Michael A. White, DDS - Sunset Hills Dentist

Do you have significant fears or anxiety about dental work? If so, we offer you Anxiety Free Sedation Dentistry. You’ll be awake and in control for your service, but won’t remember a thing. You can have the smile you dreamed of. Anxiety Free Sedation Dentistry St. Louis A few of the benefits of anxiety free sedation dentistry No IV Needles Take a few pills before your appointment Safe and Effective – FDA Approved Comfortable and quiet dentist visit Little or no memory of treatment – feels like you were sleeping No anxiety or stress before or during treatment Allows Dr. White to tend to dental issues before they become a problem Patients are able to sit still for longer periods of time, while they attain a healthy, beautiful smile Don’t allow fear of the dentist to hold you back from achieving a beautiful healthy smile. People trust Dr. White as their Anxiety Free Sedation Dentist in St. Louis. He has been practicing anxiety-free-sedation-dentistry for over 20 years. Dr. White has helped thousands of anxious dental patients in and around St. Louis. You will achieve a level of comfort with your dental experience and most patients overcome their fears. Dr. White will carefully walk you through each step of the anxiety free sedation dentistry process during your first visit. You will then schedule a second visit and before that visit you will take the prescription Dr. White gave you. When you arrive for the second visit you will be relaxed and free of stress. Trust Our Experience. As an anxiety free sedation dentist in St. Louis, Dr. White helps anxious patients every day. He stays up-to-date with all the latest advances in patient comfort. Dr. White offers safe, effective and comfortable treatments to anxious and fearful St. Louis patients. In addition to being an anxiety free sedation dentist for the St. Louis area, Dr. White also offers Dental Implants. Live in St. Louis, St. Charles, or West County? Contact us today to schedule your anxiety free sedation dentistry appointment.

Dr. Michael A. White, DDS, performs Cosmetic Dentistry in the greater St. Louis area. He also provides general dentistry, Invisalign Braces, Dental Implants, Porcelain Crowns, Porcelain Veneers, Lumineers, Cosmetic Tooth Bonding, and Teeth Whitening. These services will enhance your appearance, boost your self-confidence and maintain healthy teeth and gums for a lifetime. Sunset Hills Dentist in St. Louis believes in patient awareness and education. We want you to know that overall health is not possible without good oral health. Dr. White will teach you about Implants, Implant crowns, Veneers, crowns and all Cosmetic Dentistry procedures that are available to help create your beautiful smile. If you are interested in Cosmetic Dentistry and you are searching for a dentist in St. Louis, Dr. Michael A. White is the one you are looking for. He can take care of all your Cosmetic Dentistry needs. Dr. White and his team of unique and dedicated individuals at Sunset Hills Dentist in St. Louis strive to bring patients the highest level of personal service and quality Cosmetic Dentistry. The materials and technology utilized by Dr. Michael A. White are second to none. If you are looking for options in Cosmetic Dentistry, you have found them at Sunset Hills Dentist in St. Louis. We believe in constant improvement and the pursuit of excellence. We consistently strive, through advanced continuing education, to make ourselves better for your benefit and comfort. Dr. Michael A. White has completed advanced courses in Implant placement as well as many other Cosmetic Dentistry procedures. We believe that changing your smile can change your life. Through the use of implants, veneers, crowns and many other cosmetic dentistry techniques, Dr. White can create your most beautiful smile. If you have always been self-conscious about your smile, Sunset Hills Dentist in St. Louis can make you proud to smile. Looking for a dentist who performs Cosmetic Dentistry in St. Louis? We can give you the smile that you have always wanted. Give us a call today.

If you have a cavity that needs a filling, the days of using the old silver mercury laced filling is a thing of the past. Technology has really made remarkable improvements in the quality and longevity of tooth colored fillings. In 2008, Dr. Michael White completed an extensive program which trains dentists on how to achieve remarkable life like color and contours of natural teeth, when using tooth colored filling material. This is a 5 day program offered from Dr. Neal Fahl Jr. in Curitiba South America. Dr. Fahl is arguably one of the world authorities in the field of mastering anterior composite tooth colored fillings. Dr. White spent over 40 hours with hands on training and had to present his final restorations for review with other members attending and Dr. Fahl during this very special event. Newton Fahl Jr. DDS Newton_headshotDr. Newton Fahl Jr. is director of the Fahl Art & Science in Aesthetic Dentistry Institute in Curitiba, Brazil where he conducts hands-on and live patient courses on direct and indirect adhesive restorations. Dr. Fahl received his DDS degree from Londrina State University, Brazil, in 1987. In 1989 he received the Certificate in Operative Dentistry and Master of Science degree from the University of Iowa, USA. After returning to Brazil, he settled in Curitiba, where he maintains a private practice emphasizing esthetic and cosmetic dentistry. Dr. Fahl is a member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD), the European Academy of Esthetic Dentistry (EAED), and founding member and past-president of the Brazilian Society of Aesthetic Dentistry (BSAD). He is director of the Fahl Art & Science in Aesthetic Dentistry Institute in Curitiba, Brazil where he conducts hands-on and live patient courses on direct and indirect adhesive restorations. Dr. White has fond memories of that week in South America. Occasionally he will ask for the “Brazil Instrument” when talking with his dental assistants.

Crowns are synthetic caps, usually made of porcelain, placed on top of a tooth. Crowns and Bridges With our use of state-of-the-art Planmeca E4D Technology we are able to offer same-day crowns with a custom fit. Crowns are used to restore a tooth’s function and appearance following a procedure like as a root canal. When large portions of a tooth must be removed, a crown is often used to restore the tooth. Crowns have several uses – to attach bridges, prevent a cracked tooth from becoming worse, to cover implants, or an existing filling is becoming loose or dislocated. Crowns can also be used for cosmetic use, and are applied when a tooth which is stained or discolored needs to be restored to its natural appearance. Bridges Bridges are a natural-looking dental appliances that is used to replace a section of missing teeth. They are custom-made, so bridges are barely noticeable and can restore the natural contour of your teeth. They also maintain the proper bite relationship between upper and lower teeth. Bridges are also called fixed partial dentures, because they are semi-permanent and bonded to existing teeth or implants. There are several types of fixed dental bridges (bridges that cannot be removed) -conventional fixed bridges, cantilever bridges and resin-bonded bridges. Unlike a removable bridge, which you can take out and clean, a fixed bridge can only be removed by your dentist. Bridge appliances are usually made of gold alloys or combinations of materials. Implant bridges are appliances attached to an area below the gum tissue, or the bone. Procedures The first step to a crown is the reduction in the tooth size. This is necessary to accommodate the crown, which fits over the natural tooth. An impression is then made from the existing tooth to create a custom-designed crown. The computer equipment and special machine then generate a custom fit crown. The crowns are cemented in place. Caring For Your Crowns and Bridges E4D Same Day Crowns With proper care, good quality crowns and bridges could last up to eight years or longer. It is very important to floss in the area of the crown to avoid excess plaque or collection of debris around the restoration. Certain behaviors such as jaw clenching or teeth grinding greatly shorten the life of crowns and bridges. Eating hard and brittle foods also reduce the life span of crowns and bridges.

Dentures are replacements for missing teeth that can be removed from your mouth. While they take time getting used to, and will never feel exactly the same as natural teeth, today’s dentures are natural looking and more comfortable than ever. There are two main types: full and partial. We will help you choose the type that is best for you. There are several factors that will be considered based on whether some or all of your teeth are going to be replaced and the cost involved. Implant Supported Dentures Regular dentures rest on your gums. Implant Supported are anchored in your mouth by dental implants. They can be placed in the upper or lower jaw. In Implant Supported Dentures they snap into place on the implants surgically placed in your jaw. This keeps the fit snug and prevents slipping. It also removes the need for pastes or adhesives. The Implant Supported can be removed at night for cleaning. If you have a Fixed Implant Supported Denture, your dentures will act as permanent teeth. There are two types of Implant Supported Dentures, bar-retained and ball-retained. Both types require two or more dental implants to be placed and provide you with a beautiful, natural smile. Bar-Retained Dentures In the Bar-Retained, three or more implants are surgically placed in the gums. A metal bar is attached to these implants and runs along the gum line. The denture rests on the metal bar and is attached using clips or other types of attachments. Many patients prefer this type over a traditional because it alleviates much of the discomfort and rubbing. The denture is held in place far more securely and is less likely to come loose. Ball-Retained Dentures Ball-Retained use a ball-and-socked design to attach the dentures to the implants which were surgically placed in the gums. The denture and implants snap together where the ball and sockets meet. They are considered exceptionally secure and will allow for an open upper palate. Ball-Retained Dentures are less likely to slip or move in the mouth, and will allow wearers to eat more foods they love and speak more clearly! Implant Supported Dentures vs. Traditional Dentures Dentures are known for being uncomfortable and inconvenient. Common complaints are discomfort, embarrassment, and unhappiness with their smile. Dentures by themselves do not act as natural teeth. The lower piece is not anchored in place and can slip which prevents the wearer from eating the foods they love. Dentures can also cause bone loss because they do not stimulate the bone like natural teeth do. Implant Supported Dentures provide comfort and confidence while eating. They act like natural, healthy teeth and stimulate the bone while preventing bone loss.

Dental Implants are here to stay. More patients are having dental implants placed today than ever before. Why? The technology has come so far that it is much easier for a dentist to place dental implants. 20 years ago, when placing implants, the patient had a long recovery period. Significant swelling and bruising was the norm. Today the process is much less invasive. Most patients are shocked at how easy the procedure was and how little discomfort they had afterwards. 20 years ago most patients had to be sent out to get a CT (cat scan) high dose x-ray for proper diagnosis and bone evaluation to see if a patient was a candidate for dental implants. Today, with the evolution of LOW DOSE 3D cone beam digital x-rays, the predictability and ease of placement has not only kept the cost down for patients, but has actually lowered the costs of 20 years ago. Dr. White finds placing a single dental implant in a patient is as easy as a complicated filling. Once the patient is numb, it usually takes about 3 minutes to place a dental implant. Implant failure can happen with anyone who places dental implants, but with the new technologies and a better understanding of the role bacteria play in implant failure, they are few and far between. Sunset Hills Dentist – Dr. White recently purchased a new state of the art low dose digital 3D cone beam xray system that uses 1/200 of the radiation that the old CT needed. The clarity of the image and the tools available to position and place the proper size dental implant, make it very easy and very predictable for the patient to have a positive and affordable experience. Dr. White received his dental implant training from the Montefiore Medical Center, the University Hospital for Albert Einstein College of Medicine in 1995. Dr. White has personally placed hundreds of dental implants in the last 20 years. For your piece of mind, any implant that Dr. White places in your mouth is guaranteed for 5 years. If an implant fails in the first five years, Dr. White will either replace the implant at no cost or give you a full refund. Implant failure can happen, but at least you will be financially protected if that occurs.

Dr. White first began treating his patients with simple orthodontic procedures that were specifically designed for the general dentist. As time progressed, Dr. White received more training from many experts in the field of Orthodontics and spent over 200 hours learning and updating his skill and knowledge on how to help his patients get great results with their crooked and crowded teeth. Dr. Robert Gerety, a very popular clinician who spent a life time training and educating both general dentists and orthodontists with an orthodontic treatment known as Straight Wire Orthodontic Technique. This is a 100 hour post graduate study that Dr. White completed from September 1990 through May 1991. The American Orthodontic Society recognized Dr. White for his completion of this course with a framed diploma signed by the president of the AOS, Dr. J. Carl Davis. Dr. White proudly displays his diploma certificate in his office and has successfully completed hundreds of orthodontic cases. In 1997, Invisalign was approved by the FDA and by 1998, many dentists were getting trained on the technique of straightening patient’s teeth with removable clear aligners. Dr. White saw the potential of this product and quickly received the required training to offer Invisalign for his patients. Unlike many general dentist who offer Invisalign, Dr. White has close to 20 years of experience with traditional braces and removable orthodontic therapy and was very knowledgeable on the function and forces involved with proper orthodontic treatments. Adding Inviasalign was a smooth transition for Dr. White and with the experience from his previous training, Dr. White really has the knowledge and hands on experience that can help patients feel better about getting their Invisalign treatment with Dr. White.

We are excited to announce that we now have our own 3D printer. We are one of only two dental offices in St. Louis with this technology currently. We now have the capability to take impressions and create 3D models of your mouth to fabricate clear aligners here in the office. We call this Smile Align.

Ozone’s been in use since the mid 1800’s in medicine. We, in dentistry, have been using it for about the last 80 years. We have an ozone generator. If you’ve ever been out in a thunderstorm where there’s some lightning, sometimes you’ll smell a very clean smell. That’s Ozone. What happens is the oxygen molecule, which is O2, when it’s charged with electricity breaks up into just single oxygen atoms and 3 of them form together. That’s Ozone. The device we have feeds pure oxygen through a tube. There are 2 other tubes that generate an electrical charge and the oxygen, as it passes through it then becomes Ozone. Ozone converts back to oxygen fairly quickly when just sitting by itself. Ozone kills, basically, the bad bacteria, virus particles, fungus, and parasites. The way it does that, with a very simplified explanation, is that the ozone attaches to the wall of the cell of a disease cell, or a virus. That cell (of the virus) doesn’t have a chemical that can deal with ozone and so the ozone kills it. Healthy cells do have the right chemical in their cell wall so that it converts the ozone (which is O3) back to oxygen which is O2 which our cells need. It’s beneficial to healthy cells, but it kills the bad cells. Ozone has lots of applications in our dental office. We use it for non-surgical gum treatments. Any kind of gum infections we treat with ozone, as well. It is our standard protocol for treating gum disease. We use it for caries arrest, which means if we have a tooth that has a cavity, we remove the cavity, but we also then flood the interior where the cavity was with ozone gas so that it disinfects the surface of the tooth and stops any decay process that we can’t see. We use ozone gas to desensitize teeth. Many people have sensitivity on the side of their teeth right at the gum line. Ozone works wonderfully for that. Sometimes it takes 1 or 2 appointments and the sensitivity goes away. We have a lot of patients that come in and have root canals and are concerned about their health after the root canal. In most cases, we can do a little ozone treatment around the tooth and kill all the existing bacteria, fungus, virus, parasites, all the kinds of things that hide around the root of the tooth following an infection.