Scaling and Root Planing

At our practice, we actively strive to help our patients maintain optimal oral health and retain their original teeth. By offering scaling and root planing to treat early gum disease, Dr. Eric Meyer can restore the health of your gums and save your smile.

Gum disease occurs when plaque and tartar are allowed to buildup on your teeth, creating a suitable environment for bacteria to thrive. As bacteria collect in your mouth, they will attack your teeth and surrounding gums. In its earliest stages, gum disease is called gingivitis, but if it is left untreated, it will become a more serious periodontal disease that destroys your gum tissue and leads to tooth loss. If it is not treated, the disease can even cause a loss of bone mass in your jaw.

Scaling and root planing is one of the most effective ways to treat gum disease before it develops into more serious periodontal disease. The procedure allows the dentist to clean between your gums and teeth all the way down to the roots in order to smooth the root structure and remove the tartar that is causing your inflammation.

The procedure is incredibly effective and can stop the progression of gum disease before it irreversibly damages your teeth. If you’ve been diagnosed with gum disease or you have red, swollen or bleeding gums, schedule an appointment with our office in Fullerton, CA by calling 714-252-7414. For more information, visit www.FullertonDental.com.

Electric Handpieces

While you might not think to ask what type of tools your dentist is using, the type and quality of tool matters, and at our practice, Dr. Eric M. Meyer uses electric handpieces for quality dental care in Fullerton, CA.

There are basically two types of handpieces used in dentistry: air-driven and electric. Electric tools, which are what we use, are much stronger than air-driven ones because a motor is used to spin the bur, not air. With a stronger force created, Dr. Meyer can removed decay more quickly and cut down on the amount of time needed for a procedure. Often used to prepare teeth for restorative procedures, electric handpieces offer many benefits.

Whether you are getting a filling, crown, bridge or inlay/onlay, we are dedicated to providing the best dental care possible with state-of-the-art tools. By using the best equipment in all his dental procedures, the dentist ensures that all his patients are comfortable and their oral health is well cared for.

While you may not know the difference between dental tools, you will be able to feel the difference that top-of-the-line tools afford Dr. Meyer.

To schedule an appointment with our office, call 714-879-7943. For more information, visit www.FullertonDental.com.

Teeth Extractions

Teeth are extracted for a variety of reasons, including decay, infection and impaction. If decay reaches too deeply into the tooth or if an infection has damaged too much of the supporting bone or tissue, teeth may need to be removed. Teeth are also extracted if there is not enough room in the mouth. When teeth are impacted, it can cause damage to the roots of nearby teeth, so they are removed before damage is done. At our office, Dr. Chris Meyer can help you with tooth extractions in Fullerton, CA.

Before the procedure is performed, a local anesthetic is used to numb the area around the extraction site. During a simple extraction, the tooth is loosened with an elevator and then extracted with forceps. Once removed, the dentist may choose to smooth and contour the underlying bone. Then the gums are sutured.

After the extraction, it is critical to keep the area clean to prevent infection. A dry, sterile gauze will be placed over the gums to limit bleeding. You must make sure to keep it in place for 30 to 45 minutes while the blood clots. During the 24 hours after the procedure, you should not smoke, rinse your mouth vigorously or clean the teeth immediately adjacent to the extraction site. Strenuous activity, hot liquids and straw drinking should also be avoided. A certain amount of pain and discomfort accompanies an extraction, and a painkiller may be prescribed.

If you are suffering pain from decay, infection or impaction, Dr. Chris Meyer can determine if a tooth extraction is required to save your smile. Schedule an appointment by calling 714.879.7943. For more information, visit www.FullertonDental.com.

Sedation Dentistry

If the idea of going to the dentist for a procedure brings on feelings of fear or anxiety, there are options available to make it easier for you. Between 5 percent and 8 percent of Americans avoid going to the dentist due to dental phobia, but you shouldn’t let your oral health suffer because of fear. At our office, we offer a safe environment, where we are able to comfort patients through various sedation methods.

We can sedate patients through oral Nitrous Oxide, intravenous sedation, anxiolysis and oral conscious sedation. None of these methods will put you in an unconscious state, just a deep state of relaxation during your treatment. Sedation is mainly used when a patient has a high level of anxiety or dental phobia, not necessarily because of pain.

The most common sedation method utilized throughout the dental industry is Nitrous Oxide (N2O). N2O works very rapidly, reaching the brain within 20 seconds. Dr. Eric Meyer will place a small mask over your nose and ask you to breathe normally. Within a few short minutes, you will begin to feel the effects. N2O wears off quickly and there is no “hangover” effect. IV administration is also becoming a popular tool for dentists. IV sedation is administered through the veins, which allows for quicker effects and less recovery time.

The final method utilized by our office is known as oral conscious sedation. It is as simple as taking an aspirin, you will not be “knocked out”, but you will feel more relaxed. Because some patients have trouble with needles and gas, Dr. Meyers provides them with an oral sedative, such as valium. This is utilized for patients with mild to moderate anxiety as it is not as powerful as other sedation methods.

To set up an appointment, call 714.879.7943. For more information, visitwww.FullertonDental.com.

Inlays and Onlays

Inlays and onlays are two procedures that use the tooth structure as a base for restoration. Often called partial crowns, both inlays and onlays strengthen the tooth while restoring its shape and working to prevent further damage. At our office in Fullerton, CA, we use these procedures to repair teeth when decay is too extensive to support a filling but not extensive enough to use a crown.

When there is no damage to the cusps of a tooth, Dr. Eric Meyer uses an inlay for restoration, bonding it right on top of the tooth. Made of porcelain, inlays are both strong and natural-looking, providing an attractive solution to repairing your tooth. Onlays are used when damage is a little more extensive and are used to repair part of the cusp of the tooth.

Inlays and onlays can be created at a lab out of porcelain, gold or composite resin. Fabrication normally takes between two to three weeks, and during that time, you will be provided with temporary restorations while you wait. Once they are ready, they will be cemented in place.

To ensure that your teeth get the best dental care available, schedule an appointment with our office by calling 714.879.7943. For more information, visit www.FullertonDental.com.

Panorex

At the office of Dr. Eric Meyer, we use panoramic digital radiography to provide high-quality care to our patients in Fullerton and the surrounding area.

Panorex is an X-ray machine that is capable of capturing more of the mouth structure than a traditional, dental X-ray and can, therefore, identify many issues. To take the X-ray, you will sit in a chair with your chin on a small ledge. Once positioned, the machine will rotate 360 degrees around your head, capturing X-rays of your teeth, head, sinuses and bone, which allows Dr. Meyer to see any potential problems and ensure that everything is functioning properly. The panorex can also view specific types of structural problems, including infections or asymmetry.

In addition to clearer and more comprehensive images, the panorex and other digital X-rays also produce up to 90 percent less radiation than traditional dental X-rays. This is because the digital sensor is much more sensitive to radiation than film, so less is needed to form an accurate image. While traditional X-rays are considered safe by professionals, those who receive X-rays frequently or who are concerned about radiation will feel more comfortable with digital radiography.

With Dr. Eric Meyer, you know that you will receive the best dental care available with state-of-the-art technology in Fullerton. Panoramic, digital X-rays are only one way that we act with our patients’ best interest in mind. Schedule an appointment by calling 714.879.7943. For more information, visit www.FullertonDental.com.

What is Rotary Endodontics?

If you’ve had a root canal to save an infected tooth, it probably didn’t occur to you to ask what types of tools your dentist used. However, if your dentist used the old, manual file for removing the infection, the procedure may have been more nerve racking than if rotary endodontics technology was used. That’s why Dr. Eric Meyer uses these tools in our office in Fullerton.

Providing a smoother, more comfortable experience during root canals, rotary endodontics technology allows Dr. Meyer to remove the infected pulp in the inner root canal more quickly, more smoothly and with less chance of complications. These electric instruments prove superior to the traditional, stainless steel files. They are made of nickel titanium, which is much more flexible than stainless steel, so it can be inserted into the curved root canal without damaging the passageway.

In addition, the tools are much quieter, without the grinding noise that other tools produce, which can help with your nerves during the procedure. This is why both the doctor and patients prefer this technology. While the manual method works adequately at saving teeth during root canals, rotary endodontics tools are much less scary and are easier to use.

We prefer to use this technology at our office in Fullerton, CA because we always put our patients’ first and the tools are smoother, quicker and more consistent than the traditional method. To schedule an appointment, call 714-879-7943. For more information about our practice, our services and our technology, visit www.FullertonDental.com.