Blog Archive

The COVID-19 pandemic has triggered dramatic changes throughout everyday life — and in the medical community as well. Not only are providers across the country postponing elective procedures, but many are also encouraging people to avoid in-office appointments to reduce their risk of exposure to this highly contagious coronavirus.But what...

Gum disease can have far-reaching effects on your oral health and appearance. However, many individuals develop the condition without knowing it and the initial warning signs such as gum-tissue inflammation and occasional bleeding are ignored. Even if you have these symptoms, don’t give up! When caught early, gum disease can...

The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is in use more than any other joint in the whole body, which makes it an easy target for health issues. When these problems cause chronic pain and affect the overall function of the jaw, they are collectively known as temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMD). Complications related...

Prevention and early treatment are the best ways to help your children achieve and maintain optimal oral health. It is much easier to prevent an issue than treat one, which is why it is essential to monitor them as soon as their first tooth appears.   Your child’s first visit...

Metal was once the most commonly used dental material used to fill cavities and repair damage. However, amalgam fillings are less popular than they used to be for a variety of reasons. If you currently have fillings that contain amalgam, you may have been told you should have them removed...

Ideal oral health involves making sure that teeth are not only healthy but that the surrounding structures in and around the mouth function correctly. Maxillofacial Surgery, more commonly known as oral surgery, focuses on treating many diseases, injuries, and defects in the head, neck, face, jaws, and hard and soft...

For some, snoring is merely an inconvenient late-night distraction. What many don’t realize, however, is that snoring may be an indication of a deeper health issue – sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a common disorder where breathing repeatedly stops and starts while a person sleeps. This condition can often go...

Everyone wants their smile to last, but sometimes we fall into bad habits and risk permanent damage to our teeth. Following some simple rules and avoiding bad habits can help you keep your smile healthy and beautiful for a lifetime. One – Diligent At-Home Care Don’t: Skip a brushing or flossing –...

Whether you have dentures or dental implants, you want your custom dental prosthetic to stay in good condition. Maintaining your prosthetics does require some diligence on your part, but with a little effort, you can enjoy them for years, even decades to come. Just follow these five simple tips to...

For many of us, improving the way we look helps us go through life with more confidence. Cosmetic dental care is usually associated with superficial or unnecessary treatments that only have an aesthetic value. The truth is, these services do much more than that. Some procedures do double duty as...

Traditionally, dentists have used amalgam to fill cavities and for over 150 years, this mixture of metals has been used to restore oral health and prevent further decay. More recently, however, dental practices have transitioned into using composite resin for the increased health benefits as well as the aesthetic appeal...

We often don’t think about oral health beyond our teeth, yet nearly half of all adults suffer from some form of gum disease. What most fail to realize is that if gum disease is left untreated, it can negatively impact your oral health resulting in infections, gum recession, and even...

Many people are afraid to get dental care. They don’t like the sound of dental instruments, the discomfort of examinations, or even the general atmosphere of the dental office. Additionally, it’s easy to associate dentistry with pain, as procedures can cause discomfort. Communicate with Your Dental Team When you have...

Sleep is crucial to maintaining good health, but many people tolerate restless nights because they are used to it. Sleep apnea is a common condition that interrupts nighttime breathing, causing people to toss and turn. If you feel exhausted during the day, you may be suffering from sleep apnea. Understanding...

Dentures provide an invaluable improvement to quality of life for people missing multiple teeth. When you first start wearing dentures, it may require an adjustment period as you settle into your new prosthetic. With a little time and some helpful tips, you can enjoy a full, positive life using dentures....

When the holiday season approaches, most of the festivities will include an array of sweet beverages, baked goods, and candies. While these festive foods can be tempting, the sugar content can increase your susceptibility to tooth decay and gum disease. Instead of avoiding the fun altogether, here are some helpful...

It’s essential to understand the many stages of dental care to prepare for upcoming years and protect your teeth for a lifetime. Here’s a breakdown of the general phases of dental care, from early childhood to retirement. Childhood During early childhood, you develop your first set of teeth, which helps...

Do your teeth need straightening? Have you been considering braces or another similar treatment to get them back into line to improve your smile? Invisalign is one of the best options on the market for fixing misaligned teeth, but you may have a lot of questions about it. Here are...

Taking care of your teeth at home takes daily work. You can’t just go to your routine cleanings every six months and expect to have a healthy smile. Going to the dentist is essential but taking care of your teeth at home is a critical component of optimal oral health....

Braces are a significant investment for anyone. They cost a lot of money and need to be worn for a long time to reach their full effect. Retainers help preserve that investment and ensure that your shiny and smooth new smile lasts as long as possible. Although the primary purpose...

We all know that sugar is bad for us, yet we continue to eat it. Perhaps it’s an addiction, or maybe we lack self-control. While sugar has many adverse effects on our overall health, there are many ways that sugar affects your teeth and gums. Your overall health is connected...

Rubber bands for braces are also known as elastics. These unique bands are tiny and come in lots of different colors. They serve a valuable function and help your brackets and wires do their job more effectively.  These bands stay in that place for the entire treatment time frame and...

If you have sensitive teeth, you could be experiencing discomfort due to decay, genetics, age, or even over-brushing! When bacteria build up along the gum-line the dentin becomes exposed, and the microscopic pores that lead to the nerve of the tooth are left unprotected. Other common causes of sensitive teeth...

Many dental offices today are adopting innovations that improve the variety and accuracy of procedures they can provide. One of the latest technologies available to aid in soft and hard tissue procedures is dental lasers, which are growing in popularity and functionality. With the ability to provide a wide variety...

Bone grafting is the surgical procedure that improves areas of the smile deficient in natural bone and involves taking material from another source. The contributing materials can be taken from the patient’s chin or hip or can be outsourced synthetically. While each bone grafting material has unique beneficial properties, the...

Everyone knows that dental hygiene is crucially important for a number of reasons, yet most of us fail to take adequate care of our teeth and end up developing cavities at some point in our life. Usually, if we floss our teeth regularly, brush a couple of times each day,...

Most orthodontic treatment starts in the teen years when all permanent teeth have come in, and the results are more predictable. However, some young children need early intervention or Phase One treatment. This evaluation doesn’t necessarily mean orthodontics are needed right away. However, monitoring growth patterns can indicate the best...

If your teeth aren’t as white as they used to be, or even as white as you would like them to be, there are numerous ways to whiten them. The dental whitening market can be a bit overwhelming and confusing, so here are some of your options to help you...

Over 30% of the population avoids going to the dentist due to anxiety and fear. Dental phobia prevents you from receiving the routine treatment you need to maintain the health and functionality of your smile. Sedation dentistry can help you get the care you need by providing a relaxing experience...

While visiting the dentist to have a cavity properly treated is effective, there are a few additional steps you can take to help slow the growth of cavities to prevent them from becoming deep or painful. A cavity that is left without proper treatment can get worse and eventually grow...

Pacifier use and thumb sucking are heavily ingrained in our culture, and in most cultures around the world throughout history. As a result, most of us don’t think much about it. However, a lot of people have recently started taking a closer look at this common practice and wondered just...

Gum disease is a common problem that can occur very gradually. Aging, brushing too hard, genetics, and any lapse in hygiene habits can get the ball rolling in the wrong direction. It starts with oral bacteria that feed on particles of carbohydrate-rich foods left behind after a meal. The bacteria...

Laser dentistry is a fairly new dental field that offers more comfortable treatment options for many dental procedures. LASER stands for “light amplification by the stimulated emission of radiation” and uses a narrow-focused beam of light energy. Lasers make many treatments less invasive, more efficient, and more economical. Issues that...

As a new parent, you want to do everything you can to provide your baby with a happy and healthy future. One thing many parents of infants feel uncertain about is how to care for your child’s newly emerging teeth. Your baby’s oral health requires care and dedication, but that...

A noteworthy part of dental examination is the fluoride treatment, the dental examination is a deliberate procedure amid which your dentist will explore numerous features of your oral and systemic health to distinguish pathologies or concerns and build up a particularly modified treatment plan that is focused towards maximizing your...

Prosthodontics is the branch of dentistry that design and implement artificial replacements for teeth and gums. These include fillings, dentures, veneers, crowns, bridges and dental implants and any combination of treatments to restore lost or damaged teeth. Replacing missing or damaged teeth is important for many reasons. Gaps in your...

Your smile is one of the most important aspects of your appearance and having a perfect set of teeth can aid in boosting your confidence level. However, if your teeth are stained, crooked or otherwise flawed, you can use cosmetic dentistry to help create your perfect smile. Fillings and crowns...

Jaw reconstruction, otherwise known as orthognathic surgery, is a method to correct or adjustment to any form of jaw irregularities. Many times, problems with the bite or the alignment of the teeth can be corrected using jaw corrective methods of dental and orthodontic treatment. This is a specialized way to...

Sports guards, mouth guards, and mouth protectors are all devices made to protect your teeth. Sport mouth guards are worn over the teeth to shield them from hits to the face and head. Mouth guards are an essential piece of athletic gear for anybody taking an interest in a sport...

The vast majority of us all know what regular braces look like and many of us are also familiar with alignment trays like Invisalign. However, sometimes we may encounter a more unusual device that is more complicated. These devices are usually worn by children or early teens – younger orthodontic...

Is your child afraid of dental visits? If we want our children to be healthy, keeping their teeth clean and cavity free is an important part of that. However, dental visits can be challenging if your child gets anxiety at the very mention of a dental appointment. Going to dentist...

If you’ve been thinking about getting braces, you may have some questions and concerns. Knowing what to expect can make the process less nerve-wracking and help you focus on the results – a perfect smile! Even though braces are most often associated with teenagers, there is no age limit for...

Dentures are a type of removable prosthetic used to replace missing teeth. They are a good option for people who have lost a lot of teeth, and perhaps are unable to afford the high costs of dental implants or bridges. Unlike dental implants, dentures can be removed at night, cleaned,...

Holistic dental care is an alternative approach to dentistry which considers your overall health as it relates to your dental health. A holistic dentist may ask you questions about your emotions, well-being, diet and exercise patterns and habits, and other things you might not think of as being related to...

The best offense when considering the risk of oral cancer is a good defense. It’s always easier to prevent cancer by limiting risk factors than it is to treat a patient who has already developed the disease. Although frightening, oral cancer can be treated effectively, especially if discovered early on....

Tooth decay is a dental health problem that frequently arises as a result of poor dental hygiene and a diet that is rich in sugar and sweetened beverages. A dental filling is used to seal the cavity and stop the decay from progressing further. The most common materials used for...

It turns out that everything you learned about dental hygiene as a child still applies in your golden years. As a senior, you are at higher risk for many dental problems but it is still possible for you to keep your smile bright and healthy. After all, caring for your...

It’s never too early to start caring about your child’s teeth. Starting them on a path to good oral healthy helps ensure that they’ll enjoy a bright, healthy smile when they’re older by reducing the risk of many dental problems later on. Of course, their road to protecting their pearly...

Whiter teeth can improve your smile and appearance, so it’s no wonder that teeth whitening is one of the most popular cosmetic dentistry options. Discoloration of teeth can be caused by the build-up of surface stains acquired from using tobacco products and consuming certain foods or drinks. Teeth whitening methods...

Standard dental exams help ensure your oral health. A dental exam allows your dentist to give tips on minding to your teeth and to distinguish any issues early when they’re generally treatable. Standard dental exams are a critical piece of preventive health care. A dental exam, the dentist or hygienist...

Periodontal disease, also known as gum disease, is comprised of two separate words: perio which means around and dontal, meaning teeth. Periodontal disease is an infection of the gum that surrounds the teeth. Periodontal disease is a progressive condition that can destroy soft tissue rapidly.The leading cause of gum disease or...

Common Habits That Can Harm Your Teeth We are living in a hectic and busy life, and hence we all tend to fell prey to various bad habits. Most of the time we fail to find the harm behind these habits. Most of the time, these habits initially appear less...

If you ask several people whether chewing gum is good for your health or detrimental to it, you are likely to get several different answers. This is because chewing gum is a mixed bag when it comes to your dental and overall health. In order to answer this important question,...

The most frequent question about tooth whitening kits is, “Do they really work?” Whether you’ve had expensive tooth whitening treatments done at your local dentist or have simply been putting up with increasingly dull-looking teeth that have long since lost their shine, perhaps a take home tooth whitening kit could...

Oil pulling as we know it today has been around for thousands of years and originated in ancient India as an Ayurvedic practice used for “purifying” the body by “pulling” toxins out through the gums and mouth using oil as an adsorption (pulling) medium. Right off the bat, you are...

Everyone knows regular dental appointments are important to dental health. But perhaps you haven’t really considered the many benefits to routine dental appointments, or the things you can do between appointments to help maintain good dental health and keep the dentist’s work – and your bills – to a minimum!...

In the initial planning and consultation stages, your dental surgeon will visually inspect the area in your mouth where the dental implant would go, should it be decided that you need one. They will also examine the area using dental imaging technology such as X-rays and CT scans. Your dental...

Dental implants are a great way to replace missing teeth and also provide a fixed solution to having removable partial or complete dentures.  Implants provide excellent support and stability for these dental appliances. Dental implants are artificial roots and teeth (usually titanium) that are surgically placed into the upper or...