Cosmetic Dentistry
Your smile is one of the first things people notice about you so let us help make yours perfect. Dr. Kavetsis and her team offer a complete range of cosmetic dental procedures from full-mouth porcelain veneers to crowns to whitening.
Cosmetic dentistry need not always be radical and expensive. Affinity Dental offers procedures to fit any budget or need. Dr. Kavetsis takes photos of all new patients to act as a “baseline” and, together with the patient, will create customized smile improvement plans.
Children’s Dentistry
Affinity Dental is a family-friendly practice that focuses on prevention and education for children and their parents. We encourage parents to bring their children to see us beginning at one year of age to lay the foundation for lifelong oral health. We love kids and warmly welcome them in our practice!
Orthodontics
Orthodontics can be used alone or in conjunction with other cosmetic procedures to better align teeth. Teeth in nice alignment are easier to clean and can help prevent future periodontal problems. Dr. Kavetsis believes that using orthodontics to move teeth into a more symmetrical and “beautiful” position can be a permanent and economical plan for patients. Affinity Dental offers clear aligners from Invisalign and simple retainers to treat varying degrees of misalignment.
Dental Implants
Affinity Dental is proud to offer the newest standard in tooth replacement. Dental implants are a very effective way to replace missing teeth. The implant procedure
involves placing a small titanium post into the bone to act as the new “root” for the implant. Once healed, a porcelain crown can be placed on the post. The implant looks and feels like a natural tooth and does not require the adjacent teeth to be treated.
Periodontics
Periodontal disease is the “silent, painless” bone and gum loss around the teeth and is the number one contributor to tooth loss. Dr. Kavetsis and her team believe that regular professional cleanings and a healthy lifestyle can help prevent and drastically reduce the incidence of periodontal disease. Affinity
Dental treats all stages of periodontal disease and encourages you to come in no matter how much time has passed since your last cleaning. Our focus is on achieving the best oral health possible and educating our patients on proper tooth maintenance at home.
Fillings
Affinity Dental is a mercury-free office and all fillings placed are resin-based tooth colored restorations. Resin fillings bind directly to the tooth enamel and help to maintain the tooth structure. This material can also be used to fill in chipped teeth.
Porcelain Crowns, Bridges, Onlays, Inlays
Although teeth are composed of many layers of enamel and tissue and are inherently strong, old fillings or expansive decay can weaken teeth. Porcelain restorations are used to restore defects and to strengthen weakened teeth. Dr. Kavetsis follows the most conservative guidelines and takes every measure to save healthy tooth structure.
Teeth Whitening
Affinity Dental offers both in-office and at home teeth whitening options. Dr. Kavetsis customizes each plan to help patients achieve their whitest and brightest smile.
TMJ Pain
Temporomandibular joint pain, or TMJ pain, is pain in the jaws and can range from minor to severe. TMJ pain can also cause headaches that may disrupt your daily activities. Grinding teeth, jaw injury or stress can all contribute to inflammation and pain near the temporomandibular joint. Dr. Kavetsis will do a thorough muscular exam and may use biting tests to determine each patient’s diagnosis and treatment plan to relieve TMJ pain.
Sleep Apnea
A major type of sleep apnea, called Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), can be successfully treated with custom oral appliances that are worn at night. When combined with a sleep study and a physician’s diagnosis, OSA will be treated with an appliance that fits over the teeth and helps hold the lower jaw forward. This keeps the airway open and reduces snoring. Dr. Kavetsis will then monitor your treatment with follow up visits and make adjustments as needed. Many medical insurance plans cover all or some of the costs associated with the treatment of OSA.
Dental Emergency Visits
Any patient experiencing pain or a sudden change in their oral health will be seen as quickly as possible—many times the same day. In an emergency situation, Affinity Dental focuses on pain control with treatment decisions following when the patient is stable. We understand these situations can be very stressful and will help in any way possible. Please call us at 773-904-7079 to request an emergency appointment.
Oral Cancer Screening
Along with the American Cancer Society, Affinity Dental believes that regular dental exams are a great preventative measure for oral cancer. All patients will have a thorough mouth, head and neck exam at the initial assessment and all check-up appointments. Dr. Kavetsis will discuss risk factors and offer informational resources to patients such as smoking cessation.
Dental Nightguards / Sportguards
Bruxism, generally referred to as tooth-grinding, is a very common habit and can lead to excessive tooth wear, jaw pain and even broken teeth. Although certain factors, such as stress, can trigger or worsen the grinding, it is unlikely that a patient with a history of grinding will ever completely stop. Grinding is a complicated neuromuscular habit that cannot be cured but the teeth can be easily protected. Dr. Kavetsis will custom fabricate a nightguard that will help protect your teeth from wearing away. After an initial adjustment period, wearing the guard becomes a simple lifestyle change that will prevent serious problems in the future. Guards are also important for patients who have had cosmetic procedures as they act as protection against chipping or fractures. Children and adults playing sports should also wear sportguards for protection. Dr. Kavetsis will customize guards for growing children and regularly monitor their fit. As children grow and adult teeth come in, the guards will be modified or remade to offer continuous protection.
Root Canals
Root canal treatment, also known as endodontic treatment, is a dental procedure in which the diseased or damaged pulp (core) of a tooth is removed and the inside areas (the pulp chamber and root canals) are filled and sealed. Inflamed or infected pulp (pulpitis) most often causes a toothache. To relieve the pain and prevent further complications, the tooth may be extracted (surgically removed) or saved by root canal treatment. Root canal treatment has become a common dental procedure; more than 14 million are performed every year, with a 95% success rate, according to the American Association of Endodontists.
Same Day Crowns (CEREC)
CEREC technology is a state-of-the-art system for creating the most-advanced permanent crowns today. With CEREC same-day crowns, there is no need to construct a temporary crown, take impression for a permanent crown that will be developed later, and go through days of “protective” eating and being extra careful of the temporary crown. Affinity Dental will craft your restorative crown in our office during the same treatment session that your tooth is prepared for.
CEREC crowns use computer technology to image the tooth that will be crowned, as well as the surrounding teeth. This computer-aided design allows us to achieve a better fit and match than was previously possible, and to check this work in the context of your teeth, since you are present while the permanent restoration is made. In addition, because the crown is made from a single block of ceramic or resin material, it is considerably stronger than many other types of crowns. It is simply the best crown available in dentistry today.
