I get so excited about making a positive impact in our patients lives. Everyone wants to do the best for themselves and their families, and we strive to help them get where they see themselves. My team and I work hard to make patients comfortable and safe. We do whatever it takes to make you feel like family whether that be a listening ear or a welcoming hug.

I was raised on a farm near Baileyville, KS, but I am now proud to call Wichita my home. My wife Marilee of over 20 years and I have five daughters and two sons, which makes for a very full, very active home. When I am not in the office, I spend a lot of time with my children and their activities, any outdoor recreation or working on our farm near Danville.

It is important for me to be active in my church and community. My older children and I volunteer at the Lords Diner, and I spend time volunteering at my church while providing annual dental screenings at my children's school. I am also a member of the Wichita Metro Chamber of Commerce.

I am also involved as a part time faculty member for the new AEGD (Advanced Education in General Dentistry) residency program offered through Wichita State University. It is a yearlong residency for dentist's seeking additional training in general dentistry after finishing dental school. I enjoy being a mentor as well as sharing my knowledge to the new dentist's that are committed to furthering their education.

Root canal treatment is recommended when the soft tissue inside the tooth, called the pulp, becomes infected. This can happen for a number of reasons, such as a cracked tooth, a deep cavity, trauma, or repeated dental procedures. You might notice symptoms including pain, prolonged sensitivity to heat and cold, swelling, tooth discoloration, or tenderness in the area. Sometimes, there will not be any symptoms. If it is left untreated, the infection can eventually result in tooth loss and compromise the health of your jaw. Root canal treatment removes infected tissue, relieves discomfort, and allows your biting and chewing function to return to normal. It also eliminates the need fortooth extraction. Preserving the tooth is best for your oral health, and helps you avoid the need for more extensive procedures likedental implant treatment.

When decay reaches the tissue inside a tooth, it can cause an infection. This can result in toothache, swelling, or dental pain that disrupts your day and keeps you awake at night. At Nordhus Dentistry, our dentist can quickly alleviate the painful symptoms of an infected tooth with a root canal.

The pulp inside your tooth consists of nerves, blood vessels, and connective tissue. It extends down into the tooth roots. Root canal treatment is the process of removing the damaged pulp from the inside of the tooth and preserving the outer tissue. To accomplish this, Dr. Nordhus will first numb your tooth so you will comfortable. He then creates an opening in the top of the tooth to access the pulp chamber. Next, he removes the diseased pulp from the inside of the tooth and roots. He then gently cleans and shapes the root canals in preparation for filling them with a rubber-like substance called gutta-percha.

If you are dissatisfied with the appearance of your smile, Dr. Nordhus can combine treatments to save you time and money. We can restore compromised teeth and optimize your bite with a custom-tailored smile makeover. At Nordhus Dentistry, we can give you a beautiful smile you can be proud to share with the world.

No two smile makeovers are the same because treatment is customized to your specific needs. Any combination of veneers, whitening, and other procedures can be used to help you achieve your cosmetic goals. Our Wichita team will examine your teeth, your facial structure, and other aspects of your smile to determine which cosmetic options will achieve your desired results. You plan could include:

Porcelain veneers are thin shells that are secured to the front surface of the tooth. Veneers can conceal imperfections such as chips, cracks, gaps, and more in a way that looks exceptionally natural.

A 'gummy smile' is characterized by excess gum tissue. This condition can make the teeth appear short or worn. Gum contouring reshapes the gum line for a more balanced look. We use advanced lasers for minimized pain, expedited healing, and a suture-less recovery.

Dr. Nordhus has been practicing dentistry since 1996, and performs each of our cosmetic procedures with the utmost care. To ensure that you experience beautiful results, we use some of the latest digital dental technology. With our iTero intraoral scanner, we can take digital impressions to craft veneers and other solutions that fit your smile precisely and provide the best aesthetics. We also use this scanner to prepare Invisalign treatment for patients, ensuring beautiful results.

We are also happy to be the first office in Kansas to use the Solea Laser, a hard-tissue laser that removes decay with ease. The Solea laser takes the place of a traditional dental drill, which requires anesthetic shots to numb the treatment area. Using the Solea laser, Dr. Nordhus can efficiently remove decay without the need for any type of injection.

Sedation dentistry is the process of using medication to help you stay calm during dental work. Our Wichita dental practice offers a wide range of safe and effective sedatives, including oral consciousness, nitrous oxide, and IV sedation.

Many patients find it difficult to sit still, especially when undergoing lengthy treatments. Sedation can make you feel a little sleepy, reducing your impulse to move around and fidget. You may also feel like time is passing much quicker.

An extremely sensitive gag reflex is uncomfortable and inconvenient during dental treatment. Trying to work around an overactive gag reflex can also lead to injury, especially when treatment involves dental tools. Sedation relaxes both the jaw and facial muscles to improve your physical comfort and keep you safer during procedures.

If you struggle with low pain tolerance or highly sensitive gums and teeth, a regular dental exam might be painful. Sedatives reduce your sensory perception and can be used in conjunction with local anesthesia to avoid any pain during your treatment.

In some cases, local anesthesia is ineffective or causes adverse side effects. If you have experienced complications in the past from anesthesia, please let Dr. Nordhus know so we can explore the alternative of pain relief with sedation.

Nordhus Dentistry was highly recommended to me by our daughter. Must say, after visiting that I see why!! My initial dental evaluation was most thorough, detecting several dental problems that I had been unaware of. A+ grade for friendliness to professional for staff.

Really great experience here. They're fast, efficient, friendly, knowledgable, and precise. They answered all my questions (and I had a lot), they got me in and out quickly, communicated everything clearly and effectively, and in general made the unpleasant task of going to the dentist a bit less frustrating. I'd definitely see them again.

Putting off a visit to the dentist can lead to serious oral health complications. Don't let anxiety keep you from getting the dental care you need. At Nordhus Dentistry, we offer several sedation options to help patients in the greater West Wichita region feel more comfortable at the dentist's office.

Nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas, has been used by dentists for decades to induce a mild state of sedation. Laughing gas is a mixture of nitrous oxide and air, administered through a breathing mask that is placed over your nose. The gas takes effect very quickly, causing feelings of relaxation and euphoria. While you may feel physically lethargic, you will remain awake and able to respond to instructions. Once you stop inhaling the gas, the anesthetic effects wear off quickly. Nitrous oxide sedation can be used with most patients, from young to elderly. Sometimes oral sedation is combined with nitrous oxide sedation.

IV sedation induces the most powerful level of relaxation and is typically limited to serious cases. If you are a candidate for IV sedation, it will be administered by a licensed nurse anesthetist for your safety. A small needle is inserted into the top of your hand or your inner elbow to dispense the medication into your bloodstream. The effects kick in very quickly, causing you to feel deeply relaxed and comfortable. This type of sedation can work well for patients in need of extensive dental work and those with problems controlling a sensitive gag reflex. You will still be conscious under IV sedation; however, your memory of the procedure will likely be limited. The effects can linger for several hours, so you should plan to take the rest of the day off and have someone drive you home.

I received excellent and professional care. They are friendly and respectful of your concerns and needs. I am a retired dental hygienist, so they were under my magnifying glass. Happy to say they passed with flying colors!