We believe that an unhurried & thorough examination combined with good communication is imperative for ideal dental care. Use of modern technologies allow us to better diagnose dental diseases and disorders while allowing patients to make wise choices for their dental health.

As our goal, we strive to listen carefully so that we can understand your concerns and needs. We patiently spend the time needed to describe your treatment options available for your case. An explanation of fees, insurance co-payments (if applicable), and all payment options are discussed and reviewed.

Our business staff will gladly answer any questions you may have that relates to your initial registration, financial responsibility, dental appointments, etc. We look forward to having you at Red Rock Dental.

The basis of sound dental care is routine cleaning and maintenance. We customize cleanings on the basis of your periodontal (gums and bone) health. We utilize medicated gels along with prescription mouth rinses in problem areas if necessary. Ultrasonic scalers are used as needed to make the procedure more comfortable and effective as well.

Bonding and Tooth Colored Restorations (“Fillings”):
Bonding is a quick, painless in-office procedure to repair cracks, chips, gaps between teeth or cover stained teeth to enhance your smile. Bonding can often be done without anesthesia if there is no decay or pulp exposure. The bonding and restoration material is developed in many shades allowing the dentist to accurately match the shade of your natural teeth. The composite resin forms a durable, stain resistant surface that is later smoothed, polished and “sealed” to give it a natural appearance and feel.

New advances in bonding, resins and ceramics have made tooth-colored fillings that are strong and lasting a reality.

Bonding can be used to:

Crowns:
Crowns are prescribed when a tooth or teeth are too badly decayed or broken to be easily restored with a filling. Crowns are normally needed for teeth that have had root canals. Crowns are also placed on dental implants.

Crowns can be made entirely of gold for the very back molars or porcelain fused to gold substrate for strength and beauty. With new technology, crowns can be made entirely from high-strength ceramic, porcelain or zirconium for beautiful cosmetic results. We use modern dental lab studio technicians who create the natural artistic look of natural teeth.
Bridges:
The space left by one or more missing teeth can cause adjacent teeth to drift and tilt into the space while the tooth opposing the space on the upper/lower arch may begin to super erupt into the space. This shifting can cause bite imbalance, TMJ problems and headaches. The new spaces may also be difficult to keep clean leading to periodontal (gum) disease and decay.

Unless a dental implant is recommended to replace the missing tooth or teeth, a fixed or permanent bridge is an excellent alternative. Impressions are taken, a temporary bridge is placed and 10 days to 2 weeks later, a permanent esthetic bridge arrive from the lab for final cementation.
Inlays/Onlays:
When more than half of the tooth’s biting surface is damaged a dentist will often use an inlay or onlay.

Inlays and onlays can be made of porcelain, gold, or composite resin. These pieces are bonded to the damaged area of the tooth. An inlay, which is similar to a filling, is used inside the cusp tips of the tooth. An onlay is a more substantial reconstruction, similar to the inlay but extending out over one or more of the cusps of the tooth.

Traditionally, gold has been the material of choice for inlays and onlays. In recent years, however, porcelain has become increasingly popular due to its strength and color, which can potentially match the natural color of your teeth.

Root Canal Treatment:
Sometimes the pulp inside your tooth becomes inflamed or infected. This can be caused by deep decay, repeated dental procedures on the tooth, a crack or chip in the tooth, or a blow to the tooth.

Signs to look for include pain, prolonged sensitivity to heat or cold, discoloration of the tooth, and swelling and tenderness in the nearby gums. But sometimes there are no symptoms.

The dentist removes the inflamed or infected pulp, carefully cleans and shapes the inside of the tooth, uses disinfecting solutions, fills and seals the canals. Afterwards a “post and core” may be placed to strengthen the tooth. The tooth is usually restored with a crown or other restorations to protect and restore it to full function.

If you feel braces are bulky and unattractive, in certain cases it is possible, with modern dental techniques, to achieve a more attractive smile in just a few visits with variety of options.

Porcelain Veneers:
Porcelain veneers are thin shells of ceramic that bond directly to the front surfaces of the teeth. They are an ideal choice for improving your smile and have become increasingly popular due to their simplicity and versatility.

Porcelain veneers have that "wet" look just like natural teeth. The tooth shade, shape, length, width, and location can be changed with porcelain veneers. When bonded to the teeth, the ultra-thin porcelain veneers are virtually undetectable and highly resistant to coffee, tea, or even cigarette stains.
Tooth Bleaching:
Having a beautiful smile may be even easier than you think. Many people achieve the look they've been dreaming of with our simple "bleaching" procedure.

Dental bleaching can be used to correct tooth discoloration. Discolorations can be caused by staining (mottled), aging, or chemical damage to teeth. Using the latest in bleaching technology, we can offer a safe method for creating a beautiful "brilliant" smile. In cases of extreme tooth discoloration, crowns or veneers may be the only choice, but because of the low cost of bleaching treatments, bleaching is nearly always worth a solid try.

Natural appearing dentures must take into consideration not only the proper arrangement of the teeth, but also the contours of natural tissue. Our dentures are designed to have the appearance of natural healthy tissue.

Both masculine and feminine tooth anatomy, proper lip support and the design of a pleasing smile line are our goals. Our lab studio technicians strive to make dentures as natural and esthetic as possible.
When there are too many missing teeth to make a bridge practical, but there are a few strong teeth to 'anchor' to, a removable partial denture can be constructed with pleasing results. Partials are available in either a traditional (visible rigit metal frame) or the newer (Valplast®) flexible esthetically pleasing & comfortable plastic models.

Most frequently Oral Surgery cases include simple to complex extractions as well as routine Wisdom Teeth and foreign body removal.

Wisdom teeth are considered "Impacted" when it is unable to erupt or have no place to grow.  They may grow in sideways or partially come through.  The gum tissue may cause a bacterial trap resulting in recurrent infections that remain trapped beneath the gum and bone forming a fluid filled sac (cyst) or tumor that destroys the jaw or tooth.

Wisdom teeth can be considered not functional if they are:
Benefits of early removal of wisdom teeth, around the age of 16 or 17, can help you to avoid future problems. At a younger age:
Dr. Barber is continually attending Oral Surgery workshops and seminars to update his surgical skills and knowledge of the latest Oral Surgery techniques and conscious sedation techniques. Also, keeping informed of the latest drugs and medications on the market for pain and infection control.

Laser surgery has many modern uses in dentistry today. The laser usually produces clean “cutting” without any bleeding. Usually very little local anesthesia if any is used in the procedure and a strong topical anesthetic gel can be placed prior to surgery.
Some of the procedures done with laser surgery are:

Anti-snoring devices work by relaxing and collapsing the airway which produces soft tissue vibrations during breathing that results in snoring. The device positions the lower jaw forward keeping the airway open, allowing easier breathing and preventing snoring. Special connectors allow your lower jaw to move freely providing maximum comfort during sleep.

Night Guards help reduce or eliminate headaches and fatigue caused from teeth grinding(Bruxism/TMJ). Athletic Appliances help protect the teeth from damage during sporting activities. Custom impressions for athletic appliances and night or occlusal guards are made in our office by trained personnel and the finished product are ready usually within 24 hours.

• Regular exams to assess caries and occlusion from infants through adolescence.
• Fluoride treatments to strengthen tooth enamel and decrease incidence of caries.
• X-rays to access caries the development of the dentition and other dental concerns.
• Sealants to reduce the incidence of caries in the primary and permanent dentition.
• Regular 6 month prophylaxis (cleaning) and review home oral hygiene.

• Composite (tooth colored) restorations.
• Stainless steel crowns for severely decayed posterior primary and permanent teeth.
• Resin (White) faced stainless steel crowns for severely decayed anterior primary teeth.
• Extractions of teeth due to cavities, crowding or for orthodontic reasons.
• Space maintainers to preserve space for the developing dentition.
• Endodontic procedures including pulpotomies, pulpectomies, and thermoplastic gutta-percha root canals.
• Bonding of fractured teeth.
• Splinting and re-implanting of avulsed, i.e., “knocked out,” permanent teeth.
• Habit appliances to deter thumb-sucking, finger sucking or reverse swallow habits.
• Custom fitted mouth guards to prevent or lessen oral facial injuries.

• Treatment of special needs children, i.e., learning delayed, mentally retarded, autistic.
• Treatment with oral sedatives and nitrous oxide to reduce anxiety.