The skilled team at Lindahl Family Dental is committed to treating each patient with compassion and dignity. Our goal is to help our patients prevent cavities and dental diseases throughout each stage of their lives. We invest in the latest technology so we can provide the best preventative care possible. Our dental services include regularly scheduled exams with the dentist, thorough teeth cleanings with highly trained dental hygienists, digital X-rays, and oral cancer screenings.
We also want to create an atmosphere at Lindahl Family Dental where you and your family will feel comfortable and confident that you are in excellent care. Our approach to treatment is conservative, but our approach to prevention is progressive. Our dental team wants to help you maintain your teeth in their natural state as long as possible. Hopefully, in addition to a good home care regimen, we can help you keep your youthful, natural smile for a lifetime!
Dental Cleanings & Regular Checkups
Dental Cleanings & Regular Checkups
Regular dental checkups are imperative to maintaining optimal oral health. In addition to a good home regimen, regular cleanings and exams will help to avoid tooth decay and gum disease and to prevent many expensive dental treatments.
Prevention starts with controlling plaque, a colorless bacteria that sticks to the surface of your teeth, and calculus, a harder mineral deposit. These are the main sources of decay and periodontal disease. By maintaining a proper routine of daily hygiene, you can prevent most oral disease. Our hygienists at Lindahl Family Dental are excellent and are available to assist you with your hygiene and management of your gums.
During your regular checkup, your hygienist will:
- Look for cavities or evidence of tooth decay
- Take necessary digital x-rays
- Check for any problems or oral cancer
- Inspect your teeth and gums for signs of gingivitis or gum disease
- Thoroughly clean and polish your teeth
- Provide fluoride treatment for prevention of decay
Medical History Review
During your visit, Dr. Lindahl will review any changes to your medical history since your previous visit. Although this usually only takes a small portion of the appointment, it is essential information for us to treat you safely.
What we need to know:
- Updated list of medications, including dosing and frequency
- Recent hospitalizations or surgeriesNew
- diagnoses or conditions
- Resolution of previous conditions or illnesses
Why do we need to know all of this?
We want to make sure that we are treating you in the best way possible. For example, certain medical conditions or medications may prevent some patients from being able to safely recline fully in our dental chair. If your illness or medications put you at increased risk for decay or infection, we may discuss options to lower that risk at your appointment. Some common ailments that impact oral health include:
- Diabetics are at an increased risk of periodontal disease.
- Arthritis lowers your ability to clean your teeth well with a manual toothbrush. We may help you find a new technique or recommend a power toothbrush.
- Many medications cause dry mouth. A healthy mouth is full of saliva that helps to wash away the food that decay-causing bacteria eat. Without healthy saliva production, you are often at increased risk of tooth decay.
Oral Examination
During your appointment, Dr. Lindahl or your hygienist will take time to evaluate your oral health. After a thorough evaluation of your lips, cheeks, gums, teeth, tongue, tonsils, throat and roof of your mouth your dental care provider will discuss any anomalies that you should be aware of. We will also check your bite and jaw for problems. We recommend x-rays when we perform a complete oral examination so that we can accurately assess the health of your tissues that aren’t visible to the naked eye like your bone, between your teeth, and the inside of your teeth. If you have active tooth decay or cavities or are someone who is prone to decay, we will review your risk factors and help you devise a plan to reduce your risk of future decay. Similarly, if you have lost bone level due to a gum or periodontal infection, we will discuss a home care regimen that will help you manage your oral health and diminish your risk of additional bone loss. Additionally, we will recommend a recall interval that is personalized for your specific dental needs.
Once you lose bone in your jaw and around your teeth, your body is unable to fabricate more. Teeth will loosen over time and eventually will be lost. This is why it is critical to stay on top of your regular dental appointments.
Oral Cancer Screening
According to the Oral Cancer Foundation, head and neck cancer was the 8th leading cause of death worldwide in 2000. Additionally, in a recent study published by the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, researchers found that many types of Human Papilloma Virus can also lead to cancer of the oral cavity and oropharynx (throat). Oral cancer is a serious concern because though incidence is low, survival is also low and treatment has not improved in success for several decades.
Oral cancer risk factors:
- Tobacco (smoking, chewing tobacco, cigar smoking, snuff)
- Alcohol
- HPV
During your appointment, we will do a thorough examination of your tissues, especially those most likely to develop oral cancer. These include: lips, cheeks, jaw, roof of the mouth, side and bottom of the tongue, and throat.
One of the concerns with oral cancer is that it is often small and painless and often goes unnoticed by the victim. This is why it is important to continue regular dental care. We are specially trained to spot suspicious lesions and will often recommend that we biopsy the tissue. Oral cancer is so deadly because it is usually caught very late. We work to catch it early, giving you the highest chance of survival.
Oral cancer is also hard to detect because it often looks or feels like other common ailments. It can look red, white, or like an ulcer or canker sore. Often, biting your cheek can look similar to an oral cancer lesion. Usually, it is not necessary to be concerned about a lesion in your mouth unless it does not heal within 14 days. If you notice a lesion in your mouth that persists longer than two weeks, please make an appointment to be seen by one of our trained staff.
Signs and symptoms of oral cancer:
- Red or white patch that lasts for more than 2 weeks
- Small, raised ulcer (looks like canker sore) that lasts more than 2 weeks
- Lump inside mouth or neck lasting more than 2 weeks
- Anything causing pain or difficulty swallowing, speaking or chewing that lasts longer than two weeks
- Wart like masses
- Hoarseness that is long lasting
- Numbness in the oral region
- Sometimes, a unilateral persistent earache is a warning sign
For more information visit: http://oralcancerfoundation.org/
Routine Cleaning (Dental Prophylaxis)
Coming in for your cleaning every six months ensures that you stay on top of your dental health. In addition to cleaning your teeth and gums, our hygienists will review your medical history, perform an oral cancer screening, gum tissue probing, look for signs of gum/periodontal disease, remove plaque and calculus, polish your teeth, and do a thorough examination of your dental health.
Your hygienist will use a combination of hand instruments and state-of-the-art ultrasonic cleaners to remove the plaque and hardened tartar called calculus from the surface of your teeth. Calculus is very tough and impossible to remove on your own, so it’s important to that your hygienist cleans your teeth regularly. When calculus builds up, it begins to irritate your gums and bone, causing inflammation. Initially, the inflammation is good because it brings a variety of antibodies and proteins to help combat the bacteria found in the calculus. However, when inflammation in your gums is persistent, your bone will begin to recede away from the area leaving your teeth increasingly less stable. If left untreated, this inflammation called periodontal disease, will cause significant bone loss and tooth loss. Advanced periodontitis can even let bacteria into the bloodstream and cause disease in your heart and other tissues.
After all of the plaque is removed, your hygienist will polish your teeth to remove surface stains so they look whiter and brighter!
Reasons for a professional dental cleaning:
- Remove plaque, tartar, and calculus
- Reduce inflammation
- Minimize gingivitis and periodontal disease
- Whiten and enhance your smile
- Prevent bad breath (halitosis)
- Help you keep your teeth
- Help maintain overall health
Fluoride Treatment
Enamel is one of the hardest substances on Earth. Unfortunately, acid from the foods you eat and bacteria in your mouth can eat the enamel of your teeth away. Fluoride helps keep enamel strong and aids in cavity prevention and sometimes even reversal by helping your enamel to re-mineralize and harden.
The hard surface of your roots is called cementum. If cementum is exposed to the oral environment it is prone to decay because it isn’t as strong as the enamel that covers the crown of a tooth. Fluoride application to root surfaces can help reduce the risk for future decay. Another benefit to fluoride use is its desensitization effects. Topical fluoride application to sensitive areas of exposed roots can help them to re-mineralize and close off the microscopic tubules leading to the nerve from the oral environment.
Professional fluoride treatment is a safe and effective way of reducing your risk of dental decay. We use the latest proven methods of fluoride application to safely deliver fluoride to your teeth.
Reasons to get a professional fluoride application:
- Topical fluoride application in children and adults that are moderate and high risk for caries (decay)
- Desensitization for exposed root surfaces
- Decay prevention on exposed root surfaces
- Fluoride application surrounding metal orthodontic braces and brackets
We’d Like To Be Your Family’s Home For Gentle Dental Care in Woodbury, MN!
Our friendly and professional team is eager to serve you. We offer convenient scheduling to cater to busy families like yours. Click here to email our office or call (651) 702-4200. One of our team members will happily help you schedule a convenient appointment time.
Periodontal Therapy
Periodontal Therapy (Treatment of Gum Disease)
Gingivitis
Gingivitis is the early stages of periodontal disease, when only the soft tissues of the mouth are affected. Plaque buildup leads to tartar and bacteria below the gum line, which cause the gums to become inflamed, irritated, and bleed. A few of the common contributing factors include dry mouth due to medications or medical conditions, orthodontic braces, and mouth breathing. Fortunately, gingivitis is reversible! With good professional care, like the care you get here from the team at Lindahl Family Dental, followed by a good home care routine of regular brushing and flossing your gums can become healthy again.
Periodontitis
Periodontitis is a progressed stage of gum disease and is marked by the breakdown of the bone and gums that secure and support the teeth. Periodontal disease is the number one cause of tooth loss in adults. Though the main cause of gum disease is lack of oral hygiene, contributing factors include heavy smoking and diabetes. Unfortunately, bone that has been resorbed due to periodontal disease will not grow back, but aggressive professional treatment and thorough home care can prevent the situation from getting worse.
Diagnosis of Gum Disease
The early signs of gum disease include redness, swelling, or inflammation around the gum line. If these systems appear, your dentist will check for the build up of calculus (tartar) below your gum line. Your dentist or hygienist may use a tool called a probe to test your gums for bleeding and measure periodontal pockets. X-rays are also helpful in evaluating the bone level around your teeth.
Treatment of Gum Disease
Gingivitis, the early stage of gum disease, is easily treated with professional cleanings with a dental hygienist and proper home care to remove the plaque before it becomes calculus. Periodontitis, however, will require more aggressive treatment. Your dentist may recommend that you have a deep cleaning (called scaling and root planing) to remove the plaque and calculus below your gums. For your comfort, anesthesia is used and the procedure is broken up into two or more visits followed by a final polish visit where we remove any residual stain and check for persistent areas of inflammation. A slow-released antibiotic is often placed into deep pockets. You may also be prescribed mouth rinses. Patients in periodontal treatment frequently require cleanings and check-ups every three to four months to maintain their periodontal health.
Scaling & Root Planing
Patients with gum and periodontal disease require help in cleaning the deeper pockets found in the mouth. This deep tissue removal of calculus restores your mouth to health below the gums. If left untreated, calculus build up propagates periodontal disease and irreversible bone loss. Not only will your bone begin to recede leaving your teeth more fragile and prone to loosening, it is linked to a number of other diseases.
Your hygienist will spend a significant amount of time on each tooth that requires this deep cleaning. Usually, only one fourth of your mouth will be completed per appointment. You should expect to receive anesthetic during this procedure since a cleaning of this depth is often uncomfortable. There are three levels of pain management available during this procedure, from topical gel, to a gel that is placed in each sulcus (gums around each tooth), to local anesthetic injection. Your hygienist will help you to choose which form of anesthetic is most appropriate for your procedure.
Periodontal Maintenance
After successful scaling and root planing, your hygienist will recommend that your mouth require a little extra attention above and beyond what is provided at a regular cleaning appointment. By coming in for periodontal maintenance, your hygienist can keep the bacteria growing in your mouth under control and help you to avoid further periodontal disease and bone loss. Generally, periodontal maintenance patients are recommended appointments at intervals of every 3-4 months.
We’d Like To Be Your Family’s Home For Gentle Dental Care in Woodbury, MN!
Our friendly and professional team is eager to serve you. We offer convenient scheduling to cater to busy families like yours. Click here to email our office or call (651) 702-4200. One of our team members will happily help you schedule a convenient appointment time.
Dentistry
for Kids
Dentistry for Kids
We love kids and believe it is important for their long-term health to give them a positive first experience in a dental office. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends that your child have their first visit to the dentist by their third birthday (or when their first tooth erupts). Research shows that early detection and good oral health care impacts their general health and can help improve their school readiness. In addition, children benefit from early exposure to the dental office because it alleviates unnecessary future anxiety about the unknown and allows us to establish a relationship for the future.
Your Child’s First Dental Visit
We encourage you to bring your child in for a “get acquainted visit”. We will show them around to help make them familiar with our office and have them sit up in the chair for an examination with one of our friendly dentists. Your child may choose to sit in your lap, and that’s okay, too! Our goal is for them to be comfortable and relaxed.
We will count their teeth, show them how to brush, and talk about how important it is to take care of their teeth. Our dentist, Dr. Lindahl, will also assess their oral health and can discuss with you any concerns with crowding, occlusion (bite), or risk of cavities to ensure they are developing appropriately.
Your child might enjoy watching one of these videos before their visit:
To view the most recent guidelines set forth by the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, please click here.
Professional Dental Pediatric Cleaning
We recommend that kids have their teeth cleaned every six months. At that appointment, we will clean their teeth and remove any hardened calculus and plaque that may have form then we will use hand instruments and a state-of-the-art ultrasonic scaler to polish their teeth so they are bright and shiny. We also recommend a fluoride treatment to protect their teeth and keep them healthy and strong.
Fluoride Treatment
Tooth enamel is one of the hardest substances on Earth. Unfortunately, acid from the foods we eat and the bacteria in our mouths can eat away that enamel. Fluoride helps keep enamel strong and prevent cavities. It can even reverse the problem by helping enamel to re-mineralize and harden. Topical fluoride application can also help re-mineralize sensitive areas of exposed roots and close off the microscopic tubules leading to the nerve.
Professional fluoride treatment is a safe and effective way of reducing your risk of dental decay. We use the latest proven methods of fluoride application to safely deliver fluoride to your teeth.
Reasons to get a professional fluoride application:
- Children and adults that are moderate and high risk for decay
- Desensitization for exposed root surfaces
- Decay prevention on exposed root surfaces
- Surrounding metal orthodontic braces and brackets
Dental Sealants
A dental sealant is a thin coating that Dr. Lindahl or your hygienist will paint on the biting surfaces of your child’s back teeth. Sealants help to prevent tooth decay by sealing off the deep grooves that are often too narrow and too deep for their toothbrushes to clean. Sealants cover up the pits to avoid letting bacteria get into them and they smooth out the surfaces so it is easier to keep them clean.
Your child’s first set of permanent molars will erupt around age six. We recommend having sealants placed between the ages of six and 14, the time when they are especially prone to getting cavities.
Though we want kids to learn to manage their own oral hygiene, some children don’t have the coordination yet to properly clean these teeth. (Ideally, they should be brushing independently for at least two minutes, twice daily.) Six-year molars are statistically the most restored teeth in the mouth for this reason; they are the first permanent teeth to erupt so they have to stick around the longest, and they are present during the most cavity prone period of their life. Sealant can help keep the teeth healthy and avoid problems.
Sealants can last up to 10 years, but since they are a thin plastic coating it is possible that they can chip or break off. Dr. Lindahl and your hygienist will check them at your regular dental cleanings to make sure they are still in good shape.
We’d Like To Be Your Family’s Home For Gentle Dental Care in Woodbury, MN!
Our friendly and professional team is eager to serve you. We offer convenient scheduling to cater to busy families like yours. Click here to email our office or call (651) 702-4200. One of our team members will happily help you schedule a convenient appointment time.
Fillings
Fillings
A dental restoration or dental filling is a dental restorative material used to restore the function, integrity and morphology of missing tooth structure. The structural loss typically results from caries or external trauma. Dental restoration also refers to the replacement of missing tooth structure that is supported by dental implants. Dental composites are also called white fillings, used in direct cosmetic bonding. Crowns and in-lays can be made in the laboratory from dental composites. These materials are similar to those used in direct fillings and are tooth-colored. Their strength and durability is not as high as porcelain or metal restorations.
We’d Like To Be Your Family’s Home For Gentle Dental Care in Woodbury, MN!
Our friendly and professional team is eager to serve you. We offer convenient scheduling to cater to busy families like yours. Click here to email our office or call (651) 702-4200. One of our team members will happily help you schedule a convenient appointment time.
Crowns
Crowns
A dental crown is a tooth-shaped “cap” that is placed over a tooth to cover the tooth to restore its shape and size, strength, and improve its appearance. The crown, when cemented into place, fully encases the entire visible portion of a tooth above the gum line. Crowns can be made from a number of different materials. All-ceramic crowns are milled out of blocks of solid porcelain to match the shade and color of your tooth.
We’d Like To Be Your Family’s Home For Gentle Dental Care in Woodbury, MN!
Our friendly and professional team is eager to serve you. We offer convenient scheduling to cater to busy families like yours. Click here to email our office or call (651) 702-4200. One of our team members will happily help you schedule a convenient appointment time.
Bridges
Bridges
A bridge is a fixed dental restoration used to replace a missing tooth by joining an artificial tooth permanently to adjacent teeth or dental implants. Types of bridges may vary, depending upon how they are fabricated and the way they anchor to the adjacent teeth. Conventionally, bridges are made using the indirect method of restoration. However, bridges can be fabricated directly in the mouth using such materials as composite resin.
We’d Like To Be Your Family’s Home For Gentle Dental Care in Woodbury, MN!
Our friendly and professional team is eager to serve you. We offer convenient scheduling to cater to busy families like yours. Click here to email our office or call (651) 702-4200. One of our team members will happily help you schedule a convenient appointment time.
Root Canal
Therapy
Root Canal Therapy (Endodontics)
We’d Like To Be Your Family’s Home For Gentle Dental Care in Woodbury, MN!
Our friendly and professional team is eager to serve you. We offer convenient scheduling to cater to busy families like yours. Click here to email our office or call (651) 702-4200. One of our team members will happily help you schedule a convenient appointment time.
Extractions
Extractions
A dental extraction is the removal of a tooth and is performed for a wide variety of reasons, including tooth decay. Fortunately, modern dentistry makes routine tooth extractions relatively comfortable, painless procedures.
Simple extractions are usually performed under local anesthetic, and require only the use of instruments to elevate or grasp the visible portion of the tooth. Impacted or problematic wisdom teeth are routinely extracted, as are extractions of some permanent teeth to make space for orthodontic treatment. It the tooth cannot be easily accessed, either because it has broken under the gum line or because it has not fully erupted, it may require a surgical extraction. Dr. Lindahl can give you more information about your particular situation and will make sure you are comfortable throughout the process.
We’d Like To Be Your Family’s Home For Gentle Dental Care in Woodbury, MN!
Our friendly and professional team is eager to serve you. We offer convenient scheduling to cater to busy families like yours. Click here to email our office or call (651) 702-4200. One of our team members will happily help you schedule a convenient appointment time.
Dentures
Dentures
Removable Dentures
Removable partial dentures are for patients who are missing some of their teeth on a particular arch.
Fixed Dentures
Fixed partial dentures are made from crowns that are fitted on the remaining teeth to act as abutments and pontics made from materials to resemble the missing teeth.
Implant Dentures
An implant-retained denture is a denture held in place by implants. Usually two to four implants are surgically placed in the bone and become anchored as the bone heals and secures itself to the implant. Once the bone has healed, Dr. Lindahl can create an implant denture. An implant denture is a removable denture with attachments on the underside that clip onto a bar connected to the implants. The attachments and bar hold the denture in place and keep it from moving when chewing and speaking. Implant dentures can be classified into two groups: Implant Retained Dentures and Implant Supported Dentures. Implant Retained Dentures are held in place by the attachments, but are mainly supported by the bone and gum tissue as is a conventional denture. Implant Supported Dentures are for patients who do not have sufficient bone and supporting gum tissue. This denture is mainly supported by the bar attached to the implants.
Other solutions for tooth replacement include:
- Dental Implants
- Bridge
Are Dentures Right For You? Schedule A Complimentary Consultation.
If you would like to discuss your tooth replacement options, schedule a consultation to speak with Dr. Lindahl. Click here to email our office or call (651) 702-4200. One of our friendly team members will happily help you schedule a convenient appointment time.
Bruxism Appliances
Bruxism is a condition in which you grind or clench your teeth. Some people are not even aware that they do this and may unconsciously clench their teeth together during the day or at night while they are sleeping. The evidence is often wear on their or headache and neck pain symptoms.
If you suffer from bruxism, a simple appliance may alleviate your pain.
Do You Suffer From Bruxism?
If you would like to discuss whether a dental appliance would help you, schedule a consultation to speak with Dr. Lindahl. Click here to email our office or call (651) 702-4200. One of our friendly team members will happily help you schedule a convenient appointment time.
Custom Sports Mouth Guards
Teeth
Straightening
We’d Like To Be Your Family’s Home For Gentle Dental Care in Woodbury, MN!
Our friendly and professional team is eager to serve you. We offer convenient scheduling to cater to busy families like yours. Click here to email our office or call (651) 702-4200. One of our team members will happily help you schedule a convenient appointment time.