General Dentist-Winter Springs
Your smile is one of your biggest assets, that is why we believe in catching problems when they are small and easy to treat. This allows our patients to stay healthy, comfortable and free from unnecessary discomfort and possible toothaches. Everything we do in our office revolves around “prevention”. These are just a few of the ways we help keep our patients healthy:

Comprehensive Dental Examination
and Dental Care
Many patients tell us that they appreciate how thorough Dr. Burks is! We believe that the best way to provide our patients with the finest dental care is to start with a Comprehensive Dental Examination. This gives us the opportunity to completely evaluate your current dental health condition so that we can, along with you, determine the best plan of treatment.

Each patient is different and so are their needs, that is why we take the time to talk to you to find out about your specific concerns, wants and desires before we even examine your teeth.

We use xrays to detect the presence of decay between the teeth, bone loss that has occurred as a result of periodontal disease, and any infection or tumors that may be present. Because we can’t see what is happening underneath your gum tissue, xrays are an invaluable tool.

We also assess the current condition of your teeth, including their appearance when you smile, the condition of existing restorations, missing teeth and any decay that may be present. By using a digital camera to take very close-up photographs of your teeth, Dr. Burks can give you a tour of your mouth and discuss his findings. Once your treatment has been discussed, and all of your questions have been answered, we will explore the financial aspects of your treatment, so that you have all the information you need to make the decisions that are right for you.

We feel that there is nothing more important than the trust you place in our hands to take care of your dental needs. The first step in establishing this trust is to provide you with a Comprehensive exam.

Recare (Hygiene) Appointments
To help patients maintain and monitor their oral health, we recommend regular hygiene or “recare” visits. At this important visit, we will clean your teeth professionally by removing plaque, tartar and stain that has built up. We will take x-rays, when needed, to monitor the bone support around each tooth and make sure that your existing restorations are strong and decay free. Depending on each patient’s individual oral health, the interval between recare visits will be customized for each patient and may be every 3 months, 4 months or 6 months.

The importance of dental x-rays
Dental radiographs (x-rays) are an invaluable tool. They allow Dr. Burks to determine what is happening to the tooth below the gum line and in between the teeth, where we cannot see. The following conditions can only be fully diagnosed with the use of radiographs: cysts and tumors, periodontal disease and bone loss, decay, abscesses, and impacted teeth. In order to properly care for our patients, we only take necessary radiographs as recommended by the American Dental Association and each patient’s individual needs.

Smaller restorations (“fillings”) mean stronger teeth
Decay is a widespread epidemic in America today. The earlier decay is detected, the smaller the restoration that is needed to restore the tooth. This means that the more tooth structure that remains, the stronger the tooth. Smaller restorations mean stronger teeth and fewer problems as your teeth age. Regular hygiene visits help us detect small problems early on.

Preventive Resin Restorations (Microdentistry)
There are naturally occurring grooves and crevices in the tops of the back (molars and pre-molar) teeth. For some people these grooves are so deep and narrow that even the bristle of the toothbrush can’t reach the bottom of the groove to keep it clean. This can result in decay starting in the deep recesses of the groove. This is especially true in children’s teeth as the permanent teeth start to erupt. When this situation is present, we may recommend Preventive Resin Restorations. When we place these restorations, we open the groove just enough so we can thoroughly clean to the bottom of the groove and then we seal the groove with a resin material. This permanent resin material will prevent any decay from being able to start on the chewing surfaces of the teeth.

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