Regular brushing and flossing is vital to the health and well-being of your mouth, but maintaining good dental hygiene also requires professional dental cleanings and oral exams. Individuals should have professional dental cleanings and oral exams at least every six months including an oral cancer exam and screening, depending on their particular needs.

Professional dental cleanings and oral exams are meant to be preventative in nature, helping patients avoid such problems as decay, gum disease, and infection or catching these problems early before they progress to more advanced stages. At The Silverstrom Group, a professional dental cleaning includes scaling, root planning, and polishing, plus recommendations for further preventative or restorative care.

Gum disease is a serious oral health issue that, if left untreated, can eventually lead to tooth loss. Studies have shown that the bacterial load in the mouth is highly correlated with the level that courses through your body. That is why it is important to minimize any unwanted, and unneeded disease process in your mouth. Periodontal care at The Silverstrom Group provides patients with both preventative options for maintaining healthy gums and corrective options for addressing gum disease already in progress.

Periodontal care begins with a thorough examination of the patient’s teeth and gums. We establish whether there has been any breakdown in gum tissue and whether pockets have formed between teeth and gums. We may also take digital X-rays of the patient’s mouth to determine whether there has been any bone loss below the gum line.

The Silverstrom Group routinely uses the diode dental laser in the treatment of moderate to more advanced periodontal diseases. Lasers allow for very comfortable care, with no post-operative discomfort, minimized use of anesthesia, and minimal bleeding.

If you are experiencing bleeding, receding, or swollen gums; mouth pain; persistent bad breath; or shifts in the way your teeth fit together, contact The Silverstrom Group.

At The Silverstrom Group, our facility is fully equipped with the most advanced laser technology available. Laser therapy provides patients with minimally invasive options for treating tooth decay and gum disease. Unlike traditional methods that involve injections of local anesthesia, drilling, and metal instruments for poking and prodding, laser therapy is quick, simple, and virtually pain-free.

Using a diagnostic laser (the DIAGNOdent®), we can detect tooth decay by measuring the density of the tooth. To remove tooth decay, we use the Erbium laser, a very accurate tool that allows us to vaporize tooth decay without a drill and most often without any anesthesia all the while preserving more healthy tooth structure. For patients with gum disease, we use the Diode laser, an instrument that emits pulses of energy so quickly that there is virtually no pain involved.

Painful cold sores, or canker sores, can instanly disappear with a wave of the magic laser wand, our diode laser.

Laser therapy at The Silverstrom Group makes it possible for patients to have tooth decay and gum disease treated without the pain, the hassle, and the fears associated with traditional dental treatments.

Oral cancer is one of the most curable diseases when caught early. That's why the ViziLite Plus exam has been developed. ViziLite Plus uses technology that has proven successful in identifying soft tissue abnormalities in other areas of the body. A ViziLite Plus exam is particularly important if you are at increased risk for developing oral cancer

An annual ViziLite Plus exam, in combination with a regular visual examination, provides a comprehensive oral screening procedure for patients at increased risk for oral cancer.
The ViziLite Plus Exam - It’s painless and fast, and could help save your life. ViziLite Plus is performed immediately following a regular visual examination. You will then be asked to rinse with a cleansing solution. We then dim the overhead lighting and examine your mouth using ViziLite Plus, a specially designed light technology. The ViziLite Plus technology assists us in seeing abnormal tissue in the mouth, before it is plainly obvious.

As ViziLite Plus passes over oral tissue that has been treated with the rinse solution, normal healthy tissue will absorb the light and appear dark, abnormal tissue will appear white. The purpose of using ViziLite Plus is to identify tissue changes at their earliest stage; once abnormal tissue has been identified it is up to your dental professional to determine what the appropriate next steps are.

Teeth grinding or jaw clenching put the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) under extreme pressure causing numerous troublesome symptoms: Joint pain in the jaw, shoulder pain, headaches, earaches, and tooth pain. Clicking or popping of the jaw (when it is opened very wide) is also a sign of TMJ syndrome.

• Bite Therapy - The Silverstrom Group provides bite therapy for individual’s complaining of TMJ disorder symptoms. Bite therapy involves a careful analysis of the jawbones, joints, and muscles in order to assess the cause(s) of the TMJ disorder symptoms. We also instruct patients in jaw exercises that help mitigate jaw misalignments, promote jaw control, and reduce clenching and grinding.
• Splint Therapy – This addresses some of the causes and symptoms of TMJ and some other types of craniofacial pain. For jaw clenchers and teeth grinders, we can custom design a mouthguard or “splint” using an impression made of the patient’s teeth. Splints inhibit patients from grinding and clenching and promote optimal jaw alignment.

If you think you may have TMJ, you can save yourself from pain and its dibilatating effects by addressing it early.

Excessive snoring can be more than a nuisance, disturbing sleep for both you and your partner. It may be a sign of sleep apnea, a potentially life-threatening condition. Sleep apnea is the obstruction of the breathing passage between the nose and the voice box, a situation that can reduce oxygen in the blood to dangerously low levels.

Treatments for excessive snoring and sleep apnea are available at The Silverstrom Group. We offer dental appliances that can reduce or prevent the disturbing nighttime noises and health risks associated with these sleep disorders. For many of our patients with snoring disorders, we use the Lamberg Sleep Well Device, which works by moving the lower jaw and tongue forward. This repositioning of the tongue opens up the breathing passageway and inhibits snoring.

If you think you may have sleep apnea or are at risk for the condition, contact The Silverstrom Group as soon as possible.

To prevent cavities from forming, sealants are bonded to teeth to act as barriers against cavity-causing bacteria. Typically, they are placed on the surfaces of back teeth that have cracks, fissures, and deep grooves—teeth most susceptible to decay.

Sealants create a smoother chewing surface so that teeth do not as easily trap plaque. Smooth surfaces also make brushing more effective. Made out of a plastic, tooth-colored composite resin, sealants are not easily seen in most situations. In fact, in most cases only a dentist can tell if someone has sealants on his or her teeth.

Sealants are often recommended for children and teens because grooves and fissures in teeth tend to form in childhood and adolescence. However, many adults are good candidates for sealants as well.

The Silverstrom Group can’t emphasize enough that good oral hygiene is a lifelong process and should start during childhood. At The Silverstrom Group, we provide comprehensive dental care for children and teens including oral exams, digital X-rays, cleanings, fluoride treatment, gum disease prevention, sealants, and cavity repair.

We make every effort to teach our young patients about the importance of regular brushing and flossing and provide instruction that yields the best possible results. Our caring staff maintains a safe and comforting environment for children so that they can learn early on that going to the dentist doesn’t have to be a scary experience.

We spend time with your children to build a comforting rapport, while educating and examining in a safe, non-threatening environment.

Because dental issues can affect one’s ability to work or sleep and cause excruciating pain, the doctors of The Silverstrom Group are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to care for their patients during dental emergencies. Our on-call staff is available to handle emergencies whenever they arise, even if it’s in the middle of the night.

Our staff is also adept at handling emergencies that occur due to sports injuries. Aggressive sports such as hockey, football, and rugby can cause oral injuries with heavy bleeding and severe damage. The Silverstrom Group can care for these and other sports-related emergencies.

Whether it’s a toothache, a swollen face, or an athletic injury, you can rest assured The Silverstrom Group will be there for you.

Early management of bacterial decay provides for a more conservative treatment option. If the bacterial decay has progressed to the point where it may damage the dental pulp a proactive measure is needed. In this situation, root canal therapy is performed. In modern dentistry, root therapy can often be performed in one comfortable visit.

A tooth may need to be extracted for a number of reasons, the most common of which is advanced tooth decay. If a tooth has decayed to a point where restorative procedures such as drilling and placing crowns, onlays, or inlays will not save it, then an extraction is needed to protect the mouth from further infection and damage. Tooth extractions are also performed on patients who have impacted teeth or who need more room in their mouths in order to receive the benefits of orthodontic treatment.