Dental Office of Dr. Craig Conrow DDS, MS, FACP is located in Palm Desert, Ca & services patients throughout the Coachella Valley area, including the cities of Cathedral City, Coachella, Desert Hot Springs, Indian Wells, Indio, La Quinta, Palm Desert, Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage & surrounding areas.
The materials posted on this website are for personal, non-commercial use only and may be downloaded only for personal use. Republication, retransmission or reproduction of any images is strictly prohibited.
Partial and Full Mouth Reconstruction
Full mouth reconstruction utilizes current technologies to reshape and rebuild one’s teeth, gums and surrounding areas. One or several procedures may be necessary to obtain the effects desired. The end result is an enhanced appearance that allows the patient to enjoy the confidence and attractiveness he or she has always desired. Cosmetic full mouth reconstruction begins with the gums, the foundation for the teeth and the rest of the mouth. Prosthodontists work to customize treatment for each patient’s needs. Advances in dental technologies allow doctors to do impressive cosmetic reconstructions and to make them more painless than ever before.
Everyone deserves to feel good about his or herself. If you have endured a lifetime of dissatisfaction with your smile, the time to act is now. Your decision to contact an experienced Prosthodontists Specialist can have long term positive impacts on all aspects of your life. Do not wait any longer to take steps towards a brighter future.
Loss of natural teeth, whether in an accident or as part of the natural aging process, can be traumatic and affect your outlook on life. Simple pleasures - like smiling or going out to eat - become a source of stress or embarrassment. With the help of a Prosthodontist, there are many options if you have lost some or all of your teeth.
Crowns, bridges and full or partial dentures are just some of the procedures that can help you regain your smile, and improve your appearance and self confidence. Another option is dental implants, a more permanent solution that has improved greatly over the last ten years, thanks to the pioneering techniques of Prosthodontists.
Whether you need to replace one tooth or many a Prosthodontist will work with you through every step of dental implant treatment, from an initial consultation through follow-up care.
Sometimes, complete or partial dentures are a viable solution for creating a great smile. However, the preparation and fit are extremely important. Poor design or fabrication can lead to embarrassing accidents, an improper bite (creating other problems), and an uninviting appearance. Dr. Conrow has extensive experience with dentures assuring that yours will be beautiful, comfortable and functional.
What are dental sealants?
The term "dental sealant" or " tooth sealant " refers to a plastic which a dentist bonds into the grooves of the chewing surface of a tooth as a means of helping to prevent the formation of tooth decay ("cavities").Why are dental sealants placed on teeth?
Tooth decay is caused by the white film that forms on a person's teeth, dentist's refer to this film as "plaque". The longer plaque remains on a tooth's surface the more likely it will be able to create a cavity. The idea behind brushing teeth is that the plaque that has accumulated on a tooth's surface is scrubbed off. Some teeth however, because of their anatomy, are harder to effectively clean than others.Some back teeth, especially molars, are difficult for a person to clean because the grooves in the chewing part of the tooth (the tooth's "pits and fissures") are deep and narrow. Even though the person brushes they can not clean the plaque off adequately because the bristles of their toothbrush are literally too large to gain access into the bottom of the tooth's grooves. Because some plaque is not cleaned off a cavity can develop.
A dentist can combat this situation by bonding plastic (the dental sealant) into the grooves of a tooth. The net result is that the surface of the tooth is somewhat flatter and smoother. There are no longer any places on the chewing part of the tooth that the bristles of a toothbrush can't reach and clean. Since plaque can be removed more easily and effectively, there is much less chance that decay will start.
Another difficulty related to deep grooves in teeth is that sometimes the thickness of the enamel at the base of the groove is thinner than the enamel that encases other portions of the tooth. This means that not only can deep narrow grooves make it more likely a person's tooth will develop decay (because the tooth can't be cleaned effectively) but also that the cavity which does form has an easier time of penetrating the enamel layer because it is thinner.
With the use of a miniature camera that captures color images inside your mouth, you will see on an overhead monitor exactly what we are seeing. Finally, by being able to view the problems in your mouth, you can be more aware and involved in year treatment plan.
Intra-Oral Photography
We have available the use of intraoral photography. It makes it possible for our doctors and staff to photograph existing dental needs and offer a progression of photographs as their dental work progresses. You will enjoy the opportunity to see your "before and after" photographs.
One of the most comforting options offered at my office is sedation. We induce a deeply relaxed state for patients who are going through major cosmetic or restorative dental procedures. A light, nitrous oxide sedation is also available.
Not everyone knows if they grind their teeth at night, but you could be keeping someone else awake. Some people have been heard from the next room. If this sounds like you, or someone says it could be true then it may be time to do something about it. You may also be one of us who wake up in the morning with headaches and / or muscle pain in your face. There is a solution! It is called a Nightguard, Bruxism Appliance or Splint. Whatever the term, they are one in the same. It is a clear hard acrylic appliance that keeps your teeth and muscles in balance. It is similar to an athletic mouthpiece, except it is made of hard acrylic and fit to your bite. It is the best insurance policy to keep you from breaking your teeth and keeping your muscles comfortable. It might even give someone else a better nights sleep.
Maybe you may have consulted your family physician. Maybe you have been referred to an ENT specialist, neurologist, or psychiatrist. Maybe, after many tests, you heard that you have to "learn to live with your pain." Maybe you have attempted all drug therapies and your pain has not gone away. Maybe you may have even been told to see your dentist because you have a "bad bite."
If any of these possibilities pertain to your condition, you're not alone. Millions of people suffer from frequent headaches, migraines, popping jaw joints, stiff neck, back pain, dizziness, earaches, and other related head and facial pain. Not every medical doctor or dentist can recognize and treat such dysfunctions. Only specially trained and qualified dentists can help you with such problems that may be related to your TMJ (TemporoMandibular Joint).
Normal TMJ Here is a simple self-test that you can do to help get some insight into your chronic pain. Place your index finger tip into and in front of your ear onto the side of the "knob" (condyle) in each joint. Open and close your mouth. If it hurts, or pops, or creaks - they are not functioning properly!
What causes TMJ dysfunction?
Stress is a common external factor that leads to tight shoulders, clenched jaws, and other muscle contractions. Anxiety and frustrations can compress the jaw joints to the point that the back ligament becomes stretched and inflamed.Severe TMJ disfunction The disc can become dislocated and cause a popping and clicking sound when you eat, talk, drink, yawn, etc. After many years, arthritic changes cause a one-way degenerative process that leads to more pain not only in the joints themselves, but through muscles spasms in other parts of the body. The internal stress further saps the body and spirit of energy.
Digital X-Rays | "Intraoral Digital Radiography"
We now offer digital X-rays, a remarkable innovation in dental safety that allows dentists to reduce the amount of radiation patients are exposed to with standard X-rays by up to 90 percent. To take digital X-rays, we will place a very small camera into the mouth. As soon as the picture is taken, an image pops up on a nearby computer screen. This amazing technology allows you to view any potential problems yourself and discuss them with the dentist. The real-time dental information provided by digital X-rays thus allows you to make better decisions with regards to your dental health. From dental implants to cosmetic dentistry, we will use this wonderful technology to better serve you.
Preventive Services and Periodontal Treatment
We consider dental cleaning appointments as one of the most important experiences you will have in our office. This is where we can evaluate your dental health, see what's going on and determine any problems when they are small, before they grow and become more expensive to treat.
- Computerized Periodontal Probe - With this voice-activated device, we can determine the depth of your periodontal pockets.
- Piezo Scaler - We use an electronic scaler that releases medicaments, little tubes of antibacterial medicine, in the periodontal pockets with gum disease.
- Sealants
- Nightguards
- Athletic Guards
- Breath Treatment
- Oxyfresh: We not only use it to freshen your breath, but to help fight against plaque buildup. For a healthy mouth, beautiful smile and fresh breath, Oxyfresh products deliver the confidence coming from real results. We start with a tongue cleaner that removes odor-causing compounds and bacteria, then brush with Oxyfresh concentrated toothpaste, designed to fight decay and freshen your breath. Finally, you will rinse your mouth with Oxyfresh patented alcohol-free mouthwash. This "one minute solution" provides up to eight hours of fresh breath confidence. Oxyfresh uses its very own pharmaceutical formula to fight bad breath by attacking and neutralizing volatile sulfur compounds, the rotten-smelling bacterial by-products mainly responsible for bad breath. Most commercial mouthwashes use alcohol, nearly 30 percent by volume in some cases, to actually kill the bacteria. The truth is the alcohol robs moisture in mouth and compounds the problem of bad breath.
- Advanced Non-Surgical Periodontal Treatment
Arestin : Arestin is an antibiotic administered locally after scaling and root planing, a common procedure used to treat periodontal disease, directly into the infected pockets between your teeth. When used together with scaling and root planing, Arestin significantly reduces the depth of infected pockets and helps prevent disease progression.
PerioChip : We use Periochip as an adjunct to scaling and root planing procedures for reduction of pocket depth in patients with adult periodontitis. The PerioChip is a small chip designed to fit the dimension of the gingival pocket precisely. It contains a substance, which is effective in killing bacteria in the gum (2.5 mg Chlorhexidine gluconate). After scaling, the PerioChip is inserted in the pocket and the active ingredient takes effect over a period of approximately a week, kills the bacteria, and dissolves naturally. There is no need for an additional visit to the dentist to remove the chip, but a follow-up visit after three months is recommended to check whether any further treatment is required.
