Colonial Dental Group Cosmetic Dentistry Blog - Dooley, Lewis, and Quezada
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Inlays and Onlays
Inlays and onlays are both porcelain fillings. The difference between them is their size. A molar resembles a valley surrounded by small hills known as cusps. Inlays are used to fill the valleys. Onlays extend over the cusps to one or more outside surface. We offer them in place of the old metal amalgam fillings, as they are healthier for the tooth and look much nicer.
If you have a broken tooth, an onlay is an excellent way to repair it, replacing the missing portion with glossy white porcelain matched to the tooth's color.
Our CEREC system
Inlays and onlays are done in the same manner. We have a CEREC system, which is a chairside, computerized porcelain mill. We therefore don't have to ask you to come in for a second visit, as we can complete everything in one visit. Instead of sending your tooth information to a dental lab and waiting a few weeks while they create your porcelain filling, we create here.
It is now part of your tooth and will never come loose. It will hold the tooth together, protect it from further decay, and lengthen its life. Besides that, it cannot be detected as a restoration. It will need the same daily care as your natural teeth.
Please contact us at the Colonial Dental Group today to see how an inlay, onlay, or other cosmetic dental procedure can help improve your smile.
If you have a broken tooth, an onlay is an excellent way to repair it, replacing the missing portion with glossy white porcelain matched to the tooth's color.
Our CEREC system
Inlays and onlays are done in the same manner. We have a CEREC system, which is a chairside, computerized porcelain mill. We therefore don't have to ask you to come in for a second visit, as we can complete everything in one visit. Instead of sending your tooth information to a dental lab and waiting a few weeks while they create your porcelain filling, we create here.
- Your dentist prepares the tooth by removing any decay or rough edges.
- A digital photo is taken of your tooth and input to the CEREC system.
- Your dentist uses the software which is part of the system to turn the photograph into specifications for the manufacture of your inlay or onlay. There is a monitor by your chair, so you can see what the dentist sees and he can discuss it with you.
- He chooses the right shade of porcelain to match your teeth
- There is a short wait while the mill section of the CEREC system makes your restoration to the exact specifications
- The finished restoration is temporarily placed and tested for comfort
- When you and your dentist are both satisfied with it, it is permanently bonded into position.
It is now part of your tooth and will never come loose. It will hold the tooth together, protect it from further decay, and lengthen its life. Besides that, it cannot be detected as a restoration. It will need the same daily care as your natural teeth.
Please contact us at the Colonial Dental Group today to see how an inlay, onlay, or other cosmetic dental procedure can help improve your smile.
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Thursday, June 19, 2008
How is TMD treated?
TMD stands for Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (also abbreviated as TMJ). The jaw joint is a delicate ball-and-socket joint where the lower jaw connects to the temporal lobe of the skull. It is extremely flexible, allowing the up and down movement of eating or talking, the forward movement of thrusting your chin out, and the sliding motion from side to side.
Pain related to the jaw joint is so common that it has given rise to a new type of dentistry called neuromuscular dentistry. A neuromuscular dentist focuses not only on teeth and gums, but on the jaw joint and its related muscles and nerves. He diagnoses and treats all variations of TMD.
Diagnosis first
The process of diagnosing TMD will also tell us how the jaw is misaligned, and where its relaxed position is. Making that relaxed position permanent will be the goal of treatment. Each case of TMD is unique to that person, which means that each treatment is unique.
Treatment steps may include:
Surgical correction of the jaw joint is considered a last resort and is avoided if possible.
If you live in the Chicago area and are wondering if you might have TMD, please contact the Colonial Dental Group today to schedule an initial consultation.
Pain related to the jaw joint is so common that it has given rise to a new type of dentistry called neuromuscular dentistry. A neuromuscular dentist focuses not only on teeth and gums, but on the jaw joint and its related muscles and nerves. He diagnoses and treats all variations of TMD.
Diagnosis first
The process of diagnosing TMD will also tell us how the jaw is misaligned, and where its relaxed position is. Making that relaxed position permanent will be the goal of treatment. Each case of TMD is unique to that person, which means that each treatment is unique.
Treatment steps may include:
- Altering eating habits
- Jaw exercises
- A customized orthotic to address bruxism, (teeth grinding), which is a major cause of TMD
- Dental work to reshape or reposition certain teeth
- Orthodontics to realign all the teeth
- Home use of a TENS unit (using electrodes to relax the jaw muscles and relieve pain)
Surgical correction of the jaw joint is considered a last resort and is avoided if possible.
If you live in the Chicago area and are wondering if you might have TMD, please contact the Colonial Dental Group today to schedule an initial consultation.
posted by
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8:18 AM
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Wednesday, June 11, 2008
How is Bad Breath Treated?
Causes of chronic halitosis, or bad breath, are not commonly agreed upon, so no consistent treatment is recommended. Experts agree however, that most of the bacteria causing the odor reside on the tongue.
Since most halitosis is discovered in the morning, the first thing to do upon rising is to brush your teeth thoroughly, including your tongue. Then eating a healthy breakfast with fibrous food may help remove bacteria from the back of the tongue near the gag reflex. Gently cleaning the tongue at least twice a day may also help. Chewing sugarless gum may help with the production of saliva, which helps reduce bad breath. Some chewing gums even contain special anti-odor ingredients or breath fresheners.
Brushing and flossing your teeth and gargling with an anti-microbial mouthwash can help eliminate food particles that feed bacteria. Several commercial mouthwashes have proven to knock out bad breath for several hours. Keep yourself hydrated by drinking lots of fluid; a dry mouth produces more odor-causing bacteria than a moist one.
Visit a qualified and experienced dentist every six months to ensure you maintain a healthy, fresh mouth. If you are in Chicago, IL, please contact us at the Colonial Dental group to schedule a consultation.
Since most halitosis is discovered in the morning, the first thing to do upon rising is to brush your teeth thoroughly, including your tongue. Then eating a healthy breakfast with fibrous food may help remove bacteria from the back of the tongue near the gag reflex. Gently cleaning the tongue at least twice a day may also help. Chewing sugarless gum may help with the production of saliva, which helps reduce bad breath. Some chewing gums even contain special anti-odor ingredients or breath fresheners.
Brushing and flossing your teeth and gargling with an anti-microbial mouthwash can help eliminate food particles that feed bacteria. Several commercial mouthwashes have proven to knock out bad breath for several hours. Keep yourself hydrated by drinking lots of fluid; a dry mouth produces more odor-causing bacteria than a moist one.
Visit a qualified and experienced dentist every six months to ensure you maintain a healthy, fresh mouth. If you are in Chicago, IL, please contact us at the Colonial Dental group to schedule a consultation.
posted by
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8:15 AM
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Tuesday, June 3, 2008
How Does Age Affect Our Teeth?
Aging affects our teeth and gums, just as it affects every other part of the body. After years of chewing, teeth wear down. They also become more brittle and more susceptible to breakage. Their luster and whiteness fade and turn yellow.
The older we get, the more restorations we are likely to have. Old fillings may become loose, and additional decay can set in near them. The tooth around the filling also may deteriorate, exposing the dentin underneath to further decay. Gum tissue shrinks and recedes from the teeth, exposing more of their roots and loosening them.
Medications or age may cause a decrease in saliva, which is the body's natural way of helping to keep the mouth clean.
What can we do?
It is important for older adults to continue with careful oral hygiene. Floss daily and brush at least twice a day with fluoride toothpaste. Fluoride helps prevent cavities in older people as well as in children. Drinking lots of fluid will help keep the mouth moist. Be sure to see a dentist at least every six months to have them professionally cleaned, to check for early decay, for oral cancer, and for gum recession which may need treating.
If you live in the Chicago area, please contact us at the Colonial Dental Group to schedule a consultation. You might save yourself a great deal of pain, inconvenience and money by catching dental problems early.
The older we get, the more restorations we are likely to have. Old fillings may become loose, and additional decay can set in near them. The tooth around the filling also may deteriorate, exposing the dentin underneath to further decay. Gum tissue shrinks and recedes from the teeth, exposing more of their roots and loosening them.
Medications or age may cause a decrease in saliva, which is the body's natural way of helping to keep the mouth clean.
What can we do?
It is important for older adults to continue with careful oral hygiene. Floss daily and brush at least twice a day with fluoride toothpaste. Fluoride helps prevent cavities in older people as well as in children. Drinking lots of fluid will help keep the mouth moist. Be sure to see a dentist at least every six months to have them professionally cleaned, to check for early decay, for oral cancer, and for gum recession which may need treating.
If you live in the Chicago area, please contact us at the Colonial Dental Group to schedule a consultation. You might save yourself a great deal of pain, inconvenience and money by catching dental problems early.
posted by
Patti
at
8:11 AM
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1775 Glenview Rd.
Suite 107
Glenview, Illinois 60025-2969
