Services

Depending on the procedure and individual pain tolerance, Dr. Liu can administer anesthesia several ways such as through local numbing cream, injection, or nitrous oxide (laughing gas). All treatment rooms are equipped with nitrous oxide, a safe and effective odorless gas that helps patients feel calm during the procedure.

Invisalign is a popular procedure to correct crooked, gap, and crowded teeth that utilizes a thin clear aligner or tray to minimize the appearance of braces. They can be more convenient than traditional braces since there is no fear or broken wiring and they can be removed for easier cleaning.

If you’re a good candidate for Invisalign, Dr. Liu will take an impression of your teeth for the laboratory to create the Invisalign retainers. During the first fitting, you may feel discomfort or pressure around the teeth and gums which can be lessened with over-the-counter pain medications. You will continue to have follow ups with each new Invisalign retainer until the desired outcomes are produced. Every treatment plan varies so it’s important to check in every few weeks to monitor progress towards the goal. Invisalign retainers should be worn 22 hours a day and can be removed at night to have the maximum effect.

Other forms of braces are recommended for more serious cases. Dr. Liu will provide a consultation to determine which procedure is the safest and most cost effective for you.

While do-it-yourself options like Smile Direct Club have been popular, they do not always guarantee successful outcomes. Without full understanding of your dental history, these services cannot give you an assessment of your tooth and gum health or understand the impact to pre-existing dental work to determine whether this procedure is right for you. There is no physical support to see a dentist if you feel discomfort or have issues along the way. The onus is entirely on the patient to take pictures, send in their own impressions, and contact the company without direct clinical input. Patients should evaluate all options rather than opting for convenience to ensure that they are not inadvertently wasting their time and money or damaging their oral health.

A bridge is used where there are one or more missing teeth due to tooth decay, gum disease, injury, or other causes. It can be made out of crowns or false teeth to fill in the gap. Without the bridge, the teeth around the empty area can shift and create pain or issues in your mouth and jaw when chewing or biting.

During the procedure, Dr. Liu will reshape the teeth to make room for the crown and take impressions so the laboratory can construct the crowns and false teeth. A temporary bridge will protect the exposed area until a permanent bridge can be fitted and installed. During that time, the patient should avoid chewing on that side.

Bridges will last depending on the “wear-and-tear” and your oral hygiene habits. It’s important to eat a balanced diet, get regular cleanings, and continue brushing and flossing to maintain the strength of the surrounding teeth.

When a tooth is broken, decayed or severely worn down, a crown may need to be cemented on top of the tooth to restore its original shape. An X-ray is needed to inspect the tooth and the bone around it. The tooth will be filed down to create a surface for the crown to sit on. After reshaping the tooth, a putty material is applied to the area to take an impression. This is sent to a laboratory so that a crown can be made. During that time, a temporary crown will be used to cover the tooth and the patient should avoid chewing on that side until the permanent crown can be installed.

Crowns will last depending on the “wear-and-tear” and your oral hygiene habits. It’s important to avoid biting on hard surfaces, get regular cleanings, and continue brushing and flossing to avoid gum disease in the underlying tooth.

We perform routine dental exams including cleaning, tartar removal, and X-rays if needed. During this 30 minute appointment, we do a thorough cleaning and polishing of your teeth and gums, and look for any signs of cavities, tooth decay, and other abnormalities. This check-up is your best way to catch issues before they arise and maintain your oral health. We recommend a full dental exam every 6 months.

In certain cases, removable partial or full dentures are needed to fill in the spaces of your lost natural teeth. They are custom fitted to your gums to ensure your smile and oral functionality are maintained. Dentures are made once impressions of the mouth are sent to the laboratory. Dr. Liu will work together with the lab technician to build and fit the dentures until it looks great and does not impact your bite.

After the dentures are fitted initially, the gums can feel sore. Keep the dentures on at night until you’re fully adjusted. Avoid eating hard or sticky foods until the mouth has gotten used to the denture. You may also experience increased saliva which will reduce overtime. If it is causing discomfort, you will need to return to the office for an adjustment.

It’s important to properly clean your dentures in cold water or cleaner with a soft toothbrush to reduce infections. Remove them at night to give your gums and tissue time to relax.

Extractions can occur for various reasons including tooth decay, fractured teeth, gum disease, crowding, and injury. Before the tooth is extracted, Dr. Liu does a thorough exam and X-ray to ensure that it needs to be removed. If it is a simple extraction, he will apply local anesthesia to the area, loosen the tooth, and remove it. The procedure is painless but there will be pressure applied to the area. Sometimes a small cut in the gum may be needed to remove the bone around the tooth before it can be extracted. Extraction style and technique will vary depending on the needs of the tooth.

Extractions are done expertly to ensure the patient is comfortable during and after the process. After the extraction, apply ice to reduce the swelling, take painkillers and antibiotics as prescribed, and avoid chewing on the impacted side and hard foods in general. Watch out for signs of infection including swelling, pus, or fever. Otherwise, the area should start to recover in a few days and you can resume normal habits.

Fillings are used to repair cracked or broken teeth from wear and tear. During this 30 minute procedure, Dr. Liu will apply local anesthesia around the impacted area, remove the decay, and fill the cavity with a color matched composite. After the material hardens, he ensures that the patient does not experience any unevenness in their bite by smoothing the surface of the tooth. The result is a natural looking mouth returned to normal function without pain.

The process of full mouth restoration requires a full makeover which can include multiple procedures like crowns, implants, dentures, bridges, etc. You need to trust a highly skilled dentist who can perform these procedures with the right expertise and in the right order so that the final product comes together perfectly in beauty and function. Unlike other practices which require multiple dentists to perform each procedure, Dr. Liu is able to provide full end-to-end care that is uniquely tailored to your needs. This helps you save time and money so you do not have to navigate between multiple providers. We work with you to maintain the highest quality, satisfaction, and accountability in the final outcome.

Implants are another way to replace lost teeth due to disease, injury, or decay. The implant is made of a crown (the exterior fake tooth), an implant body that extends into the gums, and a screw attaching the crown to the implant body. Dr. Liu will evaluate if you have adequate bone to secure the implant, otherwise a bone graft may also be needed which will provide a solid base for the implant to attach to.

The process for an implant includes several stages such as X-rays and evaluation, removal of the damaged tooth, a bone graft (if needed), installing the implant, waiting for bone growth, and eventually attaching the tooth onto the implant. Afterwards, there can be swelling, bleeding, or pain. Over-the-counter medications, antibiotics, and eating soft foods will help the healing process. Even after healing, it’s important to avoid hard foods, get regular cleanings, and continue brushing and flossing to maintain its benefits.

Root canals are performed when the inside of the tooth, known as the pulp, is infected by tooth decay or cracks in the tooth. If untreated, it can be extremely painful for patients to chew and can cause sensitivity and swollen or decaying gums. This complicated procedure can be tricky and if not done correctly, can cause more severe symptoms. Dr. Liu has done hundreds of these root canals and ensures that the procedure is seamless and painless.

Root canals can typically take an hour to perform. It starts with applying local anesthesia to the site. Once the tooth is numb, Dr. Liu will create a small opening to expose the infected pulp and clean out all the canals of your teeth. When the area is disinfected, Dr. Liu will seal the tooth with a temporary filling. During this time, you can take over-the-counter pain medications like Tylenol or Advil, and avoid chewing on that side. You will come back for a follow-up appointment in a few days to take X-rays and confirm that the infection is gone. The temporary filling will be replaced with a permanent filling so that you can resume chewing on the restored tooth.

Veneers can be done to reduce the appearance of yellowing, broken, or uneven teeth for candidates with enough enamel on the tooth’s surface. The process begins with a consultation and X-rays. Then Dr. Liu will reshape the tooth surface and take an impression. The impression will be sent to the laboratory to make the veneer(s) and temporary veneers will be installed in the meantime. Once the veneer(s) come back from the lab, they will be adjusted and bonded to the teeth. Dr. Liu will test your bite and make any adjustments as necessary. The result is a natural looking and smooth appearance.

To maintain your veneers, avoid stain-causing foods and beverages like coffee, tea, or red wine. It’s important to avoid hard foods, get regular cleanings, and continue brushing and flossing to maintain its benefits.