“Dedicated to Enhancing Your Smile with Exceptional Care and Expertise”.
“Dedicated to Enhancing Your Smile with Exceptional Care and Expertise”.
“Dedicated to Enhancing Your Smile with Exceptional Care and Expertise”.
“Dedicated to Enhancing Your Smile with Exceptional Care and Expertise”.
If you’re dealing with missing teeth, failing dental work, or full-mouth breakdown, the fastest relief is clarity.
Dental implants are a type of restoration designed to replace both the root and the crown of a missing tooth. They consist of an implant post, typically made of titanium or another biocompatible material, and an implant restoration. Implants are surgically placed into your jawbone to replace your tooth root. After the implant post is in place, our endodontist will work with you to create a custom restoration (usually a crown, bridge or denture) to be fixed atop the implant post and complete your treatment. Implants may replace a single tooth or be used in full-mouth tooth replacement.
An implant-supported denture is a denture that is anchored in your mouth by implants. There are typically at least four implant posts placed to secure the denture, though you may receive as many as eight depending on your individual needs. Implant-supported dentures may “snap on” or be permanently fixed in your mouth. This is a type of full-mouth tooth replacement.
In addition to restoring your smile and your ability to chew and speak normally, implants also promote better long-term oral health and function. When you lose a tooth, the supporting bone tissue begins to resorb and deteriorate, which affects the health and stability of the teeth in the surrounding area. Implants function just like your original tooth root, working to stimulate your supporting bone structure and keep it healthy so that your teeth remain stable in your mouth.
Before providing you with a dental implant, our endodontist will meet with you to thoroughly examine your mouth. During this appointment, we will discuss your medical and dental history and check to make sure that you have sufficient supporting bone structure for your implant. You may need to have a bone grafting procedure prior to your implant placement to ensure that your implant will have enough support and space to be successfully placed.
Dental implants are designed to last for a lifetime. You can keep your dental implant in good condition by practicing good oral hygiene at home and by visiting our office regularly for preventive care. Please remember that while the implant itself may remain firmly anchored in your mouth, you may need to replace the restoration at some point in the future if it breaks or wears out.
Dental implants are designed to last a lifetime. With proper care, your implants can last for many years. However, it is important to note that the success of dental implants depends on several factors, such as the health of your jawbone and the type of implant used.
Anyone who is missing a tooth is a candidate for implant dentistry. If you have a pre-existing dental condition, such as periodontal disease or tooth decay, or if you need to have a bone graft prior to having your implants placed, you will need to receive treatment for those issues before our endodontist can provide you with an implant.
You should care for your implant the same way that you would your natural teeth — with daily flossing, brushing at least twice each day, and visiting your dentist regularly to receive dental cleanings and other professional care.
No. Dental implants need to be placed carefully in order to ensure the best results. We recommend that you choose a dentist who has received training in implant placement. Some general dentists complete the required training to perform implant placements. Periodontists and oral surgeons also typically receive specialized training in implant dentistry.
Each patient is unique, and the number of appointments needed will vary depending on the number of teeth being replaced, your oral health and medical history, the health of your supporting bone tissue, and the techniques and materials used during your procedure. Some implant treatments can be completed in just a few appointments over the span of a couple of months, while others can take up to a year. Our endodontist will provide you with an estimated timeline for your treatment after your consultation.
The success of dental implants depends on your oral health and home care habits. If you are healthy and practice good oral hygiene, your dental implant will most likely be successful. General success rates for implants are about 90% to 95%.
Endodontics is one of the nine fields of dental specialty recognized by the American Dental Association®. It involves treatment of the pulp (tooth nerves) and other surrounding tissues of the tooth. This usually includes the removal of diseased, decayed or otherwise damaged tissue to save the tooth from extraction and prevent further damage from occurring.
When bacteria are introduced into the pulp of a tooth by tooth decay, periodontal disease, fractured or broken teeth, or other factors, it can cause infection and other damage. An endodontist is trained to remove the damaged pulp in order to save the tooth and help prevent further infection and inflammation so that the tooth can continue to function normally and without pain.
A root canal is a procedure performed when injury, infection or decay reach the inner tissues of the tooth. Our endodontist will clean out the infected pulp tissue within your tooth roots, sterilize the canals, then fill them with medicated material and seal the tooth to prevent future infection. While root canals have a reputation of being painful, advances in dentistry have made it possible to perform your treatment comfortably as well as effectively.
Not usually. Thanks to advances in treatment techniques and dental technology, most root canal treatments can be completed in one or two visits to our office.
By removing the inflamed and infected dental pulp from your tooth and carefully cleaning it, our endodontist can restore your tooth to full function. After you have received a root canal treatment, including having a crown or other restoration placed on top of the treated tooth, your tooth should function without discomfort for many years to come.
No. If your tooth is properly restored and you maintain good oral hygiene and visit the dentist regularly, your natural tooth can last for the rest of your life.
Not usually. If a dentist recommends a root canal, it is because they think that your tooth can be saved. Often the only alternative to a root canal is an extraction.
Tooth extractions are always the last resort. Our goal is always to help you preserve and protect your natural teeth, as keeping your teeth for as long as possible is important for proper eating and chewing functions and promotes good long-term oral health. There are a number of options available for replacing missing teeth, including dentures, implants and dental bridges, but these alternatives may be more expensive than saving your tooth with endodontic treatment.
There are a few common symptoms that may indicate if you need a root canal treatment. These include:
It may occasionally be necessary for a child to receive a root canal treatment if their dental pulp becomes infected or decayed. This treatment is known as a pulpotomy, or baby tooth root canal. There are several other conservative treatments that our endodontist may also recommend if your child needs endodontic care.
Root canal retreatment is the exact same procedure as your original root canal. This treatment may be necessary if bacteria and infection re-enters the tooth or if hidden canals inside the tooth were not treated initially. While we do everything possible to prevent the need for retreatment, it may sometimes become necessary to prevent an extraction.
Many people only visit the dentist when they have a noticeable problem. While they may think that they are saving money, the reality is that the treatments to repair and restore their teeth and smiles cost more money and time than it does to visit the dentist at regular intervals. Visiting the dental office regularly ensures that you receive preventive care to stop problems in the earliest stages of development and hopefully prevent them from developing in the first place. We can monitor your oral health and help you learn the best ways to care for your teeth so that they remain healthy. You should visit our office twice each year.
Brushing your teeth will clean the surfaces of your teeth but will not reach the areas between the teeth or below the gumline. Flossing ensures that plaque and bacteria are removed from your mouth before they can cause damage to your teeth.
You should brush at least twice each day. It is especially important that you brush your teeth before going to bed. Use an ADA-approved soft-bristled toothbrush and fluoridated toothpaste. You should floss daily. We also recommend that you use a mouth rinse. Contact our office if you have questions.
Dental X-rays are extremely safe. In fact, you are exposed to less radiation with dental X-rays than you are in your day-to-day life from the sun. Advances in dentistry continue to make dental X-rays safer through digital imaging technologies and higher-speed X-rays. Additionally, federal law requires that X-ray machines be checked for safety and accuracy every two years.
Please speak with our team. We take your fear seriously and will work with you to help you feel more comfortable in our office. There are many strategies that we can use to help reduce anxiety and fear. These include medications to numb treated areas, sedation dentistry, the use of lasers instead of drills in your treatment, and a variety of techniques to reduce anxiety and mind or body pain (guided imagery, deep breathing, biofeedback, acupuncture, etc.). There are also dentophobia clinics and support groups available.
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) recommends that children visit the dentist for the first time about six months after their first tooth erupts or no later than their first birthday. These appointments are designed to help your child become comfortable in the dental office and ensure that he or she is growing and developing correctly.
Babies actually begin to develop teeth in the second trimester of pregnancy (about 16 to 20 weeks.) Teeth typically begin to emerge between 6 and 10 months of age. You should begin flossing your child’s teeth as soon as they have two adjacent teeth.
Primary teeth are critical to maintaining good oral health and proper development. Your child’s primary teeth facilitate:
We cannot emphasize enough how important it is that you take good care of your child’s primary teeth. Please make an appointment with our team if you have questions.
Cosmetic dentistry is a dental field that focuses on improving the appearance of your teeth so that you can enjoy a more beautiful smile. It includes preventive care as well as restorative treatments. Some common cosmetic dental treatments include:
There are several options available to replace your missing tooth. When you visit our office, our endodontist will examine your mouth, discuss your oral health needs and smile goals with you, and review your treatment options. We will design a customized treatment plan to restore your tooth and your smile. Some of the tooth replacement options we may discuss include:
Orthodontics is a field of dental specialty that focuses on diagnosing, preventing and treating dental and facial irregularities, including misaligned teeth and jaws. An orthodontist is a dental specialist who has received two to three years of additional training following dental school in managing tooth movement and guiding facial development.
The American Association of Orthodontists® recommends that children receive their initial orthodontic screening by age 7. At this age, several permanent teeth have erupted and any developing problems will be easy to diagnose and treat.
No! While the majority of patients who receive orthodontic treatment are children or teenagers, more and more adults are seeking orthodontic treatment to improve their smiles and oral health. As long as your teeth and supporting structures are healthy, you can receive treatment.
Periodontal disease, also known as gum disease, is an oral condition that affects the gums and supporting structures in your mouth. It begins as a bacterial infection of the gums and gradually progresses until it destroys your gums and bone structure. The milder stage of periodontal disease is known as gingivitis, while the more severe form of the disease is known as periodontitis. You should be checked for periodontal disease each time you visit our endodontist.
Periodontal disease is caused by the harmful bacteria trapped in plaque. As plaque hardens into calculus (tartar), the disease becomes more established in your mouth. Gum attachments begin to separate from your teeth and create pockets that harbor these harmful bacteria. If gum disease is allowed to progress without treatment, the condition may become irreversible.
Symptoms of periodontal disease include:
Halitosis (bad breath) may be caused by any number of factors, including:
You can prevent bad breath by visiting our endodontist regularly, staying hydrated, practicing good oral hygiene, using mouth rinses and by not using tobacco products. If your halitosis persists, we recommend that you consult a physician to determine if your bad breath is caused by a medical condition and receive an appropriate treatment.
Angela Leung DDS PC – The Endodontics Implant Center
1131 Mission Road, South San Francisco, CA 94080
Phone: 415-681-2697
Hours: Monday–Friday 10:00 am – 6:00 pm (Saturday & Sunday closed)
If you’re dealing with missing teeth, failing dental work, or full-mouth breakdown, the fastest relief is clarity.