Joseph G Vaughan DDS
130 Cedar Knoll Drive, Ronceverte, WV 24970
(304) 645-2333
Dothan Dentist
Joseph G Vaughan DDS

Our Services

From whitening to contouring, Dr. Joseph Vaughan is equipped to handle all your cosmetic dentistry needs. To help you understand your options, we’ve included descriptions of some of our leading services on this page.

Perio Protect
Chances are you have a solid routine when it comes to oral hygiene. Brush, maybe floss, gargle, repeat. And you should continue to do all of those things. But for over half of American adults, that’s still not enough to ward off bad breath, gum disease or even overall health issues. Custom trays, molded specifically to your mouth, are built with a patented seal that gently delivers bacteria-fighting hydrogen peroxide deep below your gums where a toothbrush simply can’t reach.

Florida Probe
Dr. Vaughan now offers his patients new diagnostic technology for the early detection of gum disease. With this technology for the early
detection of gum disease. With this technology Dr. Vaughan is able to detect and treat gum disease earlier helping his patients avoid the disease that is the number one reason for tooth loss in America.

Initial Oral Examination
Your initial oral examination includes a visual examination, charting, periodontal probing, diagnosis and treatment recommendations. We will also take x-rays, which includes the panoramic x-ray for proper diagnosis of the anterior (front) and posterior (back) teeth as well as the bite-wing x-ray series for proper diagnosis of proximal decay of posterior teeth.

Teeth Bleaching
Our state-of-the-art, in-office Power Bleaching system will make your teeth whiter in less than 1.5 hours. Another option is our home bleaching system you take with you for results in 2 weeks. You can also consider a combination program of both systems for optimal, long-term results.

Crowns Prep:
Dr. Vaughan will give an anesthetic to numb the area he will work in (If tooth has a root canal, anesthetic may not be necessary). He uses a hand piece to reduce the natural tooth structure and then takes an impression of the tooth to be sent to our lab for custom fabrication of your crown. A shade will be selected from your natural teeth. The assistant will then make a temporary crown to wear while the lab is making the porcelain crown. In approximately 2 ½ weeks the permanent crown will be placed. While wearing the temporary, stay away from chewing gum, sticky foods and particularly hard foods. If the temporary should loosen or come off during the time, it is not uncommon. Call the office and we will re-cement it. If we are not in or you are out of town, place a small amount of Vaseline in the temporary and press it back on the tooth. This will help create suction and hold it in place until we can see you.

Veneers:
A veneer is porcelain or composite facing that is placed on top of your natural tooth structure. The doctor will numb the area he is going to work in, then reduce the front of the tooth by 3-5 mm, after taking an impression, it is sent to the lab to fabricate the veneer, or if having chair side veneers, no impressions are needed. The doctor will place composite on the tooth and cure it with an ultraviolet light. Once veneers are placed eating habits need to be adjusted to preserve the longevity of the prosthetic. Food should be cut into bite size pieces to reduce biting and pulling away from things such as apples, meats or dense foods.

Restoration-(Fillings):
The doctor will give an anesthetic to numb the area he will work in. He uses a hand piece to remove the decay and prepare the tooth to retain the composite, (tooth colored filling material). During the procedure, there are several steps during the process of placing the filling material. A violet colored light will be used to set the material to its finished state. Dr. Vaughan will then polish the material to aid in a finish. The complete procedure should take 45 minutes to an hour.

Root Canals:
Dr. Vaughan will give an anesthetic to numb the area he will work in, and then drill a small access area in the tooth. Using an instrument, he will remove the nerve of the tooth to remove infection as well as irrigate with a medicament to help kill the bacteria. Once he has completed that filling, he will fill the canal with artificial material. The root canal does not finish the process. When the nerve is removed, the tooth no longer has a blood supply and is basically dead. It becomes brittle and may break if the process is not completed with a post and crown.

Prophylaxis/Periodontal
It is recommended to have a Professional cleaning at least twice a year. A prophylaxis treatment includes an Adult Prophy (basic cleaning). If it has been an extended period of time since your last cleaning, additional treatment mat be necessary, include either Periodontal Scaling (deeper) or Root Planing and Scaling (requires anesthetic). We complete a yearly screening to monitor your periodontal conditions.

Mouth Guards
Whether you are an athlete or casual sports participant, wearing a mouth guard protects the teeth and minimizes concusions. If you grind you teeth while sleeping, a bite guard may help reduce symptoms of TMJ. We custom make mouth guards in both soft and hard materials.

Sedation Dentistry: Fortunately, sedation medications have an amnesic effect. That means you'll have very little, if any, memory of the sights, smells or sounds of your visit. When your treatment is complete you may be a bit wobbly, so your companion will take you home and stay with you until you fully recover. You'll be amazed at how much can be accomplished in such a seemingly short period of time, while you were totally relaxed, and completely comfortable. And best of all, the very next day you will feel fantastic, if instructions for post operative care are followed. Whether it's broken tooth that needs to be fixed, yellow teeth that need to be whitened, missing teeth that need to be replaced, or pain that needs to be eliminated, with Sedation Dentistry you can regain your health and have the fabulous smile you always wanted.

Removable Dental Prosthesis
For missing teeth, we can make dentures or removable partials for you. We have several types and different materials available.

Sealants:
Sealants are a painless preventative treatment to help prevent tooth decay. They are recommended for children and cavity prone adults. The tooth is etched, or roughened, so the sealant material will bond to the surface. The material is a liquid, milky in color and will flow into the grooves of the teeth. A violet colored light is used to harden the material and provide a seal, much like polyurethane seals wood from water. The sealants through time may loosen, wear or crack, but can be replaced. However, decay can still develop on other surfaces of the tooth if proper homecare is not followed.