Stephen E. Stein, DDS Port Richey Dentist

Oral Hygiene Programs Available At Our Office

Port Richey Dentist — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 06:01:12 +0000

What are the different oral hygiene programs offered by our office?

1. Prophylaxis (regular cleaning)

This procedure is the regular periodic cleaning of teeth with no infections at the gum and bone.

It is to remove plaque, stains and calculus (tartar) above the gum level of the teeth.

2. Periodontal Maintenance

This procedure is instituted following periodontal therapy and continues at varying intervals, determined by the clinical evaluation by the dentist, for the life of the dentition or any implant replacements.

It includes removal of the bacterial plaque and calculus from supragingival and subgingival regions, site specific scaling and root planning where indicated, and polishing the teeth. If new or recurring periodontal disease appears, additional diagnostic and treatment procedures must be considered.

3. Periodontal scaling and root planing - four or more teeth per quadrant

This procedure involves instrumentation of the crown and root surfaces of the teeth to remove plaque and calculus from these surfaces. It is indicated for patients with periodontal disease and is therapeutic, not prophylactic, in nature. Root planing is the definitive procedure designed for the removal of cementum and dentin that is rough, and/or permeated by calculus or contaminated with toxins or microorganisms. Some soft tissue removal occurs. This procedure may be used as a definitive treatment in some stages of periodontal disease and/or as a part of pre-surgical procedures in others.

The patient is numbed for this procedure

Complete In-House Dental Laboratory

Port Richey Dentist — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 19:03:27 +0000

We also have a fulltime Master Lab Technician on premises. He has worked as part of our office team since 1980 and is truly an artist. With a lab technician on site, we are able to help our patients with emergency repairs, usually the same day.

Having an in house technician also allows us to complete our patient’s treatment involving dental lab work with a personal touch and in a shorter time frame than other offices.

State-Of-The-Art Sterilization

Port Richey Dentist — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 19:03:06 +0000

We take sterilization and cleanliness very seriously. We chemically sterilize, ultrasonically clean and autoclave (heat and steam under pressure) all re-usable equipment. All other supplies are disposable. We never even use a dental drill bit more than once. Of course, gloves and sterile drapes are always used.

Computerized system in every room

Port Richey Dentist — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 19:02:26 +0000

We have a computer system in every room and they are networked together. This enables our staff to view your records and make estimates and appointments in the treatment room. This helps with your privacy and prevents long checkout lines at the front desk.

Digital Photography

Port Richey Dentist — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 19:01:31 +0000

We have state-of-the-art dental inra-oral cameras that can record detailed and precise pictures of your teeth and soft tissue.

This helps authenticate injuries and dental claims along with suspicious lesions for future reference.

Digital X-Rays

Port Richey Dentist — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 19:01:05 +0000

We have both conventional dental X-Ray units and digital X-Rays that can show a single tooth enlarged to the size of a computer screen.

This helps us to make a better diagnosis in a shorter period of time.

Digital X-Rays use only 1/10th the radiation of a conventional x-ray, even though our conventional x-rays themselves are already operating at a very low radiation level.

Dentures

Port Richey Dentist — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 18:55:59 +0000

Dentures are removable devices usually made of acrylic or a combination of chrome cobalt alloy (metal) and acrylic. They can be a complete denture that replaces all the teeth on the upper or lower arches or they can be a removable partial denture that replaces only the missing teeth on an arch that still has some of your own teeth.

Composites

Port Richey Dentist — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 18:54:52 +0000

Composites are tooth colored plastic fillings that are bonded to the tooth.

Find a Dentist in New Port Richey, Florida

Port Richey Dentist — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 08:41:46 +0000

We have recently performed a survey to find out what patients would consider important in the best dentist for them. What do you find most important in a dentist?

A recurring theme was that the patients want a dentist where they can feel comfortable that they can can always come back to their dentist in the future.

Then we asked further what qualities in the dentist would make them feel like that. Here the recurring factor was that the dentist has to be personable, friendly and knowledgeable, an expert in his field. The quality of the work has to be such that they feel confident that the workmanship will last for a long time.

If you are looking for a new dentist for your in New Port Richey, give us a call and we believe you will quickly see that Dr. Stein with his over 20 years experience has all the best qualities that you are looking for when you want to get high quality work done on your teeth and at the same time want to have a dentist where you feel comfortable coming back to him in the future.

Chipped Tooth

Port Richey Dentist — Sun, 18 Nov 2007 19:28:49 +0000

Onlays or crowns are usually used on premolars and molars that have been chipped.

Chipped teeth feel rough to the touch and to your tongue. There are countless ways someone can chip a tooth; rough-housing, football, boxing and normal every day activities. The important thing to remember about a chipped tooth is to see your dentist right away.

If you see your dentist right away, the minor treatment he will do to fix the tooth will prevent major treatment to correct it later.

Only your dentist can really evaluate the damage to a chipped tooth. If the chip is deep the damage might be more severe. If the inner tooth (pulp) is damaged it could affect the nerve endings and that could mean serious problems.

“How does the dentist fix a chipped tooth?”

Your dentist has several options when it comes to repairing a chipped tooth:

• Enamel- shaping or filling for small chips
• Bonding veneer- for larger chips
• Onlay- is a solution if the chip is on a molar or pre-molar
• Crown - if the fracture is too large for a filling

Ask us about chipped teeth.