Dental Health Concepts dedicated team of highly skilled doctors, dental hygienists, laboratory technicians and office staff are committed to providing you with the highest standard of care careful, competent and compassionate. Our exceptionally well-trained doctors hail from the most elite educational institutions. Passionate about their profession, they stay abreast of the latest technologies, practices and advancements through participation in continuing education experiences and dental studies exploring advancements in treatments.

We are committed to excellence in all areas of patient care by employing highly skilled team members and encouraging their continued growth and knowledge through ongoing education. Our team members tenure at Dental Health Concepts creates lasting personal and professional relationships that improve communication and positively impact patient care through communication and collaboration. We work to help patientsunderstand the relationship of their oral health to their total long-term overall health while providing the best care in the most comfortable environment possible.

Back row: Kathleen Olivieri-Jones, Kathleen Lawson, Donna Reid, Karyn Hunt, Dorothy Vannah, Alison MacEachern Front row: Kathleen Kelly-Haverty,Jackie St. Germain, Jessica Gillis, Valerie Aliferis, Alley Pasquale

Back row: Sandy Jensen, Trinity DeHoyos, Angie Broman, Rachelle Henderson , Jen Campea Middle row: Syndie Lumb,Cindy Vigeant, Ledja Malaj, Kerry Lee Front row:Sharon Tavares, Maria Gagne, Jennifer Chase

Dr. James Pastore earned his Masters in Biomedical Science from Tufts University School of Medicine. He was a graduate of Tufts University School of Dental Medicine and continued at Tufts University to complete his endodontic residency. During his time at Tufts, Dr. Pastore received multiple awards including the Tufts Alumni Association Scholarship, the Lester P. Goldsmith Endodontics Award, and the Dr. Thomas F. Winkler III Scholarship for Postgraduate Endodontics Resident.

Dr. Pastore is a Diplomate of the American Board of Endodontics. He is a member of the American Association of Endodontists, the Massachusetts Association of Endodontists, and the American Dental Association. Dr. Pastore currently serves as Vice Chair of the North Shore District Dental Society.

As Director of Operations, Susan brings more than 35 years of industry experience, offering new and existing patients trusted guidance and support regarding all aspects of treatment. Her diverse clinical and managerial experience enables her to serve as a liaison between patients and doctors, helping to educate and reassure patients concerning treatment plans, expectations, and procedures across the full spectrum of dental care.

As a dental treatment coordinator for Dental Health Concepts, Nina interfaces with patients to ensure understanding and coordinate treatment plans and schedules. Additionally, she oversees the administrative staff to ensure the practices daily operations run smoothly.

For many people, a root canal can cause feelings of anxiety and fear. Root canals have the stigma of being painful, lengthy procedures that can be quite uncomfortable to endure. This post will address some of the common misconceptions about root canals to ease your concerns.

About two-thirds of Americans cite fear of pain as the major concern relating to a root canal. However, with modern techniques for local anesthesia (like Novocaine), root canals are mostly painless procedures, similar to what you would feel with a dental filling. Additionally, endodontists have expertise in managing tooth pain and can generally mitigate severe pain swiftly.

Actually, when you are experiencing pain from an infected tooth, is appropriate to have a root canal. The root canal will often relieve the pain you are experiencing from the infected tooth. Root canal treatment is necessary when damage to the tooth has penetrated the outer layers of enamel and the pulp of a tooth (which includes nerves) has become inflamed or infected. Left untreated, the infection will only get worse.

There is a lot of misinformation on the internet discussing how a root canal can cause illness or make it easier to get sick in the future. According to the American Association of Endodontists, this claim is based on a century-old poorly designed research study that has long been debunked. There has been no scientific evidence linking root canal treatment with the development of disease in other parts of the body.

When possible, the best solution is always to save your natural tooth. Root canal treatment has a high success rate, and most will last a lifetime. Extracting and replacing your natural tooth with an implant (while highly successful), typically requires more time, treatment, expense? and further procedures.

When a root canal is performed, the dentist will remove the infected or inflamed tissue within the crown and inside the roots, called the pulp, along with the tooths nerve. The roots themselves are left in place. Because they anchor your teeth to your jawbone, it is important to leave the roots intact.

Teeth that need root canals do not always cause pain. Sometimes, teeth are infected and the body has created ways to deal with the pain. Your dentist or endodontist can detect when a root canal is needed, either before teeth become painful, or when a non-painful, yet chronic infection Is present.

The root canal is only the first part of returning your tooth to health. After a root canal, the tooth receives a temporary filling. A permanent restoration is needed once the temporary filling has been in place for two to three weeks. We can explain the alternatives for a permanent restoration after the root canal. While a crown is the most common solution, a porcelain onlay is a safe alternative that preserves more of your natural tooth structure.