(941) 744-1226
1711 Lakewood Ranch Blvd.
Bradenton, FL 34211
Bradenton, FL 34211
Located on the left end of
the Publix Shopping Center
(corner of SR-64 and
Lakewood Ranch Blvd)
the Publix Shopping Center
(corner of SR-64 and
Lakewood Ranch Blvd)
Monday-Thursday
8:00AM-4:30PM
Lunch 1:00PM-2:00PM
8:00AM-4:30PM
Lunch 1:00PM-2:00PM
Our high quality cosmetic and general dentistry services and procedures are explained below. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us.
We strive to make your visits with us as pain-free as possible. We always use a gel anesthetic on your gums before any injection. Treatment is not started until the anesthetic has taken effect. If a patient ever feels any discomfort during a procedure, they will raise their hand as a signal to the dentist to stop treatment and add more anesthetic.
Many patients experience an anxiety to dental treatment that is so extreme, that they completely avoid any dental treatment. Dr. Castro holds a permit to provide intravenous sedation (IV sedation). This is a great solution for patients who have traumatic memories of dentistry and tremendous anxiety.
Many patients experience an anxiety to dental treatment that is so extreme, that they completely avoid any dental treatment. Dr. Castro holds a permit to provide intravenous sedation (IV sedation). This is a great solution for patients who have traumatic memories of dentistry and tremendous anxiety.
Our new patient comprehensive dental examination is very thorough and includes:
• An extensive review of your medical history, especially drug and latex allergies
• A complete series of digital x-rays (85% less radiation than regular x-rays!)
•Oral cancer screening
• TMJ (temporomandibular joint) evaluation
• Orthodontic screening
• Complete gum examination and measurements (periodontal examination)
• Complete examination of all teeth, crowns and fillings
• Evaluation of wisdom teeth
• Smile photographs and molds or impressions of your teeth, if needed
• An extensive review of your medical history, especially drug and latex allergies
• A complete series of digital x-rays (85% less radiation than regular x-rays!)
•Oral cancer screening
• TMJ (temporomandibular joint) evaluation
• Orthodontic screening
• Complete gum examination and measurements (periodontal examination)
• Complete examination of all teeth, crowns and fillings
• Evaluation of wisdom teeth
• Smile photographs and molds or impressions of your teeth, if needed
We have made many patients satisfied with either our at-home bleaching products or our in-office bleaching procedures. Patients who want to bleach their teeth at home receive special bleaching trays that fit their teeth specifically and contain bleaching gel. Our staff will give you explicit directions on how to place the gel into your trays. The trays are worn for at least 2-3 hours, or if they prefer, overnight. After 7-10 days, you will see a whiter, brighter smile.
We also offer in-office bleaching with the ZOOM system which you may have seen on "Extreme Makeover." This process is a one-time visit to improve the color of your teeth.
We also offer in-office bleaching with the ZOOM system which you may have seen on "Extreme Makeover." This process is a one-time visit to improve the color of your teeth.
Are you fascinated by the results you see when you watch "Extreme Makeovers?" In one episode, a woman’s smile was completely changed when she received porcelain veneers on about twenty – yes, twenty - of her teeth. You too, can receive the same treatment from a dentist trained in cosmetic dentistry.
Porcelain veneers are thin-shells of porcelain that are cemented or "bonded" to the front surfaces of teeth in order to give a person an improved smile. The technique of making porcelain veneers has been around since the mid-1980’s and has since developed into a very predictable dental treatment option for people who want their teeth to look straight, clean and white.
The following are some of the most common indications for porcelain veneers:
• Highly stained or discolored teeth that do not respond well to office or home bleaching
• Teeth with irregular edges or chips
• Teeth that have minor rotations
• Teeth that have irregular shapes
• Gaps in between teeth (but not missing teeth)
Porcelain veneers are not for everybody and for every situation. Because a porcelain veneer is only a thin, transparent shell, they can only be placed on strong healthy teeth. Therefore, those teeth that already have 50% of the tooth replaced by regular fillings are most likely candidates for porcelain crowns. It’s the same material as veneers, only the entire tooth is "capped" with porcelain. Some patients receive a combination of porcelain veneers and porcelain crowns.
Porcelain veneers are thin-shells of porcelain that are cemented or "bonded" to the front surfaces of teeth in order to give a person an improved smile. The technique of making porcelain veneers has been around since the mid-1980’s and has since developed into a very predictable dental treatment option for people who want their teeth to look straight, clean and white.The following are some of the most common indications for porcelain veneers:
• Highly stained or discolored teeth that do not respond well to office or home bleaching
• Teeth with irregular edges or chips
• Teeth that have minor rotations
• Teeth that have irregular shapes
• Gaps in between teeth (but not missing teeth)
Porcelain veneers are not for everybody and for every situation. Because a porcelain veneer is only a thin, transparent shell, they can only be placed on strong healthy teeth. Therefore, those teeth that already have 50% of the tooth replaced by regular fillings are most likely candidates for porcelain crowns. It’s the same material as veneers, only the entire tooth is "capped" with porcelain. Some patients receive a combination of porcelain veneers and porcelain crowns.
Once veneers are bonded to teeth, they are extremely strong. A good example is a ceramic tile. Dropping a tile on the ground may cause it to chip or break, but once it is cemented on to a smooth flat surface, it is highly fracture resistant. Also, teeth that are very crooked may require orthodontics rather than veneers.
Typically, three dental appointments are required for porcelain veneers. The first is a comprehensive examination with a complete set of dental x-rays and “impressions” or molds of your top and bottom teeth. In cases where teeth have minor rotations or irregular shapes, the dentist will have a laboratory technician construct a mock-up of porcelain veneers in white wax. This gives both you and the dentist an excellent idea of the shape and approximate look of the final product. Digital photographs may also be taken of your teeth and smile which aid in the creation of your veneers.
The second appointment, a local anesthetic is given and the dentist reduces the front part of each tooth receiving a porcelain veneer. Only a small portion of the enamel needs to be removed. An impression of the shaved teeth is taken and temporary veneers are then placed.
Between the second and third appointment, a talented laboratory technician is busy making your veneers. At the third appointment, the temporary veneers are removed and the porcelain veneers are tried on each tooth and examined for proper fit. After all the veneers are tried on, they are “bonded” to each tooth with careful precision. Your bite is then checked and adjusted as needed. A follow-up appointment is optional and if needed, the dentist will make further adjustments and final touches and evaluate how your teeth and gums are adapting to the veneers. A final digital photograph may also be taken.
Typically, three dental appointments are required for porcelain veneers. The first is a comprehensive examination with a complete set of dental x-rays and “impressions” or molds of your top and bottom teeth. In cases where teeth have minor rotations or irregular shapes, the dentist will have a laboratory technician construct a mock-up of porcelain veneers in white wax. This gives both you and the dentist an excellent idea of the shape and approximate look of the final product. Digital photographs may also be taken of your teeth and smile which aid in the creation of your veneers.
The second appointment, a local anesthetic is given and the dentist reduces the front part of each tooth receiving a porcelain veneer. Only a small portion of the enamel needs to be removed. An impression of the shaved teeth is taken and temporary veneers are then placed.
Between the second and third appointment, a talented laboratory technician is busy making your veneers. At the third appointment, the temporary veneers are removed and the porcelain veneers are tried on each tooth and examined for proper fit. After all the veneers are tried on, they are “bonded” to each tooth with careful precision. Your bite is then checked and adjusted as needed. A follow-up appointment is optional and if needed, the dentist will make further adjustments and final touches and evaluate how your teeth and gums are adapting to the veneers. A final digital photograph may also be taken.
A comparison of before and after photographs will often have patients marveling at their new smile. In just a few weeks time, a patient’s smile has been transformed into whiter and straighter teeth. And the best part of all is that you feel great about your smile.
White fillings are used in our practice for teeth with moderate decay. Many patients request replacement of their existing silver fillings with white fillings which do not have mercury.
before (silver fillings)
after (white fillings)
When 50% of the tooth is missing or decayed, a filling can no longer withstand the forces that you place on your teeth. Therefore, the tooth receives a porcelain crown (cap) so that the tooth is protected from further damage.
stone cast of prepared tooth
stone cast with porcelain crown
Toothaches are often the result of the nerve in a tooth that is "going bad." Tooth decay that approaches the nerve or a tooth that has had repeated fillings is usually the culprit. Root canal treatment is a procedure where a small opening is made in the center of the tooth (for front teeth, the opening is made in the back of the tooth) and the canals, which contain the irritated or infected nerve is removed. The canals are then "filled" with a semi-solid material. To protect the tooth from fracture, a porcelain crown is also placed.
Full Dentures, Partial Dentures, Bridges and Implants
Missing teeth can not only be very unsightly, they can cause your teeth to shift and decrease you chewing ability. Misalignment of your teeth can also make them more susceptible to decay and gum disease and thus, lead to further tooth loss.
Missing teeth can not only be very unsightly, they can cause your teeth to shift and decrease you chewing ability. Misalignment of your teeth can also make them more susceptible to decay and gum disease and thus, lead to further tooth loss.
Complete or full dentures replace all the teeth in either your top or bottom jaw or both. They are removable and are made of a pink acrylic base and white acrylic teeth.
Partial dentures replace several missing teeth and are also made with a pink acrylic and white acrylic teeth except that the acrylic is attached to a metal plate for increased stability. Metal clasps are included which hook around teeth to help hold the partial denture securely. There are also ways to make partial dentures without clasps. This involves making special crowns for the existing teeth so that no clasps are needed. Patients who come in for their cleaning appointments will have their complete or partial dentures cleaned during the appointment.
Bridges are not removable but are instead permanently cemented on teeth. A bridge has a porcelain crown or cap on each side and porcelain crowns in between to replace the missing teeth. One or two and sometimes three missing teeth in a row can be replaced this way. The only criterion is that there has to be a tooth on either side of the gap where the missing tooth or teeth are located.
Implants are small metal (titanium) cylinders that, when placed in your jaw, act like tooth roots.
Upon this synthetic tooth root, Dr. Castro makes a porcelain crown and the result is a totally artificial tooth that looks identical to all your other teeth. The advantage of implants is that the process does not involve drilling or placing crowns on other teeth. Thus, it is the most conservative treatment available for replacing missing teeth.
Wisdom teeth typically begin to break through your gums at about 18 years of age. If there is enough room, the gum tissue is healthy and there is no decay, wisdom teeth do not have to be removed. Unfortunately, this is not usually the case. There is often not enough room for all one’s wisdom teeth (part of human evolution) and therefore, they come in at odd angles and cause pain, swelling and infections. Wisdom teeth may also move other teeth and cause other teeth to be crooked.
The most serious problem occurs when tumors or cysts form around the impacted wisdom tooth, resulting in the destruction of the jaw bone and healthy teeth. Removing wisdom teeth at an early age, late teen or early twenties, is recommended to avoid such problems and to decrease the surgical risk involved with the procedure. Because all four wisdom teeth are removed in the same appointment and because your total comfort is important to us, wisdom teeth are usually extracted in conjunction with IV sedation. Other teeth that can not be saved are extracted with local anesthetic. However, any patient may request IV sedation.
Conditions that affect the jaw joint and associated muscles and ligaments are also treated by Dr. Castro. Commonly, relief may be achieved through the use of a custom-made "night guard" which is a piece of clear acrylic that fits over the top teeth. It functions to relieve the tension and pain in the jaw joints.
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