Finding a dentist that you can trust with your family's oral health is no easy decision. You want someone who's qualified, gentle, and sensitive to your scheduling needs. As a general and family dentist, Dr. Carmen provides personalized preventive dentistry in Norman in a professional atmosphere for patients of all ages. Whether you need teeth cleanings or TMJ treatment, he will ensure that your experience is rewarding on many levels.
Every patient of Dr. Carmen will receive a personalized dental treatment plan to address their unique oral health care goals. Each patient should still visit us twice a year for dental checkups and teeth cleanings. During these regular appointments, we’ll gather diagnostic dental X-rays and images that give us a complete understanding of your smile's current health. Then, we’ll complete thorough tooth-by-tooth examinations and periodontal charting, where we measure the depth of pockets between teeth and gums. We’ll be screening for signs of common oral health issues like tooth decay, gum disease, teeth grinding and clenching, and oral cancer.
One of our skilled hygienists will carefully clean bacteria, plaque, and tartar from the most difficult-to-access areas of the smile. We can also answer any questions you have about your oral hygiene routine and make product recommendations. Finally, you’ll sit down with Dr. Carmen to discuss your current level of oral health and any necessary treatments, and you’ll partner with us to create a plan that fits your schedule and budget.
Fluoride is often found in public drinking water and a variety of oral hygiene products. It has special properties that strengthen your tooth enamel, making it more resistant to the bacteria that can cause decay. If we find that you have a higher-than-average risk for cavities, we may recommend having a fluoride treatment performed at the end of your routine dental checkup and teeth cleaning. A concentrated fluoride gel or varnish will be applied directly to your teeth; the process takes just a few minutes but can have a significant impact on your oral health in the long term.
Young kids who are still learning how to brush and floss properly can greatly benefit from getting dental sealants, which are thin clear coatings that are applied to the chewing surfaces of the molars and premolars. Dental sealants help protect the hard-to-reach teeth from cavity-causing acids and bacteria, thus lowering your child’s risk of tooth decay while they’re getting the hang of their oral hygiene routine. In some cases, adults can also benefit from getting dental sealants.
Patients of all ages who participate in athletic events where their smiles may be damaged by other players, hard objects, or sports equipment should always wear sportsguards to protect their teeth and oral structures during athletic competition or practice. Many patients choose to wear over the counter sportsguards, and these provide adequate protection for most patients. However, many patients find these guards uncomfortable and fail to wear them consistently, exposing their smiles to damage. We offer custom crafted sportsguards to protect smiles more comfortably during any athletic event. Additionally, we can custom craft mouthguards for patients who grind and clench their teeth during sleep. These appliances prevent excessive wear to tooth enamel or damage to teeth.
The temporomandibular joints (TMJ) connect the jaw with the skull. When the TMJ functions properly, patients are able to speak, chew, and smile without pain or obstruction. When the TMJs are strained or damaged, your jaw function can be impeded or severely painful. For these patients, we’ll partner to relieve strain from the TMJs and restore full, healthy, painless function. One of the simplest, most comfortable treatments we offer for TMJ disorder is an occlusal splint. These oral appliances are worn during the night to hold the jaw in its ideal resting position and prevent unconscious jaw movement that can lead to further strain.
If you experience loud snoring, frequent nighttime waking, struggle with severe daytime exhaustion, or have difficulty concentrating, you may be suffering from a common sleep disorder – sleep apnea. This disorder occurs when sleepers stop breathing for ten or more seconds at a time, which causes them to wake up numerous times during the night. This can lead to severe sleep deprivation, elevated blood pressure, and other serious health concerns. Our dental team offers effective treatment for patients with obstructive sleep apnea – oral appliance therapy. These oral appliances shift the jaw forward, correcting the position of the airway to improve airflow.
Gum disease affects millions of patients in the U.S. alone, and it is the leading cause of tooth loss for adults over the age of 35. Perhaps the most startling statistic is that gum disease, also known as periodontal disease, is 100% preventable for most patients with adequate at-home and in-office oral hygiene. We offer gum disease treatment for patients who struggle with gum infections. From more frequent teeth cleanings to advanced scaling and root planing therapies and other solutions, we offer a variety of periodontal therapies to help patients renew their optimal oral health.
