General Dentistry

At Stonebridge Dental Associates, we’ve got all you need to keep your smile healthy, happy, and beautiful. With our general dentistry services, your entire family can enjoy the benefits of healthy teeth and gums while receiving preventative care, smile maintaining solutions, and some of the more common treatments performed in dentistry. 

What makes us stand out is our ability to put our patients first; you, your child, your partner, or another loved one can all receive care tailored to them. That means you never have to doubt whether you’re the priority when you walk through the door. Call our Havelock, NC office today and schedule an appointment; allow us to show you what quality dental care looks like!

Exams & Cleanings

Exams and cleanings are proactive services offered in our office to prevent the development of decay, gum disease, or worsening of many dental conditions that could become more serious when left untreated. We recommend that patients of any age visit us at least every six months for these routine appointments. 

• During a cleaning, we will use special tools to remove plaque and tartar buildup in hard-to-reach areas of your mouth. This may be behind the teeth, between the teeth, or on the molars in the back of your mouth. We will brush and polish every tooth and floss between each of them as well. This is all done to ensure your teeth and gums are in pristine condition.
• Our examination will take place during this same appointment and will include a series of x-rays taken and a thorough visual inspection of each of your teeth. We may be checking for gum inflammation, tooth decay, tooth infection, or other oral health conditions. If we notice anything abnormal that requires treatment or special attention, we can quickly schedule you for the treatment you need. We may also provide feedback on implementing better oral care to prevent reoccurrence.

Fillings

When we notice the development of tooth decay or minor fractures in your tooth, we may suggest a filling to treat the problem. A filling not only restores the health and strength of the tooth but the tooth’s appearance as well! 

• Using a tooth-colored composite material, we apply this resin to the area needing to be filled and sculpt it into position.
• The composite is then set into place using an LED light.
• Once the material has hardened, we will polish and buff it until it blends with the remainder of your tooth and feels comfortable.

Fillings can prevent further damage from occurring to a vulnerable tooth, and the durable composite allows you to continue using the tooth as usual. A well-cared-for filling can last up to 15 years before needing to be replaced. 

Fluoride

Fluoride is a naturally occurring compound that is an excellent aid in dental care due to its ability to strengthen enamel and even reverse the development of small cavities. You may have even noticed this listed as an ingredient on toothpaste or mouth rinses you use at home!

Fluoride treatments in our office can be applied topically; the substance is painted onto your teeth and allowed time to be absorbed by the tooth’s exterior. Once the fluoride is removed, you will not be able to eat or drink for the next 30 minutes.

Sealants

We offer sealants in our office to prevent the development of decay on the surfaces of back molars. While we tend to offer this treatment more often to children who are just learning the proper brushing technique, we also offer sealants to older patients that have deep grooves and crevices on the surfaces of their teeth. Sealants can create a barrier that prevents tartar, plaque, and food debris from contacting the tooth directly. Kept well cleaned and maintained, sealants can last up to 15 years.

Tooth Extractions

While we always first maintain a priority to save a tooth, there are some instances where extraction is the best option. The situations may include:

• Severe decay
• Irreparable damage
• Overcrowding
• Impaction

Our priority throughout this procedure will be to keep you comfortable and relaxed. You can be ensured that you will not feel pain and only will experience pressure during the procedure. Using the Wand STA (single tooth anesthesia system), your anesthetic will be applied directly to the tooth using a computer-controlled delivery system. 

This ensures that you receive the proper level of sedation and may help to ease your mind regarding the extraction process.

Wisdom Tooth Extraction

Extracting a wisdom tooth is a bit different than other extractions. While many other extractions are performed on teeth that have emerged from your gum tissue, a wisdom tooth is typically found impacted below the gumline. This requires surgery for removal.

• We will first locate the precise location of this tooth on an x-ray.
• Once you’re feeling comfortable and numb from the use of an anesthetic, we will begin the procedure.
• We will first create a small incision in the gum tissue above the target tooth.
• Through this opening, we will locate the tooth and begin the removal process. Depending on its location relative to surrounding teeth, the wisdom tooth may need to be removed in fragments rather than as a whole tooth.
• After the tooth has been extracted, we will clean the area and suture the gums closed to heal. You will need only to consume soft foods for the next two days while your gums heal.

Professional Athletic Mouthguards

Do you or your child play sports or engage in strenuous activities? If so, you may want to invest in a mouthguard. Professional mouthguards are ideal appliances worth acquiring to avoid damage or injury to your teeth. We can design these devices to perfectly fit your or your child’s teeth to prevent tooth loss, fracture, or injury to the jawbone. 

Night Guards

Another protective device is the night guard, although rather than being worn during sports or activities, these are worn at night while sleeping. A night guard is an ideal solution for treating and preventing the damage caused by bruxism or grinding your teeth at night. Teeth grinding can be detrimental to the health and appearance of your teeth; left untreated, teeth grinding can cause:

• Enamel loss
• Tooth mobility
• Eroded, worn-down teeth 
• Cracked, chipped teeth

By wearing a night guard, it becomes impossible for the top and bottom arch of teeth to connect. This means that even if you clench your jaw or attempt to grind, no damage occurs to the teeth. Many patients find that they no longer have excessive headaches or tension in their jaw joints upon wearing the night guard for a few nights.