Hickory NC Dentists - Dr. Thomas Rider and Dr. Allison Reese offer these patient services

	Comprehensive Exam A comprehensive exam is performed on each new patient. It consists of an evaluation for gum disease and x-rays to check for cavities, infection, and bone loss. We also do an oral cancer exam.
	Oral Cancer Exam We do a thorough oral cancer exam inside and outside the mouth. This involves visually examining the tongue and surrounding tissues as well as palpating for swollen lymph nodes around the head and neck.
	Digital X-rays/3-D Scan We use digital x-rays, which are lower in radiation than x-rays taken in the past. The process is much faster and it allows us to view the x-ray with you on a computer screen in the room. We also have 3-D imaging, which gives a 3-D view of the upper and lower jaw. This is a great tool for guidance in placing implants.
	Gum Evaluation Our hygienists take the utmost care of each patient. They perform a thorough evaluation of the gums by measuring pocketing, bone loss, and recession. If the gums are unhealthy, it could mean gum disease is the cause. Gum disease is chronic and if not treated and maintained, can cause further bone loss, loosening of the teeth, or in some cases loss of teeth. Depending on the condition of your gums, a decision will be made about which cleaning will be best for your needs.
	Regular Cleaning or Prophy Once it is determined that you are not at risk or currently have gum disease, we prefer our patients to be on a regular 6 month recall. A thorough cleaning is performed at each recall appointment as well as periodic x-rays to check for cavities and pocket measurements to make sure the gums are healthy. At each 6 month recall an oral cancer exam is performed.
	Deep Cleanings At your initial exam or during any course of treatment, we may discover that you have gum disease/bone loss around your teeth. In some cases, if you haven’t had your teeth cleaned in a few years, it is necessary to have a debridement to remove heavy build up before we can complete your exam. After evaluation, if deep pocketing and bleeding are present, this may indicate you have gum disease. This diagnosis requires a more involved deep cleaning of the gums called root planing. This involves numbing the gums in order to get to heavy plaque and tartar build up in the gum pockets. Each patient is different, so please ask your hygienist if you are at risk for gum disease and what treatment you need.
	Fluoride Treatment We offer fluoride treatments to our patients. While this mostly includes patients under the age of 14, some adults are in need of fluoride treatment as well. Sometimes disorders, medications, or radiation treatment can cause patients to lose salivary flow in the mouth creating a dry mouth. This allows for teeth to decay easily. We can make customized trays for patients who need additional fluoride to help preserve their teeth.
	Sealants Sealants are a great way to prevent cavities. They are generally performed on children as they develop their 6 yr and 12year molars.
	Night Guards Some patients have a habit of clenching or grinding their teeth. This can lead to excessive wear of the teeth, headaches, and TMJ problems. We can custom make a night guard for patients who have this problem. We also make athletic mouth guards.
	Emergencies We make every effort to help people with dental emergencies. This most often involves a broken tooth that needs to be restored, or a toothache requiring a root canal or extraction.
	Extractions Teeth that require extractions are usually so broken down they no longer can be saved. Some extractions are simple, while others may require surgical removal. After an x-ray is taken, the doctor can assess the need and treat as necessary.
	Root Canals A root canal is used to treat a diseased or infected nerve inside the tooth. When the nerve or pulp of the tooth is damaged from decay or a crack, pain is often present. Failure to treat this will result in an abscessed or infected tooth. A root canal procedure involves cleaning out the infected nerve tissue inside the root or roots. Then a filling material with sealer is placed inside the root to seal it. A crown is often indicated afterwards.
	Fillings A filling is used to replace areas of decay and to fill small tooth defects. We offer tooth colored fillings to give a more natural appearance. In most cases, white fillings are the best choice to restore the beauty of your smile. We do offer amalgam (silver fillings) if needed. Please ask the doctor which fillings suit your needs best.
	Crowns A crown or cap is used to save badly broken down teeth that a filling can no longer support. Often times, there are several large fillings in a person’s mouth that have been there for years and have cracks or recurrent decay. These are usually molars and a crown is often necessary to restore the strength and function of the tooth. A crown is also almost always required for a tooth that has received root canal therapy. We offer all porcelain (metal free) crowns, porcelain crowns with a metal substructure, and all gold crowns. Please speak with the doctor to see which material best suits your needs.
	Implants/Missing Teeth As a dentist with many years of experience working with implants, I am very excited to be able to offer this service to our patients. Our office offers a complete one stop source for getting your missing teeth replaced with implants. What is even more exciting to me is the ability to offer in our office implants to stabilize and retain complete dentures. For lower dentures this is a whole new miracle in itself. No longer do you have to tolerate floating and flopping lower dentures. With either two or four implants they can be stabilized to make them very comfortable and very functional. If you feel implants would be of benefit to you please give us a call at (828) 495-8256 for a consultation appointment. We have a Cone Beam CT scanner in house which can aid in treatment planning at a very reasonable cost.
	Bridges When teeth are missing, it affects the patient’s ability to chew and may cause shifting of the teeth. A bridge is a non-removable prosthesis that requires crowning teeth on either side of the space and is permanently cemented. Please ask the doctor if this is the best option for you to replace spaces in the mouth.
	Full Dentures Once a patient is missing all of their teeth or need all remaining teeth extracted, removable dentures with artificial teeth are made. These can be all acrylic or metal based. Custom dentures are made for each patient to achieve a new smile and allow the patient to chew and function as close to normal as possible. Dentures are sometimes difficult for a patient to adjust to, as they are not permanent like the teeth they are replacing. Often implants can enhance the function and stability of a denture. Please ask the doctor if implants are an option for you.
	Partial Dentures Partial dentures are made for patients with some missing teeth. They can be made with all acrylic or metal substructure. Partial dentures require good anchor teeth for support in order to be functional. It is a removable appliance and is not as strong as the natural teeth it is trying to replace. In some cases, an implant may be required to stabilize the partial denture.
	Cosmetic Dentistry We offer several services that improve esthetics in the mouth.
	Bleaching Slight to moderate discoloration of teeth can be easily treated with bleaching. We make custom bleaching trays to fit each patient’s mouth.
	Veneers A veneer is a thin layer of dental materials placed over a tooth surface to improve the esthetics. This can either be a porcelain material or a composite/bonded material. Veneers can be used to disguise small spacing between teeth, discoloration, or misshapen teeth.
	All Porcelain Crowns All porcelain crowns are an esthetic alternative to gold crowns or porcelain crowns with a metal base. Please ask the dentist if your tooth can have an all porcelain crown.
	Dental Bonding Dental bonding is a composite tooth colored filling material that bonds to the tooth surface. It can close small spaces, cover defective or stained areas on the tooth, and be used as a filling material where cavities are present.

Thomas E. Rider DDS/ Allison S. Reese DDS