What We Do - Houston Dental Solutions

Second Generation Practitioner

Dr. Feagin’s interest in Dentistry began in the late seventies when she worked with her father, Dr. J Hill Feagin as his assistant. Susannah attended UTHSC, dental school and graduated as a Registered Dental Hygienist in 1981 and practiced with her father. In 1986 Dr. Susannah Feagin returned to UTHSC, dental school to study Dentistry and received her doctorate in 1990. Dr. Hill and Dr. Susannah practiced together as fellow dentists until Dr. Hill Feagin’s retirement in 1995. Dr. Susannah Feagin’s dental office is still in the same building where her Dad saw patients.

Over 25 years later Dr. Feagin has built her own solid practice and is a member of good standing of the Houston Chapter of the Academy of General Dentistry, where she served as President from 2013-2014. Dr. Feagin’s interests are Cosmetic Dentistry, Preventative Dentistry, Periodontal Therapy, plus all phases of Restorative Dentistry including Implant restoration, Dentures, and Safe Amalgam Removal. Dr. Feagin is married and enjoys traveling to Hunt, TX to canoe and hike with her husband. She also enjoys activities with her Bouvier’s and currently trains with her dogs in Nosework, Carting, and Agility.

Professional Degrees

DDS, University of Texas Health Science Center, Dental School Houston 1990
RDH, University of Texas Health Science Center, Dental School Houston 1981

Professional Affiliations

National Chapter of the Academy of General Dentistry
Texas Chapters of the Academy of General Dentistry
American Dental Association (ADA) – Texas and Houston Chapters
International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology (IAOMT)

Teeth Whitening Options

Small cosmetic changes that make a big difference.

ZOOM™

Zoom instantly whitens your teeth in about one hour and safely delivers your best and brightest smile! This popular in-office procedure is safe and easy to perform. The results are beautiful white teeth with the least amount of sensitivity.

Zoom does not whiten porcelain crowns, veneers or composite fillings. However, on natural enamel, Zoom can remove years of stains from coffee, tea, smoking and sodas.

Home Whitening

Home whitening is another safe and easy way to whiten your teeth. Although results are not instantaneous, the procedure can remove discolorations and whiten teeth. This process involves coming into the office for upper and lower impressions from which custom fitted trays are made.

You will then use these trays with a small amount of gel either whitening overnight or up to two hours daily. The process can take up to 14 days to achieve the desired results.

Opalesence GO Trays

Opalesence GO Trays are pre-filled whitening trays that you can use right out of the package conveniently at home. No impressions needed. These trays conform to your teeth providing full mouth whitening in a ready to go package.

Call us today for a consultation to discuss which whitening option best suits you.

Cosmetic Dentistry

The eyes may be windows to the soul, but your teeth reveal the overall health of your body. Straight teeth are easier to keep clean and will last longer than crowded or misaligned teeth. Straight, white teeth also minimize the appearance of aging and a history of poor health.

Braces

Invisible Braces straightening options are Invisalign(brand) or Clear Correct (brand). After impressions are taken, custom clear trays are returned to the dentist to inset into the patients mouth. A series of trays with interproximal stripping is used to straighten the teeth over several months. Call us for a free consult to see if you are a candidate for Invisible Braces.

Crowns

The purpose of a crown is to give strength to a fractured, decayed or compromised tooth. Crowns are coverings that fit precisely over the affected tooth.

The Process Involved When You Need A Crown:

All decay and existing old filling material of the affected tooth is removed. A bonded build up of the tooth is placed comprised of composite tooth-colored material. Once the tooth is prepped to receive a crown an impression or digital image is taken of the tooth. The final process is cementing the crown on your tooth.

Zirconia or Lava Crowns

An all porecelain crown with a zirconia fiber core. It gives a high esthetic with great durablility. These crowns are translucent in color which matches your natural teeth

EMax Crowns

An all poreclain crown that has the highest esthetic apperance. This crown is generally reserved for anterior teeth.

Porcelain Fused To Metal

These crowns are what you would call traditional crowns. These are often the most affordable but they have the most disadvantages which can include an unsightly metal line at the gum and a possible allergic reaction.

Call us today for a consultation to discuss which Cosmetic Dentistry options best suit you.

Periodontal Health

What is Periodontal Disease?

Periodontal disease is an infection of the gums and other structures that surround the teeth.

What is Periodontal Disease?

Periodontal disease is an infection of the gums that cannot only cause a person to lose their teeth, but can lead to affecting one’s overall health. Many studies have shown the negative effects of Periodontal disease on the body, and its link to an increased risk of diabetes, heart disease, stroke, cancer, respiratory disease and even pregnancy complications. (link to studies). If this evaluation is not performed in the early-to moderate stages of the disease, it can go undetected and silently cause extensive damage to all supporting tissues of your teeth. Poor oral hygiene is the major cause of Periodontal disease, with genetic and medical conditions contributing to the severity.

Periodontal Disease: Signs, Symptoms and Stages

Symptoms of gum problems that range from Gingivitis to Advanced Periodontal Disease:

Constant Bad breath
Bleeding gums upon brushing teeth
Soreness / pain in the gums
Pus and redness in the gums
Loose teeth
Receding gums

Periodontal Exam

Performed at every visit with our Hygienist

At Houston Dental Solutions we are not just concerned about the overall health of your teeth, but also the health of your oral tissues. Included in the initial comprehensive examination:

a full set of radiographs,
a full oral tissue exam
a full periodontal evaluation.

This comprehensive evaluation checks for any areas of recession, inflammation, connective tissue loss, bone loss, as well as to help rule out any possibility of gum disease from slight Gingivitis, to severe Periodontal Disease.

* Also included in the comprehensive exam is an Oral cancer exam with the Oral ID fluorescence technology.

Gingivitis

Gingivitis is a mild inflammation of the gums caused by plaque build-up. Gums may be red and/or sore, and bleed upon brushing or probing. An anti-microbial mouth rinse may be prescribed as well as a thorough cleaning.

Treatment

The good news about periodontal disease is that it can be treated and, in most cases can be stabilized with an in-office, non-surgical treatment called scaling and root planing, also known as “periodontal therapy”.

This procedure involves cleaning the root surfaces with an ultrasonic instrument and hand scalers to remove any debris and tartar accumulation that may be keeping the gums irritated and infected, with irrigating and flushing out the tissue to induce healing. This is done under a local anesthetic or Oraqix for your complete comfort.

Periodontal therapy requires a minimum of two appointments. The follow-up appointment is to reevaluate the gums and polish the teeth four-six weeks after treatment is completed.

Generally each appointment lasts about 1 hour. The success rate for this treatment is very high. After periodontal therapy, you should only require a periodontal maintenance cleaning schedule to keep the disease stable, along with good home care.

Some types of periodontal disease are quite severe and can end up requiring a referral to a Periodontist* for gum surgery. This is what we rule out with the periodontal evaluation.

Call us today for a consultation to discuss which Periodontal Health option best suits you.

Missing Teeth

Implants, Fixed Bridges, and Dentures

Replacing missing teeth is not only cosmetic, but will keep your teeth straight with less shift occurring in your bite, which can create malocclusion resulting in difficulty chewing and jaw pain.

Implants

The look, feel and function of natural teeth.

An implant – made of titanium – is placed in the jawbone to simulate a tooth root. After integration, where the bone grows in and around the implant, the implant can be restored with an abutment and crown to make a new tooth. This is not an immediate solution, but by industry standards is the very best solution. It looks, feels and functions just like a natural tooth.

Fixed Bridge

To restore one or two missing teeth.

This is one solution. It consists of three to five crowns made together to fill in the hole left by a missing tooth and to restore the occlusion back to normal. Another purpose is to prevent shifting of teeth and collapsing of occlusion (or bite) and jaw pain. The custom bridge is permanently cemented onto the prepared teeth adjacent to the missing tooth. It becomes a” fixed” part of your dentition and is not removed. Taking care of your Bridge requires flossing underneath it.

Full Dentures – Removable or Fixed

Complete dentures replace all of your teeth and the tissues connected to those teeth. It is made of flesh colored acrylic plastic with either tooth colored porcelain or plastic teeth, closely resembling your natural gum tissue and teeth, to restore your smile.

Partial Dentures – Removable

This is a solution to replace several teeth, relatively inexpensively, with a removable, plastic and/or metal restoration. The partial dentures are removed every day for cleaning. They are attached to the teeth by either metal clasps or flexible plastic clasps that match the color of your gums, with tooth colored plastic teeth embedded in the base material. They serve to replace your teeth in both looks and function, so you can smile and your teeth do not shift out of occlusion. This can also function well as a temporary solution while implants are integrating.

Conventional denture – there is no tooth removal, and is ready to place in your mouth in 2-3 months after a series of impressions are taken and sent to a dental laboratory to fabricate.

Immediate denture – once the denture has been made, approximately 2-3 weeks, after impressions have been taken, it is placed into the mouth immediately at the appointment the remaining teeth are extracted. This denture needs to be relined after 6-12 months

Implant supported – usually 4 implants are placed in the jaw and allowed to heal and integrate in to the bone for 4 months. Abutments, framework and/or attachments are placed on the implants to attach a full denture made just for you from impressions taken by your Dentist. This is a permanent solution that can only be removed at a dentists office. Six months total time to finish.

Restorations

For decayed, fractured, broken or otherwise compromised teeth.

Fillings*

Tooth colored restorations are both aesthetic and functional. Restorations are mechanically – as well as chemically – bonded to the tooth structure, specifically to the dentin tubules. All decay and all old filling materials are removed from the tooth, the tooth surface is prepared with an acid etching followed by a primer and bonding layer. Tooth colored resin (TCR) is laid down in layers. The material is U.V. light cured to hardness and then trimmed, finished and polished.

The wear-time of these fillings is determined by the size of the fillings, the care given to the mouth by the patient, and whether the patient clinches and grinds their teeth. These fillings can last up to 10 years. A variety of colors are available to match your teeth.

We do not place any type of Silver Amalgam fillings, and Dr. Feagin highly recommends against it. Insurance companies are quick to tell you that is all they will pay for. However, they will provide the same amount of benefit dollars they would have paid for the amalgam restoration for you to be able to use towards a tooth colored resin. You may need to pay a small amount more, but the TCR’s are a healthier option.

Call us today for a consultation to discuss which options best suit you.

EMERGENCIES

We Can Help

Emergencies are treated within 24 hours whenever possible. Please tell the receptionist if you are in pain.

During office hours call 713-526-8989

After office hours, if you are an established patient and have seen Dr. Feagin within the year, contact Dr. Feagin’s cell phone: 713-248-4464 *

*This number is not answered during office hours

EMERGENCIES

We Can Help

Emergencies are treated within 24 hours whenever possible. Please tell the receptionist if you are in pain. During office hours call:

713-526-8989

After office hours, if you are an established patient and have seen Dr. Feagin within the year, contact Dr. Feagin’s cell phone:>

713-248-4464 *

* This number is not answered during office hours

Conscious Sedation

Oral Sedation

Many people experience stress in the dental office. We have several forms of oral sedation to make your visit more tolerable and even pleasant.

Xanax

Xanax is an oral sedative that we will provide for patients who experience anxiety at the dental office. There are also other stronger medications that can be used singly or in combination. This level of sedation requires a driver for the patient. Dr. Feagin has a Conscious Sedation permit Level 1.

Nitrous Oxide

Otherwise known as “laughing gas”, nitrous oxide is breathed in combination with pure oxygen while receiving anesthetic or during an entire appointment. There are no groggy after effects because the gas is replaced with pure oxygen and is breathed when the dental procedures have been completed.

Preventative Measures

Bite Guards and Night Guards

In today’s world, many people are under stress and tend to clinch and grind their teeth. As a result, many require the fabrication of a bite guard to prevent damage to their teeth and jaws, while sleeping. A bite guard will preserve your teeth, the height and size of them, and will enable your jaw to relax and stay healthy. Areal plus is that your face will remain younger looking. The first sign of aging can be when your nose and chin appear closer together from the loss of tooth caused from grinding at night.

Without a bite guard, people usually wear down their teeth and even fracture them. This creates an unhealthy situation for your teeth and supporting structures. The jaw’s muscle shortens, due to being overworked, and can cause pain.

In extreme situations a patient’s teeth do not align causing discomfort for their jaw and the jaw unconsciously attempts to correct their bite naturally. This may require wearing a bite guard 24 hours a day until full mouth restoration can be completed with complete temporaries and finalized with all Porcelain/Zirconia crowns.

Dental Insurance

Dental Insurance benefits are there to provide you with help financially to get your dental needs met. It is not there to take care of all your dental needs especially if those dental needs have been neglected for some time.

As a courtesy, we will be happy to complete any dental forms that need to be provided to your insurance company, and to follow up. We will make every effort to secure your benefits from your insurance company. We cannot guarantee that the insurance company will benefit you, or pay for your work done, and ultimately for which you are responsible for the charges incurred.