Elm Street Family Dental is a Albany based family dentist practice that treats patients of all ages. We are committed to delivering the highest quality dental care and do so using advanced dental equipment. We are a cosmetic dentist that offers services like checkups, teeth cleaning, crowns, veneers and more.

Dr. Lane Harris completed his Bachelors Degree in Biology from Western Oregon University before graduating from Oregon Health Sciences School of Dentistry in 1996. In that same year, he starting practicing with his father, Dr. Ron Harris and he has practiced in his hometown of Albany ever since.

Dr. Harris is passionate about providing the highest quality of dental care to his patients. He has committed himself to staying on the forefront of dentistry by offering the most advanced dental care with a painless and personal touch.

He has taken advanced training to become an Invisalign Preferred Provider, and he is Laser Certified and Conscious Sedation Certified. He also has advanced training in periodontal procedures, full mouth reconstruction, and sleep apnea devices.

Part of what he enjoys most about practicing in Albany is it gives him and his staff the opportunity to build lasting relationships with patients. The better he and his team know the patient, the better they can meet the patients needs.

Community involvement is important to Dr. Harris and he remains active as a volunteer for the Tooth-Taxi Mobile Dental Van and Community Outreach. Over the last twenty years, he has enjoyed coaching local Boys & Girls club football, basketball, and baseball teams.

He is also active within dental organizations. He is a member of the American Dental Association, Academy of General Dentistry, Southern Willamette Dental Society, Docs Education for Oral Sedation, and American Academy of Facial Esthetics.

Dr. Morse received his BS degrees from the United States Naval Academy and the University of Oregon. He has a Masters from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and his DMD degree is from Oregon Health & Science University, School of Dentistry.

He regularly attends advanced-practice continuums and continuing education programs in order to provide his patients with the best, most up-to-date dental treatment possible. Dr. Morse shares our practice philosophy of providing high-quality dental care in a gentle and efficient manner. Dr. Morses desire is to provide high-quality dental care in a gentle, caring, and efficient manner.

Dr. Morse was raised in Albany, OR and is proud to call Albany his home. He is active in the community coaching Little League baseball, basketball and Pop Warner football. He feels fortunate to be raising his kids here in Albany with lots of family and friends around. He has enjoyed being back in his hometown community and feels fortunate that he and his wife Molly, can give their kids Wyatt (10) and Paige (7) a stable environment where they can grow up and flourish.

Dr. Morse was appointed to the United States Naval Academy, Class of 1991, and is still active as a Navy Reservist pilot to this date. In his spare time, he enjoys the outdoors, fishing, hunting, hiking, rafting, and camping as well as watching and playing sports. Dr. Morse volunteers his time with the Boys & Girls Club dental practice as well as supporting the Vets Helping Vets organization by providing care to veterans. He is an active member in the dental community and is a member of the ADA Southern Willamette Dental Society, Academy of General Dentistry, and Delta Sigma Delta Dental Society.

She strives to be compassionate and professional. Patient comfort and satisfaction are of great importance to Roberta. She is dedicated to providing quality, up-to-date dental care and is Certified in Advance Laser Periodontal Therapy. Her goal is to educate patients on their oral health and its direct correlation to their general health and quality of life.

Brittany joined our dental team once again Dec. 2013, after continuing her education in dental hygiene. She graduated from Oregon Institute of Technology in March 2013 with her Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene. In January of 2014, she was certified in Advanced Laser Periodontal Therapy.

Brittany strongly believes that oral health plays a huge role in our bodys overall health. She is passionate about patient education and meeting individual patient needs to make their dental experiences as comfortable as possible. Brittany and her husband live locally and stay busy with their newly welcomed daughter Quinn. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, crafting, and exploring the outdoors with family and their two dogs.

Michelle joined our dental team in October of 2020. She grew up in Washington State and graduated from Yakima Valley Community College in 2013. As a teenager, she was sure of two things: she wanted to live in Oregon and she wanted to be a dental hygienist. Her goal as your hygienist is to help you be excited about your oral health. She believes that when it comes to health, it is a team effort.

Outside of work, she spends her time being a mom of 3. She has a 4-year-old son, Felix and 5-year-old bulldog Roxy, and a french bulldog named Axle. Michelles husband works in agriculture and grew up in Jefferson, that is what brought them to Albany. She also loves to run, ride bikes, listen to podcasts, and she is trying to learn to cook and garden. Michelle has a passion for health and helping people.

The Staff of Elm Street Family Dental has enjoyed working with Christina since February 2006. She has been working as a Dental Assistant since 2005. She attended The Academy of Dental Assisting in Eugene, OR, later receiving completing her Expanded Functions Dental Assisting Certification. Christina is passionate about her job and finds great satisfaction in providing each patient with exceptional care. She enjoys spending her free time with her family and friends.

Ruthie graduated from the Dental assistant program at Linn-Benton community college in 2003. She joined our team in 2015.Ruthie enjoys working in the family practice where you get to know your patients and get to see them regularly.

Sherry joined Elm Street Family Dental in September of 2007. Sherry started working in the dental field in 1995 with the Indian Health Service in Alaska. She was a Certified Dental Assistant until 2000, at that time she moved to the front desk as a Dental Office Manager.

Debbie comes from Colorado where she started her dental career in 1979 as a summer hire for her family dentist. She attended and then graduated in 1981 from Mesa State College in Colorado with a Certification in Dental Assisting with Expanded Functions. She enjoyed back office assisting for 21 years. She likes to greet patients in the practice and loves the dental care we are able to provide.

Jillian was born and raised in Lebanon. She graduated from Linn Benton Community College in 1997. One of her favorite things about being a dental assistant is she can help make her patients feel comfortable while getting treatment done.

She has been married for 22 years and has two kids that she loves to spend quality time with. Some of her hobbies include listening to music, traveling and discovering new places, camping, trying new foods, boating, and riding ATV's in the woods, snow and sand.

Appearance is not the only benefit of wearing Invisalign for straighter teeth, since straighter teeth can also benefit one's oral health. In fact crooked teeth can trap food between them and lead to infection or bite issues. At Elm Street Family Dental, we offer Invisalign as a treatment for patients interested in discreetly straightening their teeth.

Invisalign is a series of clear aligner trays that cover the teeth, similar to a retainer or mouth guard, but are much more discreet. At least every two weeks or so, the patient will switch to the next set in the series of Invisalign trays. With the custom aligners for each patient, Invisalign will gradually push the teeth into the right position without causing significant amounts of pain.

After creating the trays, we will then meet with the patient to ensure that they fit and that the patient understands all of the steps in the straightening process. It is important that the patient understand a few key factors about wearing Invisalign on a regular basis.

While the patient can remove Invisalign trays when necessary, the patient will want to keep them in as much as possible. The longer the patient does not wear the trays for, the longer the entire process will take. Patients need to remove the aligner trays when eating and to brush the teeth.

Patients can also remove the aligner trays to play in a sports game, give a presentation, go on a date, or while taking a photo. It is important to at least rinse the mouth after eating to keep food from getting caught in the teeth.

The patient will be able to continue through each aligner tray and follow a schedule with no surprises. By following the schedule, the patient's teeth will continue to move into the proper position without pain.

While wearing Invisalign, patients will not have to brush and floss between brackets with difficulty. In fact, the patient will be able to brush and floss as normal by just removing the aligner trays. However, it is crucial that the patient brush after each meal to keep food from sticking between the teeth.

Food that is stuck in the teeth can also damage the aligners. It is important that patients do not wear the aligners while drinking soda or other beverages while wearing Invisalign aligners. We recommend that patients only keep the aligners in when drinking water.

We customize the Invisalign aligners to fit the patient's teeth and then use programming technology to digitally map out the projected rate of movement for the patient. We will then build the rest of the clear aligners in the series. Each new set of aligners will be a bit closer to the correct position for straight teeth.

With a customized straightening treatment, patients do not need to worry about the aligners falling out or being loose. Since there is no one-size-fits-all treatment, we make sure that the trays are the right fit for each patient.

Invisalign aligner trays are nearly invisible to the point that few people will notice them unless the individual mentions wearing them. Patients will not have to feel embarrassed by wearing traditional metal braces or a mess of wires in their mouth on a regular basis. Invisalign allows for the patient to receive the straight smile they desire without the maintenance of going through braces treatment.

Invisalign has become a popular choice among adult and teenage patients. Unlike traditional methods of teeth straightening, Invisalign offers patients an array of benefits, including an easy treatment process and flexibility.One common question that comes up when considering teeth straightening is whether patients should visit an orthodontist or general dentist for treatment. Each patient is

For those seeking a straighter smile, Invisalign is a popular and effective choice for dental patients of various ages. Using clear aligner trays, this system provides a more discreet treatment option, often with less discomfort and in less time than traditional braces. Straightening crooked teeth can result in a host of helpful benefits:Improved appearanceFewer headachesReduced

If you live in Albany or the local area, you can benefit from a teeth whitening procedure at our local dental office. At Elm Street Family Dental, we are known for improving the appearance of our patients' smiles. We are a cosmetic dentist and has multiple ways for doing so. We often recommend a teeth bleaching procedure because it is by far the easiest way to transform your smile. After cleaning your teeth, we can complete this procedure in time for a special event or as part of your regular oral health routine.

People have their teeth whitened on a regular basis so that they can look and feel great. As people age, it is common for teeth to become dull and yellow. This is in part due to age itself and also due to what a person eats and drinks. Drinking coffee, tea and wine, for example, can stain your teeth. Smoking and eating foods that contain food coloring can also stain your teeth. Brushing immediately after eating and drinking can help to prevent stains but is typically not enough to remove the risk entirely. Fortunately, stained and yellow teeth don't have to stay that way.

There are several types of teeth bleaching that you can try. People typically start by using whitening toothpaste at home. This can help to brighten your teeth but is typically not enough to actually whiten them. We recommend toothpaste as part of an overall teeth whitening treatment but not by itself. After professional whitening, the toothpaste can help your teeth stay bright.

Many people may try over the counter solutions like whitening trays or strips. These treatments work but not as well as professional solutions. As with most things, what you buy in the store is simply not as strong as what you can get from a medical professional. Additionally, store bought whitening trays are designed to fit everyone's teeth, not your teeth specifically. This means that they can become loose, and the solution can leak, leading to gum irritation.

In our dental office, we also recommend whitening trays. This type of procedure is effective and puts patients in control over how white their teeth become and how often they are whitened. We start by taking an impression of a patient's teeth. We then use this impression to create customized whitening trays in a dental lab. They fit securely around teeth and will not leak solution into the mouth. This is an ideal way for patients to whiten teeth because once they are created, they can be used at any time. Patients are provided with a whitening solution to use at home, and the trays need to be worn for a couple of hours every night for a week or more. Once teeth have reached the perfect shade of white, a patient can stop wearing the trays. This portable solution can be taken anywhere, making it possible for people to whiten teeth while on vacation, business trips or after moving to a new city.

When a whitening solution is applied to the teeth, the hydrogen peroxide inside of the solution penetrates through the enamel. It then starts the oxidation process where molecules are transformed to reflect less or no light. This makes them appear colorless, and teeth appear white. This process is typically extremely effective for eliminating stains and can be repeated frequently.

On occasion, the stains are too strong for a teeth bleaching procedure to work. When this happens, we can provide an alternative treatment. For example, patients in Albany can have dental veneers placed on the surface of teeth in order to cover dark stains. This is often preferable for patients that smoke since veneers are stain resistant and won't yellow quickly like natural teeth. Still, it is wise to try a teeth whitening procedure first, before starting a cosmetic one.

At Elm Street Family Dental, we also recommend that patients have their teeth whitened before having other dental procedures completed. Most of the materials that are used in dental restorations or for cosmetic purposes are stain resistant and bleach resistant. For example, a dental crown won't stain or bleach but should maintain its initial coloring with time. When a crown, veneer, bridge, or implant is created in a dental lab, they are created to match the shade of the surrounding teeth. If the surrounding teeth are yellow, these restorations will be created in a yellow shade. If the surrounding teeth are a brilliant white, the restoration will be as well. This makes the timing of teeth whitening procedures important. If you live in the Albany area and are interested in a dental restoration, schedule your teeth whitening procedure first.

A. Sensitivity from tooth whitening is always transient. If there is any sensitivity caused by the whitening, it goes away within one to two days after the treatment, and the patient returns to the state of sensitivity he or she had prior to starting the whitening process.

A. Typically you can expect whitening to last from six months to two years, although some studies report results lasting up to 10 years. Avoiding red wine, coffee, and smokingall of which can cause staininghelps preserve the results.

A. Tooth whitening has little or no effect on restorative materials such as porcelain or crowns, but it may temporarily reduce the bond strength between enamel and composite restorations. This is why it is a good idea to check with your dental professional before beginning any course of tooth whitening.

A. Products developed from carbamide peroxide, hydrogen peroxide, and urea (substances found in every human cell), should be used cautiously to alleviate concern. Those who have issues are the ones who don't follow instructions and overuse the products for months or years.

It is normal for teeth to yellow or become stained over time, but teeth whitening can return a smile to its original brightness. The American Association of Orthodontics reports that more than 30% of Americans are unhappy with their smile. Getting teeth whitened is a simple, easy process that can help anyone regain confidence in

Preparing for an upcoming root canal? This procedure is one that often causes anxiety; however, modern-day dentistry has allowed for serious innovations in technology, thus ensuring positive results that are achieved with little to no discomfort involved.In general dentistry, a root canal falls under the category of restorative work. When a tooth is in bad