General & Restorative Dentistry in Fayetteville, AR
General dentistry refers to the treatment and diagnosis of most common dental conditions. While we do our best to prevent these conditions, most patients require some dental treatment during their lives. When a dental condition does arise, we use the highest level of skills and the best materials possible to treat and protect your teeth.
Restorative Dentistry
- Fillings - Cavities (decay) in teeth come from acid created by bacteria. Sugar is a big culprit in the formation of cavities, as are sugary and acidic drinks such as energy drinks and sodas. Most of us have had a cavity or two in our lives, and usually if the cavity is small or moderate sized, a filling may be all that you will need to repair and protect your tooth. In today’s cosmetically oriented society, many patients no longer want unsightly silver amalgam fillings placed in their mouths. That is why we primarily place tooth-colored composite fillings for our patients, limiting silver amalgam usage only to those situations where a composite would not work. The primary benefit to composite fillings is that we can remove less tooth structure and we bond them to your natural tooth – plus, they look a lot nicer!
- Bonding – We utilize the same tooth-colored material in dental bonding as we use for fillings. With this composite material, we can correct decayed teeth, spaces, gaps, chips, and broken teeth. We can also improve the appearance of stained or discolored teeth. Dr. Stephens loves dental bonding because it combines his affinity for art with the science of dentistry.
Extractions
At Scott J. Stephens Family and Cosmetic Dentistry, we do our best to save your teeth whenever possible because your natural teeth are the healthiest and most affordable option to maintain your oral health. Occasionally, however, the best way to protect your health might be to remove a troubled tooth. We perform most extractions right here in our Fayetteville, AR dental office.
For more complex extractions, including impacted wisdom teeth, we may refer you to a trusted oral surgeon.
Root Canals
"Root canal" is probably the most dreaded two word combo in the dental vocabulary! The reality is that modern dentistry has made painful root canals outdated. Most people who need root canals come to the office in pain, and they leave pain free because we are able to remove the cause of their pain – the infection.
You might need a root canal if the tissue inside or around your tooth becomes infected. Dr. Stephens will make sure you are completely numb and comfortable before he gently removes the infection and fills the canals with an inert material.
After the root canal is completed, the hollow tooth can be more prone to breaking. Front teeth may only require a filling after a root canal, though some may require a crown if a large portion of the original tooth is missing or decayed. If you have a root canal done on a back tooth, you will absolutely need a crown to seal, protect, and prevent the tooth from breaking. If you are going to invest the time and money for a root canal, we want to protect your tooth so that it lasts as long as possible.
Call Us to Schedule Your Next Exam
We look forward to hearing from you and welcome you to call our Fayetteville, AR dental office to schedule the next appointment for you and your family.
Frequently Asked Questions
Dentistry is complicated. Just like in healthcare when you visit a cardiologist for a heart condition, dentistry also has specialists to treat specific conditions. At Scott J. Stephens DDS Family and Cosmetic Dentistry, we 
believe in providing our patients with the best dental care possible. Occasionally, that may mean referring you to a specialist.
We do our best to treat all of your conditions right in our dental office. Sometimes patients feel concerned when they receive a referral to another office for dental care. We work with a trusted team of specialists that includes oral surgeons, orthodontists, periodontists, and endodontists so that you can receive exceptional dental care from a dentist who is experienced in treating your needs.
Dr. Stephens keeps in touch with our group of specialists to ensure that you have exceptional continuity of care, and we will follow-up with you after your treatment to ensure healthy healing.
When you come to our Fayetteville, AR dental office for treatment, we will do everything within our power to make sure you receive the very best that modern dentistry has to offer.
If you ever have a question about seeing a specialist or how we choose which dentists we work with, please let us know!
Patients often want a definitive answer to this question, and the truth is that we can't provide an accurate answer. With so many variables affecting how long your dental work lasts, it is impossible to predict. Lifestyle factors such as diet, stress, teeth grinding, fingernail biting, brushing and flossing habits, and physiological factors all play a role in the longevity of your dental work.
With the amount of force that your teeth and dental restorations absorb, it almost seems like a miracle that your dental work lasts more than a couple of months!
We do our best to preserve the health of your natural teeth because they are, by far, the longest lasting and strongest option available to you.
When dental work is necessary, you can improve the length of time that it lasts by taking care of your teeth and gums. Regular brushing and flossing habits, routine dental exams, professional dental cleanings, wearing a nightguard if it is recommended, and following your dentist’s other recommendations can all improve your chances of keeping your dental restorations healthy for many years to come.
To put things in perspective, dental insurance usually covers a new filling every two years and a new crown every five years. In the meantime, we will do our best to get as much longevity out of your dental work as we can.
When patients schedule treatment, they often express concerns over the comfort of their appointments. It is understandable that you might have questions about your treatment and whether it will be painful. At Scott J. Stephens Family and Cosmetic Dentistry, we make every effort to provide you with comfortable dental care.
We realize the dentist's office is not everyone’s favorite place to be, but we try to make your experience as comfortable as possible. Many patients are apprehensive about having an injection, and we can certainly understand that. One of the factors that plays into how comfortable the injection is comes down to how slowly we administer the injection. We also numb the area before starting the injection with a super topical anesthetic.
Once the tooth is numb, your treatment should be comfortable. We test the teeth for total numbness before getting started to ensure your complete comfort. No one likes surprises when it comes to dental treatment.
After dental treatment, some discomfort is to be expected. Tooth sensitivity after treatment should gradually subside. Any time a tooth goes through trauma it may be sensitive for a few days to a few weeks. If you ever have questions about sensations you are feeling during or after treatment, alert us to what you’re experiencing. We want you to feel completely comfortable.
Meet Our Dentist:
Scott J. Stephens DDS
Dr. Scott Stephens graduated as Valedictorian from Benton High School in Benton, AR in 1993. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in Biology from Hendrix College in Conway, AR in 1997, graduating Magna Cum Laude with distinction. He went on to earn his DDS from the University of Tennessee in Memphis in 2001, where he was on the dean's list.
When Dr. Stephens completed dental school, he was looking to do something different (and perhaps a little adventurous) with the early part of his career. An opportunity to practice dentistry with ...
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