Oral Cancer Screening

Oral cancer is a type of cancer that often goes unnoticed because it has very few signs and symptoms that patients notice. This is why Dr. Sanjeev Sharma performs free oral cancer screenings during each routine visit here at Radiance Dental in Vancouver, Washington.

 

Our patients who have a bi-annual dentist visit also receive a screening for oral cancer by Dr. Sharma. He looks for signs of cancer on the tongue, gums, inside and outside the mouth, cheeks and lips. The exam goes as follows:

 

1) Patients are asked to remove any partials or dentures.

2) Dr. Sharma looks at the outside of their face, cheeks, lips, neck and mouth for sores and other signs of oral cancer.

3) He then feels underneath the jaw and neck for lumps.

4) He inspects the inside of the mouth next, starting with the cheeks and lips.

5) He thoroughly exams the tongue, followed by the roof and floor of the mouth.

6) Finally, the gums are looked at carefully for signs of oral cancer.

 

Oral cancer is more treatable when it is caught early. We provide oral cancer screenings for every patient, regardless of their age. If we find a lump or sore, we order more tests to confirm the diagnosis.

 

If you haven’t had an oral cancer screening recently, or ever, we encourage you to contact us directly at (360) 369-6420 to schedule an appointment for this important preventative screening.

Apicoectomy

For most patients with an infection of the nerves or roots of the teeth, a root canal procedure is enough to get rid of the infected tissue and help save the tooth from extraction. But in some cases, it does not solve the problem, in which a procedure called an apicoectomy is needed.

At Radiance Dental, we provide the apicoectomy procedure for patients who are still experiencing difficulties with their teeth after the root canal procedure is complete. The procedure removes infected tissue while still saving the tooth structure.

We perform the following steps when providing an apicoectomy:

1. X-rays are taken during the consultation to be sure an apicoectomy is needed.

2. The procedure begins by giving patients anesthesia to numb the area.

3. We make a small incision in the gum, lifting it away from the tooth.

4. A drill is used to get access to the root of the tooth, where the infected tissue can be removed.

5. We look for cracks in the tooth to decide if the tooth needs to be extracted.

6. The tooth canal is cleaned and sealed, followed by sutures if needed.

This procedure is very similar to a root canal, with about the same healing and recovery time. Call us at Radiance Dental in Vancouver, WA or call 360-369-6420 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Sanjeev Sharma.

 

 

CEREC Technology

CEREC

If your teeth are chipped, cracked or decayed and you’re looking to restore their beauty and strength, CEREC is an advanced dental technology that we use here at Radiance Dental to create full crowns, inlays, onlays and veneers. Offering a variety of benefits, including speed and strength, CEREC restorations give our practice a way to offer superior service to our patients.

 

Made of compressed porcelain, CEREC restorations are stronger than laboratory produced restorations that are made only of layered porcelain. In addition to being stronger and longer-wearing, CEREC restorations can also be accomplished in only one visit, putting them above laboratory restorations, which can take weeks. With CEREC technology, we can have your crown, veneer, inlay or onlay created and installed in one visit. No uncomfortable impression material necessary!

 

The procedure for placing a CEREC restoration is easy. First, all decay is removed from your tooth. Then the doctor shapes the tooth for placement and sprays it with a very fine powder. This helps prepare the tooth for a digital picture. The picture allows the computer to create a 3D model of the structure for designing the restoration. Once the design is complete, the CEREC machine will create the restoration, whether it is a crown, veneers, an inlay or onlay. The actual creation step only takes about 15 minutes. Then it can be fixed to your tooth!

 

We can fit you with a new, strong tooth restoration in under an hour! Schedule an appointment by calling (360) 369-6420. For more information, visitwww.RadianceDentalNW.com.