Procedures | Portage MI | Dr. Roger Vander Beek

We are dedicated to those who wish to keep their teeth for a lifetime in maximum comfort, aesthetics and function. For those who have unfortunately lost their teeth, we provide comfortable and lifelike replacements. Dedicating ourselves to providing you with exceptional dental care, we will make every effort to ensure that you experience quality care every time. We will diagnose, then discuss and explain your course of treatment with you. We want to help you obtain optimum dental health.

We offer comprehensive dentistry for children, youths, adults and seniors. This includes cosmetic dentistry as well as reconstructive dentistry from a single crown to a full mouth reconstruction. We provide orthodontic care for children, implants where teeth are missing, neuromuscular/computerize jaw tracking and treatment in temporal mandibular joint disease.

Bleaching

Your teeth will darken over time. Changes in the color of your teeth can be caused by such factors as the food and beverages consumed (like coffee, tea and soda). Other known factors for discoloration may include childhood medications or illnesses, tobacco use or improper oral hygiene. Restoring your natural white smile is a priority for our dental whitening team. We offer dental bleaching to whiten your smile.

We are trained professionals using industry-approved methods. Our goal is to meet the needs of every patient, and every patient’s needs are different. In cases of severe discoloration, crowns or veneers may be a better alternative to perfect your smile.

Also, some of the newer, over-the-counter bleaching techniques now have merit with some select patients and we will discuss this option with you.


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Braces

Braces and removable orthopedic appliances align the teeth and jaws to improve dental health. Orthodontic and/or functional orthopedic treatment corrects problems such as overbites, underbites, crooked or crowded teeth, uneven jaw alignment and stabilizes the TMJ. Dentists generally suggest braces in order to improve a patient's physical appearance.

Bridges

A bridge is a dental device that fills a space that a tooth previously occupied. A bridge may be necessary to prevent:

Shifting of the teeth that can lead to bite problems (occlusion) and/or jaw problems and resultant periodontal disease.
Bridges safeguard the integrity of existing teeth and help maintain a healthy, vibrant smile.

There are three main types of bridges, namely:

A fixed bridge is the most popular and consists of a filler tooth that is attached to two crowns, which fit over the existing teeth and hold the bridge in place.
The “Maryland” bridge is commonly used to replace missing front teeth and consists of a filler that is attached to metal bands that are bonded to the abutment teeth. The metal bands consist of a white-colored composite resin that matches existing tooth color.
The cantilever bridge is often used when there are teeth on only one side of the span. A typical three-unit cantilever bridge consists of two crowned teeth positioned next to each other on the same side of the missing tooth space. The filler tooth is then connected to the two crowned teeth, which extend into the missing tooth space or end.


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Bonding

Bonding is a common solution for:

Fixing or repairing chipped or cracked teeth
Reducing unsightly gaps or spaces between teeth
Hiding discoloration or faded areas on the tooth’s surface

Often, composite boding is used to improve the appearance of your teeth and enhance your smile. As the name indicates, composite material, either a plastic or resin, is bonded to an existing tooth. Unlike veneers or crowns, composite bonding removes little, if any, of the original tooth.

Composite bonding has many advantages:

It is a quick process, which typically lasts less than one hour.
It does not reduce the tooth’s original structure and is relatively inexpensive.
Composite resins come in many different shades and provide better matching of shades to the natural color of your teeth.
Composite bonds, however, are not as durable and long-lasting as veneers and crowns and may need to be re-touched or replaced in the future.

Composite bonds stain more easily and therefore require proper care and regular cleaning. In order to ensure the longest possible duration of the bonding, composites should be brushed and flossed daily. Common staining elements include coffee, tea, tobacco, foods and candy.


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Cleanings

Annually, you should schedule a routine dental cleaning. During this visit, one of our dental hygienists will remove plaque from your teeth, especially from places where your brush can’t reach, such as underneath the gum line and in-between teeth. We will then clean your teeth and apply fluoride to help protect your teeth once you leave the office.

Fluoride is a relatively recent but important advancement in dental and oral health. Studies consistently show that a moderate but consistent exposure of teeth to fluoride helps strengthen and rebuild tooth structure, and helps prevent future decay.

If you are due for your annual dental cleaning, please call our office to schedule an appointment.

Crowns/Onlays/Inlays

A crown (cap) is a tooth-like covering placed over a carefully prepared pre-existing tooth. Crowns serve many functions, such as to strengthen, restore or improve the appearance of your natural tooth. Crowns are made from a variety of materials that can characterized as three types: a full-porcelain crown, a porcelain fused-to-metal crown and the all-metal crown. There are many pros/cons for when each one is used and we will discuss and help you decide which type of crown is most suitable for your given situation. Because traditional fillings can reduce to strength of a natural tooth by up to 50%, crowns are suggested for the following reasons:

Severe damage from decay
A filled tooth can no longer support the filling
Root Canal - after a root canal, the tooth becomes brittle and requires the protection of a crown
Fixed Bridges - when teeth are replaced by a bridge, the adjacent teeth need crowns in order to support the bridge.

In some circumstances, a porcelain inlay or onlay might be recommended. These also can be made of porcelain, gold or composite resin and are used in areas where minimally invasive treatment would be recommended and only part of the tooth needs to be restored. The bottom line for all of these types of restoration is answered by - What will be the best for the long term strength and durability?


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Dentures/Full & Partial

While we wish no one would ever need dentures or removable partials, sometimes they are the most reasonable option. They can't beat a set of your own teeth when they are healthy and straight, but when natural teeth can't be restored, dentures or partials look great and can chew reasonably well. They are made of acrylic resin. Complete dentures replace all teeth and are custom fitted for each individual, while partial dentures are fitted with clasps to replace a section of missing teeth. With dentures, patients improve their chewing and speech. Dentures also provide support for facial muscles. With the advent of implants, even poor ridge supported dentures can be made to fit more securely and comfortably. Valplast is a new type of removable partial material that makes the partial lighter and has flexible tooth or gum colored clasps created and thus is metal free.


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Fillings

Fillings are made up of amalgams ( old style silver) or newer composites resins (white fillings). After the decay has been removed from a tooth, we will place the filling into the tooth, harden it and adjust it to your bite.

White fillings which is what we exclusively do are known technically as composites resins. They have virtually replaced silver and gold fillings because of their extreme durability. Composites are made up of a combination of quartz resin and a light sensitive agent and are bonded to the tooth creating a tight, superior fit keeping the tooth structure more intact and subsequently stronger. They come in different shades in order to match the color of your natural teeth and the results ---- "a beautiful smile".

Gum Disease

Periodontal simply means “the tissue around the teeth.” Periodontists specialize in the treatment and surgery of this area, which is often characterized by gum disease. Plaque is the most common element causing gum disease.

Unfortunately, periodontal-related problems are often discovered after they have persisted for an extended period of time. Proper oral hygiene, daily dental care and regular dental checkups will minimize the risk of gum disease. Gum disease ranges from mild (gingivitis) to moderate (periodintitis) to the severe (periodontitis). Treatments are available for every case of gum disease.

Common problems associated with gum disease:

“Long” teeth (receding gum lines expose the root portions of your teeth)
Discolored or deteriorating tooth structure
Gum depressions (holes in between the teeth in the gum tissue)
Infected gum line (discoloration or inflammation of the gum tissue)
Tooth loss or tooth movement

The effects of gum disease can be damaging to your dental health. However, through proper preventive care and oral hygiene, you can avoid problems associated with gum disease.

Please contact our office for a periodontal evaluation.

Implants

Preventative Dentistry

Tooth Decay Prevention

Tooth decay is a progressive disease resulting in the interaction of bacteria that naturally occur on the teeth and sugars in the everyday diet. Sugar causes a reaction in the bacteria, causing it to produce acids that break down the mineral in teeth, forming a cavity. Dentists remove the decay and fill the tooth using a variety of fillings, restoring the tooth to a healthy state. Nerve damage can result from severe decay and may require a crown (a crown is like a large filling that can cap a tooth, making it stronger or covering it). Avoiding unnecessary decay simply requires strict adherence to a dental hygiene regimen: brushing and flossing twice a day, regular dental check-ups, diet control and fluoride treatment. Practicing good hygiene avoids unhealthy teeth and costly treatment.

Sealants

The grooves and depressions that form the chewing surfaces of the back teeth are extremely difficult (if not impossible) to clean of bacteria and food. As the bacteria reacts with the food, acids form and break down the tooth enamel, causing cavities. Recent studies indicate that 88 percent of total cavities in American school children are caused this way.

Tooth sealants protect these susceptible areas by sealing the grooves and depressions, preventing bacteria and food particles from residing in these areas. Sealant material is a resin typically applied to the back teeth, molars and premolars and areas prone to cavities. It lasts for several years but needs to be checked during regular appointments.

Fluoride

Fluoride is a substance that helps teeth become stronger and resistant to decay. Regularly drinking water treated with fluoride and brushing and flossing regularly ensures significantly lower cavities. Dentists can evaluate the level of fluoride in a primary drinking water source and recommend fluoride supplements (usually in tablets or drops), if necessary.

Thumb Sucking

Sucking is a natural reflex that relaxes and comforts babies and toddlers. Children usually cease thumb sucking when the permanent front teeth are ready to erupt. Typically, children stop between the ages of 2 and 4 years. Thumb sucking that persists beyond the eruption of primary teeth can cause improper growth of the mouth and misalignment of the teeth. If you notice prolonged and/or vigorous thumb sucking behavior in your child, talk to your dentist.

Here are some ways to help your child outgrow thumb sucking:

Don’t scold a child when they exhibit thumb sucking behavior; instead, praise them when they don’t suck his or her thumb.
Focus on eliminating the cause of anxiety – thumb sucking is a comfort device that helps children cope with stress or discomfort.
Praise them when they refrain from the habit during difficult periods.
Place a bandage on the thumb or a sock on their hand at night.

Advanced Procedures

We also offer the following Advanced Technological Features:

DIAGNOdent/Spectre Imaging
Cosmetic Dentistry
Intra-Oral Camera
TMJ/Neuro Muscular Dentistry
Tekscan
Totally All Digital X-Rays
Waterlase Laser/Diode Laser
Advanced Magnification

DIAGNOdent /Spectra Imaging

The DIAGNOdent is a new high tech laser system that aids in early diagnosis of cavities in the complex anatomy of the chewing surfaces of the teeth. It utilizes laser light of a defined wavelength to help detect and quantify all in one demineralized tooth substances without x-ray exposure. In the past, small cavities would have been undetectable until they caused considerable damage to the tooth. Even worse, some teeth had fillings placed that weren't really necessary. With the Diagnodent, we get an accurate diagnosis of whether decay is present and how active the decay process is. With this information we can either monitor suspicious areas or, if necessary, treat teeth conservatively using modern day bonding techniques. Spectra Imaging also is a high tech laser Doppler Imaging for decay detection. Much like you would see on a weather forecast of an upcoming storm, this can also image decay thru fluorescence technology which makes cariogenic bacteria to fluoresce red and seen on a computer screen much before it could be detected either visually or with a radiograph.

Cosmetic Dentistry/Veneers/Lumineers

Face it; we are rough on our teeth. Sometimes we neglect them, take them for granted or simply just abuse them. A smile can be the most eye-catching feature of a face. Smiles can be renovated to look pristine using smile enhancements with changes in shape, color and alignment of teeth accomplished with reshaping, bleaching, veneers and crowns to "instantly" correct gaps, crooked and misaligned teeth. Cosmetic dentistry seeks to create a more aesthetically pleasing and healthy smile.

Intra-Oral Camera

Intra-Oral Cameras involve the use of a camera that is small enough to be placed in a patient's mouth. The camera is attached to a computer allowing the images to be viewed on a computer screen. With these images, we are able to see conditions that are invisible to the naked eye, such as broken fillings, cracked teeth, gum conditions and cavities.