Patient Services

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General Dentistry Services

Balboa Victory Dental wants you to have a beautiful and healthy smile. Most people who are unhappy with the appearance of their teeth do not realize the numerous ways general and cosmetic dentistry can heal a smile. Cosmetic dentistry can correct crooked teeth, spaces between your teeth, stained or discolored teeth, chipped teeth, broken or missing teeth and having a “gummy” smile. Dr. Menalagha creates a customized treatment plan for you, based on your age, goals and where you are financial comfortable level.

TEETH WHITENING

You may be quite happy with the size and alignment of your teeth. However, time has dulled or yellowed their surface. Balboa Victory Dental offers several tooth whitening programs, including at-home treatments and professional treatments in the office. A brilliant smile may be as close as a single treatment away and is an affordable method of enhancing your entire appearance.

PORCELAIN BRIDGES

When teeth are missing, your smile undergoes significant changes. Missing teeth cause you to chew differently, may cause mouth pain, and, as your remaining teeth work to compensate for the loss, gaps and spaces form that only make the situation worse. A porcelain bridge, custom designed by Dr. Menalagha, keeps your smile aligned and your bite functional. Bridges are anchored to existing teeth or crowns on either side of the missing tooth. They are semi-permanent dental implants, meaning they can only be affixed or removed by a dentist and are a long-term restorative solution to your damaged smile.

PORCELAIN CROWNS

You can erase years of wear and tear with porcelain crowns. Sometimes called “caps,” porcelain crowns are customized for you, effectively covering broken, cracked or discolored teeth. Crowns are a durable, strong, long-lasting method of enhancing both the look and functionality of your smile. After some preparation of the tooth or teeth that will receive the crown(s), your dentist will position a custom milled, lifelike porcelain crown over your damaged tooth, restoring and rejuvenating your oral health.

TOOTH-COLORED FILLINGS

When the decay has been taken out of the tooth, it is replaced with “filling” material. In the past, amalgam (silver) fillings were placed into the cleaned out portion of the tooth. With advancements in dentistry, our dentist can now easily install tooth-colored fillings instead of silver fillings resulting in a brighter, whiter smile.

BONDING

Bonding refers to the placement of tooth-colored resin to correct chipped and broken teeth, discolored teeth and in some cases, space between teeth. Bonding is generally considered more conservative than veneers or other cosmetic dentistry. The benefits of bonding include the ability to maintain the natural structure of the tooth and the ability to color and sculpt the resin to create natural looking teeth. Like a natural tooth, the resin may stain with the regular consumption of coffee or other staining foods.

DENTURES

It is important to address missing teeth for several reasons, both mental and physical. For instance, your ability to speak correctly and to chew the foods you love goes a long way in ensuring your self-confidence. Keeping your natural tooth function helps prevent the breakdown of the bone and other supportive structures of your jaw.

A natural smile and a perfect fit are our dentist’s primary goals for your dentures. A proper fitting set of dentures is very important, as a good fit ensures that your dentures will allow you to retain much of your teeth’s function. Your custom-fit dentures from Balboa Victory Dental will keep you looking and feeling healthy and will help you maintain a natural lifestyle.

PARTIAL DENTURES

A partial denture will provide you with a natural-looking way to restore your smile to its original brilliance. You will be pleased with how your new partial denture restores the gaps in your smile due to your missing teeth that cannot be corrected by a bridge. Partial dentures are removable and made from a synthetic material supported by lightweight metal that mimics your gum tissue and teeth to give you a beautiful new smile. Our dentist will ensure that your partial denture will preserve your bone structure and the integrity of your remaining teeth by preventing them from shifting and tilting in towards the gaps created by your missing teeth.

CROWNS

Your teeth undergo a tremendous amount of wear and tear during your lifetime. Teeth may show this wear in a variety of ways, including discoloration, chipping and cracking. Crowns restore your teeth and your smile to look brilliant once again. Porcelain crowns can be made out of porcelain pressed to metal or are porcelain throughout and can be shaded to match your other teeth. Crowns made of precious metal are also an option. After some tooth preparation, crowns are specially fitted to give you back the look and functionality of your smile. If you have pain when chewing or temperature sensitivity, ask Dr. Menalagha if crowns are for you.

BRIDGES

When teeth are missing, your smile undergoes significant changes. Missing teeth cause you to chew differently, may cause mouth pain, and as your remaining teeth work to compensate for the loss, gaps and spaces form that only make the situation worse. A porcelain bridge, custom designed by your doctor at Balboa Victory, keeps your smile aligned and your bite functional. Bridges are anchored to existing teeth or crowns on either side of the missing tooth. They are semi-permanent, meaning they can only be affixed or removed by a dentist and are a long-term restorative solution to your damaged smile.

ORTHODONTICS

Orthodontics (using braces or Invisalign) is the term we use for straightening teeth to a more ideal position to look and function better. Invisalign uses a series of clear plastic trays to accomplish this movement, while traditional braces use metal wires and brackets to achieve the movement. Talk to our orthodontist to determine which approach is right for you.

TRADITIONAL BRACES

During initial consults, our professional orthodontist will examine the teeth and jaw to determine if you are a candidate for braces. Next, necessary radiographs (X-rays) and pictures of the teeth and jaw will be taken and a mold of your teeth will be made, which help our orthodontist in designing a plan of action.

In order to move teeth with traditional braces, metal brackets are affixed to the front of each tooth and a metal archwire is threaded through the brackets. This wire is progressively tightened, resulting in the teeth slowly being moved by force. As the teeth move, new bone is generated in the space formerly occupied by the tooth. Some patients may complain about some mild discomfort from metal brackets rubbing against the gums and lips. Dental wax can be placed over the brackets to alleviate this discomfort.

The amount of time it takes to achieve the desired results can vary greatly. The severity of the problems, and the amount of adjustment necessary, will largely determine how long braces must be worn. Typically, you will need to visit the dentist every 4 weeks to make these adjustments.

INVISALIGN™

During initial consultations, your orthodontist will examine the teeth and jaw to determine if you are a candidate for Invisalign. Next, necessary radiographs (X-rays) and pictures of the teeth and jaw. Your orthodontist will take a mold of the teeth and a plan of action will be developed. Using a computer-imaging program, we’re able to make a series of molds that will be used to progressively move your teeth to new positions.

Advantages of using Invisalign to straighten your teeth:

  • Invisible, so no one can tell you are straightening your teeth. So now you can smile more during treatment, as well as after.
  • Removable, so you can eat and drink what you want while in treatment, plus brushing and flossing are not a problem.
  • Comfortable, because it has no metal to cause mouth abrasions during treatment, additionally, you’ll spend less time in your doctor’s office getting adjustments.
  • Oral hygiene is improved.
  • Invisalign allows you to view your own virtual treatment plan when you start, so you can see how your straight teeth will look when your treatment is complete.
  • May reduce the risk of cavities and gum disease when compared to wire braces that trap food and plaque.
  • Visit dentist only 1x every 6 weeks.
  • Alignment is usually achieved faster than conventional braces.
  • No metal braces.
  • In most cases, the aligners are doing multiple tooth movements simultaneously. Commonly, in conventional bracketing, some movements get ignored until another movement is completed by the current mechanics.
  • Work is usually completed in 15 months, whereas conventional braces take an average of 2 years.

Invisalign disadvantages:

  • They are not designed to treat patients with mixed dentition, changing a bite and/or growing palates, and therefore are not appropriate for children.
  • All restorative work must be completed before or after the treatment.
  • Designed to treat patients with less complex orthodontic needs.
  • It is difficult to change this system after treatment has begun because this system is so exact.
  • The system is dependent on the patient wearing the retainers.
  • May temporarily affect your speech.
  • They are to be worn full time, day or night, except while eating and brushing or flossing.
  • Teeth may be sore with a slight ache from the pressure, especially for the first few days with each new aligner.
  • After the work is completed you may have to wear a retainer at night.
  • Strong need for patient compliance throughout treatment.

Endodontic Care

Balboa Victory Dental also specializes in endodontic care, also known as a root canal treatment. A root canal is one of the most common dental procedures performed every year.

At the center of your tooth is pulp. Pulp is a collection of blood vessels that helps to build the surrounding tooth. Infection of the pulp can be caused by trauma to the tooth, deep decay, cracks and chips, or repeated dental procedures. Symptoms of the infection can be identified as visible injury or swelling of the tooth, sensitivity to temperature or pain in the tooth and gums.

If pulp inflammation or infection is left untreated, it can cause pain to lead to an abscess. Root canal treatment usually involves local anesthesia and may be completed in one or more visits depending on the treatment required.

Our goal is to provide you with a greater understanding of the procedures involved in specialized and general dentistry, as well as offering distinguished care and treatment. We are committed to making every aspect of your treatment comfortable.