Invisalign clear aligners are one of the orthodontic treatment options you can choose to achieve your perfect smile. But how do you know if Invisalign is the right option for you over traditional metal braces, ceramic braces, or lingual braces? Learn the benefits of Invisalign and what to look for when choosing the best orthodontic treatment for you!
In a previous blog post, I discussed the answer to a very common question parents ask me: “When should my child start seeing the dentist?” Parents should take their kids to see the dentist by their first birthday. But if your child is older than 1 and they haven’t seen the dentist, don’t fret! We will still happily see your child for their first visit!
Once parents understand the importance of their baby seeing the dentist, the next question I get is, “How does it work? Don’t they just cry?” While it’s true that the first dental visit can be a noisy one, the appointment is generally quick, fun, and informative.
Your smile is one of the first things that people notice when they meet you. Straight, white teeth are no longer just for celebrities. Advancements in cosmetic dentistry over the last several years have made teeth whitening safer and more affordable for almost anyone wanting a brighter smile. But why is having a white smile important?
According to a national survey by the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, 96% of adults believe an attractive smile makes a person more appealing to the opposite gender, and 74% of adults feel an unattractive smile can hurt a person’s chances for career success. Having a clean, straight smile that you feel confident about enhances your social and career opportunities!
Bruxism is the medical term for teeth grinding and/or clenching of the teeth. Over time, bruxism can wear down tooth enamel, which can make teeth sensitive to food, drink, and teeth brushing. In addition, bruxism can lead to TMJ problems, jaw muscle pain, chipping of teeth, and damage of restorative dental work. People who grind their teeth often do so at nighttime and are usually not aware that they are grinding their teeth. Most of the time, your dentist will notice signs of bruxism during your routine dental exam.
The way we think about purchasing goods and services is incredibly different than we did 10, even 5, years ago. With the ability to order just about everything online and the reduced need to think about it, consumerism has changed drastically.
Many patients have a fear of the dentist and are looking for ways to calm down before coming in for an appointment. I know my colleagues and teams take pride in making our patients feel comfortable before, during, and after a routine cleaning or more involved procedure.
Dental X-Rays have become a common adjunct to a routine dental exam and are a standard of care practice, helping detect early signs of tooth decay, monitor jaw and tooth formation for adolescents and observe overall oral health not visible to the naked eye.
You may be wondering why a dentist took your blood pressure at a routine cleaning or prior to a dental procedure.
In recent years, many dentists, especially oral surgeons, have begun to take their patients’ blood pressure as a best practice.
Known as the ‘silent killer,’ hypertension, or high blood pressure, is a cause of about 60,000 deaths per year. Hypertension affects about 30% of Americans and often goes unnoticed because it is asymptomatic in most cases.
For many individuals, maintaining routine cleanings at the dentist is more common than visiting their physician for annual physicals and wellness testing. Dentist appointments are a unique opportunity to serve as a wellness to check this subject every six months. Adding this service to a dental visit allows dentists and patients to have a baseline of their blood pressure in just a few moments.
Right now, my job consists of pulling a lot of teeth, wisdom tooth extractions, and other oral surgery procedures. The question I get most is “is this going to be painful,” and understandably so.
Many patients have a fear of the unknown, coupled with dental anxiety or fear of the dentist. That’s why I always remind them that if something is painful, something is wrong. A lot of procedures are sedation extractions or have local numbing anesthetics, so patients shouldn’t really feel anything more than discomfort.
How many times has your hygienist asked if you are flossing regularly, and you respond yes, even though you know you’ve only flossed twice in advance of this appointment? More than half of Americans don’t floss regularly and 20% don’t floss at all.1
Most people view flossing as an annoying chore. I get it, we all are tired at night and that extra step seems like it takes forever! But the trick is that it doesn’t matter what time of the day you floss. The key to success is flossing consistently day after day. Even if you mess up a day here or there, flossing more days than not is what will keep your mouth healthy.