Our Services
Preventative Dentistry
Prevention is the key in dentistry. Many oral health problems can be avoided when good habits are consistently practiced. Karas Dental and the ADA recommend dental cleanings and oral exams every six months and x-rays yearly. In addition, we recommend sealants and fluoride when necessary. Diagnosing oral health problems at an early stage can prevent pain, tooth loss, and expensive dental bills.
Preventative care also continues at home. Good home hygiene practices include brushing twice a day, flossing every day, and eating healthy, balanced meals.
Dental Cleanings
Dental cleanings are an essential part of keeping your mouth and the rest of your body healthy. Many people see the mouth as separate from the rest of their body but the reality is that it’s all connected. Problems in your mouth can cause or even act as an indicator of disease in other parts of your body such as heart disease.
There are different types of teeth cleanings, depending on how healthy your gums are. At your initial appointment, our staff will recommend the appropriate cleaning.
Oral Exams
Many people mistakenly believe that the only time they need an oral exam is when they are in pain or something is wrong. Dentists not only evaluate a patient’s teeth and gums during an oral exam - they also look for lumps, swelling, discolorations, ulcerations, and signs of oral cancer. In addition, the dentist will perform an examination of the head, neck, jaw, tongue, and salivary glands. In many cases, dentists can spot early warning signs in the mouth that may indicate disease somewhere else in the body.
Karas Dental recommends every patient have an oral exam every 6 months.
Periodontal (Gum) Disease Treatment
Periodontal (gum) disease is a serious disease caused by the accumulation of calculus and plaque. When allowed to advance, it can also affect your overall health. Recent research has linked periodontal disease to several serious health disorders such as high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, and other conditions.
We provide deep cleanings (scaling and root planing) as well as preventive care to protect you from the dangers of periodontal disease. If you notice bleeding, redness, or swelling in your gums, please contact us immediately as these are some of the first signs of periodontal disease.
Pediatric Dentistry
Protecting your child’s smile is a high priority for us at Karas Dental. Our team works hard to ensure that your child feels comfortable and at home when they visit us. We recommend children have their first dental appointment by the age of 3 or earlier if there is a concern. Usually, the first couple of appointments are just a ride in the chair to make the child comfortable.
Dr. Karas and our exceptional team will help them learn how to take care of his or her smile.
We will teach your child about caring for their teeth with easy-to-understand terms and friendliness. To schedule a consultation at Karas Dental for your child, we invite you to contact us today. Together we can help your child achieve healthy smiles for a lifetime.
Fluoride
Fluoride makes tooth enamel more resistant to the acid that causes tooth decay. It can also help repair decay in its very early stages. Not only is fluoride important during childhood when teeth are still forming but it has proven benefits for adolescents and adults as well.
Our Registered Dental Hygienists will discuss whether your water is fluoridated and recommend any additional treatments if necessary.
Sealants
Sometimes when brushing, it can be difficult to get your toothbrush between the small cracks and grooves in your teeth. Over time, decay can develop in these tiny areas. Sealants give your teeth extra protection against decay and help prevent cavities. Dental sealants are a thin plastic coating applied to the chewing surface of the tooth. The sealant bonds to the surface and forms a protective layer over the enamel. With sealants, brushing your teeth becomes easier and more effective.
Who Should Get Sealants?
Children and teenagers are the best candidates for sealants. It is recommended that sealants be applied as a preventive measure against tooth decay as soon as the permanent teeth have fully erupted. Adults without decay or fillings in their molars can also benefit from sealants. In some cases, dental sealants may also be appropriate for baby teeth, especially when they have deep depressions and grooves. Because baby teeth play such an important role in holding the correct spacing for permanent teeth, it’s important to keep these teeth healthy.
White Resin Restorations
White (resin) fillings are an aesthetic option for restoring fractured, decayed, or cracked teeth. Dr. Karas closely matches the color of the white filling to the color of your tooth for the most natural-looking smiles possible. In one short office visit, Dr. Karas can remove the damage, clean the healthy tooth, place the filling, and shape and polish to finish.
White fillings are an aesthetically pleasing and conservative alternative to traditional silver fillings. If you would like more information on white fillings, please call Karas Dental today.
Porcelain Crowns
At Karas Dental, we are proud to provide porcelain, aesthetically pleasing dental crowns to enhance and protect your smile. Designed to look and feel like your natural teeth, all-porcelain crowns will be a beautiful addition to your smile. Dr. Karas may recommend a porcelain crown to complete a dental implant, restore a damaged tooth, protect a tooth that has received a root canal, or enhance the look of your smile.
Root Canals
Thanks to root canal therapy, Dr. Karas can save some teeth that are significantly decayed or damaged. Unlike an extraction, which requires the complete removal of a tooth, root canal therapy allows you to keep your natural tooth. Dr. Karas can provide root canal therapy for teeth that have decay in the pulp, significant injury, or an abscess/infection.
We can complete your root canal therapy in just 1-2 visits. Following the therapy, Dr. Karas will place a custom dental crown over the tooth for additional protection. To learn more about root canal therapy, or to schedule your appointment, please call or visit Karas Dental today.
Bridges
There are many treatments available for those who would like to replace their missing teeth. Bridges are non-removable appliances used to replace one missing tooth or several teeth in a row. Dr. Karas may recommend a custom dental bridge to prevent facial sagging, restore mouth function, prevent tooth shifting, or replace an unwanted partial denture.
Over the course of a few visits to Karas Dental, your custom bridge will be created and placed. Once complete, no one will ever know you were missing any teeth! For the most stable results, Dr. Karas may recommend attaching the bridge to a dental implant. To learn more about bridges and implant dentistry, give us a call soon!
Complete Dentures and Partials
Complete dentures and partials are removable appliances designed to replace missing teeth. Complete dentures are for those with no natural teeth remaining while partials are for those who still have a few of their natural teeth. Dentures and partials can be used to enhance the function of your mouth, replace missing teeth, restore facial volume, and improve the beauty of your smile.
Dentures require just a few visits to our office. When your denture is in place, you can enjoy eating, speaking, and living life normally once again.
Implant Restorations
Dental implants are one of the most effective and secure options available for replacing missing teeth in modern dentistry. Dental implants replace both the root and crown of a missing tooth, while traditional tooth replacement options only replace the crown. Dr. Karas works closely with specialists in the area to complete your dental implant and replace your missing teeth. Depending on the number of missing teeth, your implant restoration may be a crown, bridge, partial denture, or complete denture.
Dental implants typically require several months and multiple appointments to complete, but they are an investment worth making. When complete, the function, health, and beauty of your smile will be restored and you can have the smile of your dreams.
Extractions
Natural teeth are ideal for biting, chewing, and maintaining mouth and jawbone structure. That’s why our first priority is to help restore, save and repair your natural teeth.
That said, sometimes a tooth extraction is unavoidable. Our dentists will make sure you’re comfortable before, during, and after your extraction procedure. This includes walking you through every step of the tooth extraction, as well as the use of local anesthetics.
Mouth and Night Guards
Karas Dental can prescribe night guards for patients with temporomandibular joints (TMJ) pain, who grind their teeth or who snore. Your dentist will determine the best mouthguard for your situation. We can also fabricate athletic mouthguards for patients involved in sports. These guards can be made in various colors and can even have their team names written on them.
Nitrous Oxide
Nitrous oxide, or laughing gas, is a safe and effective method of sedation dentistry. The effects of nitrous oxide wear off shortly after your treatment, which means if you choose nitrous oxide to help you relax during your visit, you will be able to drive home safely. Nitrous oxide is a great option for individuals who have a need for extensive treatment, have fear or anxiety about their procedure, or have difficulty sitting still for a long time. It is also ideal for children who are a little nervous about visiting the dentist.
Teeth Whitening
Whitening your teeth is a great way to completely rejuvenate your smile and overall appearance. At Karas Dental, we understand that everyone has different needs and therefore offer several teeth whitening systems. Whether you want your teeth whitened in the office, or you prefer to whiten them at home, we have a system that is right for you.
Our in-office Sinsational Smile® whitening provides amazing whitening technology that requires just 30 minutes of your time and the results can last up to six months. If time is an issue, our customized whitening trays or Opalescence® at-home systems may be the best option for you.
No matter what system you choose all of them can reduce the appearance of stains caused by natural aging, fluorosis, food & drink, medication, tobacco use, and more.
All Porcelain Veneers
All-porcelain veneers help us completely makeover your smile. A porcelain veneer is a thin, tooth-colored shell that Dr. Karas will attach to the tooth’s surface. Customized just for you, your porcelain veneers can hide tooth stains & discoloration, close spaces between teeth, correct uneven or crooked teeth, repair cracks or chips, and improve your smile.
Porcelain veneers can be placed in just two simple visits. When complete, you’ll be amazed at the results! We invite you to contact Karas Dental today to learn more about porcelain veneers.
TMJ Disorders
TMJ (temporomandibular joint) disorders affect the joint, bone, and ligaments that connect the lower jaw and the skull. There are many symptoms associated with TMJ disorders, including jaw soreness, bite changes, earaches, clicking/popping when opening or closing the mouth, headaches, and lockjaw. Thanks to modern advances in dentistry and healthcare, the pain associated with TMJ disorders can be effectively reduced. If you suffer from any of the above symptoms of TMJ disorder, please contact us to schedule a consultation.
Emergency Care
Contact our office immediately if you experience a dental injury, lose a filling or crown, or experience any kind of dental pain, inflammation, or swelling. Our office will make every effort to see emergencies on the same day.