Comprehensive Dentistry

Comprehensive dentistry with Dr. Crystal Schneider, your mentor dentist, involves the diagnosis and treatment of conditions affecting the teeth, gums and jaw. She believes that preventive care is the most important aspect of comprehensive dentistry. Dr. Schneider aims to identify and treat problems while they’re still small, which can save you time, money and more extensive dental treatment in the future.

General & Preventive Dental Treatments

• Individual Consultations & Dental Exams

  We believe your first Mentor dental visit should include quality one-on-one time with the family dentist, Dr. Crystal Schneider. We get to know you – not just your medical history, but your past dental experiences, your reasons for coming to see us and your goals for your smile. This time has been reserved just for you. We want to ensure that you receive a thorough consultation and have plenty of time to ask Dr. Schneider and our team any questions you may have.

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• Dental Cleanings

  For most people, having a dental cleaning every six months will help them keep their gums healthy, their breath fresh and their teeth white and clean. Dr. Schneider, your family dentist, and her hygiene staff perform cleanings in a very kind and gentle manner, ensuring that you are well taken care of each time you visit. Their goal is to make cleaning appointments effective and enjoyable.

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• Digital X-rays

  Digital X-rays are a fast and comfortable tool we use to assess your dental needs. They’re safe enough to be used during pregnancy, and some studies have found that they emit up to 90% less radiation than conventional X-rays. With no chemical processing needed, digital X-rays are a good choice for you and the environment.

  X-rays are commonly used in dental exams of patients of all ages, because many problems with the teeth and surrounding tissues cannot be seen by the naked eye.

  An X-ray is needed to reveal:

  • Most areas of decay between teeth or below existing restorations
  • Cavities
  • Infections in the jaw bones
  • Mild to moderate gum disease
  • Abscesses or cysts
  • Developmental abnormalities
  • Some types of tumors
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• Intraoral Camera

  Like digital X-rays, digital photographs with our intraoral camera are a useful diagnostic and patient education tool for your Mentor dentist. Through the use of a tiny camera attached to a hand-held wand we can show you incredibly clear pictures of your teeth and gums. These pictures not only enable us to identify problem areas like a cracked tooth or a broken filling, but we can visually guide you through your diagnosis and treatment options. You also get a much clearer picture of your teeth than what a hand held mirror can show you. The intraoral camera provides you with the opportunity to be a partner with us in keeping your mouth and smile healthy and strong!

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• Dental Sealants (To Protect Teeth Against Decay)

  A dental sealant is a thin plastic film that is applied to the chewing surface of the molars to prevent food particles and bacteria from reaching the depressions and grooves. These sealants have proven extremely effective in the prevention of molar cavities.

  Although sealants are often recommended for children, adults too can dramatically reduce their risk for cavities by having a sealant applied to their molars. Please contact Dr. Schneider, your family dentist today to learn more about the benefits of dental sealants.

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• Fluoride Treatments (For Healthier & Stronger Enamel)

  Fluoride helps strengthen your teeth, preventing the development of cavities and the need for an emergency dentist. Although most public water systems and toothpastes contain fluoride, Dr. Schneider may recommend additional fluoride treatments during your visit if she thinks you have a moderate to great risk for cavity development.

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• Nightguards (TMJ/TMD)

  Do you grind your teeth at night? If so, you may be suffering from a condition called bruxism. Bruxism is harmful to your teeth, and may also cause additional problems like headaches, jaw pain and arthritic jaw. Dr. Schneider, your emergency dentist, can help you protect your teeth from the effects of grinding with a custom-made nightguard. This plastic guard is worn at night while you sleep, and covers and preserves the teeth you’ve been grinding. Nightguards have also been shown to reduce or eliminate jaw pain and headaches that often are associated with bruxism.

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• Custom Athletic Mouthguards

  Dr. Schneider, your family dentist, can create a custom-fitted plastic mouthguard to protect your teeth, gums, lips and cheeks from sports-related injuries. Athletic mouth guards can even help prevent severe injuries to the face, jaw and head.
  

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• Oral Cancer Screenings

  Did you know that every hour of every day, one person dies from oral cancer? When it comes to oral cancer, early detection is key. Regular oral cancer screenings are an effective way to discover oral cancer at an early, highly curable stage. Visual and palpable exams plus digital X-rays aid in the detection of oral cancer by enabling Dr. Schneider to see possible tumors and other problems associated with the soft tissues and the jaw. You will receive an oral cancer screening at every comprehensive exam and checkup you have with us. It’s just another great reason to be seen regularly by Dr. Crystal Schneider, your Mentor dentist!
• Periodontal Screening & Treatment
• Obstructive Sleep Apnea & Snoring Screening/Treatment

  Obstructive sleep apnea is a potentially serious sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep because your throat muscles intermittently relax and block your airway during sleep. The most noticeable sign of obstructive sleep apnea is snoring. Dr. Schneider, your emergency dentist, is able to screen her patients to see if they suffer from obstructive sleep apnea and whether they would be a good candidate for a dental appliance. A dental appliance is similar to a retainer, but it does not move your teeth. It works by changing the way the lower jaw meets the upper jaw during sleep. When the appliance is worn, the lower jaw moves slightly forward. This creates more space at the back of the tongue and throat for air flow. Find out more about obstructive sleep apnea on our FAQ page.

Kid-Friendly Dentistry with a Family Dentist

Dr. Schneider and our team understand that many children feel scared or uneasy about dental visits, and we always treat our younger patients with extra sensitivity and care. Our friendly and gentle manner will help your child feel at ease in our care, and having positive dental experiences during childhood can encourage a lifetime of good oral habits. We strive to make your child’s Mentor dental visits comfortable, comprehensive, and most of all, fun! Children especially love the toys and books in our kids’ play area, our fun variety of toothpaste flavors, our Cavity Club and the helium balloons we offer. We even have a treasure chest full of prizes and stickers for your child to choose from after his or her visit!

Both the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommend establishing a dental home by the time your child is one year old. During his or her first visit, your attitude is extremely important because it will help shape your child’s perception of not only our office, but dental visits in general. If you are not sure what to do, just let us do all the talking! And of course, you’re always welcome to sit with your child throughout their visit. We use kid-friendly vocabulary that explains everything we do in a fun and non-threatening manner. We even allow our patients to touch many of the items that we will be using so that they have some control and feel empowered during their visit. We also offer nutritional and habit counseling as well as free fluoride testing of water samples brought from home.

Restorative Dentistry

Missing teeth can take the joy out of the everyday things we love, from smiling and talking with confidence to eating our favorite foods. All of these things can become easier again with restorative dentistry. Dr. Schneider, your Mentor dentist, offers restorative treatments that will not just restore your smile to its former health – they’ll make it look and feel even better than before! From natural-looking dental fillings and crowns to dental implantsand dentures, we’ll help you find just the right treatments to give your smile a second chance.

Restorative Dental Treatments

• Tooth-Colored Dental Fillings

  Tooth-colored dental fillings, often called "composite fillings," are made of quartz filler in a resin medium. Composite fillings can be adhesively held in place or “bonded.” Because they can be bonded to teeth, composite fillings allow for more conservative preparations where less healthy tooth structure is removed. This often results in smaller fillings than that of amalgam (silver fillings), and composite fillings are more natural looking. The composite filling is cured with a special light and then the surface is shaped and polished, rendering the final result undetectable to the eye and very natural feeling in the mouth.

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• Porcelain Crowns

  Dental crowns are often called "caps." They cover teeth to restore them to their appropriate shape and size after large fillings, fractures or weakening forces such as intense grinding. In all these cases, crowns not only cover teeth, but also provide added support so you won’t need an emergency dentist. They can be used to attach fixed dental bridges, cover dental implants, restore seriously discolored or misshapen teeth, and even as a preventive measure to protect a tooth in danger of breaking.

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• Dental Implant Restorations & Placements

  

  Dental implants are an increasingly popular option for patients who need to have one or more teeth replaced. Unlike a denture, a dental implant is a permanent solution that remains in your mouth, more closely resembling a real tooth or teeth. A dental implant is a small post that is placed in the jaw to serve as a permanent replacement for the root portion of a missing tooth, and an implant restoration is the replacement tooth that goes on top of the implant post. Dr. Crystal Schneider is trained in both of these phases, which saves patients the inconvenience of going to multiple offices for implant treatment. Contact Dr. Crystal Schneider, your Mentor dentist, to find out if you are a candidate for dental implants!  

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• Endodontics (Root Canal Therapy)

  The inside of each tooth contains soft tissue with nerves and blood vessels running from the root to the crown. A crack, deep cavity or other injury to a tooth can cause the nerve to become damaged or diseased, allowing bacteria to enter the tooth and kill the living tissue. Without treatment, the resulting infection can cause pain, swelling and abscesses, loss of the diseased tooth and eventually damage to the surrounding bone. With endodontic treatment, also called root canal therapy, Dr. Crystal Schneider, your emergency dentist, carefully removes the diseased tissue and nerve from the tooth and gently clean and seal the root canal to protect it from bacteria. If needed, medication or an antibiotic can also be used to control the spread of bacteria and stop infection. Finally, a crown is placed over the reshaped tooth to restore and strengthen it.
  

Cosmetic Dentistry

An attractive smile can boost your confidence, help you make better first impressions on others, and improve your personal and professional life. We provide several cosmetic dental treatments that can subtly enhance your smile, and there are many other more dramatic treatments, often called “smile makeovers,” that can give you the smile of your dreams. Ask your family dentist about the possibilities for your smile!

Cosmetic Dental Treatments

• Professional Teeth Whitening

  

  We offer take-home and Zoom!^® in-office whitening solutions. Whitening your teeth is a safe, conservative, and comparatively inexpensive way to brighten your smile. Ask us about brightening your smile today.

  

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• Beautiful Porcelain Veneers

  

  Porcelain veneers are an excellent cosmetic solution for teeth that are chipped, misshapen or too discolored for traditional whitening. Veneers are thin ceramic casings that are bonded to the front side of your teeth to give your smile a beautiful, more uniform appearance. Veneers are also a great alternative to braces for teeth that are widely spaced or overlapped.

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• Invisalign� Teeth Straightening

  

  We offer Invisalign^® clear aligner therapy to give you the straight smile you’ve always dreamed of. Invisalign uses a series of custom-made aligners that are changed approximately every two weeks to gently and gradually reposition teeth. The trays are comfortable for the sensitive tissues of your gums and cheeks, and they can even be removed so you can eat and brush your teeth as you normally would. Because the aligners are made from a transparent plastic material, they’re hardly noticeable—in fact, these invisible braces are so subtle that many people might not even know you're wearing braces at all!

Periodontal (Gum) Care

According to the American Academy of Periodontology, gum disease is the number one cause of tooth loss in adults over the age of 35. If your gums feel tender, look red and swollen or bleed every time you floss, you could be at risk for gum disease. Untreated gum disease has been linked to other serious health problems, so it’s important to keep your gums healthy with proper home care and biannual professional dental cleanings with Dr. Crystal Schneider, your Mentor dentist.

Gum disease used to require surgery more often than not. While surgery is still sometimes the best option, we can now treat many cases with less invasive techniques, including local antibiotics, deep cleanings and medicated rinses.

Periodontal Treatments

• Diagnosis of Gum Disease
• Scaling and Root Planing (Deep Cleanings)
• Long-Term Maintenance Plans
• Arestin^® Local Antibiotic Treatments

  Have you been told that you have or are at risk of developing gum disease? Ask us about Arestin®, an antibiotic powder that can stop the infection right where it starts. After your deep cleaning, your dentist simply applies Arestin to the small space between your tooth and gum tissue (known as the “perio-pocket”). It stays in place for up to three weeks to clear gum infection to a level that can be managed with routine dental cleanings.

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Anxiety-Free Dentistry

People of all ages can experience dental anxiety, which is why we strive to make your Mentor dental visits with us as comfortable and worry-free as possible. Please share your feelings and concerns with us so we can help you receive the dental treatment you need at a pace that makes you feel comfortable. Every member of our team has a gentle touch. Life can be stressful, but going to the dentist doesn’t have to be!

• Oral Sedation

  For patients with more severe dental anxiety, we offer oral sedation. This involves taking a prescription sedative shortly before your visit. By the time you arrive at our office, you will feel significantly relaxed.

  • With oral sedation, you can stay awake while still experiencing a significant feeling of calm and well-being.
  • The medications are carefully prescribed, and usually the effects are mild. But, it is necessary to have someone escort you to the appointment and back home after the visit.
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• Nitrous Oxide (Laughing Gas)

  Nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas, is a colorless blend of oxygen and nitrous oxide gases with a pleasant, sweet smell and taste. Inhaling nitrous oxide creates a sense of well-being and relaxation, and it is used effectively to help individuals who experience anxiety or fear about dental treatment feel more at ease. Nitrous oxide increases your pain threshold and, when necessary, makes the administration of anesthetic injections more comfortable. It is also helpful for patients who have a strong gag reflex that interferes with dental treatment.

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• IV Conscious Sedation

  Can’t imagine feeling relaxed during dental visits? Has fear of dental visits kept you from receiving the care you need? Now it is possible to relax while receiving the care you need with intravenous (IV) sedation. Intravenous conscious sedation provides a deep state of relaxation—deeper than most other forms of sedation dentistry—without requiring you to be completely asleep. Though you will feel significantly calm and relaxed, you will still be aware of your surroundings and able to communicate with our team.

  • Most patients report having little or no memory of treatment while under IV sedation.
  • We can complete almost any treatment you need with IV sedation, from crowns and fillings to deep cleanings, extractions and wisdom teeth removal.
  • Your physical well-being and safety are important to us. While you are under sedation, we closely monitor your vital signs and take every warranted precaution.
  • Recovery usually takes about 30 minutes, but you will still feel very drowsy. For this reason, we ask that you arrange for someone to drive you to and from your appointment.

  IV sedation is not just for people with severe anxiety. It can also make dental visits easier for people who have a strong gag reflex or TMJ or neuromuscular disorders. It is also ideal for those undergoing multiple or complex procedures.

  If you are ready to find out just how relaxing and effective IV sedation can be, call our office today to schedule a no-obligation consultation!