Our Procedures
Our practice provides complete cosmetic, restorative, and general dentistry care services for the entire family.
Improving Your Dental Health to Achieve a Beautiful Smile
It takes more than just a trip to the dentist to achieve and maintain a beautiful and healthy smile. Dr. Atencio believes that the keys to a perfect smile are excellent patient education and daily, at-home dental care. Patients of all ages should understand the important role proper oral hygiene habits play in the prevention of dental diseases and other related problems.
Common Dental Diseases
The most common dental diseases are periodontal disease and tooth decay. These conditions can be prevented with the help of regularly scheduled dental visits, as well as proper oral care at home.
Periodontal Disease
Periodontal disease is a bacterial infection that affects the gum tissue and can lead to tooth loss if left untreated. The disease is caused by food particles and plaque that build up around the teeth and along the gum line. Plaque can destroy the bone that supports the teeth, allowing them to become loose or fall out.
In the early stage of periodontal disease, known as gingivitis, plaque turns into tartar and can lead to inflamed, swollen, or bleeding gums and bad breath. Some patients with gingivitis may not experience any symptoms at all and therefore may not even know they need treatment. Without proper care, gingivitis can turn into periodontitis, an advanced stage of gum disease in which tartar causes the gums to recede, leaving pockets that can easily fill up with more plaque. Gum disease can be treated with a procedure known as scaling and root planing, or other forms of dental work. Advanced stages of gum disease may require periodontal surgery. However, gum disease can be prevented altogether with proper oral hygiene at home and regular trips to the dentist.
Tooth Decay
Tooth decay is another preventable disease that can ruin a beautiful smile. Although it is more common in children, it can affect individuals at any age. Tooth decay is caused by plaque that builds up on the teeth; the formation of plaque stems from the foods we eat, especially those containing lots of sugar. The acid found in plaque breaks down tooth enamel, causing holes on the surface of the tooth called cavities. These cavities are generally painless until they grow large enough to affect the nerves within the tooth. Tooth decay can usually be stopped with dental fillings or crowns, but if decay is extensive, the dentist may have to perform a root canal. Like periodontal disease, tooth decay can be prevented with proper at-home oral care and regular visits to the dentist.
Dental Health Begins at Home
Each year, millions of people suffer from painful oral diseases like gum disease, cavities, and more. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Americans visited the dentist more than 500 million times in 2006 and spent more than $94 billion on dental treatments. Yet even more shocking is that most oral diseases can be prevented with proper care of the mouth and teeth. Good oral hygiene habits can also significantly reduce the costs of dental care. Although routine dental exams are important for maintaining healthy teeth and gums, it takes the combined effort of the dentist and the patient to achieve a healthy smile.
The American Dental Association recommends taking several steps to promote oral health and prevent gum disease and other conditions. People should brush their teeth with a soft-bristled toothbrush at least twice a day, preferably after meals, with fluoride toothpaste. Fluoride helps to strengthen teeth and prevent decay. However, brushing teeth does not eliminate all decay-causing bacteria. Toothbrush bristles cannot effectively reach between the teeth where bacteria easily hide. Because of this, the ADA recommends that people floss daily to remove food particles, plaque, and other bacteria between teeth and under the gum line that can cause gingivitis, tooth decay and other oral diseases. Adults should replace their toothbrush every three months because the bristles can become frayed and ineffective; children’s toothbrushes wear out quicker and should be replaced more often.
Besides brushing and flossing, it is important to eat a well-balanced diet and limit any snacking between meals, especially on sugary foods that promote tooth decay. A healthy diet can also prevent vitamin and mineral deficiencies that can have a significant effect on oral health. People should also avoid cigarettes and chewing tobacco, which can contribute to oral cancer and other mouth diseases.
Finally, people should keep up with regular dental exams and cleanings and talk to their dentist about oral care products such as mouth rinses, oral irrigators, interdental cleaners and more. These products can help patients take better care of their mouths. Correcting other dental problems such as faulty dental fillings and overcrowded teeth will also help in maintaining a healthy mouth.
Together, these steps can prevent unnecessary pain and oral health problems like periodontal disease and tooth decay, as well as save patients extra time and money during dental visits. Contact our practice today for more tips on how to take good care of your teeth.
Dental Care for Children
One of the most valuable lessons parents can pass along to their children is the importance of good oral hygiene. Oral hygiene habits can affect children for the rest of their lives, and proper care while they are young can prevent unnecessary pain and trips to the dentist. Along with scheduling routine dental checkups starting at age two, parents should teach children to brush twice a day, preferably right after meals. Children age four and older should also floss daily to remove plaque from between the teeth and below the gum line.
Along with teaching kids to brush and floss, parents should make sure the water children drink is fluoridated, and encourage the use of fluoride toothpaste and other fluoride products. Fluoride is a natural mineral that helps to strengthen tooth enamel and prevent cavities. It is also advisable to limit children’s consumption of sugary foods that promote tooth decay and cavities. This is especially important because tooth decay is a very common and preventable oral disease among children.
Above all, parents need to send the message to their children that oral health is something that should be highly valued. Parents can encourage good oral hygiene by making it fun for kids. Some interesting techniques that can help parents do this are brushing their teeth with their children and letting kids pick out their own toothbrush. Contact our practice today for more tips on making dental care fun for children.
Other Preventive Dentistry Treatment Options
Aside from good oral hygiene habits at home, Dr. Atencio may recommend other dental treatments, such as sealants, fluoride, or night guards for extra protection against tooth decay or damage.
Dental Sealants
Even with consistent brushing and flossing, normal wear of the teeth can produce cavities. Dental sealants are plastic coatings that are applied to the back teeth. These coatings are highly effective at preventing tooth decay and cavities because they act as a barrier to plaque buildup and prevent bacteria from eating away at the surface of the tooth.
During the dental sealant process, Dr. Atencio uses special toothpaste and a cleansing liquid to clean the tooth. Next he applies an etching gel that will prepare the surface of the tooth so the sealant bonds to it. He then applies a sealant that forms a protective shield on the tooth. The sealant takes about a minute to harden and can protect the teeth for up to ten years.
People of any age can benefit from dental sealants; however, children benefit the most because they are more prone to tooth decay and cavities. Dental sealants can also be a more cost-effective preventive treatment when compared to the price of fillings and root canals. Patients can often save hundreds of dollars on dental treatments when combining this preventive alternative with excellent oral hygiene habits. Contact Dr. Atencio today to find out how you can benefit from dental sealants.
Fluoride
Patients at risk for tooth decay and cavities can benefit from adding fluoride products to their dental care program. Fluoride is a safe and naturally occurring element proven to prevent tooth decay by strengthening and repairing weakened tooth enamel. It is found in water and is often added to toothpaste and mouth rinses. Many researchers and dentists believe that fluoride is responsible for a dramatic decline in the number of cavities since the 1960s.
The American Dental Association recommends adults and children use fluoride toothpaste for optimal oral health. In some cases where patients are not getting enough fluoride, Dr. Atencio may advise them to add extra fluoride to their dental care program in the form of supplements, gels, or rinses. Contact our practice to find out if you are getting the recommended amount of fluoride to prevent tooth decay.
Night Guards
Some patients unknowingly grind or clench their teeth while they sleep due to a condition known as bruxism. There are a number of reasons why this may occur, ranging from anxiety and stress to an incorrect bite. Teeth clenching can cause damage and destruction to teeth, jaws, and other neighboring structures, and can even result in temporomandibular joint (TMJ) problems. Bruxism can also cause pain in the head, neck, ears, and other areas surrounding the jaw.
To prevent painful side effects and protect the teeth, Dr. Atencio may suggest patients wear a night guard for treatment. A night guard is a plastic device shaped like a retainer that can be worn on either the upper or lower teeth to provide cushion from the pressure of grinding and clenching.
If you suffer from bruxism and are interested in learning more about night guard treatment, contact Dr. Atencio today.
In the past, available dental materials limited us in the ways we were able to fix a decayed or broken tooth. Gold has always been the standard to which all other filling materials have been compared. The cost of gold as well as its lack of esthetic qualities has limited its use. Silver fillings have been the primary choice due to ease of use and their relative cost effectiveness. However, silver fillings do have a downside. Silver fillings are held in place by mechanical undercuts that are purposely made in the tooth to hold it in place, forcing us to remove more tooth structure than necessary. The undercuts are wedged shaped and weaken the tooth. The wedging effect can occur in the tooth: the silver filling being the wedge, and the tooth being the log. You may bite into something hard and without warning, the tooth splits or cracks. Now you need a crown, root canal, or both.
The good news is that the tooth-colored fillings make the tooth stronger, much less likely to crack or fracture, and get rid of all those "black" silver fillings in your mouth.
The bad news is that insurance companies hate tooth-colored fillings. Why? Because they cost more! Why do they cost more? The tooth-colored filling material is two-to-four times the cost of silver filling material, and it takes longer to place the filling when done correctly.
Forget all the advantages that this treatment provides. Forget that it leads to a healthier tooth, as well as a great looking mouth. Most insurance companies will not cover the tooth-colored fillings, or will only pay what they would have for a cheaper silver filling. Unfortunately, this means you may owe a larger balance. We are hopeful that insurance companies will one day come out of the "dark ages" and into the 21st century, but do not expect that to happen anytime soon.
We hope this explains our position regarding silver fillings. We are very excited that we are able to provide you with healthier restorations for your teeth that are nearly invisible. If you have any questions regarding this matter, please do not hesitate to ask! Remember, it is your mouth.
Dental insurance has played a role in helping people obtain better care. Since we strongly feel that our patients deserve the best possible treatment we can provide, and in an effort to maintain the highest quality of care, we would like to share some facts about dental insurance with you.
Please do not hesitate to ask questions about our office policies. We want you to be comfortable in dealing with these matters, and we urge you to consult with us if you have any questions regarding our service and/or fees. We will fill out and file insurance forms at no charge. We will do all we can to assure you of maximum benefits, but bear in mind that the insurance company is responsible to you, and you are responsible to us for your account. We cannot render service on the assumption that the charges will be paid by the insurance company.
If you have any questions regarding your insurance, we ask that you contact your employer or insurance carrier regarding the specifics and details of the plan that is conducting on your behalf.
For more information on how to properly care for your smile, or to learn about any of our cosmetic or restorative dental procedures, contact Michael Atencio, D.D.S. today. We can create beautiful smiles for your entire family.
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Michael A. Atencio, D.D.S.
3773 Baker Lane #3
Reno, NV 89509