Winchester Smiles of Virginia Family Dental Center

AN IMPACTED TOOTH CAN BE PAINLESS AND YOU MIGHT NOT EVEN REALIZE IT IS THERE. However, the gums covering part of or the entire impacted tooth can become infected causing swelling and pain. This is called pericoronitis. Sometimes you might even feel pain in your ear from an impacted wisdom tooth. The infection can spread down your throat or into your neck requiring you to be admitted to the hospital. An impacted tooth can sometimes get a cavity or cause a cavity on the tooth in front of it.

Root canals are also called “endodontic treatment.” A root canal can save a tooth that would have otherwise required extraction due to infection. The nerve inside the tooth is also called the “pulp” and is a collection of blood vessels and nerve endings inside the tooth. When the nerve inside the tooth becomes affected by trauma or decay, the nerve becomes inflamed causing severe pain. Eventually the nerve will die which then leads to an infection

The point of a full mouth reconstruction is to optimize the health of the entire mouth including your gums, your teeth and your bite. In most cases we replace or restore every tooth in the mouth using a combination of dental services. We combine esthetics with the science of restorative dentistry to give you the smile you always dreamed of.Before You Begin A Full Mouth Reconstruction, We Will Provide A Comprehensive Exam To Determine If You Are A Good CandidateAfter completing a comprehensive exam, we will present different treatment options to you and discuss their pros and cons. You then select your preferred treatment. A full mouth reconstruction is a significant financial investment, and as such, we offer financing options.

Same day crowns are becoming very popular. When Dr. Oestervemb was teaching at the University Of Iowa College Of Dentistry he had all the different brands of digital impression system and milling machines available. But he was not very impressed with how the crowns fit when they were done the same day. However, if Dr. Oestervemb transferred his digital impression to a dedicated milling center, the fit was excellent.The issue with same day crowns are that they require buying an in-office milling machine. The technology here has developed rapidly as well, and you can now finally get what is called 5 axis milling machines. Milling centers or large dental labs utilize these machines that can cost over 1 million dollars. Most in-office milling machines are 3, or at best 4 axis, which also shows in their price tag of normally less than 1/10 of the large milling center machines. So, we have decided to send our crowns to a local milling center for fabrication to ensure the best possible quality and fit.

The PowerProx Six Months Braces© is a short-term orthodontic treatment. This method uses time-tested technique combined with the latest in orthodontic materials to move your teeth both quickly and safely. Many of the components that make up the Powerprox Six Months Braces© actually have been used in orthodontics for over 60 years.With shape memory wires, no matter how the wire is bent or twisted by the current improper position of your teeth, the wire will return to the ideal original shape. This allows your teeth to automatically move to the desired location. And most of our cases are completed in just 6 months.

After tooth extraction, you always get what is called resorption of bone in the area. Resorption, due to the loss of the tooth, is when your body removes some of the surrounding bone resulting in less height and width of the bone compared to before the extraction. In addition, when bone resorbs the overlying gum tissue also has a tendency to loose volume and its normal shape. This occurs around any extracted tooth but especially around front teeth.We also perform regular bone grafting and sinus lifts (LINK). If no socket preservation was performed at the time of extraction or if the tooth was extracted a long time ago, we might have to perform a separate bone grafting procedure to increase the width and height of your bone.

Botox® has quickly become the leader in the treatment of TMJ (temporo-mandibular joint) Syndrome, chronic headaches, and all associated jaw tension and pain syndromes including myofascial pain syndrome. To find out if you are a candidate for this procedure, Dr. Oestervemb will perform an extensive examination and consultation to review pros and cons of the different treatment options – Botox is just one of many state of the art techniques we offer.

A night guard is also known as an occlusal orthotic, bite guard, mouth guard, occlusal guard, bite splint, mouth-piece etc. It is a protective device that covers the teeth to prevent and/or reduce injury. As people are keeping their teeth for much longer, it is more important than ever to protect them.Night GuardTMD, or Temporomandibular Disorders refers to a group of disorders that affect the jaw joint (TMJ, temporomandibular joint), which joins the jaw to the skull as well as the muscles that control chewing. Often, TMD results in discomfort such as pain, earaches, jaw stiffness and problems opening and closing, locked jaw, recurring headaches and popping. . If you are suffering from joint or muscle pain (TMJ/TMD pain) you may seek us out for help and relief of the pain. There are many ways to treat TMD just as there are many causes and symptoms. At Smiles of Virginia Family Dental Center we offer you many conservative options for TMD treatment tailored to your unique situation.

Whether you are looking for a smile makeover, new ceramic crowns to replace old crowns that have black lines, or you simply need white-fillings, you’ve come to the right place. One of Dr. Oestervemb and Dr. DeWeerd’s primary focuses in their Winchester VA office is cosmetic dentistry!One of the advantages of being our patient is that we provide virtually all dental services in our Winchester office. This plus is especially important when is comes to cosmetic dentistry — as providing high-quality cosmetic dentistry can often involve periodontal treatment (so the gums align seamlessly with new veneers or crowns), root canals (for teeth that have extensive rotations or irregular shapes), and extractions (for crowded teeth).

A bridge is basically putting a crown on the tooth on each side of the gap and then connecting them by placing crowns in between – hence the name bridge. DENTAL IMPLANT TREATMENT IN WINCHESTER, VA Dental implants are permanent, stable tooth replacements that can be used to replace one missing tooth, several missing teeth, or all of your teeth.

The primary cause of gum disease is plaque – a layer of bacteria that sticks to your teeth. If you do not brush the plaque away, it will calcify and become a hard substance known as tarter or calculus. You can brush away plaque but it is not possible to remove tarter with a toothbrush. Most people don’t manage to keep their teeth completely plaque free which is why we recommend professional teeth cleanings at least twice a year to remove any calculus. THE BACTERIA IN PLAQUE CAUSE YOUR GUMS TO BECOME IRRITATED. In the presence of plaque, your gums become red and swollen, and bleed when you brush or floss. This prolonged irritation of your gums creates a pocket/cave around your tooth, which slowly progresses down your root. Untreated, this pocket grows and slowly removes the jawbone from around your tooth. Eventually, the tooth will fall out from the lack of support.

WE PERFORM AN ORAL CANCER SCREENING AT EVERY DENTAL CHECK-UP. During the exam, we will look at the areas around the lips, tongue and throat. We offer this complimentary service at your checkup appointment as a courtesy.Oral Cancer Detection In Winchester, VA Despite the mouth being such a small area, oral cancer accounts for around 2% of all cancer in the US. Early diagnosis is key as patients with lesions that are detected early (localized disease) have a survival rate of 83% compared to 32% for those with a late diagnosis (disease has spread).

WE ABSOLUTELY LOVE WORKING WITH CHILDREN AT SMILES OF VIRGINIA. Our goal is to make your children feel at ease so that they have the best and most positive experience they have ever had at a dentist. Your kids will learn: Your kids will learn how to care for their teeth. A visit to the dentist can be fun! We make regular dental visits something to look forward to. Your children will experience that visiting the dental office, is a way to keep their smile healthy and beautiful.

WE HAVE DECIDED TO INSTALL INTRAORAL CAMERAS IN ALL OF OUR 10 TREATMENT ROOMS BECAUSE WE THINK PATIENT EDUCATION, AND UNDERSTANDING, IS PARAMOUNT FOR A GOOD RELATIONSHIP. Most dental offices only have 1 or 2 cameras, which means they do not get used very often because it is inconvenient to move them from room to room. This is why we decided to have the intraoral cameras installed in all of our rooms. Patients have been very pleased with that decision!

Most people do a great job of cleaning their teeth at home, which is very important. But nobody, not even the dentist, can keep their teeth 100% clean all the time. Plaque (a word for food deposits mixed with bacteria), covers your teeth as a film and when you don’t remove 100% of it every day, over time, it slowly calcifies into what we call tartar (also known as calculus, hard mineral deposits). A toothbrush cannot remove calculus/tartar which is why it is recommended to see your dentist and hygienist every 6 months in order to clean the tarter/calculus off the teeth to prevent gum disease and cavities (Caries). Medical history/review Blood pressure check Full charting of your existing dental work Muscle and joint exam for any patients with jaw joint (TMJ/TMD) problems Comprehensive screening for oral cancer including an exam of your oral soft tissues, your glands and lymph nodes Radiographs Full mouth charting of your gums

Injuries to the mouth are one of the most common injuries received by athletes. The type of mouth guard used is very important. Often, over the counter mouth guards that you boil and then press onto your teeth are big and bulky. The most common complaint amongst athletes wearing mouth guards is difficulty breathing. We offer custom-made mouth guards with a much more comfortable fit. Breathing is easier when the fit is tailored perfectly to your mouth. With a custom mouth guard, you can keep your focus on your athletic performance and not on your mouth guard!

Depending on the number of implants we place, it may be possible to eliminate the need for covering the roof of your mouth with a complete denture. This allows your implant denture or implant bridge to feel more natural, and will give you a better sense of the temperature and flavor of your food. The reason for this is because the palate (roof of your mouth) plays an important role in someones’ sense of taste, and we try to make the palate free of acrylic whenever we can.

Replacing missing teeth is important for your general health, and to prevent your remaining teeth from chipping, moving, or breaking down. Dental Implants are great options for restoring your smile, because implants are designed to look, function, and feel just like a natural tooth. Since implants don’t require placing crowns/”caps” on your neighboring teeth, dental implants should always be considered the first option to replace a failing or missing tooth. Replacement of teeth with dental implants have been used for more than 40 years and are now being recognized as the ideal treatment choice in most situations.