Aesthetic Dental Center Blog

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 determine which could work for you and your budget. 

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 opportunity to start treatment to get the best results. The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that your child has an initial screening at the age of seven, with formal orthodontics beginning around age nine.

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 determine which could work for you and your budget. 

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 with significantly less anxiety. Sedatives can include anti-anxiety medications, tranquilizers, nitrous oxide, and depressants, all administered in a variety of ways by an experienced professional for an effective solution to combat this common phobia.

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 deeper into the tooth, reach the nerve and causing great pain and even more significant damage. These remedies can help to provide some relief and support your oral health.

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 how healthy it actually is.

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 metabolize carbohydrates and produce plaque acids, which they deposit on the surface of teeth. The top layer of bacteria and the plaque responds to brushing, but the overlooked plaque can harden into tartar in just a few days.

The tartar, along with the presence of bacteria, irritates the gums and causes inflammation, also known as gingivitis. The gums look red and swollen and may bleed when brushing the teeth. Without proper treatment, gingivitis can advance to a stage called periodontal disease, or periodontitis. As the disease advances, it damages gum tissue and starts to damage the jaw bone underlying the teeth.  

Can Gums Grow Back?

Unfortunately, gum tissue does not regenerate like other types of tissues, like skin cells, for example. This fact makes it even more important to prevent gum disease early and treat it aggressively when you do have problems. Start by making an appointment with your dentist so you can get an accurate and complete diagnosis.

If you have receding gums that have pulled away from the tooth, it will create small spaces where bacteria can collect and grow. Without treatment, the condition will get worse and can eventually lead to bone and tooth loss.

The first treatment most dentists will recommend will be a professional cleaning called scaling and root planing. This is an aggressive cleaning to remove plaque and tartar build up using specialized tools or an ultrasonic device. Removing these bacteria can slow down or even stop the gums from receding. Antibacterial gel placed under the gumline and prescription mouthwash can also help keep harmful bacteria from coming back and doing more damage. When the tooth surfaces and roots have been cleaned and treated, gum tissue can re-attach to stabilize and encourage better gum health.

How to Make Your Gums Healthier

• Thoroughly brush your teeth at least twice a day
• Use an electric toothbrush
• Floss daily
• Scrape your tongue when brushing
• Massage your gums
• Use mouthwash and toothpaste with fluoride
• Try natural remedies like oil pulling and drinking green tea

For More Serious Periodontal Issues

Stopping the spread of disease is so important that more invasive treatments are recommended to get out ahead of the problem. Surgery can definitively remove bacteria deep under the gums, and grafting procedures can replace missing tissue.

Flap surgery is used to lift up and surgically remove plaque that unreachable with scaling and root planning, then secured back in place to prevent more gum loss. Gum grafting uses tissue from another part of the mouth and transplants it to the deeply receded areas. Bonding is the application of tooth-colored resin placed over the roots. All of these procedures can protect your teeth and bone from further damage and improve the appearance of your smile.

Maintain Your Oral Health

Gum disease is a common condition that needs your diligent attention. You wouldn’t keep driving your car around with a flat tire because eventually, you won’t be going anywhere. Paying attention to your gums can keep your body functioning better and keep you smiling with confidence, which will keep you safely on the road to optimal oral health!

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 are treatable with laser dentistry include:

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 doesn’t mean it has to be difficult or tedious. Once you understand the basics, you can provide better care and catch developing issues quickly, making things better for you and your baby.

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 oral health while living up to your objectives and desires. Significantly, fluoride treatment is the last treatment to be completed in the dental examination.