Dental Emergencies:    
​I am accessible via answering machine and cell phone so a patient can always reach me for advice on how to handle any emergency.  I try to provide time in the daily schedule to see patients as needed as soon as possible.

Periodontal Therapy:    
​Periodontal disease is a chronic inflammatory disease that causes swelling, redness and bleeding of the gums.  It attacks the gums, bone and supporting tissues of the teeth.  Plaque and calculus (tartar) is the primary causative agent of periodontal disease.  Regular brushing and flossing are the first line of defense against periodontal disease.  Periodontal therapy includes scaling and root planing, occlusal adjustment (bite correction), and possible osseous surgery (bone contouring).  This is not an inclusive list and other modalities might be necessary.  A referral to a periodontist is also possible.      
​Periodontal disease has been linked as a causative agent to heart disease, diabetes, stroke and low weight term  babies and premature births. Lack of treatment of periodontal disease can therefore have severe medical repercussions. So a healthy mouth is a good line of defense for a healthy body and person.

Cosmetic Dentistry:    
Every person wants to look their best.  A beautiful smile is one of the first things you see in an individual upon first meeting someone. Cosmetic dentistry focuses on improving the appearance of a person's teeth, mouth and smile.

There are several modalities available to achieve the best appearance for every individual.  These include cosmetic bonding, dental laminates (veneers), crowns, implants and enamel shaping.  A thorough exam will explore and show the available possibilities to get the best result for every patient who sees Dr. Irwin.

Tooth Whitening (Bleaching):    
​Bleaching is used to lighten teeth and discoloration to give a bright smile to the patient.  One cannot just do whitening once.  It is a repeated process that needs to be maintained to keep the smile white and bright.

Root Canal Therapy (Endodontics):    
​This is performed on teeth where the pulp of the tooth is diseased or injured.  This occurs usually either from a cavity or trauma to the tooth.  A toothache or infection is usually what necessitates this treatment.  The treatment process involves using small files to clean out the infected tissue from the inside of the tooth.  The canal is filed with an inert material after the infection has been been cleared up.  This allows the tooth to be saved and used for restoration.  A post and crown is then placed on the treated tooth so that it will not fracture and can be used as a regular tooth into the future.

Sleep Apnea Treatment:
There are many dental devices available for patients who cannot tolerate CPAP machines. A medical diagnosis by a physician along with a sleep study is necessary for these devices to be fabricated and for insurance coverage through your medical insurance company. Let us see if we can help you to get better sleep.

Restorative Dentistry:    
​This is a broad category which includes crowns, bridges, implants, partial dentures and full dentures.   Crowns are used to restore teeth which are chipped or broken or are also placed to restore the proper contour of a tooth when a filling can no longer be placed because there is not enough tooth structure to hold a filling.    
​Bridges are mainly used to replace a missing tooth where multiple crowns are produced in one unit and cemented into place.  This is used in many instances to replace one or several teeth and made into one piece.    
​Implants can be used to replace one tooth or many teeth.  The implant itself is usually made of titanium and is placed into the supporting bone typically done by an oral surgeon.  Then Dr Irwin, as the restorative dentist, will place the implant buildup and then the crown to restore the tooth to its regular function and appearance.      
​Implants are also used as replacements of teeth instead of using a bridge or partial denture.  An implant can avoid drilling good teeth and making a bridge or for the supports for a partial denture.

Fillings:    
​Fillings are placed in teeth where there are cavities causing holes or decay in teeth.  Fillings now can be placed which are made of composite (tooth-colored).  Also available for fillings are amalgam (silver) and gold (inlays and onlays)

Services

Call Us:  718-768-8372

GENERAL DENTISTRY IN PARK SLOPE 

Comprehensive Oral Exam:    
This encompasses a full evaluation of your teeth, buns, bones and other soft tissues of the oral cavity.

Oral Cancer Screening:    
Every patient is checked for signs of oral cancer.  Every year there are about 40,000 new cases of oral cancer is diagnosed.  Oral cancer is most commonly associated with smoking, tobacco chewing and excessive alcohol consumption.  It also has been found to be associated with Human Papilloma Virus (variants 16 and 18) which has been sexually transmitted diseases.  If any suspicious lesions are noted, a referral to an oral surgeon for biopsy will be provided.