Services

Cosmetic dentistry is using techniques to improve the appearance of your smile.  Your new smile should look healthy and natural.  There are many factors we as dentists consider when evaluating a patients smile and cosmetic dentistry.  We can use a variety of materials to achieve our goals but generally we will use porcelain restorations such as porcelain crowns and veneers.  We can take discolored or misaligned teeth and turn them into a beautiful new smile.  When evaluating a patients smile we look at many factors such as:

Tooth Position – where are the teeth in relation to each other?

Lip Position – does the patient have a gummy smile and how can we correct that?

Position of the gums – are they gums symmetrical or are the higher on some teeth that others?

The placement of the midline – do the front teeth meet where they should in relation to the rest of the facial structures?

The color of the teeth – what color do we want so the teeth appear natural?

Balance and Symmetry of the teeth – There are specific height to width ratios that are pleasing to the human eye.  The golden proportion applies to the relative position of the teeth as well.

Relation of smile to the eyes – is the plane of the smile parallel to the line of the eyes?

Only after evaluating all these factors is it possible to create a smile that is esthetically pleasing and functionally stable.

Crowns completely cover the entire tooth which help to restore the function of the tooth.  Crowns are used when a tooth has very little tooth structure left due to dental disease or trauma and it is at risk for further fracture due to its weakened condition.  If a tooth has a fracture line it can be painful or painless.  Fractures get bigger and bigger every time you chew on your teeth.  Eventually the fracture gets big enough where one of three things happen:

1.  The tooth fractures above the gum line and a crown can be used to restore the tooth back to normal function. – Least expensive

2.  The tooth fractures into the nerve chamber which requires a root canal before placing a crown on the tooth to restore function. – More expensive

3.  The fracture is below the gum line which necessitates extraction of the tooth.  The tooth can then be restored to function by either a dental implant, bridge, or removable partial denture. – Most expensive

Dr. Ray believes it is important to take care of fracture lines and teeth before they become big problems like root canals, bridges, and dental implants.

This is the generic term for the set of 3rd molars. These “wisdom teeth” may or may not have to be removed. Factors such as decay, inability to keep them clean or not enough room in the arch for them to erupt normally, can all be reasons for extraction of these teeth.  After extractions there are instructions you must follow that will be given to you by the dentist.  Your teeth should start to feel better after 48 hours.  Using ice and pressure as recommended by your dentist should help to keep the swelling down.  If you have any questions you should call your dentist.

Root canals are performed by the dentist when the pulp of the tooth is dead or dying due to infection, decay, or trauma.  The pulp chamber is accessed through the top of the tooth.  The canals are then measured in length.  Once the canal lengths are determined the dentist uses as series of files to clean and shape the canals.  Once the canals have been shaped the canals are sterilized with a  hypochlorite solution.  Gutta percha is then sealed in place to prevent a new infection of the canal space.  A core buildup and crown are usually required after a root canal.

This type of X-ray uses a small digital sensor instead of film to allow us to analyze your teeth. A few of the advantages of digital X-rays when compared to conventional films are: you are exposed to much less radiation, better diagnostic ability due to better resolution, and seeing the image on a large screen. This also allows us to better show you where the dental disease is occurring.  All this contributes to better care by your dentist and better understanding of why we need to do the work diagnosed.

In certain situations your dental treatment may require a multidisciplinary approach. You may be referred to a specialist such as an endodontist(root canals), periodontist(gums), orthodontist or oral surgeon to help complete your care. We help to guide all the treatment to give you the best possible outcome.  If a consultation appointment is necessary, your dentist will help you arrange the first visit with the specific specialist.

This is the process of chemically bleaching your teeth in order to attain brighter smile. This procedure can either be done in office in about two hours, or through take home trays in about two weeks. A carbamide or hydrogen peroxide solution is used to gently lighten the shade of your teeth. The chemical bleach removes the stains your teeth pick up over time from coffee, soda, red wine, and other colored foods.  It is important to maintain a white diet through the process of bleaching so as not to stain your teeth while bleaching them.  A list of proper foods will be given to you.  Whitening has no known long term negative effects, but can result in some short term sensitivity during treatment. This sensitivity will go away once your treatment is completed.

Dental implants are titanium fixtures that are placed by using bone scans to determine the proper placement and angulations.  Once the implant is placed in the bone we allow time for the bone to fuse with the titanium through a process called osseointegration.  This usually requires about four months, at that time the implant can then be restored with a crown or bridge.  This is the absolute best way to replace missing teeth, in long term studies the teeth adjacent to the space have the best survival rates using implant crowns.

When a tooth is damaged by decay a filling may be required to repair the tooth. This filling is composed of a material called composite resin. Composite resin comes in many shades so we can accurately match your tooth color.  The diseased tooth structure is first removed; the tooth is then acid etched, and then a bonding agent is used to chemically bond the composite resin to the tooth. This type of filling material allows your dentist to conserve as much natural tooth structure as possible while only removing the diseased tooth structure.  At Oceanfront Dental Care in San Diego we know you care about how you look so we only place white fillings!

When a tooth is lost due to decay, fracture, or trauma, a bridge is one way to replace that missing tooth. Your dentist will prepare the teeth on either side of the space for crowns.  An impression of all your teeth is sent to the dental labratory along with photos to get the color match.  The lab then makes a restoration which spans the space and attaches to the adjacent teeth. The restoration resembles a bridge, hence the name.  The bridge is then custom fit and permanently cemented in place.  At Oceanfront Dental Care in San Diego we know you care about how you look so we almost always place porcelain bridges!

•    CEREC is a dental system that allows a dentist to produce a beautiful porcelain inlay/onlay/veneer/crown using a variety of computer assisted technologies including three dimensional imaging and CAD/CAM. The restoration of a tooth, (or teeth), can be performed in a single sitting with the patient. After the tooth has been worked on it is imaged and stored as a three dimensional digital model and proprietary software is then used to create the porcelain restoration shape using biogeneric comparisons of the surrounding teeth. The dentist then refines that model using 3D CAD software. When the computer model is complete a milling machine fabricates the actual restoration out of a ceramic porcelain block using diamond head cutters under computer control. The ceramic porcelain is then custom stained and glazed to match your teeth.  When complete, the restoration is bonded to the tooth using a bonding agent and resin cement.  This type of restoration will blend into your smile.

•    Periodontitis is the name of a collection of inflammatory diseases affecting the tissues that surround and support the teeth. The presence of periodontal disease has also been linked with heart disease.  Periodontitis involves progressive loss of the bone around teeth which may lead to loosening and eventual loss of teeth if left untreated. Periodontitis is caused by bacteria that adhere to and grow on tooth surfaces (microbial plaque or biofilms), particularly in areas under the gum line. Periodontitis is very common in most populations but the severe forms of the disease are less common. Gum disease can be prevented by regular visits with a dental hygienist.  Dentists diagnose periodontitis by inspecting the tissues around the teeth with a probe and by radiographs to detect bone loss around the teeth. Although the different forms of periodontitis are bacterial diseases, a variety of factors affect the severity of the disease. Important "risk factors" include smoking, poorly controlled diabetes, and inherited (genetic) susceptibility.

A removable partial denture (RPD) is for a dental patient who is missing some teeth and desires to have replacement teeth for functional or esthetic reasons, and who cannot have a bridge (a fixed partial denture) for any number of reasons, such as a lack of required teeth to serve as support and strength for a bridge or due to financial limitations.

The reason why this type of prosthesis is referred to as a removable partial denture is because patients can remove and reinsert them when required without professional help. It is necessary to remove your denture every night before going to sleep.  Conversely, a "fixed" prosthesis is permanently cemented in your mouth and should be removed only by a dentist

Dentures are prosthetic devices fabricated to replace a full arch of missing teeth, and are supported by surrounding soft and hard tissues of the oral cavity. Conventional dentures are designed to be removable; however there are many different types denture designs, some rely on clipping onto dental implants.

The removal of a tooth from the mouth. Extractions are performed for a variety of different reasons. Tooth decay that has damaged enough tooth structure to prevent anything from saving the tooth is the most frequent indication for extraction of teeth. Extractions of impacted or problematic wisdom teeth are routinely performed.  Usually, when you lose a tooth, it is best for your oral health to have it replaced.  Missing teeth can affect you :bite” as well as your ability to speak and chew.  Their loss can increase the burden on your remaining teeth and cause extra wear on teeth, headaches, and muscle pain in your jaw.  Of course, losing a tooth can affect your appearance as well.

The good news is that, most of the time, we can replace that missing tooth without too much trouble!

 

•    Sometimes, a tooth is treatment planned to be restored with filling, but the decay or fracture is so extensive that a direct restoration, such as amalgam or composite, would compromise the structural integrity of the restored tooth by possibly undermining the remaining tooth structure or providing inferior strength to occlusal (i.e. biting) forces. In these situations, a milled porcelain restoration may be indicated.  When porcelain is used, the tooth-to-restoration margin may be so fine at the line of contact that recurrent decay will be all but impossible. It is for this reason that some dentists recommend porcelain as the restorative material of choice. While these restorations might be much more than fillings, the superiority of porcelain as a restoration in terms of resistance to occlusal forces, protection against recurrent decay, precision of fabrication, marginal integrity and many other aspects of restorative quality offers an excellent alternative to the regular fillings.  For this reason, some patients request porcelain restorations so they can benefit from its wide range of advantages even when an amalgam or composite will suffice. The only true disadvantage of porcelain is the higher cost, which is offset by the quality to those who can afford it.

An onlay is a porcelain restoration fabricated to fit your tooth precisely and is bonded tightly in place to strengthen and protect the damaged tooth. Like a crown, an onlay covers and protects the tooth's biting surface. Where a crown covers the entire tooth, an onlay covers the tooth cusps and covers the biting surfaces.

If you have ever been embarrassed or unhappy with your smile, porcelain veneers can be your solution.  They are thin “shells” of porcelain that are bonded on to your teeth. Once properly bonded into place they become strong restorations that are resistant to staining and chipping.  We can take misaligned teeth and make them straight.  We can make a discolored smile into a beautiful bright smile that will not pick up stains with porcelain veneers.

Dr. Ray is a sustaining member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry.  Dr. Ray also trained under one of the premier cosmetic dentists in Northern California and the official dentist of the Miss California Pageant.  Dr. Ray travels all over the country and takes many courses on Cosmetic dentistry so he can provide you with an incredible new smile.
 
The veneers serve to revitalize worn, chipped and stained teeth.  They can also change the shape and alignment of your teeth so that you can achieve that perfect smile in just two visits!

Ask about our smile design services and our extreme smile makeovers.

 

Preventative
Regular dental checkups, dental cleanings and good dental hygiene are the foundation for a lifetime of oral health. We provide a complete range of preventive services to keep your mouth, teeth and gums looking and feeling their best.
•    Cleaning and Hygiene
•    Non-Surgical Gum Therapy
•    Dental sealants
•    Oral Cancer Screenings
•    Regular Checkups
•    Patient Education

If you have ever been embarrassed or unhappy with your smile, porcelain veneers can be your solution.  They are thin veneers of porcelain that are bonded on to your teeth. Once properly bonded into place by your dentist they become strong restorations that are resistant to staining and chipping.
 
Veneers revitalize worn, chipped and stained teeth.  They can also change the shape and alignment of your teeth so that you can achieve that perfect smile in just two visits!

Ask about our smile design services and our extreme smile makeovers.

Zoom! Power Bleaching-A Bleaching System with Proven Results!
If you have been disappointed with over the counter products, or if previous professional “one hour” dental whitening methods have produced less than desired results, ask about Dr. Ray’s Deep Power Bleaching Technique. This is the most advanced tooth whitening technique available.  So if you want to get your teeth their whitest, this is the method for you.
It consists of  one in office Zoom Power Bleaching treatments using an advanced heating/light system with a boosted gel and 2-4 weeks of  at-home tray whitening.
Power Whitening Sample # 1
 
Power Whitening Sample # 2

Sedation dentistry is a great solution for those high anxiety patients that have been avoiding the dentist.  After an initial consultation so the dentist can review your health history and answer questions you may have, the patient will be given a pill to take one hour prior to their dental appointment.  The pill acts quickly to relax the patient, and during your treatment, your vital signs will be monitored.  Because the patient is conscious, while in this “sleep” like state you will be able to respond to any given questions or commands, and maintain your own breathing.   
Beyond creating an optimal and comfortable environment, sedation dentistry allows you to relax while we take care of your dental needs.

At Oceanfront Dental Care we offer chemical splints.  By injecting certain muscles with botox we can in some cases help to eliminate TMJ pain.  The injections must be completed every six months in order to keep the proper muscles relaxed.

There is also a device called an NTI-Tension Suppression System. Approved by the FDA for the treatment of medically diagnosed migraine pain, tension-type headaches and jaw disorders(TMD), studies have shown that patients who used the device had a significant decrease in the number and frequency of their headaches without drug therapy.

The NTI device has a simple but powerful purpose: to prevent or greatly reduce the bruxing, clenching, and grinding of the teeth while sleeping.  In many patients, it is this clenching and/or grinding that is a primary cause of tension headaches, migraines, and constant discomfort.

Because many are unaware that they brux and clench at night, they may be unaware of the source of their migrane pain.  For more information go to www.headacheprevention.com.  If you feel this treatment may benefit you please ask to be evaluated by Dr Ray.

•    Bonding is a generic term for composite fillings.  Composite is tooth colored filling material.  Composite is made up of a resin matrix with silicate filler.  Composites come in many different colors so the dentist can custom match your teeth.  Dr. Ray first prepares your tooth by removing all of the decay or diseased tooth structure.  The tooth is then acid etched, a bonding agent is then applied, and some air is blown on the tooth to thin the bonding agent.  The tooth is then cured using a special blue light to cure the bonding agent.  This activates the bonding agent so the composite will bond to the tooth.  The composite can then be layered by the dentist to match the shape and color of the tooth.  Each layer is cured with our special blue light to harden the composite filling so that it may function like a normal tooth in your mouth.  Dr. Ray then uses marking paper to make sure all of the teeth fit together properly.  The composite filling is then polished to give it a nice shine!