Examinations
Dr. Young performs comprehensive oral examinations with every cleaning appointment to check for the earliest signs of any oral disease. This is also the way he gets to know patients on such a personal level! Where he will give you unwanted dating advice, ask how your 87 year old aunt Sally is doing, share random movie trivia, or offer you a piece of cupcake from the bakery downstairs. 

The First Visit
Have a pre-appointment trial run. Bring along the child with you to your appointment or to have them watch an older sibling. This will get them used to the sights and sounds of a dental office.

The day before or morning of, get your little one excited about visiting the dentist to get their teeth counted and to get a new toothbrush, goody bag, stickers, and a visit to the treasure box. Leave all detailed information about the procedures to us… because our dental terms are kid friendly and make the experience truly entertaining! Parents sometimes say too much, leading to a little anxiety before they even enter the office.

It is usually recommended that the first dental checkup by done around age 3, as the child is more receptive to basic instructions and can keep their mouth open long enough for a proper examination. If there are any concerns prior to that time, please make an appointment for Dr. Young to examine your infant/toddler. Our stuffed alligator named Alexander has been a helpful sidekick for many first time cleaning appointments. He has big monster teeth, a spiky tail, and can squirt water out of his mouth... Newborns love him! 

 Fluoride treatments
Generally performed at the end of all cleaning appointments unless otherwise indicated by parents. Please let us know if you want a fluoride-free cleaning for your child so we may use alternative polishing pastes as well.

Dental sealants
Thin, plastic coating painted on the chewing surfaces of the back teeth (a common area for children and adults to develop cavities). The sealant quickly bonds into the depressions and grooves of the teeth, forming a protective shield over the enamel of each tooth. Sealants are an excellent preventative measure and are usually recommended for permanent molars and premolars once they are fully erupted.

Invisalign
Invisalign is an orthodontic device that uses transparent, incremental aligners to adjust teeth as an alternative to wire braces. The initial process involves taking an impression of the patient's teeth which will then be digitally scanned in order to create a computerized model. A customized treatment plan will be made by the dentist and patient. The computer model creates stages between the current and desired teeth positions that are used to create molds for individual aligners. The fantastic part about Invisalign is that the patient can really customize and fine tune all that they wish to achieve through treatment. And this time, you will be a responsible adult and actually wear your retainers forever and ever and ever.

Zoom
Zoom in-office tooth whitening is a procedure that utilizes an advanced power light to activate the whitening procedure. The actual whitening process is a chemical reaction between tooth and hydrogen peroxide, so Zoom does not harm your teeth. However it may cause sensitivity in some patients for a few days after the procedure.

The procedure begins with a short preparation to cover the lips and gums, leaving only the teeth exposed. The Zoom hydrogen peroxide whitening gel is then applied to the teeth, which works together with the Zoom light to penetrate the teeth and break up the stains and discoloration. The gel remains in place for 15 minutes while the light is activated. The gel is then removed and two more 15 minute sessions will be repeated.

This is the best way to get quick and dramatic results. It is an ideal procedure for someone who wants to bleach their teeth for an upcoming special event and does not want to worry about doing anything at home. You just sit back, relax, and enjoy the entertainment programming above your chair. We promise not to post any Facebook pictures of you in the neon orange glasses while you are in treatment. Instagram will capture the moment much better.

Bleaching Trays
An alternative bleaching treatment is available and usually recommended for those with tooth sensitivity. An impression is taken to create a specialized tray with tiny reservoirs/wells to hold the bleach against the teeth with precision. A small amount of gel is placed into each well and the tray is then placed over your teeth. The simple, no mess trays should be worn for an hour to an hour and a half for 4 consecutive days in a row. At the end of this time, significant whitening will have occurred. You can either continue bleaching for a few more days, or give your teeth a few days rest before you continue another treatment. Many people are satisfied with their results after the initial treatment and save the remainder gel for periodic touch ups. Then there are some who are going for the offensively bright in your face laser beam white teeth look, and to those we say stop... just stop. It's hurting everyone's eyes who approach you from a 10 foot distance.

At some point, your teeth will reach a whitened plateau and you will notice that your teeth will not get any brighter. (That would be a good time to store your remaining gel in the fridge for next time.) Another reason why they are more popular is because you get to keep them for the rest of your life!

Metal free fillings
Metal-free fillings, also called composites or white fillings, are the preferred material for giving you a more natural look. The two main ingredients for a metal-free filling are plastic resin and a filler of finely ground glass-like particles. The composite fillings are designed to match the tooth’s color and blend in naturally with the tooth enamel. They completely bond to the tooth, eliminating any tiny gaps surrounding the filling so instead of pushing against the tooth structure like amalgam fillings, metal-free fillings work as a team with your teeth.

Bonding
Bonding is a conservative way to close gaps, repair chipped or discolored teeth, cover and shield exposed root surfaces that cause sensitivity, or give a straightened appearance to crooked teeth. During dental bonding, a white filling is placed onto your tooth to improve its appearance. The filling “bonds” with your teeth, and because it comes in a variety of tooth-colored shades, it closely matches the appearance of your natural teeth. This is one of Dr. Young’s favorite procedures to perform as it can transform a smile instantly. Just ask to do a mock up at your next appointment at no charge. He loves showing patients how nice they actually could look. 

Veneers
Veneers are thin, custom-made shells made from tooth-colored materials (such as porcelain) designed to cover the front side of your teeth. With veneers, you can easily correct your teeth's imperfections to help you have a more confident, beautiful smile. Veneers are natural in appearance and are a perfect option for patients wanting to make minor adjustments to the look and feel of their smile. If you live in Newport Beach, you probably already have a few of these. 

Crowns
A crown is a circular ornamental headdress worn by a monarch as a symbol of authority, usually made of or decorated with precious metals and jewels. But in our office, it is a type of dental restoration which completely caps or encircles a tooth or dental implant. Crowns are often needed when a large cavity or crack in a tooth and/or existing filling threatens the ongoing stability of a tooth. A dental impression of the prepared tooth will be made and sent to one of the high caliber dental labs in Newport Beach for the fabrication of the crown. Sometimes he will send the patient to the lab for an exact color/hue match to make sure each patient is completely satisfied with the final result. Precision, functionality, and comfort is of utmost importance to Dr. Young and for this reason he sets very high standards for his dental labs. 

Dental Implant
An excellent option for replacing a missing tooth is a dental implant. Implants are titanium cylinders that are surgically placed in your jaw to serve as artificial tooth roots. In essence, an implant is the next best thing to your natural tooth. 

The placement of the implant into bone will be done by one of my implant specialist colleagues located in Newport Beach, while I complete the crown portion. Start-to-finish, the procedure may require several months to complete, because dental implants must fuse to your bone tissue through a process called osseointegration. Sounds fancy and it truly is something spectacular.

Dentures

If you've lost your teeth, whether due to injury, tooth decay or gum disease, dentures can help restore your way of life by helping you with day-to-day functions, such as eating and speaking, as well as help restore your confidence by improving your appearance and smile. Partial dentures are replacement teeth for people who have lost one or more of their teeth. Full dentures are for those who are missing all of their teeth. 

The first step in making a denture is to take an accurate impression of the upper and lower arches of your mouth and record your bite. The impressions are then sent to one of our high caliber dental labs in Newport Beach.  At the subsequent visits we will evaluate your bite, test your speech and check the appearance and
function of the denture teeth and gums. After the final satisfactory fit and appearance are achieved, the denture is then sent back to the laboratory for final fabrication.  

Every effort is made to make a good and functional denture, so don't be surprised if we ask you to make a few adjustment visits. It's not just because we love to see you, it's also because adjusting your denture is a process; in some cases, it takes weeks to get used to speaking and eating the way you used to and a little time for you and your denture to adapt to each other. 

There are newly developed techniques in making dentures.  One such advance is an implant-supporting denture that helps give additional support.  While it offers additional support it also requires the placement of implants in your mouth before making the denture.

Snap On Smile
Snap-on-smile is a dental resin made very thin yet extremely strong that fits right over your own teeth to give you a beautiful, natural looking smile—even if you have stains, chips, gaps or missing teeth. It is an affordable and life-changing solution for people of all ages. It requires two, short, painless visits with no drilling, no shots and no change in tooth structure. Impressions of your teeth are made, photos will be taken and all sent to one of our dental labs for designing. The best part is, you can customize and design your dream smile. 

It is an excellent choice for:
• Gaps, crooked, stained or missing teeth
• Those who are not candidates for bridges or implants
• Anyone who has an old-fashioned removable partial denture and wants a beautiful, more comfortable alternative
• Anyone who would like a Hollywood smile without the expense and discomfort of complex and invasive dental procedures.  

** Disclosure necessary here: Snap on Smile will not magically turn you into Channing Tatum or Meghan Fox... We know what you were thinking.

Coming Soon.

Night guards
We often see the visible signs of bruxism/clenching before patients even report any symptoms. Small hairline vertical stress fracture lines typically appear on the front teeth or premolars. More obvious wear is usually seen on the chewing cusps of the molars or on the biting edge of the front teeth. The masseter muscle (muscle predominately used during chewing and grinding) will usually become enlarged and overused and can easily be palpated during examination. 

If a patient starts to feel symptoms of a bruxing habit, such as dull headaches, jaw soreness, tooth pain without any other cause, or in some cases fractured teeth, then it will be recommended to get a custom made night guard.

Impressions are taken of the mouth and within a week, you will return to the office for a fitting and adjustment. We will send you home with your new night guard and the recommendation to chill out and do some meditation to remove the stress in your life. Namaste.

Snore guard
This is a mandibular advancement device (holds the jaw in a forward position). In doing this the airway widens and remains clear of obstructions while you sleep. This eliminates the vibration of muscles and soft tissues that cause snoring, also known as the horrific sounds your spouse makes every night, tempting you to place a pillow right over their obnoxious snout.  But more importantly, it allows them to get quality sleep while making sure their lungs get the oxygen they need, because that is what really matters after all.