- Dental ExaminationIf you want to keep your teeth healthy with professional cleaning and examination services, schedule a dental checkup with us today.
- X-rays
- Oral Cancer ScreeningAt Plunkett & Chaw Dental, we encourage you to schedule an oral cancer screening today. If you have not yet taken this life-saving measure, you should. Oral cancer is a disease not frequently discussed. There are few, if any, advertising campaigns, walks, or fundraisers supporting its treatment. Still, oral cancer claims one life every day in the United States. The reason for the high mortality rate is that most people do not seek medical help until the cancer has advanced. As with all forms of cancer, early detection and treatment are critical to the ability to be cured. Therefore, the sooner you know that you are at risk for cancer or are developing signs of it, the better your chances are of beating it.
- Teeth CleaningWe at Plunkett & Chaw Dental in Dunwoody, Georgia want you to know the best and correct way to floss your teeth. And, when you come into our office for your regular dental cleanings and check-ups, not only will we show you how to floss the right way, but we’ll use the correct flossing method on your teeth during your regular dental cleanings.Â
- Fluoride TreatmentAt Plunkett & Chaw Dental, we are a family dentist office that uses fluoride on a regular basis. We recommend that all of our youth patients under the age of eighteen have a fluoride treatment, at least once a year. Statistically, these treatments reduce the risk of getting cavities by 30 percent. This is significant considering that tooth decay is one of the primary reasons children miss days from school. Adults can also benefit from receiving a fluoride treatment and if you would like to find out if it is right for you, call 770-452-0222  to schedule an appointment. The treatment itself only takes a couple of minutes. The fluoride is applied directly to the teeth. It has no odor or smell and after a few minutes, patients are free to leave. It is one of the easiest ways to prevent cavities.
- Dental SealantsDental sealants contain a resinous material that we apply to the chewing surfaces of the posterior teeth to prevent dental caries.
- Fillings
- VeneersA dental veneer is a porcelain shell that dental professionals can customize to enhance the size, shape and shade of a tooth. Dental veneers are a commonly offered dental restoration at Plunkett & Chaw Dental.
- CrownsFinally, it is important for people to look good and smile confidently. We know that a confident smile cannot happen with broken, cracked, chipped, or damaged teeth. To that end, having us place a crown or bridge will give a patient back the aesthetic value of his or her teeth.
- BridgesA resin bonded bridge is a dental bridge that professionals fix to the surrounding t teeth with a type of resin to provide patients with a long-lasting solution.
- Dental BondingIf your senior pictures are just around the corner, the fastest way to improve the appearance of your smile is with dental bonding. Unlike dental veneers, which can take a month, or Invisalign®, which can take a year, dental bonding can be completed in one appointment. This is a non-invasive procedure that is completed chairside, meaning without help from the dental lab. When you come in for your initial consultation, we will discuss the concerns you have about your teeth and then strategize as to the best way to correct them. For example, if one tooth is longer than the rest, we could shave off a portion of it and use dental bonding to contour it. If your teeth are yellow and severely stained, we can place dental bonding material on top of them to cover these deep stains. We can even use bonding to close small gaps in between your teeth, to restore teeth that have been cracked or chipped, and to change their overall shape and size. Dental bonding material is incredibly diverse because once applied to prepared teeth, we can shape it right then and there. Once it looks exactly right, we will harden it with a special dental light and you will be on your way. You can have your senior pictures taken that week, and your smile will look amazing.
- Restorative DentistryIn December 1978, Dr. Plunkett opened his private practice in Dunwoody. For over thirty years, Dr. Plunkett has been honored to provide comprehensive dental care to generations of families in the Dunwoody and metro-Atlanta communities. He is passionate in his pursuit of ongoing education and training in current dental technology and techniques in cosmetic and restorative dentistry, with a practice focus on prevention by emphasizing and reviewing nutrition and proper home care in nutrition and the relationship between diet and oral health, and the prevention of dental diseases.
- PulpotomyA pulpotomy is a procedure involving the removal of a portion of diseased or infected pulp in order to protect the healthy portions of the pulp and teeth still in the mouth.
- Root Canal TreatmentRoot canal treatment involves removing the infected dental pulp of a tooth, cleaning the tooth and placing a filling to prevent further infection. Root canals are a service offered at Plunkett & Chaw Dental.
- Periodontal SurgeryPeriodontal surgery is the treatment of extreme levels of periodontal disease that can involve multiple techniques to remove the inflamed tissue and infection before it spreads.
- Deep CleaningYes, you should. At Plunkett & Chaw Dental, we encourage all our patients to pay attention to their gum health. We encourage them to call us right away if they see their gums bleeding, swelling or receding. We want to examine the patient as soon as possible in order to determine if gum disease is present and treat it. You are best served by receiving immediate care since we can treat the problem using less invasive methods. For example, you may only need a deep cleaning if you come in right away or perhaps you will need an antibiotic treatment as well, but by coming in early, you give your gums the best chance for restoration without the need for a gum graft. Otherwise, if you delay, they could recede to the point that the health of your teeth, your jawbone, and your entire smile are at risk. After all, the majority of people who lose an adult tooth also had gum disease at the time. Preventing and treating it is truly one of the best things you can do for your oral health.
- DenturesIf you have dentures, it is important to handle them with care so they can remain in as good a condition as possible. Still, it is wise to ask, “What do I do if I damage my dentures?” We can offer the information and tools necessary to address a problem if you have one. At Plunkett & Chaw Dental can answer any questions you have regarding denture care. To schedule an appointment with our dental office, call (770) 452-0222. In the meantime, here is what you should know.
- Dental ImplantsDental implants can be an ideal solution to replacing damaged or missing teeth. They can restore not only the functionality of teeth but can provide a great new look as well. Dental implants are a standard cosmetic dental option offered at Plunkett & Chaw Dental.
- Oral SurgeryIf your wisdom teeth have grown in straight, removing them is fairly easy. In this case, you would visit a dentist to have them pulled out using dental tools. Most likely, no surgery would be required. However, if your teeth are impacted, the procedure requires oral surgery. In order to access the actual tooth, the gum tissue covering it will need to be cut open. After numbing the area, a flap will be created in the gum tissue. This allows the dentist or oral surgeon to view the tooth. If muscle or bone is covering it, that will also need to be cut away to provide clear access to the actual tooth. At this point, your dentist may be able to grab the tooth and simply lift it out of the socket. If, however, it does not budge when being wiggled, then the actual tooth will need to be broken into several pieces that can be extracted individually.
- Jaw SurgeryWhen straightening teeth we do more than move physical teeth into the right position. We also align the bite. Otherwise, you will continue to have problems and discomfort. When wearing braces, the bite is often aligned using a series of rubber bands that hold the jaw in a particular position by stringing a band from one bracket on the top palate to one on the lower jaw. When straightening teeth with Invisalign®, pressure is applied to the teeth to move them into the right position. This means that if your underbite or overbite is caused by your teeth, it can be corrected using aligners. However, if you have a physical problem with your jaw, you may need to have jaw surgery in addition to wearing your aligners. Another option for misaligned jaws, that cannot be fixed using aligners, is to wear traditional braces. When you visit our dental office, we will let you know if your bite problems can be solved with Invisalign® and very often they can be.
- Flap SurgeryGingival flap surgery is a procedure in which the periodontist separates the gums from the teeth temporarily to reach the root of the tooth and nearby bone.
- Gum Surgery
- Tooth ExtractionsYou may need a wisdom teeth extraction at some point in your life. It is rare for a person to have enough room for all of their wisdom teeth, and as a result, they tend to grow in impacted. This can be uncomfortable, pushing your other teeth forward and creating a space for food to become trapped; it can also increase your risk of infection and decay. This is why we often recommend that our patients have their wisdom teeth removed. When you schedule an appointment with Plunkett & Chaw Dental, we can examine you, take X-rays, and let you know if and when you should schedule an extraction procedure. You can reach us by calling (770) 452-0222.
- Bone GraftingImmediately following your bone grafting procedure you will be very sore. To combat this, you will want to take ibuprofen and use ice packs for fifteen minutes at a time. You will also be given antibiotics to take and want to use an antibacterial mouthwash to prevent an infection. It is essential that you keep pressure off of the area and are careful with what you eat for several weeks.
- OrthodonticsSome people may also use dental implants to straighten teeth that are crooked or teeth that are not responding to orthodontics. This is an important part of a smile makeover because if all of your teeth are white and beautiful, but one is severely crooked, your new smile will feel incomplete.
- Invisalign OrthodonticsAn Invisalign® dentist can provide patients with a series of teeth-straightening aligner trays, which are ideal for those looking for a discreet tooth straightening option. Invisalign® is a commonly chosen teeth-straightening option offered at Plunkett & Chaw Dental.
- BracesOur children’s dentist office is conveniently located in Dunwoody. We treat children from a very young age, believing that preventative oral health care is essential for their ability to eat and speak clearly, avoid discomfort, and decrease the need for braces later on. We also know that most families have an extremely busy schedule, and it can be difficult to make a dental appointment in between school, soccer, and ballet. As a kids dentist, we will work with you to schedule appointments for a time that is convenient so that you do not have to pull the kids out of school or take too much time off work. Let us know what your scheduling restrictions are when calling our office so that we can provide you with a convenient appointment time.
- Teeth WhiteningAt Plunkett & Chaw Dental, we provide our patients with Zoom teeth whitening  as an innovative and effective way to transform the appearance of teeth. If you no longer enjoy your smile, have yellow or dull looking teeth, dark stains or simply need to refresh your appearance, call (770) 452-0222 to schedule an appointment with our Dunwoody dental office. In one appointment, we can dramatically improve your smile so that you can feel confident just in time for a special occasion.
- Cosmetic DentistryAt Plunkett & Chaw Dental, we can examine you in our cosmetic dentistry office and discuss what you do not like about your smile. If you have gaps between your teeth or they are crooked, stained, or misshapen, we can fix them in our Dunwoody, GA dental office. There are several ways we can address most aesthetic issues. We will begin by conducting an examination, taking X-rays, discussing the timeframe we are working with, and then presenting you and your parents a variety of options to choose. Since some have set time constraints, it is best to schedule your appointment with our office as soon as possible. You can do so by calling (770) 452-0222.
- General DentistryHe has been a member of the American Dental Association, Georgia Dental Assocation and Northern District Dental Society since 1979 and the Academy of General Dentistry and Georgia Academy of General Dentistry since 1984. He is active in professional associations, and regularly attends member meetings to stay abreast of the latest updates in general dentistry.