Dental Services

We provide a wide range of services from dental hygiene care to the latest cosmetic procedures available. Dr. Allen has over thirteen years of experience and expertise in providing the best dental materials possible and working with the finest dental laboratory in the country to provide his patients with a beautiful smile and long term results. Visit our office in Bloomington, Ind., or contact us for additional information on any of the following services:

Metal-Free Restorations: Non-metal fillings make it possible to replace old unsightly silver with beautiful tooth colored restorations, designed perfectly to match your natural teeth. Our restoration material of choice is resin which is safe and free of harmful ingredients. With resin, it is possible to bond teeth back together, virtually restoring them back to their natural strength without invasive techniques.

Crowns and Caps: This procedure is needed for patients with severely cracked or broken teeth, for a tooth that has just undergone Root Canal Therapy or for patients in need of remedying defective restorations. All of our restorations are made using only a master laboratory technician who skillfully molds and artistically creates a very esthetic, shade matched porcelain crown that appears natural next to your existing teeth.

Smile Make-Overs: The benefits of a beautiful smile involve not only the body but also the spirit. Your smile is an important interaction, a form of communication that plays a vital role in our everyday life. Confidence and articulation are achieved through a smile makeover. You may not have been born with the smile you deserve, but it can be attained through the skill and experience of Dr. Allen. Those who value and take pride in their appearance, from all walks of life, have felt the difference or new smile has made in their lives.

Porcelain Veneers: Porcelain veneers are the most conservative esthetic restorations available in dentistry today. A thin layer of the front of the tooth is removed to allow a veneer of porcelain to be bonded to the tooth without making it any thicker. The veneer covers dark or yellow teeth, fills unsightly gaps, lengthens short or stubby teeth, straightens crooked teeth and in general crates a more attractive smile.

Zoom Whitening: People with stained or discolored teeth may just need a whitening procedure in order to restore their smile. Teeth whitening are a safe and effective way to brighten stained, discolored or dull teeth. Even a stubborn single tooth that is noticeably darker can be individually brightened. Zoom whitening can brighten your smile dramatically in just an hour and is considered to be the best whitening service available today.

Implants: Implants are changing the way people lives rediscovering the comfort and confidence to eat, speak, laugh and enjoy life. Dental implants are designed to provide a foundation for replacement teeth that lack, feel and function like natural teeth. An edentulous person can regain the ability to eat virtually anything and can smile with confidence, knowing that teeth appear natural and that facial contours will be preserved. Implants assist with the function as an artificial tooth root. With this a crown or a denture can be attached to the implants after they have healed. Once healed, attachments can be fastened to the implants to hold a crown, a bridge or denture. In addition, implants can help preserve facial structures preventing the bone deterioration which occurs when teeth are missing.

Invisalign: Patients who have crooked or crowded teeth and would like an alternative to braces now have a choice. Invisalign is a series of clear, custom-made aligners that will gradually move your teeth into their proper positions. It is an invisible, comfortable and removable treatment that takes an average of 6 weeks to several months to complete depending on the severity of you existing condition.

Dentures and Partial Dentures: We offer a number of denture procedures to our patients, depending on their specific dental need. Our dentures are custom made to match your facial profile. Everyone has a unique shape, size and shade of teeth, so your dentures are made to match accordingly. This results in teeth that look as natural and perfect as possible. Our dentures are sure to give you the confidence to smile again and bring out your joyous personality. Not removing years off your appearance, giving you a fresh and youthful look.

Preventative Services: Each patient in our office is unique and requires a personalized treatment plan for their individual needs. Sometimes brushing and flossing may not be enough, but this is where our knowledge and experience can modify your daily routine to overcome bacterial diseases of your teeth and gums. Our dental hygienists are meticulous and very gentle and provide our patients with the latest hygiene advancements to help manage each patient’s own special needs.

TMJ- Temporomandibular Joint Disorder and Bruxing (Grinding): Have you experienced jaw pain, popping or clicking of your jaw, severe headaches and/or neck aches, limited opening, lock jaw or muscle soreness on the side of your face? These are all symptoms that may indicate that you have TMJ. This temporomandibular joint (TMJ) consists of muscles, disks, blood vessels and a joint located in front of the ear canal. Causes such as rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, internal derangement, neoplasm, muscular disorders and infection affect the health of the TMJ. Patients may suffer pain or discomfort in their TMJ that interferes with their daily activities. Patients may also suffer from involuntary grinding and clenching of the teeth (bruxism). This excessive force on the teeth can cause a tooth to chip, break, crack and the gum to recede exposing the root. Treatment for TMJ and Bruxism is different and Dr. Allen can evaluate the proper treatment to bring relief and preserve the health of your TMJ and teeth.

Root Canal: A root canal is necessary when the cavity has spread into the pulp-(nerve of the tooth) or when the nerve dies as a result of trauma. As the bacteria from the cavity reaches the pulp, it contaminates the entire tooth, often times traveling down the canal in the root into the bone. This infection can lead to an abscess causing swelling around the tooth and gums. This swelling places pressure on the bone to expand with can lead to a severe tooth ache. Root Canal Therapy removes the bacteria and any contaminated tissue and the canals are thoroughly rinsed with a disinfectant. After drying the canals, a filling material is placed into the canals to seal the tooth followed by a restoration to repair the cavity. It is usually recommended to place a crown on the treated tooth to support and protect the brittle tooth.

Extractions: An extraction is indicated when a tooth is infected, broken impacted, mobile or non-restorable. Extracted teeth can be replaced by a bridge, implant or denture.

Oral Cancer Screenings: Oral cancer is a highly curable disease when it’s caught early.

In our continuing efforts to provide the most advanced technology and highest quality care available to our patients, this practice is proud to announce the inclusion of the ViziLite® Plus exam as an integral part of our annual comprehensive oral cancer screening program.

One person dies every hour from oral cancer in the United States – and the mortality has remained unchanged for more than 40 years. Alarmingly, more than 25% of oral cancer victims have no lifestyle risk factors (tobacco use). Clinical studies have determined that using ViziLite after the standard oral cancer examination improves the clinician’s ability to identify lesions suspicious for pathology. Early detection of pre-cancerous tissue can minimize or eliminate the potentially disfiguring effect of oral cancer. Proven screening technologies such as mammogram, Pap smear, PSA and colonoscopy offer the same types of early detection of cancer. ViziLite Plus is an easy and painless examination that gives this practice the best chance to find any oral abnormalities you may have at the earliest possible stage. This technology is the only medical device cleared by the FDA for the identification and monitoring of oral abnormalities in populations at increased risk for oral cancer.

Relative Oral cancer risk by patient profile:

Highest Risk: Patients age 40 and older and lifestyle risk factors (tobacco use); patients with a history of oral cancer

High Risk: Patients age 40 and older; tobacco user of any age

Increased Risk: Patient age 18 – 39