Comprehensive & Gentle Family in Sturbridge & Southbridge
Balian Family Dental Sturbridge is committed to helping patients of all ages maintain healthy, beautiful smiles. Dr. Balian and team offer many specialized dental treatments for your whole family, including kid-friendly dental cleanings, sealants, and fluoride rinses. For children younger than seven, Dr. Balian works with Olga Restrepo, DMD, a pediatric specialist who is also fluent in Spanish! Together we can provide all the preventive and restorative care you and your children need to maintain optimal oral health.
Since 2000 the team at Balian Family Dental Sturbridge has been providing modern dental care in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. It's the kind of place where you and your family can feel comfortable and know that you're being taken care of properly. Call us today!
CALL US: (508) 347-7007 REQUEST APPOINTMENT
Convenience in Dental Care for Optimal Oral Health
Good oral health is important throughout your entire life, but your needs change as you grow up and get older. That's why having a great family dentist is so important. You need someone who can take care of your family's needs, to provide continuity of care as well as the convenience of having every family member receive treatment at the same office.
Dr. Balian has a wide range of technical dental skills, which ensures excellent results for cosmetic procedures. As an experienced general, cosmetic, and family dental team, we are committed to providing the best of care for every member of your family.
Professional Procedures and Services
We offer a broad range of general and family dental services and procedures, including:
Twice yearly exams allow us to update your health history, check each tooth for decay, and any swelling around the gums, as well as inspect any existing fillings and crowns. Dental x-rays are taken to catch any underlying issues or tiny areas of decay so we can provide early intervention.
We recommend you have your teeth professionally cleaned approximately every six months. During a teeth cleaning, our hygienists remove tartar (hardened plaque), and carefully tends to all the areas that are hard for you to reach on your own. Teeth are also polished and flossed, so they look and feel great.
These procedures have both functional and cosmetic elements, and Dr. Balian is exact when it comes to color-matching fillings and crowns to your dentition to ensure that your restorations look as natural as possible. We offer a variety of options and encourage your participation in choosing the right material for your custom restoration.
A bridge is supported by two crowns that are placed on top of the existing teeth on either side of the gap. Most bridges are made with resin, gold, or a combination of porcelain and metal and are a permanent method of tooth replacement. They also allow you to chew food more effectively and prevent teeth from shifting into the gap created by a missing or extracted tooth.
Having a tooth pulled is a procedure that many people dread. Dr. Balian always makes sure that you are as comfortable as possible, and offers nitrous sedation for anyone experiencing dental anxiety. Whatever the reason for extraction, we make sure you have the support and guidance you need for successful treatment.
Good oral health requires healthy gums and teeth. To fight against periodontal disease, we provide scaling and root planing as well as other preventive procedures to help you keep and maintain your natural tooth structure as long as possible.
The removal of bacteria and infection within the tooth will help to protect your overall dentition. As a conservative approach, the goal of a root canal is to save as much original tooth as possible. Protected by a custom crown, the tooth remains intact, supporting a healthy bite and a beautiful smile.
What are Root Canals?
Root canal therapy is an emergency procedure where the pulp, the soft tissue center of the tooth, and roots of the tooth are treated for any infection. Damage to the nerve and pulp area can occur from excessive decay, gum disease, restoration failure, or a crack or chip in the tooth. Root canal procedures are similar to a routine filling but are completed in two appointments to allow time for the creation and delivery of the permanent crown. We continuously strive to create a comfortable atmosphere for you and your family during root canal treatment and all other procedures at our Sturbridge dental office.
Why Do I Need a Root Canal?
Although some do not experience any symptoms of a root canal, severe toothache, or continued sensitivity can be a sign of a severely damaged tooth. If the pulp is damaged, bacteria begin to multiply and cause an infection or abscessed tooth. The advantage of having root canal treatment is that your natural tooth root remains intact, providing support to surrounding teeth and healthy stimulation to underlying bone and tissue.
Gentle Sedation Dentistry in Sturbridge
If you have anxiety when visiting the dentist, you are not alone. A large portion of the population suffers from dental phobias. At Balian Family Dentistry Sturbridge, we are committed to your comfort throughout every treatment.
Nitrous Oxide is perfect for those who have anxiety about visiting the dentist. This is a fast-acting, safe, and effective gas that is inhaled throughout the dental procedure. It helps you feel relaxed and relieves much of the anxiety during treatment.
After the procedure is over, you will receive oxygen for a few minutes to restore full sensory function. Nitrous oxide is a gentle gas and wears off very quickly. There are no lasting effects, so if you are sedated with nitrous oxide, you are still able to drive yourself home from your appointment afterward.
Why Choose Dental Implants?
When you lose one or more of your teeth, you go through some significant adjustments, but there is a way to get back to normal. We offer replacement restorations that look, feel, and function just like natural teeth, opening up the doorway to renewed self-confidence and peace of mind.
Dental implants are titanium posts that are surgically implanted into the jawbone. As they heal, they fuse with the surrounding bone and tissue, forming a secure foundation for tooth replacement. This concept was invented by a Swedish scientist and orthopedic surgeon more than 30 years ago. This pioneering research has helped millions of people leave behind the frustration and embarrassment of tooth loss.
At the Balian Family Dental Sturbridge, we walk you through every step of the implant process and bring in an expert surgeon to do the actual placement. We monitor your healing and place your final restoration to ensure the best possible results.
3 Great Reasons to Choose Dental Implants
Appearance
Good function is important, but so is the way your smile looks. When it comes to a full, natural-looking smile, dental implants offer the best available option.
Safe
Dental implants do not require any alteration of adjacent natural teeth. They are made of a biocompatible material that fuses to your existing jaw bone to become a natural extension of our body.
Convenient
You don’t have to change your oral hygiene routine after receiving an implant. Regular brushing, flossing, and dental check-ups are all that is needed to keep your implant in good condition for many years.
Helping Your Family Create Strong Oral Health Routines
Taking care of your smile requires daily commitment and can be especially difficult for children. Building up healthy oral habits can ensure a lifetime of healthy teeth that are resistant to dental issues like periodontitis and cavities. Additionally, by investing in oral health today, it can help avoid costly procedures in the future. We want you and your family to have a solid oral health foundation, so here are some things you can do to improve your oral health at home:
- Brush for two minutes, morning and night
- Floss at least once a day
- Visit our office at least twice a year
- Use a professional-recommended toothpaste
- Don’t eat anything after brushing at night
- For a brighter smile, avoid teeth-staining beverages and foods
How Do I Encourage Good Dental Habits?
With any lifestyle changes or improvements, practice and commitment are required for successful implementation. New habits can be especially challenging to adapt, and requires daily action, at regular times. Brush and floss right before getting into bed or do so at the same time as your spouse or partner. Make it the first thing you do when you get out of bed before breakfast or your morning cup of coffee.
When helping your children establish good oral health habits, it’s helpful to brush and floss with them. Kids see that we take care of our teeth and want to do the same. Tooth brushing apps make it fun and easy for your child to brush their teeth for the full two minutes and have a good time! Other apps include games and interactive features that can improve the oral home care experience for you and your children.
Sealants, Fluoride and Diet
During early childhood, the enamel is still hardening so, these “milk teeth” are more susceptible to decay and cavities than adult teeth. Children have a high risk of developing cavities due to their partiality for sweets and their still-developing small motor skills that make brushing and flossing less effective. To help lower this risk, we recommend using fluoride and sealants at their biannual cleanings and exams.
Fluoride: Fluoride helps prevent tooth decay by fending off acid attacks caused by bacteria and sugar, making your teeth more resilient. Fluoride can be directly applied to your teeth in our office with specialized treatments. This method offers a higher concentration of fluoride than you can find in over the counter toothpaste and rinses.
Sealants: Sealants are a biocompatible coating applied to teeth, usually the back molars, to keep plaque and bacteria from collecting in the grooves on the top surfaces.
Diet: Besides brushing and flossing, the best ways to improve oral health is to improve your diet and lifestyle habits. Drinking more water and eating healthier, natural foods will be beneficial to the smile and overall health. Sodas, candy, smoking, and alcohol are classic culprits in supporting bacterial growth.
Nutrition plays a significant role in the development of your child’s smile. While the right foods can help ensure the development of healthy gums and teeth, too much sugar, juice, and other sweets can have a very detrimental effect. To help you protect your child’s smile, we offer nutritional counseling, fluoride, sealants, and professional cleanings in a fun and friendly environment.
Protect Your Family’s Oral Health
Keeping track of everybody’s sport’s schedules is hard enough, let alone remembering when everyone’s last dental check-up was. Let our professional team help you stay on top of your family’s dental care so your smile and theirs will remain strong and healthy for a lifetime.
CALL US: (508) 347-7007 REQUEST APPOINTMENT