At Affinity Dental in Louisville, KY, we have all your oral health needs covered! You and your family can benefit from our services, with access to preventative care, treatments, and quality education delivered straight from our dental professionals. Let us take care of you and keep your oral health in top condition!
We invite you to schedule a visit with us today so we can introduce you to exceptional oral care. Call today for top rated general dentistry in Louisville and the best general dentistry in Louisville!
Even if you brush and floss every day, there are still areas in your mouth where plaque and tartar can thrive! These hard-to-reach areas can be in the back of your mouth, the deep pits of your molars, or between your teeth. Plaque and tartar are acidic debris and bacteria that linger on the tooth surface, eventually leading to decay or gum disease.
Our dental professionals use special tools to remove build-up from all surfaces of your teeth, ensuring that your smile is fresh and clean when you leave our office. We also conduct thorough examinations to make sure your smile is healthy before the end of your visit. If we discover a problem while assessing your oral health, we will discuss this with you during your appointment to make arrangements for additional treatment.
We recommend you visit us for routine cleanings and exams at least twice each year.
The safety of our patients is a top priority, and we dedicate our utmost attention to your health during every appointment. That’s why we include oral cancer screenings in every examination.
Oral cancer screenings include an examination of the tissues in your mouth and along your facial region for any abnormalities. We may also ask you some questions while observing these tissues. We check for the following symptoms during this process:
Dental crowns serve as a restoration for a tooth that is damaged, decayed, or less than perfect for our patients. Crowns allow the natural tooth to be saved and protected, eliminating the need for an extraction. Our crowns are made from the highest quality materials, creating a long-lasting and blendable restoration.
Our office offers same-day dental crowns through CEREC technology; this is by the following process:
Once this process is complete, you will receive your new crown and have it placed on the same day.
Dental bridges serve as an excellent option for restoring the smiles of patients with missing teeth. Missing teeth can cause patients to lose their smile and confidence and experience limited functionality when eating or speaking. Bridges can solve this problem as a fixed appliance secured in the patient’s mouth.
A dental bridge is composed of multiple dental crowns that have been fused together. Before attaching the dental bridge, neighboring teeth on each side of the tooth gap must be prepared. These teeth will be filed down so that the crowns can be properly attached to them, effectively bridging the gap. Once secured over the natural teeth with dental cement, the space will be filled with a blendable, dependable appliance.
For confined areas of decay or tooth damage, fillings can help restore the appearance and strength of the natural tooth.
The filling protects the tooth from any additional damage, restores function, and is blendable and beautiful to match the shade of the tooth.
Patients with one or more missing teeth might consider dentures as an appropriate option to fit their needs. Dentures are a durable, appealing tooth replacement consisting of a gum-colored polymer foundation and artificial resin or porcelain teeth.
Our practice offers both full dentures and partial dentures.
Full dentures are used to replace an entire arch of missing teeth. These are typically secured in place by suction or dental adhesive.
Partial dentures can replace one or more missing teeth. These are often clipped into position by supporting elements that snap onto neighboring natural teeth.
Dentures must be cleaned and removed each night before going to sleep. This allows the gums to rest and recover after a day of wear and keeps the denture appliance in good condition for years to come. Well-maintained dentures can remain in good condition for up to ten years if taken care of properly.
The thought of having a tooth removed is truly unnerving for many patients. Most people often fear pain during extraction, the loss of the tooth, or the consequences of tooth loss.
At our office, we assure you that any extractions we perform are done for your health’s benefit. We make it our mission to do everything possible to save a tooth before removing it; extractions are only performed if absolutely necessary. Some situations requiring an extraction include:
In our practice, we perform simple extractions for our patients. We take care to ensure the patient is comfortable and pain-free during this procedure.
A simple extraction is typically performed while the patient is conscious. Prior to the tooth removal, the gums will be numbed with a local anesthetic; we will also offer dental sedation to nervous patients. The extraction is performed by carefully wiggling the tooth until the supporting tissues and ligaments loosen their hold. The tooth will then be easily removed.
Patients with severely broken or impacted teeth may be referred to another doctor for a surgical extraction. The process for a surgical extraction is as follows:
A surgical extraction is conducted under local anesthetic to completely numb the area of the mouth requiring tooth removal. The doctor will create a small incision in the gums to precisely remove the tooth or tooth fragments.
Once again, patients will be offered options for keeping them comfortable during the procedure. Dental sedation, as well as other options, may be available by the surgeon conducting the extraction. Upon completion of the removal, the gum tissue will be cleaned and sutured closed for healing.
Grinding your teeth is a subconscious habit that affects up to 10% of adults and 15% of children worldwide. Teeth grinding most often happens when these individuals are asleep and don’t even realize they are doing it; instead, they may find out from their dentist when their teeth become excessively worn down. At this point, however, the damage has already been done to the teeth. Untreated, teeth grinding can lead to:
Our practice can treat teeth grinding by using a night guard; a night guard is a custom-made appliance designed to be worn over the patient’s teeth while they are sleeping. The device separates the top and bottom arch of teeth, preventing them from contacting each other and causing further damage.
If you are experiencing the following symptoms on a regular basis, please contact our office and schedule an appointment; our dental professionals will be able to examine your teeth and determine if you need a night guard:
Our office is proud to provide pediatric dentistry to the children of our community! A pediatric dentist specializes in the care of children and the diagnosis of common childhood dental ailments. Our specialization in the field allows us to provide better care for your children so you can rest assured that your child is in great hands! Taking your child to a pediatric dentist provides them with an enhanced dental experience from a team that will:
If a tooth becomes severely damaged or decayed, a filling won’t provide the necessary reinforcement the tooth needs to remain healthy. Root canal treatment can save the natural tooth and restore its appearance, function, and durability.
Once damage or decay reaches the tooth’s interior, the living tissues and vessels within the tooth can become painfully inflamed and infected. The root canal procedure works immediately to alleviate pain caused by an infected tooth.
While many patients that have never had a root canal feel nervous about this procedure, it truly is nothing to be afraid of. Our team members take extreme care and are meticulous in ensuring that the patient is kept pain-free and comfortable throughout this procedure. For particularly nervous patients, we are ready to provide dental sedation upon request. The root canal treatment proceeds as follows:
Sleep apnea is a condition that causes patients to briefly stop breathing while they are sleeping. This is typically the result of airway obstruction as the oral tissues relax and block the path between the lungs, nose, or mouth.
At Affinity Dental, we design appliances that allow the airway to remain open, ensuring patients can continue receiving a continuous flow of oxygen while sleeping. These appliances are similar to night guards that patients wear for teeth grinding, but the purpose of this appliance is to keep the tongue and throat tissues from blocking the airway. If you believe you may be suffering from sleep apnea, call today to schedule an appointment with us! Symptoms of the condition include:
When you choose Affinity Dental, you choose the very best dental care. With our wide range of general dentistry services available, you can feel confident that your smile is well cared for! As a team, we take pride in our passion for always doing better and going the extra mile to deliver what’s best for our patients. Our mission is to continue advancing each day so that we can be all our community needs to flourish and thrive with healthy, lasting smiles.
Call today to schedule an appointment with our friendly, welcoming team; you’ll be glad you did!