General Dentistry Solutions for Your Family

In Virginia Beach, VA, Dr. Santos, Dr. Folck and the rest of the Smile By Design team provides general dentistry services for you and your family. We offer comfortable, comprehensive dental care to patients of all ages! General dentistry covers a wide range of procedures, from x-rays to wax molds for replacement teeth. We offer these and a multitude of other general dentistry services to get your smile bright and beautiful.

What Does General Dentistry Include?

General dentistry is a vast topic with a lot of working parts. It involves the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of a wide variety of conditions, disorders and diseases affecting the teeth, gums and maxillofacial (jaw and face) area of the body. It’s considered preventative dentistry, and the American Dental Association recommends that you receive a checkup at least once every six months to ensure proper oral hygiene and functionality. It’s common sense: regular checkups and oral health maintenance prevent the development of serious dental problems that can require expensive treatment.

In terms of treatments, these are a few common general dentistry services:

·        Fillings – teeth are filled with a variety of materials ranging from gold, amalgam, mercury, porcelain and composite resin.

·        Crowns – artificial teeth or “caps” which can be fitted over broken or damaged teeth.

·        Bridge – contains an artificial tooth or “pontic” which is anchored to a couple of crowns.

·        Root canal treatment – performed when the tissue or “pulp” within a tooth becomes infected.

·        Dentures – basically a set of false teeth.

·        Dental cleaning – takes the form of a “scale and polish” or advice on brushing and flossing.

·        Bonding – a procedure in which a type of resin is used as a “glue” to stick a material, such as a veneer, to a tooth.

·        Oral and Maxillofacial treatments – technical term used to describe procedures for the mouth, face and jaw.

We’ll work with you to create a beautiful smile using these and other services that we offer.

Schedule an Appointment

We strive to provide quality, comfortable family dentistry for all of your loved ones. If you are ready to achieve the smile you have always wanted, give us a call and make an appointment at our Virginia Beach, VA office. We are happy to extend our fantastic dental services to our neighbors in Lynnwood, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Salem, Chesapeake and beyond.

Get Rid of Tooth Pain for Good with Root Canal Therapy in Virginia Beach, VA

If you suffer from toothaches on a regular basis, you understand how much it can interfere with your daily activities. It can be difficult to concentrate at work, and you may avoid eating certain foods or drinking cold beverages. Tooth pain doesn’t have to rule your life; the doctors at Smile by Design in Virginia Beach, VA can help you find lasting toothache relief with gentle root canal therapy. Dr. Vinita Folck and Dr. Stephanie Santos offer a complete menu of general and restorative dentistry treatments, including endodontic therapy.

How Do I Know if I Need a Root Canal Treatment?

The most common symptom associated with an infected root canal is sensitivity to cold temperatures and pain when pressure is applied to the tooth. Other signs that you may need root canal treatment include a pimple that forms on the gums, darkening of the affected tooth, and tenderness in the jaw. Fortunately, the team at Smile by Design is here to help. We will clear the tooth of all infection, fill the resultant cavity with a biocompatible material, and cap the tooth with a beautiful custom crown. You’ll be free of pain and free to smile with comfort once again.

It is important to remember that some infections deep within teeth do not cause any noticeable symptoms until the decay is quite advanced. This is yet another reason that routine checkups at your local Virginia Beach, VA dentist are so vital to lifelong oral health and beautiful, attractive smiles.

Experience Truly Gentle Root Canal Therapy

Root canal treatment may have developed a bad reputation over the years, but the truth is that this procedure is no more uncomfortable than a simple filling. Our team will make sure that you are completely comfortable before, during, and after your procedure, offering sedation dentistry for patients who need a little help relaxing at the dentist. Contact us today to schedule your visit with Dr. Folck and Dr. Santos at Smile by Design in Virginia Beach, VA. We can help you find lasting relief from toothache pain as we ensure your continued oral health for years to come. Our state-of-the-art dental practice proudly serves families from Sandbridge, Fort Story, Norfolk, Portsmouth, and beyond.

Don’t Let Toothache Pain Ruin Your Holidays: Get Root Canal Therapy at Smile By Design Today

With all of the cooking, shopping, decorating, and traveling you have to do this holiday season, the last thing you’ll want to deal with is a toothache. Pain and soreness from a toothache can be so intense; it can literally render you helpless. That’s why it’s so important to see a dentist to get a sore or sensitive tooth treated, before the pain and discomfort have a chance to ruin your holidays. Make an appointment with the gentle and caring dentists at Smile By Design today. Dr. Santos and Dr. Folck can get you immediate pain and sensitivity relief with root canal therapy. Smile By Design provides root canal therapy to patients throughout Virginia Beach, VA, Norfolk, Sandbridge, Portsmouth, Fort Story, and nearby communities.

What Happens During Root Canal Therapy?

·         The dentist will complete the anesthesia, so all pain is blocked

·         The infected tooth will be isolated with a rubber dam

·         An access whole will be drilled into the core of the tooth

·         The root canal will be cleaned out and shaped

·         The dentist will fill the root canal with gutta-percha and use a dental sealer to cover the whole

·         A temporary or permanent crown will be placed

Will Root Canal Therapy Hurt?

No. The compassionate and gentle dentists at Smile By Design take every precaution to ensure that you are completely calm and comfortable during the entire procedure. They will also insure that the infected tooth and surrounding tissues are completely numbed before beginning the root canal therapy. Besides, the intense pain of a toothache far exceeds any sensitivity you might experience during a standard root canal therapy procedure.

Root Canal Therapy Appointments in Virginia Beach, VA

If you are muddling through toothaches, you’ve already waited too long to see a dentist. Not only can Smile By Design relive your pain, the root canal therapy they provide can also save your natural tooth from falling out, or needing to be extracted. To protect your teeth and your sanity this holiday season, make an appointment with the experienced restorative dentists at Smile By Design today. Dr. Santos and Dr. Folck can complete your root canal therapy quickly and efficiently. Smile By Design is conveniently located in Virginia Beach, VA with comprehensive dental services to patients throughout Norfolk, Sandbridge, Portsmouth, Fort Story, and surrounding areas.

Virginia Beach Root Canal Therapy

Our teeth are made up of three layers. On the outside is a protective layer called enamel. Beneath that is a sensitive layer of dentin. At the very center of a tooth is the nerve, which is composed of a pulpy material.

A serious toothache can be a sign that there’s something wrong with this innermost layer. Sometimes a toothache like this is caused by a deep cavity, and sometimes it’s the result of an injury. If you’re experiencing a severe toothache, you may have an infection that needs to be treated with a root canal from our Virginia Beach office.

• Other signs include:
• Sensitivity to hot and cold temperatures
• Swollen or tender gums
• Recurring pimple around your gums
• Pain when you chew

With a root canal, Dr. Santos and Dr. Folck can help by removing the infected pulp from your tooth, filling the center with an inert substance, and cap the tooth with a crown. Removing the infection will save your smile and offer relief from your uncomfortable symptoms. It will also mean saving the root underneath. Why is that important? Because your jaw relies on your tooth roots to stay healthy and strong throughout your life.

Do you have questions about root canal therapy? Are you struggling with a severe toothache? Let Dr. Santos and Dr. Folck talk to you about your smile. With an oral health assessment our Virginia Beach team can help you understand what kind of care you need. Dr. Folck and Dr. Santos offer root canal therapy to patients from Virginia Beach, Fort Story, Sandbridge, and surrounding areas.

Root Canal Therapy for Virginia Beach and Beyond

If you’re experiencing sensitivity or pain because of decay, damage, or an injury, you may benefit from a root canal. During a root canal, Dr. Folck and Dr. Santos will remove your tooth’s infected nerve and replace it with a safe substance before capping it with a protective crown. This treatment will relieve your painful symptoms, restore your oral health, and prevent the need for a tooth extraction.

But despite the changes made to your tooth, you won’t have to worry about your smile’s functionality changing. In fact, root canals are designed to preserve them. A root canal only removes your tooth’s nerve; it doesn’t remove your tooth root, which is essential for anchoring your tooth to your jaw. Tooth roots also promote bone growth in the jaw so that it stays healthy throughout the years.

Conversely, when you lose a tooth root, your jawbone begins to shrink, potentially throwing your smile out of alignment and leading to the loss of other teeth. A root canal will help you prevent this by treating infection before extraction becomes necessary.

What are the signs that you might need a root canal? Consider these:

• Sensitivity to hot or cold foods and beverages
• Pain when biting or chewing
• Sensitivity to pressure
• Pain that keeps you awake at night
• Pimple-like sore on the gums
• Pain in head, neck, or shoulders
• Swelling

Do these symptoms sound familiar? Call Smile by Design today to reserve a consultation appointment with our Virginia Beach