General Dentistry

The American Dental Association recommends that you visit your dentist every six months (or at least once a year) to get a routine examination and cleaning. Depending on your oral health history or oral conditions, however, dentist may suggest you for more frequent visits to prevent problems or recurrence of infection/disease.
During the checkup, dentist or dental hygienist will give you a thorough cleaning. They will pay special attention to plaque and tartar and they build up fast if good oral hygiene is not practiced between visits. They will also give a smooth and shiny finish using a tooth polisher. After the cleaning, the Dentist (or dental hygienist) will evaluate the health of your teeth and gums. Upon Dentist’s decision, they will use dental x-rays to see if there are any issues below the mouth’s surface.

Scaling & Root Planing (Deep Cleaning)
The goal of scaling and root planning (also known as Deep Cleaning) is to eliminate the source of periodontal infection. In other words, scaling and root planning is a non-surgical procedure done to treat periodontal disease.
Healthy gum tissues fit tightly around each tooth. When bacteria plaque and tartar accumulate around and under the gums, tissues that support your teeth may be affected and periodontal disease can develop causing deeper pockets to form.
Gingival Graft Procedure
When you don’t have enough healthy, strong gum tissue protecting your teeth, we can repair it with a Gingival Graft. Gums should be high and tight around the teeth. If you don’t have enough gum tissue, bacteria have more access to the tooth root and can attack the supporting bone
Gingival Flap Surgery
If you have deep gum pockets infected with periodontal disease, we may perform flap surgery to help the area heal. This procedure, sometimes called a pocket reduction, may be necessary when gum pockets are so deep that scaling and root planing cannot remove the infection.

Composite Fillings (White Fillings)
M Dental Group has the latest in tooth-colored composite technology. Composite fillings are a cosmetically appealing and functionally healthier alternative to amalgam fillings (also known as silver fillings). Drs. Paul Kim and Sae Chan Lee will perfectly match the shade of the composite and the tooth form to your other natural teeth so the filling becomes virtually unnoticeable.

Why we use Composite fillings
Composite resin is made of ceramic and plastic compound. Also known as “white filings” or “tooth-colored fillings”, composite fillings can be designed to match you’re the color of the tooth being fixed. It blends in with your smile, making it aesthetically appealing. Composite fillings are also functionally healthier alternative to silver amalgam fillings. Composite resin lasts over 10 years, and even longer with proper oral care.
What you need to know about silver fillings (amalgam fillings)
At M Dental Group, we only provide Composite fillings as it is a healthier alternative.
Even besides the visibility, there are quite a few disadvantages to the composite filling. They contain *mercury, they may corrode, they can cause tooth discoloration, and imperfect sealing may cause further cavities and they arenon-insulating. Moreover, silver amalgam fillings have the wedge effect, which could cause micro fractures of the tooth structure.
*Silver amalgam is a metal compound made up of copper, tin, silver, and mercury. Mercury makes up about 50% of the compound. Although it has been approved for dental use by the FDA and it has been declared safe for patients, some experts still recommend that pregnant women avoid getting these types of fillings during a pregnancy.
Dental Fillings, Inlays, Onlays, Crown
Usually inlays are used to treat much larger cavities then Dental fillings, and the onlays are used for larger restoration than inlays but not quite a crown. All three treatments involve removing the cavity with a dental drill. For dental fillings, composite resin is used to fill the space. For onlays and onlays, a fabricated single solid piece is used to fill the space, made precisely to the shape and size of the empty space. They are typically made out of material like gold or ceramic.