Archive for January, 2015

Get motivated to take better care of your teeth by learning about the 6 stages of tooth decay.

In most cases, tooth decay is a relatively slow process. Often, it can take years for the decay to progress through all six stages. This makes it very tempting for people to ignore tooth decay in its early stages. Unfortunately, the longer you delay treatment the more difficult—and expensive—tooth decay is to correct.

Hopefully the following description of the 6 stages of tooth decay will motivate you to take excellent care of your teeth at home, keep up with your routine dental cleanings & exams, and see your dentist promptly in…

Cosmetic dentistry can do much more than improve your looks.

In most cases, people turn to cosmetic dentistry for purely aesthetic reasons. They may be looking to correct discolored teeth with whitening, straighten crooked teeth with braces, or cover ugly teeth with veneers. However, even if you believe you are pursuing cosmetic dentistry simply to enjoy a prettier smile, your cosmetic procedure will almost certainly bring other benefits. Here are the top 4 surprising benefits of cosmetic dentistry you may not have considered yet.

Improved Oral Health

Some cosmetic dental treatments—particularly orthodontics—can actually improve your oral health. Tight, crooked teeth tend to trap food and plaque bacteria,…

Make sure you understand the costs and benefits of your dental insurance plan.

Are you wondering whether or not you should sign up for dental insurance this year? The following tips for choosing a dental plan should help you decide.

Understand Your Coverage

First and foremost, you need to understand what will be covered under the plan. Many plans will cover your preventative care like dental exams, cleanings, and x-rays at 100 percent. A percentage of restorative services will be covered, and cosmetic services are typically not covered at all. Many dental plans seem to offer excellent coverage, but remember that there is typically a limit of anywhere from…

If any of these risk factors apply to you, you need to be extra careful with your oral health.

Tooth decay can cause all kinds of problems, from minor pain or sensitivity to toothache, infection, and eventual tooth loss. Fortunately, with proper oral care at home, you can control the levels of plaque bacteria and acids in your mouth and help prevent tooth decay. If any of the following risk factors apply to you, you need to be extra careful to brush and floss twice a day and visit the dentist regularly in order to help prevent tooth decay.

Dry Mouth

Saliva is nature’s…

EPA proposes new rule to limit release of mercury from dental offices.

Although mercury fillings are becoming less and less popular for the treatment of new cavities, many individuals do have old mercury fillings that were placed years ago. These fillings eventually need replacement, and it is this process more than the placement of new metal fillings that is causing concern at the EPA.

When dentists remove mercury fillings, this creates a potentially hazardous waste material that needs careful disposal. Many dentists already use state of the art technology and procedures to protect patients and the community from exposure to this material. However, in…

Tips to keep your toothbrush clean for a healthy mouth.

In this age of anti-bacterial everything, it may surprise and horrify you to learn that there are millions upon millions of bacteria living in the average toothbrush. In fact, according to researchers at the University of Manchester in England, there can be more than 100 million bacteria on one little toothbrush, including E. coli, staphylococci, and fecal bacteria.

So can toothbrush bacteria make you sick? Experts say it isn’t likely. After all, your mouth is already full of many different bacteria, including plaque bacteria. Getting these bacteria on your toothbrush won’t hurt you, and your immune system can…

Tips for making your oral surgery go smoothly and successfully.

If you’ve been told you need oral surgery to correct an issue with your teeth, you may be understandably apprehensive. However, it is very important that you not let your fears get the best of you, but instead schedule your surgery promptly so you can get the care you need. Here are some tips that will help take the fear out of the process and promote a successful procedure and recovery.

Choose the Right Dentist

First and foremost, you should be sure you are choosing a qualified oral surgeon with experience in the procedure you need, whether it be wisdom tooth…

Which is the best option for replacing your missing tooth?

If you are missing a tooth, you may be wondering what your best option is for replacing it. Should you get a fixed bridge, or opt for a dental implant? Here is some important information about each option to help you decide.

Aesthetics

Both dental implants and bridges can be made using porcelain for an extremely natural look. However, dental implants do provide the best appearance, because there is never any gap between the replacement tooth and the gums. A bridge, however, anchors on two neighboring teeth to suspend a false tooth called a pontic in…

Have you been neglecting to wear your retainer, and now it doesn’t fit? Learn what to do.

Following orthodontic treatment with Invisalign, you will have wonderfully straight teeth and a brand new smile. However, the process isn’t quite over. Ongoing changes in your mouth, such as the eruption of wisdom teeth, as well as daily stresses of biting and chewing, can cause teeth to shift over time. To prevent movement that could alter the position of your nice straight teeth, you will need to use a retainer.

Invisalign patients will be given a Vivera retainer to wear around the clock for the first six…

Learn the best and worst ways to clean your Invisalign aligner or retainer trays.

Do your Invisalign aligner trays smell bad? Are they clouding up with a hard white film? This means you are not doing a good enough job of cleaning them. Bacteria may then colonize the retainer, causing odors, and plaque may begin to build up, causing white spots. Fortunately, you can enjoy clean Invisalign aligners (or Invisalign retainers) by following these do’s and don’ts.

Do Brush Teeth Before Replacing Aligners

First of all, it is important to realize that it is impossible for your aligner or retainer trays to stay clean if you are…