Consultation

Dental consultation with our dentist in Easton, MA, is recommended at least once a year. It is an assessment of a person’s oral health and the first step in designing a treatment plan.

From overall dental health to specific restorative or cosmetic goals, a consultation with Dr. Heller is the best way for patients to learn more about their dental health and discover available options.

Many situations can compromise your oral health, happiness, and confidence. They can affect not only the teeth but also the gums, roots, and jaws. While some of these issues are mild, others can be severe and even life-threatening. A consultation with Dr. Heller will answer your questions, address any concerns, and get you started on a treatment plan to reach your goals.

Dental Exam

Regular dental exams are an important part of preventive health care.

During a dental exam, a member of our hygiene team will clean your teeth and check for cavities and gum disease. Your hygienist will also evaluate your risk of developing other oral health problems, as well as check your face, neck, and mouth for abnormalities. A dental exam often includes dental X-rays (radiographs) or other diagnostic procedures, depending on the frequency of your exams.

Dr. Heller and his hygiene team recommend that patients visit us for an exam and cleaning every six months.

Cleaning

Regular cleanings are an important part of Dr. Heller’s preventive approach to oral health and dental wellness. We use modern technology to optimize the long-term health of teeth and gums and detect any decay in the earliest stages. While other practices embrace the likelihood of patients needing to repair and replace teeth, Dr. Heller and his hygiene team are especially focused on treating compromised teeth at the first sign of decay.

Crowns

A crown is a cover or “cap” Dr. Heller can put on a tooth. The crown restores the tooth to its normal shape, size, and function. The purpose of a crown is to make the tooth stronger or improve the way it looks. You’ll discuss the option of a crown with Dr. Heller during your consultation.

Why Do I Need A Crown?

• Have a cavity that is too large for a filling
• Have a missing tooth and need a bridge
• Need to cover a dental implant
• Have a tooth that is cracked, worn down, or otherwise weakened
• Have had root canal treatment—the crown will protect the restored tooth
• Want to cover a discolored or badly shaped tooth and improve your smile!

Dental Bridge

A dental bridge will hold your other teeth in place and make everyday activities such as eating and talking easier. It can also help preserve your teeth, as a lost tooth can cause the remaining teeth to loosen, which could further compromise your dental wellness. You’ll discuss the option of a bridge with Dr. Heller during your consultation.

Why Do I Need A Bridge?

A missing tooth is a serious matter. Teeth are made to work together. When you lose a tooth, other teeth may tilt or drift into the empty space. The teeth in the opposite jaw may also shift up or down toward the space. This can affect your bite and place more stress on your teeth and jaw joints, possibly causing pain.

Teeth that have tipped or drifted are also harder to clean. This puts them at a higher risk for tooth decay and gum disease.

When a tooth is missing, the bone may shrink. If that happens, it may change the way the jawbone supports the lips and cheeks. Over time, this can make your face look older.

How Do I Replace A Tooth?

Placing a bridge usually takes more than one visit. On the first visit, Dr. Heller prepares the teeth on both sides of the gap. He will later attach the bridge to these teeth.

Dr. Heller will take an impression or an image of your teeth and the space, and send it to a dental laboratory. Technicians at the lab make the bridge. On your next visit, Dr. Heller will place a temporary bridge to protect your prepared teeth while you are waiting for the permanent bridge.

When the permanent bridge is ready, Dr. Heller fits and adjusts the bridge to the prepared teeth.

Dental Implants

Dental implants are an effective way to replace missing teeth. When teeth are lost because of disease or an accident, dental implants may be a good option. You may want to choose dental implants if you:

• Hide your smile because you have missing teeth
• Wear dentures that are uncomfortable
• Are dissatisfied with your removable partial dentures
• Want to keep your other teeth intact

Many people choose implants to replace a single tooth or several teeth or to support a full set of dentures. Implants are posts surgically placed into the upper or lower jawbone. They replace the root of one or more missing teeth.

Dental implants are made of titanium (a strong, lightweight metal) and other materials that are well accepted by the body. More than 5 million implants are placed each year by dentists in the United States, and Dr. Heller is a leading expert on implants in Easton.

Tooth Whitening

Teeth whitening lightens teeth and helps to remove stains and discoloration. Whitening is among the most popular cosmetic dental procedures because it can greatly improve how your teeth look. Most dentists perform teeth whitening in Easton.

Whitening is not a one-time procedure. It will need to be repeated from time to time if you want to maintain a brighter color.

What It’s Used For

The outer layer of a tooth is called the enamel. The color of natural teeth is created by the reflection and scattering of light off the enamel, combined with the color of the dentin under it. Your genes affect the thickness and smoothness of the enamel. Thinner enamel allows more of the color of the dentin to show through. Having smoother or rougher enamel also affects the reflection of light and therefore the color.

Every day, a thin coating (pellicle) forms on the enamel and picks up stains. Tooth enamel also contains pores that can hold stains.

The most common reasons for teeth to get yellow or stained are:

• Using tobacco
• Drinking dark-colored liquids such as coffee, cola, tea, and red wine
• Not taking good care of your teeth
• Aging makes teeth less bright as the enamel gets thinner and the dentin becomes darker.

It is also possible to have stains inside the tooth. These are called intrinsic stains. For example, intrinsic stains can be caused by exposure to too much fluoride as a child while teeth are developing. Other causes include certain antibiotics. They can stain a child’s teeth if taken by a mother during the second half of pregnancy or by a child who is 8 years old or younger. Teeth are still developing during these years. Trauma may also darken a tooth.

Teeth whitening is most effective on surface (extrinsic) stains.

Orthodontics

Orthodontics is the branch of dentistry that corrects teeth and jaws that are positioned improperly. Crooked teeth and teeth that do not fit together correctly are harder to keep clean, are at risk of being lost early due to tooth decay and periodontal disease, and cause extra stress on the chewing muscles that can lead to headaches, TMJ syndrome, and neck, shoulder and back pain. Teeth that are crooked or not in the right place can also detract from one’s appearance.

The benefits of orthodontic treatment include a healthier mouth, a more pleasing appearance, and teeth that are more likely to last a lifetime.

How Do I Know If I Need Orthodontics?

Only your dentist or orthodontist can determine whether you can benefit from orthodontics. Based on diagnostic tools that include a full medical and dental health history, a clinical exam, plaster models of your teeth, and special X-rays and photographs, an orthodontist or dentist can decide whether orthodontics are recommended, and develop a treatment plan that’s right for you.

If you have any of the following, you may be a candidate for orthodontic treatment:

• Overbite, sometimes called “buck teeth” — where the upper front teeth lie too far forward (stick out) over the lower teeth
• Underbite — a “bulldog” appearance where the lower teeth are too far forward or the upper teeth too far back
• Crossbite — when the upper teeth do not come down slightly in front of the lower teeth when biting together normally
• Open bite — space between the biting surfaces of the front and/or side teeth when the back teeth bite together
• Misplaced midline — when the center of your upper front teeth does not line up with the center of your lower front teeth
• Spacing — gaps, or spaces, between the teeth as a result of missing teeth or teeth that do not “fill up” the mouth
• Crowding — when there are too many teeth for the dental ridge to accommodate

Veneers

Veneers are an ideal cosmetic solution for everyone who desires a beautiful smile with minimal invasions into their teeth.

The right veneers are a quick way to a beautiful smile, and this treatment is perfect for people with teeth that are stained, chipped or have gaps. But veneers are an irreversible treatment, so having them placed is a big decision. Before you and Dr. Heller decide the procedure is right for you, it’s important to have the right information about veneers and how best to care for them. You’ll discuss the option of veneers with Dr. Heller during your consultation.