WELCOME TO THE OFFICE OF DR. NANCY CIMINERA

Porcelain veneers can provide a customizable treatment option for addressing a wide range of cosmetic concerns regarding your natural smile. From the subtle to the dramatic, they can meet your needs and expectations with lasting results. Dental veneers will also support your long-term dental health under the care of our experienced cosmetic dentists, Dr. Ciminera and her team are dedicated general and cosmetic dentistry in Syosset, NY.

Advances in the strength and appearance of ceramic crowns have made them the leading choice in restoring damaged teeth to their optimal strength. A tooth that has been damaged by root canal, grinding, decay or fracture is likely to break from the stress of daily use. An esthetic, customized crown will deliver strength, and protection.

Benefits of crown placement:

• Helping strengthen a heavily-restored tooth to prevent future fracture
• Restoring loss of tooth structure from heavy grinding
• Relieving pain from any damage or fractures

Tooth replacement is about more than filling the gaps in your smile. It’s also about restoring your ability to chew properly, to speak with confidence, and to feel good about yourself. You want a restoration that is comfortable, permanent, and most importantly, undetectable.

Dental Implants Are A Permanent Restoration Designed For Longevity:

• Provides a permanent restoration for ultimate comfort and fit
• Refresh your smile with a natural looking, beautiful tooth replacement
• Restore ability to chew properly and speak clearly
• Protect the health of the surrounding teeth and bone
• Preserve facial structure for a more youthful appearance

A bridge is a custom-made replacement tooth or teeth that fill the space where one or more teeth are missing. The bridge permanently restores your bite and helps keep the natural shape of your face.

A missing tooth is a serious matter. Teeth are made to work together to help you chew, speak and smile. When you lose a tooth, the nearby teeth may shift and become crooked. This may make it harder to speak or chew. A missing tooth in the lower jaw may cause a tooth in your upper jaw to shift down into that space, meaning your teeth will no longer be even or in a straight line. This can affect your bite and place more stress on your teeth and jaw joints, possibly causing pain and damage. Teeth that have tipped or drifted are also harder to clean. This can increase the risk for tooth decay and gum disease. Missing teeth can lead to bone loss, which can cause neighboring teeth to become loose and can lead to facial collapse. If that happens, it may change the way the jawbone supports the lips and cheeks. Over time, this can make your face look older.

There are various kinds of dentures available, but all share a common function: replacing teeth that have become loose or lost. Dentures are a removable replacement for missing teeth and can be either full or partial oral appliances. Natural, existing teeth may need to be prepared for dentures to fit properly. In some cases, teeth may need to be extracted and your mouth given a chance to heal before new dentures can be placed.

Nightguards are prescribed to folks who regularly grind or clench their teeth at night. (The technical term for nighttime grinding is “bruxism.”) These habits typically arise during times of stress or as a result of sleep apnea or certain medications. When left unchecked, frequent grinding or clenching can result in a number of negative oral health consequences. For example, grinding wears down the teeth’s protective enamel layer, which can increase the risk of cavities and other dental health issues. Meanwhile, clenching can result in chipped or cracked teeth and places tremendous pressure on the jaw, which can lead to jaw and headaches. Nightguards offer a protective layer that cushions your teeth against the wear and tear that otherwise result from grinding or clenching. Wearing a night guard on a regular basis can reduce damage to the teeth and dental appliances, minimize jaw aches and morning headaches, and promote more restful sleep.

All dentists are trained to complete visual oral cancer screenings by request. These visual examinations can be completed in a matter of minutes, and can save lives. Early detection is vital in combating this destructive disease, and a simple screening can reassure a patient that may suspect cancer. Oral cancer screenings should be requested by the patient (even if there are no apparent signs of the disease) at every dental checkup. Dentists will usually already be looking for symptoms and signs of oral cancer during a checkup, but it does not hurt to specifically ask for a screening.

Root canal therapy can save a tooth that has become severely infected or decayed. When diagnosis indicates the need for a root canal treatment, our first priority is our patients’ peace of mind.

Signs you may need a Root Canal Treatment:

• Spontaneous, dull, achy pain even when you’re not eating or drinking
  
• Pain that wakes you up in the middle of the night
  
• Toothache that worsens when biting or when eating
  
• Darkening or discoloration of a tooth
  
• Recurring swelling, or “pimple” on the gums
  
• Tenderness in the gums
  
• Extreme sensitivity to cold or heat that lingers for more than 5 seconds
  

Ignoring these signs or symptoms may lead to further complications including increased pain, facial swelling or spread infection. If you are unsure about any of the symptoms you’re experiencing, Schedule an Appointment.

It is our firm belief that dental education is the key to our patient’s success in maintaining a healthy, long-lasting smile. Our hygienist will perform a detailed, gentle removal of plaque and calcified plaque (calculus) around your teeth. Allowing this tartar to remain on your gums results in a cascade of dental issues ranging from swollen and bleeding gums (gingivitis), tooth decay, bad breath (halitosis), and the loss of bone due to inflammation.

A consistent approach to hygiene will ensure you a lifetime of optimal dental health! Your Hygiene appointment will include a set of baseline low radiation X-rays to examine and discuss your smile goals. A thorough cleaning will be completed by our hygienist with the use of an ultrasonic scaling tool to break up hardened tartar which causes bleeding and discomfort in our gums. Your hygienist will discuss recommendations to achieve healthy gums and teeth and discuss brushing recommendations based upon your needs.

Dental bonding (often referred to as “tooth bonding”) is a quick and easy procedure offered by Dr. Ciminera to correct many minor defects in the teeth.

Defects corrected by dental bonding include:

• Small gaps between front teeth.
• To make teeth look longer.
• To repair chipped or cracked teeth.
• To change the shape of a tooth / teeth.
  
• To protect a portion of the tooth’s root that has been exposed when gums recede.
• Slight misalignment.
  
• To make teeth look longer.
  
• Small chips or surface cracks.
  
• Discoloration that will not respond to tooth whitening.

Years of drinking coffee, tea, soda, or red wine, as well as smoking, can darken your teeth. Ciminera Dentistry’ whitening service is both easy and non-invasive and can brighten your teeth in a single treatment. We begin by applying a gum protection, to ensure your gums will be comfortable. A hydrogen peroxide solution gel will be carefully and evenly applied to your teeth. The solution will be left on the teeth for 20-minute intervals and then washed away. Usually after two intervals of 20 minutes your teeth will have lifted three-four levels on the shade guide! A fourth interval could be done, if necessary. A relief gel will be applied to your teeth. Brief sensitivity will occur to even the most non-sensitive people, but will not last long. Brushing with toothpaste like Sensodyne will help, as well as staying away from foods at both extremes in temperatures for the next day or two.

Composite fillings – also known as tooth-colored fillings – are dental restorations designed to be inconspicuous and natural in appearance. They blend well with the teeth and appear more natural than amalgam fillings, which are darker and more easily seen by other people.

Composite fillings are made of ceramic and plastic compounds that chemically bond to the teeth. They can be used to fill in decayed areas of the teeth, as well as to help repair chipped or broken teeth. Most dentists use composite restorations to treat the teeth closest to the front of the mouth, as they are more noticeable when patients smile. However, advancements in dental technology and the composition of composite fillings have made it possible for dentists to also use tooth-colored fillings on molars, which receive more wear than other teeth.

With decades of experience in cosmetic dentistry, Dr. Ciminera delivers one-of-a-kind smile makeovers to complement our patients’ natural beauty using minimally invasive techniques. Our custom-made porcelain veneers correct the form, appearance and function of discolored or misshapen teeth.

Veneers are thin shells of porcelain designed to mask the appearance of chipped, discolored or misaligned teeth. They are placed over the front surfaces of teeth, giving them a clean, even, and natural appearance that compliments each individuals smile aesthetic.

These restorations are a simple and effective treatment to cover a tooth that is likely to break or is too damaged to be corrected with a traditional filling. We offer inlays and onlays if you have damage or tooth decay within the cusp of a tooth. An inlay is used similarly to a traditional filling but looks much more genuine. An onlay is necessary for a significant reconstruction, where it extends out over one or more cusps of the tooth. Often, inlays may replace traditional fillings that failed or fell out, since they are more durable.

Are you are a Candidate for Inlays or Onlays?

• Damage or tooth decay to the cusp of teeth
  
• Inlays are more suitable for individuals who have had traditional fillings that have failed or fallen out
  
• Onlays are for candidates that need significant reconstruction
  
• Replacement of large Amalgam (metal) fillings to provide a stronger, more esthetic rest
  
• Patients in need of a stronger, well-fitting and longer-lasting repair for tooth decay or other structural damage.

Some people hesitate to get emergency dental work because they don't think they need it. They may believe a tooth with chronic pain is not a big deal. They may be nervous about calling our office about something that's not a "real" emergency. We encourage you to get in touch if you are in doubt. We can tell you whether you need an emergency appointment based on the circumstances and symptoms you describe. We want to get you relief from what is causing pain as soon as possible.

Give us a call if you suffer any of the following:

• Chipped tooth
  
• Broken tooth
  
• Abscessed tooth
  
• Toothache
  
• Loose dental work, such as crowns or fillings
  
• Missing tooth