Convenient Access from Vickridge
From Vickridge, Andover Family Dentistry is essentially one long, straight road away: plan on about 13 minutes behind the wheel. That makes us an easy choice for anyone wanting a dentist near Vickridge who also values a team that knows its patients by name. The office is in Andover, and Dr. Matthew Howell places and restores dental implants right here, so crowns, bridges and implant care never require a second office.
Start at Kapaun Mt. Carmel Catholic High School, 8506 E. Central, on the southern edge of the neighborhood. Head east on E Central Ave for about 5.8 miles, leaving Sedgwick County behind as you cross into Andover, then turn left onto N Andover Rd. After roughly 0.85 mile you will see our office on the left, at 1145 N Andover Rd #101, Andover, KS 67002, just before E 13th St. The full 6.8-mile drive involves two roads and no highway, and our Google Maps listing shows the exact pin.
Patients from Rockhurst, just west of Rock Rd, and from Eastborough, a little to the southwest, make similar trips east. If you prefer 13th Street, the private Wichita Country Club course along the neighborhood's north side is a familiar marker before you turn east.
Why Long-Time Vickridge Homeowners Choose Us
Vickridge is one of the more settled corners of the east side. Its first two additions were platted in 1957 and 1960 just east of N Rock Rd, between E Central Ave and E 13th St N, and a small new addition joined them in 2022. The neighborhood has its own homeowner association, and many residents have lived on the same curving streets for decades.
That kind of stability shows up in the dental chair. Long-time residents often carry fillings, crowns and bridges placed years ago, and those restorations eventually need attention. Our doctors look at older dental work with fresh eyes at every exam and talk through what can wait and what should be handled soon.
Because Dr. Howell founded the practice in 2010, many families have seen the same faces here for years. Locally owned and built on long relationships, the office feels personal without feeling old-fashioned.
Comfort matters more when appointments run longer, as restorative visits often do. Massaging chairs, blankets, pillows and ceiling-mounted TVs help the time pass, and topical numbing gel goes on before any injection. Vickridge patients who tense up in the chair can ask for nitrous oxide, which wears off quickly enough to drive yourself home afterward.
Keeping Older Dental Work Healthy in Vickridge
Crowns and bridges do not last forever. Margins can wear, cement can wash out and decay can start quietly underneath, often without pain until the problem is advanced. Digital x-rays and close-up intraoral camera photos let our doctors spot those changes early and show you the images on a chairside screen.
When a crown does need replacing, porcelain crowns can be matched to the shade of neighboring teeth. Missing teeth can be replaced with bridges, dentures or implants, and each option is weighed against your bite, your bone and your budget.
Gum health deserves the same attention. Gum disease is one of the main reasons adults lose teeth, and it often progresses without obvious symptoms beyond a little bleeding when you floss. A periodontal cleaning removes buildup below the gumline, and steady upkeep afterward protects both natural teeth and any work already in place.
For implants, planning happens with digital x-rays and cone beam 3D imaging, and placement is usually done under local anesthesia. Dr. Howell then completes the dental implant restorations himself, so one doctor follows the tooth from start to finish.
Restorative Care from a Dentist Near Vickridge
Replacing Missing Teeth
Our Dental Implants service covers single-tooth implants, snap-on and fixed implant-supported dentures and All-On-4 full-arch solutions. Vickridge residents who have worn a partial for years often ask whether an implant could finally replace it, and a consultation with images answers that question clearly.
Repairing What Has Worn
Restorative Dentistry brings tooth-colored fillings, bridges, dentures, implant restorations and extractions together in one office. It is the everyday work that keeps an older smile functioning comfortably.
Saving a Painful Tooth
Deep decay under an old filling can reach the nerve. Root Canal Therapy here uses rotary endodontics, and most procedures are completed in a single appointment, which saves a second drive down Central.
Better Sleep for Snorers
Loud snoring is sometimes a sign of obstructive sleep apnea. With his training through the University of Utah's Dental Sleep Medicine Program, Dr. Howell offers Sleep Apnea Treatment with custom oral appliances for diagnosed mild to moderate cases.
Cleanings That Protect It All
Regular visits under Family & Preventive Dentistry include exams, cleanings, periodontal care and oral cancer screenings. Healthy gums are what keep crowns, bridges and implants stable for the long run.
Meet Your Dentists
Dr. Matthew Howell, a Wichita native, earned early acceptance into the Reserved Admissions Program at the UMKC School of Dentistry and received his DDS in 2009. He places and restores implants in the office and mentors the rest of the team. Our dentists also include Dr. Ashley Thomas, a Wichita State biology graduate, and Dr. Mary Goedert, a Kansas State graduate who joined in 2025.
Insurance & Financing
Larger restorative work raises cost questions, and our team answers them before treatment starts. The practice is a preferred provider with many major carriers, Aetna and MetLife among them, but always verify your specific plan with our staff. We file the claims, and CareCredit plans from 12 to 80 months can help with bigger treatment.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far is Andover Family Dentistry from Vickridge, and how do I get there?
Expect a drive of about 6.8 miles, or around 13 minutes, from Kapaun Mt. Carmel. Go east on E Central Ave into Andover, then turn left on N Andover Rd and look for the office on the left before E 13th St. It is a straightforward trip for anyone choosing a dentist near Vickridge, with no highway along the way.
How is an implant planned before it is placed?
Planning starts with digital x-rays and a cone beam 3D scan, which show bone height, width and nearby nerves. Dr. Howell uses those images to choose the implant size and position before placement, which is usually done under local anesthesia. He also restores the implant here, so the same doctor handles the plan, the placement and the final tooth.
How can I tell if an old crown needs to be replaced?
Often you cannot tell on your own, which is why x-rays and an exam matter. Warning signs include a dark line at the gum, a rough edge your tongue keeps finding, sensitivity when biting or food catching around the crown. Our doctors check older crowns at every visit and show you intraoral photos of anything that looks worn.
Do crowns and bridges need special care at home?
Mostly they need the same care as natural teeth, done carefully. Brush twice a day and clean along the gumline where a crown meets the tooth. A bridge also needs floss threaded under the replacement tooth or a small brush to clear food. Regular cleanings let our hygienists reach spots at home tools miss and check the edges for wear.
Will a root canal take more than one visit?
Usually not. Most root canal procedures here are completed in a single appointment, thanks to rotary endodontics, which cleans and shapes the canals efficiently. Topical numbing gel goes on before the injection, and nitrous oxide is available if you feel nervous. A crown is often recommended afterward to protect the treated tooth.
Schedule Your Visit from Vickridge
Ready to have that old bridge looked at, or to finally ask about an implant? A dentist near Vickridge is just one straight drive east on Central. Call 316-803-3911 to set a time, look over our full list of areas we serve, or learn more about the practice through the Dentist Andover, KS homepage.