January 25th, 2012
Orthodontics, if you look at the word, is the science and art of maintaining and creating straight teeth, but it’s more than its name literally suggests. Orthodontics is more the science of bite management than the simple correction of crooked teeth.
Straight teeth and a balanced bite lead to better overall oral health. Straight teeth are easier to clean. They are less likely to get food particles stuck in them, and more likely to be properly cleaned with simple brushing and flossing. As a result, you are at a lower risk for periodontal disease and tooth decay.
A balanced bite is better for many reasons. When your teeth are properly positioned, they apply bite forces evenly, which means that no tooth is subjected to undue pressure. Undue pressure on one tooth can mean excessive wear. Wear on a tooth can make it more susceptible to penetrating decay and result in needing a root canal later in life. Undue pressure can also mean your teeth are more likely to break when biting down on hard foods. A broken tooth may also need a dental crown.
An unbalanced bite may also contribute to the symptoms of temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ), which can cause headaches, back pain, neck pain, and other symptoms across your body.
To learn more about orthodontics and the treatment options we offer, please contact Baystate Dental, serving patients throughout the Springfield, Massachusetts area.
Posted in Braces | No Comments »
January 20th, 2012
You brush your teeth to maintain your oral health, fighting plaque and bad breath. But you also brush your teeth to maintain their pearly white appearance. Perhaps this is your primary goal in daily brushing. Nearly everyone would agree that white teeth make an attractive smile, and they would probably tell you they’d like their teeth even whiter.
Baystate Dental PC in Springfield offers multiple treatment options to get your teeth white, and keep them white for a long time – provided you care for them.
Teeth Whitening
Teeth whitening, or tooth whitening, is possible using over-the-counter products you can find in any grocery store. However, the results are often uneven, take a very long time to produce, and may create gum or tooth sensitivity. Professional tooth whitening performed in the dentist’s office using a professional strength whitening gel offers advantages over teeth whitening products bought at the store.
Benefits include:
- Custom care for your uniquely shaped mouth
- Long lasting results
- Whitening is even and can be controlled to the shade you desire
- Safe for your enamel, gums, dental work, and is completely comfortable
- Results are immediate
Porcelain Veneers
Porcelain veneers are also an excellent choice for whitening your teeth. They also provide cover for minor defects, such as cracks and chipping, gaps, and more. The difference between using veneers for whitening your teeth versus using a gel is that veneers go over your teeth that are seen when you smile, as opposed to every single tooth.
Removing a tiny portion of enamel to bond the veneer and then placing the veneers can be done in one appointment, thanks to our CEREC machine.
If you would like more information on teeth whitening or porcelain veneers, or how to whiten your teeth in general, please contact the experienced cosmetic dentists at Bayside Dental PC today and make an appointment at any of our offices conveniently located in the Greater Springfield, Massachusetts area and throughout Western Massachusetts.
Posted in Teeth Whitening | No Comments »
January 17th, 2012
The sports beverage industry will tell you that dentists are overreacting to the news that sports drinks are really bad for your teeth, but who are you going to trust? Dentists or sports drink lobbyists?
What the 2009 New York University College of Dentistry study shows is that the acids in sports drinks softens enamel and actually weakens the teeth. Some patients who are already susceptible to weaknesses in their teeth may see severe tooth decay and tooth loss as a result of drinking sports drinks.
Sports drinks are very good at hydrating people who run long distances or have hard workouts. This is primarily due to the addition of different electrolytes added to the drinks. Sports drinks, such as Gatorade, Vitamin Water, Powerade, and more, all advertise their “health” benefits. What isn’t said is that they are also high in acids that have a serious impact on your teeth.
When the sports drink acids weaken your enamel, your teeth are more porous, which causes staining. Staining can come directly from the colors in the sports drink or any kind of food or staining beverages you consume after the sports drink.
Some ways to prevent staining and other damage to your teeth include:
- Drink sports beverages in moderation and water them down
- Soft enamel will reharden after 30 minutes or so. Wait at least half an hour before brushing your teeth with a non-abrasive toothpaste after drinking a sports beverage
- Speak to the dentists at Baystate Dental about using a toothpaste that neutralizes acid and remineralizes your teeth if you are going to drink sports beverages
If your teeth are already seriously stained, you may be a candidate for teeth whitening or porcelain veneers
If you have any questions about sports drinks and teeth staining, and are in Western Massachusetts, please contact the experienced teeth whitening dentists at Baystate Dental PC today.
Posted in Teeth Whitening | No Comments »
January 17th, 2012
It is an established fact that quality of our life depends on what and how we eat and therefore our teeth, no matter what stage of life we are in. The question then is why is it that we still don’t pay enough attention and effort to save a tooth when we have to?
Things to think about:
- The food needs to be chewed to almost a pulp before reaching our stomach for proper digestion. Let’s think of two large crushers that crush things when they bang against each other. What happens if we remove one of them? Can we still crush objects? Let’s apply the same principle to food that needs to be chewed and what would happen if we took out one tooth that bangs on the opposing tooth to crush or break the food we eat. Guess we won’t be able to chew food good enough!
- Add to that, that we are still chewing and eating, so once a tooth is taken out the next tooth over has to do a better job or in other words the workload for the next tooth is doubled. What happens when at work your workload is doubled permanently? Do you work better? Just like anything else, the constant stress on this tooth will catch up and you will be at risk of losing this hard worker tooth at an earlier point in time.
- The adjacent teeth in general will try to compensate for the empty spot created by extracting one tooth. As much as we want them to move and replace the whole tooth that we lost just like it was there, they instead start tilting and try to close that space. This can also lead to spacing and thus disrupt the whole mastication process and alignment of our remaining teeth, depending on the position of the extracted tooth. This can, not only lead to bad chewing efficiency but also temporomandibular joint disorders. (Commonly referred to as TMJ)
- We have lost chewing power also because the teeth in front and behind the lost tooth tilted and so don’t chew like before because due to the tilt, they now touch the opposing teeth very lightly.
- The bone in the empty space starts decreasing in height with time and gums follow it, so you get a dip between two teeth. This makes it difficult for dentists to place dental implants to replace the missing tooth even if the adjacent teeth tilted very less. Moreover, the opposing tooth starts growing down trying to compensate for the missing tooth. So the already crowded empty space becomes more crowded making it virtually impossible to replace the tooth we extracted.
Everything around the extracted tooth has now changed for worse. So now we have gone from eating and enjoying food happily to compromising our quality of life as we grow. As the number of teeth we loose increases, this effect becomes more visible and detrimental to our ability to chew and masticate.
If you or anyone in your family has teeth extracted and are on the above pathway, let’s make a u–turn and get you back to happy healthy chewing and mastication. Next time when someone tells you to save a tooth versus extraction, think twice. Even if we need to extract a tooth because it’s too late to save it, there are many options available to stop this downward spiral that starts by extracting a single tooth.
To learn how we can help you restore your ability to chew and masticate efficiently, please schedule a consultation at Baystate Dental, proudly serving patients in and around Springfield, MA.
Posted in Dental Implants, Oral Surgery | Comments Off
January 13th, 2012
Maybe it’s because porcelain veneers are so thin, a shell really, that patients are concerned they may not last very long. However, the porcelain used by Baystate Dental is made specifically for cosmetic dental procedures, and is made to last.
Porcelain veneers can be used to correct several minor imperfections, including:
- Chips, cracks, and pits in teeth
- Discoloration
- Unevenly sized and spaced teeth
- Gaps
If your porcelain veneers are fitted by an experienced cosmetic dentist, they can last a decade or more. However, this includes the care that you must give them every day. Veneers are fitted by removing a very small portion of your tooth enamel and reshaping the teeth. They are bonded using a special resin, which hardens into a very strong material. Porcelain veneers are not indestructible and, like tooth enamel, can still chip.
If the porcelain chips, the part of the tooth that is left exposed may be susceptible to decay. If the resin cement is left exposed, it can stain very easily.
The best way to ensure your porcelain veneers last as long as possible is to practice good oral hygiene at home. This includes regular brushing and flossing, and seeing your dentist twice a year. You should also avoid heavy alcohol consumption because alcohol can dissolve the resin bonding your veneers to your teeth. Avoid biting down on hard objects like ice and hard candy, grinding your teeth, and other common sense habits.
If you are interested in porcelain veneers and are in the Greater Springfield, Massachusetts area, please contact the experienced cosmetic dentists at Baystate Dental PC today for an initial appointment at any of our offices conveniently located throughout Hampden and Hampshire Counties in Western Massachusetts.
Posted in Porcelain Veneers | No Comments »
January 10th, 2012
Porcelain is one of the materials used in modern cosmetic dentistry for procedures, such as crowns, white fillings, dental bonding, and veneers. Porcelain used in cosmetic dentistry is made specifically for this practice and has many benefits. One of the best is that it matches the pearly white color of your natural teeth. Variations in the whiteness of it mimic the enamel of your teeth. In addition, the cosmetic dentists at Baystate Dental can match the specific whiteness of your teeth with porcelain to enhance your smile naturally.
Dental grade porcelain is extremely hard and will last a very long time.
Porcelain resembles tooth enamel in that they are both semi-translucent, meaning some light passes through them. Porcelain restorations absorb some light, but reflect as well, giving your teeth that shiny look, just like natural tooth enamel.
Porcelain restorations can be made in the Baystate Dental office using the CEREC system. As a result, procedures like dental crowns or porcelain inlays and onlays can be finished in one dental visit, rather than two or more. The CEREC system allows your dentist to match the color of your porcelain restoration very closely to that of your natural teeth.
If you would like to learn more about porcelain restorations and are in the Greater Springfield, Massachusetts area, please contact the experienced cosmetic dentists at Baystate Dental PC today and make an appointment at any of our offices conveniently located throughout Hampden and Hampshire Counties in Western Massachusetts.
Posted in Porcelain Veneers | No Comments »
January 5th, 2012
Choosing porcelain veneers or crowns to fix imperfections in your teeth and smile depends on the condition your teeth are in. Some patients might benefit more from veneers while others may benefit from crowns.
Veneers
Veneers are a very good option for patients whose teeth have minor problems that can be covered up. A veneer is a very thin porcelain coating that is bonded to the front of your existing teeth. A tiny amount of enamel is removed in order to cement the bonding and make sure your veneers will fit correctly.
Veneers can fix teeth that are:
- Crooked
- Chipped or cracked
- Gapped
- Seriously stained
- Misshapen
Veneers can be matched with color and shape so that they look natural. They are created in the Baystate Dental office using CEREC technology.
Crowns
Dental crowns are used to strengthen and restore teeth that have been damaged. Porcelain dental crowns are often used to replace aging metal fillings. However, there is more than one option for the type of crown you may choose. In addition to porcelain crowns, Baystate Dental also offers porcelain-fused-to-metal and gold alloy crowns.
Dental crowns are a good choice for:
- Anchoring a dental bridge
- Replacing a decaying tooth structure or crown after root canal
- Restoring teeth that are broken or worn down
- Correcting misshapen teeth
- Replacing severely discolored teeth
CEREC technology allows us to create your unique crown in the office.
If you would like to find out if you are a candidate for dental veneers or dental crowns, please contact the experienced cosmetic dentists at Baystate Dental PC today and make an appointment at any of our offices conveniently located throughout Hampden and Hampshire Counties in Western Massachusetts.
Posted in Dental Crown | No Comments »
January 5th, 2012
SO many dental aids to choose from on teh store shelves. Which do I choose?
What are the best ones for me?
Why should I care?
Let’s start with the last question first.
You should care because plain and simple, our systems create oral bacteria. This bacteria has several names including: plaque, biofilm, and materia alba. If not removed DAILY, it becomes overgrown and damages not only our teeth, gums and jawbones, but it invades our coronary arteries and affects other major organs in our bodies.
When your teeth feel fuzzy, your health is being compromised and gum disease begins. Existing health issues like diabetes and heart disease make excellent home care a #1 priority!
The best honme dental aid for YOU is the one or ones your dental professional recommends for YOU. Remember, all aids are tools and you need the right tool for the right job. If the tool you need for a home repair is a hammer, you wouldn’t choose a screwdriver and hope it works, right? Because it won’t.
Some adults need a child-size toothbrush and some children need oral irrigators for food impaction and braces. EVERYONE NEEDS FLOSS. Implant and bridgework require special adaptive aids to insure long-term success.
As professionals, we are here to help answer any questions you have and assess YOUR individual needs.
Always keep in mind that even we get bacteria, cavities, root canals and implants. We are sympathetic to your needs.
YOUR general health, as well as your dental health, is important and we at Baystate Dental are here to help. SO please don’t hesitite to ask us about which dental aid(s) would be best for you at your next appointment, or contact us now.
Posted in Dental Hygiene, Dental Technology, General Dentistry | No Comments »
December 29th, 2011
As a Dental Hygienist, one of the most common conditions I’m asked about by my patients is how to get rid of bad breath, or halitosis. Halitosis is an oral health condition characterized by consistently odorous breath.
Identifying the cause of the bad breath is the first step toward treating this preventable condition. There are many causes of bad breath as there are multiple sources of bacteria in the mouth. Halitosis can be caused by the following: certain foods, poor oral hygiene, improper cleaning of dentures, periodontal or gum disease, xerostomia (dry mouth), tobacco products and medical conditions.
The things you eat contribute to your oral health and bad breath. Food items such as garlic, onions or any odorous food, are absorbed into your blood stream, transfer to your lungs, and become expelled into the air you breathe. Until this food is eliminated by the body, the potential is there for it to affect your breath.
Poor oral hygiene or lack of proper brushing, flossing and routine dental exams by a dentist, commonly results in food remains being left inside your mouth. Food that is left on your tongue, teeth and gums can cause an irritation, swelling and infection to your oral cavity. When food remains in your mouth, it acts as a breeding ground for bacteria, which in turn, cause bad breath.
If you wear dentures, make sure you clean them properly and regularly or else your denture may collect bacteria and food particles left behind and then cause odorous or bad breath.
Xerostomia (dry mouth) is one of the most common sources of halitosis. This is when the oral cavity does not produce enough saliva to properly cleanse itself and remove debris left behind by food. Certain medications, or a salivary gland disorder can cause this to happen. If someone is unable to properly breathe through his or her nose, he or she can mouth breath and dry out the oral cavity, causing the mouth to dry and malodor to form. To help avoid this from happening to you, try to drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.
Another cause of halitosis is tobacco and tobacco products such as cigarettes, cigars, smokeless tobacco and snuff. In addition to contributing to bad breath, these things stain your teeth and put your whole body at risk for a host of diseases. Tobacco users are also at an incredibly increased risk for periodontal disease, loss of taste, and irritated gums.
Bad breath may be an indicator or symptom to a serious medical condition including but not limited to: respiratory infection, diabetes, gastrointestinal disorder, and liver or kidney disorder.
Talking to your dentist or physician will help determine the best method of treatment for halitosis for your. Factors that will influence your treatment can include: the health of your mouth, cause or origin of the condition, extent of the condition, and your tolerance to specific medications, procedures or therapies.
If your bad breath is the result of poor oral health care, in most cases your dentist will treat the cause of the problem. If it is from an underlying gum disease, the condition may be treated by your dentist or by a specialist called a Periodontist. Your dentist or periodontist may recommend an antimicrobial mouthrinse (therapeutic mouthrinse). He or she may also instruct you to brush your tongue gently each time you brush and floss your teeth to remove excess plaque and bacteria. If it is a medical condition causing the halitosis, then you will need to visit your physician.
If you think you may have halitosis and would like to speak to one of our dentists about it, please don’t hesitate to call us. Our highly trained team of dentists and hygienists would love to work with you to find your best method of treatment!
By: Marcie, Baystate Dental RDH
Posted in Dental Hygiene, Gum Disease | No Comments »
December 27th, 2011
If you are looking for great results from your cosmetic dentistry procedure, the most important thing is to take care in choosing your cosmetic dentist.
The first step is to ask yourself whether the procedure you are looking for is worth traveling for. If you are looking for a cosmetic dentistry procedure that will significantly impact the appearance of your smile and may or may not last a decade or more, such as porcelain veneers, you need to be more selective in your criteria, and it may be worth traveling to get the right dentist. If you are looking for a minor procedure without permanent impact on your smile, such as teeth whitening, then the dentist around the corner might be a reasonable choice.
Talking to friends and family about their dentists is a great place to start. If they have had cosmetic dental work performed, assess for yourself the quality of work they received. Also, ask them how they chose their dentist and use this to qualify their selection.
Next, consider the quality of care provided by cosmetic dentists in the area you are willing to travel. Assess before and after images on the dentists’ websites, and make sure they are images of the actual work performed by that dentist, not images provided by a professional organization or restoration manufacturer.
Evaluate the training of a dentist, especially any postgraduate or continuing education the dentist has received. This can distinguish between two dentists whose work seems equally good–a better-trained dentist is more prepared to deal with a variety of situations, and may be better able to address the special situation of your restorations.
As much as you may be tempted, don’t let price determine your choice of a cosmetic dentist. Your smile is crucial, and you need to make sure you are getting the best treatment and results.
At Baystate Dental in the Greater Western Massachusetts area, we invite you to fully evaluate the care we provide and the training of our dentists, and will be happy to talk to you about your cosmetic dentistry goals. Please contact us today to discuss your smile.
Posted in General Dentistry | No Comments »
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