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Finding
Out What You Need to Know
We
like to see children come in for their first dental visit around
the age of three. To begin a positive, non-threatening relationship
between our staff and your children, we recommend first allowing
them to accompany you (the parent) for one or two of your regular
check-up visits. We'll introduce ourselves, show them around, and
help them understand what a dentist does. Shortly thereafter, we
like to see them for their own appointment, with the objective of
keeping it simple, short, and fun. We'll just take a quick look
around in their mouth, troubleshooting a bit and looking for ways
to prevent any potential oral health/dental problems.
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In
case of a true dental emergency after hours, simply call me on 021-326-5798.
We'll see you as soon as possible.
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If
your temporary crown comes off the best temporary solution is to
attempt to re-adhere the piece onto the tooth, using either toothpaste
or an over the counter dental cement found in most drugstores. Simply
hold the crown in place for about two minutes after applying the
adhesive, and then be careful not to use that side of your mouth.
Then, you'll want to call our office and set up an appointment for
the next business day. If the crown is actually broken into pieces,
then you'll want to call right away to inform us of the situation
so that we can advise you accordingly.
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There
are a number of procedures available to help whiten your smile,
from at-home bleaching products to more involved procedures such
as porcelain veneers. Our staff can help evaluate your potential
for whitening your teeth, based on their current color and the causes
of any discoloration. Once you have decided on the most appropriate
method, we'll take impressions, have custom trays developed for
you, and provide you with detailed instructions for conducting home
whitening sessions. Typically, this will require from two to four
weeks, and result in teeth approximately two shades brighter on
the dental shade chart.
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Our
entire practice team is well-versed in state-of-the-art sterilization
techniques designed to ensure patient safety. This includes barrier
methods to prevent passing germs—wearing gloves and facemasks,
and using disposable plastic coverings on our chair headrests and
light handles. Plus, it includes our specialized sanitation center
where all instruments are heat sterilized after each use. And, we
use a closed bottle water system so that each treatment room has
it's own water source, which is flushed with sterilization fluid
on a regular schedule. We conduct monthly tests on both of our heat
sterilizers as well as our water supply.
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First
of all, we subscribe to the practice of 'early detection', catching
the majority of decay problems long before they would ever require
'drilling out'. Then, when we do identify an area of decay, we use
a relatively new filling preparation technique known as 'air abrasion',
which both removes decay and prepares teeth for fillings in small
to medium-sized cavities. Our specialists simply cleans out and
prepares the site to be filled by sending a blast of tiny, high-speed
aluminum oxide particles into the cavity itself. The particles hit
the tooth under high pressure, bounce off at high speeds, and consequently
blast away any decay. Air abrasion is quiet, quick, relatively painless,
and avoids sacrificing tooth structure.
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Healthy
gums simply do NOT bleed. So, if your gums bleed after you brush,
you need to pay attention. Bleeding gums can be caused by any of
the following: improper, rough, 'scrubbing' instead of gentle, brushing
motions; using a hard-bristled tooth brush instead of a soft one;
plaque and/or tartar build-up below the gum line; or gum sensitivity
due to gingivitis or periodontal disease. If this problem persists
despite correct brushing and flossing methods, or occurs every time
you brush, please contact our office to set up an evaluation appointment.
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It's
been said "Only floss the teeth you want to keep." And
that's no exaggeration! A little regular flossing goes a long way,
and is truly critical for your overall oral health. It loosens food
particles in tight spaces that your toothbrush cannot reach; it
gets rid of plaque build-up that toothbrushes alone cannot remove;
and it exercises your gum tissues. All of which helps to prevent
gum disease. So, just think of daily flossing as the finishing touch
after brushing—insurance for your smile's future.
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Exists
a number of ways to improve the look of your front teeth without
the use of unsightly braces. For slightly crooked or unevenly
worn teeth, we may simply do a bit of reshaping and apply porcelain
veneers to give them a bright, uniform look. In other cases, the
best choice may be all-porcelain crowns, or onlays. In most situations,
we can perform these improvements in only one appointment! We'd
be happy to talk with you further about the option that best suits
you.
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