General Dentistry

The answer to this question is a resounding "Yes!"

In the world of dentistry, there are many conditions such as tooth decay and gum disease that don't typically cause much pain in their early stages. That doesn't mean, however, that they're not affecting your oral health!

In fact, when you do feel pain, in many cases this means that the decay or infection has progressed and caused bigger and more costly damage. Treating these conditions in their earliest stages allows you to have the best opportunity for a successful recovery with the least invasive treatment procedures, which is always our goal for you.

At Davis Family Dentistry, we believe that prevention is truly the key to achieving and maintaining optimum oral health. When you come in for your routine six-month cleaning and check-up appointments, we screen you for these and other conditions. Believe it or not, Dr. Kurtis and Dr. Joanne can detect these concerns much earlier than you can, and one reason is that there are often not many symptoms at first.

When you're consistent and proactive about your oral health we can prevent many issues from occurring in the first place.

Contact Davis Family Dentistry today to schedule your next routine visit.

At Davis Family Dentistry, Drs. Kurtis and Joanne like to begin seeing children around the age of three years old, unless parents have any concerns early on.

At your child's first visit, we'll take the time to help them acclimate to our office with a ride in the "big chair," an introduction to our tools, and an examination of their teeth and mouth. We'll explain everything we're doing so your child always feels comfortable, and we'll also clean their teeth if they're ready.

Our goal is to make dental visits fun for your child, while also helping them learn about the importance of their oral health.

As your child gets older, we may recommend additional services for them such as fluoride treatments and dental sealants. These treatments are designed to build small teeth and protect them from tooth decay and cavities. If your child chooses to participate in sports, we're happy to help with the right protective wear for their mouth and teeth. Almost half of dental emergencies are caused by sports injuries.

We encourage parents to bring their little ones along to their own dental appointments so children can see that the dentist is not scary. We look forward to building a relationship with your child that will set them up for a lifetime of success at the dental office!

Your mouth is a busy place. Bacteria – tiny colonies of living organisms are constantly on the move on your teeth, gums, lips and tongue. Having bacteria in your mouth is a normal thing. While some of the bacteria can be harmful, most are not and some are even helpful.

Certain types of bacteria, however, can attach themselves to hard surfaces like the enamel that covers your teeth. If they’re not removed, they multiply and grow in number until a colony forms. More bacteria of different types attach to the colony already growing on the tooth enamel. Proteins that are present in your saliva (spit) also mix in and the bacteria colony becomes a whitish film on the tooth. This film is called plaque, and it’s what causes cavities.

When refined carbohydrates or sugars are ingested, these bacteria present in the mouth use the sugar and convert it to acid that dissolves tooth enamel. The acid attacks start immediately after consuming sugars and last for 20-30 minutes.

Sometimes described as “silver-colored” fillings, dental amalgam has been used by dentists for more than 100 years because it lasts a long time. Because of their durability, these silver-colored fillings can sometimes be the best choice for large cavities or those that occur in the back teeth where a lot of force is needed to chew.

Composite resins, or tooth-colored fillings, provide good durability and resistance to fracture in small- to mid-size fillings that need to withstand moderate pressure from the constant stress of chewing. They can be used on either front or back teeth. They are a good choice for people who prefer that their fillings look more natural.