Family Dentistry
Gain access to comprehensive, conservative, and innovative dental care.
Preventative Care
Your family’s smiles are precious and deserve the best possible care. At Stead Willis DMD, we primarily focus on preventing issues rather than reacting after you are already in pain. Therefore, our dentist in Durham, NC has created a unique experience with your health at its core.
From our comprehensive services to our calming atmosphere, everything is in place so you can enjoy premium dental care. Our gentle and kind team offer the following to keep your smile healthy:
In addition to the services listed, we can also provide you with more advanced and complex restorative services when needed or requested. So, whether you need a simple cleaning or a brand new smile, Dr. Stead Willis has the options you need to get the teeth you want.
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Healthy teeth are possible with a well thought out dental treatment plan. The key aspect of this is regular six-month visits to see Dr. Stead Willis.
By visiting us for regular exams, you are greatly reducing the risk of future dental issues. Dr. Stead Willis will carefully examine your teeth and gums to identify any issues in their earliest form. He’ll also provide insight into how to prevent problems from arising and how to improve your at-home routine. During your regular check-up, Dr. Stead Willis’ exam consists of:
- An evaluation of your teeth and gums
- Capturing digital x-rays (as needed)
- DEXIS imaging (cavity checks)
- A discussion about any concerns
- Ideas on how to improve your hygiene routine
In addition, your doctor may recommend regular hygiene cleanings with our talented dental hygienists. Be proactive and protect your smile from potential dental problems. It could save you both time and money!
A solid at-home hygiene routine is paramount to enjoying healthy teeth and gums. However, we occasionally need a little help, and that is where our dental hygienists come in. Our skilled professionals can remove plaque or tartar that is missed during your regular brushing and flossing. Everyone has some hard to reach areas; professional cleanings assist in keeping your smile clear of plaque build-up.
Our hygienists can also recognize when your gum health has been compromised and will work with Dr. Stead Willis to keep your soft tissue healthy. This may include more regular cleanings or even deeper cleanings known as scaling and root planing.
Our team is determined to keep your family healthy in the most conservative and gentle way possible.
One of the most effective preventive treatments, especially for younger patients, is dental sealants. This non-invasive service uses a special resin to prevent the risk of cavities and help you easily care for your smile.
Dental sealants are applied as a gel, which is painted onto your teeth. The transparent gel fills the grooves and fissures on the surface of your tooth. This prevents small bits of food debris becoming trapped and encouraging plaque build-up, which can lead to cavities.
The treatment is beneficial for our younger patients who find it more difficult to reach their back teeth. With sealants, the tooth surface becomes smooth, so it is much easier to care for your teeth and brush away any debris.
All patients are eligible for sealants subject to an exam from Dr. Stead Willis.
With the progression of dental technology and cancer research, it is now possible for our Durham dentist to check you for oral cancer. As part of your regular exam, Dr. Stead Willis assesses your mouth and throat for any potential signs. These may include:
- Lumps and lesions
- Red or white patches
- Bleeding gums
- Sensitivity
If we suspect there may be an issue then, we’ll work with your primary care physician to make a proper diagnosis. Should cancer be present, then rest assured, our team is by your side and will help you during your treatment.
Millions suffer from oral cancer with survival rates spiking when the cancer is caught in its earliest form. Make sure you book regular exams every six months so we can help monitor your oral health.
At Stead Willis DMD, we offer custom-made mouthguards to protect your smile and prevent further dental issues. We provide you and your family with quality night guards and sports guards.
Night Guards: These comfortable mouthguards are made to prevent tooth grinding while you sleep or to hold your jaw in a better position. Custom-designed to fit your teeth, the night guards come with specific instructions and have proven to be very effective.
Sports Guards: When playing sports, it is imperative to keep your teeth and jaw safe. Our sports guards can be created for smiles both big and small, and in a variety of colors.
Mouthguards can be an excellent preventive tool that keeps your smile beautiful and healthy.
Dr. Willis has such a calm, friendly manner. He was great at reassuring my son about the multiple injections that were necessary. He explained why and how it would not hurt. My son was nervous, but Dr. Willis and his assistant talked him through the whole thing and my son was thrilled that nothing hurt at all!
Charlotte P. (Stead Willis DMD)
Restorative Dentistry
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Cavities continue to be a common problem that many people face due to sub-standard brushing, a lack of flossing, or an inconsistent hygiene routine. If you avoid dental appointments, you are at a higher risk of plaque build-up, which could lead to the need for dental fillings.
If you do require a filling or perhaps you have some unsightly silver fillings, then Dr. Stead Willis is the dentist for you! Our restorative dentist only uses top-quality materials to fix your teeth, which includes composite, metal-free fillings. Unlike traditional silver fillings, the composite material matches the color of your natural tooth and bonds to the tooth. The more stable restoration prevents plaque build-up under the filling and restores the function of your tooth.
Metal-free fillings can be placed in a single visit and are cared for as you would your natural, healthy teeth.
The quality and convenience of dental restorations continue to move forward leaps and bounds. This is especially true thanks to CEREC® technology, which allows us to provide you with one-day dental crowns and bridges. How?
CEREC® is an advanced piece of 3D computer design software. It enables Dr. Stead Willis to capture digital impressions of your teeth and design your new restoration in our office. Using CAD/CAM technology, an accurate and custom restoration is then created in our on-site milling machine.
Our doctor can fit, adjust, and place the restoration during the same appointment! Despite this all taking place in one day, there is no sacrifice on quality and world-class materials such as Zirconia and Emax can be used.
So, if you have damaged your tooth and need a crown replacement, then CEREC® can help. If you have knocked out a tooth and need a bridge replacement, then CEREC® can also help! What’s more, this innovative technology eliminates goopy impressions and multiple appointments. You can have a new smile in just a single visit.
As we age, our teeth can begin to fail us. In time, this can lead to multiple teeth falling out and, in some instances, all of your teeth going missing. At Stead Willis DMD, your beautiful smile doesn’t have to be a memory. Instead, we can give your smile a second chance.
Our experienced dentist in Durham, NC offers both partial and complete dentures designed to fit into your mouth comfortably. More impressively, these dentures restore the function of your smile and are created to feel like your natural teeth.
Our partial dentures fill gaps vacated by multiple teeth, whereas, our complete dentures are a full set of new teeth. Both styles are removable and are custom-made to your specifications. This means we can adjust the style, shade, and shape of the teeth so you can enjoy a unique smile.
After your dentures are fitted, Dr. Stead Willis spends some time discussing how to maintain them and how to get the most from your new teeth.
Severe trauma or decay can leave parts of your natural tooth missing. Step in dental inlays and onlays! These common restorations are specifically created to prevent the removal of your healthy tooth while restoring its shape and function.
At our office, both inlays and onlays can be created using CEREC® technology and natural-looking materials. This means you can enjoy both a fully functional and aesthetically pleasing smile in just one day. But how do you know if you need an inlay or an onlay?
Inlays: The ideal replacement when your tooth damage is within the cusp of your tooth (similar to a filling).
Onlays: When the damage goes over the cusp and biting surface of the tooth, a dental onlay is the best option.
Inlays and onlays are prepared by our Durham dentist and are bonded to the remaining tooth structure. This conservative procedure yields excellent results and can last a long time if cared for correctly.
Our conservative approach to dentistry means we do our best to always save your natural tooth. However, there are instances when tooth removal or extraction is the best option. If your tooth is badly infected, damaged, or broken, then Dr. Stead Willis may recommend removing the tooth to prevent further issues.
The good news is Dr. Stead Willis has performed many extractions and uses modern techniques to make it a comfortable procedure.
During a typical extraction, Dr. Stead Willis begins by explaining why it is necessary to proceed and how the procedure works. When you give the green light, he will clean and numb the area around your tooth. The tooth is gently rocked and extracted with the area kept clean post-procedure.
Our knowledgeable team will outline your options moving forward, which may include dental implants, a dental bridge, or a similar restoration.