Healthy Smiles Family Dental

The doctors at Healthy Smiles Family Dental replace teeth and restore patient smiles with dental implants. Implants are a permanent restorative option for teeth that are missing or have been extracted.  They look and feel like natural teeth, and are the most permanent and efficient means of replacing lost teeth. An implant is placed over a series of appointments because of the healing time required.  Implants are titanium screws inserted through an incision in the gum. Over a period of months, the jaw bone heals around the implant to become a solid, stable base for the new tooth. During this time a patient is fitted with a temporary crown, and a custom crown is created to match their smile perfectly. After the jaw bone and gums have healed appropriately, the custom crown is placed in a second minor procedure.  The doctor may need to expose the head of the implant by removing some gum tissue, and the crown will be screwed to the top of the implant.  When this is complete the tooth looks...

At Healthy Smiles Family Dental, our doctors and staff are always being asked by patients about the latest cosmetic solutions available.  There are several methods for whitening or straightening teeth, but our porcelain veneers are the best way to give your smile a complete cosmetic makeover without undergoing a single procedure. Veneers are thin shells made of high quality porcelain that bond directly to the surface of your teeth and look like your natural smile.  To outfit a patient with a full set of veneers, we begin with taking an impression.  This impression will be used to ensure a perfect fit for your new smile.  Some patients won’t require preparation of the teeth, but depending on your individual case your dentist may want to contour or shave teeth in select places.  This is only done when your dentist sees an area they determine could be a problem to fit the shells on.   A new set of veneers is fabricated outside the office, and on a final visit they are bonded directly to t...

Oral cancer is a malignant growth that affects any part of the oral cavity, including the lips, upper or lower jaw, tongue, gums, cheeks, and throat. Understanding the causative factors of cancer will contribute to the prevention of the disease. Your health is important to us and you should schedule regular dental checkups with our staff at Healthy Smiles Family Dental to detect oral cancer early when it is the easiest to treat. If you are a frequent smoker or drink alcohol in copious amounts, you increase your risk of developing oral cancer. Oral cancer screenings are sometimes performed during an oral exam as a preventive measure. If our doctor discovers something out of the ordinary, it could lead to additional testing to determine what the cause is. Oral cancer screenings don’t require any special preparation, and it’s important to understand that just because our doctor may suggest an oral cancer screening, it doesn’t mean you have cancer. If you have questions or concerns regardi...

Composite resins, also known as tooth-colored fillings or white fillings, provide solid durability and resistance to fracture. These types of filling could be used to enhance the aesthetics of your smile or to fill a cavity that’s been caused by decay. White fillings are typically more appealing than the alternative fillings to most patients, especially when the filling is in the front of the mouth. This is because they provide the most natural-looking tooth appearance. Depending on the size of the space that needs to be filled, one of our doctors at Healthy Smiles Family Dental can discuss if white fillings are the best option for you.  The main advantage most patients enjoy the most is that the fillings match the original color of their tooth. Additionally, white fillings are non-invasive, as only a small portion of your healthy tooth is removed prior to the composite filling, which means there is a lower chance of chipping or fracturing the teeth. This also ensures that the tooth wi...

Teeth become discolored by the foods we eat, the beverages we consume, and from lifestyle factors such as smoking, or taking certain medications. Discoloration is a natural part of life but when a patient desires a whiter smile, teeth whitening or bleaching can improve the color of teeth by several shades. At Healthy Smiles Family Dental, Dr. Na Xu gives patients the option to whiten in-office, or in the comfort of his or her own home. Teeth bleaching is one of the most common dental procedures that is performed across the country. Once the teeth become brighter, a person will feel a boost in his or her self-esteem and may desire to smile more than ever before. After scheduling a consultation to decide if whitening is right for you, Dr. Xu will either recommend whitening at home, with custom trays that will be created for you in the office, or laser whitening. If you have questions or concerns regarding teeth whitening or bleaching, please give us a call. To learn about services provid...

At Healthy Smiles Family Dental, our doctors understand that accidents happen and when they do, they can be an inconvenience. Fortunately, if you or your child experience a dental emergency, we can get the situation under control immediately. If a dental emergency occurs and you have to sacrifice time before getting to your appointment, utilize these tips and tricks until you can get to the office. For a knocked-out permanent or adult tooth, keep it moist at all times. If you can, try placing the tooth back in the socket without touching the root. If that’s not possible, place it between your cheek and gums, or use a tooth preservation product that has the American Dental Association (ADA) seal of acceptance. For a cracked tooth, immediately rinse the mouth with warm water to clean the area. If you bite your tongue or lip, clean the area gently with water and apply a cold compress. For toothaches, rinse the mouth with warm water to clean it out. Gently use dental floss to remove any fo...

We want all the patients visiting Healthy Smiles Family Dental in Salem to understand how to best care for their teeth. To do that, they need to understand the different functions teeth serve and what kinds of problems they are likely to encounter. Normally, thirty-two permanent teeth grow in an adult mouth, with sixteen in each jaw. Starting from the front of the mouth, we have two pairs of incisors per jaw. These are the first teeth to grow in when we are children and are the most important for forming speech. The top central ones are the teeth most likely to have a gap. On each side of the incisors is a single canine tooth, which is also called a cuspid or eye tooth. These teeth are for piercing food and occupy a position that is crucial for maintaining jaw stability. The upper ones are the most likely teeth besides the wisdom teeth to have difficulty erupting. In the back of the mouth are the teeth used for chewing. They include, per jaw, two sets of premolars and three sets of mol...