Our services
The practice of Dr. Azam Hakim specializes in expert dental care from general to preventive and restorative to implants and cosmetic services. A listing of common procedures follows:

Preventive and maintenance procedures - Provided for a lifetime of optimal dental health, including:
Oral hygiene instruction (brushing, flossing and cleaning gums)
Cavities/caries control and prevention
Diet recommendations
Fluoridation/fluoride supplements
Infection control (practiced throughout every procedure)
Mouthguards
Plaque control
Sealants
X-rays

In-office teeth whitening or chair-side whitening - With either a protective gel or a rubber shield in place to protect your gums, an American Dental Association (ADA)-approved bleaching agent is applied to the teeth, sometimes with a special light to enhance the action of the agent. Please note that whiteners may not correct all types of discoloration. In some cases, we may recommend other options, like at-home whitening products, porcelain veneers or dental bonding (see definitions below).

At-home teeth whitening products - Based on your needs, we will select from a variety of different whitening gels. Placed in a custom-fabricated mouthguard, the gel will whiten your teeth safely when used as little as one to two hours a day for as few as two weeks. We'll choose a plan that suits your lifestyle and delivers great results.

Veneers - Thin, custom-made shells are created out of tooth-colored ceramic and fitted to cover the front side of your teeth. After removing a small amount of tooth enamel, custom-made veneers are permanently bonded to your teeth. The result is a spectacular smile that can change tooth shape, color and even your outlook on life!

Bonding - We can mend chips, cracks, stains and gaps using this wonderful, proven technique. Special composite resin materials are blended in a color carefully chosen to match your tooth, applied to it, then shaped into just the right contours and hardened (bonded) in place. The result is an instant, noticeable change you'll love.

Tooth-colored fillings - In contrast to traditional silver fillings, we can create a filling that complements your tooth color and blends in to create a more natural looking smile. These fillings may be done in either one or two visits depending on the condition of your tooth and the type of filling required. You no longer need to see those dark silver or black spots on your teeth!

Crowns - Used to Cover and support a weak or broken tooth, crowns can make your tooth stronger and improve its appearance. It can also be used to attach a bridge, restore a dental implant or cover teeth that are discolored or poorly shaped. Our crowns can be made to mimic existing teeth or changed to enhance your smile.

Bridges - Missing teeth can be replaced with artificial teeth to help maintain the shape of your face and alleviate the stress in your bite. The restoration can be made from gold, alloy, porcelain or a combination of these materials and is attached onto surrounding teeth for support. Unsightly gaps can be eliminated resulting in enhanced chewing ability and a better appearance.

Dentures (conventional, immediate and removable) - We can fit you with dentures, full or partial to restore multiple missing teeth and provide proper function and appearance.

Implants - Can be used to replace a missing tooth, as a support for a bridge to replace more missing teeth or to secure a denture. A dental implant is a man-made artificial tooth root made of titanium - the same metal used to replace artificial joints in the body. Placed in the jaw by one of our carefully selected specialists, implants are fitted with a custom-fabricated restoration after a short healing period of four to six months. This is the ultimate in tooth replacement.

Invisalign - Very few people have naturally straight teeth. And for years, braces were the only option. Until now.
Introducing Invisalign. A revolutionary new way to straighten teeth-without braces.
So invisible, you'll be the only one that knows.
Invisalign uses a series of nearly undetectable aligners instead of brackets and wires. So it's really hard for people to tell you're wearing Invisalign even up close. Invisalign can give you the smile you've always wanted without the braces you've always avoided.

Sealants- You may know that sealants are a protective plastic coating placed over deep grooves in teeth to prevent potential decay. You may not know that all sealants are not created equally. Both the type of material and the placement procedure play a big role in sealant success.

Before placing a sealant the tooth must be meticulously cleaned of all plaque and debris. Organic material can reside in the deep grooves and prevent a proper bond for the sealant. Moisture, tartar or calculus will also prevent a proper bond.

At St. Matthews Advanced Dentistry we use the following protocol to insure sealant success:

The tooth is cleaned with prophy paste or pumice.

The "organic plug" located in the deep grooves is removed via a painless procedure. (This also increases the adhesion of the sealant.)

A 33% phosphoric etch is placed on the enamel for 45 seconds to further increase the sealant bonding strength.

A special bonding agent is placed on the tooth and into the deep grooves. This bonding material is hardened with a special wavelength curing light.

Finally, the sealant is placed. We use a unique formula that not only seals the tooth but will actually release fluoride into the surrounding tooth structure if an acidic attack occurs. This revolutionary material is actually "rechargeable"-absorbing fluoride the next time an excess is detected- as during a fluoride treatment. If the pH around the sealant is not altered the fluoride will stay bound up in the sealant until needed.

How long should a sealant last? Most industry experts agree that 4-6 years is a normal lifetime. Simply follow routine oral hygiene and maintain regular recare appointments. This "ounce of prevention" is certainly one of the greatest advances in dentistry and we at St. Matthews Advanced Dentistry are proud to offer this most thorough protocol for a lifetime of cavity protection.

Whatever your dental concerns, simply call us to schedule a consultation to discuss your oral health and appearance. Our dedicated team of professionals can assist you in having the smile of your dreams!