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Preventative Dentistry
Dental Exams and Check Ups
Hygiene Services
Sealants
Cosmetic Dental Fillings
Hygiene Services
Cosmetic Dental Fillings
Dental Exams and Check Ups
Sealants
Wisdom Teeth Removal
Night Guard - Bruxism
BOTOX Therapy and TMJ Treatment
Intravenous High-Dose Vitamin C
Wisdom Teeth Removal
Intravenous High-Dose Vitamin C
Night Guard - Bruxism
BOTOX Therapy and TMJ Treatment

DENTAL EXAM & CHECK-UPS

Precise Diagnostics and Planning

A comprehensive dental exam will be performed by our team at the initial dental appointment. At regular check-up exams, we will include the following:

  • Examination of diagnostic x-rays (radiographs): Essential for detecting decay, tumors, cysts, and bone loss. X-rays also help determine tooth and root positions.
  • Oral cancer screening: Check the face, neck, lips, tongue, throat, tissues, and gums for any signs of oral cancer.
  • Gum disease evaluation: Examine the gums and bone around the teeth for any signs of periodontal disease.
  • Examination of tooth decay: All tooth surfaces will be checked for decay with special dental instruments.
  • Examination of existing restorations: Check current fillings, crowns, and other restorative work you have done to determine whether it is in good repair or requires replacement.
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HYGIENE SERVICES

The cleaning appointment will include a dental exam and the following:

  • Removal of calculus (tartar): Calculus is a hardened plaque left on the tooth for some time and is now firmly attached to the tooth surface. Calculus forms above and below the gum line and can only be removed with special dental instruments.
  • Removal of plaque: Plaque is a sticky, almost invisible film on the teeth. It is a growing colony of living bacteria, food debris, and saliva. The bacteria produce toxins (poisons) that inflame the gums. This inflammation is the start of periodontal disease.
  • Teeth polishing: Use unique polishing materials to remove stains and plaque not otherwise removed during tooth brushing and scaling.
  • Topical fluoride strengthens the teeth by seeping into the outer surface of the tooth enamel, making the teeth more resistant to decay. Dentists generally recommend having a professional application of fluoride twice a year during dental check-ups.
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Periodontal disease 

The dentist diagnoses it during a periodontal examination. This type of exam should always be part of the regular dental check-up. A periodontal probe (small dental instrument) is gently used to measure the sulcus (pocket or space) between the tooth and the gums. As periodontal disease progresses, the pockets usually get deeper.

Periodontitis

Plaque hardens into calculus (tartar). As calculus and plaque build up, the gums recede from the teeth. Deeper pockets form between the gums and teeth and fill with bacteria and pus. The gums become very irritated, inflamed, and bleed easily. Slight to moderate bone loss may be present.

Advanced Periodontitis

The teeth lose more support as the gums, bone, and periodontal ligament continues to be destroyed. Unless treated, the affected teeth will become very loose and lost. Generalized moderate to severe bone loss may be present.

Periodontal treatment methods depend upon the type and severity of the disease. Special periodontal cleaning called scaling, and root planing (deep cleaning) will be recommended. This procedure helps gum tissue to heal and pockets to shrink. 

Gingivitis is the first stage of periodontal disease. Plaque and its toxin by-products irritate the gums, making them tender, inflamed, and likely to bleed.

SEALANTS

The sealant acts as a protective shield once it is bonded into the grooves and depressions of the tooth. More than 75% of dental decay begins in these deep grooves. The sealant guards the tooth, closes deep grooves, prevents decay, and establishes an even surface.

Reasons for Sealants:

  • Children and teenagers: As soon as the six-year molars (the first permanent back teeth) appear or any time throughout the cavity prone years of 6-16.
  • Adults: Tooth surfaces without decay that have deep grooves or depressions.
  • Baby teeth: Occasionally done if teeth have deep grooves or depressions and the child is cavity prone.
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What do Sealants involve?

The dentist easily applies sealants, and the process takes only a couple of minutes per tooth. Proper home care, a balanced diet, and regular dental visits will aid in the life of the new sealants.

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COSMETIC DENTAL FILLINGS

A composite (tooth-colored) dental filling is used to repair teeth with minor fractures or decay, providing the aesthetics and function of the teeth. Composite fillings are made with a mixture of quartz or glass, which creates a solid and aesthetically-pleasing filling. Cosmetic Composites are resin materials that can be reshaped and cured with a special light matching your natural color.

Advantages of composites:

  • Aesthetics: the shade/color of the composite fillings can be closely matched to the color of existing teeth.
  • Bonding to tooth structure: composite fillings micro-mechanically bond to tooth structure, providing further support.
  • Versatility: in addition to using as a filling material for decay, composite fillings can also be used to repair chipped, broken, or worn teeth.
  • Tooth-sparing preparation: sometimes, less tooth structure needs to be removed than amalgam fillings when removing decay and preparing for the filling.

Recommended when:

  • Chipped teeth
  • Cracked or broken teeth
  • Decayed teeth
  • Worn teeth
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WISDOM TEETH REMOVAL

Third molars, also known as wisdom teeth, typically appear between 17 to 25. Adults often have four wisdom teeth.

 

Studies conducted by the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons found that an estimated 85% of wisdom teeth will eventually need to be removed.

Why dentists recommend removing wisdom teeth:

  • Impacted wisdom teeth may cause damage to nearby teeth, which could lead to tooth decay, gum disease, and bone loss.
  • Impacted wisdom teeth can, in rare cases, cause cysts and tumors in the surrounding areas.
  • Infections may occur due to trapped bacteria and food under the gum tissue.
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NIGHT GUARD – Bruxism



Bruxism (Grinding)

Occasional teeth grinding, medically called bruxism, can be developed by patient’s stress and anxiety, but when teeth grinding occurs regularly, the teeth can be damaged, and other oral health complications can arise as fractured teeth, damaged on the pulp (nerve), and even the loss of a tooth due to a fracture on the root.

Mouth guards

If you grind your teeth while asleep, it may help to wear a mouth guard at night.

Mouthguards even out the pressure across your jaw and create a physical barrier between your upper and lower teeth to protect them from further damage. They can also reduce any grinding noises you make at night.

Treating and preventing dental problems

At Happy in Costa Rica, we recommend you to have regular dental check-ups so that any problems caused by your teeth grinding can be treated as soon as possible to prevent further damage.

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TMJ & BOTOX THERAPY

Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and muscle disorder (TMD)

TMD is also sometimes known as TJM. The temporomandibular joints are the hinge joints on each side of your jaw. The temporo-mandibular joint (TMJ) is used during talking, eating, swallowing, and other everyday activities.

Causes of TMD include:

  • pain from the muscles that control jaw movement
  • injury to the jaw joint
  • excess stimulation of the jaw joint
  • arthritis of the protective disc that cushions the jaw joint

Damage to the jaw joint or the muscles that control your jaw movement can be caused by several factors, including:

  • grinding your teeth at night
  • involuntarily clenching your jaw due to stress and anxiety
  • trauma to the jaw joint, such as getting hit in the face while playing sports

Botulinum Toxin Treatment for Jaw Tension and TMJ

Botulinum Toxin is used as an alternative treatment for TMJ (temporo-mandibular joint) disorders and associated jaw tension and pain. When injected into facial muscles afflicted with soreness and discomfort, Botulinum Toxin relieves TMJ and jaw tension for many patients. The injections often eliminate headaches resulting from teeth grinding, and, in cases of severe stress, Botulinum Toxin can even minimize lockjaw. Although BOTOX® treatment for these conditions is presently experimental, evidence indicates that it can be highly effective.

 

The Botulinum Toxin alternative treatment for TMJ disorders and jaw tension is usually quick, straightforward, and effective. A non-surgical procedure, Botulinum Toxin injections are administered in a doctor’s office, and treatment requires no hospital stay. Most patients experience noticeable improvement within one or two days of their first treatment, although relief can take up to a week.

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INTRAVENOUS HIGH-DOSE VITAMIN C


Natural Therapy - Vitamin C

Vitamin C is an antioxidant and helps prevent damage to cells caused by free radicals. It also works with enzymes to play a vital role in making collagen. Intravenous Vitamin C (IV-C) is a technique that allows the delivery of large amounts of vitamin C and other nutrients to the body without causing any gastric upset.

 

By incorporating an IV immune booster prior to dental surgery, the patient can experience the procedure and come out of it more vital rather than stressed.

 

The IV nutritional therapy infusions that include high dosage pharmaceutical grade Vitamin C have been found helpful for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Lyme Disease, chronic infections, Hepatitis, and Cancer.

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“We are dedicated to comprehensive oral health care.”