Our Bridgeport, CT dental office is devoted to provide best general and family dentistry services. As your primary dental care provider, we are responsible for the general diagnosis, prevention, treatment, and management of a wide range of dental conditions, disorders, and diseases that affect the teeth, gums, jaw, and face. We provide the coordination of services related to the oral health needs for patients of all ages so everyone in your entire family can visit our practice in Bridgeport, CT.
General dentistry includes:
- Preventative Care Dental Exams
- Cleanings
- Gum Disease Treatment
- Fillings
- Pediatric & Dentistry
Preventative Care Exams
Visiting us for exams on a regular basis is essential. It allows us to diagnose problems before they get worse! Long-term this cuts down on treatment time. We’ll teach you how to avoid cavities and gum disease from happening in the first place, but regular exams are your number one best defense.Regular exams allow our clinical professionals to keep active and accurate records of your oral health. By establishing a baseline for your mouth, we can then monitor any adverse changes you may have had and correct them before they become major problems. During exams you will have your entire head and neck examined, radiographs, periodontal charting, oral cancer screening, and more. Our dentists and hygienists are also here to answer any questions you may have.
Teeth Cleanings
During a professional teeth cleaning, we remove plaque and tartar from hard to reach places on teeth. When you eat and drink, bacteria in the mouth breakdown nutrients and excrete a sticky biofilm often referred to as plaque. Overtime, certain substances in the plaque crystalize and bond to tooth enamel. When this happens, regular brushing and flossing is not enough to remove this hardened calculus, commonly referred to as tartar. Professional cleanings remove all the tartar and plaque from teeth. After the cleaning, we apply a polish, and offer recommendations for changes in at-home care to improve oral health.
Gum Disease Treatment
Gum disease is the primary cause of tooth loss in adults over 35 and affects more than 50% of US adults. Have you noticed that swollen gums? When you brush your teeth do you often have bleeding gums?These symptoms may mean that you have gingivitis or periodontal disease. MGM Family Dental is your resource in for identifying and treating this problem, safely and easily.
Left untreated, gum disease can progress to periodontitis, a serious threat to your oral health that can result in teeth and bone loss. But it affects more than your mouth; it can be dangerous to your overall health. Recent studies have linked advanced gum disease to heart disease, stroke, and pregnancy complications.
After establishing a diagnosis defining the severity of gum disease, a personalized treatment plan can be developed with you. In milder forms with little or no bone loss, one or two visits with our hygiene team may bring the condition under control. When you leave our office with a strategy for daily home care and an established schedule for maintenance, little additional treatment may be needed.
If the inflammation has advanced with measurable bone loss, a proactive approach halting the destruction should be strongly considered. Often we will suggest gentle numbing of your gums for your comfort during the deeper cleaning process. One area at a time undergoes meticulous cleaning above and below the gum line, usually over several visits. The infected collar or pocket around each tooth, including the mineralized tartar, must be carefully cleaned out with hand and ultrasonic instruments. Polishing of the teeth to establish glassy surfaces that help repel stain and plaque accumulation usually finishes this initial therapy.
Our dentist may suggest a medicated rinse, an electric toothbrush, a Waterpik, or other specific strategies to help you with your ongoing efforts. Remember, gum disease can be controlled but not cured. Dedicated daily efforts must be consistent to control the disease.
Call us today at (203) 612-6079 or complete our simple online form to schedule a consultation. We’re dedicated to providing you with affordable, top-quality dental care.
Fillings
Cavities, as their name implies, are essentially holes in your teeth caused by decay. You can sometimes spot a cavity, as the area surrounding the hole generally looks dark brown or gray.The main culprits to blame for your cavity are certain types of bacteria in your mouth. These bacteria are contained in plaque and they interact with the carbohydrates and sugars in your food creating an acidic environment that dissolves the protective enamel on the outer layer of your tooth. Once the acid succeeds in eroding the enamel, your tooth is exposed, leaving just the softer dentin layer, which will ultimately cause the formation of a cavity. At this point the decay process rapidly speeds up and spreads deeper into the tooth.
A filling is necessary to treat your cavity because if left untreated the decay will eventually grow and will enter into your nerve canal. And yes, this can be as painful as it sounds. It can also lead to more serious problems such as infection or abscess.
A filling may also be needed to replace or repair an old worn down existing filling or to fix a chipped tooth.
In addition to potential pain and discomfort and possible tooth loss, if you wait to have your cavity filled it may end up requiring a more difficult process, such as a root canal, to save your tooth. And it could also cost you a lot more money to fix. The bottom line is you should get your cavity filled as soon as you can.
(Tooth Color Fillings)
Composite is the filling material of choice when it comes to matching your tooth color. Composite fillings consist of plastic and glass particles. They have become the most popular filling materials because they can match your existing tooth color and they also solidly bond or glue to the tooth.
After the decay in your tooth has been cleaned a cleansing gel is applied. Next a bonding solution is applied, finally followed by the composite filling material. Composite is hardened by applying a high intensity blue light. It only takes a few seconds for the materials to harden.
Once the tooth is filled and the composite has hardened, the filling is checked to insure the proper shape and look. At this point any necessary adjustments are made and then your filling is complete.
PEDIATRIC & CHILDREN’S DENTISTRY
Good oral health and a lifetime of healthy habits begin even before your child’s first teeth arrive. MGM Family Dental’s pediatric dental team is focused on the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of oral health in children infancy through young adulthood. Our pediatric dentists and technicians will care for your child’s teeth and gums as they grow-up.
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends that children have their first dental visit before their first birthday. Children begin developing teeth within their first 6 months. It is essential that your child visit the dentist as soon after he or she begins developing teeth in order to establish a thorough hygiene plan and ensure proper development is on track. Your child’s first visits will be brief, and serve to help your child acclimate to the dental office. Regularly scheduled visits twice a year familiarize your child with our office and dental checkup procedures. As your child grows, he or she may wish to tour our office, see the fun tools and machines we use, and find out about what we do. We encourage your child to tour the office and ask questions.
