Dental Services

General Dentistry

General dentistry, also referred to as family dentistry, is comprised of the services rendered by primary dental care providers. A general dentist treats patients of all ages with services geared toward the general maintenance of oral hygiene and tooth health. Friendly Dental Group’s general dentist will be highly trained in a wide range of dental procedures. Because our general dentists provide the same restorative services on a regular basis, they are highly skilled at what they do; providing you with an extra layer of confidence.

• Complete Exams, X-rays, & Cleanings
• Fillings, Root Canals, and Extractions
• Teeth Whitening
• Crowns & Veneers
• Full & Partial Dentures
• Dental Implants

Pediatric Dentistry

When most parents were children themselves, they would visit the general or family dentist for regular check-ups or dental work. From those experiences, fear and anxiety related to dental visits began. This is not to say that general dentists are not suited to treat children; but it is to say that children have their own unique sets of needs that reach far beyond the actual treatment they receive in the chair. Children normally visit pediatricians for their medical care. Here, they learn about how to create healthy habits for a strong body. By the same token, a child who visits a specialized pediatric dentist learns how to create healthy habits for strong teeth. Think of your kid’s dentist as a pediatrician dentist!

• Children Oral Health Exams
• Proper Brushing & Flossing Counseling
• Care for Dental Injuries
• Fun Way for Children to Receive Dental Care
• Preventive Treatments

Dental Implants

Your smile should last a lifetime. With dental implants from our partner Oral Surgery Associates Charlotte, it will. Replacing missing teeth is important: to your overall health and also to the health of your other teeth. When natural teeth are missing, you lose chewing ability, and unreplaced teeth can cause other teeth to be lost, tipped or crowded. Missing a tooth, or teeth can create problems after problems after problems. You can look and feel better, regain your self-esteem, have a better quality of life, and simply smile more with dental implants from Oral Surgery Associates of Charlotte.

• Dental implants are a long-term solution
• Retain your natural face shape, and smile
• Speak easy
• Protect your healthy teeth
• Next best thing to healthy, natural teeth
• Restore self-confidence

Crowns & Veneers

Many people with dull, chipped or crooked teeth will hide their smile and thus hide their warmth and personality from those they encounter. Needless to say, the stealing of confidence that comes from a yellow smile is great and lasting. Thankfully, our cosmetic dentist can assist you with obtaining the bright, white, straight smile you deserve! One way to change the overall appearance of your smile is through crowns and veneers.

• Protect Weak Teeth
• Restore Broken Teeth
• Cover Severely Discolored Teeth
• Cosmetic Modification
• Available in a Variety of Materials

Root Canals

Root canal is the term which describes the natural cavity within the center of the tooth. The pulp or pulp chamber is the soft area within the root canal. In the root canal is where a tooths nerve is. The nerve is not vitally important to the health of the tooth; it is only present to provide the sensation of hot or cold. Therefore, when root canal therapy is called for, there is very little downside to the procedure. Most patients do experience some sort of symptom that will alert them to the problem. Such symptoms may include:

• Severe pain in a tooth when chewing
• Sensitivity to hot and cold temperatures
• Swollen or tender gums
• Recurring or persistent pimple on the gums
• Darkening of the tooth

Full & Partial Dentures

Individuals who have lost several or most of their teeth may be good candidates for dentures. These dental devices are used to replace missing teeth and surrounding tissue. As needs for dentures are varied, there are two types normally used – complete and partial dentures. Complete dentures are used when all teeth are being replaced and can be for upper jaw, lower jaw, or both. Partial dentures are used when some natural teeth are still present.

• For patients with multiple missing teeth
• Improved appearance and self-confidence
• Better chewing
• Improved speech
• Protect other teeth
• Available in natural-looking materials

Braces & Invisalign

Braces are no longer just a device worn by teens.  Today, there are many options for orthodontics available, making it easier than ever for any child, teen or adult to begin straightening out their smile. For the younger crowd, there may not be a huge push for clear braces, as there is with adults. Teens often opt for traditional braces, as there are many braces colors that are fun and show off one’s personality. For the adult who wants to straighten their teeth, we typically receive requests for Invisalign.

• Both: straightens your teeth
• Invisalign: aligners are almost undetectable when worn
• Invisalign: easier cleaning
• Braces: more cost effective
• Braces: color bands are available for kids
• Invisalign: smooth and comfortable to wear
• Both: improves confidence

Dental Fillings

For decades, there was one option for tooth fillings and that was Amalgam. Amalgam is still widely used today, but there are other options as well. The components of Amalgam are elemental metals, and may include components of mercury, silver, tin, copper, and others. You may know Amalgam fillings as “silver fillings” and may also know them because of the controversy surrounding the exposure to mercury. It is important to know your options for fillings. Tooth decay can advance rapidly and you want to have cavities filled quickly. As a treatment for cavities, Amalgam has been deemed safe by the FDA and other organizations as it is thought that the other metals used in the compound stabilize the mercury and reduce risks.

• Limits damage caused by trauma and dental cavities
• Reestablishes adequate function of the tooth
• Helps prevent damage to the nerve of the tooth
• Helps prevent tooth loss
• Makes it easier to clean your teeth
• Lowers the bacterial count in your mouth
• Helps you achieve and maintain fresh breath

Check-up & Cleanings

In addition to daily brushing and flossing, you can help protect your oral health by seeing your dentist regularly for check-ups. It’s recommended that most people get a dental check-up every six months, but your dentist may recommend more frequent or fewer visits, depending on your dental health history. In most cases, a dental hygienist and dentist will perform your dental check-up. Not every dentist operates the same way, but a dental check-up typically involves:

• Cleaning and polishing your teeth
• Education on dental hygiene issues
• Teeth, gums, and mouth will be examined
• X-rays may be taken to look at dental problems
• Schedule 6 month appointment

Teeth Whitening

Having a bright white smile is another important aspect to proper cleaning. Many people use whitening toothpaste; but this is a limited approach to teeth whitening. For many patients, time has aged teeth and produced a dullness that negatively impacts the smile. In this case, which applies to the majority of individuals seeking a whiter smile, the best teeth whitening methods are those which are more powerful. Some of the available teeth whitening methods are:

• Over-the-counter whitening strips
• Bleaching gel tray
• Laser teeth whitening

Dental Extractions

Our general dentists are motivated to save their patients teeth above all else. When a patient presents with tooth damage, the first thing a dentist will attempt to do is restore the structure and health to the tooth or teeth through treatments such as filling, inlays, or crowns. Unfortunately, these types of restorative procedures are not always possible. Sometimes, a tooth is damaged beyond repair and the only treatment option is to remove the unhealthy tooth.

• Simple Extractions
• Surgical Extractions
• Wisdom Tooth Removal
• Severely Broken or Fractured Teeth
• Decayed Teeth