Dr. Carlos J. Huerta received his DMD from the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine in Philadelphia in 2004 and completed a post-graduate advanced residency in general dentistry at Albert Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia in 2005, advancing his skills in restorative and cosmetic dentistry, as well as in surgical procedures and endodontics.
With a background and continued hobby in the arts, Dr. Huertas talent adds to his creative approaches to cosmetic dental treatment and to his ingenuity in effecting not only physical stability in the environment but also in using light and shadow and other nuances to create the illusion of ideal aesthetics with minimal alteration to healthy tooth structure.
Having an undergraduate major in humanities, Dr. Huerta also has lived abroad and has continued to feed his interest in learning about diverse cultures and languages, continually increasing his understanding of the human element in dental treatment, contributing more every day to his already amazing relationship with his patients.
Since his move to New York in 2005, Dr. Huerta has expanded his training to include Invisalign orthodontic treatment and perioral therapeutic and cosmetic treatments with Botox and dermal fillers (e.g. Juvderm) and continues to stay current with cosmetic dental procedures and whitening systems.
At The Dental Boutique, we use composite resin to ensure a natural-looking, mercury-free (as found in silver-mercury amalgam fillings) treatment. It's the healthiest not only for youbut also for the environment.
When diagnosis indicates the need for root canal treatment, our first priority is our patient's peace of mind. Offering an extensive menu of pain-management options, we ensure our patients are at ease about the procedure.
The Dental Boutique works with with many sleep doctors, specialists and sleep centers, providing Sleep Solution appliances which delivergreat results for nighttime breathing optimization, all while preserving the balance of the oral environment.
Although not yet widespread in use, special arrangements can be made through the Dental Boutique to help constructintra-oral hearing devices, in which a microphone earpiece on the non-hearing ear transmits signals to a device worn in the mouth, which then conducts sound through surrounding bones to the non-hearing inner ear.
Our standardfull-coverage restorations are metal-free crowns (or caps). Using breakthrough CAD/CAM technology, our porcelain crowns areconstructed with optimum strength and minimal loss of tooth structure. This approach eliminates the need for a porcelain fused to metal crown, providing a more aesthetic and metal-free result, while also reducingpost-treatment sensitivity.
There are several sets of muscles that hold the lower jaw to the skull,connecting to various zones, allowingit to not only function with the upper jaw but alsotofacilitate forward and side movements, opening and closingrotational and translational movements, anda variety of movements necessary forchewing, speaking, breathing, and swallowing. This basically means a whole lot of muscles are doing a whole lot of things to the jaw to do a whole lot of things for the owner, which can also includecramping, spasm, and compression ofthe TMJ. These muscles are also connected to other bones and other muscles that pull the head and neck in different directions and motions.
In addition to TMJappliances, Botox can be used to aid in relaxing the muscles of the jaw for those with continued spasm, tightness, and pain as a temporary injectable splint. This can also aid in reducing headaches caused by tension in these muscles.
For those suffering from acute symptoms in focused areas of the TMJ and surrounding muscles, acupuncture may also help to relieve localized spasm and to reduce strain in surrounding structures that could exacerbate symptoms of TMJD
Such a vast complex of muscles, working both with and against each other to achieve movement, takes a lot of activity. Just like with any level of continuous and strenuous exercise, muscles can tire, cramp, and spasm causing compression and inflammation of the TMJ capsule and cancausesurrounding and opposing muscles to be affected. Massage of the head, neck, and back can help relax surrounding muscles that may be contributing to the more acutely localized pain near the TMJ.
From numbing a tooth for a filling or crown to numbing teeth and/or soft tissues of the mouth and lips for surgical procedures, a proper injectable local anesthetic is chosen for proper potency, for length of treatment time, and for underlying medical conditions.
When the removal of soft or hard, mineralized plaque from under the gumline is necessary to prevent spread of gum disease and bone loss from around the teeth, a special topical gel formulation can be applied, in most cases, to perform a pain-free procedure, eliminating the need for injections with a needle.
For treatment with Botox, a non-greasy, topical cream, specially compounded for The Dental Boutique, can be applied to the skin prior to therapeutic injections to reduce the already minimal sensation from the ultra-fine needle.
Even with the most comforting environment and options for pain and anxiety management at The Dental Boutique, some must overcome anxieties even in advance of walking through the doors, in which case prescriptions for anxiety-reducing medications may be given prior to treatment.
Even with with pain reduction, many may still have residual anxiety to make for an uncomfortable visit. At The Dental Boutique, nitrous oxide, often called laughing gas or sweet air, is available via incorporated masks in each of the treatment rooms to act as a calming agent at various prescribed levels, depending on each individuals needs and precautions. Not only does nitrous oxide ease anxiety but it also acts as an analgesic, which lessens the sensation of pain on the body.
As a non-medical alternative for anxiety reduction, pet therapy has been shown to greatly reduce stress and instill a sense of calm and pleasure. Arrangements can be made for visits with one of our therapy dogs.
Some fears run too deep for alleviation by any comfort,amenity or medication. In this case, when anxiety prevents treatment from being performed, arrangements can be made for an anesthesiologist to provide conscious sedation during dental treatment at the dental boutique--commonly referred to as sleep dentistry.
Although The Dental Boutique provides individual, private, closable treatment rooms,the nature or status of some may require the premises free of other people. Special requests and arrangements may be made to accommodate for ultimate privacy.