Night Guards

Night guards provided here at Lewelling Dental Care help our patients get relief from their jaw pain and headaches, and protect their teeth. Some patients find themselves clenching and grinding their teeth either during the day or, more often, at night while sleeping.  Most patients are not even aware that they even have this problem that is slowly damaging their teeth.  It is more problematic at night because it can happen for hours at a time while sleeping. Teeth clenching and grinding stresses and wears down tooth enamel.  These problems can also cause irritation to the gums. Not only do our patients complain of headaches, and jaw pain, but can also have ear pain frequently because of excessive teeth clenching and grinding.

 

Dr. Shital Kazi offers a solution from our San Lorenzo, CA dental clinic in the form of night guards. Night guards are custom made for the patient, based on impressions taken of their teeth. Every night, the patient is instructed to wear the night guard which protects their teeth if they start clenching or grinding them. It acts as a barrier between the top and bottom teeth, so they can’t grind anymore and their teeth are protected.

 

We also recommend that our patients refrain from alcoholic drinks and caffeine before bed because it can exacerbate the grinding problem. To ask us about night guards for your teeth grinding, contact us today.

Wisdom Tooth Extractions

At Lewelling Dental Care, wisdom teeth extractions are fairly common. Your last set of molars to come in, wisdom teeth usually emerge when you are between 17 and 21 years old. Since wisdom teeth can often become impacted, which means they come in at an angle, it is necessary to remove them before they cause pain or begin to push your other teeth.

 

If a wisdom tooth is impacted and can only emerge partially, it is possible for an operculum to form over the tooth. If this flap of skin forms, the tooth will be hard to clean and can become infected. This infection is called pericoronitis.

 

When a wisdom tooth is in danger of causing such problems, Dr. Shital Kazi will extract the tooth. Often it is necessary to remove all four at once. This is done either by using a local anesthetic or a general anesthetic, based on the preference of the doctors and patient. After the anesthetic is applied, the gum tissue around the wisdom tooth is cut and the tooth is loosened and pulled out. If necessary, the gums will be sutured for healing.

 

After the surgery, rest is required, and you will need to change the gauze applied to the incision. To see if your wisdom teeth may need to be removed, schedule an appointment with us by calling 510-276-6040. 

Partial and Full Dentures

Dentures are an option that many of our patients choose at Lewelling Dental Care. Available in both full and partial, dentures serve as a removable replacement for missing teeth. In providing patients with conventional full dentures, Dr. Shital Kazi will remove all the teeth from their mouth. Afterwards, the gums are given time to heal before dentures are placed. The patient would be without teeth during this healing process, which can take a couple months.

 

Immediate full dentures forgo this healing process with no teeth. Prior to having their teeth removed, the dentist takes measurements of the patient’s mouth, so that dentures are ready after teeth have been removed. This type of full denture requires a follow-up visit to refit the dentures once the jaw bone will slightly change shape as the mouth heals.

 

Partial dentures are another option for those who do not need all their teeth to be removed. This makes them similar to bridges, but partial dentures are not permanent fixtures. Whichever dentures our patients choose, they take time getting used to, and even though they are not real teeth, they should still be cared for as if they were. They should be brushed before removal and should be placed in room temperature water or cleaning solution overnight.

Inlays/Onlays

At Lewelling Dental Care, Dr. Shital Kazi wants to provide you with options when it comes to repairing damaged teeth. Since everyone’s dental needs are different, the best treatment for one patient may not be the best treatment for another.  That’s why we provide options for replacing teeth damaged by decay or injury.

 

Inlays/onlays are used to repair a tooth that has been damaged by decay or injury. These molded dental prosthetics are applied to the damaged tooth, preserving its structure and the health of your smile. Some advantages of an inlay/onlay are it often covers less area of a tooth than a traditional filling. This means more of the natural tooth is preserved. In addition, inlays/onlays fit precisely, which reduces the amount of bacteria that can get between gaps or spaces. Inlays/onlays are also stronger than traditional fillings and tend to last longer.

 

Dr. Kazi will be happy to discuss inlays/onlays with you and help you decide what works best for you. For more information or to schedule an appointment call us at 510-276-6040!

Dental Bonding

Of all the cosmetic and restorative procedures, dental bonding is one of the easiest and most affordable. Called bonding because tooth-colored resin is bonded to your teeth, the procedure is used to repair teeth that are discolored, unevenly shaped or chipped. At our office, we can even use bonding as an alternative to amalgam fillings if only a small filling is required.

 

Bonding is achieved by applying incredibly strong resin to the tooth in need of restoration. The procedure can usually be accomplished in one visit and allows you to keep most of your tooth’s original enamel, which makes bonding preferable to veneers or crowns in many cases. Once the right color resin has been chosen for your smile, Dr. Shital Kazi will slightly abrade your teeth to roughen the surface. Then a conditioning liquid is applied to help the resin adhere. The putty-like resin is then applied to your tooth and molded and smoothed until it is in the proper shape. It is hardened with an ultraviolet light or laser. After the bonding material has hardened, Dr. Kazi will trim and shape it even more and then polish it until it shines like a tooth. Altogether, the procedure usually takes between 30 minutes to an hour for one tooth.

 

If you’re unhappy with your teeth but unwilling to go as far as veneers, bonding can be used to improve your smile quickly and effectively. 

Jaw Joint Pain

If you suffer from jaw joint pain, you know how it can interfere with your daily activities. In order to find relief, the first step is to obtain an accurate diagnosis. When the jaw joint is involved, pain is usually due to a condition called temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ). TMJ may develop due to a jaw injury, arthritis, teeth clenching or a combination of these factors.

Dr. Kazi DDS at Lewelling Dental Care can help. Dr. Kazi is experienced in diagnosing jaw joint pain caused by TMJ. Part of the diagnostic process is taking a medical history and completing an exam. In addition, Dr. Kazi may recommend x-rays to rule out other causes of jaw pain.

Once an accurate diagnosis is made, you can discuss treatment options. Dr. Kazi will educate you on ways to decrease symptoms. For example, applying heat or ice may decrease pain. In some instances, special exercises may help stretch and strengthen the jaw and decrease symptoms.

Lewelling Dental Care also offers night mouth guards, which are often used in order to treat TMJ. The guard is worn while you sleep and helps prevent teeth grinding, which often contributes to symptoms of TMJ. Dr. Kazi will be happy to provide you with more information on night mouth guards and determine if you are a candidate.

For more information on jaw joint pain or to schedule an appointment, please call Lewelling Dental Care at (510) 276-6040 or visit us athttp://www.lewellingdental.com.

Dental Implants

Dental Implants

If you’re missing teeth or are in need of an extraction due to disease decay or injury, dental implants provide an attractive and long-lasting solution for filling the gaps in your smile. While there are other options for replacing missing teeth, bridges require alteration to adjacent teeth and dentures are not permanent. Dental implants, on the other hand, can not only last you a lifetime but also look and feel natural. At Lewelling Dental Care, we can use dental implants to help you achieve a complete smile that you can be proud of.

 

The implant process can take between three to six months to complete, and the first step in the process is to implant a titanium screw, which will serve as the replacement tooth root, in your jaw bone through an incision in your gums. The gums are then sutured, and the jaw bone is left to heal around the implant. This process is called osseointegration, and while it takes place, you may receive a temporary crown for easier speaking and eating.

 

Once the jaw has healed, an abutment will be placed on top of the implant to serve as the foundation on which your permanent crown will be fixed. The tooth restoration is then custom made for your mouth and is either fixed or cemented in place so that you may enjoy a complete smile that looks and feels natural.

 

To learn more, call us at (510) 276-6040 or visit www.LewellingDental.com.