Routine dental visits at our family-owned practice are essential for maintaining clean and healthy teeth and bacteria-free gums. During regular check-ups at Southcoast Dental with our family dentist and team, we remove plaque and tartar buildup in hard-to-reach areas that brushing alone can’t tackle.
Biannual visits are also vital for early detection of tooth decay, gingivitis, and oral cancer. Preventive dentistry, provided by our caring family dentist in Wareham, MA, enables emerging issues to be addressed promptly, preventing significant future problems, such as abscesses, periodontitis, and tooth loss.
Our dentist offers high-quality general dentistry services for the whole family, guided by honest communication, ethical practice, and cutting-edge technology. If you’re looking for a highly skilled and compassionate dentist near you in Wareham, MA, you’ll quickly discover the qualities that set Southcoast Dental apart from the rest.
Consistent preventive care is the foundation of long-term oral wellness. Regular dental checkups are fundamental to maintaining a healthy, confident smile and protecting your overall oral health. These visits include professional cleanings to remove plaque and tartar buildup that regular brushing and flossing can’t eliminate.
Routine exams in Wareham, MA, are necessary for our dentist to detect issues early and help prevent more complex and costly treatments down the road. We recommend scheduling preventive visits every six months to maintain the health of your teeth and gums.
A dental sealant in Wareham, MA, is a protective coating applied to the chewing surfaces of molars to help prevent cavities. Our family dentist can apply dental sealants to both baby (primary) teeth and adult (permanent) teeth, starting at the age of 2 and continuing throughout adulthood.
Children’s first molars typically come in around age 6, followed by second molars about six years later. When sealants are applied at these times, they can prevent up to 80% of cavities for two years and continue to protect against 50% of cavities for up to four years.
Professional fluoride treatment in Wareham, MA, is a quick and painless procedure involving the application of a high-concentration fluoride gel, foam, or varnish to your teeth. Fluoride treatment at Southcoast Dental fortifies the outer layer of your teeth, reducing the risk of cavities caused by sugar and bacteria. Fluoride can help restrengthen weakened enamel, preventing cavities from fully developing.
And if you’re wearing SureSmile® aligners, the trays cover your teeth for 20–22 hours a day, thereby reducing natural saliva flow. Fluoride helps maintain enamel strength during this time, providing your smile with extra protection while aligners straighten your teeth.
Our caring team knows dental emergencies near Wareham, MA can happen at the most unexpected times and cause both pain and stress. We encourage you to call our practice or come in immediately during office hours if you or a family member incurs a dental emergency that doesn’t require medical attention.
Our dentist is adept at treating broken crowns and teeth, oral infections, severe toothaches, knocked-out or cracked teeth, lost fillings, and other urgent dental issues. But if you or a loved one experiences a serious jaw injury, deep facial cuts, uncontrollable bleeding, or difficulty breathing, a trip to your local hospital emergency room is necessary.
Cavities, also known as dental caries, occur when bacteria in your mouth produce acids that erode the tooth enamel. Inadequate brushing/flossing, frequent consumption of sugary snacks and acidic foods, dry mouth, and deep tooth crevices all increase the risk of tooth decay. At Southcoast Dental, we typically detect tooth decay during routine dental exams through visual inspection and/or diagnostic imaging such as digital X-rays.
In modern dentistry, composite resin has largely replaced silver amalgam fillings in Wareham, MA, because the material is safer and more aesthetically pleasing. Our dentist can often use a laser to remove the decayed portion of the tooth instead of a drill, then clean the area, place the filling, and check your bite to ensure there are no high spots.
Although we always strive to preserve natural teeth, extractions in Wareham, MA, are sometimes necessary. Our team carefully evaluates every situation to ensure tooth extraction at Southcoast Dental is only performed when no other viable option exists.
Severe decay beyond what a root canal can repair, painful fractures, or deep cracks that extend to the pulp often necessitate removal to relieve pain and prevent infection. Baby teeth may also need to be extracted if they’re badly decayed, infected, or blocking adult teeth from erupting. In cases of overcrowding, one or more teeth may be removed to create space, especially before orthodontic treatment.
Our team provides essential periodontal care in Wareham, MA, during routine cleanings when we screen for gingivitis, and scaling and root planing for early-stage gum disease. During deep professional cleanings, plaque and tartar are removed below the gumline to prevent the progression of gum disease.
We also manage periodontal maintenance with frequent, thorough cleanings after initial treatment and can prescribe localized antibiotics to treat gum infections. The PerioLase® MVP-7™ laser is used to gently treat gum inflammation around natural teeth, as well as peri-implantitis that impacts dental implants.
When a tooth becomes infected or inflamed from decay or injury, root canal therapy in Wareham, MA, is often the most effective method for restoring and preserving it. During this procedure, our dentist removes the damaged pulp, thoroughly cleans and disinfects the tooth, and seals it to prevent future infection.
Although you may have heard that root canal therapy is painful, this virtually painless procedure relieves pain, although your mouth may be a little sore from keeping it open for a lengthy period. At Southcoast Dental, most root canals take about 60 to 90 minutes, depending on complexity, not including placement of a dental crown at a later visit. We always prioritize your comfort and utilize advanced techniques to ensure a smooth and stress-free experience.
Custom night guards in Wareham, MA are an effective solution for issues such as bruxism (teeth clenching/grinding) and TMJ disorders, helping to prevent enamel wear, cracks, tooth sensitivity, and chronic jaw pain. You may benefit from wearing a night guard if you experience nighttime grinding, morning jaw soreness, frequent headaches, or visible wear on your teeth.
Our custom-made night guards are designed for maximum comfort and durability, providing a superior fit compared to over-the-counter options. By protecting your teeth and easing jaw tension, a night guard can relieve pain, reduce headaches, and promote more restful, uninterrupted sleep.
If you or your child plays football, basketball, hockey, or any other contact sports such as martial arts, it’s wise to invest in a customized sports guard. For young athletes, we recommend youth mouthguards to prevent dental injuries and promote lifelong oral health. Unlike a one-size-fits-all product, we customize sports guards in Wareham, MA to perfectly fit your teeth and oral anatomy.
Our sports guards offer a snug, secure fit for superior comfort during gameplay. They absorb impacts that could lead to chipped or broken teeth, while preventing soft tissue injuries and jaw fractures.
During your biannual exam, Dr. James Kiehl will conduct an oral cancer screening to detect early signs of oral cancer. This involves a thorough examination of the mouth, including your lips, gums, tongue, cheeks, and throat.
During oral cancer screenings in Wareham, MA, we carefully examine these oral tissues for lumps, sores, discolored patches, suspicious lesions, or other unusual changes. If we detect benign oral lesions such as cold sores or canker sores, we can gently remove them with our PerioLase laser.
In addition to blending in seamlessly with your natural tooth color, composite resin in Wareham, MA requires less removal of the tooth structure than amalgam. During this procedure, we numb the area around the tooth, laser away the decay, place and shape the composite filling, and hasten hardening with a specialized light. We check your bite to ensure everything feels good, then polish the treated tooth.
Composite material can also be used to repair minor tooth damage, such as chips, cracks, or worn tooth enamel. These issues can result from trauma, bruxism, or normal wear and tear over time.
Full or complete dentures in Wareham, MA, replace an entire arch of missing teeth using a custom-crafted set of artificial teeth secured to a natural-looking, gum-colored acrylic base. Partial dentures are designed for patients missing several teeth and feature lifelike replacement teeth attached to a metal or acrylic framework that comfortably anchors to remaining natural teeth.
Partials are an alternative to dental bridges, while full dentures are ideal if you’re seeking a traditional removable solution to restore your smile. It’s important to note that only implant-supported dentures replace missing tooth roots, which helps maintain jawbone strength and prevent progressive bone loss.
Even with consistent brushing and flossing, food particles and bacteria can still hide in hard-to-reach areas, leading to tooth decay and inflammation. When gum disease is left untreated, it can progress to periodontitis, allowing infections to enter the bloodstream. Additionally, gum disease can damage both soft and hard tissues, ultimately leading to tooth loss.
Skipping routine dental visits often means minor issues go unnoticed until they become more serious. By scheduling visits every six months with our skilled and compassionate dentist, Dr. Kiehl, you’re protecting your oral health and overall well-being.
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