieve the pain from the swelling and inflammation. Crowded Teeth – There are times where teeth are too tightly crowded in a person’s mouth, and removing a tooth may simply make it easier to straighten or align the teeth. This would be done in combination with orthodontic treatment. Health Concerns – If a tooth has severely decayed and becomes infected, it may be in the patient’s best interest to remove it entirely and have it replaced with a dental implant. More information about dental related problems can be found on Dr. Harika’s dental blog. Dr. Jaspreet Harika is an experienced dentist in Fremont, Newark, Union City, Hayward, Milpitas and surrounding areas. - See more at: http://www.baysmile.com/dental-services/general-dentistry/tooth-extraction/#sthash.cOyLRHiZ.dpuf

What is socket preservation with bone graft ? Socket preservation is a procedure in which the bone graft material is placed in the socket after tooth extraction. This is done to preserve the alveolar ridge. Without socket preservation, the bone quickly resorbs. The jaw bone will never revert to its original shape once bone is lost and tissue contour has changed. Why does bone loss occur when teeth are lost ? Bone needs stimulation to maintain its form and density. In the case of alveolar (sac-like) bone that surrounds and supports teeth, the necessary stimulation comes from the teeth themselves. When a tooth is lost, the lack of stimulation causes loss of alveolar bone. Generally, there is a 25% decrease in width of bone during the first year, after tooth loss and an overall decrease in height over the next few years. Over time 65% of the bone resorbs, If no measure is taken to preserve the bone. And it doesn’t stop there. After alveolar bone is lost, the bone beneath it, basal bone — the jawbone proper — also begins to resorb (melt away). This leads to some particularly serious aesthetic and functional problems, particularly in people who have lost all of their teeth. The more teeth lost, the more function lost. How can bone be preserved or re-grown to support dental implants ? Grafting bone into the extraction sockets at the time of tooth loss or removal can help preserve bone volume needed for implant placement. Surgical techniques are also available to regenerate (re-grow) bone that has been lost, to provide the necessary bone substance for anchoring implants. In fact, a primary reason to consider dental implants to replace missing teeth is the maintenance of jawbone. How do Dental Implants help to preserve the bone ? Bone needs stimulation to stay healthy. Because dental implants fuse to the bone, they stabilize it and prevent further bone loss. Resorption is a normal and inevitable process in which bone is lost when it is no longer supporting or connected to teeth. Only dental implants can stop this process and preserve the bone. - See more at: http://www.baysmile.com/dental-services/general-dentistry/socket-preservation-with-bone-graft/#sthash.Q2n2wSXi.dpuf

Depending on your oral health status, fluoride treatments may be recommended every three, six or 12 months. Your dentist also may recommend additional preventive measures if you are at a moderate or high risk of developing caries. These measures may include over-the-counter or prescription therapeutic products such as fluoride mouth rinses, gels or antibacterial mouth rinses.

Sealants, also referred to as dental sealants, consist of a thin plastic coating that is placed on the chewing (occlusal) surface of the permanent back teeth — the molars and premolars. The back teeth have fissures (grooves) and some front teeth have cingulum pits. The sealant quickly bonds into the depressions and grooves of the teeth, forming a protective shield over the enamel of each tooth. This helps to protect teeth from bacteria and acids that contribute to tooth decay. Typically, children should get sealants on their permanent molars and premolars as soon as these teeth come in. In this way, the sealants can protect the teeth through the cavity-prone years of ages 6 to 14.

Baby tooth extraction may be indicated due to a bad toothache, severe decay or infection, trauma or some disturbances in the growth pattern or normal shedding schedule of the tooth. Sometimes the decision to remove a tooth may be not due to a problem with the tooth itself, but the fact that its removal is beneficial to the surrounding teeth; such is the case when a stubborn primary tooth keeps the permanent tooth from coming in properly. Additionally, an orthodontist may want tooth to be removed to accelerate the start of orthodontic treatment. Though the general goal is to try to preserve the baby teeth, some factors make it impossible or less beneficial to do so. Your dentist should be the one to give you treatment options and help you make the best decision. Read more at http://www.baysmile.com/dental-services/children-dentistry-2/baby-tooth-extraction/

Baby Root Canal treatment involves the pulp of a tooth. The pulp contains the tooth’s nerve. It also contains blood vessels that give the tooth oxygen and nutrients. When the pulp is injured or infected, endodontic treatment is often done to try to save the tooth. Read more at http://www.baysmile.com/dental-services/children-dentistry-2/baby-root-canal/

Dr. Jaspreet Harika is a certified Invisalign provider, who can help to straighten your teeth without the use of traditional braces. If you are tired of looking in the mirror and dissapointed by crowded or unevenly spaced smile, then Invisalign braces might be the option you have been looking for. Invisalign – The clear alternative to braces Invisalign clear braces provide many advantages over traditional orthodontic braces, including: Removable – The clear plastic shells used in Invisalign can be removed so that you can eat whatever foods you like. Fast – Invisalign braces can usually improve your smile in less time than traditional braces. Comfortable – Invisalign aligners are made out of a smooth plastic, so there are no abrasions or irritations like with metal braces. Better Oral Hygiene – Since you can remove Invisalign aligners, you can continue with your normal dental hygiene regimen. Fewer Office Visits – You spend less time in the dental office with Invisalign braces because you only have to see your dentist about every six weeks and the visits are fast and easy. Invisible – Invisalign can be used without anybody noticing. During your initial consultation, Dr. Harika will discuss your goals and will examine your teeth to determine if Invisalign is right for you. If Invisalign is your best option, Dr. Harika will make an impression of your teeth. We will send this impression to Align Technology where they use a 3D computer to create a series of shells, called aligners, which will move your teeth into the proper position. Once the aligners are created, they are sent back to Dr. Harika who will make sure they are a proper fit for your mouth. You should wear aligners for a couple weeks. After an aligner has been used for a couple weeks, you will switch to the next aligner in the series. During your visits with Dr. Harika, she will check your teeth to ensure that they are moving into their correct positions. If you lose an aligner for some reason, we will create a new one for you. To find out if Invisalign braces are right for you, please CONTACT today in our Fremont, Newark, Union City area cosmetic dentistry office to schedule your initial Invisalign consultation. Also make sure to check our online COUPONS, for most recent promotions. We will give you a reason to smile. - See more at: http://www.baysmile.com/dental-services/cosmetic-dentistry/braces-invisalign/#sthash.HlSZhEFn.dpuf

If you are missing a single tooth, one implant and a crown can replace it. A dental implant replaces both the lost natural tooth and its root. What are the advantages of a single-tooth implant over a bridge? A dental implant provides several advantages over other tooth replacement options. In addition to looking and functioning like a natural tooth, a dental implant replaces a single tooth without sacrificing the health of neighboring teeth. Dental Implants Fremont DesntistThe other common treatment for the loss of a single tooth, a tooth-supported fixed bridge, requires that adjacent teeth be ground down to support the cemented bridge. Because a dental implant will replace your tooth root, the bone is better preserved. With a bridge, some of the bone that previously surrounded the tooth begins to resorb (deteriorate). Dental implants integrate with your jawbone, helping to keep the bone healthy and intact. In the long term, a single implant can be more esthetic and easier to keep clean than a bridge. Gums can recede around a bridge, leaving a visible defect when the metal base or collar of the bridge becomes exposed. Resorbed bone beneath the bridge can lead to an unattractive smile. And, the cement holding the bridge in place can wash out, allowing bacteria to decay the teeth that anchor the bridge.

Dental implants provide several advantages over other teeth replacement options. In addition to looking and functioning like natural teeth, implant-supported full bridges or dentures are designed to be long lasting. Implant-supported full bridges and dentures also are more comfortable and stable than conventional dentures, allowing you to retain a more natural biting and chewing capacity.

In addition to looking and functioning like natural teeth, implant-supported bridges replace teeth without support from adjacent natural teeth. Other common treatments for the loss of several teeth, such as fixed bridges or removable partial dentures, are dependent on support from adjacent teeth. implant supported bridgeIn addition, because implant-supported bridges will replace some of your tooth roots, your bone is better preserved. With a fixed bridge or removable partial denture, the bone that previously surrounded the tooth root may begin to resorb (deteriorate). Dental implants integrate with your jawbone, helping to keep the bone healthy and intact.