Our Services
If you're looking for a different kind of dental experience, you've found it at either of Dr. Leland's offices. Our staff plays a large part in creating a fun, relaxed environment that our patients can take part in and enjoy. We'll take you in as part of our larger dental family, making sure you receive high-quality dental care and attention. You can learn more about the services we offer by reading the brief explanations provided below.
Cleaning and Protection
If you want to keep your mouth at its healthiest, then you shouldn't skimp out on regular visits to your dentist. With each check up, we make sure your teeth and gums are in good condition, using x-rays and a thorough exam to pinpoint any areas that might develop into problems. It's the only way to make sure you dental health is in top-notch condition.
Cosmetic Dentistry
Cosmetic dentistry has made several advances over the years, with many of these changes making it easier and more affordable to achieve truly amazing results. If you're interested in sprucing up the appearance of your smile, you can talk to us to figure out the best options to achieve the results you want.
Periodontal Disease
Plaque that isn't removed from the teeth will eventually develop into tartar and will start to break down the tissues that support the teeth, which are the surrounding bone and gums. If not treated quickly, inflammation and bleeding of the gums will occur. In addition, new spaces will develop between the teeth and tooth loss can start. No matter what stage the disease may be at, we'll provide you with the appropriate level of treatment to clear it up and relieve the pain you're experiencing.
Restorations
Restorations can take a number of different forms, including inlay/onlay restorations, fixed bridges, root canal therapy, dentures, fillings, crowns and implants. The restorative procedure necessary to restore a tooth back to its original shape depends largely on the damage, decay or tooth loss present. We'll help you find the best treatment for your particular situation.
Orthodontics
Dr. Leland is also trained in comprehensive orthodontic techniques but limits his cases to adults that need orthodontic correction in conjunction with restorative dentistry. He works with several orthodontic specialists in the area and will see to it that you and your children are referred to an office that you will enjoy and be confident in the highest levels of expertise.
We Will Save You Money On Your Dental Care!!
How will we do this? Let me list the ways...
- Conservative treatment planning: No one wants a dentist who recommends more than you need or want. We prioritize all treatment making sure you understand everything that you need. Obviously, destructive processes like tooth decay and periodontal (gum) disease needs to be corrected if present. We discuss all options for this type of treatment or repair. In today's world of dental materials, there are many choices. We make sure you understand them and make the choice that suits your needs and insure they fit within your budget.
- We emphasize prevention. The old saying that 'an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure' is appropriate for maintaining dental health and an appealing smile. We work hard to help you minimize dental costs by preventing the problems that lead to expensive dental treatment for you and your family. There are many cost effective advances in the field of preventive dentistry that will help keep your family's teeth and gums healthy.
- If your employer provides insurance benefits, we will provide a complimentary benefit analysis to help you understand your benefits and allow you to minimize out of pocket expenses when it is appropriate.
- Our front desk staff will help you choose a method of payment that best suits your dental needs and your budget. For example, we have 12-18 month payment options that are the same as paying cash.
- We stand being our work, making sure all treatment is done to the highest standards. From complicated full mouth implant reconstructions, to the simplest filling on a molar tooth, we take great pride in our work and strive to do the very best possible. This way the longevity of our treatment is predictably successful. On the rare occasion that something breaks or needs replacement, we stand behind it. You're not left holding the bag.
In-House Dental Lab
We feel very fortunate to have Karin Heinrich, CDT, working with us in the San Antonio office. All restorative dentists rely heavily on the artistic skills of the dental lab technician that work 'behind the scenes'. The standard of care in dentistry involves out-sourcing to outside dental laboratories, many of which are overseas. The advantage of having a technician of her caliber in our office for the exclusive benefit of our patients cannot be overstated. In most offices, the dentist-technician communication problem is a constant struggle. We do not have this difficulty. The teamwork we have established within our office is reflected in the day in and day out quality of our restorative results.
Her specialty is in ceramics (porcelain). She provides all crown and bridge work, both tooth supported and implant supported. Again, the improved technology of modern dentistry has led to the development of cad-cam fabricated tooth-colored Zirconium cores for our implant abutments and our crown and bridge work (for more information, visit this site). When you combine this technology with the artistic ceramic skills of Karin Heinrich, the beauty of the final restoration is unsurpassed.
She has perfected the art of feldspathic porcelain to produce ultra-thin porcelain veneers that are bonded to the facial surface of the front teeth for cosmetic enhancement.
Cosmetic excellence in dental care begins with the right diagnosis. Her assistance in performing diagnostic mockups before we ever touch the actual tooth at the dental chair, allows us to know beforehand exactly what we need to do to when doing smile makeovers and large reconstruction cases. In implant cases, with the help of imaging and diagnostic guides made in the lab, Karin assists us with the proper location of implants to obtain the best results.
Karin has also been using the Eclipse technology in the fabrication of removable complete and partial dentures.
With the Eclipse technology, she also has perfected a beautiful composite crown technique, Radica, which can be used in selective cases. This technique produces a long lasting restoration for less than half the cost of the typical crown.
Modern Technology
I have already mentioned several 21st century technologies that we have incorporated into our practice. The most notable are elaborated on in the following paragraphs.
Implants: Without question this advancement has changed the way dentistry is practiced since the advent of novacaine and the high-speed hand piece (drill). Without question, this is the best way to replace missing teeth in almost every situation. No longer do people have to tolerate unstable lower dentures. At Leland Dental Care, we exclusively use Astra Tech implants. In my opinion, this system is the best in the world, hands down. Over the years, all other implant systems have gravitated towards the Astra Tech design because it preserves bone and is simple to restore. The parent company is the huge pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca. They have deep pockets and have done their homework in research and development. It is not the most popular system in the United States, because of their marketing. Worldwide, however, they are one of the most popular systems.- Digital Radiography (Schick Technology): I am proud of the fact that we were one of the first dentists in San Antonio to incorporate digital x-rays into our practice. In 1994, I purchased the sensors and used it on a rolling cart. The 'old way' was x-ray film. We have all seen the small 1 ½ inch film that had to be developed with fixer and developer. This would take 7-10 minutes and if it was not diagnostic for a variety of reasons, it would have to be repeated; another 7-10 minutes. This seems like an eternity for a patient having a root canal procedure with a rubber dam on. We could not proceed until we had a good x-ray to check the working length of the canals. From 1994, I used the digital system only for root canals and for emergency treatment where time was critical. I still used films for routine diagnostics. In 1998, I networked computers throughout both offices in every treatment room and began using digital x-rays for all x-rays taken inside the mouth. The ability to diagnose was enhanced. The software allows manipulation of the image for variation of contrast, zoom, etc. and the size of the image is only limited by the size and quality of the monitor. Bigger is better for seeing what we need to see. This has been great. In addition, although radiation in dental x-rays is extremely low, it is considerably less with digital than with film.
- CBVT Radiography: Imaging in medicine and dentistry is one of the most dramatic of technological advances occurring today. CBVT radiography in dentistry is just one example. In our lifetime, I expect we will see most, if not all clinics having a machine that will give us 3-dimensional images instead of the two dimensional mages we are used to looking at. At this time, however, it is cost prohibitive for my practice to own this machine (app $200,000). Fortunately, we have UTHSC Dental Radiology right around the block in the medical center. For a small fee of $ 150-200, a patient can have this image taken. When wearing a radiographic guide in their mouth (made by Karin), the image is taken. This gives me a three-dimensional view of the proposed implant site prior to placement. This is very diagnostic. The future with imaging in many areas of our lives will most definitely change; very exciting!
Shadevision: For matching the intricate detail of color of teeth you cannot compare the use of a digital colorimeter to the variation of the human eye and color shade tabs. With the combination of this technology and having Karin in the office, we rarely struggle blending a restoration into the environment where it lives-the mouth of the patient. It does not matter how well a crown fits if it does not blend with the adjacent teeth in hue value and chroma. Shadevision makes this process a slam-dunk.
Lava Crown and Bridge: 3M-ESPE has developed a cad-cam fabricated zirconium core, which is tooth colored and has excellent bond strength to porcelain. No more dark lines around crowns known as PVM or PBM. This stands for porcelain veneered or bonded to metal. These crowns are strong and I still use them in areas the posterior (back) part of the mouth. The dark color of the metal, an alloy of gold and platinum, will eventually lead to a darker tint at the gum-line. Lava crowns using zirconium cores instead of metal are close to metal in strength and there is no comparison in esthetic beauty. Gone are the days of this darker tint at the gum-line. They are so life-like, they are virtually undetectable even under magnification. The equipment necessary to fabricate Lava zirconium cores for crowns and bridges is too expensive for even the largest corporate dental clinic to own. Therefore, we do outsource to Authentic Lab (in San Antonio) to fabricate for our patients. We send them the mounted dies already trimmed with a prescription and in a few days they return them to Karin for her to apply her artistry with porcelain to the zirconium core to produce the final result of a porcelain fused to zirconium core crown or bridge. ( By the way, a bridge is a non-technical layman's term for a false tooth or teeth attached to crowns that is bonded into place either onto adjacent teeth or onto adjacent abutments that are screwed into implants).- Digital Photography for diagnostic treatment planning and documentation.
- Software for Documentation in the Clinical Dental Chart and in administrative aspect of dental practice (Dentrix)
- E-claims-Internet usage for insurance claims
- Eclipse Prosthetic system (Dental Lab Technology)
- Not quite here yet, but I am very excited about it:
- Digital impression taking (soon there will not that mouthful of impression material)
- Learn more
If you want to talk with someone in more detail about any of the above services, please feel free to give our office a call. One of team members will be able to answer your questions and will set you up with an appointment at a time that's convenient for you. The online form on our Contact Us page can also be submitted for requesting information or appointment times at our office. Our phone number is at the top of this page.
