Dental Root Canals

Root canal treatment is necessary when the pulp (soft tissue inside your teeth containing blood vessels, nerves and connective tissue) becomes inflamed or diseased. During root canal treatment, your dentist or endodontist (a dentist who specializes in treating the insides of teeth) removes the diseased pulp. The pulp chamber and root canal(s) of the tooth are then cleaned and sealed. If the infected pulp is not removed, pain and swelling can result, and your tooth may have to be removed.

Causes of an infected pulp could include:

•   a deep cavity

•   repeated dental procedures

•   a cracked or broken tooth

•   injury to the tooth (even if there’s not a visible crack or chip)

If you continue to care for your teeth and gums your restored tooth could last a lifetime. However, regular checkups are necessary; a tooth without its nerve can still develop cavities or gum disease. Most of the time, a root canal is a relatively simple procedure with little or no discomfort involving one to three visits. Best of all, it can save your tooth and your smile.

Above article from mouthhealthy.org

Dentist - Dr. Jerome Cutler
Highland Dental
3253 North Windsong Drive
Prescott Valley, AZ 86314
Telephone: (928) 775-7433

White Dental Fillings Prescott Valley

No Mercury! No Metals! No Kidding!

For years, the silver-mercury amalgam was the standard filling material used in dental practices, and many practices still use it. While they are a reasonable restoration, amalgams have certain shortcomings. Metal does not bond well to teeth, so decay can and does eventually leak into the tooth. But the biggest reason many of our patients are choosing the white bonded fillings has to do with the way they look. Many people just don’t want an ugly black plug in their teeth. We offer modern restorations that are a natural-looking white, contain no metals, and can actually strengthen your teeth. They also bond very tightly with the healthy part of the tooth so there is much less chance of decay in the future.

White Dental Fillings Prescott Valley AZ
Dentist - Dr. Jerome Cutler
Highland Dental
3253 North Windsong Drive
Prescott Valley, AZ 86314
(928) 775-7433

Professional Teeth Whitening Dentist

Teeth Whitening – Dazzling Results in Just One Visit! 

Teeth Whitening Prescott Valley AZ The only way to get your teeth their whitest is by using professional-strength whitening. You may have seen our method of in-office whitening on television. It's called laser power whitening. Now you can have brilliantly white teeth, without stains or darkness, in one to two hours. The results can last for years!

Teeth Whitening Prescott Valley AZ
Dentist - Dr. Jerome Cutler
Highland Dental
3253 North Windsong Drive
Prescott Valley, AZ 86314
(928) 775-7433

Dental Health & Nutrition

Foods That May Harm Dental Health

Empty calorie foods such as candy (especially hard or sticky candies like lollipops, mints, taffy and caramel), sweets like cookies, cakes and muffins, and snack foods like chips are a cause for dental concern, not only because they offer no nutritional value, but because the amount and type of sugar that they contain that can adhere to teeth. The bacteria in your mouth feed off these sugars, releasing acids, and that’s what leads to tooth decay. 

Sugar-containing drinks—soda, lemonade, juice and sweetened coffee or tea (iced or hot)—are particularly harmful because sipping them causes a constant sugar bath over teeth, which promotes tooth decay. Learn more about the potentially harmful oral health effects of drinking acidic and sugary drinks here from the Indiana Dental Association's Drinks Destroy Teeth.

Nutritious, acidic foods like tomatoes and citrus fruits can have acidic effects on tooth enamel, too, so eat them as part of a meal, not by themselves. Dried fruits, including raisins, are also good choices for a healthy diet, but since they are sticky and adhere to teeth, the plaque acids that they produce continue to harm teeth long after you stop eating them. Opt for a piece of fresh fruit instead.

Foods That May Benefit Dental Health

Cheese, milk, plain yogurt, calcium-fortified tofu, leafy greens and almonds, are foods that may benefit tooth health thanks to their high amounts of calcium and other nutrients they provide. Protein-rich foods like meat, poultry, fish, milk and eggs are the best sources of phosphorus. Both of these minerals play a critical role in dental health, by protecting and rebuilding tooth enamel.

Fruits and vegetables are good choices for a healthy smile since they are high in water and fiber, which balance the sugars they contain and help to clean the teeth. These foods also help stimulate saliva production, which washes harmful acids and food particles away from teeth and helps neutralize acid, protecting teeth from decay. Plus, many contain vitamin C (important for healthy gums and quick healing of wounds) and vitamin A (another key nutrient in building tooth enamel).

Hands down, water—particularly fluoridated water—is the most tooth-friendly beverage.

Above article from mouthhealthy.org

Dentist - Dr. Jerome Cutler
Highland Dental
3253 North Windsong Drive
Prescott Valley, AZ 86314
Telephone: (928) 775-7433

Dental X-rays

Dental X-rays remain a valuable tool in detecting oral health problems

A study published in Cancer, the peer-viewed journal of the American Cancer Society, found that people diagnosed with meningioma, a generally non-cancerous tumor, are more likely to report that they’ve received certain types of dental X-rays in the past. 

There are several important things to understand about this study:

• This finding doesn’t mean that dental X-rays cause these tumors; much more research is needed.
• The results rely on the individuals’ memories of having dental X-rays taken years earlier. The ability to recall information is often imperfect. Therefore, the results of studies that use this design can be unreliable because they are affected by what scientists call “recall bias.”
• The study acknowledges that some of the subjects received dental X-rays decades ago when radiation exposure was greater. Radiation doses were higher in the past due to the use of old X-ray technology and slower speed film.

The American Dental Association's long-standing position is that dentists should order dental X-rays for patients only when necessary for diagnosis and treatment. Since 1989, the ADA has published recommendations to help dentists ensure that radiation exposure is as low as reasonably achievable. As precautions against radiation, ADA encourages the use of abdominal shielding (e.g., protective aprons) and thyroid collars on all patients. In addition, the ADA recommends that dentists use E or F speed film, the two fastest film speeds available, or a digital X -ray.

Dental X-rays are a valuable part of detecting oral health problems at an early stage. Many oral diseases can’t be detected with a physical examination alone. Dental X-rays help provide information about a patient’s oral health such as early-stage cavities, gum diseases, infections and some types of tumors. 

How often dental X-rays should be taken depends on the patient’s oral health condition, age, risk for disease and any signs and symptoms of oral disease that the patient might be experiencing. If you have concerns the ADA encourages you to talk to your dentist, but eliminating X-rays altogether could be detrimental to your oral health.

Above article from mouthhealthy.org

Dentist - Dr. Jerome Cutler
Highland Dental
3253 North Windsong Drive
Prescott Valley, AZ 86314
Telephone: (928) 775-7433

Dental Implants Dentist Prescott Valley AZ

Missing Teeth? Why Not ‘Grow’ New Ones? 
Dental implants are the ideal way to replace lost teeth. From the front of the mouth, where they are most visible, to the back, where they provide stability to chew a full variety of foods, implants can help you recapture a beautiful and healthy smile. Unlike bridges or removable dentures, which sit on top of the gums, dental implants are placed under the gums. The “tooth” placed on an implant appears life-like, because it comes through the gums just like the original did – it’s like growing a new tooth! Implants can be used to replace any number of lost teeth. Even people with no teeth can benefit from implants, because they can replace their dentures with teeth that don’t move around when they talk, and don’t need to be taken out at night. Because we handle the entire process from implant placement to crown fabrication, there’s no need to be referred to another office. Call for a no-obligation implant consultation today.

Cure Loose, Slipping Dentures 
Are you wearing dentures that slip, tilt, or wander, and you would prefer to have the strength and stability of implants? You will be happy to know your dentures can be secured with dental implants, eliminating slippage. Our experienced dental team can give you a great fit along with a great look.


Dental Implant Dentistry
Dentist - Dr. Jerome Cutler
Highland Dental
3253 North Windsong Drive
Prescott Valley, AZ 86314
(928) 775-7433