As a family dental practice, we treat all of your family’s dental needs. We provide a wide range of dental services to help you obtain and keep optimal dental health.

Teeth Whitening
Your teeth will naturally darken over time with dark food/beverages, smoking, and age. Teeth Whitening is a simple procedure to restore your smile to its natural, brighter, whiter shade. There are several methods to achieve this. We offer both In-Office whitening and custom take home whitening kits at HUGHES FAMILY DENTAL.

  • The In-Office procedure typically takes 1 ½ hours to achieve your whitest shade. You can read, watch TV, or listen to music during this painless easy process. You are also given touch-up gel and custom trays to keep your teeth at this shade.
  • The Custom Take Home Tray method is also very easy. An impression is taken of your mouth and we fabricate a small, comfortable, clear tray to fit your teeth exactly. You then wear the tray for 1-2 hours for 2 weeks to achieve your whitest shade. You will then also periodically touch-up your teeth to maintain the shade.

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Porcelain Veneers
Veneers are thin porcelain “shell” coverings that are permanently bonded to the front of teeth to achieve a beautiful smile. We can achieve subtle or major changes in the smile with veneers. The process involves removing a small portion from the front of the tooth, obtaining an impression, fabricating temporary veneers (worn for 2 weeks), and then later cementing the permanent veneers. All of this is completed in just two easy office visits.

These are some of the common problems fixed with porcelain veneers:

  • Spaces between teeth
  • Broken or chipped teeth
  • Unsightly, stained or discolored teeth
  • Crooked or misshapen teeth

Porcelain VeneersPorcelain Veneers

Bonding
Bonding is a process that uses composite “white” filling material to cover the front surface of the teeth to achieve an esthetically pleasing smile. Bonding is a common solution for:

  • Chipped or cracked teeth
  • Hiding discoloration of teeth
  • Closing unsightly gaps and spaces in teeth.

Bonding has several advantages: it is a quick painless procedure; it does not require removing any tooth structure; it can easily enhance your smile in a relatively inexpensive way. It only has one disadvantage- composite bonds are not as durable and long-lasting as the more expensive porcelain veneers, and may require replacing eventually.

Routine Exams and Cleanings
Total dental care begins with regular hygiene checkups and cleanings, and good oral hygiene at home.
Oral Cancer Screenings
An oral cancer screening is an examination we perform at every routine dental visit. We look for signs of cancer or precancerous conditions in your mouth. The goal of oral cancer screening is to identify mouth cancer early, when there is a greater chance for a cure. Sometimes, we may use additional tests to aid in identifying areas of abnormal cells in your mouth, or refer you to an oral surgeon for a biopsy.
Periodontal Treatment
“Periodontal” means the tissue around the teeth, so Periodontal Disease is the disease of these tissues (gums and bone). This disease ranges from mild (bleeding gums and slight bone loss) to severe (major bone loss and loose teeth), but there are treatments available for every stage of periodontal disease.

After a complete periodontal exam, if periodontal disease is diagnosed, we will usually complete Scaling and Root Planning, also known as a “deep cleaning.” This procedure involves a careful cleaning of the root surfaces to remove plaque and calculus [tartar] from deep periodontal pockets and to smooth the tooth root to remove bacterial toxins. At HUGHES FAMILY DENTAL we can numb the gum tissue with a needle-free anesthetic, for complete patient comfort. Usually after scaling and root planning, many patients do not require any further active treatment, but we recommend having perio maintenance visits (extra professional cleanings) every 3 months to obtain optimal dental health.
Composite (white) Fillings
At HUGHES FAMILY DENTAL, we only use “white” composite resin fillings in our office, for both kids and adults. This allows us to perform a better, more conservative, safer, and more cosmetically pleasing treatment. Since amalgam “silver” fillings are not bonded to your teeth, they do not strengthen teeth which have been weakened from the cavity and associated loss of healthy tooth structure. A tooth restored with amalgam does not reinforce your teeth and it is common to see cracks and ultimately fractures of your teeth caused by the way the tooth is wedged with a metal filling between its cusp tips. Also, amalgam fillings require additional removal of healthy tooth structure in order to fit the minimum criteria of depth and size for the amalgam material to perform satisfactorily. Composite fillings only replace the portions of your teeth that have been damaged and no additional reduction of healthy areas of your teeth is required. Additionally, composite restorations are bonded to your teeth. When properly placed with maximum bond strength, the composite restoration can strengthen the weakened tooth. We are also very proud that we only use the best resin available, both for esthetics and longevity. Your beautiful white fillings will last for many years to come.
Sealants for Children
Sealants are a resin material that is applied to the biting surfaces of adult molars. These surfaces are highly susceptible to forming cavities because they have grooves and depressions that allow food and bacteria to reside. The grooves are extremely difficult to clean and often turn into cavities. Studies show that 88% of total cavities in American school children are caused this way. The procedure to apply sealants is very easy. There is no numbing or drilling. We simply clean these grooves and apply the sealant as a liquid. A curing light is then shined on the sealant for 30 seconds and then rinsed clean. The child can immediately eat and drink. At Hughes Family Dentistry, we guarantee our sealants through the teen years, and will replace them for free in regular patients.
Short-Term Adult Orthodontics
before_after7_smDr. Hughes is a certified provider of Six Month Smiles. Six Month Smiles is a form of short-term orthodontics, with treatment time of only 4-8 months. It consists of clear, ceramic braces, which are esthetically pleasing, so you don’t have to worry about embarrassing metal brackets. This teeth-straightening system focuses on moving the teeth that are visible when you smile and talk, and not correcting your bite pattern (compared to conventional orthodontics that take two years). These are some of the problems that can be corrected with Six Month Smiles:

  • Spacing
  • Crowding
  • Crooked teeth
  • Inclined teeth
  • Too long or too short teeth

We offer a free consultation to see if you are a candidate for Six Month Smiles, so contact us today.

Extractions
An extraction is the complete removal of a tooth. If a tooth has extensive decay or trauma that cannot be repaired, periodontal disease, or is impacted, it may require extraction. Once a tooth is extracted, a tooth replacement (implant or bridge) is recommended. With a missing tooth, the teeth on either side, as well as opposing the missing tooth, will shift causing bite, jaw, and gum problems.
Implant Restoration
dreamstime_m_45648590_sm350Dental implants are a popular and effective way to replace one or more missing teeth. The development of implants is one of the biggest advances in dentistry in the past 40 years. Dental implants are titanium posts that are surgically placed in the upper or lower jaw, where they function as a sturdy anchor for replacement teeth. The dental implant is usually placed by an oral surgeon, and then restored by a dentist. Once complete, a dental implant restoration will look, feel, and function like your natural tooth.
Root Canal
A root canal is a procedure that removes decayed or infected pulp from the inside of the tooth, and then replaces it with strengthening material. Root canals have historically been very painful procedures, but with advances in anesthetic and modern technology/instruments, root canals can be a painless procedure, and allow you to keep a tooth that would have to be extracted otherwise.
Root Canal Treatment
Crowns
beforeafter4_smA crown is a permanent porcelain covering that fits over a tooth that is either severely decayed, damaged, or cracked. The crown acts as a protective “shell” that keeps the tooth from further damage and potential tooth loss. At HUGHES FAMILY DENTAL, we only use full porcelain crowns that are durable and very esthetically pleasing.

The crown procedure is completed in two simple visits. We remove the damage tooth structure and fill with a resin core buildup, remove a small outer layer of the tooth, take an impression, and make a temporary crown that will be worn for 2 weeks. At the second visit, the temporary is removed and the permanent crown is bonded to the tooth with cement. With proper oral care, a crown can last a lifetime.
Bridges
before_after1_smA bridge is dental device that is used to give you a tooth where one is missing. The bridge is permanently bonded to the teeth on either side of the missing tooth (abutment teeth). The bridge keeps the teeth from shifting, as well as bite, jaw, and gum problems that can result when a tooth is missing.

The bridge procedure is completed in two simple visits. We remove a small outer layer of the abutment teeth, take an impression, and make a temporary bridge that will be worn for 2 weeks. At the second visit, the temporary is removed and the permanent bridge is bonded to the teeth with cement. With proper oral care, a bridge can last a lifetime.
Complete and Partial Dentures
Often teeth are lost due to periodontal disease, injury, or tooth decay. However, with complete and partial dentures, we can restore your smile.

  • A complete denture is used when all of the teeth on either upper or lower arch are missing.
  • A partial denture is used when there are remaining healthy teeth. We only use metal-free partials, so there will be no unsightly metal clasps around the teeth.
  • An immediate denture is used when front teeth need to be extracted, and the patient does not want to be “toothless” for any period of time. With this type of denture, the teeth are extracted and we immediately place the denture in the mouth. This allows you to smile, talk, and function immediately.

At HUGHES FAMILY DENTAL, we only use the best dental labs to make strong, natural-looking dentures. We guarantee our dentures and never charge for any adjustments while obtaining a perfect fit.

Emergencies
dreamstime_m_45531820_sm350We keep time open in our schedule every day for emergencies of both new and existing patients. Whether it’s for a chipped tooth or excruciating toothache, we will see you for an emergency visit to get you out of pain. After hours and on holidays, we offer an emergency phone # to call for treatment. We will either see you or refer you to someone that can.
Digital X-rays
We offer one of the latest technological advances in dentistry with digital x-rays. The actual x-ray only takes seconds and emits the smallest possible radiation possible with an x-ray. Digital x-rays reduce radiation exposure by 90 percent! The x-ray is then available on the computer seconds later, where it can be viewed and discussed by the patient and dentist.