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Diagnostic technology
Technology in dentistry has resulted in more comfortable, more
conservative and longer lasting treatment. Diagnostic
technology such as fracture locators and diagnostic lasers
allow us to find problems and potential problems quickly which gives
you the choice to treat problems early, more conservatively, and
usually, less expensively. Dr Payne uses magnification for both
diagnostic purposes and for increased precision during your
treatment.
Dental
Lasers
In addition to the diagnostic laser, another type of
laser has made a debut at SunBird Dental. This laser is used to
effectively treat soft tissue concerns such as ulcers and
periodontal disease. Have you ever had a sore in your mouth that you
wish you could get to heal up overnight? A quick and painless laser
application does the trick. And for patients with periodontal
disease the laser is used to clean infected pockets. This provides
more comfortable treatment, faster healing, and better long-term
results.
Crowns and onlays in a single
visit
The ultimate in high-tech treatment is the
Cerec. This unique
in-house lab allows us to prepare your tooth and place your custom
restoration in one day, usually in a single appointment! No more
getting by with a temporary until a lab can fabricate a custom crown
or onlay. The restorations fabricated using the
Cerec are milled from a solid block of ceramic, so
they are both strong and beautiful. And because we design and mill
the restorations in our office, Dr. Payne has complete control over
the fit and quality of the final result. In the pictures below you
can see the designing screen and the milling unit. The picture to
the right shows a crown being milled inside the milling
unit.
Other Beautiful
Choices
Dr. Payne
believes in blending comprehensive dental care with aesthetic
choices that are healthy, functional and beautiful. Choices for
restoring teeth include composite-resin fillings, porcelain
and ceramic crowns and bridges, and porcelain inlays and
onlays. All of these options are virtually metal-free, which
means they look just like a natural tooth, and are unlikely to cause
allergic reactions even in sensitive patients. They are also bonded
to the natural tooth, increasing strength and
longevity. 
Porcelain
veneers are another beautiful option. Veneers are ideal for
covering discolored or cracked teeth, reshaping irregularly shaped
teeth and for closing gaps between teeth. The pictures above are a
great example. And the next time you are in our office take a good
look at Jennifer's beautiful smile. They look perfectly natural, but
her front teeth are covered by veneers to repair damage from a
childhood accident.
The simplest path to a
beautiful smile is, of course, Tooth Whitening, or
bleaching. We only use and prescribe products that we know
are both safe and effective, dispensed in custom fitted bleaching
trays to minimize leakage of the solutions which can damage the
gums. And we monitor your progress to be sure that your smile is
getting it's whitest. This has been such a popular option that we
even offer gift certificates so that you can give a
whiter smile to someone you love. Visit the Zoom Smile Whitening
Page to learn more about getting your smile as white as
it can be. 
Replacing Missing
Teeth
Losing a tooth was exciting when
you were six. And while one missing tooth seems like such a small
thing, especially if the space is not noticeable even when you
smile, that small thing can turn into a real health concern. When a
tooth is taken out of the "line-up" the other teeth will eventually
collapse toward the space. This can create a chewing situation where
the teeth meet improperly and eventually break from the strain. The
tooth that normally meets up with the missing tooth when you are
chewing no longer has any function and will begin to extract itself.
Especially when the missing tooth is on the lower, the tooth in the
upper arch "super-erupts" or begins working it's way out of the
socket. And the bone that held the tooth in place before it was lost
no longer bears any weight and will begin to erode.
Not so long ago the most common method for replacing
missing teeth was a fixed bridge. And while a fixed
bridge is functional, and with today's high-tech materials can be
made to look undetectable, it requires reducing the adjacent teeth
to place the crowns that will hold the replacement teeth in place.
This makes hygienic care of the area difficult and is often
unnecessary. We still place fixed bridges, especially if the
adjacent teeth need to be restored anyway. But we also offer the
option of single implants. Dr. Payne has been placing implants for
fifteen years and has used the Bicon implant system
for single implants and implant retained dentures for over five
years. This system is highly successful and very comfortable for the
patient. The healing time required is minimal and a crown can be
placed on the implant that will look and function just like a
natural tooth. In fact, most people can't tell which of the two
teeth in the picture below are crowns on implants. (The very
back two teeth are crowns placed on single implants, the other teeth
are natural teeth.) Following the placement of an implant
retained single crown our patients can chew, brush and floss just
like normal. 
Bicon implants are also an excellent
alternative to traditional, removable dentures and partials.
Implant retained dentures are secure, comfortable and
natural looking. If necessary, jaw augmentation can be performed
using synthetic and/or natural bone to build up the jaw enough
to retain an implant.
Every tooth provides a function, missing teeth lead
to poor occlusion and malposition which places unnecessary stress on
the other teeth and the connective tissues that hold the teeth in
place. And of course, the sooner missing teeth are replaced the
healthier the surrounding teeth will stay.
1325 E. First Street - PO Box 964 - McPherson,
KS 67460
620-241-0266 -
mailbox@sunbirddental.com
Before you speak a word,
your smile says volumes about
you | 
