Healthy Dentistry
at Keely N. Lawson, DDS our entire Lancaster dentistry team is dedicated to providing the most thorough healthy dentistry available in the most comfortable environment possible.
We take even the most routine dental examination very seriously. When patients come to our Lancaster-area practice for their twice-yearly check-up, they receive a thorough examination, including X-rays, oral cancer screening, and periodontal (gum) inspection at no additional charge. Once Dr. Lawson has fully inspected the patient’s teeth, gums, and jaw, one of our caring and knowledgeable dental hygienists will perform a thorough cleaning.
From preventive care and cleanings to the latest in restorative procedures, we offer excellent personal dental services. Treating each patient with respect and integrity, we provide a friendly environment along with years of experience in quality dental services.
Both morning and afternoon appointment times are available to meet your needs, and most insurance is accepted.
“Periodontal” or gum disease is very common. Studies show that 8 out of 10 adults have some form of it which is why former Surgeon General, David Satcher, called it “the silent epidemic.”
It’s very important that your gums are healthy because if they are not, this health problem can affect to other parts of your body harmfully including your heart! People with gum disease are 60% more likely to die from a heart attack. More and more doctors and scientists are discovering that many bad health problems are related to bacteria in the mouth.DiseaseOver recent years, researchers have linked oral bacteria to many forms of systemic disease. Among them,
• Heart Disease
• Type 2 Diabetes
• Respiratory Disease
• Strokes and Blood Clots
• Premature babies
• Low Birth Weight
• Inflammation
The evidence indicates that the mouth is a key path for the spread of pathogenic bacteria to other parts of your body.
For example, the bacteria associated with Alzheimer’s Disease have been isolated in tiny spaces between the teeth and gum (called periodontal pockets). From there, these harmful bacteria can spread along the nerve pathway from the teeth to the brain tissue. When these bacteria are introduced into brain cultures, a substance called beta amyloid is formed, which is a cause of Alzheimer’s Disease! Yikes!
The solution is to vigorously maintain preventative care.
Twice-daily brushings and regular flossing are excellent for maintenance between office visits, but a healthy mouth and beautiful smile require routine preventive care to stay that way. Our practice offers preventive care that includes regular oral examinations and cleanings, fluoride, and periodontal (gum disease) treatments designed to help you maintain your smile’s health and beauty. Keep your teeth and gums strong and disease-free. Contact our office today to schedule a cleaning or consultation.
In dentistry, a “composite” is a tooth-colored resin used to repair teeth or fill cavities. This is a big improvement over silver-colored filings. Not only do they look better, but the composite material is chemically bonded to the tooth. In the old days, metal filings were held in place by drilling a hole that was bigger at the bottom than at the top, like the inside of a bottle, so the silver filing wouldn’t come out. Since composites are bonded to the surface of the tooth at a molecular level, the hole can be much smaller which preserves the integrity of tooth structure. This becomes very important as you age so that you can retain your natural teeth much longer into your senior years.
On the downside, when applied to the outside of a tooth, composites can sometimes chip. Or if you have your teeth whitened at a later point in time, the composite may need to be replaced to better match your new tooth color. When properly matched, a tooth repaired with modern composite material looks identical to a normal healthy tooth.
Any problem with a composite can be quickly, easily and painlessly restored here at our practice. We provide expert composite restoration. Come in for a consultation today.
Root canal therapy is a method of saving a tooth that has become infected or inflamed down inside. In the old days, there was no way of saving such a tooth. The common remedy was simple extraction. But times have changed and modern root canal therapy is as stress-free and painless as getting a routine filling.
Properly done, a tooth treated with root canal therapy should last as long as a normal tooth. The success rate for root canal therapy is 95%!
Each of our teeth contains a long, thin strand of dental pulp that extends down to the tooth’s root. If the pulp becomes infected or injured, the tooth’s nerves die and often, without treatment, the tooth can die as well. Root canals are designed to save such damaged teeth.
If the tooth requiring root canal therapy had a large filling or extensive decay, it may be necessary to cap it with a crown to prevent the tooth from breaking.
Treating a toothache
If the decay reaches into a tooth’s nerve tissue or pulp, the bacteria can begin to multiply within the pulp chamber. The bacteria and other decayed debris can lead to a painful “abscess” or a pocket of infection that forms at the end of a tooth’s roots. This is the cause of a toothache.
At Keely N. Lawson DDS, root canal treatment can preserve efficient pain-free chewing, normal bite force and the appearance of your natural smile. You will still be able to eat the foods you like.
To learn more about root canal therapy, please contact our office today.
It is wise to save your natural teeth. However, that’s not always possible. Tooth extractions are sometimes necessary when a tooth has decayed so much that there is not enough of it left to salvage with root canal therapy. Extractions are also necessary when a person has too many teeth in their mouth or not enough space as in the case of teenagers needing their wisdom teeth extracted.
To restore chewing function and prevent adjacent teeth from shifting, an extracted tooth is normally replaced by a bridge, implant, or removable partial dentures.
At the Keely N. Lawson dental practice, we consider extractions a last resort but if truly necessary, we make the procedure as easy and pain-free for you as possible.
Dentures are an excellent option for people who have lost all their teeth. A denture is a removable frame or form-fitting plate containing artificial teeth designed to replace missing teeth as well as the surrounding gums and underlying bone.
Designed and molded to fit your mouth, they allow for comfortable chewing and keep the mouth and its surrounding facial features in proper alignment.
Partial or removable dentures and bridges fill gaps left by missing teeth and are held in place with metal clasps or precision devices that are attached to natural teeth. Usually made of resin or metal, partial dentures allow more comfortable and effective chewing, improve speech, and prevent sagging of the cheeks and lips.
If you are considering having your teeth replaced by a set of dentures, we used to recommend against it since past denture technology resulted in approximately 90% less chewing power than natural teeth. Our philosophy was to help patients keep their natural teeth as long as possible, especially lower teeth since a lower set of dentures were much harder to keep in place than the uppers. Even if you can retain one or two teeth in the lower jaw, this will help to keep a set of dentures in place.
We offer both full and partial dentures to our patients in Lancaster and the surrounding areas. To learn if full or partial dentures may be right for you, please contact us today.
Dental implants can be thought of as artificial roots onto which prosthetic teeth can be placed. A dental implant replaces the root of a missing tooth and is made from surgical-grade titanium alloy capped by an artificial tooth, matched to look like one of your own natural teeth.
Dental implants enable a person to eat their favorite foods with restored chewing ability, and can improve appearance, speech, and self-esteem.
Dr. Lawson can restore dental implants to match the natural color, size and shape of your adjoining teeth. By taking into account tooth color and size as well as other features, we ensure that your dental implant restoration is realistic looking. To find out more about implants and restorations, please contact us today.