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Category Dental Facts

Dental Facts

“Wisdom” Teeth

Is it just me or am I not the only one who has wondered why I have “wisdom teeth?” I don’t know about about you, but I’m not sure if I have felt that extra “wisdom” flowing in! FUN FACT: they are…

Shaun Gardner
October 19, 2018

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2045 S. Vineyard, Ste. 150
Mesa, AZ 85210

Monday: 8am-5pm
Tuesday: Closed- Check Out Our Chandler Office!
Wednesday: 8am-5pm
Thursday: 7am-2pm
Friday: Closed- Check Out Our Chandler Office!
Saturday – Sunday (closed)

Sleep Apnea

What is Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea is a potentially serious sleep disorder. A person with sleep apnea will stop breathing while they sleep and leads to a lack of oxygen in the brain and the rest of the body. This lack of oxygen causes the brain to wake up the body to breathe before allowing it to go back to sleep. Most will not remember this the next morning, but it can happen hundreds of times a night and prevent one from ever reaching deep, restful sleep.

There are two kinds of sleep apnea:

Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common of the two and is caused by the airway being blocked. This usually happens when the soft tissue in the back of the throat collapses while sleeping.

Central sleep apnea is caused by the brain failing to signal the muscles to breathe.

Symptoms

Symptoms may include chronic snoring, fatigue, depression, headaches, insomnia, forgetfulness, diminished sex drive, dry throat, high blood pressure, forgetfulness, irritability, sleep-deprived partners, heart failure, arrhythmia, or drowsy driving.

Causes

Sleep apnea may be caused by several things such as smaller airways, being overweight, an overbite, smoking, alcohol, allergies, and family history.

Oral Appliances

Custom made oral appliances help keep the airway open all night long, allowing the body to get a full night’s rest. They fit like sports or orthodontic retainers and are much more convenient and comfortable than a traditional CPAP. Oral appliances are ideal for anyone with mild to moderate sleep disorders. Moderate to severe sleep disorders usually require a CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) that is much bulkier than oral appliances.

Home Sleep Study

Sleep studies have traditionally been done in sleep study centers, but in recent years, accurate home sleep studies have been developed. Patients receive the home study kit in our office, take it home, wear it while they sleep, and bring it back the next day. The results are then downloaded, read by a sleep apnea professional, and a diagnosis is declared.

Laser Gum Therapy

LANAP (Laser Assisted New Attachment Procedure)

85% of adults in the United States suffer from gum disease. Most of the time, gum disease symptoms are not painful and are hard to notice unless bone and gum destruction is present. Some symptoms of gum disease are blood when spitting in the sink after brushing or flossing, bad breath, and red and swollen gums. Don’t hesitate to call us if you have concerns about gum disease because the sooner it is treated, the easier it is to take care of.

LANAP is a comfortable method using state of the art laser technology to treat gum disease. The laser technology, PerioLase, inserts fiber between the tooth and gums which sends light to clear out bacteria, infected tissue, allowing the gums to re-attach to the tooth.

LANAP is meant to be less painful and more comfortable, unlike most gum disease treatments. Traditional treatments involve stitches, significant swelling, pain, and most patients experience a 2-4 week recovery process. With the new Laser Assisted New Attachment Procedure, the recovery process is about 24 hours without stitches, swelling, and significant pain.

Orthodontics

Retainers

Retainers are used to keep your teeth from moving and reversing the process of braces. We can create new retainers and replace old ones. We can make both fixed and removable orthodontic retainers. If your retainer is broken, lost, or no longer fits, let us know as soon as possible so that we can make you a new set before your teeth start to move.

Braces

Braces use wires and brackets attached to the teeth or clear aligners to increase jaw and dental health. They are generally used by those experiencing crowding, crooked, protruding or spaced out teeth. Braces are a great way to straighten your teeth for that beautiful, confident smile. We do braces for kids, teens, and adults. With children and teens, it is best to discuss an appropriate time to begin braces with an orthodontist, but it is never too late to straighten your teeth. If you have any smile problems, we will help you to straighten them out.

There are several foods to stay away from to prevent the brackets from breaking. It would be impossible to name ever food to avoid so here is a chart with some basic rules to follow:

Chewy or Sticky foods: caramels, gum, licorice, etc.
Hard or Crunchy foods: ice, popcorn, nuts, hard rolls, etc.
Foods you have to bite into: apples, corn on the cob, carrots, etc. Tip: cut these into smaller pieces to chew on your back teeth instead.

Invisalign

Invisalign treatment is the most advanced clear aligner system in the world, backed by more than two decades of innovation. Unlike braces, Invisalign clear aligners are removable and virtually invisible. Because they are removable and there are no wires and brackets, you don’t need to change the way you brush and floss or avoid certain foods.

Reveal Custom Aligners

Reveal Clear Aligners are a simple, discreet, and affordable solution for straighter teeth. Reveal Aligners are practically invisible and stay clear throughout treatment – no yellowing or staining. With Reveal, you wear each tray for two weeks, and they are guaranteed to stay clear throughout the course of treatment.

Reveal was specially designed to eliminate the need for attachments. Reveal uses a unique material and manufacturing process that results in a secure fit to hug the teeth, resulting in tooth movement without attachments.

Oral Surgery

Wisdom Teeth

Wisdom teeth are the third (and final) set of molars that most people get and they do not make anyone any smarter. They usually come in while most people are in their late teens or early twenties and most dentists recommend that they are removed around the same time to prevent future complications.

If they grow in properly, then there is no problem and they can stay in your mouth. However, this is not usually the case and leaving them alone to grow in wrong can damage the surrounding teeth, jaw, and nerves.

The dentist will periodically take x-rays of your wisdom teeth to evaluate their alignment and make recommendations based on what he sees there. If your wisdom teeth are going to be harmful to the rest of your mouth, the dentist will recommend that they are removed. Removal is easier with younger patients because the roots have not yet fully developed and the bone is less dense. This makes the procedure simpler and recovery time much shorter.

Implants

Missing teeth can be detrimental to your oral health as missing teeth can lead to shifting teeth, changing your bite, more cavities, bone loss, or lisps. Nothing will perfectly replace missing teeth, but dental implants come very close!

An implant is a titanium screw that is placed in the jaw bone with a beautiful crown that is placed on top to imitate a natural tooth. Because the titanium in the implant fuses with the bone, it will never fall out or cause further decay like other treatment options. Patients with implants may safely return to all normal activities without worrying about their smile!

Laser Gum Therapy

LANAP is a relatively new method of treament for moderate to severe cases of periodontal disease. While traditional methods involve surgery and a long recovery, LANAP is non-invasive, less painful, and requires very little downtime after the procedure.

Nitrous Oxide

Also known as laughing gas, nitrous oxide is a gas given through a small plastic mask that covers the nose. It is a simple yet effective way to help an anxious patient or minimize pain. There is no downtime needed and little to no side effects.

IV Sedation

IV sedation is commonly known as conscious sedation because of doesn’t put someone completely asleep, but the patient will be less aware of what is going on. IV sedation also causes a period of amnesia so the patient will not remember what happened during the treatment. It is used in oral surgery, extractions, and extremely anxious patients. Most dental offices do not offer IV sedation because it requires the dentist to be very well-trained in how to administer it. We are proud to offer IV sedation as an available service here at Smile Docs!

Cosmetic

Cosmetic dentistry can be any number for fixes that make our teeth look and feel better. For example, straightening, lightening, reshaping and repairing teeth to their natural looking appearance. Cosmetic treatments include veneers, crowns, bridges, tooth-colored fillings, implants, braces, Invisalign and tooth whitening. We offer all these cosmetic services to help you achieve your #smilegoals.

Fillings

Fillings are necessary to repair and prevent decay once a cavity has formed. Here at Smile Docs, we use a composite white filling that is a mixture of tooth colored plastic and glass materials.

Crowns

Crowns rebuild and provide protection for severely damaged teeth. White zirconia crowns are composed of a solid material similar to cubic zirconia. They do not contain metal or dark lines like older style crowns. Zirconia crowns are exceptionally durable and are recommended to re-enforce and protect the tooth.

Root Canals

Root canals are never fun but sometimes necessary. Having a root canal done on a tooth may save a tooth that otherwise would die and have to be removed. This process may take more then one visit as advised by the dentist but is very important to complete if you would like to save the tooth. After root canal treatment it is extremely important for your tooth to be protected with a crown to reduce the chances of a badly damaged tooth breaking in the future. Here at Smile Docs, we do our best to make every part of your visit as painless and enjoyable as possible. The following are some of the reasons a root canal would be necessary:

Decay has reached the tooth pulp (the living tissue inside the tooth).
Infection or abscess have developed inside the tooth or at the root tip.
Injury or trauma to the tooth.

Whitening

We offer two different types of whitening in our office: Venus and Opalescence. Venus is an in-office treatment with whitening gel and light that will help your teeth become whiter and brighter. Opalescence includes a take-home tray and syringes of whitening gel to help your teeth become whiter from the comfort of your own home!

Dental Hygiene

Personal Dental Hygiene

Only care for the teeth you want to keep! Excellent personal dental hygiene is crucial for every mouth to prevent decay. There are a couple of very simple steps to take morning and night that will keep those teeth healthy and strong.

Brush: Teeth brushing should happen at least twice a day. A thorough cleaning tends to take about 2 minutes. Be sure to use short strokes with the brush and to go over every angle of each tooth. Brush your tongue too to avoid bad breath! Tip: spit, but don’t rinse after brushing because it rinses off the fluoride from the toothpaste which then allows for a greater risk of tooth decay. Some people prefer an electric toothbrush if they struggle to brush correctly. Be sure to replace the toothbrush every 3-4 months because worn-out toothbrushes will not do a proper job of cleaning those pearly whites.

Floss: Flossing should be done at least once a day. Guide the floss between your teeth and GENTLY move it up and down between every tooth. Be sure to go beneath the gum line and rub the floss along the side of each tooth (don’t forget the back side of your last tooth). Do not re-use a piece of dental floss.

Rinse: The most important thing to remember is that mouthwash is not a replacement for regular brushing or flossing. It is known to help freshen breath, whiten teeth, prevent cavities, and prevent plaque buildup. When using mouthwash, it is recommended that you swish it around your mouth for 30 seconds to a minute and this spit it out. Do not rinse out your mouth afterward to allow it to work effectively.

Regular Exams and Cleanings

Proper dental hygiene is important to keep that smile looking good every day, but studies show that oral health affects the rest of the body as well. The American Dental Association recommends that you come in for check-ups and cleanings every six months unless otherwise directed by the dentist.

Brushing every morning and night is a good thing for teeth, but a thorough cleaning done by a professional is necessary to clean off stubborn tartar and surface stains. These regular cleanings help cardiovascular health, diabetic health, prevents periodontal disease and lowers inflammation. Regular exams, x-rays, and cleanings come with many health benefits that should never be ignored.

Oral Health Benefits

Prevent gum disease (periodontal disease). Left untreated, gum disease leads to early tooth loss.
Detect oral cancer at an early stage. One person dies from oral cancer every hour in America, but when caught early, many of these cancers are curable.
Brighten and whiten teeth. Regular cleaning can remove most surface stains that discolor and dull the teeth.
Detect early signs of problems such as broken fillings and fractures.
Save money in the long run because most dental plans cover cleanings and taking advantage of this will save dental expenses in the long run on more expensive (and easily preventable) treatments such as fillings for cavities and root canals.
Prevent persistent bad breath.
Improve personal dental hygiene routines as the dentist gives feedback about your current routine and tips on how to improve it.
Oral health can affect the health of the rest of the body. Studies show that people who have had their teeth cleaned at least once every two years significantly reduce the risk of a heart attack or a stroke.

X-Rays

We offer two different types of x-rays in our office: digital x-rays and 3-dimensional x-rays (CT). Digital X-Rays give us a clear digital image of your teeth, while 3D X-Rays gives us more in-depth crystal clear images of your teeth, soft tissues, nerve pathways and bone in a single scan. X-rays help us to better see what is going on inside every mouth to prevent decay, diagnose problems, and treat your teeth.