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General Dentistry

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Keep Your Smile for Life!

It is generally agreed upon that in order to maintain good dental hygiene, you need a dentist who provides quality care while building your trust. The office of general and cosmetic dentist in Grand Junction, Julie Gillis, DDS, has the warm and welcoming environment you’re looking for. Our staff strongly believes in taking a preventive dentistry approach to your visits so teeth can last a lifetime. Our approach to relaxation will become obvious the moment you enter our front door and are enveloped in the warm, Greek Isles environment of the office.

Why Are General & Preventive Dentistry Important?

As general dentistry is the foundation of all oral care, our program of continuing care may be the most valuable service we offer our patients. Untreated oral health concerns can have a negative effect on the health of the entire body, sometimes causing permanent damage. More than just dental cleanings, our comprehensive oral evaluations allow us to monitor your health and catch problems early, when they are easier to repair. We believe dental health and education should begin as early in life as possible and are proud to offer general and preventive dentistry services to the whole family.

Exams & Cleanings

Biannual cleanings are an important measure for a number of reasons. If you allow plaque and calculus to accumulate on teeth and gums, it can expose you to a number of dental problems. Bacteria along your gum line can create an acidic environment, which can lead to tooth decay, damage, and loss (not to mention gum disease). Seeing our office twice a year for your dental cleanings and exams can save your teeth for a lifetime.

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Laser Cavity Detection

Cavities happen to everyone, so don’t feel awkward coming to us to get yours fixed. Even those who practice excellent oral hygiene can be susceptible to tooth decay, especially if they have a genetic predisposition. Sometimes cavities are hard to notice, which is why we check each of your teeth every time you arrive for an exam. Small cavities are hard to see on your own teeth and rarely cause any symptoms or pain. This is the best time to find and treat them!

We use a high-tech, minimally-invasive option to spot cavities at their earliest stages. The laser cavity detection process is simple. We examine a healthy tooth recording the rate at which the light reflects. Then, we carefully record the rate of reflection on every tooth surface to determine where patients are at greater risk for decay or already have cavities. In this way, we can help patients prevent cavities from forming and offer the most conservative treatments.

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Tooth-Colored Fillings

Our general dentistry office provides tooth-colored fillings to save you from a mouth full of metal. Not only do natural-looking composite fillings save you from potential embarrassment stemming from a metallic grin, they’re also able to bond with your tooth more effectively. This means natural-colored fillings are less likely to leave spaces in which bacteria can form. Save your tooth from extensive damage today!

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Dental Bonding

Using the same composite material, dental bonding can also be performed on teeth that need cosmetic enhancement for chips, cracks, or permanent stains. Because these fillings bond to teeth, we can preserve more of your healthy tooth structure. There’s no need to make the cavity bigger, deeper, or undercut, as is usually required for silver amalgam fillings.

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Periodontal Care

Taking care of your gums and the tissue surrounding your teeth helps maintain total oral wellness. Regular general dentistry visits and proper homecare can ensure your gums remain strong and healthy. If you need gum disease treatment, our talented and dedicated team will help you restore and monitor the health of your gums and mouth.

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TMJ Therapy

You may need to consider a nightguard or other TMJ appliance if you have trouble with teeth grinding (bruxism), clenching, or suffer from symptoms of TMD – a chronic condition of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) that causes mouth and jaw pain. Let your general dentistry team at Dr. Gillis’s office help you protect your teeth and alleviate discomfort with TMJ therapy.

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Nightguards

Concerns such as sleep apnea, bruxism (teeth clenching/grinding), or TMD can be debilitating – but a qualified dentist can help. Our nightguards, splints, and other appliances can alleviate problematic symptoms for many patients and let them rest easy.

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Snoring & Sleep Apnea Treatment

We offer specialized appliances designed to alleviate symptoms of snoring and sleep apnea, which are conditions that can narrow the airways and even produce breathing pauses during sleep. Prosthetics like Silent Nite®, dreamTAP™, and Herbst® are designed to move the lower jaw into a forward position, enlarging the airway and subsequently decreasing vibration in soft tissue. The key to successful treatment with your sleep apnea equipment is custom fitting so it meets your unique needs and will maintain an open, unobstructed airway while you sleep.

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Athletic Mouthguards

If you’ve ever lost a tooth on the football or lacrosse field, you know it puts a damper on the fun. Unfortunately, sports-related injuries are the most common external cause of tooth loss. You deserve to be worry-free when you play, which is why we offer customizable athletic mouthguards. These devices can provide your mouth with significant protection during a variety of different activities, and you can choose from a single- or multilayered guard depending on the aggressiveness of the sport. Let us help you play your best game!

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“Best dentist in town, hands-down. Comfortable waiting room, personable and caring staff and the chairs are comfortable. If you are at all scared of the dentist then this is the place for you. They make you feel at home and cater to your every need, as silly they may be. I get a blanket every time I go, even for cleanings.”

Heather D.

General Dentistry Success Story - Landon & Lindsay

When your mother is a dental hygienist, receiving all that general dentistry has to offer is a lifestyle! From the eruption of their first tooth and continuing into adulthood, Landon and Lindsey were informed about the importance of taking good care of their teeth. Their general dental care included receiving regular cleanings at least twice a year, very thorough and regular dental exams, and fluoride treatments as kids. They routinely brush, floss, and maintain a healthy diet. Their back teeth received protective dental sealants whenever there was a pronounced groove to limit the opportunity for tooth decay to form. If any area of decay was noted, it was treated quickly and conservatively with bonded tooth-colored restorations.

Even though Landon and Lindsey’s teeth were healthy and their general dental care was optimum, they knew that even well cared for, healthy teeth can use some enhancing at times. The size, shape, and color of their teeth did not fit their expectations for their smiles.

Landon’s teeth were just too small for his smile and excessive fluoride ingested as the teeth were forming caused a condition known as “enamel fluorosis”. The teeth were mottled or blotchy in color with patches of white. Landon wanted better alignment of the teeth – with the size of the teeth slightly larger to eliminate the existing gaps between his teeth – and a more ideal, fuller smile.

Lindsey was unhappy with the color and shape of several of her front teeth. Her goals were for a brighter smile with more uniformly shaped teeth. Landon, Lindsey, and their parents were thrilled with the final result, which included teeth whitening and conservative porcelain veneers.

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Why Choose Dr. Gillis for General & Preventive Dentistry?

A member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD) and several other distinguished organizations, Dr. Gillis prioritizes continuing education and only uses state-of-the-art technology and top techniques to treat her beloved patients. Her skills cover the full breadth of dentistry, from general care to cosmetic procedures to restorative dentistry and beyond. Her goal is to combine supreme oral care with a kind, nonjudgmental attitude. This helps to make her a wonderful general dentist for the whole family!

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Feel free to contact our office to schedule your appointment today. You’ll be treated kindly and with patience from our knowledgeable staff. Dr. Gillis and her experienced team provide dental care to patients from Grand Junction, Fruita, Clifton, Palisade, Orchard Mesa, and surrounding communities.