How can we help you?
We want to know what concerns you!
We urge you to ask questions because it helps us understand your concerns and the best way to address them. Remember, no question is too small—if it's important to you, it's important to us!
Here are a few of the questions we hear most frequently, but if you don't see yours listed here, please don't hesitate to contact our office.
Cosmetic Dentistry
Teeth whitening is such an easy way to refresh your smile that it’s no wonder it is the most requested cosmetic treatment!
If you are interested in whitening your teeth at home, you have two options – professional customized kits and over-the-counter kits. Let’s take a look at how the two stack up:
Over-the-counter kits provide a whitening gel and a boil-and-bite tray. The tray will conform somewhat to your teeth, but it won’t cover all surfaces evenly because it’s not customized. This can lead to increased risk for sensitivity, inconsistent results, and burning gums where your teeth aren’t protected.
Professional take-home whitening kits are superior to store-bought in many ways. We provide a customized tray made using impressions of your teeth for a perfect fit. We will adjust the strength of the whitening gel you receive with the kit based on sensitivity you may have experienced in the past. You also have the advantage of being under professional care, and we are always available to answer your questions.
While over-the-counter kits can be tempting because they’re so readily available, you do run an increased risk of sensitivity. If you are interested in trying a professional take-home whitening kit, please call our Rancho Penasquitos dentist to make an appointment for your next cleaning!
Today it is easier than ever before to have the smile you’ve always dreamed of.
So many treatments are available that your options are almost unlimited. We may use just one type of treatment, or we may combine several to create the perfect smile.
People don’t often think of crowns or fillings as being cosmetic, but you would be surprised how both can be used to improve your appearance! Both can be color matched to achieve a shade that blends perfectly with your natural teeth. Tooth-colored fillings are a conservative option for repairing small flaws like chipped or broken teeth.
Porcelain veneers are a good choice for altering the appearance of just one or several teeth. Their appearance is similar to that of natural tooth enamel, and they have a number of uses. Veneers can close uneven spaces between teeth, conceal chipped, cracked, or broken teeth, and hide a tooth that is severely stained.
Teeth whitening puts the final touch on a healthy smile, dramatically improving your appearance. We’re pleased to offer both in-office and take-home professional whitening.
Why not call our San Diego dental office today to learn more about our cosmetic dental options?
Dental Implant Restoration
Losing just one tooth can lead to a series of events that can seriously compromise your overall oral health. The empty space left by a missing tooth gives surrounding teeth room to move into the void, and surrounding bone can start to deteriorate.
It is important to replace missing teeth as soon as possible, and dental implants are a popular and effective solution. A dental implant is surgically placed in your jawbone and serves as a replacement root for the missing tooth.
First, we will refer you to a trusted local oral surgeon who places a titanium replacement root into your jaw. This is the underlying piece of the implant. Once the implant has been secured in the jaw bone, healing usually takes several months. When we’re familiar with your case, we’ll be able to give you a better estimate. After the bone heals, we anchor a replacement tooth like a crown, bridge, or denture to the implant.
Secure, durable dental implants have changed the way we look at tooth replacement, and there’s a lot to consider when thinking about having a dental implant placed. We encourage you to contact our San Diego dental office, and we’ll be happy to arrange a convenient consultation with Dr. Nguyen.
Emergency Dentistry
We're here to serve you whenever you need us!
During business hours, please call our office and we will do everything possible to see you the same day. After hours, call the office and you'll receive instructions for getting in touch with us.
General Dentistry
Early dental care can make a huge difference in the future of your child’s oral health. We generally like to start seeing kids around age 2 or 3. At this point, they have most of their baby teeth and we can look for any problems and start to monitor their development.
Looking after all your little one’s needs is a lot of work! But good dental habits and early care should be a high priority for every child. The National Institutes of Health estimates that over 40% of children between 2 and 11 have cavities. This is unfortunate because the risk for cavities can be reduced significantly with proper dental care.
When we first see your child, we’ll give them all the time they need to get comfortable with us. Building a trusting relationship with them is the first step in helping them enjoy a lifetime of problem-free oral health.
Keeping baby teeth healthy is imperative as they are the placeholders for permanent teeth. When a baby tooth is lost too soon due to decay, the development of the incoming permanent tooth is compromised. The loss of just one tooth allows surrounding teeth to start tilting out of position, leading to potential orthodontic problems.
If it’s time for your child’s first dental visit, please give us a call!
Periodontal Treatment
One of the first and most obvious symptoms of gum disease is bleeding gums. You may also see other signs that gum disease is present, like red, tender, or puffy gums.
It's important to recognize that you have gum disease and take steps to treat it. However, one of the reasons that gum disease is so prevalent is that there are often no noticeable symptoms at all.
You can see why we strongly recommend routine exams and cleanings—these preventive services are the most effective way to identify gum disease early before it has done too much damage. If we catch it soon enough, gum disease can easily be treated, removing the infection and minimizing the risk of future problems.
Gum disease doesn’t go away by itself, and you can’t prevent it just by brushing and flossing more, although that’s always a good idea! The only way to prevent gum disease or treat it when it occurs is with routine professional dental cleanings.
Once you’ve had gum disease, you are always at risk for getting it again. Please call our San Diego dental office for an appointment, and we’ll be happy to perform a thorough exam and cleaning to prevent and treat gum disease.
Tooth Extraction
We’re committed to helping you keep your teeth for a lifetime. With the help of a wide array of services, our goal at Peak Dental is to do everything we can to try to save a damaged tooth. Sometimes, however, it may be in the best interest of your overall oral health to remove the tooth.
There are several cases where Dr. Nguyen may determine that extracting a tooth is the best option. A tooth may need to be extracted because it’s severely decayed, damaged by advanced periodontal disease, or compromised in such a way that it cannot be repaired. In other cases, a tooth may need to be removed because it’s poorly positioned in the mouth (such as wisdom teeth) or we are preparing you for orthodontic treatment or complete dentures.
There are many cases where Dr. Nguyen performs simple extractions. However, there are situations where we may decide that your needs would be better served by a highly skilled oral surgeon who has specialized training in more complex cases, like impacted wisdom teeth removal. In this case, our doctor will coordinate your extraction with your oral surgeon so you are always assured of the highest standard of care available.