Our Services

From routine cleanings and fillings to bruxism devices, Richard S. Hughes III, D.D.S. is equipped to handle all your dental needs. To help you understand your options, we've included descriptions of some of our leading services on this page.

• Bonding
• Cosmetic Contouring
• Crowns and Bridges
• Cosmetic Fillings
• Implants
• Veneers
• Whitening
• Seaants
• Root Canal Therapy
• Extraction
• Scaling/Root Planing
• Dentures
• Cosmetic Dentistry

Tooth Whitening

Often, people with stained or discolored teeth may just need a whitening procedure in order to restore their smile.
People with stained or dull teeth usually benefit from whitening, which is a safe and effective way to brighten stained, discolored or dull teeth. Even a stubborn single tooth that is noticeably duller or less white than your other teeth can be individually brightened.

Teeth bleaching products, which contain peroxides, actually change your natural tooth color anywhere from five to seven -- but even up to twelve -- shades brighter.

One process known as chairside bleaching involves applying either a protective gel to your gums or a rubber shield to protect the soft tissues in the mouth. A bleaching agent is then applied to the teeth, and a special light is used to enhance the chemical action.

If your teeth aren't very dark or very stained, you may need only one bleaching session. Tooth bleaching safely lightens the color of your teeth, and can last up to five years.

In general, bleaching works for most people. Tooth bleaching is most effective if your teeth are darkened from age, coffee, tea or smoking. Teeth darkened with the color of yellow, brown or orange respond better to lightening. Other types of gray stains caused by fluorosis, smoking or tetracycline can be lightened, but with less satisfactory results.

If you're interested in brightening your smile, have your teeth evaluated by us. Not everyone is a good candidate for bleaching. In some cases of serious discoloration and pitted teeth, for example, veneers may be more appropriate than bleaching. Moreoever, crowns, bridges, and fillings do not bleach, so it may be necessary to replace dental work to make it blend with the new color of your bleached teeth. An X-ray of your teeth may be the only accurate way of making a true assessment.

 

Implants

Before development of dental implants, dentures were the only alternative to replacing a missing tooth or teeth. Implants are synthetic structures that are placed in the area of the tooth normally occupied by the root. Implants are anchored to the jawbone or metal framework on the bone and act as a foundation for an artificial tooth or permanent bridge. In some cases, implants can be used to attach dentures. Implants are so well-designed, they mimic the look and feel of natural teeth. Implants are usually made of a synthetic yet biocompatible material like metal or ceramic.

Not everyone is a candidate for a dental implant. For a successful implant to take hold, a candidate must have proper bone density and have a strong immune system. Diabetics and people with chronic bruxism (teeth clenching) are generally not favorable candidates. In all cases, dental implants require strict oral hygiene. In general, good candidates who have dental implants can expect high success rates with the procedure.

Types of implants

• Full upper replacements: The upper set of teeth is replaced with implants.
• Anterior replacement: Implants are used to replace the front teeth (also called incisors and cupids).
• Full lower replacement: The lower set of teeth is replaced with implants. Full lower replacement usually only uses six implants (near the front), which are used to anchor a denture. This obviates the need for denture adhesive.
• Posterior replacement: Implants are used to replace the bicuspids and molars (the back teeth).
  

Single tooth replacement

Steps for these procedures include:

• Missing tooth roots are replaced with implants, which are covered under the gum line.
• A healing period of six months allows implants to take.
• The implants are uncovered and extensions attached.
• Replacement teeth are affixed to the implants and extensions.

 

Crowns

Crowns are synthetic caps, usually made of a material like porcelain, placed on the top of a tooth. They are typically used to restore a tooth’s function and appearance following a restorative procedure such as a root canal. When decay in a tooth has become so advanced that large portions of the tooth must be removed, crowns are often used to restore the tooth. Crowns are also used to attach bridges, cover implants, prevent a cracked tooth from becoming worse, or an existing filling is in jeopardy of becoming loose or dislocated. Crowns also serve a cosmetic use, and are applied when a discolored or stained tooth needs to be restored to its natural appearance.

Procedure
A tooth must usually be reduced in size to accommodate a crown. A cast is made of the existing tooth and an impression is made. The impression is sent to a special lab, which manufactures a custom-designed crown. In some cases, a temporary crown is applied until the permanent crown is ready. Permanent crowns are cemented in place.



Veneers

In just two or three dental visits, a veneer can reverse years of stains caused by foods, caffeine and tobacco use. Special thin laminates, called veneers, can also be used to correct discolored, worn down, cracked and chipped teeth. Veneers can also be used to close unsightly gaps between teeth. Stronger types of veneers made of porcelain, also called composite veneers, typically last longer because they are bonded to the tooth.

An impression of the tooth must be made and a veneer molded by a lab technician. Because veneers require a small amount of enamel to be removed, they are permanent and non-reversible.

The process involves buffing the tooth, removing an extremely thin layer of the tooth to allow for the thickness of the veneer, an impression of the tooth, and final bonding of the veneer to the tooth with special cement. A special light is used to complete the process.