Important Dental Care Information ·

Daily Dental Care
Preventing Gum Disease
Dental Implants
What is a Prothodontist?
Dental Specialists
Financial Assistance


Daily Dental Care
Brush Twice Daily: Brushing and cleaning between your teeth every day is the best way to remove decay-causing plaque. Brushing removes plaque from the tooth surfaces.
Use a soft-bristled toothbrush and use a toothpaste with fluoride: Brush your teeth twice a day, with a soft-bristled brush. The size and shape of your brush should fit your mouth, allowing you to reach all areas easily. Use a toothpaste that contains fluoride, which helps protect your teeth from decay.
Clean/Floss between the teeth: Cleaning between the teeth once a day with floss removes plaque from between the teeth, and areas where the toothbrush can't reach. This is essential to prevent gum disease.
Eat a balanced diet and visit your dentist regularly: You can have healthy teeth and an attractive smile your entire life by taking care of your teeth, eating a balanced diet and visiting your dentist regularly.

Preventing Gum Disease
Gum disease (also known as periodontal disease), is caused by the bacteria and toxins in dental plaque, a sticky colorless film that constantly forms on the teeth. Gum disease affects the gums and supporting structures of the teeth.
Gum Disease Warning Signs
Gum disease is often silent, meaning symptoms may not appear until an advanced stage of the disease. However, signs of periodontal disease include:
Bleeding while brushing or flossing
Red, swollen or tender gums
Gums that pull away from the teeth
Loose or separating teeth
Pus between the gum and the tooth
A change in the fit of partial dentures
A change in the way your teeth fit together when you bite
Persistent bad breath

Stages Of Gum Disease
Gingivitis / The mildest form of the diseases, gingivitis causes the gums to become red, swell and bleed easily. There is usually little or no discomfort at this stage. Gingivitis is reversible with professional treatment and good home oral care.
Mild Periodontitis / Gingivitis can advance to perodontitis if gingivitis is left untreated. In the mild stage, periodontal diseases begin to destroy the bone and tissue that support the teeth.
Moderate - Advanced Periodontitis / Periodontal diseases can lead to more bone and tissue destruction in the mid-stages, with the most advanced form of these diseases including extensive bone and tissue loss. Teeth often become loose and may have to be removed.

Treatment Of Gum Disease
Without diligent home oral care, including brushing and flossing and regular trips to the dentist, you put yourself at risk for gum disease. If you're diagnosed with gum (periodontal) disease, your periodontist may recommend periodontal surgery.

Dental Implants
Are You a Candidate for Dental Implants?
Dental implants, which are used to replace missing teeth and secure bridges, can help people who have suffered from dental problems for years.
Many people who can benefit from dental implants think that they may not be suitable candidates for the procedure.. As it turns out, almost all of these people actually were able to successfully receive implant treatment.
Here are some of the genuine concerns that many people have regarding dental implants:
Age and Implants: If a person is in reasonably good health, there is no specific age limit to having dental implants placed. Older age is generally not a limitation to receiving implant treatment. We generally place implants in young people after growth has been completed - usually in the later teen years.
Bone Loss and Implants: Implants are held in place by the bone located under the gums. However, many people who have lost teeth or had gum (periodontal) disease have lost some bone. Fortunately, we have modern techniques to add bone (bone grafting) and to help the body produce more bone around the implants.
Gum Disease History ("Bad Teeth") and Implants: Problems patients may have had in the past with their teeth, should not cause problems with implants lasting. Almost all implants have been placed in patients who have lost their teeth to gum (periodontal) disease or decay, with proper oral hygiene and regular maintenance results in very high success rates.
Medical Conditions and Implants: If a person's medical condition allows them to have routine dental treatment, such as having a tooth removed, then generally an implant can be placed. Conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease that are under control with medication are usually not an obstacle to receiving dental implant treatment. Precautions must be taken for certain medical conditions such as diabetes.
Partials or Dentures, and Implants:
Partials or dentures are not factors that limit the use of implants. For patients in this situation, fixed ('permanent') teeth can either replace the removable bridges or dentures, or implants can be used to stabilize and secure the denture, making it much more comfortable.
Smoking and Implants: Smoking does not exclude a person from getting implants if someone has smoked heavily for many years and stopped, but smoking can decrease the success rate of implants.
As you can see, most people who can benefit from dental implants are candidates to get this treatment. If you believe that dental implants can benefit you, I recommend an evaluation by an experienced specialist in implants, such as a prosthodontist, for advice on the appropriate treatment.

What is a Prosthodontist?
Prosthodontists are dental specialists in the restoration and replacement of teeth. After completing four years of dental school, prosthodontists receive three years of specialized training in an American Dental Association (ADA) accredited graduate education program. Prosthodontics is one of the eight dental specialties recognized by the ADA.
Through rigorous training and experience, prosthodontists gain the special understanding of the dynamics of the smile, the preservation of a healthy mouth, and the creation of tooth replacements.

Serving Prosthodontists, who serve as the architect of a dental treatment plan, collaborate with general dentists, specialists and other health professionals to develop solutions to your dental concerns.

Find out more about Prosthodntist at www.prosthodontics.org

Improving Your Smile
If you have ever been unhappy about the "look" of your smile, you may want to consult a prosthodontist. Improve your appearance by restoring broken, discolored, or misshapen teeth through the advanced specialty training of a prosthodontist. The psychological importance of cosmetic can greatly improve a person's self-image and quality of life, and should not be underestimated.
Some of the procedures which can improve your smile are:
· Bonding: Using bonding technology on a tooth's surface to change its shape or to close gaps.
· Crowns/Caps: Placing complete ceramic esthetic crowns ("caps") onto teeth.
· Teeth Whitening: Bleaching discolored teeth to brighten and whiten a smile.
· Veneers: Placing veneers (a very thin porcelain "shell") onto teeth to repair defects.
Prosthodontists take great care and pride in providing their patients with esthetically attractive and natural-looking cosmetic restorations. All prosthodontists have extensive laboratory skills and knowledge of the materials used to restore and replace teeth.

The Many Ways Prosthodontists Can Help
Prosthodontists are able to treat many different, diverse dental conditions through state-of-the-art procedures and techniques, such as:
· Complex care management involving multiple specialists
· Missing teeth resulting from birth defects
· Post oral cancer reconstruction and continuing care
· TMD - jaw/joint problems
· Traumatic injuries
The prosthodontist's goal is to integrate natural-looking replacement materials with the patient's original facial structure into a comfortable and pleasing appearance.

Do You Need a Specialist?
Dentistry (Just as in medicine), has general practitioners and specialists. Specialists are experts that have years of intense training in their specialty. Only doctors who completed post-graduate programs approved by the American Dental Association can describe themselves as specialists. Patients who have a difficult case, or who want the security of being treated by an expert, may choose to consult with a specialist.

There are four specialty areas that can be involved in dental implants, complex reconstructive dentistry, and cosmetic (esthetic) dentistry:

Prosthodontist:

Specializes in:
·rebuilding damaged teeth
·replacing missing teeth
·restoring a patient's smile and bite
A prosthodontist is the only dental specialist that, through art and science, uses crowns, laminates, and bridges to skillfully strengthen teeth and restore a patient's teeth to its original condition…or better. The prosthodontist will carefully examine the teeth, gums, bone, smile and bite, and develop a treatment plan that will bring health, comfort, and a natural beauty to the person's smile.

Periodontist:
Specializes in:
· treating diseases of the gums and bones that support the teeth.
Periodontists perform periodontal (gum) surgery and other gum treatments, and many also place dental implants. A periodontist does not place the new teeth (crowns and bridges) that are secured by the implants - they place the implants and later, the dental specialist (prosthodontist) or general dentist will place the teeth.

Orthodontist:
Specializes in:
· Placing braces and other appliances to move and reposition a patient's teeth to achieve a better appearance and bite.
An orthodontist will work with the prosthodontist in some cases involving crowns and implants, helping to position teeth for a better final result. The orthodontist does not place new teeth or rebuild broken teeth.

So which of these specialists should a patient visit first? For a patient that may need dental implants, cosmetic dentistry, or other treatment involving replacing or rebuilding teeth, the first step in determining the course of treatment is to consult with the dentist that will be actually making and placing the new teeth. If the patient is seeking expert advice and the skills of a specialist, that dentist is a prosthodontist.

Oral Surgeon:
Specializes in:
· Removing (extracting) teeth
· Treating various diseases of the mouth
· Placing implants
An oral surgeon does not place the new teeth that are secured by the implants.

Financial assistance
We are pleased to offer Care Credit and Citi Health plans to our patients. These convenient - no initial payment, low monthly payment plans for dental treatments of $1,000 to $25,000, allow us to make your dental needs and wants affordable. You can find out within minutes if you qualify.

In addition
· Seniors Discount: Seniors receive a 10% discount
· Refer a Friend Campaign' "Refer a Friend" and receive a $50 credit towards your next dental treatment.

Dental Insurance Plans : We accept most PPO dental insurance plans.