3 Benefits of a Bite Plane

/0 Comments/in /by

Because a bite plane has multiple benefits, it might be recommended for any number of reasons. If you’re on the fence about whether this is a solution for you, we’ll look at what it does and why you might consider wearing one.

1. Stops Teeth Grinding (Bruxism)

Life can get stressful sometimes, and unfortunately, you can feel it both during the day and at night. The bite plane is a barrier between your teeth, making it impossible for them to come into contact with one another. If you or your dentist in Bellbrook, OH, is starting to see wear and tear on your teeth, a bite plane can be the key to preventing any further damage.

2. Relieves Pain

If you have either TMJ or bruxism in Bellbrook, OH, you likely already know that your jaw can get tender. What you might not connect to the condition, though, is how these two conditions can contribute to your headaches or earaches. A bite plane can potentially alleviate the stress on your jaw, which can reduce the overall tension in your face. You might be surprised at the difference you feel after even a few weeks of wearing it.

3. Improves Sleep Quality

If you’ve found yourself waking up constantly throughout the night, the answer might be because you’re grinding your teeth. It’s true that a bite plane can’t address all the issues that might be behind the teeth grinding, but it may be able to give you enough sleep so you can face the pressure the next day. Bite planes are popular solutions not just because they’re effective at what they do but they’re affordable enough for the vast majority of patients.

Dentists in Bellbrook

At Bellbrook Family Dentistry, our staff understands that it’s not always easy to implement a new dental appliance in your life. You may have resisted solutions in the past, hoping that the problem would resolve itself on its own. The good news is that a bite plane doesn’t necessarily need to be a lifetime sentence. You may be able to use it just to get over a stressful time. If you have questions about whether a bite plane is worth it, contact us to make an appointment today.

What Is Bone Loss, and How Does It Affect My Smile?

/0 Comments/in , , /by

Bone loss can occur when you lose a permanent tooth and put nothing in its place. So, if you’re having a tooth extracted, or if you’ve lost a tooth due to trauma or disease, talk with your dentist in Bellbrook, OH, about your options for replacement. Immediate replacement can help you avoid the damage that can occur due to bone loss.

How Does Bone Loss Happen?

Bone loss is a natural occurrence that happens when a tooth socket remains empty over a period of time. Your body begins to reabsorb the bone, causing a cup-like indentation in the gums where the tooth used to be. Because there is no tooth in place to add pressure, the bone simply recedes.

Over time, this can cause problems with your surrounding teeth as they begin to spread out and reposition. Eventually, you may begin to have difficulty biting, chewing, or speaking as a result.

How Does Bone Loss Affect My Smile?

Bone loss can cause a malocclusion, including an open bite. This is when your upper and lower teeth no longer come together when your mouth is closed. An open bite may cause a speech impediment and may make it difficult for your teeth to bite and tear food. It can also cause the teeth surrounding the empty socket to shift and spread, causing unsightly gaps in your smile.

Can Bone Loss Be Prevented?

Your dentist can help you avoid bone loss by placing a dental implant into the empty socket left behind by the lost or extracted tooth. Once an artificial tooth is in place, this will prevent the bone beneath the tooth from receding.

If you’re concerned about a tooth that’s missing or that may need to be extracted, schedule an appointment with Bellbrook Family Dentistry today. Our experienced clinicians are happy to sit down with you to discuss your smile goals. And we’ll go over all your options for tooth replacement if your permanent tooth can’t be saved. We can help prevent bone loss in Bellbrook, OH, and we’re only one phone call away. Contact us today to set up a time that’s convenient for you.

Am I A Good Candidate for Tooth Whitening?

/0 Comments/in , /by

We all want white teeth, don’t we? You can have white teeth if you take good care of your teeth and if you get professional tooth whitening services from your dentist in Bellbrook, OH.

Before getting your teeth whitened, it helps to know whether you’re a good candidate for tooth whitening. By ensuring that you’re taking good care of your teeth and your teeth are healthy, you can help the tooth whitening last for as long as possible. Here’s what you need to know.

Good Oral Hygiene

If you don’t have good oral hygiene, your tooth whitening won’t last long. In order to have good oral hygiene, it’s important to:

  • Brush your teeth twice per day. Ask your dentist to show you good tooth brushing skills at your next dental cleaning. This way, you’ll ensure that you’re cleaning everywhere and cleaning your teeth as thoroughly as possible.
  • Floss once daily. Floss your teeth once per day to get rid of the plaque that can build up between teeth.
  • See the dentist twice per year. Most people need to see the dentist twice yearly, or they get a buildup of plaque on their teeth.

Non-smoker

Smokers tend to get stains on their teeth from the nicotine and tar in the cigarettes. The more you smoke, the more impacted your teeth will be. If you quit smoking, you’ll have fewer problems of this nature.

No Implants

Implants can’t be whitened. If you have dental implants, whitening your teeth will cause your natural teeth to get whiter while your dental implants stay the same color. If you have dental implants, it’s best not to get your teeth whitened at all. If you struggle with stains on your teeth, talk to your dentist to get help.

Want to Know If You’re A Good Candidate for Tooth Whitening? Call Us

The best way to find out if you’re a good candidate for tooth whitening services in Bellbrook OH is to call your dentist. Call Bellbrook Family Dentistry today to schedule an appointment with our dental professional and find out if tooth whitening is right for you.

What Can Be Done for My Open Bite? 

/0 Comments/in , , , /by

An open bite occurs when your upper teeth no longer touch your lower teeth. This most often occurs near the front of your mouth, causing an anterior open bite, although it may occur in the back of the mouth as well. This condition is malocclusion, which means the teeth are not properly aligned when your mouth is closed. There are several reasons why this may occur in adults, including missing or shifting teeth, facial trauma, tumors in the jaw or mouth areas, or the presence of extra teeth. If you struggle with an open bite, your dentist in Bellbrook, OH, has solutions.

How Do I Know Whether I Have an Open Bite?

An open bite is easy to recognize because it impedes your quality of life. You’ll have trouble biting into a sandwich, and you may develop a speech impediment. If left untreated, your open bite will begin to affect your appearance as well. This happens when your facial structure begins to change as a result of the misalignment between the teeth and the lower jaw. An open bite can make you appear much older than you are.

What Can Be Done for an Open Bite?

There are several ways your dentist may correct your open bite. Treatments include:

  • Braces
  • Aligners
  • Dental Implants
  • Surgery
  • Veneers

When an open bite occurs in adult patients, surgery is usually required to realign the teeth. This may mean extracting adult teeth that have shifted and replacing them with dentures or dental implants to correct the problem.

Is an Open Bite Really That Serious?

It may not seem serious at the time your open bite first occurs, but as time goes by, the condition will only worsen. It will become more difficult to eat the foods you enjoy, and you may put yourself at greater risk of choking because you’re unable to bite foods, such as spaghetti or bacon strips, into small, manageable pieces for easy digestion. Your speech may change as well, and you may find it difficult to clearly pronounce words with ‘S’.

When you’re ready to fix an open bite in Bellbrook, OH, contact Bellbrook Family Dentistry to schedule an appointment. Our friendly and professional staff has a solution that will work for you.

Is a Dental Implant the Same as a Crown?

/0 Comments/in , , /by

As dental technology has evolved, one of the most significant advancements has been the use of dental implants.  However, since many people are familiar with the terms crowns and caps, they often wonder if a crown and dental implant are one and the same.  If you also have been wondering about this, here are some key facts and differences of which you should be aware.

What is a Crown?

A traditional dental crown, for years commonly referred to as a cap, essentially fits over a portion of a tooth that is no longer healthy due to decay or disease.  However, since the tooth’s root structure is still in place, the crown is supported by this and thus can be placed directly on the tooth once a dentist shapes the remaining tooth structure and fabricates a new crown.

What is a Dental Implant?

When referring to a dental implant, there are in fact many similarities between it and a traditional crown.  While the ultimate goal of both is to improve a person’s smile and ability to chew without pain, there is one key difference that separates dental implants from crowns.  When a dental implant is used, this means the natural tooth is already missing or needs to be removed due to disease or decay.  Thus, if the natural tooth is not there, neither is the root structure that is used for traditional crowns.  Therefore, the implant itself becomes the support system for the new tooth, taking the place of a natural tooth’s root.

How are Crowns and Dental Implants Held in Place?

When a traditional crown is used on a tooth, permanent cement is used to bond it into place on the natural tooth.  As for dental implants, they are usually retained by small screws inserted into a patient’s gums.  Though this may sound very invasive, the procedure is actually quite easy to perform and most patients experience little overall discomfort.

If you have been suffering from teeth that are decaying or have other issues, consider the possibility of crowns or dental implants.  To find out which one may be right for you, schedule a consultation soon with your dentist to discuss both options and learn how you can become pain-free and have a great smile.