Family Dental Care

While Smile Makeovers are our specialty, as a Family Dentist we provide ALL of our patients in Charlotte with the routine check-ups and top-notch dental care that every person deserves for themselves and their families. If you have missing teeth and want them replaced, crooked teeth that you want straightened, old fillings that are breaking down and not protecting your teeth any more, or are worried that your gums aren’t in the greatest health, our team here at Smiles by Payet is dedicated to keeping you healthy.

Your teeth CAN and SHOULD last your entire life with regular care, and our mission is to help you accomplish that. Regular dental check-ups are an essential part of that process, as we can catch problems early on, before they become a problem that hurts.

We offer a complete range of restorative options when you do have a problem:

• Amalgam (silver) fillings
• Composite resin (tooth-colored) fillings
• Gold crowns, Porcelain-to-metal crowns, and All-Porcelain crowns and onlays, including SINGLE-VISIT All-Ceramic   restorations with our CEREC system.
• Porcelain-to-metal and All-Porcelain Dental Bridges
• Implant Restorations, both crowns and bridges
• Non-Surgical Periodontal Therapy – treatment of periodontal (gum) disease, also called “Deep Cleanings.”
• Root canals for abscessed teeth, including retreatment of previous failed root canal-treated teeth
• Periodontal Surgery, including Gum Grafting,
• Esthetic Crown-Lengthening, also known as “Gum Lifts.”

Silver fillings have been a great way to fix teeth for a long time, and we still offer them because they are more affordable dental fillings than bonding, BUT…….. silver fillings don’t last forever. Most commonly, silver fillings go bad because of cracks and/or cavities.

Tom is a banker nearing retirement who wanted to make sure his teeth were in good shape before losing his dental insurance plan. It turns out that his 30+ year old silver fillings were in bad condition – there were cracks and deep cavities under those old silver fillings. Tom wanted to be sure that whatever we did will last as long as he will, so we chose Porcelain Crowns for several teeth and even a Gold Crown. As long as Tom keeps up with his routine dental cleanings, these crowns should last him for many many years.

While I love my work as a cosmetic dentist, doing Smile Makeovers with porcelain veneers and crowns, what is just as gratifying is my work as a family dentist — and of course, fixing cavities is a big part of that. So many patients nowadays can’t stand the sight of “those ugly silver/metal/black fillings,” and ask if they can be replaced with fillings that blend in with their teeth so they’re invisible.

“Bonding” is what tooth-colored fillings are often called, but what bonding really is is the process of making the tooth-colored filling material stick to the teeth.

Many people think that their teeth will be sensitive to cold after getting bonded fillings, but what I can tell you is this: bonded fillings should NEVER be sensitive unless your bite is off or the nerve was exposed.

Bonding requires excellent technique and that the teeth stay completely dry during the process; I can assure you – I am REALLY  picky about doing this right! Practically none of our patients report that their teeth are sensitive after fillings. We even bond in our silver fillings with the same exact, precise technique.