Dentist - Newton
400 Allison Street
Newton, KS 67114
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MY BLOG
Posts for: January, 2018
Your teeth were meant to shine! Tooth enamel’s polished translucence, framed by the dentin layer beneath it, has a way of vibrantly catching the light when you smile. But tooth wear and structural changes as you age can dim that shine. Add to that staining caused by foods and beverages or disease and your smile could further lose its luster.
On your supermarket or pharmacy oral hygiene aisle you’ll find dozens of products promising to restore that lost luster, including toothpastes, whitening kits or even chewing gum. While such products work to some degree, our dental office may have the right solution for you: a safe and effective treatment for whitening teeth.
Why see us for teeth whitening? For one, professional whitening solutions contain a higher concentration of bleaching agent (usually 35-45% hydrogen peroxide) than home kits. We usually apply it in a gel form directly to the teeth while using barrier devices like dams to protect the lips and other soft tissue from irritation. We may then apply heat or light to the applied gel to enhance the release of peroxide into your enamel.
This professional procedure can often give you a brighter smile in fewer sessions than a home whitening kit — and it may last longer. What’s more, we can control the level of brightness to produce only a subtle change or a dazzling “Hollywood” smile — whatever your preference.
Like a home kit, this procedure bleaches staining on the outer surface of enamel, known as extrinsic staining. But you can also have discoloration deep within a tooth, known as intrinsic staining, caused by a variety of reasons like tetracycline use early in life or complications from a root canal treatment. Home kits or even the professional treatment described above can’t whiten intrinsic staining.
For intrinsic staining you’ll need a special procedure that places a bleaching agent inside the tooth. Depending on the extent of staining the procedure could require more than one session.
To find out what kind of discoloration you have, visit us for a full examination. We’ll then be able to give you your options for putting the shine back in your smile.
If you would like more information on teeth whitening, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Teeth Whitening.”
Did you make any New Year's resolutions this year? For many of us, these pledges reflect a sincere desire for self-improvement—whether it's in terms of our career, our personal lives, or our health. Yet it isn't always possible to keep every promise we make…and while exercising every day and cutting out desserts are worthwhile goals, they may also be very difficult to maintain. Fortunately, when you resolve to improve your oral health, there are some simple things you can do to help keep your smile looking healthy and bright.
Get Into the Oral Hygiene Habit
Got a minute? How about two minutes, twice a day? If so, you have time to brush your teeth properly. According to the American Dental Association (ADA), brushing twice daily with a soft-bristled brush that fits comfortably in your mouth—and replacing that brush every three to four months—is essential to good oral hygiene. The ADA also recommends flossing once a day to clean all the places where your brush can't reach—like in between teeth and under the gum line. Brushing and flossing are the best ways to maintain good oral hygiene at home.
Think Before You Drink
Here's another way to make a big difference in your oral health: Pass up those sugary and acidic drinks, and choose plain, refreshing water instead. We're talking about regular and diet soda, as well as fruit juice and those so-called “sports” or “energy” drinks. The sugar and acid in these drinks can spell disaster for your teeth: Sugar promotes the growth of bacteria that can cause tooth decay, while acid softens the hard enamel covering of your teeth, allowing cavities to get started. Water, on the other hand, satisfies your body's need for hydration without adding calories or harmful ingredients. That what makes it the best drink for your diet—and your oral health.
See Your Dentist Regularly
There are some jobs best left to the pros—like removing the hardened deposits called “tartar” from your teeth, and checking for tooth decay, gum disease and other oral health problems. We'll take care of all that at your routine dental checkup. Plus, you'll get a thorough cleaning and a chance to “brush up” on oral hygiene techniques that can help you keep your mouth healthy throughout the year.
If you have questions about improving your oral hygiene, please contact our office or schedule a consultation. You can learn more in the Dear Doctor magazine articles “Daily Oral Hygiene” and “Think Before You Drink.”
For whatever reason, you’ve put off replacing a missing tooth for awhile. Now you want to fill that empty gap in your smile with a dental implant restoration.
But if your tooth’s been missing for a long time, there could be a problem with space. This is because the teeth on either side of the space may have gradually drifted into it, leaving no room for the implant. You could need orthodontic work first to return these teeth to their proper position.
We could use braces, metal orthodontic devices with wires threaded through brackets bonded to the teeth that are then anchored, usually to back teeth. The orthodontist uses elastics or springs as well as possibly incrementally tightening of the wire against the anchors. These techniques create pressure or tension on the teeth for the desired direction of movement. The teeth’s natural mechanism for movement does the rest.
But while effective, braces can be quite noticeable, an embarrassing thought for many adults having to wear them over several months of treatment. But there may be an alternative: clear aligners, a succession of slightly different plastic trays usually worn in two-week intervals. Sequentially wearing each tray gradually moves the teeth to their desired positions.
Though not appropriate for all bite situations, clear aligners have a number of benefits when they can be used. They’re nearly invisible to others and can be removed for hygiene tasks or rare special occasions. What’s more, the orthodontist may attach a temporary prosthetic (false) tooth to the trays to camouflage the missing space during treatment.
There’s one other issue you may have to deal with: if your tooth loss was related to periodontal (gum) disease, the gums and underlying bone may be in poor condition. In fact, substantial bone loss could rule out an implant altogether. But we may be able to remedy both gum and bone deficiencies through grafting or plastic surgery. It may be possible to regenerate enough bone to support the implant; and surgically repairing your gums will help ensure the implant appears natural.
If you have problems like these, don’t give up on your restoration goal just yet. With some orthodontic and dental work ahead of time, we may still be able to make implants a reality for you.
If you would like more information on restoring your smile after losing teeth, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation.