Our Procedures
Our practice provides complete cosmetic, restorative, and general dentistry care services for the entire family.
Dr. Atencio Provides Comprehensive Dental Care with Superior Results
At the practice of Michael Atencio, D.D.S., we believe your smile is everything. It is one of the first things people notice about you, and it can leave an impression that lasts for years to come. Since your smile says so much about you, it is important to take good care of your teeth. Dr. Michael Atencio offers exceptional cosmetic and restorative dental treatments to enhance your smile.
Our practice uses advanced technology to provide dental services including dental implants, bridges, bonding, porcelain veneers, and more. We also feature nitrous oxide sedation in our comfortable treatment rooms if you are nervous or in need of extensive dental work. Your smile should reflect your true personality. With Dr. Atencio’s help, you no longer have to hide behind a less-than-perfect smile.
Zoom!® Advanced Power™ Teeth Whitening
Coffee, tea, red wine, tobacco, and other substances can leave our pearly whites stained and discolored. Fortunately, the latest teeth whitening systems offer a safe and effective way to restore the dazzling smile. Bleaching systems remove harsh stains and brighten the natural pigmentation of the teeth, resulting in a radiant smile. Dr. Atencio is proud to feature the Zoom!® Advanced Power™ teeth whitening system, one of the fastest bleaching treatments on the market.
During the whitening session, a hydrogen peroxide gel is applied to the teeth and activated by a light. The process allows patients to achieve a smile that is eight to ten shades brighter in just one hour. We also offer at-home teeth bleaching kits, which can lighten teeth by up to three shades in just a few days. Contact us today to experience a whiter and brighter smile with Zoom!® Advanced Power™ Teeth Whitening.
Dental Implants
Tooth loss can be both physically and emotionally devastating. Missing teeth not only affect the way a person talks and eats, but can also affect his or her self-confidence. Fortunately, patients who are missing teeth as a result of periodontal disease, injury, or other condition have a new reason to smile, thanks to dental implant technology. Dental implants are sturdy metal posts that are embedded in the jaw and topped with artificial teeth that look, feel, and perform like natural teeth.
During the dental implant procedure, a titanium post is surgically placed into the jawbone. After the bone and surrounding tissue heals, a beautiful replacement tooth is attached to the top of the post, resulting in a smile that is flawless and fully-functional. To learn more about dental implants or to schedule an appointment, contact our practice today.
Full and Partial Dentures
Patients who are missing teeth but are not ideal candidates for dental implants can still attain a stunning smile with full or partial dentures. Dentures are custom-designed artificial teeth that are attached to a connective device made of plastic and metal. They are a durable, comfortable, and natural-looking way to enhance your smile and maintain facial structure, and can be removed from the mouth for easy cleaning. Patients who are missing just a few of their teeth can take advantage of partial dentures, which are held in place by small clasps connected to surrounding teeth and gums. For patients who are missing all of their teeth, our practice can also create full dentures. Full dentures fit over the gums and are held in place by strong muscles in the mouth.
Porcelain Dental Crowns
Tooth imperfections such as chips, cracks, or stains can have a dramatic impact on the appearance of a smile. Porcelain dental crowns are a great way to mask those flaws. A porcelain crown is a natural-colored cap that fits snugly over the damaged tooth to provide functional support and eliminate pain and discomfort. There are two stages during treatment. During the first visit, the damaged tooth is cleaned and an impression is made. The impression is then sent to a lab where the permanent crown is crafted. Dr. Atencio places a temporary crown over the tooth until the next visit when the custom-designed permanent crown can be put in place. Porcelain crowns can help patients regain the beauty of their natural smile. Contact us today to discuss the benefits of porcelain dental crowns.
Porcelain Veneers
Like porcelain crowns, porcelain veneers are an exceptional way to hide dental imperfections such as chips, cracks, stains, or misalignment. Veneers are thin, translucent porcelain shells that are bonded to the front of teeth to shape and create a straight and luminous smile. Porcelain veneers can be fitted and placed in two office visits. During the first visit, the front surfaces of the teeth are buffed and a thin layer of enamel is removed to make room for the added thickness of the veneers. Next, an impression is taken of the teeth so the veneers can be custom designed for appropriate fit. Finally, during the second office visit, the veneers are bonded to the teeth, resulting in a remarkably smile. Contact Dr. Atencio today for information on achieving a brand new smile with porcelain veneers.
Dental Bonding
Dental bonding is used to sculpt teeth and cover up flaws. An alternative to dental crowns and veneers, dental bonding can be completed quickly since the procedure does not involve creating an impression and sending it to the lab for restoration design. During the dental bonding process, a composite resin is applied to the surface of the damaged tooth and sculpted to restore its natural shape and appearance. The resin is then hardened using a high-intensity light. The result is an impeccable smile patients can be proud of. Contact Michael Atencio, D.D.S., today to learn more about dental bonding.
Dental Bridges
Tooth loss can leave gaps in the mouth that make it difficult to talk and eat. Fortunately, Dr. Atencio can restore missing teeth with a natural-looking dental bridge. A dental bridge is made up of two crowns and an artificial tooth that “bridges” the gap between existing teeth. The crowns are placed over the teeth adjacent to the gap in order to hold the artificial tooth in place.
During the procedure, an impression is made of the teeth on either side of the gap to create crowns. Once the crowns are made, an artificial tooth is bonded between them. Finally, the dental bridge is placed in the mouth and the crowns are cemented over the neighboring teeth, resulting in a full smile. Dr. Atencio offers a variety of bridges to suit our patients’ dental needs. Contact our practice for more information on the different types of dental bridges we offer.
Tooth-colored Fillings
For decades, dentists used silver and amalgam fillings to restore damaged teeth, which left a tell-tale sign of dental work. Today, patients no longer have to deal with the appearance of a metallic smile. Dr. Atencio offers natural-looking fillings as a more aesthetically-pleasing alternative to their metallic counterparts. Tooth-colored composite fillings are virtually unnoticeable and are much more effective than metal fillings because they bond to the tooth and help prevent breakage. They are also safer since they do not contain mercury like traditional fillings. Dr. Atencio can even exchange old metallic fillings with new tooth-colored replacements for a flawless smile. Contact us today to schedule an appointment for natural-looking, mercury-free fillings.
Inlays and Onlays
Inlays and onlays are longer-lasting alternatives to dental fillings for patients with cavities. Like fillings, inlays and onlays fill in areas where decay has been removed from the teeth. However, inlays and onlays are shaped in a lab before being cemented into place, whereas fillings are molded directly into the tooth. Inlays are placed inside the cusps of a tooth whereas onlays cover multiple cusps on a tooth to build up a damaged area. Onlays may be needed in situations where considerable reconstruction is necessary.
Both inlays and onlays work to strengthen teeth and reduce pain associated with cavities and tooth decay. Since they are made from composite resin, they are also virtually unnoticeable. Contact us to learn more about the benefits of inlays and onlays.
Endodontic Treatment
Patients suffering from severe tooth pain or a deep cavity may have an infection at the center of the damaged tooth. If the infection is not treated, an abscess can form and the tooth may need to be extracted. To prevent this, Dr. Atencio can perform an endodontic root canal treatment to save and strengthen a tooth that is badly decayed or infected. During root canal treatment, the root canals inside the tooth are cleaned and the infected area is removed. The tooth is then filled with a composite material and capped with a filling or crown.
Following endodontic treatment, the tooth should be strong and pain-free. Patients in need of a root canal should contact our practice to schedule an appointment. If requested, we can provide anxious patients with nitrous oxide sedation for a more comfortable and relaxing treatment.
Tooth Extraction
Tooth extraction may be required for a number of reasons. For example, patients suffering from severe tooth damage, infection, or decay may need to have one or more teeth removed. Sometimes a patient’s mouth may be too small to accommodate all of their teeth, resulting in a misaligned smile and uncomfortable bite. In order to correct the problem, some teeth may need to be extracted. In other cases, patients may need to have wisdom teeth pulled if there is not enough room in the mouth to comfortably contain them.
Dr. Atencio is extensively trained and experienced in tooth extraction procedures and works hard to make treatment as pain-free as possible. Nervous patients can take advantage of nitrous oxide sedation for increased comfort during the extraction. Before a tooth extraction, Dr. Atencio will also take time to discuss restorative treatment methods like dental bridges or implants to close in the gap left by the missing tooth.
Minor Oral Surgery Procedures
In addition to tooth extraction, Dr. Atencio is qualified to perform other minor oral surgery procedures to help patients attain a healthy mouth. We are also more than willing to refer patients to outside specialists for more involved oral surgery procedures. For more information about the various minor surgery procedures we offer, contact Dr. Atencio today.
Contact Michael Atencio, D.D.S.
For more information about Zoom!® Advanced Power™ Tooth Whitening, porcelain veneers, tooth-colored fillings, or any of our other cosmetic and restorative dental procedures, please contact Michael Atencio, D.D.S.
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Michael A. Atencio, D.D.S.
3773 Baker Lane #3
Reno, NV 89509