Los Altos Dentist Dr. Diamond uses minimally invasive dentistry whenever possible. Minimally invasive dentistry is the practice of providing treatment that maintains and improves the oral health of a patient while avoiding unnecessarily complicated procedures, and minimizing removal of the patient’s natural, healthy tooth structure.

Most patients correctly feel that the best solution is often the simplest, and Dr. Diamond agrees. For example, for small cavities in the grooves of teeth, they can often use air abrasion to remove only the decayed material, which is more conservative than a traditional bur and handpiece (dental “drill”). In many cases where decay is larger or parts of teeth are fractured, an onlay or “partial crown” can restore the tooth just as predictably as a full crown, but save the remaining healthy tooth structure at the base of the tooth, lowering the risk to the nerve and gums. This has become possible due to huge improvements in ceramic materials and bonding agents (glues) over the past several years.

Early and accurate diagnosis of decay and fractures is a vital component to minimally invasive dentistry, and our advanced diagnostic technology helps us detect issues while they can still be addressed conservatively.

If you are unhappy with the appearance of your smile, our doctors can place just a single or very few veneers, or cosmetically bond just a few teeth to blend naturally, avoiding a complete makeover.