Dr. Palka Sawhney Sharma in the media

Like so many businesses dental offices have had to change the way they help their clients during the COVID19 pandemic. So, what should you be doing if you experience dental issues or even emergencies in these uncertain times? To answer some common questions, we are joined by Doctor Palka Sawhney Sharma with Lake Chaparral Dental Care. Thank you so much for being with us this afternoon Doctor Palka

Thank you so much for having me I appreciate it

So, there are a lot of questions when it comes to medical facilities. So, let’s start with those dental offices then. Were they all closed are some still open can you give us an update on that?

Sure, yes so on march 17th the Alberta dental association in college had basically mandated the stoppage of any elective treatment for dentists. Now although I miss my patients dearly I miss my team dearly it’s very important for us to do this and we have abided by it. Now we are still available for emergency treatment. We also are required as dentists to leave a contact point for patients to get a hold of us, if need be

Okay, so when you’re speaking about emergencies then what does that consist of?

So the Alberta dental association in college again has given us what they define as a true dental emergency. So that includes oral facial lacerations, swellings infections, pain, bleeding, and malignancies. Now if anything can be dealt with medication great, if not then we, we, are need to see patients in our office. Now that being said I still do believe that clinical judgment plays a key role here because it’s not very it’s not as black and white as it seems and so I do urge patients that if they have a concern, if they’re not sure what they’re experiencing is defined as a true dental emergency, please reach out to your dentist. I think I can safely say on behalf of all dentists in Alberta, that we are here for our patients, we want to make sure they’re well taken care of and they stay out of the emergency rooms, where it’s crowded it’s busy and it can be more dangerous for them

Yeah and I mean you don’t know who’s infected with COVID 19 or not so you’re really on the front lines of this as well Doctor Palka, so when you do take in patients who have an emergency or procedure that they need, what is the main concern for you. How are you protecting yourself?

Yeah, it’s a great question. So, anybody that calls the office we when we triage and see if we first we try to deal with it from a pharmacological standpoint. If we can do that then that’s great. If we can’t then there’s a series of questions that we do have to ask patients to make sure that they don’t either have COVID 19 have been in contact with somebody with COVID 19 and if they clear all that they come into the office if we’re concerned there is personal protective equipment that we have that we have to have to be able to treat patients safely for the patient’s point of view and also for the dental team’s perspective as well

Okay so really the main point here if you are feeling pain if you have an issue or a question you can still contact your dentist and then go from there. In the meantime, what can we all do to take care of our teeth?

Yes absolutely so firstly if you do have a concern like I said most offices have a voicemail that you can reach out to for their dentist. At our office we have three ways. One is via voicemail one is a virtual consult where you can send a photo and have the dentist look at it and the third way is also a questionnaire. All those come directly to me so I can talk to my patients personally. From a home care perspective, you know basic stuff is so effective. Brush twice a day floss water picks so important. Also, just some other tips is when you’re done a meal, try to have some gum that has xylitol in it. Trident is a great example, there are gums out there that just have xylitol that’s the it’s a naturally occurring sugar that is actually helpful to prevent cavities in your mouth. So have that after a meal. Be cautious of what you’re eating you know don’t have the hard nuts don’t have you know some people chew on ice. These can cause breakage of teeth but then can become an emergency and it’s something that can be avoided if you’re just very careful.

Okay some great advice there, and also thank you so much for clearing up some confusion and providing some clarity for us we appreciate it thank you so much Doctor Palka

Thank you for having me

That’s Doctor Palka Sawhney Sharma with lake chaparral dental care

Well it’s hard not to think about your kids teeth as Halloween creeps up on us and what about baby teeth, are they really important? We have Doctor Palka Sharma to answer all your frequently asked questions which always seem to pop up, this time of year of course.

Absolutely 

Welcome to the show good morning

Thank you thanks for having me 

So I know you’ve brought in some things to show us here. Why don’t we just  start with we’re talking about kids because obviously a lot of kids are trick-or-treating. When should they first see the dentist? At what age?

Well the Canadian dental association recommends that a child be seen at six months that’s because that’s when the first tooth comes into the mouth and so at that visit we call it a happy visit child comes in we  if they let us look at their mouth we will give parents some tips on how to keep things clean and then we do fun things they go for a ride in the chair  get to see some of the tools that we use and we just want them to be comfortable with the dentist and with the staff and we want that six-month visit to be fun and pleasant for them

Okay that does sound like fun 

Yeah, it is

Not really that doesn’t sound like my dental visit. But so, what kind of toothbrush then I know you brought some examples for us. So, what would be best for parents to use.

 Well before the tooth even erupts in a child’s mouth you want to use a little cloth that you can put them in there into their mouth clean their gums with them and then as the tooth erupts as they get older you want a toothbrush like examples right there, it’s a smaller it’s just a small enough head to get into the child’s mouth and keep and brush their teeth. The really important thing is where your hands are even through the bristles.

Okay

So you want to make sure that the bristles are soft or extra soft 

Soft or extra soft 

And that’s usually extra soft usually on the actual packaging itself 

And then this one too 

Right and then as they get older you want to the brush size gets bigger but same thing the bristles want to stay nice and soft 

Gotcha 

A really important adjective though that, parents don’t realize is flossing. So, flossing for kids is just as important as flossing for adults is. So, these little floss picks that you have in your hand are wonderful for children because they can get into those little areas, they can do it themselves if you show them how

Okay 

And just help keep the teeth clean so you want to do that together to just help create that oral hygiene that good oral health for the child 

And I know you mentioned the cloth for, for, the baby, are baby teeth important?

Oh, absolutely they’re extremely important. Baby teeth from the very beginning when the child starts getting older, they’re important for speech learning how to speak forming words and sounds the teeth and the gums play a huge role in that and then as the child gets older eating chewing obviously teeth play a key role in that and then finally when the baby sees start to come out these baby teeth act like pathways for the adult to come through. So, if you lose a baby tooth prematurely, the rest of the teeth can shift and then that can cause a problem with the adult tooth coming in it can come in at the wrong direction, it can get stuck and so it’s really important to just keep a good oral hygiene and have good habits for the little ones at a young age to develop and keep those baby teeth healthy 

Okay and speaking of those habits Candy at Halloween. We have the upcoming holidays, as well so what is your advice your professional advice here.

 My advice is balance, the key to life is balance right. So, you want the kids to indulge. They want to have fun they want to be able to enjoy the Halloween and the holidays. At the same time, you want to make sure that you have a balance between the between keep with the teeth clean. So, a suggestion I give to parents sometimes is when the kids come home, let them pick out you know a number of treats that they want to keep and then ration them out over the couple course of a couple weeks. The most important thing to remember though is when the child is having their treat, have it in one sitting at one specific time. Then they can brush their teeth afterwards. It’s this constant grazing and eating throughout the day that causes the PH of the mouth to do this okay and then you create an acidic environment in the mouth which can then lead to more decay versus one sitting at one time they brush afterwards 

Okay 

Really, really, helps 

Feel like you’re talking to me about that because this is advice that applies to all of us Gemma Jenna. I know you are listening, one sitting candy for one sitting

Okay always great advice to everybody

Applies to everybody

Applies to all of us okay always great advice. Thanks so much Doctor Palka Sharma for coming in and giving us this very timely device this time of year

There is no shortage of products on the market, promising consumers whiter teeth, those who want to skip the trip to the dentist for whiter teeth have a variety of things to choose from.  Whether it’s whitening toothpaste, whitening strips or so-called natural remedies like charcoal powder, a popular and growing trend, or Calgary dentist Palka Sawhney Sharma joins us now and she’s going to tell us about those options and of course you can go to the dentist as well. Thanks, Palka for coming in. 

Thank You It was so great to be. 

So this month is an important month

Because itself oral health month

Okay, good 

And so, this is one of the things we’re going to focus on because there are so many things out there just over the counter. And now we’re seeing them on social media. As well, so where are we’re going to start with here?

So, there’s a lot of overwhelming products right now. So I’m hoping I can provide some clarity to the confusion, so I’m going to start I kind of set this up between from over the counter products all the way to products you find in the dental office. 

Okay 

So starting here these are, you know, the regular, the toothpaste, the the whitening mouthwashes you see in every store. These are what we consider whitening products, as opposed to bleaching products because these contain very little or no peroxide and so these really just work by removing surface stains on your teeth. You’re going to get a little bit of whiteness, may take a month or two to really see it. I usually recommend patients use these and adjunct with these to help elongate how long their teeth stay white. 

Okay, and when you say bleach compared to this, I mean, bleach sounds a little more abrasive, it’s.

Abrasive, it’s a higher concentration of a different type of product. So, it, it, whitens your teeth in a different way. 

Okay

More effectively I find. So, the this another over the counter product. This is the bleaching product; the white strips and they contain about 6% peroxide in them. Very effective at bleaching. So, you will see

These seem to work gas quickly. 

You will get really good results with these. If you’re somebody that has yellowish deeper yellow stains somebody that has greyish tinge to their teeth you need something stronger because you won’t get that 100-Watt smile that you’re looking for with these products alone. 

Okay

So that moves over to here. These are the products that we have in office. You don’t find these over the counter, so this is one of my personal favourites. It’s the custom trays with the bleach and syringes. 

Okay

I like these a lot because they come in varying concentrations, anywhere from 9% to 20% peroxide. So, for patients you can really tailor what they need. If they have sensitivity give the. Lower dosages they want quick bleaching give them faster higher dosage is really effective. 

And I notice people do have sensitivity. A lot of times why they don’t use these products, so would something like this you said would be good for sensitivity, what about something

Absolutely

Like the crest white strips 

Because they’re lower peroxide content. 

Yeah

They will be less cause less sensitivity on teeth but bleaching does overall cause sensitivity temporarily on teeth. That’s why I like these because you can really tailor it.

Perfect and what do we have finally here. 

This is our final product that is in offices is for those patients that want 100-Watt smile in one hour. Such a one hour bleaching in office. It has to be used by dental professional.

It’s intense

Because it contains 40% peroxide. So, you got to be careful because otherwise you can cause burns and whatnot in your in your gums if you’re not careful. 

Okay

So with this particular product, excellent to causing whitening, it can cause some sensitivity. Talk to your dentist if you have it beforehand. But you can get up to 8 shades lighter with this guy. 

Okay

Quickly side effects of the home remedies, the baking soda the charcoal that we’re seeing everywhere.

Really good questions. So, you know some side effects sensitivity. People ask about enamel damage. These won’t cause an animal damage as long as you don’t over use them,

Okay

 So, you shouldn’t be bleaching every month. It’s every two to three months. Home remedies the big ones. So, the baking soda, the lemon. The activated charcoal is huge right now. You got to be cautious because there’s no scientific literature supporting any of those means. We don’t really know what they do to your teeth long term. What we do know as dentist is that they rely on acidity. They rely on really harsh abrasives and that can remove enamel, which can cause sensitivity which can cause yellowing of teeth over time actually, and its irreversible damage, so. Talk to your dentist 

I don’t want to do that

Okay, thank you so much, Palka lots of great information out there for you. 

Thank You

Well, it’s a sweet day with a bitter consequence if you’re not careful. We’re talking about all that Halloween candy and when it comes to cavities are some less harmful, than others local dentist doctor Palka Sawhney Sharma is here to help us out with all of this thanks for being here

Thank you for having me 

We’re so excited about this not just because there’s candy on the table. I’m interested to know about the candies that are I mean these are common candies we all have these and which ones are maybe less harmful when it comes to cavities?

Right so firstly happy Halloween 

Happy Halloween

This is one of my favourite times of the year obviously a lot of temptations with a lot of candies and so you do have to be a bit wary when it comes to decay and causing cavities

Okay

As a dentist I think it is suffice, to say no candy is probably the best policy to reduce the amount of cavities you can potentially get

But who’s going to do that 

Exactly but not being said you know a couple days kids are coming home with their bags of candies and so it’s important to know that not all candies are created equal 

Okay 

So, before I go into all this, I have a question for you 

Okay, here we go

What is your favourite candy on here? 

Well, we were just talking about that and I said I really don’t have a sweet tooth 

Okay 

But sometimes you know you just get that inkling for candy so yeah star burst would be my favourite, I think I like this 

So, we’re going to start in the section

Okay

So, these candies are sort of the stickier toffee type of candies you have the caramels you have the tipsy rolls the starbursts. These tend to be the worst for your teeth and that’s 

Really those are the one I eat, that’s fantastic 

Now you know. So that’s because these ones even after you’re done chewing them 

Yeah

They still stick in your mouth 

Sure yeah

Because they stick around in the crevices in the pits of your teeth and that sugar stays there and the chance of decay goes up. Now I included lollipops in here because lollipops also stay in the mouth for a long time and so the chance of cavities can go up

 And that’s my kid’s favourite we’re in trouble this Halloween 

So be a bit wary of these ones

Sure 

This middle section here these candies definitely obviously still can cause cavities but a little bit less likely than their sticky neighbours here 

Okay 

That’s because even though they’re 100 percent sugar when you do swallow these candies most of them are gone from the oral cavity and so you don’t have a lot of lingering candy lingering candy sitting around

Interesting

And your saliva comes in and kind of washes away a lot of the bacteria as well. So they’re a little relatively better choice, this is why they’re kind of in the middle 

Okay 

Now the last section a popular one for many people is the chocolate

Jenna’s favourite so this would be her section over here 

So the chocolate is again it’s similar to this pile here because once you do swallow the candy it pretty much clears from your oral cavity. That being said if you can find stuff that has nuts in it as long as you don’t have a peanut allergy. That’s helpful because the nuts tend to dislodge some of the candy that sticks in between the teeth 

Okay

And so that can help to reduce the harm on teeth. Now my personal favourite is the dark chocolate and the reason for that is because dark chocolate there have been a lot of studies that have shown that it can be protective against cavities actually 

Really 

So if you eat them in limited, limited, amount there’s chemicals in there that help to reduce and limit the oral bacteria that causes cavities in your mouth and can also help to neutralize the microorganisms that cause bad breath

Look at this stuff you just don’t think about when you go trick-or-treating

There you go

So, Gemma’s going to stock up on the dark chocolate. I’m going to have to make a change. Really quickly I was talking to you about these toothbrushes for the kids what do you want to say about it?

 Absolutely so I think it’s really important to make sure kids get involved and excited about brushing their teeth. A lot of great electric toothbrushes out there some of them sing songs to kids as they’re brushing so get some excited some of them have apps that you can download. So really interactive with kids to show how well they’re brushing and some have timers built in. So the children is not in there for 30 seconds brushing and they’re done, they do it with until the timer is done which is two minutes, and you want to make sure you do this with a flirty toothpaste and flossing once a day 

Flossing once a day and, and, these do a good job even as good as the manual brush?

No, both do a good job if you have the right dexterity but I find these have all the bells and whistles and so for kids they’re much more entertaining 

Yeah 

Excited about it so I find that kids now tend to brush often and longer with these guys 

Wonderful Doctor Palka Sawhney Sharma joining us talking about all this candy, things that you never really thought about 

Thank you so much 

Thank you so much

A government review has found that Albertans are paying more than other Canadians to go to the dentist but instead of regulating fees the NTP government will work with dentists to develop a fee guide to allow patients to shop around. Local dentist local dentist Doctor Palka Sawhney Sharma joins us to talk a little bit more about this. Thanks for coming in polka

Thank you for having me again 

So, this is a real talker for a lot of people that I think it really affects a lot of people to see this fee guide comes in but to get your perspective will be interesting just first of all how come Alberta doesn’t have a fee guide already

So actually, Alberta did have a fee guide. Up until 1997 the Alberta dental association in college was releasing a fee guide for public to view and they stopped at 97 because they felt that it was misleading a lot of the public, a lot of people had the false impression that every dentist across Alberta should be charging the same fees, irrespective of the dental type of procedure the patient needs and also irrespective of the expertise of the dentist. So, there’s a lot of dentists out there myself included that have a lot of extra training in certain dental procedures and so a higher fee from those dentists is reflective of that experience and of that expertise in that area

Okay 

I think it’s also really important to note though that this is a dental fee guide. So it’s just that it’s a guide.

Right

It’s not mandatory for all dentists to follow it exactly. Now most dentists are going to follow it 

Okay 

But you will have some fluctuations up and down of dentists that decide to follow it a little bit higher or a little bit lower or exactly on cost 

Okay and, and, the review had pointed out some startling numbers about how much Albertans are paying as opposed to other provinces. 44 percent higher in Alberta

Right

Than in BC why are dental fees so much higher here in Alberta. It’s a really interesting question because when you look at the fee in isolation, it and you compare it to other provinces it does seem higher, but there’s when you dig a little bit deeper there’s a lot more that you can uncover. So, in 20 this year in 2016 industry Canada released some data in which they showed that the operating cost for an Alberta dentist is significantly higher than operating costs of other dentists in other provinces and that’s because in Alberta, we pay our employees higher wages labour relation costs are higher here. Things like dental materials are higher in Alberta for dentists and even things like advertising and rental rates are much higher in Alberta than they are in other provinces. I think it’s also important to realize that Alberta has the most stringent sterilization protocols compared to other provinces in Canada. So, at the dentist that makes me very proud because I know my patients are getting the best care the safest care, but it also adds to cost and to be able to sustain such a high level of sterilization. So, when you look at that number in isolation without taking in other variables, it’s very misleading.

Okay I think the assumption for a lot of people is that higher feeds lead to higher revenues, goes to the dentist higher incomes can you comment on that? 

Yeah, it’s a great question and I think a very again a very misleading idea. Again in 2016 the Alberta health released a report called the Alberta dental developmental report and in there they looked at the overhead the organization business overhead that I just spoke about and when they took that into consideration, what they found with Alberta dentists, the take home that they’re taking after they pay their expenses is very, very, similar to what other dentists are taking home in other provinces.

Okay

So, this notion that a higher fee translates into more money in a dentist’s pocket is, is, very misleading because most people don’t realize that there’s higher cost that we as Alberta dentists incur 

Okay very interesting really nice to get your perspective on this a local dentist here in Calgary Doctor Palka Sawhney Sharma thanks for coming in 

Thanks so much for having me

Stampede comes with a wide range of midway food that seems to get more wild every year. So, what is it actually doing to your teeth? With a closer look at Stampede sugar, Doctor Palka Sawhney Sharma joins us now. She is a Calgary dentist and she’s going to do a live demo which is kind of making me a little nervous. I’m very curious. Thank you so much for coming back.

Thank you for having me back.

So okay, so we’re talking about sugar and I think we know in moderation, but it’s hard to do that during Stampede, so we do need some convincing. So first of all, why is sugar so bad for your teeth?

So firstly, your right. Now stampede on the corner. There’s a lot of great treats that are out there. So, you got to keep her dental hygiene in check. So, the reason why sugar is can be harmful to your mouth is when you ingest something sugar or sugary drinks or sugary meal, the bacteria in your mouth digests that or metabolises that sugar into an acid, and that acid actually attacks can attack your teeth, and if it’s left on the tooth for too long, it can be very harmful.

Okay, so we’re going to be taking in a lot of sugar, so how does it actually create a cavity then? This is where the live demo comes into play

Okay, that’s right, yeah. So basically firstly, what happens that acidic environment that you create from that sugar intake, it’s the first thing it does is attacks the enamel of your teeth and the enamel is that white surface you see when you smile, and if it’s left on that surface for too long without being removed it can actually cause the enamel to soften or to decalcify and overtime a cavity conform. Now your saliva does have a healing capability and it does remineralize that enamel. It’s a very slow process. So, this is where this comes into play. This is an illustration that depicts exactly that. So, in this illustration, I’m going to be using a hard-boiled egg and the reason I’m doing that is because this egg has a very hard shell and the shell is interestingly enough, similar in composition to the tooth enamel.

Okay

So again, if this represents our tooth, I’m going to immerse this egg in some acid, and in this case, I’m using vinegar, but this acid is going to be representing the acid that forms in your mouth from the sugar intake,

With a sugar, yeah

And if you leave this egg expose for a prolonged period of time to this acid, and I actually have one here that’s been exposed for about 24 hours. You can see what will happen is the eggshell actually gets completely demineralized and actually dissolves, and so if you look now, you have instead of having this nice hard exterior of a tooth shell, you can completely pierce this egg and this is what can happen to your tooth to the enamel if you leave the acid on there for too long or too frequently in cavity conforms.

And use it 24 hours. So, in real life, does it take 24 hours to do some damage

So, in real life, when you it takes about not 24 hours, because usually you’re brushing before that.

Right?

But you do if you increase your sugar intake too much or too frequently,

Yeah

It will you will cause the cavity in, probably in about a week you can even create it

OK wow.

So, tips to avoid those potential cavities with stampedes underway now.

Right, right so when you go to the Stampede grounds and you pick up your or your funnel cake, couple tips. One if of course if you can brush with the Fluoridated toothpaste or floss after that’s the ideal situation. Second tip, if you can’t do that, you can actually pop in a a piece of sugarless gum or little piece of cheese. That actually helps the saliva flow increase in your mouth,

Oh really

Which helps dilute the acidic attack on you, teeth and then. Lastly, if we can’t do any of the above, the least you can do is drink some water and rinse your mouth out with some water. That just helps decrease the effectiveness of the cavity causing bacteria.

Okay, and you can also do this experiment and then you don’t have to peel the egg shell.

That’s very true.

Very good tips. Thank you.

Thank you so much, Paul car that really shed some light on what happens to your teeth in just 24 hours. So, when you get home after the Stampede, brush your teeth, Doctor Palka Sawhney Sharma joining us this morning.

Life just got a lot busier for parents as kids begin to head back to school. The morning rush will now include packing healthy lunches. Local dentist Doctor Palka Sawhney Sharma joins us this morning for snacks that can help prevent cavities and also snacks that we want to stay away from

Absolutely, I think it’s really important to focus on you know how much sugar a child should get in a day. So, on average what the American heart association recommends is three to six teaspoons of sugar which is about 12 to 24 grams which kind of showing there as an average.

Okay

So, we can realize how much here is in everyday snacks

That’s what this looks like and so this is you’re correlating this to these types of snacks here

Absolutely I’m going to show you a comparison

Okay
So, moving on to sort of

This I think looks like a lot too, just so you know like that seems like a lot even for this

It gets worse

Yeah, it gets worse

So, let’s start with breakfast something’s very common breakfast we give to our kids except for cereal. So instant oatmeal granola bars fruit yogurt they have a lot of hidden sugars in them. So, one serving of any of these contains about four teaspoons of sugar.

Okay

So, these have because of the high sugar content a lot of kids will eat it run out the door and not brush afterwards so can very easily cause damage to teeth if it happens very frequently

Okay that’s good to know because I didn’t, I didn’t realize about the yogurt. So, this is what you should have the here and this is what’s in these snacks

Just one serving of these snacks yeah

Wow

So now going on to lunches and stuff that you give with lunches or with snacks fruit gushers fruit leathers some fruit cups, these are very sweet because they have fruit concentrate in them.

Okay

So, they one serving of any of these contains about six teaspoons

That’s crazy

Of sugar which is very high and you the other issue with these is these get stuck in the children’s teeth and they can cause cavities, cause decay very, very, easily. So, you got to be really careful

Okay I know everyone loves the juice boxes for lunch I mean that’s you almost feel like that’s what they were made for

And these are probably the culprits the biggest culprits of hidden sugars. Yeah so, we all know soda pop obviously has a lot of sugar in it, but I think most parents don’t realize is how much sugar is in one of these juice boxes. One of these has almost as much sugar as a mini crush does. So, one serving of any of these is about eight teaspoons of sugar

What

Now this sugar just bathes the children’s teeth and if you think cumulatively, the effect that it has on children can be pretty startling and can cause decay and cavities very quickly

Yeah, because you could put one of each into a lunch

Absolutely

Okay there’s things really quickly Palka that we want to talk about that might prevent cavities

Absolutely so you want to have you want to pick alternatives that have lower in sugar in these types of groups. Juice should only be given as a treat and try to dilute it if you can. Water should be the main beverage for children no sugar

It’s good

And it helps to clean the teeth lastly you want to include some of these so some cheese or gum that contains xylitol and it is great. If you can give this to your children after their meals this will actually help prevent cavities

Wow

Over time

Even the gum and what, what, is it about these that prevents cavities?

So, this gum has its sugar free but it has xylitol which has which has an ingredient that helps to strengthen teeth and fight some of the bacteria that can cause cavities

Perfect thank you so much Doctor Sharma for all this great information

My pleasure

As your kids head back to school lcdcare.ca for more information

Benefits of invisalign?
1. Invisible appearance.
2. Improved cleanliness.
3. Safe and removable.
4. Better dental health.
5. Beautifully straight teeth.
To learn more about invisalign please follow our page.

What you should know about invisalign
What is invisalign treatment?
Invisalign treatment is the process of wearing a series of clear removable aligners that gradually straighten your teeth.

Is invisalign treatment right for me?
 Invisalign treatment can be a great solution for both adults and teens looking for a virtually invisible method to correct gapped teeth over bytes under bytes and crowded teeth. 

How will invisalign straighten my teeth?
Our doctor will create a unique digital treatment plan that maps out the exact movements of your teeth. There will be a gradual, gentle, yet effective teeth movement throughout your treatment. 

What are the primary benefits of Invisalign treatment?

• Invisalign looks better.
• You can take the aligners out to eat.
• It’s much easier to brush and floss your teeth.
• Fewer consultations required.
• Comfortable to wear.

How often will i change aligners?
You will wear each set of aligners for 20 to 22 hours a day, changing to a new set of aligners every one to two weeks as directed by your doctor. Did you find this video valuable? To learn more about Invisalign? Follow our page for more educational videos. 

A bridge is a non-surgical way to replace one or many teeth. A bridge uses the adjacent teeth as anchors to support the missing tooth or teeth. With today’s dental advancements, a bridge can be fabricated in a fairly short period of time, using a metal or nonmetal foundation. Don’t let that missing tooth affect the way you speak, eat, and smile. Bridges yield immediate results that last a lifetime. Ask your dentist what type of bridge may be right for you.

Root canal therapy is a very common procedure. It has a reputation of being undesirable and painful. But when done properly it is actually painless. Every tooth in your mouth is composed of a crown and a root. When a cavity or bacteria penetrates the tooth, the root and its nerves become irritated. As a result, the bacteria within the pulp cavity needs to be removed and cleaned in order to restore the tooth to its healthy state. Following the procedure, the tooth is fragile and consequently is restored with the natural crown for a lifetime of durability. Root canals have a success rate of 95% or greater. Most root canal are diagnosed by patients’ sensitivities to a specific tooth. Be sure to consult your dentist any symptoms or discomfort occur.

Dental implants are titanium roots, that are replaced with in the jawbone to resemble a tooth or group of teeth. A screw is inserted through the gums and into the jawbone. A porcelain crown is then attached to the screw to become the new tooth or teeth. They can be used to support dental prosthesis including crowns, dentures, and bridges. Today’s treatments are so natural looking, no one will know you had surgery. There’s approximately a 95% success rate for all implants. With modern advances in dentistry, some implants can be restored immediately with life like all porcelain crowns. For more details ask your dentist.

Veneers are thin handcrafted porcelain shields worn on the front of the tooth which improve the appearance of teeth that are chipped, cracked, stained or worn. Veneers are thin as contact lenses, and are an aesthetically pleasing option of closing gaps, lengthening teeth, and providing symmetry to make your smile more natural. Veneers are intended to last for many years without changing color. They are one of the most popular cosmetic procedures in dentistry. Ask your dentist if veneers may be right for you.

At a young age our teeth are healthy white. But overtime the enamel coating the tooth is so slowly worn down. Causing our teeth to become stained and yellow, which is why teeth whitening is become increasingly popular today. There are a few methods for whitening. They include at home and in office. With in office treatments, you will see faster results, receive the safest treatment for bleaching the teeth, and yield the whitest smile. So, don’t settle for teeth that have become stained from years of coffee drinking, tobacco use, or just aging. Ask your dentist about whitening options that may be right you.

The maintenance of clean teeth and gums revolves around brushing and flossing. Place the toothbrush bristles next to the gum line, on the outer surfaces of the teeth. Brush gently using back and forth technique with the toothbrush. For the inner surface of the teeth place the bristles next to the gum line and brush in a circular motion. The inside of the mouth is where the most plaque accumulates. Brush the surface of the teeth where the chewing of food takes place, in the same circular motion. To clean those places between the teeth where a toothbrush can’t reach. floss once a day to remove food and plaque before it can cause gum disease. So, eat a well-balanced diet, brush twice daily, and schedule regular checkups with the dentist.

The 3 stages of gum disease are gingivitis, periodontitis, and advanced periodontitis. Gingivitis is caused by toxins irritating the gum line as a result of plaque buildup. Signs and symptoms of gingivitis includes swelling, sensitivity, and bleeding of the gums during brushing and flossing. Gingivitis can be easily reversed through professional care and good home oral hygiene. Periodontitis is categorized by irreversible bone loss that results from untreated gingivitis. The gums may begin to form a pocket below the gum line which traps food and plaque. Dental treatment and home care can help prevent from further damage, but at this stage, the results are not reversible. Advanced periodontitis is when the fibers and bones supporting the teeth destroyed. This may cause teeth to shift or loosen. Teeth may have to be removed depending on how advanced the disease has become and if treatments are not effective. You can begin by preventing gum disease with good oral health. Pick up a brochure or ask your dentist today.