Dentist in Palo Alto
Dr. Harry Tseng & Dr. Christine Hansen, DDS
If you live in Palo Alto, you know how busy life gets. Between school drop-offs at Palo Alto High or rushing to meetings near Stanford University, your health sometimes takes a back seat. We see so many neighbors from Midtown and Barron Park who wait until a tooth hurts to call us. Finding a reliable dentist in Palo Alto shouldn’t be another chore on your list. We want to be the place where you feel at home, even if you’re usually scared of the dentist chair.
A lot of folks ask us, “Who is the best dentist near me?” The truth is, the best one is the person who listens to you and makes you feel comfortable. Whether you’ve lived in Crescent Park for thirty years or just moved to North Palo Alto for a new tech job, we treat you like a real person, not a chart number.
General Dental Services Palo Alto
Dental Implants • Dental Crowns • Dental Bridges
Tooth-Colored Fillings • Gum Disease Treatment
General Dentist
When you look for a General Dentist, you want someone who can handle the basics and the big stuff. We focus on keeping your natural teeth healthy so you can keep enjoying those dinners at Town & Country Village without pain. Some people are nervous because they haven’t been to a clinic in a long time. Don’t worry about that here. We see people with all kinds of dental histories and we never judge.
Comprehensive Oral Exam
The first time you come see us, we do a Comprehensive Oral Examination. This is how we get to know your mouth. We don’t just look for cavities. We look at your jaw, your tongue, and how your teeth fit together. It’s a full check to make sure nothing sneaky is going on. We want to catch small things before they become big, expensive problems that keep you up at night.
Periodic Oral Examination
Once we get your smile in a good place, we see you for a Periodic Oral Examination. This is your regular check-up. Usually, we do this every six months. It’s like an oil change for your mouth. It helps us stay on top of your health so you don’t have sudden surprises. If you are a regular at the California Avenue Farmers’ Market, you know that fresh and healthy is always better. That is how we view your teeth.
Limited Oral Examination (Problem-Focused)
Sometimes, things go wrong. Maybe you bit down on something hard at a backyard BBQ in South Palo Alto and now a tooth feels weird. Or maybe your gums started bleeding out of nowhere. That’s when we do a Limited Oral Examination (Problem-Focused). We focus on just that one spot that’s bothering you. We try to get you in fast because we know tooth pain is the worst.
Sleep Apnea Evaluation
Snoring isn’t just annoying for the person sleeping next to you. It can mean you aren’t breathing right. We perform a Sleep Apnea Evaluation because your dentist is often the first person to see the signs of airway issues. If you are always tired even after a full night of sleep, your mouth might be the reason. We can help you find ways to breathe better so you have more energy for your hikes at Arastradero Preserve.
Dental Cleanings
Everybody loves that smooth feeling after Dental Cleanings. Our team is super gentle. We get rid of the plaque and tartar that you can’t brush away at home. Even if you are great at flossing, there are always spots that are hard to reach. Regular cleanings keep your breath fresh and your gums pink and strong.
TMJ/TMD Evaluation
Do you wake up with a headache or a sore jaw? A lot of people in our area are stressed, and they grind their teeth at night. We do a TMJ/TMD Evaluation to see if your jaw joints are working right. If your jaw clicks or pops when you eat, we can find out why. Fixing this can stop those morning headaches and keep your teeth from wearing down too fast.
Guided Biofilm Therapy (GBT)
We are really excited to offer Guided Biofilm Therapy (GBT). If you hate the old-school way of scraping teeth, you will love this. It uses warm water, air, and a very fine powder to clean your teeth. It is much more comfortable than the old metal tools. It’s great for people with sensitive teeth or anyone who wants a more modern, painless cleaning. It feels more like a spa day for your teeth.
Dental Fillings
Cavities happen. Even if you eat healthy, some people just get them more easily. We do Dental Fillings that look just like your real tooth. We use materials that are strong and safe. We make sure the fit is perfect so food doesn’t get stuck and you can chew normally. We want the filling to last a long time and look totally natural.
Root Canal Therapy
If a tooth gets a deep infection, it can realy hurt. Most people are scared of Root Canal Therapy, but it’s actually what stops the pain. It’s a way to save your tooth instead of pulling it out. We make sure the area is totally numb before we start. Most patients say it feels just like getting a regular filling. Saving your natural tooth is always the best goal.
Oral Sedation
We know that for some people, just the smell of a dental office makes them sweat. If you are very nervous, we offer Oral Sedation. You take a pill before your visit, and it makes you feel very relaxed and sleepy. You’ll need a friend to drive you to our Palo Alto office and take you home, but it makes the whole experience much easier. You might not even remember the work being done!
Teeth Extractions
Sometimes a tooth is too broken or decayed to save. In those cases, we handle Teeth Extractions right here. We make the process as quick and painless as we can. We also talk to you about what to do next, like getting an implant or a bridge, so you don’t have a gap in your smile for long. We’ve helped many people through this, and we make sure you know exactly how to take care of yourself afterward.
Digital X-Rays
To see what’s happening under your gums, we use Digital X-Rays. These are way better than the old film ones. They show up on a screen instantly and they use much less radiation. We can zoom in to see tiny cracks or early decay that we might miss with just our eyes. It’s a big part of how we keep your care accurate and safe.
Nitrous Dioxide
If you just need a little help to take the edge off your nerves, we use Nitrous Dioxide. You might know it as “laughing gas.” You breathe it in through a small mask, and it makes you feel light and calm. The best part is that it wears off fast. You can breathe regular air for a few minutes and then drive yourself home or back to work in Silicon Valley without feeling foggy.
Why Neighbors Choose Us
We have been part of the Palo Alto community for a long time. We’ve seen kids grow up and go off to college, and then come back to see us as adults. We care about the people here. We know that when you search for a dentist in Palo Alto, you want someone who is honest about what you need and what you don’t.
We don’t do “sales pitches.” We just give you the facts about your teeth and help you decide what’s best for your budget and your health. Our office is easy to find, and we try to keep our schedule on time because we know your time is valuble. Whether it’s a seasonal allergy making your teeth ache or a chipped tooth from a bike ride at Shoreline, we’ve seen it all and we are ready to help.
Frequently Asked Questions
INVISALIGN CLEAR BRACES PALO ALTO
Invisalign® is a series of clear, removable teeth aligners that your Palo Alto Dentists use as an alternative to traditional metal dental braces.
Invisalign® takes a modern approach to straightening teeth, using a custom-made series of aligners created for you and only you. These aligner trays are made of smooth, comfortable and virtually invisible plastic that you wear over your teeth.
Wearing the aligners will gradually and gently shift your teeth into place, based on the exact movements that your Palo Alto Dentist Dr. Hansen plans out for you. There are no metal brackets to attach and no wires to tighten. You just pop in a new set of aligners approximately every two weeks, until your treatment is complete.
You’ll achieve a great smile with little interference in your daily life. The best part about the whole process is that most people won’t even know you’re straightening your teeth.
