Keowee Smiles specializes in beautifying smiles and helping you improve your overall appearance. Our experienced and friendly staff takes great pride in keeping your smile beautiful. Our promise to you is that the crowns, bridges and veneers we create will look as good as or better than the teeth nature gave you. And to make sure we keep that promise, the products we recommend and use are the highest quality and incredibly durable. You can trust us with your smile.

We offer the best dental treatments to our patients and provide the following services: implants, cosmetic dentistry, general dentistry, full mouth restoration, composite fillings, porcelain crowns, lumineers, dentures, root canals, extractions, velscope oral cancer screening, digital impressions (goo free dentistry coming January 2010), invisalign, deep bleaching, as well as professional take home whitening.

Cosmetic Dentistry:

When was the last time someone complemented you on your smile?

Having a smile you love can be a tremendous boost to your self-esteem and confidence, giving you an edge in your everyday activities by improving your professional and personal image.
When you are pleased with your smile, you are more likely to wear it, and that’s something people notice.  Smiling frequently conveys friendliness, warmth, and approachability.  So if you are unhappy with your smile, now is the time to do something about it!

Cosmetic dentistry is the art and science of designing beautiful and healthy smiles.  It involves all aspects of general dentistry with a special emphasis on individual teeth and their overall harmony and balance in your smile.  Smile rejuvenation can be as effortless as a two hour teeth whitening or as complex as a total smile makeover.  Discover the realm of possibilities with cosmetic dentistry at Keowee Smiles by Dr. Ken Dobson.  His talent, artistry and experience combine to produce amazing results for patients.  He will listen carefully to your desire and goals, and only then does he recommend procedures that will meet your individual needs.

People choose cosmetic dental procedures for various reasons:  to repair a defect such as a malformed bite or crooked teeth, treat an injury, or just improve their overall appearance.  Whatever the reason, the ultimate goal is to restore a beautiful smile. 
Look carefully at your smile, if you feel it could be improved, consider having a cosmetic consultation today.

Crown and Bridge:

If you’re faced with tooth loss, crown and bridge treatment may be the right restorative option for you. This long term solution can help prevent the cycle of problems that can occur when just one tooth is missing, such as shifting of the remaining teeth, decay, periodontal disease and bone loss.  We will help you understand why restoration through crown and bridge is so important, and what the procedure involves.

Reasons for Crowns:

• Broken or fractured teeth
• Cosmetic enhancement
• Decayed teeth
• Fractured fillings
• Large fillings
• Tooth has a root canal

A crown, sometimes called a cap, is a tooth like covering placed over a carefully prepared existing tooth.  It is used to strengthen, restore or improve the appearance of your natural tooth.  The crown fits over a carefully prepared existing tooth.  Single crowns are advised when a large portion of the tooth has been damaged by decay.  Most crowns are made of porcelain material that closely replicates the appearance and function of your natural teeth.

Crowns and bridgework are the historical standards in dental restorations and are a process with which many people are familiar.  For many years these restorations were made entirely from precious metals (gold alloy, platinum, palladium) exposing a gold or silver tooth.  Those precious metals are still used in crown and bridge work, but today there is the added aesthetic of porcelain, which makes the restoration look and function like your natural teeth.  The choice of material depends on requirements for strength, wear, and /or aesthetics.  Porcelain crowns completely cover the exposed tooth structure down to the gum line.  They are often used to repair teeth that have undergone root canal treatment or have broken down from decay or a fracture too extensive to be restored by a filling.

A porcelain crown is created in a laboratory, specially designed and crafted to fit perfectly and blend with your natural teeth.  The shade of porcelain is carefully selected to match your surrounding teeth, making the crowns appear as natural as your un-restored teeth. 

The materials used are a high noble (precious) metal interior (for strength) and a porcelain exterior (for cosmetics).  The strength of the material creates a crown that functions like a natural tooth.  Once the crown is permanently cemented, chewing ability is like that of your natural teeth.

Having a customized crown made requires two appointments :.

1. The tooth is carefully prepared and impressions are taken to create a natural

looking crown to fit your smile.

2. Permanently cementing your new crown or bridgework.

If you are missing one or more teeth in an area, a bridge may be an option.  Bridgework is used to replace one tooth or multiple teeth.  A series of crowns (called pontics) are crafted to replace the missing teeth.  These are anchored to natural teeth (called abutments) on either end of the span.  The materials used for creating a bridge are similar to those of a crown, allowing a custom shade of porcelain to match your surrounding teeth.

As with the crown, once the bridgework is permanently cemented you may again enjoy your favorite foods with confidence.  Bridgework allows you to avoid that sunken in appearance caused by missing teeth and stabilizes that area of the dental arch to give you a more youthful appearance, allowing you to smile once more with confidence.  Crowns and bridgework are very durable and can last a lifetime with extra care and by practicing good oral hygiene. Dr. Dobson will be happy to answer any of your questions you may have throughout your crown and bridge treatment.  During the process we do everything we can to ensure your comfort.  Our goal is to help you preserve your smile for a lifetime.

Root Canal Therapy:

Root Canal Therapy is needed when the nerve of a tooth if affected by decay or infection.  Regular cleanings and checkups can prevent and detect problems early.   If a cavity forms and is allowed to go untreated for too long, it can penetrate to the root pulp where an infection can occur.  If this occurs the pulp becomes infected, and can even extend through the root tip and begin to eat away at the surrounding bone (this is called an abscess).  By the time the pulp is infected it must be treated, and cannot heal on its own.  It can even weaken the entire immune system.  This is dangerous, not to mention, very painful.  Symptoms that the pulp has become infected may include sensitivity to hot/cold or sweets, pain, swelling, pain to biting or pressure, and a bad taste in the mouth.  First, we want to relieve any discomfort you might be experiencing and ensure your comfort throughout the treatment. 

At Keowee Smiles, we believe in saving teeth instead of removing them.  We make every effort to help you keep your natural teeth for a lifetime!   In order to save the tooth, the pulp (the living tissue inside the tooth), nerves, bacteria, and any decay are removed. The resulting space is filled with special, medicated dental materials, which restore the tooth to its full function.

Having a root canal performed on a tooth is the treatment of choice to save a tooth that otherwise would die and have to be removed.  Many patients believe that removing a tooth that has problems is the solution, but what is not realized is that extracting (pulling) a tooth will ultimately be more costly and cause significant problems for adjacent teeth. 

Root Canal Treatment is highly successful and usually lasts a lifetime, although on occasion, a tooth will have to be retreated due to new infections.

Signs and Symptoms for possible Root Canal Treatment:

• An abscess or (pimple) on the gums
• Sensitivity to hot and cold
• Severe toothache
• Swelling and/or tenderness
• Sometimes no symptoms are present

Reasons for Root Canal Therapy:

• Decay has reached to tooth pulp (the living tissues inside the tooth)
• Infection or abscess has developed inside the tooth or at the root tip
• Injury or trauma to the tooth

What does Root Canal Therapy Involve?

A root canal procedure requires one or more appointments and can be performed by a dentist or endodontist (a root canal specialist).

After the tooth becomes numb, an access opening is made on the biting surface of the tooth and a series of root canal files are placed into the opening, one at a time, removing the pulp, nerve tissue, and bacteria.  If tooth decay is present, it will also be removed with special dental instruments.

Once the tooth is thoroughly cleaned, it will be sealed with either a permanent filling or, if additional appointments are needed, a temporary filling will be placed.

If additional appointments are not needed, the roots and the inside cavity will be filled and sealed with special dental materials.  A filling will be placed to cover the opening on top of the tooth.  In addition, all teeth that have root canal treatment should have a crown placed.  This will protect the tooth and prevent it from breaking, and restore it to its full function.

After treatment, your tooth may still be sensitive, but this will subside as the inflammation diminishes and the tooth heals.

Whitening:

If you are not entirely happy with the color of your teeth, you might consider tooth whitening with our “Deep Bleaching System”.  It is our goal to provide our patients with the most effective products for what they want to achieve with their tooth whitening.  We offer the most advanced tooth whitening system available today.  The bleaching process lightens discolorations of the enamel.  Often a smile can be improved simply by whitening teeth that have stained and yellowed over time.  This process is ideal for patients who have healthy teeth and gums.  For years, there have been two problems that have challenged and frustrated dentists and patients about teeth bleaching:

• The extreme unpredictability of teeth bleaching
• The acute sensitivity it can cause to many during the bleaching process

A bleaching technique may work well on one person, and virtually not work at all on the very next person.  And many times when it does seem to work, it just doesn’t last very long. 
A technique has been developed which is now recognized all over the world as the most effective whitening technique ever invented.  The technique is so effective that it will even whiten tetracycline discolored teeth—which were previously thought to be impossible to bleach.  Just imagine getting your teeth MUCH whiter, and having it last for your ENTIRE life!  With very little periodic maintenance at home, the results are entirely permanent.

Deep Bleaching^TM System:

Dr. Dobson will evaluate your teeth with you to determine if you are a good candidate for tooth whitening.  All patients should undergo a cleaning prior to the bleaching appointment to acquire optimum bleaching.  Amy, our hygienist, or an assistant will determine the shade of your teeth prior to whitening.

Deep Bleaching^TM Technique:

• 1st Appointment-Impressions are taken of the upper and lower teeth.

• 2nd Appointment - The first session of Deep Bleaching^TM will start with a quality polish of the facial surfaces of the teeth.  Next, is the conditioning phase of your first visit, which will ‘condition’ the teeth to absorb oxygen more readily from the bleaching gel in your At Home Deep Bleaching Trays.  This very liberal application of desensitizer is a crucial step in the process to prevent sensitivity.  For those super-sensitive patients, additional swabs of desensitizer may be sent home for further applications.  Do not expect a tremendous color change from this ‘conditioning’ visit.

Bleaching trays will then be tried into the mouth to ensure proper fit.  Two 20 minute sessions of bleaching completes the first (conditioning) visit.
You will be given a bleaching kit.  This kit will include syringes of bleaching gel and desensitizing swabs.  The degree of whitening and possible sensitivity will vary from individual to individual.

At-Home Bleaching:
Immediately following the ‘conditioning visit’, you will wear your At-Home trays for 14 consecutive nights.  After the 14th night of at-home Deep Bleaching^TM , the final Deep Bleaching^TM will be performed in our office, and will provide additional whitening over what will have already been accomplished.  The result will be WOW!

• 3rd Appointment - A final application of desensitizer and three 20 minute sessions of bleaching will provide additional whitening over what will have already been accomplished. Your final bleaching shade will be checked.  We will record your shade and for those patients who are particularly difficult to bleach, (tetracycline) patients, another week of bleaching may be required.

Is Whitening Safe?

Yes.  Clinical studies and extensive research show that whitening your teeth under the supervision of a dentist is extremely safe.  It is one of the safest cosmetic procedures available today.

Comprehensive Exam:
                
Dr. Ken Dobson blends the artistry of his field with an advanced approach to dentistry unequaled in personal attention and professional care.  With our exceptional staff of dental health professionals, we plan your treatment to achieve optimum health.

When we take care of a patient, we look at the entire person, not just an individual tooth.  People often come to us with a single problem but do not take into account how the problem fits within their entire smile, well being and overall health.  This allows our patients to become aware of any problems and be an active participant in their