The Dental Place

Improve Oral Health with Wisdom Teeth Removal

October 7, 2021

Wisdom teeth is a common term that refers to the third molars. These are the last teeth to erupt and, for many, can create dental problems that warrant having them removed. Your dentist will monitor their progress and advise you on the merits of their extraction.

Problems That Point to the Need for Wisdom Teeth Extraction

Very often, the arrival of wisdom teeth results in overcrowding. The jaws are only able to accommodate what they are designed to handle. Teeth can be pushed out of alignment creating protruding, crooked teeth, and an overall unhealthy oral condition. By removing some or all wisdom teeth, your dentist may be able to save you from having to undergo orthodontic treatment.

Wisdom teeth may be impacted. This means they can only partially erupt or stay embedded in gum tissue totally. This condition can be very hard on neighboring teeth as well as increase the likelihood of oral disease and increased inflammation around the wisdom teeth.

When wisdom teeth are impacted, the patient may suffer from the resulting discomfort. Pressure from their presence can result in tooth sensitivity and even more far reaching complications like headaches and jaw pain.

With regular dental visits, your dentist will be able to monitor problems associated with third molars. But in between those dental visits, you may be subjected to things like cysts or tumors associated with impacted third molars. One of the reasons for this problem is that these areas are very difficult to keep clean.

Follow Your Dentist’s Advice

Your dentist is a valuable resource when it comes to making the decision to remove wisdom teeth.

The primary advantages of having third molars extracted include:

Less teeth overcrowding which translates to a straighter and healthier smile.
Damage to neighboring permanent teeth is minimized.
Once wisdom teeth are removed, complications from their impaction is gone.
The discomfort from the presence of third molars will be eliminated; fewer headaches and the potential for oral problems.

Impacted wisdom teeth require surgical removal; recovery can take several days. Follow post-operative instructions carefully to be able to resume normal activities as soon as possible.

For more information or to schedule a consultation, contact The Dental Place today.

Dental Implants: A Permanent Tooth Replacement Solution

July 6, 2021

Many patients who are pursuing tooth replacement treatments prefer options with long-lasting results. Dental implants can be a good choice for these patients because these devices have a number of qualities that make them more durable than alternative restorations.

How Dental Implants Work

Dental implants are small cylinders made of biocompatible titanium. This means that the bone tissue at the implant site can form a strong bond with the dental implant after the implant dentist inserts it into the patient’s jaw.

Essentially, dental implants replace the roots of missing teeth, providing patients with a structurally complete prosthetic. This contrasts with conventional bridges and dentures that consist of crowns alone. That root structure plays a number of important roles in the stability of the smile.

Why Dental Implants Are So Durable

One function of the teeth’s roots is to hold the jawbone in place. When the roots are missing after tooth loss, that bone tissue gradually wears away. Dental implants preserve the jawbone’s structure, which keeps the contour of the jaw constant. As such, implant-supported appliances retain their fit over time.

In fact, dental implants can remain in place for decades. They also have a variety of other benefits, including more:

Comfort
Convenience
Functionality
Lifelike appearance

To make the most of your dental implants, however, you must take good care of them and conditions must be suitable for implant placement in the first place.

Maximizing The Lifespan Of Your Dental Implants

In order to gain all of the dental implant advantages listed above, you must be conscientious about maintaining those dental implants. Follow the directions provided by your implant dentist for their care and be sure to follow up with your dentist for routine care, which is just as important for dental implants.

Patients must also be good candidates for dental implants to begin with. There must be sufficient bone at the implant site to support the osseointegration of the dental implant. Patients who have a deficiency in jawbone tissue may need to undergo a preliminary bone graft prior to getting dental implants.

There are many compelling reasons to consider dental implants if you are looking to restore your smile after tooth loss. To learn more about the most durable tooth replacement option available to restore your smile, call The Dental Place to schedule a dental implant evaluation.

Cone Beam CT: How Advanced Technology Improves Dental Care

April 26, 2021

Before diagnostic imaging, oral healthcare professionals had few tools available to evaluate the health of structures not visible to the naked eye. The advent of radiography has made diagnosing and treating dental health conditions easier. One form of advanced technology our dentist utilizes is “cone beam computed tomography (CBCT)”, which has applications in a variety of oral healthcare procedures.

Following is helpful information about how CBCT is used and how it can enhance your dental care.

The Basics of CBCT

A conventional X-ray only shows so much. For starters, it’s a two-dimensional image and can only depict hard tissue like bones and joints.

A CBCT, however, produces images of hard and soft tissues alike, including nerve pathways. It also produces three-dimensional images that provide a more comprehensive view of oral anatomy. These images improve the accuracy of diagnoses and the effectiveness of certain dental treatments.

How CBCT is Used

The detailed images that CBCT produces can be used in restorative, endodontic, and cosmetic dental procedures. They can also be used to diagnose oral cancer and the progression of conditions like TMJ disorder and gum disease.

CBCT is advantageous when patients are receiving surgical and reconstructive procedures. Cone beam images are helpful for evaluating the health of bone tissue, particularly when determining where bone grafts or dental implants should be placed. The precise view of bone density can help ensure the likelihood of successful dental implant placement, too.

Some common situations where cone beam scans are helpful include:

Planning surgical treatments for tooth extractions, especially impacted wisdom teeth
Evaluating the health of sinus cavities, maxillofacial hard tissue, and nerve canals
Detecting benign and cancerous tumors/lesions
Analyzing tooth orientation

Receiving cone beam scans takes less than a minute. The comprehensive images produced by it provide invaluable information to your dentist.

Our practice provides high-quality oral healthcare to patients in our community. Contact our team at The Dental Place if you have questions about advanced technology or would like to schedule a consultation with our dentist.

Good Oral Hygiene Benefits That Might Surprise You

January 5, 2021

From a very early age, your parents and dentist educate you on the importance of brushing your teeth. But it’s not just about grabbing a toothbrush and swiping at your teeth at night before bed. There are many more aspects to good oral hygiene that make this an incredibly important lesson that will benefit your good health as you advance through life.

The Importance of Proper Oral Hygiene

Reducing dental decay: While this is certainly challenging, cavities are not mandatory. Their likelihood can be lessened with an oral hygiene regimen that includes brushing twice daily (for two minutes each time) using a fluoridated toothpaste; and flossing every day to remove what your toothbrush did not reach.

Keeping biological teeth for life: No one relishes the idea of tooth loss; and the prospect of having to undergo tooth replacement at any age can be daunting. While some may be genetically challenged, for many this is very doable. Diet and lifestyle habits (like tobacco use) are going to dictate the likelihood of maintaining good oral health throughout the aging process.

Great gum health: Gum disease, in its early stages, is treatable. However, if allowed to escalate, periodontal disease can lead to the need for ongoing treatment and the possibility of tooth loss.

Poor Oral Hygiene and Your Overall Health

Your dentist has probably educated you on the correlation between your oral health and the risks of developing life altering conditions such as diabetes, stroke, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and certain cancers. Research continues to identify inflammation from gum disease as a component to many of these illnesses.

Prevention is the key. A healthy mouth will certainly impact overall health. The steps to be taken to help maintain optimum oral health include:
Daily brushing with the correct tools and technique.
Daily flossing – probably best performed at night before bed, this step will remove debris from between teeth that your toothbrush could not reach.
Diet and Lifestyle – What you eat and drink are important to oral health. Stay hydrated with water and learn to enjoy fresh fruits and vegetables as your “go to” snacks. Illicit drugs or tobacco use are impermissible for maintaining optimum oral health.

Visit our team at The Dental Place for cleanings and dental exams every six months or as prescribed.

Common Oral Health Concerns For Seniors

October 8, 2020

As we get older, some things about our oral health may change, while others definitely stay the same. To take the best care of your smile as you age, it’s important to be able to separate fact from fiction and work with a trustworthy and skilled dentist.

There are special circumstances that can affect your oral health when you age, so you will need to take care to address these specific challenges.

Myths About Elderly Oral Health

Some older adults may be jeopardizing their oral health by buying into many of the prevalent myths out there, such as:

Gum disease and tooth loss are inevitable as you age. They’re preventable conditions.
You don’t need to see the dentist as often as you get older. You still need to come to our office every six months for checkups and cleanings.
Older adults typically can’t get dental insurance. There are actually a number of options for dental insurance for older adults, including policies that can be purchased directly and some coverage under Medicare Advantage plans.
Oral health is separate from overall health. Oral health is truly integral to your general well-being and linked to several systemic conditions, such as diabetes and heart disease.

Important Oral Health Considerations for Seniors

Although seniors should continue to see their dentist with the same frequency that they always have, there are some oral health considerations that may be unique to this population, including:

Taking more medications increases your risk of dry mouth, which may mean that less saliva is available to clear away oral bacteria.
Some medical conditions, such as arthritis or dementia, can make it more difficult to perform basic oral hygiene tasks.
Older adults may face greater risks for certain oral diseases: While tooth loss is not a foregone conclusion for seniors, it’s important to recognize that this population does face a higher risk of oral diseases, such as gum disease and oral cancer. Screening and early intervention are tremendously important to protect your oral health.
Older adults may have limited options for dental insurance. Coverage may not be as complete as plans that are obtained through an employer.

These issues don’t have to interfere with your oral health, but you should be aware that they can be problematic. If they apply for you, be sure to have a plan in place to address them.

We can partner with you so that you can maintain a beautiful, healthy smile throughout your lifespan. If you have gotten behind with your checkups and cleanings, call The Dental Place today to schedule an appointment to get back on track.

Follow These 5 Tips for a Healthier Mouth

July 6, 2020

Your oral health is precious. Investing in achieving a healthy mouth can stave off disease, save you money, and preserve a youthful appearance. From visiting the dentist for regular checkups to practicing great oral hygiene, here are five tips that can help you keep your mouth healthy.

Brush for Two Minutes

Most people don’t brush their teeth long enough. If you’re brushing less than two minutes each time you clean your teeth, you’re not cleaning as thoroughly as you should. Beyond brushing all surfaces of your teeth, you should take time to brush your tongue, the insides of your cheeks and lips, and your gums. Soft tissue harbors harmful bacteria and debris just like our teeth.

Floss Daily

Are you flossing each day? Brushing alone is not enough to truly clean your mouth. Flossing helps clean where a toothbrush can’t reach between teeth and at the gum line. Regular and proper flossing will reduce your risks for gum disease and dental caries. We recommend investing in ADA-approved, waxed dental floss.

Drink Plenty of Water

Sure, water intake hydrates your body but consuming enough water also benefits your oral health. Water keeps oral tissue moist, rinses away debris, and dilutes acids that attack tooth enamel. Drinking 64-ounces of water each day can do a lot of good for your teeth and gums.

Reduce Sugar and Acid Consumption

Sugar and acid are major threats to your oral health. Bacteria feed on sugar and acid weakens tooth enamel. By reducing the consumption of sugary and acidic foods/beverages, you can reduce the risks of enamel loss and cavities.

Keep Appointments for Checkups and Cleanings

Visits to the dentist are a necessity for keeping a healthy mouth. You should visit our practice every six months for checkups and cleanings. These visits help ensure that potential problems are detected as soon as possible. Early detection and treatment of oral diseases can save you money and time spent on dental procedures.

We’re accepting new patients. Call The Dental Place today to reserve an appointment.

Is daily flossing really that important?

April 7, 2020

Many people don’t realize that when you brush you only reach about two thirds of the surfaces of your teeth. The remaining third is located between teeth where your toothbrush can’t reach. That is why flossing is important; dental floss reaches in between teeth removing food debris your toothbrush missed. Your dentist is not nagging when the subject of flossing comes up. When performed daily, the act of flossing cleans between teeth, and when done correctly, invigorates gum tissue helping keep teeth and gum tissue healthy.

The Right Way to Floss

You mean there is a wrong way? While any flossing is better than none, using the correct technique improves the health of teeth and gums.

Wrap floss around the fingers you feel most comfortable using. Slide floss up and down along the surfaces between teeth being careful to clean around the base of teeth along the gum line.

Move floss along using a new section with each tooth. Certain flosses may shred especially if there is minimal space between teeth. Sampling different varieties will find one that works best for you.

Gum Disease and Flossing

Many patients argue that flossing makes their gums bleed; however, bleeding gums are usually a sign that gum disease is present. Your dentist should be consulted if your gum tissue bleeds when flossing. It may be your technique, but if you are developing gingivitis it is best to be seen right away. If caught early, this is a very treatable condition with daily flossing being a useful tool.

Daily flossing will help control plaque build-up, a leading cause of dental decay and gum disease.

What type of floss is best?

Whichever type you will use regularly is the one that is best for you. There are multiple varieties from plain or flavored, waxed or unwaxed, floss tape or string, floss threaders or floss picks … there is even an electric flosser. Patients who have trouble maneuvering floss may benefit from the electric model, but understand there is a learning curve so don’t give up on it if it feels a little awkward at first.

Patients wearing braces or with dental work in place may benefit from a demonstration from their dentist on how to floss most effectively.

For additional tips or to schedule your next visit, contact our team at The Dental Place today.

Dental Implants: Will my replacement tooth look natural?

January 6, 2020

Implant dentistry has come a long way in the past quarter century. Not only is having a dental implant becoming more commonplace, the restorations used to cover implants continue to improve making them more lifelike and virtually impossible to detect from natural teeth!

Advantages of Tooth Replacement with a Dental Implant

There are several reasons a patient may require a dental implant:

An accident or traumatic event resulted in tooth loss
Deep dental decay
Periodontal disease
Teeth did not develop

Whatever the cause, dental implants provide a natural, permanent solution to tooth loss that rivals the feeling of having your biological teeth back. You will once again enjoy the ability to chew freely meaning you can eat anything you wish. Missing teeth may have hampered your ability to speak clearly, but that will no longer be a problem. And if you hesitated to smile or laugh in public due to missing dentition, feel free to show off your new smile!

The Dental Implant Process

Where tooth loss has occurred, your implant dentist will place the tiny post into your gum tissue. A healing period will follow where bone in your jaw will incorporate the implanted post allowing it to become a permanent part of your dental anatomy. This process is known as osseointegration.

While healing is taking place, you will be issued instructions on caring for the treated area to make sure infection does not occur that could result in implant loss. Periodic visits to the implant dentist to make sure appropriate progress is being made can be expected.

As you near the final step, your implant dentist will have the final restoration made. It will be designed to look just like surrounding teeth. Most restorations made for teeth in the smile line are made from porcelain taking on the shape, size, and color of your natural teeth. This means that once it is permanently cemented in, it will blend in naturally making it look like your biological teeth.

Take care of your investment by brushing and flossing every day. Visit our team at The Dental Place twice yearly or as prescribed for teeth cleaning and dental exam. While your newly implanted tooth will never experience decay and will look and function just like a biological tooth, it is imperative that you provide the care needed to prevent the onset of gum disease.

Follow These Tips to Maintain Your Cosmetic Dental Work

October 7, 2019

How your teeth look is important to maintain a healthy, pleasant appearance. Teeth that are stained, chipped, or missing may prevent you from making a good impression. A consultation with your cosmetic dentist will demonstrate how to overcome many dental maladies.

Dental Problems and Solutions

Teeth can be stained or discolored due to medications, vitamin supplements, aging, or poor dental support. But we may be contributing to their condition by the foods and beverages consumed and habits like tobacco use.

Whatever the cause, teeth whitening can eliminate many of the stains that result in dingy, drab dentition. Your dentist can provide a take-home whitening product that contains powerful whitening agents that you can use in the privacy of your own home and at your convenience.

Once you have achieved the level of whitening desired, learn what foods and drinks stain enamel; limit or avoid them; and be prepared to rinse thoroughly following consumption. Brush about thirty minutes later for best results.

For deep, intrinsic stain; chipped, uneven, or misaligned teeth; or to eliminate unwanted gaps, porcelain veneers are available to correct one or multiple teeth. Veneers are wafer thin shells that will be bonded to the front of teeth providing a permanent solution for many cosmetic issues. Once in place, take care not to bite into hard or crunchy foods, i.e. cut that apple into bites. Don’t chew your nails, munch on ice, or use your teeth to open packages.

Dental bonding involves using a tooth colored composite to blend away stain, rebuild a chipped tooth, or support worn enamel. Brushing and flossing daily will help you maintain enhancements achieved with bonding.

Broken or missing teeth can mar your appearance. A dental crown can salvage a fractured tooth, but if a tooth must go or one is missing, the most natural restoration is available with a dental implant. Daily care by brushing and flossing coupled with regular visits to the dentist will support both crowns and implants.

Your Cosmetic Dentist is an Artist

Allow them access to your teeth and you will be amazed at how they can enhance your appearance. And many of these treatments can be completed in a matter of weeks and a few dental visits. A consultation with our cosmetic dentist at The Dental Place will demonstrate how you can improve your self image and smile.

Break These Bad Brushing Habits

July 8, 2019

You may believe you are doing all the right things when it comes to brushing your teeth, but a quick review may reveal a couple of things you didn’t know. Your dentist is a wealth of information when it comes to brushing habits, and welcomes the opportunity to share that knowledge with you during your dental visits.

Brushing Tools

How often do you replace your toothbrush? Probably not often enough. If you brush for two minutes twice every day, the bristles on your toothbrush begin to wear down in three to four months. If you continue to use a toothbrush with worn bristles, you may not be getting your teeth as clean as you may think.

You should replace your toothbrush at least four times a year making sure the toothbrush you acquire carries the ADA Seal of Acceptance. If you should become ill, you should replace your toothbrush to prevent recontamination.

You should be using a toothbrush with soft bristles. While a hard bristle brush may seem like it would do a better job of cleaning your teeth, it can actually do more damage than good resulting in premature gum erosion and wearing away precious dental enamel.

Your dentist may recommend an electric toothbrush to help prevent brushing with a heavy hand. An electric toothbrush does all the work – you provide the guidance. And a timer will alert you when you’ve brushed the recommended two minutes.

Brushing Technique

You should brush two minutes twice a day, but did you know there is a correct way to brush? Using small circular motions, focus on a section of teeth at a time making sure you brush the front, back, and top of all teeth. Do not “scrub” your teeth – minimal pressure is all that is needed to clean your teeth. Brush gums and your tongue as well to keep them healthy.

Make sure you store your toothbrush correctly. Rinse it thoroughly following use and store it upright allowing it to dry out between uses. Make sure it does not touch other brushes that may be stored in the same container to prevent cross contamination.

Finally, since many foods and beverages contain acids that can soften dental enamel, you should wait at least thirty minutes to brush after eating or drinking. Feel free to rinse, but you can damage enamel if you brush too soon.

For more information or to schedule your next visit, contact our team at The Dental Place today.