- Dental Examination
- X-rays
- Oral Cancer Screening
- Teeth Cleaning
- Fluoride Treatment
- Fillings
- VeneersVeneers are used on patients who would like to change the aesthetics of their teeth. A veneer is essentially a cover for your natural tooth. In order to make temporary veneers while yours is being fabricated, Dr. H will take initial impression. Then he will minimally reduce the size of your tooth before another impression is taken for the lab. You and the Dr. will choose a shade to match your existing teeth, correct minor malalignment of teeth or lighten the appearance. Once the lab is done making the veneer, Dr. H will permanently cement it in place. After it is adhered, maintenance is minimal. It is similar to your natural tooth as far as your hygiene routine.
- CrownsThe process involved in making a crown starts with impressions. Dr. H will then reduce the tooth size and create margins in which the crown will seat and seal on. After this is completed, another impression is taken. You and the Dr. will select the tooth shade that best matches your mouth. The impression and shade is then sent to the lab for fabrication.
- Bridges
- Root Canal TreatmentRoot canals are typically performed when a patient has a lot of discomfort that lingers, a dead tooth, or high sensitivity to hot/cold. When performing a root canal, the doctor is removing the infected pulp or “canals” with a series of different sized files. The Dr. will open access to the pulp chamber in order to start the proceedure. Typically the anterior teeth have 1 canal, bicuspids have 1-2 canals, and posterior molars have 3-4 canals. After the Dr. finds the working length of the canals, he will dry them out with paper points. Once the canals are dried he will place a medicated cement paste, followed by gutta-percha points, which are a hard thermoplastic resin. The gutta-percha is what replaces the roots of the teeth. An interesting fact about gutta-percha is that is it made from the coagulated latex of some Malaysian trees and is also used in golf balls. After the gutta-percha is placed, the Dr. will use a hot instrument to cut off the excess and condense it in place. An x-ray will be taken to verify that the gutta-percha has reached the apex of the tooth. If it is, then the Dr. will fill the hole with cavit. A material that will harden over time and keep the area closed until your next visit when you will reconstruct the tooth for a crown.
- Deep CleaningDeep cleaning: Also known as scaling and root planing, which may take up to 4 sessions. During a deep cleaning, Dr. Hernandez will get your gums numb with a anesthetic called Oraquix. In our office, we no longer give anesthetic shots for deep cleaning unless absolutely necessary- it is all topical numbing. The same steps as above will be performed after that, except the Dr. will go deeper under your gums. He will also measures your pocket depth before your deep cleaning.
- DenturesDentures are typically recommended for patients who are missing all their teeth. The different types of dentures are immediate and non-immediate. Immediate is when you extract all of the the remaining teeth and deliver the denture at the same time. Non-immediate is when you extract all of the teeth, allow the patient to heal, and then take impressions for denture fabrication. Most patients opt for immediate due to esthetics, but Dr. H recommends for the patient to fully heal to ensure a better fit.
- Dental ImplantsDr. Albert J. Hernandez graduated from the University Of Southern California School Of Dentistry in 1985. Prior to studying at Dental School, he attended the University of California at Irvine and has been practicing for over 35 years. He has been at his current location since 1996. Since he began practicing dentistry, Dr. Hernandez is continuously advancing his knowledge with the latest courses in cosmetic and implant dentistry. Dr. Hernandez continues to attend educational courses in dentistry, ensuring that his patients receive the most comprehensive and advanced dental care.
- Oral Surgery
- Invisalign OrthodonticsStop by for Dr. Hernandez to take study model impressions and go over any other questions you may have. See if you are an Invisalign candidate today!
- BracesFor patients who have just finished Invisalign or braces, they will need to wear a retainer to keep their teeth from shifting out of place. As you get older your teeth start to shift as well. To prevent your teeth from shifting any further, some elderly patients wear retainers as well.
- Teeth WhiteningWho doesn’t want a brighter smile? When is comes to teeth whitening, there are many in-house and in-office options, but they are not to be abused. Brightening your smile can lead to sensitive teeth, therefore you do not want to overuse it. For the best and safest results, we recommend getting it done by your dentist. Here at Hernandez’s we can make you bleaching trays and teach you how to properly apply it. The product used has various concentrations of hydrogen peroxide and carbide peroxide, which brightens your enamel from the outside.
- Cosmetic Dentistry
- General Dentistry