At Dental Solutions of Northboro, we are a close-knit team of dental professionals committed to providing the utmost in advanced comprehensive dentistry. Our well-established practice has been around since the 1980s, with Dr. Jasna Kun taking over in 2012. Our knowledgeable dentists offer extensive experience and a true passion for patient-focused dental care in Northborough, Massachusetts. We are also able to assist you in several languages. In addition to English, Dr. Kun speaks Serbian and Croatian, Dr. Jukneliene speaks Lithuanian, and Dr. Buckley speaks Spanish. We encourage you to get to know us better by reading our bios below!

Dr. Jasna Kun received her dental degree from Boston University School of Dental Medicine in 1996 and has been practicing in the Boston area ever since. She later went on to receive her certification in an endodontic program in 1999. Prior to this, she graduated dental school at University of Belgrade, Yugoslavia, in 1983. Dr. Kun is a member of the American Dental Association, American Association of Endodontists, and Massachusetts Dental Society, regularly attending local meetings. Her primary goal as a dentist is to keep providing the best endodontic care for her patients in a warm and caring atmosphere.

An important part of Dr Kuns life is dedicated to providing care for underprivileged children. She has done extensive travel to Vietnam, Guatemala, India, Nepal, and Cambodia as part of the Global Dental team, providing dental care for school children in remote parts of those countries. Dr. Kun loves traveling, as well as playing tennis and hiking with her dogs. She also enjoys spending time with her two children, Adrian and Tara.

Dr. Dalia Jukneliene earned her dental degree from Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine, Boston University in 2010. Before this, she received dentistry training in her home country of Lithuania in 1998, followed by residency training in periodontology. Dr. Jukneliene also earned a Master of Biology in oral microbiology at the University of Bergen, Norway, and studied statistics at Loyola University of Chicago. She continues to stay well-informed on the latest updates in the dental field bu continuing her education on a constant basis, which include training from the Yankee Institute. Dr. Jukneliene is a member of the American Dental Association and the exclusive Omicron Kappa Upsilon Society. Her goal as a dentist is to provide excellent care to each and every patient. In her leisure time, Dr. Jukneliene enjoys spending time with her husband, their son, Simon, and little dog named Sage. Her hobbies include skiing, hiking, and gardening.

Dr. Paola Buckley received her DDS degree from El Bosque University in Bogot, Colombia, in 2000. She practiced as a general dentist in her native Bogot while serving as a Teaching Associate and Researcher in Periodontal Microbiology for her schools department of Oral Microbiology. Her love for periodontal research brought her to the United States to pursue a research opportunity at the prestigious Forsyth Institute in Boston, MA. She later earned her Doctor of Science Degree in oral biology at the Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine in 2008. During her postdoctoral years, she published several peer-reviewed articles about periodontal disease biology.

It was her love for patient care and education which motivated her to incorporate her knowledge of the periodontology basic sciences into a fulfilling clinical practice. She dedicated herself into pursuing additional training and completed a two-year specialty program in clinical periodontology and implantology at the Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine, and a DMD program designed for internationally-trained dentists at the same university.

Currently, Dr. Buckley is a Clinical Assistant Professor for the Predoctoral Periodontology Department at the Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine, where she supervises and instructs students in all aspects of periodontal disease and treatment. Dr. Buckley is very passionate about periodontology and dental implantology and is always current on the latest techniques and treatment services. She attends multiple professional meetings throughout the year and is an active member of the American Academy of Periodontology, American Dental Association, Massachusetts Dental Society and the Hispanic Dental Association. She is committed to providing excellent dental care to all patients.

Gina has been with our practice since 2012 and has been in the dental field for over 35 years, having dedicated her whole career to dentistry. She enjoys meeting and welcoming new people to our practice and also educating our patients on their dental needs. She has expertise in all fields of dentistry including endodontics, periodontics and general dentistry. Gina is an outgoing, friendly, caring, sincere and honest person who loves meeting people and making them feel comfortable in the office. Gina is a wonderful asset to our practice, bringing a well-rounded amount of knowledge, from clinical to administrative to lab work. Outside of the office, Gina resides in Northboro with her husband, Curt, and their three children. In her free time, she enjoys reading, walking on the beach, spending time with family, traveling and of course, shopping.

Heather completed her Dental Hygiene degree in 1995 at Quinsigamond Community College. Heather truly loves her work in dentistry. She especially feels accomplished when she can make patients with previous negative dental experiences feel comfortable and happy to receive care. Heather and her husband, Tom, are raising four daughters together. The family enjoys spending time together in youth sports, camping, and travelling to Canada. They are always planning their next family adventure! Heathers hobbies include playing with her 3 dogs, photography, scrapbooking and travelling.

Lisa joined our practice in 2016, bringing several years of dental field experience with her. She enjoys interacting with our amazing patients, as well as working alongside a great team and knowledgeable doctors. Lisa resides in Oxford with her husband of 34 years, Robert. She has two children, Alexandrea and Eric, and four beautiful granddaughters. Lisas favorite thing to do is spend time with her family. She also enjoys shopping, old movies, and reading.

Endodontics is the dental specialty that deals with tissues and structures located inside the tooth. One of the most common endodontic treatments is root canal therapy, a procedure which effectively eases the pain associated with a bacterial infection deep within the pulp of the tooth. Of course, root canal treatment doesn't just relieve pain it also stops the infection by removing dead and dying tissue from the tooth's pulp. Plus, it helps to save the tooth, which is in danger of being lost if left untreated.

Yet root canal therapy isn't the only treatment endodontics offers. This field also deals with cases of dental trauma, performs microsurgery on the tips of the tooth's roots, and even helps figure out what's going on when tooth pain seems to come and go intermittently, or when the pain isn't localized at one tooth. So when it comes to preserving your natural teeth, endodontics has plenty of ways to help.

What's inside your teeth? Behind the tough, shiny enamel of the tooth's visible crown lies the sturdy inner tissue called dentin. Dentin is also found behind the cementum that forms the outer layer of the tooth's roots in fact, it makes up the bulk of the tooth's structure. Similar in many ways to bone tissue, dentin is composed of many tiny tubules which can transmit sensations to nerve cells when it is stimulated.

At the core of the tooth, inside small, branching chambers called the root canals, we find the soft pulp tissue. This consists of nerves, connective tissues and blood vessels which extend into the center of the tooth and exit through canals near the apex (tip) of the tooth's roots. When problems (such as infection and inflammation) develop in the pulp tissue, your first indication of trouble may be tooth sensitivity or intense pain. In time, as the nerves die, the pain may go away but the problem won't. In fact, if left untreated, the end result may be tooth loss.

What could cause the pulp tissue to become diseased and lead to root canal problems? One potential source of infection is untreated tooth decay, which can allow bacteria from the tooth's surface to work its way deep inside. A crack or fracture in a tooth could offer another pathway for microorganisms to infect the pulp.

Dental trauma from a sports injury, for example may also damage dentin or pulp, or expose it to infection. Extensive dental procedures (such as multiple fillings or restorations on the same tooth) may cause trouble; occasionally, even routine procedures like orthodontics may eventually lead to root canal problems.

The old gag line I'd rather have a root canal may still get a laugh but root canal problems are no joke. It's important to remember that root canal treatment doesn't cause pain; it relieves pain. A typical root canal procedure is performed with local anesthetics, and doesn't cause any more discomfort than having a filling. Here's what to expect:

First, you will receive anesthesia (usually a numbing shot) and for many patients, the worst is now over. Next, a small opening is made in the tooth surface to give access to the pulp chamber and root canals. Then, tiny instruments are used often with the aid of a microscope to remove dead and dying tissue from inside the narrow passages. These passages are then cleaned, disinfected, and filled with a safe, inert material. Finally, the opening in the tooth is sealed to prevent contamination.

Other endodontic treatments may be recommended for removing sources of infection and preventing future problems. Following an endodontic procedure, it may be necessary to have a restoration (such as a crown) placed on the tooth to restore it to full function and aesthetic appearance. After that, with proper care the restored tooth should last for many years.

Common Concerns About Root Canal Treatment The term root canal can send shivers down many a spine. However, preconceived notions that root canal treatment is filled with pain and discomfort are nothing more than outdated myths. In fact, root canal treatment doesn't cause pain but actually relieves it... Read Article

Root Canal Treatment for Children's Teeth You may think that if a baby tooth comes out prematurely, it's no great loss; after all, it was going to fall out anyway, right? Wrong! Primary (baby) teeth serve as important guides for the permanent teeth that will replace them. Losing baby teeth prematurely can allow bite problems to develop. Root canal treatment for children can prevent this. Learn what to look for in your child and what can be done to save baby teeth until they are ready to be lost naturally... Read Article

Tooth Pain? Don't Wait! Pain is a protective response that informs the body that something is wrong. Tooth pain, specifically, is caused by a reaction of the nerves inside a tooth's pulp chamber, with the severity dependent upon the type and degree of the stimulus. This article gives some examples of pain symptoms and their possible causes... Read Article

While you may think that some loss of teeth is inevitable with aging, it is actually possible for all of your teeth to last a lifetime. One of the ways you can achieve this goal is to avoid periodontal disease (peri around; odont tooth), which is caused by bacteria that attack the tissues around the teeth. Unfortunately, you may not even realize you have gum disease as the signs and symptoms are not always as apparent to you as they are to a dental professional.

Nearly all people who do not maintain good daily oral hygiene will develop gingivitis. If left untreated, this bacterial gum infection can progress from gingivitis (gingival gum; itis inflammation) to periodontitis, which results in bone loss around your teeth. As the bone tissue is lost, the gum tissues detach from the teeth and form little pockets that provide an even better place for bacteria to live where your brush and floss can't reach. As periodontal disease advances leading to more bone loss, tooth loss can result. Part of this has to do with genetics, as periodontal disease tends to run in families. The good news is that periodontal disease can be controlled, even at more advanced stages.

It's important to understand that you can have periodontal disease with no obvious symptoms, especially if you are a smoker (nicotine reduces blood supply preventing bleeding and swelling of the gum tissues). Still, there are some important things to look for:

All periodontal therapy starts with the evaluation of your oral hygiene techniques and instruction for improving them, followed by the mechanical removal of plaque and any calcified deposits (tartar or calculus) that are present on the root surfaces. This is accomplished with a cleaning technique known as scaling, root planing or debridement using hand instruments and/or ultrasonic (high frequency vibrational) instruments. Locally applied antimicrobial products or antibiotics might also be recommended during various parts of periodontal treatment to assist in healing and pocket-depth reduction, hopefully eliminating the need for periodontal surgery. Sometimes surgical procedures may be necessary to remove the deep pockets that form between inflamed gum tissue and teeth. There are many different types of surgery to handle a variety of problems. And many times, combinations of procedures are used to attempt to reduce the number of surgeries as well as the cost of treatment.

Periodontal disease starts in your mouth but has actually been linked to more serious conditions, such as cardio-vascular disease (CVD), diabetes and preterm births. Research has suggested two plausible mechanisms for how gum disease and these other serious medical concerns could be related: moderate to severe periodontal disease increases the level of systemic (bodily) inflammation a characteristic of all chronic inflammatory diseases. Also, the same bacterial strains that are commonly found in periodontal pockets surrounding diseased teeth have been found in blood vessel plaques of individuals with CVD. Therefore, it may be helpful to reduce periodontal inflammation to reduce systemic inflammation.

The best way to prevent periodontal disease is to brush and floss your teeth effectively every day. Regular dental checkups and professional cleanings every 3 or 4 or 6 months are also an important part of maintaining periodontal health; the instruments and techniques used in these cleanings can reach into areas that your toothbrush and floss can't.

It is also possible to detect early forms of gum disease by evaluating your gingival (gum) tissues, both visually and by examining their attachment levels to the teeth. And the health of your tooth-supporting bone can be assessed by taking dental radiographs (x-rays pictures).

Understanding Gum (Periodontal) Disease Have your gums ever bled when you brushed or flossed? This most commonly overlooked simple sign may be the start of a silent progressive disease leading to tooth loss. Learn what you can do to prevent this problem and keep your teeth for life... Read Article

The Link Between Heart & Gum Diseases Inflammation has emerged as a factor in the process of cardiovascular disease (CVD), which commonly results in heart attacks and strokes. While the precise role inflammation plays in causing chronic CVD remains an area of intense investigation, much more is now known. The good news is that, based on current research, we know that if we can reduce the inflammation caused by periodontal disease, we may reduce the risk for heart attacks and strokes... Read Article

Periodontal Plastic Surgery Millions of Americans have some degree of gum recession a loss of the tough, pink tissue that surrounds teeth. Receding gums can cause anything from minor tooth sensitivity to tooth loss in very severe cases. Fortunately, the field of periodontal plastic surgery has made enormous strides in devising techniques, including grafting, to deal with the problem of lost or damaged gum tissue... Read Article

Pregnancy & Oral Health Pregnancy is generally thought of as the time when a woman strives to be particularly aware of the need for better health. Many women, though, may not be aware of the link that exists between their oral health and their systemic (general) health, as well as the impact this can have on a developing child. Learn about how to care for yourself and your baby... Read Article