Scaling and Root Planing

At Southern Cross Dental, we actively strive to help our patients maintain optimal oral health and retain their original teeth. By offering scaling and root planing to treat early gum disease, Dr. Navid Rahimpour and Dr. Faranak Rahimpour can restore the health of your gums and save your smile.

Gum disease occurs when plaque and tartar are allowed to buildup on your teeth, creating a suitable environment for bacteria to thrive. As bacteria collect in your mouth, they will attack your teeth and surrounding gums. In its earliest stages, gum disease is called gingivitis, but if it is left untreated, it will become a more serious periodontal disease that destroys your gum tissue and leads to tooth loss. If it is not treated, the disease can even cause a loss of bone mass in your jaw.

Scaling and root planing is one of the most effective ways to treat gum disease before it develops into a more serious disease. The procedure allows the dentist to clean between your gums and teeth all the way down to the roots in order to smooth the root structure and remove the tartar that is causing your inflammation. The procedure is incredibly effective and can stop the progression of gum disease before it irreversibly damages your teeth.

If you’ve been diagnosed with gum disease or you have red, swollen or bleeding gums, schedule an appointment with our office in Colorado Springs, CO by calling (719) 471-1717. For more information about the dentists and their services, visit www.southerncrossfamilydentistry.com.

Full and Partial Dentures

Patients looking to restore their smile after losing multiple teeth find that dentures offer them a great solution in Colorado Springs, CO. Dr. Navid Rahimpour, Dr. Faranak Rahimpour and their experienced team here at Southern Cross Dental offers two different types of dentures: partial dentures and conventional full dentures.

Conventional full dentures are one type of dentures that are used once all of a patient’s teeth have been removed. However, they are not placed until after the patient’s gum tissue has healed from the teeth extraction, which usually takes a few months. During that healing time, the patient would not have any teeth at all.

When a patient does not need all their teeth removed but still have a significant portion removed, partial dentures are a common solution. They are similar to bridges except bridges are permanent while partial dentures are removable. Whichever type of dentures a patient gets, they do take time getting used to since the flesh-colored base is placed over the gums, which can feel bulky or make their mouth feel crowded. However, as patients train themselves, eating and talking will begin to feel more natural.

Whether you’ve already lost a significant amount of teeth or are in need of extractions, dentures are a popular option, and Dr. Navid and Dr. Faranak Rahimpour are able to help patients find which choice is best for them. To schedule an appointment at Southern Cross Dental, call (719) 471-1717. For more information about the dentists and their services, please visit www.southerncrossfamilydentistry.com.   

Why Do You Need a Root Canal?

While the thought of having a root canal procedure usually fills patients with dread, the procedure is a necessary one for those whose teeth become infected in the nerves. Besides causing pain, infections, if left untreated, can become abscesses, which are much more serious and result in a loss of bone mass in the jawbone. Dr. Navid Rahimpour and Dr. Faranak Rahimpour can relieve your pain with root canal procedures in Colorado Springs, CO.

Although root canals may not sound pleasant to you, they are well worth it to stop your pain and improve your oral health. While there is soreness after the procedure, it is only temporary and usually nothing that over-the-counter painkillers cannot take care of.

During a root canal, your doctor at Southern Cross Dental will remove the infection by applying a local anesthetic to the area and drilling into the tooth to create an opening in the canal. Then they are able to remove the infected tissue and clean the area. Once the infection has been removed, your tooth will be filled with a sealant and then fitted with a crown to protect it from infection in the future. The crown also helps improve the appearance and strength of the tooth. Once the procedure is complete and soreness subsides, you will be able to eat without experiencing pain and sensitivity to heat, cold and pressure.

If you’re in pain, you don’t need to suffer. Schedule an appointment with Southern Cross Dental by calling (719) 471-1717. For more information, visit www.southerncrossfamilydentistry.com.  

Dental Bonding

Dental bonding is one of the easiest and most affordable dental procedures used for repairing teeth and enhancing the aesthetics of your smile. By bonding a tooth-colored resin to the patient’s teeth, the dentist can correct smiles with unevenly shaped, chipped or discolored teeth. If you’re looking to improve your smile in Colorado Springs, CO without committing to veneers, Drs. Navid and Faranak Rahimpour of Southern Cross Dental can use cosmetic dental bonding to give you a smile fit for the silver screen.

Unlike some other dental procedures, such as veneers, bonding can usually be accomplished in a single visit to Southern Cross Dental and doesn’t require enamel to be removed as veneers do. Bonding usually only requires light abrasion and an application of adhesive gel, which helps the resin adhere to the teeth. Once your teeth have been prepared, your dentist will then select the right color resin for your smile and apply the putty-like substance to your tooth or teeth. The resin is then molded and smoothed until it is in the desired shape. An LED light is used to harden the resin. After it has been hardened, the dentist will trim and shape it even further and then polish the resin until it shines like a natural tooth. Altogether, the procedure usually takes between 30 minutes to an hour for each tooth.

If you’re unhappy with your smile but unwilling to go as far as veneers, bonding can be used to improve your teeth effectively, quickly and affordably. To schedule an appointment with Drs. Navid or Faranak Rahimpour of Southern Cross Dental in Colorado Springs, CO, call (719) 471-1717. For more information about the dentists and their services, visit www.southerncrossfamilydentistry.com.    

Tooth-Colored Fillings

Even minor smile imperfections like chips, cracks and tooth decay can keep you from feeling confident in the appearance of your smile.  In the past, this was easily corrected with metal amalgam crowns or fillings.  However, the resulting appearance was relatively unaesthetic and often increased sensitivity to hot and cold temperatures.  Drs. Navid and Faranak Rahimpour offers a modern restorative solution at Southern Cross Dental in Colorado Springs, CO.  Tooth colored fillings provide patients with a comfortable and aesthetically pleasing restoration that blends in with the natural shade of their tooth.

Tooth colored fillings differ from metal amalgam fillings in that they use a white, composite resin to fill the tooth.  This material is not temperature sensitive and it blends in nicely with the rest of your natural smile.  Tooth colored fillings are secured to the surface of your tooth with a specialized adhesive gel that bonds quickly and reliability.  With a natural appearance and secure fit, tooth colored fillings offer a cosmetically appealing alternative.  Tooth colored fillings are an excellent choice for areas of your smile that may be more visible than others.  With a tooth colored filling you can restore confidence in the appearance of your smile.  Tooth colored fillings also don’t require as much modification of the natural tooth structure when compared to metal amalgam.

Patients that visit Drs. Navid and Faranak Rahimpour leave with a new found confidence in their smile.  The dentists use tooth colored fillings to restore cracked and chipped teeth, as well as to replace old metal amalgam fillings with a more aesthetically pleasing and natural looking alternative solution.

Veneers

If you are insecure about your smile due to gaps, cracks, persistent stains, misalignment or other issues with your teeth, veneers can provide a way for you to transform your smile into one you will be proud to show off. Made of ceramic or porcelain, veneers are thin shells that cover your existing tooth structure and allow you to completely redesign and reshape your smile. In Colorado Springs, CO, Drs. Navid and Faranak Rahimpour of Southern Cross Dental frequently uses veneers to help patients increase their confidence.

Transforming your smile with veneers usually only takes two to three appointments. During your first appointment, you and your doctor will discuss the shape and look of the smile you would like to achieve. The dentist will then prepare your teeth for your veneers by removing a small amount of enamel. This ensures that they will fit comfortably and feel natural. Once your teeth are prepared, Dr. Rahimpour will take an impression of your mouth to be used for fabricating your veneers. The process takes between one to two weeks and is done in a lab of the highest standards. While you wait for your permanent veneers, you will be provided with temporary ones. Then at your next appointment, your permanent veneers will be bonded to your teeth to create the attractive smile you’ve always wanted.

If there are certain things you don’t like about your teeth, you don’t have to live with them. Everyone should have a smile they love, and Drs. Navid and Faranak Rahimpour of Southern Cross Dental can help. Call (719) 471-1717 to schedule an appointment in Colorado Springs, CO. For more information about the dentists and their services, visit www.southerncrossfamilydentistry.com.

Tooth Extractions

Teeth are extracted for a variety of reasons, including decay, infection and impaction. If decay reaches too deeply into the tooth or if an infection has damaged too much of the supporting bone or tissue, the teeth may need to be removed. Teeth are also extracted if there is not enough room in the mouth. When teeth are impacted, it can cause damage to the roots of nearby teeth, so they are removed before damage is done. At Southern Cross Dental, Drs. Navid and Faranak Rahimpour can help you with tooth extractions in Colorado Springs, CO.

Before the procedure is performed, a local anesthetic is used to numb the area around the extraction site. During a simple extraction, the tooth is loosened with an elevator and then extracted with forceps. Once removed, the dentist may choose to smooth and contour the underlying bone. Then the gums are sutured.

After the extraction, it is critical to keep the area clean to prevent infection. A dry, sterile gauze will be placed over the gums to limit bleeding. You must make sure to keep it in place for 30 to 45 minutes while the blood clots. During the 24 hours after the procedure, you should not smoke, rinse your mouth vigorously or clean the teeth immediately adjacent to the extraction site. Strenuous activity, hot liquids and straw drinking should also be avoided. A certain amount of pain and discomfort accompanies an extraction, and a painkiller may be prescribed.

If you are suffering pain from decay, infection or impaction, Drs. Navid and Faranak Rahimpour of Southern Cross Dental in Colorado Springs, CO can determine if a tooth extraction is required to save your mouth. Schedule an appointment by calling (719) 471-1717. For more information visit our website, www.southerncrossfamilydentistry.com.