Maximizing Your Oral Health at Any Age

Cleanings, Crowns, & So Much More

Whether you are in need of a teeth cleaning, a bridge, crown, or anything in between, Townsend Family Dental Center can help you maintain and improve your oral health. Our office in Hinesville, GA provides a variety of preventive and restorative services to help you achieve your dental goals, no matter your age or unique needs.

Preventive Dentistry

Cleanings

Good oral hygiene is important not only for aesthetic reasons, but for your overall health as well. Poor oral hygiene can lead to a variety of dental and medical problems including: gum disease, bone loss, heart disease, infections, tooth loss, strokes, bad breath, oral cancer, and more. To prevent these problems, it is important to attend regular checkups and cleanings, as well as practice good at-home oral hygiene habits.

Exams

A dentist’s main focus is not solely teeth, but also the head and neck area. Many signs, symptoms, and diseases have manifestations that can be found in the mouth. Dr. Townsend will provide you with a thorough, comprehensive exam of your head and neck while taking into consideration any special needs you have.

During your exam, Dr. Townsend will examine your hard and soft tissues, consult x-rays of your mouth, and listen very carefully to your concerns. He is not only interested in your teeth, but your overall health.

Cancer Screenings

During your complete oral health exam, Dr. Townsend will perform an oral cancer screening. According to the National Institute of Cancer, approximately 37,000 people are diagnosed with oral cancer every year in the United States. More than 90 percent of oral cancers occur in patients older than 45 years. The likelihood increases steadily until 65 years, when the rate levels off.

Periodontal Maintenance

The foundation of dentistry is periodontal maintenance. The periodontium consists of the bones and gums, which form the foundation for the teeth. A weak foundation will not last. Furthermore, without regular cleanings and dental exams, patients are at risk of developing periodontal disease.

Because of these risks, recall appointments with our hygienists are essential to monitoring your periodontal health. Some patients are genetically predisposed to developing tartar more easily than others. Moreover, these patients require more frequent cleaning visits than every six months. Periodontal Maintenance is a follow up therapy to deep cleaning or quad scaling. We will work with you to achieve optimum oral health and instruct you how to care for your mouth the best you can.

Restorative Dentistry

Ceramic Crowns

Ceramic crowns are restorations that can be placed when a tooth is broken and cannot be repaired with a bonded filling or veneer. Ceramic crowns are the most life-like crowns and are placed to help complement a patient’s natural smile. In the past, these types of crowns were only placed on anterior teeth. Modern dental science has helped create porcelains strong enough to better withstand the forces generated with the function of back teeth.

One of the many advantages of this type of crown over traditional porcelain-fused-to-metal (PFM) crowns is they are much more aesthetically pleasing. The materials in ceramic crowns allow light to pass through them, giving a natural appearance.

Amalgam Fillings

Dental Amalgam is the most thoroughly researched and tested restorative material and has been used by dentists for more than a century. It is durable, easy to use, and highly resistant to wear. In comparison to other materials, it is relatively inexpensive. Because of this, it remains a valued treatment option for dentists and their patients.

Amalgam fillings can withstand very high chewing loads, and are particularly useful for restoring molars in the back of the mouth where the chewing load is greatest. They are also useful in areas where a cavity preparation is difficult to keep dry during the filling replacement, such as in deep fillings below the gum line.

Bridges

If you have gaps between your teeth and want to restore your smile and bite, dental bridges may be the right treatment option for you. Dental bridges are a form of oral prosthetics that close the gap created by one or more missing teeth.

A bridge is made up of a series of crowns that are anchored to existing healthy teeth. A bridge can be made from a white tooth like porcelain, gold, or some alloy metal. While dental bridges are usually supported by natural teeth, they may also be supported by implants.

The process of getting a bridge usually takes two appointments. Depending on your individual case, you may be required to attend multiple visits to ensure the correct fit of the metal framework and bite. If you are receiving a fixed (permanent) bridge, your dentist may temporarily cement it in place for a couple of weeks to make sure it fits properly. After this time has passed, the bridge is permanently cemented into place.

Crowns

If you have a tooth or teeth in an advanced stage of tooth decay or severe damage, a dental crown may be your best option. Like fillings, implants or bridges – dental crowns restore aesthetics, strength, and function to your teeth. A dental crown can be made from several materials and covers the remaining tooth structure. The material used depends on the area of your mouth being restored.

Fitting a crown requires at least two office visits. Our goal is to provide dentistry that is undetectable. We replace existing crowns and fillings with restorations that look and feel like your natural teeth.

Root Canal

Teeth needing a root canal usually have large fillings or a lot of decay, and most of the original tooth is gone. During a root canal, a hole is drilled through the natural crown. This drilled out area is called the core of the crown. After the root canal is done, the old filling and decay are removed from the tooth, and the remaining tooth is cleaned and filled with a special composite filling material or dental amalgam. The material replaces the entire missing tooth and strengthens the remaining tooth structure.

Fillings

Dr. Townsend can provide you with the latest technology in decay removal and tooth restoration. He will work to design an individualized treatment plan for you. This includes informing you of the most durable, least invasive, and least sensitive filling material for your teeth. To help prevent complications Dr. Townsend places sealers and/or bases under all of these fillings. This reduces post-operative sensitivity and prolongs the life of the filling.

Implants

Implant dentistry is used in several areas of tooth replacement. A dental implant is used to replace a tooth root. Sometimes this involves placing one implant when a single tooth is lost. Other circumstances involve replacing more than one tooth.

Implant placement involves careful evaluation by your dentist and a specialist, usually an oral surgeon or periodontist. These specialists are responsible for placing the implants, and Dr. Townsend will provide the restorative work (i.e. placing the crown, bridge, or denture).

Indirect Composite

Crowns, inlays, and onlays can be made in the laboratory from dental composites. These materials are similar to those used in direct fillings and are tooth-colored. One advantage to indirect composites is that they do not excessively wear opposing teeth. Their strength and durability is not as high as porcelain or metal restorations, and they are more prone to wear and discoloration.

Inlays & Onlays

Inlays and onlays are restorations that are used to restore decayed and broken teeth. The difference between these restorations and fillings is a greater longevity and strength than dental fillings. At your first visit, Dr. Townsend will remove decay, prepare your tooth, and take a mold of the tooth. He will then place a temporary restoration and send the impression to a dental lab. A ceramic or gold restoration is then made.

During your next visit, the inlay or onlay is placed with permanent cement. The main difference between an inlay and an onlay is the conservation of tooth structure. The preparation for a dental onlay or inlay is more conservative than that of a dental crown, so more of your natural tooth structure is kept intact.

Porcelain Fused to Metal & All Gold Crowns

There are circumstances when a tooth needs to be restored with a crown and your doctor may recommend a porcelain-fused-to-metal crown or an all gold crown. Some patients have such a strong bite that the metal reinforcement under the porcelain is necessary to endure chewing forces. When performed by a quality ceramist, these restorations can still be highly esthetic and cost less than an all-ceramic or all-gold crown.

If occlusion is a problem, Dr. Townsend may recommend an all gold crown. This is because teeth can be very short in the back of the mouth and occasionally there is not enough tooth structure for a porcelain-fused-to-gold crown. Porcelain has to have a certain thickness to be strong and when placed in the very back teeth the crown may fracture. Gold is a great material because it is gentle on opposing teeth when you are chewing, and the gums typically have little irritation from gold crowns.

Post & Core Buildup

A post and core buildup connects a tooth, that has had a root canal, to a crown. It is generally performed on a tooth after a root canal and prior to placing a crown on the tooth. Although not all root canalled teeth need post and cores, many do.

Extractions

With Dr. Townsend’s assistance, you may determine that you need a tooth extraction for any number of reasons. Some teeth are extracted because they are severely decayed. Others may have advanced periodontal disease or are broken in a way that cannot be repaired. Other teeth may need removal because they are poorly positioned in the mouth, or in preparation for orthodontic treatment.

Pediatric Dentistry

Townsend Family Dental Center believes that proper, long-lasting oral health starts with healthy habits in childhood. That’s why we strive to help children have fun at their dentist visit! If children develop a positive dental attitude early on, they are more likely to have good oral health for life.

No matter what your child’s dental needs may be, we are patient, caring and compassionate every step of the way, ensuring they are comfortable while receiving the exceptional services they deserve.

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For more information about our preventive & restorative dentistry services contact us at 912-877-6453 today!

Townsend Family Dental Center in Hinesville, GA

Townsend Family Dental Center
767 Veterans Pkwy #102
Hinesville, GA 31313

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Hours

Monday-Thursday
7:30 AM - 4:00 PM

Friday
7:30 AM - 12:00 PM

Saturday-Sunday
Closed

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