Family and Cosmetic Dentistry

Chad Slocum October 21st, 2009

Single Unit Dental Veneers at

Penny Creek Family and Cosmetic Dentistry

Dental veneers at Penny Creek Family and Cosmetic Dentistry are a wonderful way to restore crooked, stained, malformed, damaged or badly worn teeth.  Mill Creek dentists Dr. Chad Slocum and Dr. Sara Lundgaard enjoy providing this wonderful service to the people of Snohomish County.

So what exactly are dental veneers?

Porcelain dental veneers at Penny Creek Family and Cosmetic Dentistry are wafer-thin porcelain lamintates or shells.  They are “cemented” to the front surface of teeth to improve their cosmetic appearance.  Veneers can be placed on a single tooth or multiple teeth depending on the patients’ needs and goals to achieve a very esthetic smile.

Patient Before Single Tooth Veneer at Penny Creek Family and Cosmetic Dentistry

The above patient has an old composite restoration on the lateral incisor which has turned dark over time.  The patient is unhappy with the tooth size, shape and gingival (gum) contour.

Mill Creek Dentist Dr. Chad Slocum treatment planned a single unit porcelain veneer to restore the tooth to its natural color and shape.  Dr. Slocum treatment planned diode laser contouring of the gum tissue to re-establish the proper gingival height and contours.

See the result below!!

Patient After Single Unit Veneer at Penny Creek Family and Cosmetic Dentistry

Single Unit Porcelain Veneer was performed by Mill Creek Cosmetic Dentist, Dr. Chad Slocum DDS.  Dr. Slocum can be reached at Penny Creek Family & Cosmetic Dentistry Mill Creek, WA for more information regarding porcelain veneers.

What treatments or problems are veneers used for?

There are a wide variety of reasons why patients opt for treatment with dental veneers:

Stained teeth – badly stained teeth that cannot be improved by teeth whitening can be greatly improved by dental veneers.  These are often intrinsic stains from too much Fluoride or antibiotics during tooth development.

Damaged teeth – Teeth that have become badly worn through excessive grinding or by carbonated drinks, as well as those that have been chipped or broken, can benefit from veneers.  A single damaged tooth can easily be repaired with a porcelain veneer that has the same characteristics and color as you natural teeth.

Gaps – spaces or (diastemas) between your teeth can easily be closed using dental veneers, giving you a more uniform-looking smile.

Crooked teeth – Veneers are not the ideal treatment for crooked teeth, and from the point of view of preserving your natural teeth structure, orthodontics or Invisalign braces is the best solution.  Drs. Slocum and Lundgaard will provide a referral to an orthodontist if they feel braces would help provide the most conservative dentistry to achieve a beautiful esthetic smile at Penny Creek Family and Cosmetic Dentistry.

So which are better: composite veneers or porcelain veneers?

The most popular type of veneers is porcelain, which offers a stronger, more durable and superior esthetics when compared to composite veneeers.  Composite veneers are also more prone to staining and do not last as long as porcelain veneers. Porcelain veneers also offer a more natural looking, translucent appearance. Composite veneers are much cheaper than porcelain veneers in general, but considering that they do not last as long and need replacing more often, they could end up costing more in the long run. Composite work is ideal for small chips, as this treatment preserves more of your natural tooth structure.

What is the procedure of having dental veneers fitted?

1. The first part of any dental procedure is the initial consultation and examination with Dr. Chad Slocum or Dr. Sara Lundgaard, so they can get a feel for what you want and understand your needs and concerns. Penny Creek Family and Cosmetic Dentistry will then explain the treatment procedure to you, and give you an accurate guide to the likely costs of your treatment.

2. Before your veneers are designed at Penny Creek Family and Cosmetic Dentistry, Mill Creek Dentists Dr. Chad Slocum DDS or Dr. Sara Lundgaard will need to reshape and prepare the front surfaces of your teeth so that they can accommodate the veneers. The first stage is to numb the teeth and gums with a local anesthetic so that you do not feel anything during the preparation procedure.

3. Using a special tool called a burr (a dental drill or file), a tiny part of the front surface of your teeth will be shaved off. The amount removed should be equivalent to the thickness of the veneer that will sit over the top of the tooth.

4. Next Dr. Chad Slocum DDS or Dr. Sara Lundgaard DDS will take an impression or mould (copy) of your teeth.  A special dental “putty” is placed in a tray and that tray is then placed onto your teeth so that it takes an imprint of your teeth (similar to how you would leave a footprint in sand).

5. This “impression” or mould of your teeth is then sent to a dental laboratory. The laboratory uses the impression to cast an accurate model of your teeth, which is used as a guide to fabricate your new veneers. This process can take between one and three weeks.

6. While you’re waiting for your porcelain veneers to be fabricated, Mill Creek Dentists Dr. Chad Slocum DDS or Dr. Sara Lundgaard DDS will place temporary veneers over the prepared teeth.

7. On your second appointment, Dr. Chad Slocum DDS or Dr. Sara Lundgaard will bond the porcelain veneers to your teeth with a resin cement.

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Chad Slocum August 12th, 2009

Esthetic Anterior Composite

A Beautiful Smile This Beautiful Smile on this Penny Creek Family & Cosmetic Dentistry patient was obtained by a simple chairside direct composite restoration.  As cosmetic dentistry procedures go, direct composite is a fantastic solution for chipped or fractured teeth.  Composite bonding is much less expensive than porcelain crowns and veneers and is an easy procedure to accomplish for the patient.  A major benefit of this procedure is that it is very conservative.  Only minimal preparation of the enamel is necessary to provide an adequate bond for the dental composite.  Esthetic Anterior Composite can be used to restore fractured teeth, chipped teeth, carious teeth, and to close a space between teeth called a diastema.

Before Esthetic Anterior Composite Restoration

After Esthetic Anterior Composite Restoration

Anterior Esthetic Composite Restoration was performed by Mill Creek Cosmetic Dentist, Chad Slocum DDS.  Dr Slocum can be reached at Penny Creek Family & Cosmetic Dentistry Mill Creek, WA for more information regarding smile makeovers.

Esthetic Anterior Composite Dental Solutions

Cosmetic Dental Bonding with tooth colored material is a potential way to give you a new smile. You may be considering the enhancing of your smile, but you may have concerns about the more extensive procedures and their cost. Porcelain veneers, porcelain crowns, and crowns on dental implants are the most extensive and expensive of the cosmetic dental procedures. For a person with these concerns, Cosmetic Dental Bonding is the perfect solution!  Chipped, cracked, discolored or teeth with spaces and gaps can be embarrassing and can affect your self-esteem and confidence. Inexpensive and conservative, bonding uses a tooth-colored composite material to restore teeth and enhance smiles. One of the most common procedures that we do at Penny Creek Family & Cosmetic Dentistry with Cosmetic Dental Bonding is the closure of spaces between teeth, called diastemas. The closure of diastemas is most commonly requested for a space between the two upper central front teeth as shown in the photo below. 

Open Diastema: Before Cosmetic Dental Bonding

Closed Diastema: After Cosmetic Dental Bonding

The tooth-colored composite is placed on the tooth, then shaped and molded to achieve the desired results. The material is then hardened and polished, creating a natural appearance. Although Cosmetic Dental Bonding is an exceptionally good technique to close diastemas (spaces between the teeth) between the upper central anterior teeth, it can be used to close spaces between any teeth. We have many patients that opt to have cosmetic bonding on their front teeth because this is a less expensive procedure than using either porcelain veneers or porcelain crowns.  In a few cases, we have constructed an extreme makeover of the smile entirely with Cosmetic Dental Bonding with beautiful results and at a lower cost to the patient.

Diastema Closure on the above patient was performed by Mill Creek Cosmetic Dentist, Chad Slocum DDS.  Dr Slocum can be reached at Penny Creek Family & Cosmetic Dentistry Mill Creek, WA for more information regarding smile makeovers. 

Below is a close-up photo of another patient who’s Smile was enhanced by Cosmetic Dentistry at Penny Creek Family & Cosmetic Dentistry.

Diastema Open: Before Cosmetic Bonding

Diastema Closed: After Cosmetic Bonding

Diastema closure procedure was performed by Mill Creek Cosmetic Dentist, Chad Slocum DDS.  Dr Slocum can be reached at Penny Creek Family & Cosmetic Dentistry Mill Creek, WA for more information regarding smile makeovers.

Dental Bonding a Great Solution for Smile Makeovers

Cosmetic Dental Bonding should be considered as an option in the following situations:
· to repair any anterior tooth
· to repair decay areas of anterior teeth
· to repair chipped or cracked teeth
· to improve the appearance of discolored teeth
· to close spaces (diastemas) between teeth
· to lengthen anterior teeth
· to change the shape of teeth
· as a cosmetic alternative to amalgam fillings on posterior teeth
· to protect a portion of a tooth’s root if exposed due to gum recession
For additional information on Cosmetic Dental Procedures visit the web site of Mill Creek, Washington Cosmetic Dentists, Dr Chad Slocum and Dr Sara Lundgaard.  Penny Creek Family & Cosmetic Dentistry

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admin July 8th, 2008

Summer has finally arrived in Seattle, and with this warm weather we see many of our children riding their bikes and playing sports in and around our neighborhoods.   

            Over the weekend my 5 year old son took quite a spill off his bike when one of the training wheels fell off while he was riding down a small hill by our house.  Fortunately, he managed to steer the bike into the grass before flipping over the handle bars.  Wow, what a sight for a parent!  My son walked away a bit shaken up by the experience, and with only minor abrasions to his knee.  Of course, as a dentist, I immediately imagined broken teeth and lacerations to the lips. 

            Many children and adults are often not so lucky.  They often chip, fracture, displace or completely avulse (knock out) one or more teeth as a result of similar accidents.  Dental injuries can also result from auto accidents, assaults, falls, and a variety of sporting activities. 

            Dental injuries can happen at anytime, but I tend to see an increased number of injured children and young adults in the summer and fall.

            Studies have found that boys injure their teeth more often than girls, and that upper front teeth are more likely than the lower ones to be traumatized. 

            Minor tooth fractures involve chipping of the outer tooth layers called enamel and dentin.  Enamel is the outermost white hard surface, and the dentin is the yellow layer lying just beneath the enamel.  Enamel and dentin serve to protect the inner living tooth tissue called the pulp.

            Minor chips and fractures are often accompanied by temperature sensitivity and sharp edges that tend to irritate the lips, cheeks and tongue.  It is recommended to save the broken piece and bring this to your dentist.  Cover the fracture with wax or sugarless gum and contact your dentist for immediate evaluation.  Definitive treatment usually involves a composite resin filling on front teeth to protect the pulp and restore the tooth to natural contour.

            Severe fractures expose the dentin and pulp, and often have vertical, horizontal or diagonal fractures extending into the root of the tooth.  We also may see bleeding gums, tooth displacement and laceration of the surrounding soft tissues.  These fractures are very serious and need immediate attention. 

            The best way to manage these injuries is to gently clean the dirt or debris from the injured area with warm water, and place a  cold compress on the child’s face in the area of the injury to minimize pain and swelling.  Try to locate and recover the broken tooth fragments to bring to the dentist.  Call Penny Creek Family and Cosmetic Dentistry for immediate evaluation.

            Definitive treatment for these injuries usually requires root canal therapy to treat the damaged pulp tissue followed by a large composite resin filling or porcelain crown.  Splinting may be necessary if the tooth was displaced.

            Appropriate management of completely avulsed (knocked out) teeth is very critical to the long term prognosis.  The most important variable affecting the success of re-implantation is the amount of time that the tooth is out of the socket.  Teeth re-implanted within 1 hour of the accident frequently reattach to their sockets.  Teeth that remain out of the mouth for periods longer than one hour are more prone to root resorption and short term failure leading to extraction.

            Following the accident recover the tooth and rinse it gently under running water if the tooth is dirty.  Do not scrub it.  Try to handle the tooth only by the crown and not the root, and place the tooth back into the socket from which it came.  If the patient or parent is unsure about reimplanting the tooth, then the tooth should be placed in the following media (in order of preference): Hanks solution, milk, saline, saliva, and water.  If none of these are available the tooth can be held in the mouth within the cheeks or under the tongue.  Call Dr. Chad G. Slocum immediately for evaluation and treatment. 

Definitive treatment will include a splint to stabilize the tooth for 4-6 weeks followed by root canal therapy.  The patient will want to maintain routine follow-up care with their dentist to monitor for possible complications. 

Unfortunately our warm sunny wonderful summer weather also brings increased traumatic injuries to the teeth and mouth.  With proper education and preventative measures these injuries can often be avoided.

Chad G. Slocum DDS can be reached at Penny Creek Family and Cosmetic Dentistry at (425)-337-7300 or www.pennycreek.net

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admin June 9th, 2008

Over the weekend I took my two boys to the local YMCA Halloween party. Wow! They had a variety of activities for the kids including pony rides and three inflatable jump houses! My 4 year old wasted no time, he immediately ran to the jump house to join the other kids.

As a father I encourage this activity, but the dentist inside me always cringes while watching eight to ten children jumping uncontrollably in such small quarters. I’m just waiting for the random collision of child verses child which knocks out one of the children’s teeth or lacerates the lip. These accidents are rare but need to be considered during physical activity. Fortunately, all the children left with big smiles including my two boys to collect some candy and take a pony ride.

Dental injuries can happen at anytime, but I tend to see an increased number of injured children and young adults in the summer and fall. Injuries can range from a small chip on a front tooth to complete avulsion of one or more teeth.

I find these injuries to be very hard to digest with adults, but especially difficult in children and adolescents. Serious injuries such as complete avulsions will commit a young adult to many long dental visits often with a guarded prognosis depending on the severity of the injury.

Anyone who participates in a physical sport that carries a significant risk of injury to the head or neck should wear a mouth protector also known as a mouthguard. This includes a wide range of sports such as football, hockey, basketball, baseball, gymnastics and volleyball.

Mouthguards, which typically cover the upper teeth, can cushion a blow to the face, minimizing the risk of broken teeth and injuries to the soft tissues of the mouth. Dental injuries are the most common type of orofacial injury sustained during participation in sports. Victims of total tooth avulsion who do not have teeth properly preserved or re-implanted may face a lifetime of dental cost of $10,000-$15,000 per tooth, hours in the dentist’s chair, and the possible development of other problems such as periodontal disease.

It is estimated by the American Dental Association that mouthguards prevent approximately 200,000 injuries to the mouth each year in high school and college football alone.

A properly fitted mouthguard must be protective, soft, odorless, tear resistant, cleansable, and cause minimal interference during speech and breathing. Most important, the appliance should have great retention and adequate thickness to aid in protection during any blows to the head or neck.

There are three types of mouthguards on the market, two of which can be purchased at the local sporting goods store. These include stock, boil and bite, and custom mouthguards.

The stock mouthguard comes in three sizes small, medium, and large. These are the least effective because they often don’t fit well and the athlete has to clench to hold them in position. This minimizes the ability to breathe and speak freely. More importantly, they are prone to concussion if they sustain a blow to the chin.

The boil and bite mouthguard is currently the most popular mouth protector on the market. These are made from a thermoplastic material and can be purchased at the local sporting goods store. The athlete immerses the material in boiling water and then forms it in the mouth using their fingers, tongue, and biting pressure. Available in multiple sizes, these still often lack proper extension and are often trimmed by the athlete to reduce posterior bulk and gagging effects.

Custom mouthguards are fabricated by your dentist and are the most effective of the various mouth protectors. They fulfill all the criteria for retention, thickness, comfort, and stability of material. They interfere the least with speech and studies indicate they virtually have no effect on breathing.

As a dentist, I would recommend the custom fit mouthguard as my first choice for protection. The appliance will be the most effective and the athlete will be more compliant if they are able to participate in the sporting activity without the bother of an ill fitting mouthguard.

Regardless of type, a mouthguard will help prevent a variety of injuries to the teeth and surrounding soft tissue and help maintain a positive experience during these physical activities.

Chad G. Slocum DDS can be reached at Penny Creek Family and Cosmetic Dentistry at (425)-337-7300 or www.pennycreek.net

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admin April 15th, 2008

Dr. Chad G. Slocum graduated from the University of Washington School of Dentistry in 1998. He then continued his education by completing a one year General Practice Residency program at the University of Washington. It is here that he received advanced training in oral surgery, pediatric care, sedation and complex restorative dentistry. Dr. Slocum is passionate about dentistry, and has continued his training by attending hundreds of hours of continuing education. His dedication has allowed him to study with some of the top clinicians in the country, and this has allowed him to stay at the forefront of dental technology and clinical techniques. Dr. Slocum enjoys getting to know his patients, and helping them discover the many gifts that modern dentistry has to offer.

Dr. Slocum completed his undergratuate studies at Washington State University and is a graduate of Redmond High School. He enjoys spending time with his wife and two boys, hiking, fly fishing, and skiing.

Affiliations:

• WSDA Washington State Dental Association
• SKDA Seattle King County Dental Association
• AACD American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry
• ADA American Dental Association

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