Panorex in Covington, WA

At Family Dental Care, we use panoramic digital radiography to provide high-quality care to our patients in Covington, WA and the surrounding areas. Panorex is an X-ray machine that is capable of capturing more of the mouth structure than a traditional, dental X-ray and can, therefore, identify many issues.

To take the X-ray you will sit in a chair with your chin on a small ledge. Once positioned, the machine will rotate 360 degrees around your head, capturing X-rays of your teeth, head, sinuses and bone, which allows Dr. K. Singh to see any potential problems and ensure that everything is functioning properly. The Panorex can also view specific types of structural problems, including infections or asymmetry.

In addition to clearer and more comprehensive images, the Panorex and other digital X-rays also produce up to 90 percent less radiation that traditional dental X-rays. This is because the digital sensor is much more sensitive to radiation than film so less is needed to form an accurate image. While traditional X-rays are considered safe by professionals, those who receive X-rays frequently or who are concerned about radiation will feel more comfortable with digital radiography.

To schedule an appointment with our office, call (253) 239-3699. For more information, visit www.singhcovingtondentalcare.com.   

Veneers at Family Dental Care

If you’re unhappy with the way your smile looks, you don’t have to live with it. Veneers are an effective method for reshaping and redesigning your smile in Covington, WA. Whether your teeth have gaps, persistent stains, cracks, chips or other issues, these thin, porcelain or ceramic shells can cover the existing tooth structure in your mouth to give you a smile you will be proud to show off.

Having veneers placed usually only takes two to three visits to our office. During the first visit, you will discuss the shape and look of the smile you want to accomplish with Dr. K. Singh. Then the dentist will prepare your teeth for the upcoming veneers.

Once the enamel has been prepared, an impression will be taken of your mouth so that the veneers can be fabricated to fit over your existing teeth. Once they are completed, the veneers are bonded to your teeth to create an attractive smile that both looks good and feels natural. With proper home care and the help of Dr. Singh, you can enjoy your new smile for 5 to 10 years before the veneers should be replaced. 

To schedule an appointment at Family Dental Care and see how we can transform your smile, call (253) 239-3699. For more information, please visitwww.singhcovingtondentalcare.com.    

Dental Bonding with Dr. K. Singh

Of all the cosmetic and restorative procedures we offer at our office in Covington, WA, bonding is one of the easiest and most affordable ways to enhance your smile. Called bonding because tooth-colored resin is bonded to your teeth, the procedure is used to repair teeth that are discolored, unevenly shaped or chipped. At our office we can even use bonding as an attractive alternative to amalgam fillings.

Bonding is achieved by applying incredibly strong resin to the tooth in need of restoration. The procedure can usually be accomplished in one visit and allows you to keep most of your tooth’s enamel, which makes bonding preferable to veneers in many cosmetic cases. Once the right color resin has been chosen for your smile, Dr. K. Singh will apply an adhesive gel to your tooth or teeth to help the resin adhere. The putty-like resin is then applied to your tooth and molded and smoothed until it is in the proper shape. After it is hardened with an LED light, Dr. Singh will trim and shape it even more and then polish it until shines like a tooth. Altogether, the procedure usually takes between 30 minutes to an hour for one tooth.

If you’re unhappy with your teeth but unwilling to go as far as veneers, bonding can be used to improve your smile quickly and effectively. To schedule an appointment with Family Dental Care, call us at (253) 239-3699. For more information, visit www.singhcovingtondentalcare.com.    

Wisdom Teeth Extractions in Covington, WA

Your third and final molars to emerge are your wisdom teeth, which usually come in when you are between 17 and 25 years old. While many people do not experience problems with these new teeth, many others find that theirs must be removed. If your mouth does not have enough room for these molars to come in, a wisdom tooth extraction is necessary, and at our office in Covington, WA, Dr. K. Singh can determine whether a wisdom tooth extraction is the best course of action for you.

Wisdom teeth are usually removed because they become impacted, which means that the tooth does not have enough room to come in straight through the gums and instead emerges at an angle. This can cause pain, damage to the jaw and a more crooked smile. Additionally, the site of impaction can become a bacterial hotspot since impacted wisdom teeth are hard to clean.

Wisdom teeth extractions can range from removing a single tooth to removing all four teeth at once. Dr. Singh will let you know what she thinks is best for you. For the procedure, he will use either a local anesthetic to numb the area or a general anesthetic to sedate you while the teeth are extracted. The tooth will then be accessed through an incision in the gums and wiggled until it is loose enough to be lifted out. If the tooth is too deeply embedded to be removed this way, it will be broken up into pieces before being removed.

Whether you are already feeling pain due to impacted wisdom teeth or have not yet felt them come in, we can determine if your wisdom teeth will cause problems for you. To schedule an appointment at Family Dental Care, call (253) 239-3699. For more information, visit www.singhcovingtondentalcare.com.

Dr. K. Singh and Intraoral Cameras

Dental technology has greatly improved the diagnosis of dental issues over the years, making early treatment of decay, infection and disease possible. With advancements such as intraoral cameras, dentists can view patients’ teeth more easily and more accurately. This helps them diagnose dental issues earlier and treat them with less invasive methods. At our office in Covington, WA, our patients’ oral health is important to us, so we use intraoral cameras and other top-of-the-line technology to keep them smiling.

The intraoral camera is an effective tool for viewing patients’ teeth and mouth from different angles, allowing Dr. K. Singh to see the mouth from a variety of angles—many of which weren’t even available as little as a couple years ago. The camera is connected to a monitor that lets the dentist see the structures of his patient’s teeth more closely and with better accuracy than traditional methods. 

These digital images also allow the patient and insurance companies to see what the doctor has seen, which lets you understand your oral health better and gain procedure acceptance from your insurance company more easily. In addition, by using digital intraoral cameras and digital X-rays instead of traditional dental X-rays, your dentist can limit your exposure to radiation.

To schedule an appointment at Family Dental Care, call (253) 239-3699. For more information, visit www.singhcovingtondentalcare.com.