Dental Services

One of the best gifts you can give to your child is taking care of their teeth and we recommend that you start bringing your child to our practice when they turn one. 95% of the young adults that have been coming to us since their younger years have never had a cavity. Through proper dental hygiene, fluoride, preventive home-care techniques and nutrition, we can ensure your child has a healthy mouth and beautiful smile.

We want your child to be comfortable and enjoy their visit so we encourage parents to come in with their child during their exam and or procedures. If dental treatment is necessary, nitrous oxide (laughing gas) or oral sedation maybe be recommended. Dr. Steinke and Dr. Caruso are two of the few general dentists in the state who have had advanced training in oral sedation for children.

It is a common misconception that we are less likely to have cavities when we get older - not true! Many medications and the natural aging process can cause dry mouth, which can lead to cavities. Preventive dentistry has worked so well that most seniors in their eighties and nineties still have their teeth! For these and other reasons, seniors have unique challenges when it comes to oral care, and have higher probabilities of having cavities and broken teeth. We encourage the following dental procedures to help these individuals.

• Use an electric toothbrush, if possible.
• Use a prescription strength concentrated fluoride toothpaste.
• Always brush twice a day.
• Stay away from sugary foods and candy.
• Maintain regular dental examinations.

The basis of our entire practice is prevention of disease including cavities, periodontal disease, and cancer. Through nutrition, life style management, smoking cessation, and advanced home care techniques we often say that "dentistry is very inexpensive and very comfortable, but sugared sodas, Skittles, smoking, and Altoids are very expensive and very uncomfortable." Nutrition and smoking cessation are paramount in the prevention of dental disease in our office.

Growing beautiful faces has been of our most rewarding aspects of the practice. Dr. Steinke and Dr. Caruso have taken hundreds of hours of continuing education in orthodontics and facial growth, focusing on early treatment. By utilizing the body’s growth abilities and enhancing the natural growth utilizing comfortable growth appliances, most of the time the child’s beautiful smile can be completed before entering high school and without extracting non-replaceable teeth.

Today cosmetic dentistry is more popular than ever, from whitening and shaping, to closing spaces and replacing teeth. Before deciding to undergo any cosmetic procedure it is important to ask about what benefits and risks you can expect during your procedure and if any special maintenance will be needed afterwards. Whether you're an existing or new patient to our practice we will be happy to give you a free "Smile Makeover" consultation.

Crowns are a tooth-shaped cap that is placed over the tooth, completely covering it to restore its shape, size, strength, and to improve its appearance. Once in place it becomes the tooth’s new outer surface. A cap may be needed to protect a weak tooth from breaking, hold together parts of a cracked tooth or to cover and support a large filling when there isn’t much of your tooth left.

Dental bridges literally bridge the gap created by one or more missing teeth. A bridge is made up of two crowns of the teeth on either side of the gap. These two anchoring teeth are called abutment teeth and a false tooth/teeth in between.

Controlling periodontitis is the foundation for life-long healthy teeth. Most people that lose their teeth after age thirty is due the gum disease. With recent studies linking gum disease to Alzheimer's, heart disease and cancer - it is even more crucial to aggressively treat this silent disease. We take pride in keeping abreast with the latest techniques in preventing and treating gum disease including laser therapy.

Many times, caused by trauma, cavities, or large old fillings that have leaked, a nerve dies in a tooth. In the past many teeth were lost when this happened but at Sorrento Dental Associates we can comfortable and efficiently save teeth through simply removing the infected portion of the tooth with high technology automated techniques. Most people are amazed how easy and pain-free this treatment is.

Our dentures are designed with comfort, function and aesthetics in mind and we offer full and partial upper and lower dentures. As you age the perfect fit you once had may change, but our rebase and reline services will ensure that desired fit again. We recommend you brush your gums and dentures daily to remove plaque build-up.

An implant is used when you have lost at least one tooth and desire to have it replaced. A dental implant is a post (like a tooth root) that is surgically positioned into the jawbone beneath the gun line that allows us to mount replacement teeth or a bridge into the desired area. Because the implant fuses to your jawbone it will provide stable support for artificial teeth. To be a candidate for implants you will need healthy gums and adequate bone to support it.

Although we strive to keep teeth naturally in the mouth there are times a tooth must be extracted. We offer a range of oral surgeries including extractions, biopsies, and removal of oral tissue growths. Most of these procedures are done in our office with our patients comfort in mind.

Dental trauma is always unexpected and doesn't always happen during our office hours. We encourage you to call us immediately after the incident, and if it is after hours call (207) 422-3770 and follow our automated options to contact a doctor to see us as soon as possible so we can evaluate and stabilize the injury.

For your convenience, if you, a family member or friend has a dental emergency after regular office hours, you will usually be able to reach a doctor by calling our office at (207) 422-3770, and following the automated prompts to page the doctors. We understand the emergencies sometimes do happen, and we do everything we can to see our patients as quickly as possible.

We understand that patient fear and anxiety can hold a patient back from receiving a dental procedure they need. But with the safety and predictability of Triazolam (a medication similar to Valium but with a shorter acting-time in the body and a much better amnesic effect) combined with our advanced monitoring equipment, every patient can relax. Dr. Steinke and Dr. Caruso have been trained in Oral Conscious Sedation. Dr. Steinke is one of the few dentists in the state that have achieved Fellowship in the Dental Organization of Conscious Sedation.

Custom oral appliances are a front-line treatment for snoring and mild to moderate sleep apnea. This small plastic device fits in the mouth during sleep and helps to prevent the collapse of the tongue and soft tissues in the back of the throat, keeping the airway open during sleep and promoting adequate air intake. These oral appliances can be used alone or in combination with other treatments for sleep-related breathing disorders, such as weight management, surgery, or CPAP machines.

A frenectomy is a surgical procedure that involves removing or altering a small fold of tissue called a frenulum, which can restrict movement and cause issues with speech, eating, or oral hygiene. It's commonly done to address conditions like tongue-tie or lip-tie, allowing for better range of motion and reducing discomfort or speech impediments caused by the restricted tissue.