Services

Cleanings
Dr. Babcock recommends professional cleanings at varying intervals. When the gums are free of disease, 6 months or even longer is appropriate, however some benefit from cleanings more often. Excellent home care will reduce the need for more visits. At your first visit, we will discover the health of your gums and determine what type of cleaning you will need.

The dental hygienist is an expert at removing plaque and hard deposits from above and below the gum line. The hygienists that practice with Dr. Babcock are exceptional. Hygienists vary greatly in their care, skill and judgment. Dr. Babcock has worked with many hygienists over 22 years in private practice. Heather and Sabrina are among the most talented clinicians in their field. Patients comment daily on how great their experience was and how they see and feel improvement in the health of their gums. Some practices only allow 40 minutes for cleanings. We schedule an entire hour to make sure there is ample time to be thorough. This also leaves time for relationship building and education.

Deep cleaning
Sometimes when Dr. Babcock first meets a patient the gums are infected. It may have been a long time since the last cleaning or their previous cleanings may have been ineffective or inadequate. When there is infection present, such as bleeding, deep pocketing, swelling, redness, and bone loss, the bacteria is much deeper below the gum line. In these cases special instruments, anesthetic, increased care, skill, judgment, and time are required. This process is called scaling and root planing.  Once the disease is under control and the patient is committed to excellent home care, restorative treatment can begin and it can be expected to last.

Periodontal Maintenance
Periodontal maintenance is performed when there is a history of gum disease or there are current areas of disease. These cleanings allow the hygienist to go further below the gum line to remove hard and soft deposits. Most patients receiving periodontal maintenance will be seen every 3 months.

Safe Mercury Removal

Dr. Babcock follows the protocol from the IAOMT when removing mercury fillings.  We take this seriously and will protect you from the vapor and toxic debris.  Many people do not realize that silver fillings are 50% mercury, the most toxic non-radioactive element on earth.  A large filling may contain the same amount of mercury as a thermometer.  When thermometers break even large buildings like high schools are evacuated until a HAZMAT team is called in to clean up. No amount of mercury is safe inside or outside your mouth!

Rejuvenation Dentistry “TMJ”

Dr. Babcock is extensively trained in the diagnosis and treatment of TMJ and bite problems.  Rejuvenation dentistry asks the question “why” is there enamel wear, fractures, chipping, repeated broken teeth and gum recession.  Dr. Babcock understands that these symptoms along with popping and clicking, headaches, facial pain, neck, shoulder, back, and even arm pain,  are a result of a chewing system that is out of balance.  The entire system must be addressed, not just symptom treatment like placing crowns on broken teeth. Why did the tooth break in the first place, and how many more will break if the root cause is ignored? As humans we are beautifully designed to function with sharp cusp tips and minimal to no wear for a lifetime.  Breakage and chipping is not a normal part of the aging process!

Broken Veneers, Crowns, and Teeth

Frustration with repeatedly broken veneers, crowns, and teeth is common.  If a dentist places veneers to cover or hide worn or broken teeth without first addressing the cause of fractures in the first place, the problems will continue.  Instead of broken or worn teeth, the veneers may keep coming off or break.  If they don’t break, the opposing teeth without porcelain may experience rapid wear because enamel and dentin are softer than porcelain.  To put it simply, covering the problem will not fix it long term, it will only hide the symptoms until it comes out somewhere else.

Minimally Invasive Dentistry

All Rejuvenation Dentistry is done in the least invasive way possible. When the chewing system (bite) is in balance, there is no need to remove enamel unnecessarily.  Many dentists treating TMJ or bite problems will grind all of the teeth down and place crowns.  This is not only irreversibly destructive and expensive, it is unnecessary when the joint and bite are properly balanced.  As humans, we are designed to function with beautiful, natural enamel, not porcelain.

Cosmetic Dentistry

Cosmetic dentistry is done to improve the appearance of the smile. Porcelain veneers can turn stained, crooked, or otherwise unattractive teeth into a beautiful perfect smile in just 2 visits. The artistic ability of the dentist and laboratory technician together as a team are critical for success. Although there are many cheaper options, Dr. Babcock chooses to work with a local lab that has outstanding ceramists. At times we send the patient to the lab for undetectable color matching. Their work is beautiful, and most importantly natural looking. When the ceramist uses techniques to mimic natural enamel the result is beautiful. Success is achieved when nobody can tell you have porcelain, it is a gorgeous smile you were born with!

Porcelain Veneers
Porcelain veneers are a very thin covering placed over the front of the teeth. They are a part of cosmetic dentistry. Well done porcelain veneers are undetectable to other people. They are used to instantly fix stained, crooked, or otherwise unattractive teeth into a beautiful smile.

Implants
Dental implants are a revolutionary way to replace natural teeth. When a tooth is missing the options were a bridge, which damages the teeth on either side, or a removable appliance that is unattractive and uncomfortable. The implant is placed in the bone like a tooth root. It looks and functions just like natural teeth. Implants can also be used to hold a denture securely in place.

Teeth whitening
Teeth whitening is an easy way to improve your smile. It is a simple process that can be done at home with custom made trays. It takes about 2 weeks, 30 minutes a day to give an excellent result. These trays can be stored and used for touch up indefinitely.