Please see below for the different services available at Dr. Moffitt's office to restore and protect your teeth and gums. The following is not a comprehensive list of services offered, but a list of the most common services. Dr. Moffitt is a general dentist so he normally refers his patients to specialists if they need root canals, extractions, full dentures and certain other procedures. Most patients will be required to have a comprehensive oral evaluation with necessary radiographs before treatment can procede.

1. Amalgam/silver fillings - Amalgam fillings are no longer performed at Dr. Moffitt's office. Most fillings done by Dr. Moffitt are composite fillings. 
2. Bleaching/ tooth whitening - Bleaching is a safe, long lasting way to whiten your teeth. We use a 15% peroxide type of bleach that is held up against your teeth with a soft custom tray. This tray system is the safest way to whiten your teeth with the least chance of side effects. The 15% whitening agent will not harm the enamel and because of the custom tray the whitening agent is kept off of the roots and gums. (The roots of your teeth and your gums may become sensitive if exposed to the 15% peroxide.) Ours is a take home system where you control the rate and degree at which your teeth whiten. Dr. Moffitt doesn't recommend whitening for children under 16 years of age due to the increased chance of side effects.
3. Bonding/composite fillings - These types of fillings are tooth colored fillings that match or even whiten your existing tooth color. Composites can restore cavities or small fractures even in the back molar teeth, or can be layered over the front teeth to make them whiter. Bonding can also cover exposed roots that are notched or worn. Almost all of the fillings that Dr. Moffitt performs are composite type fillings.
4. Bridges, Fixed - Bridges are used to replace missing teeth. A fixed bridge is cemented in. Bridges are in essence, several crowns, connected in a row that are cemented to the good teeth adjacent to the missing tooth (or teeth) being replaced. Bridges are normally made out of porcelain fused to gold, and can beautifully match the surrounding teeth. None of the metal shows when you smile.
5. Bridges, Removable - See Partial Dentures.
6. Buildup, Core - This is the filling in the center of the tooth that is needed before a crown can be placed. A core buildup is usually a composite filling that builds up the tooth to give the crown something to hold on to. It improves the retention of the crown.
7. Cleaning - See Prophylaxis.
8. Composite Bonding - See Bonding.
9. Consult, Cosmetic - Dr. Moffitt offers free cosmetic consults. He can explain your options to you and give you a rough estimate of the time and cost involved . A full exam and necessary radiographs will be required before an exact cost of treatment can be given.
10. Core Buildup - See Buildup.
11. Crowns - Crowns or caps are much stronger than fillings and cover the whole tooth. The crown holds the tooth together and prevents the tooth from fracturing. Dr. Moffitt offers three basic types of crowns; porcelain/ceramic, porcelain fused to gold, and full gold crowns. Porcelain/ceramic crowns are the most esthetic crowns and are used on the front teeth. Porcelain fused to gold crowns are stronger so they are used on the side and back teeth. Full gold crowns are used on the back teeth if they don't show when the patient smiles.
12. Enamel Microabrasion - This procedure involves removing deeper stains on the front teeth. A layer of enamel is polished off to remove the stains and normally the patient bleaches their teeth afterwards.
13. Fillings - See Bonding or Amalgam or Sedative.
14. Fluoride - Fluoride is a chemical used mainly to strengthen the enamel or the roots of the teeth to prevent decay. Children are routinely given fluoride until the age of 16. Adults prone to decay or with sensitive teeth may be given a prescription for a highly fluoridated toothpaste, Prevident 5000.
15. Gold - See Crowns.
16. Implants - Treatment with implants requires a team approach. Either an oral surgeon or a periodontist, places the implant which is totally covered by the gums as it heals for 4-6 months. Then Dr. Moffitt places a crown on the implant. The crown is attached to the implant by a connector piece called an implant abutment. Implant crowns are usually porcelain fused to gold and can be used to replace, front and back teeth.
17. Inlays - Inlays are porcelain or gold fillings that are fabricated by a dental lab and then cemented into the tooth.
18. Laughing Gas/Nitrous Oxide - A gas used to calm the anxious patient. Laughing gas does not "numb" the patient so a novocain type of anesthetic is still used. The charge for the gas is determined by the amount of gas used.
19. Microabrasion - See Enamel Microabrasion.
20. Night Guard/Occlusal Guard - An occlusal guard is a small thin "U" shaped piece of hard acrylic that snaps to your top teeth. It protects your teeth during times you might be grinding or clenching. An occlusal guard will: 1, help keep your teeth from chipping or fracturing. 2, relax your jaw muscles more. 3, help protect your temporomandibular joint (TMJ).
21. Nitrous Oxide - See Laughing Gas.
22. Occlusal Guards - See Night Guard.
23. Onlays - Onlays are porcelain or gold restorations that cover most but not all of the tooth.
24. Partial Dentures - Partial dentures are removable appliances that replace missing teeth. Some partials have metal clasps that snap to the good teeth to hold the partial in.
    Some partials have hidden attachments (that don't show like the clasps do). These attachments snap to corresponding attachments built into crowns that are cemented to 
    your good teeth. A partial denture is normally a treatment option if you are missing several teeth.
25. Periodontal Scaling and Root Planing - This cleaning procedure involves deep cleaning of root surfaces to remove plaque, calculus and rough or diseased areas. This procedure is used to treat periodontal disease, usually requires anesthetic and costs more than a prophylaxis.
26. Porcelain Crowns - See Crowns.
27. Porcelain Veneers - Porcelain veneers are thin pieces of porcelain that bond to the entire front of your tooth. When bonded the veneers are almost as strong as crowns. The veneers do not stain and should last for over 20 years. Because they are translucent porcelain veneers are the most natural looking restorations to cover your teeth. To fabricate a veneer a thin layer of enamel is first polished off the tooth before an impresssion is taken and sent to the lab. It takes the dental lab just two weeks to make the veneers. The veneers can make your teeth as white as you want them and can restore your teeth to their natural length and contour.
28. Post and Core - A post is like a thin screw that is cemented into a root canaled tooth. The post is then covered with composite filling material. This post and core help retain
    the crown that is necessary on a root canaled tooth.
29. Prophylaxis - A cleaning that removes plaque, tartar and stain from teeth with healthy gums or periodontium. If the patient has gum disease such as periodontitis then the patient needs more than a routine prophylaxis. A patient with periodontits usually needs a periodontal scaling or a "scaling with inflammation".
30. Removable Partial Denture - See Partial Denture.
31. Scaling - See Periodontal Scaling.
32. Scaling (with inflammation) - A scaling in the presence of inflammation is a full mouth debridement that is done first so the gums or periodontium can be evaluated. The teeth are scaled and then evaluated to determine the extent of disease involved. This scaling is followed with scaling and root planing if enough periodontal disease is present. If only minor disease is present the scaling with inflammation is followed with a prophylaxis. A scaling with inflammation is more extensive than a routine prophylaxis and costs more.
33. Sealants - Sealants are protective resin coatings placed on the chewing surfaces of teeth that have deep groves or pits. This coating is painted on and takes 10 to 15 seconds to dry. Sealants are one of the best ways to prevent decay on the chewing surfaces of teeth.
34. Sedative Filling/IRM - Sedative fillings have oil of clove or eugenol in them to soothe the nerve of the tooth. They are placed in teeth that have deep decay. Sedative fillings are left in for 6 months to desensitize the tooth before a permanent filling is placed.
35. Silver Filling - See Amalgam.
36. Tooth Whitening - See Bleaching.
37. Veneers - See Porcelain Veneers.