One-Stop Shop
7to7 Dental & Orthodontics Specialists Keep Care In-House
By Amy Morgan
Uh oh! You might be familiar with that sneaking suspicion that something is not quite right with one of your teeth. Maybe you feel a twinge, or you find yourself wanting not to chew on one side of your mouth.
Or perhaps something sudden happened like a hard bite cracking a tooth. Either way, you now are faced with the situation of needing care beyond the scope of regular dentistry.
The good news is that in addition to dental care for the whole family and emergencies, 7to7 Dental & Orthodontics also offers patients access to board-certified specialists without having to leave the 7to7 Dental family. Their highly trained specialty dentists and orthodontists work among 7to7 Dental’s 12 offices in and around San Antonio to allow patients to access services when they need them.
The first question when a tooth is at risk is whether or not it can be saved. If you are hoping to keep the tooth, you’ll consult with an endodontist. Dr. Nick Hargreaves is 7to7 Dental’s endodontist. He followed his family footsteps into dentistry, as his father is the dean of UT Health San Antonio’s Dental School. Patients can be confident Dr. Hargreaves was thoroughly trained how to perform a successful root canal there.
A root canal treats infection or damage that’s found in the soft inner core of the tooth called the pulp. The pulp is made of nerves, connective tissue and blood vessels. A root canal removes the inflamed tissue with the goal of saving the tooth.
A dental professional will first numb the area with local anesthetic before making a small opening in the crown of the tooth. They’ll use high-tech imaging equipment and dental operating microscopes to perform microsurgery inside the pulp and on the narrow channels running down the root. (This is why the procedure is called a root canal.) Then they will remove the infected pulp from the chamber. The canals will be cleaned, filled with a pliable material and sealed. A crown is usually seated over the tooth to protect it and restore function.
Sometimes IV or oral conscious sedation or nitric oxide is administered to relax a patient. Many of 7to7 Dental’s office-based dentists, like TPC’s Managing Dentist Rebeca Garcia, D.D.S, are certified in anesthesia techniques and can provide support when a procedure requires their expertise.
Timing of treatment is crucial. If a patient puts off a root canal too long and the infection spreads, the tooth may need to be extracted. In difficult cases, or when complications like impacted wisdom teeth occur, an oral surgeon may be required.
7to7 Dental’s professional staff also includes oral surgeons. Patients won’t need to look elsewhere for even the most complicated cases, resulting in fewer appointments and a consistent care team that will handle everything to ensure a more seamless experience. Keeping dental care in-house also often provides a significant cost advantage to patients. Whether covered by 7to7 Dental’s membership plan or traditional insurance, the 7to7 Dental staff is available to make sure every dollar is spent wisely.
Although 7to7 Dental has grown to include 350
team members across multiple locations in San Antonio, it’s still locally owned and operated by North Central San Antonio residents Justin Coke and Dr. Tiffany Winburn. 7to7 Dental offers a one-stop shop for your family’s oral health needs – whether it be cleanings and check-ups, orthodontia or specialty dentistry.
