Comprehensive Dentistry

We practice comprehensive dental care at Canyon Golf Family Dentistry, combining many aspects of dental health (preventive, cosmetic, and restorative care) to help you enjoy a lifetime of great oral health. Whether you’re visiting us for a routine cleaning or a complete smile makeover, we promise to take great care of you.

Preventive Dentistry

We truly believe that most serious dental problems can be avoided with routine cleanings and preventive care. Quality preventive dentistry protects you from more serious dental problems in the future and reduces your risk of existing problems recurring.

Preventive Dental Services

• Routine Cleanings & Exams

  During a standard dental cleaning, our hygienist will gently remove plaque and tartar (hardened plaque) from the surface of your teeth. Good home care removes a majority of plaque, but only a professional cleaning can completely clear off all of the tartar that builds up around the gum line over time.

  After your cleaning, Dr. Soto will perform a thorough examination of your teeth, gums, and existing dental restorations. He or she will also review your X-rays and digital photographs with you, in addition to evaluating any areas of concern that were noted by our hygienist during your cleaning.

• Digital X-rays & Intraoral Cameras

  We incorporate digital X-rays and intraoral cameras into all of our routine exams, because many serious issues with the teeth and jaw bones can't be seen by the naked eye.

  Digital X-rays are faster and more comfortable than traditional X-rays, and they emit significantly less radiation. Because they don't require any harsh chemical processing, the images are available within seconds.

  We use our intraoral cameras to show you exactly what we see during your exam. Photos taken with these cameras also give Dr. Soto a clearer view of hard-to-see areas like the back molars.

• Dental Sealants & Fluoride
• Custom Athletic Mouthguards
• Nightguards for Teeth Grinding

  Do you find yourself clenching your jaw or grinding your teeth when you’re stressed? What about when you’re asleep? Involuntary teeth grinding can do a number on your teeth and jaw muscles, and because it usually occurs during sleep many people don't even know they're doing it. A comfortable, custom-fitted nightguard can give your jaw a rest and protect your oral health.

• Headache Prevention with NTI

  Night-time teeth grinding has been linked to chronic daytime headaches and migraines. The NTI device is a small, FDA-approved mouthpiece that fits securely on your upper or lower front teeth to prevent grinding and let your jaw and head muscles relax.

• Bad Breath (Halitosis) Remedies

  Everyone experiences bad breath every now at then. If you notice that your bad breath is becoming a chronic problem or is accompanied by other symptoms like red, swollen gums, it could be indicating a more serious problem. Dr. Soto offers many treatments and products that don’t just mask bad breath, but eliminate them at the source.

• Treatment for TMJ Disorder/Jaw Pain

  If your jaw aches when you open wide or chew something tough, your TMJ (jaw joint) could be to blame. In addition to the direct pain in your jaw, other symptoms of TMJ disorder include headaches, tooth sensitivity, and a persistent clicking in your jaw joint.

  Dr. Soto will perform a thorough examination of your bite, jaw, and facial muscles, then develop a conservative treatment plan to alleviate your pain.

• Oral Cancer Screenings

  According to the American Cancer Society, the cure rate for oral cancer that is diagnosed and addressed early is extremely high. However, many of the signs and symptoms go unnoticed for years, increasing the likelihood that the cancer will spread to surrounding tissues. We screen for signs of oral cancer during every routine dental exam, because early detection and treatment can save more than just your oral health—it can save your life.

Restorative Dentistry

When preventive care isn't enough to keep your smile looking and functioning its best, we offer a number of restorative treatments that will have you eating your favorite foods and smiling with confidence again in no time.

Restorative Dental Services

• Tooth-Colored Fillings

  Tooth-colored fillings are made out of biocompatible materials that require less extensive preparation than amalgam (silver) fillings. Because of the minimal drilling, tooth-colored fillings are usually smaller and quicker to place than silver fillings.

• Natural-Looking Crowns

  Dental crowns restore damaged or decayed teeth and protect them for years. In fact, if Dr. Soto places a crown before your tooth fractures or gets infected, it can save you from needing more invasive restorative treatments like an extraction or a root canal.

  Dental crowns are generally very strong restorations. With proper home maintenance and routine dental cleanings, they can last for years.

• Dentures & Partial Dentures

  If you’re living with ill-fitting dentures, you might think that slipping, clicking, and messy adhesives are just a fact of life. Think again! Today’s dentures and partial dentures are incredibly versatile, and they can be customized to look and feel just like your natural smile.

• Dental Bridges

  Dental bridges are restorations that combine the best aspects of crowns and partial dentures to literally "bridge" the gap created by missing teeth. In a traditional bridge, the teeth on either side of the missing tooth are shaved down and restored with crowns, which are connected by an artificial tooth that fills the space.

• Root Canal Therapy

  If you have a damaged tooth that is infected or is likely to become infected, you may benefit from root canal therapy. Root canal therapy is a highly successful restorative treatment that can make a tooth last a lifetime.

  Although root canal therapy has a reputation for being painful, the toothaches associated with an infected root are probably causing you more pain than the treatment will. We also provide nitrous oxide (laughing gas) and oral conscious sedation to keep you comfortable throughout your visit.

• Wisdom Teeth Removal

  Most older teens and young adults will eventually need their wisdom teeth removed. Because wisdom teeth are the last permanent teeth to erupt, there is often not enough room left in the mouth to accommodate them. The lack of space can cause wisdom teeth to come in sideways, only partially erupt, or become impacted within the gums.

  Dr. Soto will evaluate the status of your wisdom teeth with a visual exam and a series of X-rays. If it turns out that they’re not erupting properly, he will explain your options for removal (traditional extraction or surgical removal) and thoroughly discuss the pros and cons of each method.

Implant Dentistry

If you’re missing teeth, you probably know that removable dentures and bridges can be a nuisance. They often make it difficult to smile, speak, and eat without feeling self-conscious, and caring for them can be time-consuming.

Did you know that in addition to all of those daily hassles, missing teeth can have negative effects on your oral health? When you lose a tooth, your jawbone tends to shrink and soften. The gum tissue can also recede around the space because there is no longer a tooth to support it. Dental implants don’t just fill in the spaces left by missing teeth—they give you back your strong, healthy smile and help it last for many years to come.

Dental implants can be used in a variety of restorative procedures, from replacing a single tooth to stabilizing loose dentures. Dr. Soto has completed extensive training in all aspects of implant dentistry, so you can receive all of your implant treatment right here in our San Antonio dental office.

• Single Tooth Dental Implants

  One of the greatest advantages of single dental implants is that they enable Dr. Soto to replace a missing tooth without having to use the surrounding teeth for support. Single tooth implants are also easy to care for—just brush and floss them along with your other natural teeth!

• Implant-Supported Bridges

  An implant-supported bridge is an excellent way to replace multiple teeth. Bridges can be attached to one or two implants, depending on the number of missing teeth and where the bridge will be located. Unlike traditional fixed bridges, implant-supported bridges don’t require Dr. Soto to shave down the surrounding teeth.

• Implant-Supported Overdentures

  An overdenture is a special type of denture designed to fit over existing teeth or connect to an implant. In the case of an implant-supported overdenture, the prosthetic is held in place by implants rather than resting directly on the gums. This saves you a lot of discomfort and gives you better stability and control.

Although our primary concern is your overall oral health, we never underestimate the importance of having an attractive smile that you’re proud to show off. If you find yourself covering your smile because of chips, gaps, or other imperfections, cosmetic dentistry can give you the confidence to reveal the beautiful smile you’ve always wanted.

Cosmetic Dental Services

• Professional Teeth Whitening

  Whitening your teeth is an easy way to take years off your smile. If you're not getting the results you want with over-the-counter whitening strips, ask us about our professional options! Our take-home whitening kits brighten teeth faster and more significantly than drugstore formulas, and they usually cause less sensitivity, too.

• Dazzling Porcelain Veneers

  Veneers are thin, durable ceramic casings that are bonded to the front side of your teeth to permanently improve your smile’s appearance. Veneers can change the color, shape, and size of your teeth to create a brighter, more uniform smile.

• Invisalign^® Aligner Therapy

We understand that people of all ages can experience dental anxiety, so we strive to make your visits with us as pleasant as they are effective. For many patients, sedation is the best way to make dental visits more efficient and less stressful. If you’re nervous about your appointment or have had bad dental experiences in the past, ask us if sedation dentistry is right for you.

Sedation Services

• Oral Conscious Sedation

  Oral conscious sedation involves taking a carefully-prescribed sedative shortly before your visit. With just one pill, you will feel calm and relaxed throughout your entire dental appointment.

Periodontal Health

Periodontal health is about more than just your gums—it encompasses all of the structures around your teeth, from the gum line down to your jawbone. For this reason, routine dental cleanings and proper home care are just as important for the rest of your mouth as they are for your teeth!

Periodontal Services

• Deep Cleanings (Scaling & Root Planing)

  One of the hallmarks of periodontal disease is receding gums. As the gums recede, the space between your gums and your teeth grows, creating what is known as a "perio pocket." Deep perio pockets make the tooth surface below the gumline more susceptible to the formation of plaque and tartar, which further irritates the already sensitive gums.

  A deep cleaning, also known as scaling and root planning, breaks this cycle and allow the gums to heal and reattach to the tooth. Although they can seem intimidating, they're a very effective, affordable, and minimally-invasive way to treat mild to moderate gum disease. Dr. Soto is very gentle and will always let you control the pace of your treatment. He can also provide sedation to keep you comfortable.

• Local Antibiotic Treatment

  After your deep cleaning, Dr. Soto will most likely treat the area with a topical antibiotic powder called Arestin®. Unlike oral antibiotics that affect the whole body, Arestin allows us to focus treatment on only the affected areas.