Knowing that Houstonians have over 2,000 general dentists to choose from, Dr. Testa has set herself apart by offering high quality general care to her patients.  Dr. Testa has carefully chosen the best staff, the best equipment, and the best materials to service her patients.

We can take care of all of your general needs from healthy cleanings to replacing missing teeth.  Our hygienist can take care of all of your cleaning needs such as Healthy Cleanings, Periodontal Cleanings, and preventive measures such as Fluoride Treatments.  Dr. Testa performs a number of general procedures such as Tooth-Colored Fillings, Anterior Root Canals, Simple Extractions, Crowns, Inlays/Onlays, Bridges, Partials, and Dentures.

Healthy Cleanings     Healthy Cleanings are performed when there is not an indication of periodontal disease and all plaque build-up is above the gumline.  Teeth have a whiter appearance after a cleaning because our polishing technique removes stain from the pores in the teeth in addition to the stains on the tooth surface.

Periodontal Cleanings     Periodontal Cleanings are performed when there is evidence of periodontal disease.  Periodontal disease occurs when there is presence of bacteria that causes infection beneath the gums.  If periodontal disease is left undetected and untreated it can lead to bone loss and eventually tooth loss.  Medical studies have shown a link between the chronic inflammation of gum disease and Heart Disease, Bacterial Pneumonia, Strokes, and Low Birth Weight in babies.

Fluoride Treatments     Most people think that fluoride treatments are given only to children because fluoride helps to prevent cavities.  Here at River Oaks Dental Arts we offer fluoride to all of our patients because of cavity prevention and other benefits that fluoride offers.  Not only does fluoride help to prevent cavities, it also creates a slick layer on the tooth.  This slick layer is important because it keeps the bacteria that causes plaque from attaching to the tooth as easily thus preventing plaque from building up as quickly.

Root Canals     There is a major misconception about root canals.  Truth of the matter is that if the destructive process that causes a tooth to need a root canal is caught early enough, the process is not painful.  In most cases, by the time a person sees a dentist for a root canal the tooth has already been hurting and the infection has abscessed causing a potentially painful experience.  So what causes a tooth to need a root canal?  The presence of bacteria which causes the nerve to become infected.  At that point the nerve of the tooth is removed and the canal is most likely filled with a rubber material.  The nerve nourishes and supplies blood to the tooth, once it is removed the tooth becomes brittle and can easily break.  That is why most teeth require a crown.

Crowns     Crowns can be recommended in several situations.  Most commonly a crown is recommended when a tooth has broken or if the decayed tooth structure has encompassed too large of an area to be replaced by any other restorative procedure.  The crown procedure is a two appointment process.  During the first appointment the tooth is prepared for the crown, an impression is taken for the laboratory to make the crown, and a temporary crown is cemented into place for you to wear while the laboratory makes the permanent crown.  At the second appointment the temporary crown is removed and the permanent crown is cemented into place.

Inlays/Onlays     Sometimes the area of the tooth that needs to be restored is too large to be replaced by a filling.  Depending upon the situation, Dr. Testa may recommend a conservative restoration such as an inlay or an onlay.  An inlay/onlay is like a lab-made filling, it will last longer than a regular filling and is more conservative than a crown because less tooth structure is removed.  Since the inlay/onlay is made by the lab the procedure is completed in two appointments.  During the first appointment the tooth is prepared for the inlay/onlay, an impression is taken for the laboratory to make the restoration, and a temporary inlay/onlay is cemented into place for you to wear while the lab makes the permanent inlay/onlay.  At the second appointment the temporary is removed and the permanent inlay/onlay is cemented.

Bridges     Bridges are non-removable restorations used to replace missing teeth.  Like the crown process, the bridge procedure requires two appointments.  During the first appointment the teeth adjacent to the vacant area are prepared like crowns, an impression is taken for the laboratory to make the bridge, and a temporary bridge is cemented into place for you to wear while the bridge is being made at the laboratory.  At the second appointment the temporary bridge is removed and the permanent bridge is cemented.

Partials and Dentures     Partials and Dentures are removable restorations used to replace missing teeth.  Partials are recommended when there are multiple teeth missing on the upper or lower arch.  Dentures are recommended when all of the teeth on the upper or lower arch are missing.  The procedures require multiple appointments for impressions and "fittings" to be taken to send to the lab for the partial or denture to be made.