Comprehensive Exams and Professional Cleanings

The comprehensive examination is a process in which Dr. Austin takes necessary records to provide a thorough diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment plan. This will include:

Cavity Exam: During this visual examination, Dr. Austin locates areas of decay on chewing surfaces and between teeth. Dr. Austin uses both a clinical exam and x-ray (radiographic) findings to determine the most conservative treatment plan for your oral needs.

Gum/Periodontal Examination: Gum/Periodontal disease is the leading cause of tooth loss in the United States. Dr. Austin will examine your gum tissues to insure that gum disease is detected in its early stages. Because bone loss is a significant consideration in determining the outcome of cosmetic treatment, we take the health of your gum and bone tissue very seriously.

HIV testing orally with OraQuick ADVANCE® Rapid HIV Antibody Test

We now offer HIV Testing! More than 1.1 million people in the U.S. are infected with HIV and 232,700 don’t know it. These uninformed people cause 54-70% of the 56,300 new infections annually. At VIP Smiles, we offer the OraQuick ADVANCE® Rapid HIV-1/2 Antibody Test which detects antibodies to HIV-1 and HIV-2 in just 20 minutes. Patients prefer this test because it’s quick, pain-free, and offers patients 99% accuracy without the need for blood or needles. This test is optional, but we are encouraging all of our patients to get screened during their routine dental visits twice a year to confirm their HIV status. Our goal is to diagnose early which prolongs life and hopefully leads to fewer people being exposed and infected. For more information on HIV testing, go to our video section of our website.

Oral Cancer Screening

If you are a tobacco or smokeless tobacco user, you are in primary danger of developing oral cancer. More than 8,000 deaths were attributed to oral cancer in the past year. We are committed to the prevention of oral cancer through the early identification of pre-cancerous conditions, and provide oral cancer screenings at each preventative care appointment.

Occlusal Examination

The forces of your bite can sometimes affect the positioning of your jaw and teeth. Through minor polishing of the enamel surfaces or smoothing fillings of the teeth. Dr. Austin can help redistribute and redirect the biting forces. Adjustments to chewing surfaces can often eliminate headaches that occur as a result of irregular biting patterns.

Professional Cleanings: Gum Disease Treatment and Prevention

Regular professional cleanings are important because gingivitis, the early stage of periodontal disease, is usually painless and patients may not be able to detect it on their own. Don't ignore the warning signs of gum disease! Red, swollen or tender gums; Gums that bleed with brushing; and recurring bad breath are all key signs of gum disease. 75% of our new patients have gum disease and didn't have a clue until we assessed the health of their gums. Our dental hygiene team takes the time to perform a 4 step gum evaluation on each and every patient in our practice.

Step 1, Dr. Austin does a thorough evaluation of each tooth checking for cavities, defective fillings, and tooth mobility. Step 2, she checks the gum tissues for redness, swelling, abscesses, as well as for oral cancer lesions. Steps 3, x-rays are taken to detect hidden tartar and bone loss due to gum disease. Step 4, our hygienist measures the spaces between your teeth and gums (these are called "pockets") to see if the pockets are shallow, cleansable, and do not bleed upon touch (healthy) or if the pockets are deep, traps food/bacteria, and bleed upon touch (unhealthy).

Based on the results of her examination, Dr. Austin is then able make an accurate diagnosis of her patients' gums and customize a professional gum therapy plan that individual patient.Fortunately, early gum disease such as gingivitis is completely reversible with professional treatment and oral home care. Brushing frequently and most importantly flossing are the habits that we teach our patients to do at home between visits.

Once our patients are educated on the importance of keeping their pockets cleaned by flossing at home, we usually see a major improvement when they return for check up visits. Visiting a dental hygienist and dentist team, every six months or as scheduled, is vital in maintaining healthy teeth and gums. If left untreated, early gum disease can lead to a more serious form of gum disease called periodontitis which can result in tooth loss and other life threatening health problems.

Fresh Breath Management

There's nothing funny about having bad breath. It can be not only embarrassing, but can affect social interaction and play a major role on one's self-esteem. Contrary to what many people believe, bad breath (medically called halitosis) generally comes from the mouth and tongue (90% of occurrences) and not the digestive tract (only 10% occurrences). Bad breath can be made worse by the types of foods you eat such as garlic and onions and other unhealthy lifestyle habits such as tobacco smoking and chronic alcohol drinking.

Poor oral habits are the #1 causes of bad breath. If you don't brush your teeth frequently and skip the important step of flossing your teeth daily, food particles combined with plaque can hide under the gums. The longer this bacteria and food stays under the gums unremoved, the greater your chances are of developing bad breath and gum disease. In addition, the tongue commonly collects bacteria which, when left unattended, releases odorous causing debris that can literally be scraped off of the tongue and appears as a brown, white, or yellow film of debris.

The great news about bad breath is that in most cases it is treatable! The first step to reversing bad breath is detecting it. Many people who suffer from bad breath are not aware of their condition. In our office, we are able to assess your breath and diagnose halitosis or bad breath. Our team will conduct an oral examination to determine the location and amount of plaque is present under the gums and on the tongue, then perform a professional teeth cleaning to remove hidden bacteria and treat gum diseases such as gingivitis (mild gum disease) or periodontitis (advanced gum disease) which contributes to bad mouth odor.

Between professional dental appointments, we recommend the following regimen and tips to give you confident and kissable fresh breath:

1. Practice good oral hygiene at home and throughout the day. Brush at least twice a day (after meals) to remove food debris and plaque. Tip: keep a toothbrush at work or school to brush after lunch. Electric toothbrushes are excellent for plaque and stain removal. They can range from $10-$120 and are much the extra investment.

2. Use floss, preloaded floss handles, and/or other between the teeth cleaners to remove food particles and plaque between your teeth once a day.

3. Don't forget to scrape or brush your tongue too. Tongue scrapers are a bit more effective in removing the tongue plaque than brushing. But if all else fails--brush your tongue. There are several brands of tongue scrapers and even tongue sprays on the market that can really help keep your tongue and breath fresh.

4. There are a few products lines on the market for consumers to purchase are specifically designed to fight bad breath and promote overall oral health. Look for Breath Rx in your local pharmacy or grocery's dental care isle. The BreathRx Fresh Breath System comes with a special fluoride toothpaste, gentle tongue scraper, tongue spray, alcohol and sugar free odor fighting mouth rise, breath mints, and chewing gum help to guarantee long-term fresh, healthy breath.

5. Stop smoking/chewing tobacco-based products. Ask a medical professional or dentist for tips on kicking the habit. 6. Keep your mouth moist and saliva flowing in between your teeth brushing sessions. Chewing sugarless gum stimulates the production of saliva, which helps wash away food particles and bacteria. Also try drinking lots of water to rinse the soft plaque away until you can brush.

Sealants

Dental sealants are tooth colored liquid coatings that are placed in the pits and grooves located on the chewing surfaces of the teeth. The liquid coating is then hardened to act as a barrier, “sealing” and protecting the teeth against decay-causing bacteria.

Bonding

Dental bonding is used to address a variety of cosmetic and restorative dental issues. Our general dentist in Manhattan, Dr. Catrise Austin, can restore your teeth and improve the appearance of your smile with dental bonding. For tooth repairs leading to a more dramatic transformation, Dr. Catrise Austin also recommends porcelain veneers.

Whether your teeth are chipped, cracked, discolored, or decayed, or you are concerned about gaps between teeth or receding gums, dental bonding can provide a long-lasting solution to many of your dental problems. Dental bonding, available at our practice in New York, is typically the quickest, easiest, and least expensive way to repair minor cosmetic imperfections in your smile.

During the dental bonding procedure, a tooth-colored composite resin much like plastic is applied to the affected area and hardened with light so that it bonds firmly to the tooth or teeth. The resin can be used to reshape your teeth, cover chips or cracks, repair decay, or protect exposed roots caused by receding gums. Since there are several different resin combinations, we can match the dental bonding material to the color of your teeth to ensure that your smile continues to look natural.

If your teeth have cosmetic imperfections or need minor restorative repairs, dental bonding at our practice in New York may make all the difference. With it, Dr. Austin can greatly improve the health, well-being, and beauty of your smile.

Tooth-Colored Fillings: Inlays Fillings vs. Composite

Dentistry has come a long way since the time when silver fillings were the norm. Thanks to advances in modern dental materials, we are now able to treat teeth that are decayed, damaged or worn with natural-looking tooth-colored fillings that are both cosmetically and structurally superior to their predecessors. At VIP Smiles we can repair teeth and replace old fillings using natural-looking porcelain materials or plastic materials called “composite resins” that are carefully matched to the color of your existing teeth. Porcelain tooth-colored fillings which are called “inlays” provide the same strength and protection as silver while remaining virtually invisible. Inlays are now considered to be "state-of the-art" and the “new standard of care” in dentistry.

Composite Fillings

Composite fillings are a mixture of glass or quartz filler in a plastic resin medium that produces a tooth-colored filling. They are recommended only for the repair of small-to-mid size chips, fractures, or cavities and can be used to repair both front and back teeth. Composites provide good durability and resistance to fracture in teeth that need to withstand mild to moderate chewing pressure. The cost is moderately higher than a silver filling and depends on the size of the filling and the technique used by the dentist to place it in the prepared tooth. It generally takes longer to place a composite filling than what is required for an amalgam filling.

Inlays

The best dental treatment for a back chewing tooth is to use a custom made restoration that is made in a laboratory from a mold of your tooth after it has been treated for the cavity or fracture. These custom-made restorations, which require two or more visits, are called inlays. An inlay fits within the contours of the tooth and has all of the fine details of a natural tooth. The cost of an inlay is much higher than silver and composite due to the number and length of visits required, as well as the additional cost of having the restoration custom made in a dental laboratory especially to fit your tooth precisely. Materials used to fabricate these restorations are usually porcelain. Unlike composites, inlays come with a glaze are more stain resistant and are highly resistant to wear.

Crowns (Caps)

A crown is a strong porcelain shell that used to entirely cover or "cap" a tooth that has been damaged or that is in jeopardy of fracturing. Not only does a crown offer strength to a damaged tooth, it can also be used to enhance a tooth’s appearance, shape or alignment in just 2 visits.

If a crown is recommended, it's probably to correct one of these conditions:

  • Repair a large fractured tooth
  • Cover a tooth that has had root canal treatment to protect it from fracturing
  • Cover teeth with large silver fillings
  • Protect a weak tooth from fracturing
  • Help replace missing teeth with a bridge
  • Cover a dental implant
  • Cosmetically help a crooked tooth/teeth look straight
  • Cosmetically help close spaces between your teeth
  • Cosmetically help a short tooth look longer
  • Cosmetically help a dark tooth look whiter
  • Cosmetically help an abnormally shaped tooth look normal

Dental Implants

In the past, the only options available to replace missing teeth were crowns, bridges, or removable dentures which didn’t quite feel like natural teeth. Today implants are becoming the option of choice and standard of care for replacing teeth. Why? For some people, dental implants offer a smile that looks and feels very natural. Implants are tiny metal screws that are surgically placed below the gums. They act as the “root” of the tooth. Over time (usually about 3-4 months), implants fuse and lock to the jawbone. When this happens, the implant is stabile enough to have an individual crown built that is then screwed into the root portion of the implant. Patients prefer implants because they feel and function more like natural teeth. With implants, eating and flossing is just as effortless as with your natural teeth.

Bridges

If you're missing teeth, you may notice not only a difference in your appearance, but also with chewing and speaking. Besides dental implants, bridges are another popular option to help restore the beauty and function your smile in just 2 easy visits. They are commonly used to replace one or more missing teeth by connecting to the natural teeth or implants surrounding the empty space. These connector teeth are actually crowns or caps called “abutments” that fit over the teeth surrounding the space and serve as anchors for the bridge. The replacement teeth are attached to the abutment crowns in front of the space and behind the space and are called “pontics”. Most dental laboratories can make your bridge in 1-2 weeks to quickly store your bite and smile. Bridges are permanently glued to your teeth and can only be removed by a dentist. Depending on which type of bridge your dentist recommends, its success depends on its foundation. So it's very important to keep your remaining teeth healthy and strong.

Root Canal Therapy

Many years ago, if you had a tooth with a diseased nerve due to a cavity or trauma, your dentist would simply recommend that you lose that tooth and pull it. Today, with a special dental procedure called a “root canal therapy” we are able to serve our clients better by helping them save their teeth.

Inside each tooth is the pulp which provides nerves and thus sensations to the tooth. The nerve runs like a thread down through the root. When the nerve is diseased or injured, the nerve tissue dies and the tooth begins to hurt, usually badly. This pain is usually described as “pain that keeps you up at night from sleeping”. If you don't remove the infected nerve, your tooth gets infected and you could lose it. With root canal therapy, the dentist removes the nerve from the inside of the tooth and preserves (if possible) the bulk of the tooth. The inside canal of the tooth is then cleaned and replaced with a plastic artificial nerve. Then your dentist places a crown over the tooth to help make it strong again for chewing.

Most of the time, a root canal is a relatively simple procedure with little or no discomfort involving one to three visits. Best of all, it can save your tooth and your smile!

Tooth Extractions

At VIP Smiles, our goal is to save your teeth if possible and only recommend that teeth that are diagnosed with a “hopeless” prognosis due to advanced cavities or advanced gum disease undergo extraction. Should you need to have a tooth extracted, we will determine if it is a “simple” extraction that can be done in our office or a “surgical” extraction that should be performed by an oral surgeon.

If you are worried about the extraction procedure being painful-no worries. Your dentist at VIP Smiles will fully numb the area to lessen any anticipated discomfort during the procedure. We can also plan for additional pain management options prior to the procedure for those who are extremely nervous. After the extraction, we will give you a regimen to follow as well as prescriptions (if needed) to help manage discomfort, swelling, and infections.