Dental Instruments

Since dental hygiene is so important, we strive to make patients’ visits to Dr. Jia Lee’s Rancho Cucamonga dental office comfortable. Regular cleanings and bite checks can prevent pain later on, but we recognize that dental visits are a source of anxiety for some people. We think that if people feel better equipped to talk about their visits they’ll feel more comfortable, which is why we wanted to explain a little about our instruments.


While their teeth are being inspected and cleaned, patients will notice our hygienists using handheld mirrors and wands with metal hooks. The hooked instrument is called an explorer or a probe. We use it to break up tartar and to test the hardness of patients’ enamel and for infections in the gum pockets. As we break tartar apart, we’ll rinse the mouth and suction away the debris using a narrow vacuum called an evacuator.


When we need to drill away tooth decay, our most common means of anesthetizing patients is with a syringe. Dental drills emit water as they spin so that the patient will not suffer any heat damage, and extra-wide evacuators are used to remove broken up enamel. As we apply filling material, we’ll contour it with flat-tipped instruments called burnishers so that the patient will be able to fully close their teeth together once their restoration is complete. Should a tooth need to be extracted, we’ll use a flattened spoon called an elevator to rock it at its base until it can be lifted out gently with forceps.


Dr. Jia Y. Lee operates at 9477 Haven Avenue, Rancho Cucamonga, California, 91730. To schedule an appointment, call 909-989-5598 or visit MyRanchoCucamongaDentist.com.


 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Teeth Sectioning

Having to get a tooth removed can be scarier than swimming in shark-infested waters. That’s why Dr. Jia Y. Lee offers Teeth Sectioning services. This form of extraction is faster and easier. Your Rancho Cucamonga dentist breaks the tooth into multiple sections. The fragmented pieces are then easier to remove. The entire procedure requires less force, resulting in a quicker recovery time. To learn more, contact your local dentist.   Dr. Lee recommends teeth sectioning for a few different reasons. Certain teeth upon closer inspection are unique or multi-rooted. This can make it impossible to extract normally. Patients in need of having their wisdom teeth removed are another common source. Wisdom teeth are larger by nature. It’s difficult to remove them, especially if they’re impacted. Lastly, pediatric patients frequently undergo teeth sectioning. It’s less intimidating and painful for children.   The procedure begins with Dr. Lee applying a local anesthetic to the area. For certain pati
Read more

Causes of Gap Teeth

As an orthodontic provider, we at Dr. Jia Lee’s Rancho Cucamonga dental office have fixed a lot of gap teeth. Diastema, as they’re commonly known, are the gaps between teeth, and the one between the upper central incisors is a frequent cause of embarrassment and distress. But the exact treatment for them may differ according to their cause. One of the benefits of being both a general dental and an orthodontic office is that we can provide veneers. If the teeth are otherwise in line but the gap in front is just slightly too large, new fronts for the teeth can be used to close it. This might also be an attractive option if the teeth are chipped or scarred. If the teeth are generally jumbled, a gap can be corrected in the course of orthodontic treatment. But if they are being pushed apart by something, treatment may not last unless behavior like tongue thrusting and thumb sucking stops. Assistance from a psychologist or an ear-nose-and-throat doctor may be required to stop involuntary ton
Read more

Bruxism

Do you ever wake up from a night’s sleep with sore teeth and jaws? You could be grinding your teeth. The medical term for occasional teeth grinding is called bruxism and although this condition does not usually cause harm, when teeth grinding occurs on a regular basis the teeth can be damaged and other oral health complications can arise. At the practice of Dr. Jia Y. Lee, DDS we offer night guards to prevent this from happening and to provide you with relief. Stress, anxiety, smoking, heavy alcohol, caffeine, depression and sleep disorders are all possible causes of teeth grinding. Treatment for teeth grinding depends on the cause. In some cases, chronic teeth grinding can result in fracturing, loosening or loss of teeth. The purpose of a night guard is to protect your teeth and jaws. If you require a night guard, Dr. Jia Y. Lee, DDS, will custom make one just for you. If you have questions or concerns regarding bruxism, please give us a call. To learn more about the services provided
Read more