At Dental Associates of Lancaster, we offer a comprehensive range of dental services to help you achieve a healthy, beautiful smile. Our experienced team of dentists and hygienists provide personalized care and use the latest techniques and equipment to ensure optimal results. From routine oral examinations and cleanings to more complex treatments such as veneers, crowns, root canals, and dental implants, we are dedicated to providing the highest quality care. We also offer teeth bleaching services to help brighten your smile and removable dental prostheses and fillings to restore missing or damaged teeth. Contact us today to schedule an appointment and experience the exceptional care of Dental Associates of Lancaster.
INITIAL ORAL EXAMINATION
from Dental Associates of Lancaster
Your first visit at our office is very important in establishing your oral health baseline. Dr. Decker, Dr. Johnson, or Dr. Wilkinson will perform a complete oral examination which includes an oral cancer screening, periodontal evaluation, an analysis of your occlusion (bite) and a thorough examination of your teeth, their supporting structures and of the oral anatomy.
Cleanings and Periodontal Treatment
All patients should have a standard cleaning at least twice a year. A child should have a prophy and fluoride treatment twice a year. A cleaning on an adult might include an adult prophy (basic cleaning), and/or a periodontal scaling and root planning.
Veneers
Gaps, chips, stains, or misshapen teeth can now be treated with wonderful results and very conservatively using porcelain veneers. Veneers are natural in appearance, and are a perfect alternative for patients wanting to make minor adjustments to the look and feel of their smile. Veneers are thin, custom-made shells made from tooth-colored materials (such as porcelain) designed to cover the front side of your teeth.
Crowns
The terms dental crowns and caps are synonymous. Crowns 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 an aesthetic use, and are applied when a discolored or stained tooth needs to be restored to its natural appearance.

Crowns are fabricated in a laboratory and are made either of porcelain baked onto a metal substrate, all-porcelain, or many of the new ceramic materials that have been developed.
Fillings: Resin & Various Material Options
Traditional dental restoratives, or fillings, include gold, porcelain, and composite. The strength and durability of traditional dental materials make them useful for situations where restored teeth must withstand extreme forces that result from chewing, such as in the back of the mouth.

Newer dental fillings include ceramic and plastic compounds that mimic the appearance of natural teeth. These compounds, often called composite resins, are usually used on the front teeth where a natural appearance is important, but they can also be used on the back teeth depending on the location and extent of the tooth decay.
Root Canals
Root canal therapy is needed when the nerve of a tooth is affected by decay or infection. This simple treatment can save your natural teeth and prevent the need of dental implants or bridges. Symptoms of the infection are generally acute dental pain or sensitivity to hot, cold or percussion.  If you experience any of these symptoms, Dr. Decker, Dr. Johnson, or Dr. Wilkinson will most likely recommend root canal therapy to eliminate the diseased pulp. This injured pulp is removed and the root canal system is thoroughly cleaned and sealed. This therapy usually involves local anesthesia and may be completed in one or more visits depending on the treatment required. Success for this type of treatment occurs in about 90% of cases.
Removable Dental Prostheses
A bridge may be used to replace missing teeth, help maintain the shape of your face, and alleviate stress on your bite. A bridge replaces missing teeth with artificial teeth, looks great, and literally bridges the gap where one or more teeth may have been. Your bridge can be made from gold, alloys, porcelain, or a combination of these materials and is bonded onto surrounding teeth for support. There are two basic types of bridges.  A fixed bridge is a cemented bridge which remains in your mouth at all times and is supported by your natural teeth.  Removable bridges (partials and full dentures) are removed from the mouth several times a day for cleaning and rest on the gum where the missing teeth are being replaced.