General Dentistry Maintains and Preserves Your Oral Health

Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder occurs when the joint that connects your lower jaw to your skull becomes damaged or inflamed. While this can occur because the joint itself is problematic, TMJ disorder can also develop because your bite is misaligned, causing stress on the jaw. Dr. Bruce Watkins can help you find relief from symptoms of TMJ disorder, including pain, soreness, and teeth grinding. Dr. Watkins will evaluate your bite and jaw to determine what type of treatment is best for you. He may provide a specialized oral splint, BOTOX® Cosmetic‎, or another treatment plan.

Preventive dentistry is an essential component of great oral and overall healthcare. Each and every time you visit Watkins Family Dentistry, our team will perform preventive treatments to help you maintain excellent oral health. You will undergo a thorough cleaning and receive instructions on how to best care for your teeth in between visits. Preventive visits are also important because they allow our team to catch any potential problems, such as cavities or soft tissue abnormalities, at early stages when they respond best to treatment. 

Dr. Watkins offers sedation to help his patients feel fully relaxed and comfortable during their dental treatments. We can provide oral conscious sedation, a pill taken before your visit, and nitrous oxide sedation, which you inhale through your nose during treatment. Sedation dentistry helps you feel relaxed and calm during any type of procedure. It is a great option for patients who struggle with dental anxiety or phobia as well as those who are undergoing extensive or lengthy procedures. Dr. Watkins can help determine which sedation option is right for you during a consultation.

When you come to Watkins Family Dentistry for root canal therapy, we take several measures to make your treatment is as fast and painless as possible. Dr. Watkins uses a specialized rotary drill that will remove infected tissue from within your tooth with minimal disturbance to surrounding healthy tissues. He can typically complete your root canal therapy in a single visit so that you can find relief from symptoms quickly. If necessary or desired,  Dr. Watkins will provide nitrous oxide or oral conscious sedation to ensure your comfort during treatment.

We are proud to feature the most trusted and integrated dental technology at Watkins Family Dentistry. Our CEREC® machine allows us to design and mill restorations in-office. We combine CEREC® technology with the state-of-the-art GALILEOS® cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scanner, which work seamlessly together to make implant planning and placement more precise. Utilizing both systems together is a distinction that under 5% of general dentistry practices nationwide hold. We use soft-tissue lasers for gum reshaping and to destroy harmful bacteria and digital X-rays allow Dr. Watkins to gain a comprehensive understanding of your gums, teeth, and jaw bone. We have a specialized oral cancer screening device and a DIAGNOdent® laser to detect caries that may not be visible to the naked eye. We also have monitors in each exam room to provide entertainment before and during treatment.

Healthy gums create the foundation that supports your teeth. We provide a full spectrum of periodontal treatments in-office, including scaling and root planing, flap surgery, and debridement. Our soft-tissue laser can precisely reshape gum tissue and kill harmful bacteria during deep cleaning. In the case of advanced gum disease, our lasers allow us to cauterize soft tissues for faster healing with a minimized chance of infection. Once your periodontal health is restored, we can discuss a personalized maintenance plan with you. 

While the preservation of your natural teeth remains our priority, extractions are necessary in some cases when a tooth has become so damaged from trauma or decay that it becomes painful and threatens the health of nearby tissue. Dr. Watkins provides extractions for all teeth, including wisdom teeth. He will administer an effective local anesthetic, as well as sedation, if needed, during the procedure. After any extractions, Dr. Watkins can provide dental implants and restorations to return your smile's function and appearance.

This restoration is recommended for patients missing two to three consecutive teeth. Dr. Watkins offers patients both traditional and implant-supported bridges. Where the latter are supported by dental implants, the former are anchored by two crowns that fit directly on top of the neighboring teeth.

Dentures can effectively replace multiple missing teeth. These prosthetic may be held in place with either dental implants or dental adhesives, depending on your budget. While a denture can replace an entire arch of teeth if necessary, patients can also take advantage of partial options.