Ainsworth Family Dental
Routine Care
We offer a wide range of treatments to help you maintain healthy teeth and gums
Dental Check-Up
The American Dental Association recommends that you are seen by a dentist every 6 months. This helps to prevent disease progression that can save you time, money, and pain from a tooth infection. We understand everyone gets busy so if you know you're due for a check-up, give us a call!
Cleaning
In order to maintain healthy gums, it is essential that you visit your dental hygienist every 6 months. By removing the plaque, stains, and build-up we can help your teeth stay whiter and healthier. Neglecting your cleanings leads to inflammation, gingivitis, and can ultimately lead to periodontal disease.
Deep Cleaning
Often there is plaque and tartar that accumulates below the gums. In this scenario, we will clean and smooth this area with special instruments to ensure that the area is completely spotless. If this area is not kept clean, the entire area can become irritated with the bacteria that resides in the tartar, causing bone loss and infection. In turn, this causes your teeth to become loose and harder to keep clean.
Teeth Whitening
The color of your teeth is dependent on many factors. We offer whitening options to help you achieve the smile you desire. Ask us about which option would work best with your lifestyle.
Oral Cancer Screening
Although oral cancer is rare, finding it early is vital. Screenings are a very important part of the dental visit. We are able to pinpoint the start of a potential problem early in its evolution. At every six month examination, we check your cheeks, tongue. and palate for any signs of suspicious lesions. We also have a special tool that can help us highlight bad cells from good cells if we see an area of concern.
Certain lifestyle choices can have a great impact on the health of tissues and your overall health in the mouth. If you are a smoker or heavy drinker, make sure to get regular screenings when you visit the dentist.
Restorative Dental Care
Fillings/Bonding, Root Canals, Crowns & Veneers
Fillings/Bonding
Composite bonding is a popular method to enhance your smile. Bonding can be used to correct cracks or gaps in teeth, as a filling after a cavity has been removed, or to cover up stains or discolored teeth. A composite resin is molded and sculpted over an adhesive gel that is placed on the tooth. After the resin has been applied, a light is used to harden the resin, which is then polished. Bonding is an obvious improvement over silver amalgam fillings. With the advancements in dental technology, bonding usually lasts for over 10 years. It is a safe and affordable solution for many dental problems.
Root Canal
Endodontics is the dental field that deals with the nerves of the teeth. When a tooth becomes infected, it is usually related to the nerves in the root of the tooth. The infected nerves need to be removed. "Root canal" has become a scary term for dental patients to hear, but the benefits of the procedure and advances in technology have made it much less "scary". Local anesthetics and proper pain medication allow the procedure to be performed with little to no pain.
Crowns
Over time our teeth begin to weaken and become more susceptible to problems such as decay, cracks, discoloration and others. If you feel your smile isn’t what it once was, crowns can help you recover your smile. If your dentist notices that a tooth is decayed or seems weakened/cracked, a crown may be necessary to make sure that there are no additional problems with the tooth. In cases like this, a filling or bonding will not be sufficient. If you have had a root canal on a posterior tooth, it is important that we cover the tooth with a crown to prevent it from breaking.
Missing Teeth Replacement Options
Implants, Bridges, Partials, Dentures
Dental Implants
Dental implants are used to replace either a single tooth, multiple teeth or a whole arch of teeth. They are most like your natural teeth in terms of form, function, and esthetics.
The entire implant process is performed over the course of a few months. The first part of the process is to install the implant itself, where a screw is placed into the bone. Multiple implants can be placed at once if necessary. The implant must be allowed about 3-6 months to heal. During this healing time you can have temporary crowns placed so that you can maintain a proper aesthetic appearance for your smile.
In 2000 Dr Ainsworth attended implant preceptorship courses at the University of Texas at San Antonio, and he continually takes CE courses to stay proficient in the most up to date information on dental implants.
Bridges
Dental bridges are a great way to replace missing teeth. Your existing teeth are used to literally create a bridge to cross the area where your tooth is missing. Bridges are made from gold, metal, alloys, or porcelain to ensure that they are durable. The bridge may take a little while to get used to, but after a few days it should feel like you have your own teeth back again.
Partials
Partial dentures are a replacement for missing teeth that can be removed and put back into your mouth as you please. Partial dentures are another option when not all of your teeth need to be removed. This is similar to a bridge, but it is not a permanent fixture in your mouth. We utilize your existing teeth to clasp the partial on to.
Dentures
Dentures are a replacement for missing teeth that can be removed and put back into your mouth as you please. Depending on each individual patient case, they may receive full or partial dentures. Full dentures are used when all of the natural teeth are removed from the mouth and replaced with a full set of dentures. Sometimes implants are needed to help retain your dentures in your mouth. Talk to Dr. Ainsworth or Dr. Crossley about implant retained dentures and how they can help you.
Surgical Dental Care
Extractions
Sometimes teeth need to be removed for various reasons - pain and infection are common problems. Other times good teeth are extracted for orthodontic reasons - allowing for more space to straighten teeth. Wisdom teeth extractions are a fairly common procedure. When a wisdom tooth is impacted, it means the tooth is coming in at an angle and not straight through the gums. Wisdom teeth and teeth that can potentially cause problems, like infections, need to be removed. Extractions can range from a single tooth to multiple teeth. A local anesthetic is used to numb the areas where the teeth will be extracted.
Others prefer to go under a general anesthetic so that they will be sedated during the procedure. Still another alternative is conscious sedation, where we give you a prescription prior to your appointment. Dr Ainsworth completed DOCS courses in 2004 and has been helping people overcome dental related anxiety ever since.
Because it is a form of sedation, you are required to have a driver, and we monitor your vitals while under our care. It's a great way to have work done, especially if you have a lot of work or are nervous. Plus it isn't cost prohibitive. If this is something you're interested in, we can arrange either of these options for you.
Dental Implants
Dental implants are used to replace either a single tooth, multiple teeth or a whole arch of teeth. They are most like your natural teeth in terms of form, function, and esthetics.
The entire implant process is performed over the course of a few months. The first part of the process is to install the implant itself, where a screw is placed into the bone. Multiple implants can be placed at once if necessary. The implant must be allowed about 3-6 months to heal. During this healing time you can have temporary crowns installed so that you can maintain a proper aesthetic appearance for your smile.
Periodontal Services
When decay occurs below the gumline, it may be necessary to remove a small amount of bone and gum tissue. Your dentist may ask for this procedure before he or she makes a new crown for your tooth. Crown Lengthening procedures are done for both restorative dentistry and/or to improve the esthetics of your gum line.
Orthodontics
Traditional Braces and Invisalign
Traditional Braces
Beyond their traditional color, the only thing traditional about these braces is that you can see them. Contemporary braces are made of super strong metal alloys derived from the space program. Their strength allows them to be the smallest of all braces and therefore the most comfortable. Today's braces, in combination with other high tech materials, mean fewer office visits to complete treatment.
Dr Ainsworth completed straight wire orthodontic courses for traditional braces through the American Orthodontic Society in 1994 and 1995. And since then, he has changed countless smiles of adults, teenagers, and children.
Invisalign
Invisalign® is a nearly invisible option to align teeth for adults and teenagers. Invisalign® clear aligners are custom-made for you based on an impression we take of your teeth. The aligners fit snugly over your teeth and shift your teeth slightly, moving them horizontally and vertically and even rotating them when needed. Your aligners are engineered to use the right amount of force in the right place at the right time.
When you change to the next set of aligners, (typically every two weeks), your teeth gradually move into position. It can correct both minor and larger scale imperfections. After treatment is complete we recommend you wear your retainers to prevent relapse.
Dr Ainsworth has been straightening teeth with the Invisalign system since 2004. And Invisalign has only gotten better over the years. Also, just this year, Dr Ainsworth became a member of The American Academy of Clear Aligners, demonstrating his passion for healthy, beautiful smiles.
Pediatric Dentistry
We see kids too!
Kid's Check-Ups
The ADA recommends you bring your child in for a cleaning or "happy visit" soon after they get teeth. We like to see them every 6 months to get them familiarized with the dental setting to prevent any anxiety in the future. We won't try to take x-rays until they can handle the sensor/film in their mouth. Applying fluoride to their teeth every 6 months can help prevent decay and further dental problems.
Sealants
The chewing surfaces of molars have deep grooves that make them vulnerable to decay. These grooves can be deep, are difficult to clean, and can be narrower than even a single bristle of a toothbrush. Plaque accumulates in these areas, and the acid from bacteria in the plaque attacks the enamel, and cavities can develop. Dental sealants provide extra protection for the grooved and pitted areas by providing a smooth surface covering over the fissured area. We recommend sealing the permanent molars as soon as they erupt (ages 6-8). Sealants may need to be re-done periodically as they can wear.