General Dentistry
Michael A Izzo DDS PC is your one stop location for almost every dental need.
30+ years of experience means we've seen it all and we're confident we can help you with any dental issues you are experiencing.
To help you understand your options, we’ve included descriptions of some of our leading services on this page.
General Dentistry Services We Offer
Dental Crowns
Partial Dentures
Cosmetic Fillings
Implant Restoration
Veneers
Root Canal Therapy
Extractions
Scaling and Root Planing
Dentures
Jaw Pain/TMJ
Invisalign
Snore guard
Mouthguard for sports
Bite splints for grinding
Dental Crowns
A dental crown or “cap” is a covering that fits over a damaged, decayed or unattractive tooth. It can even replace a tooth entirely as part of dental bridgework. A dental crown completely covers a tooth above the gum line.
This is in contrast to a dental veneer, which only covers a tooth's front surface and needs natural tooth structure to support it. Therefore, if a tooth is missing a significant amount of structure above the gum line, a crown would be the restoration of choice.
Dental crowns strengthen damaged teeth, allowing them to function normally again. When crafted from today's high-tech porcelains (dental ceramics), crowns are virtually indistinguishable from natural teeth. They can even be designed to improve upon a tooth's original appearance.
There are other materials besides porcelain that we can use to make dental crowns, depending on what qualities are most important. For durability, cast gold can't be beat. However, this is not always the most aesthetic choice — especially towards the front of the mouth. Other possibilities include porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns (PFM), which have a metal interior for strength and a porcelain exterior for a more natural appearance, and all-porcelain crowns with zirconia, representing the strongest ceramic. We would be happy to discuss the pros and cons of these various options with you.
Partial Dentures
Partial dentures are a fantastic solution for patients who may be missing multiple back teeth. There are many benefits to partial dentures for back teeth, ranging from the comparably low cost to superior comfort and improved oral health. With partial dentures for your back teeth, you will be able to eat, drink, talk and smile without reservation. Partial dentures are removable, remain firmly in place while in use and will look just like your other teeth so you can smile in confidence. We’ve had patients report back that partial dentures help improve their speech and appearance - ask today whether a partial denture may work for you!
Fillings (Cosmetic Options available)
A cavity is a pit in your tooth where decay has started to form, eating away your actual tooth structure. Cavities gradually dissolve the hard enamel that covers your teeth and protects the softer, more sensitive interior of your teeth. Most of the time, a cavity will not hurt until it has extended down into that more sensitive layer of your tooth, and by that time, you may need a more expensive restoration, such as a crown or a root canal. Left unfilled, a cavity can work its way into your tooth's interior and ultimately destroy it.
Should the need for a filling be diagnosed, your dentist will remove the decayed area of the tooth with a small drill. The tooth is numbed so you do not feel this. There are several options for the filling material available, some of which match the color of your tooth and are less noticeable. The material chosen after a discussion between you and your dentist is placed into the prepared area of that tooth and then adjusted to restore the tooth to its proper form and function. Your dentist will check for cavities at every preventive visit and can help you choose which type of restoration is right for you.
Veneers
Dental veneers are a possible solution to help you achieve the look you desire. They are a popular choice for those with chipped teeth, a gap between teeth, or misshaped teeth. Dental veneers are thin covers that adhere to teeth to give teeth a more classically shaped look. If you want to improve your smile, dental veneers are a simple option. Veneers are thin coverings that are placed over the front (visible) part of the tooth. They look like natural teeth. Veneers can be used to correct a wide range of dental issues, such as: teeth that are stained and can’t be whitened by bleaching, chipped or worn teeth, crooked or misshapen teeth, uneven spaces or a large gap between the upper front teeth. Veneers are made of either porcelain or composite resin material. Your dentist will help you choose the material that is best for you. Each type of veneer has its own benefits.
Root Canal Therapy
Root canal treatment, also called endodontics, is a set of specialized procedures designed to treat problems of the soft pulp (nerve) tissue inside the tooth. While some mistakenly think of it as an unusually painful treatment, in most cases the procedure is no more uncomfortable than getting a filling. It's actually one of the most effective ways of relieving some kinds of tooth pain.
A root canal procedure becomes necessary when infection or inflammation develops in the pulp tissue of the tooth. Pulp tissue consists of blood vessels, connective tissue and nerve cells, which explains why a problem here may cause you to feel intense pain. In time, the pain may go away... at least temporarily. Without treatment, however, the infection won't. It can lead to a dental abscess, and may even contribute to systemic problems in other parts of the body.
Please don’t leave dental pain untreated - the cure is much easier than the pain, we promise!
Extractions
Dental extractions are sometimes necessary in adulthood and cannot be avoided. There are many reasons why you would need a dental extraction, including tooth decay, damage, or serious injury. The dentist will simply pull the tooth to ensure that it doesn’t cause damage to the other teeth or gums. Since gums have a natural repairing quality, dentists suggest dental extractions to be safe and feasible. However, not all dental extractions result from damage or untreated infections. It is common for patients to have their wisdom teeth extract to prevent overcrowding or pain if the wisdom tooth doesn’t erupt properly. Wisdom teeth are located at the back of your mouth and serve no meaningful purpose so it is a better option to extract them to prevent damage to the functional teeth. As we grow up, the chances of crowded teeth increase. If you have all four wisdom teeth, there is a chance that your mouth gets crowded and the other teeth start overlapping one another. This may eventually cause problems in chewing and biting and also lead to a crooked smile. Dental extractions can also prepare the mouth for orthodontic treatment.
Scaling and Root Planing
When a patient is diagnosed with periodontal disease, the first stage of treatment is usually a procedure called scaling and root planing. This is a thorough cleaning with an important purpose: to remove dental plaque and tartar that cause inflammation and disease. Scaling and root planing can be used as a stand-alone treatment or a preventative measure, and is commonly performed on cases of gingivitis and moderate to severe periodontal disease.
Scaling
When scaling is performed, calculus and plaque attached to the tooth surfaces is removed. The process especially targets the area below the gum line along the roots of the teeth. Scaling is performed with a special dental tool which is called an ultrasonic scaler. This tool usually includes an irrigation process used to deliver an antimicrobial agent (chemical agent or mouth rinse) below the gums, helping to reduce oral bacteria.
Root Planing
Root Planing
This is done in order to remove cementum and surface dentin embedded with unwanted microorganisms, toxins, and tartar. The roots of the teeth are actually smoothed, which promotes healing and also helps prevent bacteria from colonizing in the future.
Dentures
If you’ve lost all of your natural teeth, whether from gum disease, tooth decay or injury, complete dentures can replace your missing teeth and your smile. Replacing missing teeth will benefit your appearance and your health. Without support from the denture, facial muscles sag, making a person look older. You’ll also find it harder to eat and speak things that people often take for granted until their natural teeth are lost. There are various types of complete dentures. A conventional full denture is made and placed in the patient’s mouth after the remaining teeth are removed and tissues have healed which may take several months.
An immediate complete denture is inserted as soon as the remaining teeth are removed. The dentist takes measurements and makes models of the patients jaws during a preliminary visit. With immediate dentures, the denture wearer does not have to be without teeth during the healing period. Even if you wear full dentures, you still must take good care of your mouth. Brush your gums, tongue and palate every morning with a soft-bristled brush before you insert your dentures to stimulate circulation in your tissues and help remove plaque.
Jaw Pain/TMJ
Your dentist will discuss your symptoms and examine your jaw. He or she will probably:
- Listen to and feel your jaw when you open and close your mouth
- Observe the range of motion in your jaw
- Press on areas around your jaw to identify sites of pain or discomfort
If your dentist suspects a problem, you may need:
- Dental X-rays to examine your teeth and jaw
- CT scan to provide detailed images of the bones involved in the joint
- MRI to reveal problems with the joint's disk or surrounding soft tissue
In some cases, the symptoms of TMJ disorders may go away without treatment. If your symptoms persist, your doctor may recommend a variety of treatment options, often more than one to be done at the same time.
Some therapies for TMJ disorders include:
- Oral Splints or Mouth Guards (occlusal appliances). Often, people with jaw pain will benefit from wearing a soft or firm device inserted over their teeth, but the reasons why these devices are beneficial are not well-understood.
- Physical Therapy. Along with exercises to stretch and strengthen jaw muscles, treatments might include ultrasound, moist heat and ice.
- Counseling. Education and counseling can help you understand the factors and behaviors that may aggravate your pain, so you can avoid them. Examples include teeth clenching or grinding, leaning on your chin, or biting fingernails.
Invisalign
Traditional braces are necessary when a dental patient has major cosmetic issues, like a severe overbite or major crowding. But if a patient has a few minor tooth imperfections, like a slightly crooked smile, small gaps or teeth that have moved out of position, Invisalign braces may be an option. Invisalign Braces, although they're often called braces, is actually an orthodontic system that uses a set of clear plastic trays to align the teeth into a better position. The trays are designed to fit over each individual patient's teeth, so they must be custom-designed. This system was first introduced to the world in the late 1990s and is now helping millions of dental patients across the world achieve their ideal smiles.
Invisalign trays work by forming a new model for the patient’s teeth to adjust to over time. With each tray change, the teeth continue to move. The trays are created by an advanced technology that can map out how to adjust the teeth into a more attractive and healthy position. After taking impressions, this computer technology shapes and forms each tray in the treatment plan. Many patients have their ideal smile in under a year. Another benefit is that the patient can often wear Invisalign braces without them being noticed. And while traditional metal braces can’t be removed, trays can be taken off when needed for eating and important meetings.
HOURS
Monday 9 am- 7 pm
Tuesday 9 am - 5 pm
Wednesday Closed
Thursday 10 am - 6 pm
Friday 9 am - 3 pm
Closed on Saturday and Sunday
CONTACT US
Address: 1310 Warwick Lincoln Park, MI 48146
Phone: (313) 386-7660
Fax: (313) 386-8980
Email: info@drmikeizzo.com