Renewing oral health following dental damage or decay can be a challenge, but at Lake Forest Smiles, we are dedicated to offering comprehensive dental care in one convenient location. Even complex procedures such as dental implant supported tooth replacement are completed in our practice. We partner with Dr. Michelle Zmick, a prominate periodontist in Lake Forest, to provide advanced periodontal therapies, and we work with local specialists to provide patients the safest and most effective wisdom tooth extractions and root canal therapies. For most other restorative services, Drs. David Schmidt and Tracey Hughes are proud to provide patients the highest quality care. Contact our team to find out more.
SAME-DAY DENTAL CROWNS
Traditionally, repairing damaged teeth required two appointments in our office. One to prepare teeth and design a restoration that would be crafted in a dental lab, and then another visit to place the custom restoration. Today, we utilize computer-assisted design and manufacture technology to complete the entire restoration process in just one visit. Our sophisticated technology crafts restorations of the same quality as traditional lab methods, only without having to make two visits to our Lake Forest cosmetic dental office. Now there’s no need to schedule multiple appointments or place and remove a temporary. Simply come into our office with a damaged tooth and leave the same day with a flawless smile.
LEARN MORE ABOUT ONCE-VISIT RESTORATIONS
Traditional Crowns & Bridges
Traditional dental crowns allow our team to repair even the most severe tooth decay or damage by covering the remaining dental structure with a specially crafted dental crown to restore the shape and strength of damaged teeth. Dental crowns can also be paired with implant posts or attached to surrounding healthy teeth to replace one to three consecutive missing teeth. Traditionally, patients should plan to visit our office at least two times to complete treatment one to prepare the damaged tooth and a second visit to place a restoration. We also offer same-day restorations using the E4D system. This technology employs a digital impression system that scans the tooth being treated, and your bite so that you can avoid those goopy impressions of the past.
TOOTH-COLORED FILLINGS
Composite fillings are an advanced, aesthetically pleasing method of treating tooth decay. Worn or broken teeth may also be repaired with fillings. The shade of these fillings is matched to the color of teeth to create a more natural appearance than is possible with metal fillings. In addition, composite fillings are stronger than their metal counterparts, bonding to the chemical structure of the tooth for support. These fillings improve the durability and health of teeth that have partially decayed. For this reason, composite fillings have emerged as an advanced alternative to metal restorations. Besides being undetectable, our fillings can be trimmed and polished to match the shape and texture of your teeth perfectly. Whether you have a newly developed cavity that needs treatment, or you would like to explore the option of replacing an old silver filling, ask Drs. David Schmidt and Tracey Hughes about our metal-free fillings.
PARTIAL & FULL DENTURES
Partial and full dentures are the ideal solution for significant tooth loss. Partial dentures, or simply partials, allow our team to replace any number of consecutive and nonconsecutive teeth by attaching prosthetic teeth to a gum-colored base. Partials fill the gaps in patients’ smiles and attach to remaining healthy teeth using metallic clasps. Full dentures are crafted by connecting a row of replacement teeth to a base that is molded to fit against the gum line held in place through natural suction. We also offer implant dentures, which provide more stability for full dentures. Implant dentures are secure, they won’t slip or fall out, and you can eat what you want with worrying that your false teeth will shift out of place.
TEETH EXTRACTIONS
For some simple tooth extractions, Drs. David Schmidt and Tracey Hughes are happy to offer fast, comfortable removal in the comfort of our Lake Forest dental practice. We work hard to help patients maintain their natural teeth for a lifetime, but in some cases, extraction is the best way to protect patients’ overall oral health.
Some situations in which we recommend tooth removal include:
- Decay that destroys too much of the healthy tooth to support a restoration
- Preparation for orthodontic correction may mean one or more teeth may need to be extracted
- Before creating and placing a partial or full dentures, one or more teeth may need to be extracted
- Removing third molars (wisdom teeth)
OROFACIAL MYOFUNCTIONAL THERAPY
Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy is a comprehensive treatment for all Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders (OMDs). OMDs involve behaviors and patterns created by inappropriate muscle function and incorrect habits involving tongue, lips, jaw, and face. This may include mouth breathing, open mouth posture, tongue thrust, prolonged thumb sucking or pacifier usage, and reverse swallowing. In some cases, myofunctional therapy may help with TMJ disorder or sleep apnea.
Tongue thrust is the most common variation of OMD. During the act of swallowing, rest posture and incorrect position of the tongue may contribute to improper orofacial development and spacing or crowding of the teeth, which results in an unfavorable profile, weak chin, and jetted teeth. An orofacial variation relating to the lips is an open mouth, lips apart posture. This is often referred to as lip incompetence and can distract from a pleasing facial appearance and contribute to gum disease and tooth decay.
Poor oral posture also may be an indicator of sleep apnea, a serious sleep-breathing disorder that causes the airway to restrict air while sleeping. A certified myofunctional therapist in Lake Forest can design a specific program for patients needing to correct OMDs. The simple tongue and mouth exercises are similar to a form of physical therapy that retrains your tongue and lips to move and rest properly. When started early, myofunctional therapy may help decrease the chance that your child needs braces later on, or shorten the length of time they receive orthodontic treatment.
HOW DO I KNOW IF I NEED RESTORATIVE DENTISTRY?
Restorative dentistry repairs damaged or decayed teeth, either with dental crowns, bridges, fillings, or to replace missing teeth. While some of these needs may be obvious when you look at your teeth, you might not know if you have tooth decay or a cracked tooth unless the dentist checks it out. This is one reason why routine dental checkups are necessary. During these visits, the dentist assesses your oral health and dental x-rays to check for any changes in your teeth. Ignoring a dental problem, such as a cavity, only gets worse and eventually requires extensive treatment to fix. Drs. David Schmidt and Tracey Hughes recommend treating dental concerns when they first arise, instead of ignoring the problem.
WHAT TO EXPECT DURING FIRST VISIT
Once you book our first appointment, you will be asked to complete new patient paperwork. To make your first visit a breeze, we have conveniently placed these new patient forms online. Current patients can update their patient record through our secure login as well. Be sure to bring your dental insurance card with you to your appointment. Our billing specialist will be happy to submit claims to your provider for payment.
If you have dental records from a previous practice, you may request that those be sent to our office or bring them with you at the time of your appointment.
A dental checkup begins with meeting the dentist and getting to know you a little bit. We may ask you questions about your oral health, health history, and anything you might want to address concerning your teeth. Dental x-rays usually are recommended for new patients, as these images establish a baseline of your oral health, and are recommended once a year after that. We encourage you to ask us any questions that you have regarding your oral health or treatment options.
Should the dentist identify any immediate dental concerns, we will either treat you the same day or reschedule you for a later visit. We also recommend that you schedule a dental cleaning if you haven’t had one within the past six months. Most dental insurance plans cover a portion or all of the cost of a cleaning, and the benefits are well worth it.
PAYING FOR YOUR DENTAL CARE
At Lake Forest Smiles, we believe that a beautiful, healthy smile should be attainable for everyone. Finances should not get in the way of achieving your smile goals. We accept dental insurance, cash, check, major credit cards, and offer special financing that allows you to pay for your treatment upfront and then make low monthly payments, usually interest-free. Please speak with our billing specialist if you would like to explore different payment options.
HOW TO GET STARTED
Sometimes, the hardest part of getting started on your dental health journey is taking the first step. Drs. David Schmidt and Tracey Hughes invite you for a consultation in which we can evaluate your smile and work with you on achieving the smile of your dreams. To get started, contact our office by calling (847) 234-4800. Our practice is conveniently located at 825 S. Waukegan Road in Lake Forest. Drs. David Schmidt and Tracey Hughes have been providing elite dental care to the communities of Lake Forest, Lake Bluff, and Lincolnshire for more than 30 years. We welcome you to our practice.