- Dental ExaminationDental anxiety is common among many of our patients. For this reason, we offer multiple types of sedation, including IV sedation. Dr. Mark Connelly is certified to administer IV sedation, the most relaxing form of sedation we offer and one that puts patients into a conscious “sleep” state for their treatment. Few general dentists pursue the additional training to become certified in IV sedation. Dr. Connelly completed his training at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, and in 2006, was awarded Mastership in the College of Sedation in Dentistry after completing the educational requirements and passing a comprehensive examination. With over 1,300 successful cases completed, he is considered the premier provider of IV sedation in the St. Johns, MI area.
- Teeth Cleaning
- Dental Sealants
- Fillings
- Veneers
- CrownsHave you had a dental crown installed or had one come loose? Then you know the inconvenience of needing multiple visits with the dentist. We are trained in CEREC, a digital software and milling technology that lets us create and fabricate dental crowns in our office while you wait comfortably in our operatory. Using CEREC, we are in control of your treatment from start to finish, offering a higher quality restoration, a more custom fit, and more accurately designed crown for your unique smile needs. Most of our patients can receive a brand new, custom dental crown in one, convenient visit to our St. Johns, MI office! Read More
- BridgesFull mouth reconstruction treatments assess three main parts of the smile: the bone, gums, and teeth. Because this treatment is comprehensive, we address all issues in these areas together to ensure the long-term success of each procedure. If the gums and bone are healthy, but your bite is off, it may be the reason you are suffering with bruxism, gum recession, and broken teeth or restorations. Similarly, teeth losing support from diseased gums and bone loss will not support any cosmetic treatments. Beginning with your smile’s foundation, we create a treatment plan that first establishes the health of your gums and bone, then corrects your bite before moving to more visible treatments such crowns and bridges and dental implants. By comprehensively assessing and treating your mouth, we can establish tooth stability, natural aesthetics, and the long-term health of your smile.
- Dental Bonding
- Restorative DentistryDr. Mark Connelly and our team integrate some of the most advanced dental technology with over 30 years of expertise in general, cosmetic, and restorative dentistry. A dentist passionate about learning, Dr. Connelly is at the forefront of many minimally invasive treatments and protocols, including laser therapy and CEREC, that make receiving our services comfortable and convenient. By modernizing our general dentistry services, we can provide more effective diagnoses, better accuracy in treatment, and highly predictable outcomes. Learn how care from our St. Johns, MI office can improve your oral health and quality of life by making your appointment with our dentist today!
- Root Canal TreatmentIn most cases, you will know if you need to fix a tooth. Prolonged decay or damage to the tooth’s structure can be very painful, especially if the cavity is deep or a portion of the tooth has broken off. If your tooth is chipped, cracked, has a large cavity, or needs root canal therapy, you are most likely a candidate for a dental crown. Once your tooth has been treated and prepared, “capping” it with a dental crown is an ideal way to ensure the tooth remains strong and functional. Now, with CEREC crowns, this process can be cut in half, saving you the inconvenience of multiple trips to the dentist and the discomfort of wearing a temporary.
- DenturesDentures once were the only option for replacing a full arch of failing or missing teeth. While they are still a common choice today, modern dentistry provides an alternative: implant supported dentures. Combining the best aspects of traditional dentures with dental implants, we offer many denture-wearers a permanent improvement in how their smile functions and looks. Implant supported dentures remain stabilized in the mouth by the support of implants, which are securely placed into the jaw bone. This added stability provides a significant improvement in what foods you can comfortably eat, clarity of your speech, and confidence in a full set of life-like teeth that will not move or fall out when you talk, eat, laugh, and socialize. Overall, implant supported dentures can transition patients into a higher quality of life with numerous long-term benefits to their health, function, confidence, and natural beauty.
- Dental ImplantsWhile dental implants have a 98 percent success rate, there are still situations that can cause them to fail, like peri-implantitis, lack of bone volume, or trauma. If you are experiencing symptoms of failing dental implants, you need to seek care from our experienced St. Johns, MI team immediately. We treat peri-implantitis using the REPAIR Implant™ protocol from BIOLASE®, a leader in dental laser technology. This protocol uses patented laser technology to provide more precise and predictable treatment for peri-implantitis. Dr. Mark Connelly is clinically trained in the use of this dental laser and helps patients preserve the integrity of their dental implant before returning to optimal oral health.
- Oral Surgery
- Osseous SurgerySeeking help at the first signs of gum disease, characterized by red and bleeding gums, is the best way to preserve the health of your smile. Using the REPAIR Perio™ protocol, we effectively treat any stage of gum disease with the BIOLASE® Waterlase Express® laser. This laser gum disease treatment is the minimally invasive alternative to traditional osseous surgery that enhances comfort during your procedure and promotes the long-term health of your smile.
- Tooth ExtractionsChronic tooth pain is never a good sign and is often a symptom of decay or disease. While losing a natural tooth is not ideal, sometimes tooth extractions are the only way to rid your mouth of this decay or disease—and your tooth pain. While tooth extractions are common, we only extract teeth that absolutely must come out and cannot be saved. Depending on your situation tooth extractions may be performed with the overall goal of preserving the health of your smile or preparing for dental implants. With over three decades of experience, Dr. Mark Connelly has completed thousands of tooth extractions, using conservative techniques that minimize complications and trauma to the bone and tissue. We don’t want our patients to live with tooth pain and if our evaluation shows that a tooth cannot be saved, a tooth extraction is often the best solution to help you find relief.
- Ridge AugmentationThe jaw bone plays an integral role in the health of the mouth, providing the primary support structure for teeth. Bone relies on the movement (stimulation) of the teeth when you bite and chew to remain strong and healthy. When even one tooth is lost or extracted, the bone in the area of the missing tooth will begin to resorb, shrinking in both size and density. This poses a problem for both the existing adjacent teeth, as they can shift out of place and alter the bite, and a patient’s candidacy for tooth replacement options like dental implants. Even if you have severe bone loss due to many missing teeth, we can help you qualify for dental implants through our comprehensive bone grafting services. As a dentist specializing in dental implants, Dr. Mark Connelly is trained in all related procedures, including bone grafting and ridge augmentation, and uses plasma rich growth factors to ensure the predictability of new jaw bone growth—and your candidacy for implants.
- Bone GraftingPeri-implantitis is one of the leading causes of failing dental implants and is characterized by symptoms similar to gum disease, including gum and bone recession around the implant post. Peri-implantitis typically becomes a problem when patients do not take proper care of their oral health, but it is treatable. We are skilled in providing therapy for failing dental implants caused by peri-implantitis. By carefully removing bacteria and tartar buildup from around the implant as well as removing infected gum tissue, we can create a healthy environment for your dental implant. In some cases, we may need to reshape your jaw bone or perform bone grafting treatment to restore a solid foundation.
- Orthodontics
- Invisalign Orthodontics
- Teeth WhiteningProfessional teeth whitening is one of the simplest cosmetic improvements you can give your smile. Today, laser dentistry makes this possible to achieve in a single visit to our St. Johns, MI office. Laser teeth whitening using our BIOLASE® Epic X™ laser is one of the fastest solutions in dentistry today and provides patients with a painless and comfortable whitening experience in an average of 20 minutes. Often conveniently followed by your routine hygiene appointment, our laser teeth whitening can give you the brightening results you need to find confidence in your smile—without the hassle and discomfort of store-bought whitening products.
- Cosmetic DentistryMany patients come to us for full mouth reconstruction because they have been living with pain and embarrassment from a smile that does not function properly or look attractive. Oftentimes a complexity of many dental problems, these patients’ smiles need comprehensive rehabilitation to bring them back to a state of full function and beauty. We treat patients with severely worn teeth, a misaligned bite, broken restorations or teeth, loose or missing teeth, bone loss, and many other issues. Full mouth reconstruction is often a complex process, involving many treatments over a period of time, but we are comprehensively trained and experienced in all procedures involved in your care. With over three decades of experience, Dr. Mark Connelly is uniquely qualified to complete all aspects of your treatment. Educated and trained in restorative and cosmetic dentistry treatments, our team consistently provides predictable results, leading patients into a comfortable, pain-free, and functional life.
- General DentistryYour teeth, just like other parts of your body, do not function in isolation. They rely on the support and health of the gums and bone to remain healthy themselves. Similarly, decay and damage to the teeth can have negative consequences to the rest of the mouth and body. In fact, research has shown a link between chronic oral conditions such as gum disease and complications with systemic health problems, including diabetes and heart disease. These are all things our dentist, Dr. Mark Connelly, considers as part of our comprehensive general dentistry services. By looking at your mouth as something that is inherently linked to the health of your entire body, we are better able to diagnose and treat your oral conditions and, therefore, improve your overall health and quality of life.