Treatments

There are many new and exciting developments in dentistry. Dr Higgins is skilled in the procedures that can provide you with a better, more beautiful smile. Dr Higgins uses the following dental techniques to change worn-out smiles into younger-looking, more attractive ones. Like any artistry, it takes years of practice and continuing education to achieve the level of confidence and predictability needed to perform these services.

snapSnap-On Smile can be life changing. It gives back the confidence to smile. Thousands of people worldwide have already experienced the unique benefits of Snap-On Smile.

miniMini Dental Implants may be the answer to your denture problems.The new Mini Dental Implant technology offers a simple and affordable approach.

lumineersDental veneers are wafer-thin, custom-made shells of tooth-colored materials designed to cover the front surface of teeth to improve your appearance.


perioPerio Protect® has been a leader in minimally invasive dentistry for the last 6 years with a new method that offers people the most gentle, effective way possible to fight the bacteria that cause gum disease.

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What is Snap-On Smile? 

Snap-On Smile was invented by a dentist who realized that not everyone can afford many thousands of dollars to get a Hollywood smile make-over.

Snap-on Smile's unique, proprietary formula of hi-tech dental resin make it very thin yet extremely strong. It fits right over your own teeth to give you a beautiful, natural looking smile—even if you have stains, chips, gaps or missing teeth.

And for many people, Snap-On Smile can be life changing. It gives back the confidence to smile. Thousands of people worldwide have already experienced the unique benefits of Snap-On Smile.

How long will my Snap-On Smile last?

Snap-On Smile comes with a 12 month limited warranty against manufacturing defects. With proper care, your Snap-On Smile can last from 2 to 5 years. Just follow the Snap-On Smile dentist’s cleaning instructions and you’ll enjoy millions of smiles with Snap-On Smile...

At your first visit the dentist will examine your teeth, decide if you are a candidate for Snap-on Smile and, if so, discuss whether you wish to have Snap-On Smile for your upper or lower arch. The dentist will then take an impression of your teeth. Don’t worry... there is no pain, no shots and no drilling involved! Since each Snap-On Smile is custom made, the dentist will send your impression to the studio to have yours made just for you. 

At your second visit approximately 3 weeks later, the dentist will fit your Snap-On Smile and make any minor adjustments needed. You’ll then be shown how to pop your new smile in and out, plus how to keep it looking good. 

Remember, you can eat with it, drink with it, and wear it all day every day. (Just remove it when you sleep). 

How much does Snap-On Smile cost? 

A fraction of the price of things like veneers, crowns & bridges. Snap-On Smile is the only removable, affordable alternative to traditional smile make-over solutions.

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Mini Dental Iimplants
" the solution to denture stabilization and single or 
multiple tooth restoration"

With the latest technology in dental implantology, Mini Dental Implants may be the answer to your denture problems. Visit your dentist in the morning, have Mini Dental Implants placed in about an hour, then leave the dental office with stable secure dentures attached to your Mini Dental Implants. Imagine eating, speaking and smiling with confidence. Your denture feels secure and is being held firmly in place thanks to Mini Dental Implants. A small miracle in implant dentistry. And all this in about an hour with no cutting of the gums and no stitches to have removed. This unique procedure can be completed in one visit with virtually no discomfort. 

Dental Implant therapy has been a great advancement in dentistry over the past 25 years. Mini Dental Implants are proving to be the most significant advancement in Implant Dentistry. Tens of thousands of grateful patients bear witness to benefits delivered from the opportunity to obtain a replacement for lost teeth that restores their smiles and confidence. The new Mini Dental Implant technology offers a simple and affordable approach.

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Dental Health and Veneers

Dental veneers (sometimes called porcelain veneers or dental porcelain laminates) are wafer-thin, custom-made shells of tooth-colored materials designed to cover the front surface of teeth to improve your appearance. These shells are bonded to the front of the teeth changing their color, shape, size, or length.

Dental veneers can be made from porcelain or from resin composite materials. Porcelain veneers resist stains better than resin veneers and better mimic the light reflecting properties of natural teeth. Resin veneers are thinner and require removal of less of the tooth surface before placement. You will need to discuss the best choice of veneer material for you with your dentist.

What Types of Problems Do Dental Veneers Fix?

Veneers are routinely used to fix:

  • Teeth that are discolored -- either because of root canal treatment; stains from tetracycline or other drugs, excessive fluoride or other causes; or the presence of large resin fillings that have discolored the tooth
  • Teeth that are worn down
  • Teeth that are chipped or broken
  • Teeth that are misaligned, uneven, or irregularly shaped (for example, have craters or bulges in them)
  • Teeth with gaps between them (to close the space between these teeth)

What's the Procedure for Getting a Dental Veneer?

Getting a dental veneer usually requires three trips to the dentist – one for a consultation and two to make and apply the veneers. One tooth or many teeth can simultaneously undergo the veneering process described below.

  • Diagnosis and treatment planning. This first step involves active participation between you and your dentist. Explain to your dentist the result that you are trying to achieve. During this appointment your dentist will examine your teeth to make sure dental veneers are appropriate for you and discuss what the procedure will involve and some of its limitations. He or she also may take X-rays and possibly make impressions of your mouth and teeth.
  • Preparation. To prepare a tooth for a veneer, your dentist will remove about 1/2 millimeter of enamel from the tooth surface, which is an amount nearly equal to the thickness of the veneer to be added to the tooth surface. Before trimming off the enamel, you and your dentist will decide the need for a local anesthetic to numb the area. Next, your dentist will make a model or impression of your tooth. This model is sent out to a dental laboratory, which in turn constructs your veneer. It usually takes 1 to 2 weeks for your dentist to receive the veneers back from the laboratory. For very unsightly teeth, temporary dental veneers can be placed for an additional cost.
  • Bonding . Before the dental veneer is permanently cemented to your tooth, your dentist will temporarily place it on your tooth to examine its fit and color. He or she will repeatedly remove and trim the veneer as needed to achieve the proper fit; the veneer color can be adjusted with the shade of cement to be used. Next, to prepare your tooth to receive the veneer, your tooth will be cleaned, polished, and etched -- which roughens the tooth to allow for a strong bonding process. A special cement is applied to the veneer and the veneer is then placed on your tooth. Once properly position on the tooth, your dentist will apply a special light beam to the dental veneer, which activates chemicals in the cement causing it to harden or cure very quickly. The final steps involve removing any excess cement, evaluating your bite and making any final adjustments in the veneer as necessary. Your dentist may ask you to return for a follow-up visit in a couple of weeks to check how your gums are responding to the presence of your veneer and to once again examine the veneer's placement.

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Perio Protect® is a comprehensive method that is customized for individual patients to help manage biofilms, communities of bacteria, growing in the spaces or pockets between teeth and gum tissue. The overall goal of the Perio Protect Method™ is to manage oral biofilm with minimally invasive dentistry for lasting oral health. 

The Method is a combination of treatments, including a non-invasive chemical debriding therapy used in conjunction with traditional mechanical debriding procedures. The chemical therapy involves a tray delivery of doctor-prescribed solutions to chemically debride biofilm from the periodontal pocket and alter the pocket's microbiological environment to disrupt biofilm growth.

The standard cleaning procedures in dental offices (e.g. scaling and root planing) help remove plaque and tartar and help reduce bacteria, but unfortunately bacteria reproduce quickly and biofilms regenerate very easily, so it is difficult to control them between office visits.

With the Perio Protect Method, you can place prescribed solutions into periodontal pockets with an appropriately formed, customized dental tray between office visits to help manage biofilm. Although a dentist must choose the most appropriate solution for individual patients, the most commonly prescribed solution with the Method has oxidizing and oxygenating agents. Oxidizing agents debride (chemically remove) the slimy protective coating of a biofilm and its underlying layers and also cleanse the oral wounds.

Dentists may choose to treat the oral wounds with the chemical debriding and cleansing agents before mechanical debriding procedures to help reduce bacterial populations and thus reduce the risk of introducing bacteria into the bloodstream during mechanical debridement.

For most people following the Perio Protect Method, the placement of prescribed solutions into a periodontal pocket via a customized prescription tray requires only minutes each day. Patients describe the tray delivery as comfortable and appreciate its non-invasive technology.

The actual combination of mechanical treatment, chemical therapies, and prescribed treatment plan is determined by a dentist evaluating your specific conditions.

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 Perio Protect Healing Process