Services

Orthodontics

We provide Invisalign Clear Aligner therapy for teens AND adults.

We also use early interceptive orthodontics for children to minimize or eliminate lengthy traditional braces. For our younger orthodontic patients, we focus on 2-phase therapy to minimize the need to extract healthy adult teeth. Phase 1 is usually implemented in ages 6-11 when a growth pattern deficiency is noticed. It utilizes fixed and/or removable oral appliances to correct skeletal misalignment and make enough space to accommodate all the adult teeth. Phase 2 is the correction of alignment of teeth to improve bite, aesthetics and stabilize jaw health.

Fixed Prosthodontics

This means: Implant restorations, crowns, bridges & veneers. The Cerec is a cad/cam that allows us to make many of these in-house. The old way to have a crown made required 2 appointments 2 weeks apart. The crown would be made in a lab. Now, Dr. Darling designs, mills and cements the crown in the same appointment. Cerec allows Nate more control over the shape and color of the crown/bridge.

Operative/Restorative

This means: the removal of cavities and placement of appropriate restorative material. We use tooth-colored bonded fillings (resin) and porcelain inlays/onlays. Our new filling delivery system – Sonicfill makes filling appointments faster and easier! And the Cerec is used to make the inlays/onlays right in the office instead of waiting for the lab.

Jaw Health (TMJ/TMD)

TMJ is the joint, TMD is dysfunction of the joint. We use advanced diagnostic techniques and treatment to improve and stabilize TMJ health (JVA/t-scan links-bioresearch). The goal in phase 1 is the stabilization of the jaw joint(s) using oral appliances (orthotics) to minimize pain and improve other symptoms (locking of jaw). A series of orthotics are used to properly align the jaw joints which balances the jaw muscles. Phase 2 is to restore the healthy bite using orthodontics or fixed prosthodontics or a combination of those.

Removable Prosthodontics

Also known as full dentures and partial dentures. News flash…due to improvements in dental technology, dentures don’t slop around while you are eating or fall out at the most inopportune moment. If your false teeth are misbehaving call for an appointment to allow us to educate you on how we can help.

Missing some teeth? We can help. If a denture is the right choice for you, you are in the right place! Nate is highly skilled at making dentures. He will do everything he can to make them as comfortable as possible for you.

Periodontics

Is the diagnosis and treatment of gum disease.  Long term gum care is incredibly important for overall health. Our hygienists are experts at scaling and root planing, which is a “deep cleaning” of gum/tooth structure to treat periodontal disease without surgery. The goal of this procedure is the removal of bacteria and endo-toxin by-products (poisons) on the root structure underneath the gums. We would much rather you did not need that though! Our amazing hygienists and their thorough periodic care will help you prevent it.

Preventative Care

Come visit us every 6-months! We will help you keep your teeth and gums healthy! Our recommended preventive care appointments include regular cleanings, exams, radiographs & sealants. Our regular dental exams include, but are not limited to: oral, head & neck cancer screening, examination of jaw joint and surrounding muscles, cavity detection, and periodontal (gum disease) evaluation which consists of assessing the health of gums and bone which support the teeth. Regular exams also include digital radiographs (x-rays) once a year. The digital radiographs at Darling Dental expose individuals to far less radiation than standard film radiographs. These images are necessary to diagnose cavities, periodontal disease, cysts, and tumors.

Sealants are used to help prevent cavities but are old fashioned and lack the longevity of better treatments today. At Darling Dental we place Preventative Resin Restorations which are far superior to sealants and are used to seal deep grooves in teeth that are difficult to clean and allow for bacteria to hide and start cavities. This is done by cleaning out the deep grooves three different ways, disinfect to kill any hiding cavity causing bacteria and then bond -chemically glue- a liquid filling into the grooves. This is all done without the use of anesthetic.  Because your health & development is important to us, we use an alternative filling materials that are hypo-allergenic and BPA-free.

Whitening

You have no doubt seen commercials on TV, in magazines, and in your dentist office with pictures of impossibly white and bright teeth. These pictures are often stock pictures provided by the whitening company of models and not actual patients. We use KOR whitening which is a full spectrum whitening product that works for minimal touch up to stained teeth that your dentist has told you only veneers will remedy. Please see the amazing results we achieved on a current Darling Dental patient – link to pic here? Because we cross all our T’s and dot all our I’s, whitening is only done after all dental disease has been treated. It is important to have healthy teeth and gums before you whiten your teeth. Ask us about it!