Dr. Shinyi Yu Dental Office. Smile Better.

We understand that going to the dentist can be a stressful experience. That is why our office is committed to providing first-rate care for your oral health with an overall "gentle" experience. Dr. Yu has always tried to be as minimally invasive as possible, and only utilizes the most appropriate, safe, and effective dental solutions. Additionally, he strives to treat each patient as if he/she were a family member.

We are a general, family care office that offers the full range of dental services from check-ups/cleanings and preventative sealants all the way up to restorations and surgical implants. Also, we offer the latest solutions in cosmetic dentistry in order to transform any smile into a perfect smile.

Advanced Dentures Solutions

Soft, form-fitting silicone cushions

Dentures are made from a hard plasticine material that is directly seated over the gums. Overtime, little by little, it will become more and more ill-fitting as the contours of the gums naturally change with age while the denture itself remains rigid. Our office can now modify your current dentures with a "cushiony" lining of specially designed soft silicone. Your dentures will not only fit better and be more secure, but also be as soft as cloud against your gums.

This procedure is done in a single visit and you will not have to go without your dentures.

Mini, easy implants to lock in loose fitting dentures

If you're unhappy with speech impediments from your dentures and have difficulty eating, but have found implant "lock-ins" to be too expensive, surgical-intensive, and with an extremely long healing time, we've got great news! We are very excited to offer a new novel mini-implant system that is at half the cost, with no incisions/stiches, and best of all, no wait time for healing. You wear them home the very day and can eat at your favorite restaurant the same night! Our patients have been very happy with this procedure and have given us great positive feedback on having their full speech and chewing functions restored!

Click here for more information.

Comfortable, Soft, Flexi - Partials

Go from this......

If you're tired of having a rigid, irritating piece of harsh metal in your mouth while wearing your partial denture, call us and ask about having a soft and flexible partial made. This "flexi-partial" is custom-made based on the contours of your mouth, and will blend in perfectly with your natural tissues.

Best of all? It feels great!

... to this

Oral Cancer

Oral cancer is a scary but very important topic. Oral cancer in fact is one of the 10 most common types of cancer, and furthermore, has shown no improvement in survival rate over the past several decades! Despite advances in surgery, radiation and chemotherapy, the average five-year survival rate for oral cancer has been and still is only around 50%. The overwhelming reason for these grim statistics is a lack of early detection and diagnosis.

Our office takes the early detection of oral cancerous lesions very seriously. During regular oral examinations, Dr. Yu takes the time to closely scrutinize and screen for possible cancerous precursors. If any tissue abnormalities are found, we immediately perform a quick, painless "brush biopsy" and send it to a laboratory for analysis to determine whether it is potentially cancerous.

Sensitivity

If you have uncomfortably or even painfully tolerated sensitivity to cold foods/drinks, sweets, fruit, brushing, or even just breathing in the cold air, we can help. And we can even perform follow-up treatments if you're suffering from sensitive teeth due to recent gum treatments or cleanings. Sensitivity is caused by open microscopic tubules in the dentine layer, and getting a complete seal has long been a challenging task. Dr. Yu has been frustrated with dentistry's inability to offer effective treatment options and have sought, tested, and tried many different systems and products. He is happy that he is able to offer a new treatment plan that he has found to be highly effective, quick, and that can be applied non-invasively.

Mercury-Free, Natural Colored Fillings

Mercury "silver" amalgams are made from a silver alloy powder and liquid mercury. It is a dental material that has long been used and embroiled in controversy. Given that mercury is a highly toxic chemical and odorless, tasteless vapors have been found to arise from amalgams, our office has always and will continue to forgo using any dental materials whatsoever that contains mercury. Furthermore, the old amalgam materials turns an unsightly black color, requires the removal of tooth structure beyond the decay in order to "stay on", and can expand over time causing fractures and or cracks in the tooth.

Our office only uses superior "composites" for fillings and restoratives. They are superior in durability, strength, and above all, they blend in perfectly with your natural teeth colors. Call us if you would like to replace your unsighly or mercury-amalgam fillings with our composites.

Emergencies (call 805-922-9910 or 805-260-5040 if after hours)

Severe Toothache(s)
Clean the painful area using a brush and floss, rinse with warmsalt water. Do not place aspirin directly on the gums or tooth as it may cause a burn. If swelling occurs apply a cold compress. Acetaminophen (Tylenol) maybe taken and contact us as soon as possible.

Lost/Knocked-out Tooth
If a permanent tooth is knocked completely out, time is of the essence. Contact us for an emergency appointment, if the person and the tooth is treated within the first half hour, a re-implantation can be performed with a high degree of success. Locate the lost tooth, and holding it only by its crown(do not touch the roots), gently rinse, and do NOT scrub. If possibly, gently place the tooth back in its socket as a means of transport, otherwise a cup of milk, salt water, saliva, or plain water can be used. You can also tuck the tooth between the cheek and gums, do not allow the tooth to dry out.

There are also "lost tooth transport" kits available over-the-counter in many convenience or drug stores.

Loosened Tooth (Extrusion)
If a tooth is pushed inward or outward, gently reposition it using light finger pressure. Do not force the tooth. Stablize the tooth with a moist tissue or gauze and make an emergency appointment right away.

Broken/Chipped Tooth
Rinse the mouth with warm water to keep it clean. If possible, locate the tooth fragment, clean and transport it in the same fashion as a knocked-out tooth. Schedule an emergency appointment immediately, it often is possible to reattach the fragment.

Soft Tissue Injury
A soft tissue injury is when the tongue, lips or cheeks are cut or punctured. If there is bleeding, apply firm pressure with gauze or a clean cloth. If bleeding is profuse or does not stop within 15 minutes, schedule an emergency appointment or proceed to a hospital emergency room as stiches may be necessary. Otherwise, clean the area with warm water using a gauze or clean cloth and apply an ice compress to the bruised/swollen area.

Headaches, Stiff Necks, and Aching Jaw

You may be surprised, but teeth clenching at night has been shown to cause achy jaws, sore teeth, stiff neck, and migraine headaches. The high-intensity contractions of your powerful jaw muscles becomes painful from prolonged contractions, and the forces generated causes pressure and pain to surrounding tissues, joints, and other muscles. Our office is happy to offer a new FDA approved system called NTI-tss (tension supression system) that is designed to medically treat these symptoms, you may have heard about it as it was featured on Good Morning America.

In a single visit we can custom-make a NTI system for you to wear at night. This tiny clear-plastic device fits over your top two front teeth and makes clenching impossible. In a few days or weeks your clenching reflex becomes gradually suppressed.

This system is superior over a traditional dental nightguard or TMJ splint as those devices offer a "bite-down" surface. However, some studies have shown that these devices can actually increase the intensity of your clenching reflex! The NTI system works by preventing the posterior teeth from making contact, there is no surface to bite onto. The temporalis muscles are kept from contracting with their usual intensity, ultimately leading to its suppression and eventual elimination.

Actual Size

Crowns, Bridges and Implants

Crowns are made and placed over existing tooth structure to replace decayed top-portions and for future protection. We offer 3 materials in the making of a crown, gold, porcelain or metal-fused porcelain. Gold is traditionally used for back teeth and are very durable, while porcelain due to their completely natural-looking color, are used on frontal teeth. The metal-fused porcelain crowns are made from a hybrid porcelain covered metal material.

Gold crown place on back molar

Porcelain Crown on frontal incisor

Bridges are made to replace a tooth that is completely missing or knocked out, the replacement tooth is fused to the neighboring teeth, "bridging" the gap in between. It is made either from gold or porcelain depending on the situation.

Implants also replace a completely missing/knocked out tooth. The replacement tooth is attached directly into the jaw bone, and does not require healthy neighboring teeth to bond onto.