Easier Cavity Prevention for Kids with Dental Sealants

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Although cavities can affect anyone (the majority of adults in the US have had at least one), they can still develop in your child’s teeth, and are sometimes more likely to do so. When it comes to protecting your children’s smiles, your family dentist plays a significant role in successful, long-term cavity prevention. Also, keeping your child’s teeth cavity-free can promote better dental health for them as adults. Today, we explore how dental sealants can make cavity prevention easier for kids, as well as what you can teach them to reduce their risks of developing dental health issues.

How Cavities Form

A cavity is a hole in your tooth, and usually, it forms as a result of a bacterial infection (called tooth decay) spreading through the tooth. Left alone, the cavity will grow as the decay spreads, and eventually it could lead to tooth loss and a host of other dental complications. The best way to prevent decay and infection is to teach your children excellent hygiene practices, like brushing and flossing at least twice every day, and attending a dental checkup and cleaning every six months.

How Can Dental Sealants Help?

Dental sealants describe thin, acrylic coatings that are “painted” onto the chewing surfaces of teeth, usually molars. The coating blocks the tooth from infectious oral bacteria that could lead to plaque development and cavities. This is particularly useful on children’s molars, where the grooves and cusps of the chewing surfaces can promote a greater accumulation of harmful bacteria and plaque. Over time, the sealant will dissolve, meaning there is no need to revisit our office to have the preventive coatings removed.

ABOUT YOUR MANSFIELD, TX, CHILDREN’S DENTISTS:

Dr. Jones and Dr. Harris of Mansfield Dental Associates rely upon their years of experience, training, and cutting-edge technology to offer patients expert dental care at each and every visit. They listen to each patient’s concerns and offer gentle, informative guidance about future treatments. If you would like to schedule a consultation, call 817-473-6227. Dr. Jones and Dr. Harris proudly treat patients from Mansfield, South Arlington, Kennedale, Southeast Ft. Worth, Alvarado, Midlothian and neighboring areas.

filed under: Cavities, Family Dentistry, General Dentistry

Facts About Sleep Apnea

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Sleep apnea is a sleeping disorder that stops people from breathing anywhere from for 10 to 30 seconds at a time while sleeping. These short stops in breathing can happen up to 400 times every night, disturbing your sleep even though they do not fully wake you up. Sleep apnea occurs when the tissue in the back of your throat collapses and blocks the airway, reducing the amount of oxygen delivered to your brain, heart and other organs. Even though sleep apnea is common, it is very serious and can be potentially life-threatening if not treated.

Types of Sleep Apnea

These are the different types of sleep apnea:

  • Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common, and occurs when the soft tissue in the back of your throat relaxes during sleep and blocks the airway often causing loud snoring.
  • Central sleep apnea is much less common, and affects the central nervous system. The muscles you use to breathe don’t get the “go-ahead” signal from your brain. Either the brain doesn’t send the signal, or the signal gets interrupted. People with central sleep apnea seldom snore.
  • Complex sleep apnea is a combination of obstructive sleep apnea and central sleep apnea

Signs and Symptoms of Sleep Apnea

It can be difficult to identify sleep apnea on your own since most symptoms occur while you’re asleep. One common sign is fighting sleepiness during the day at work, or falling asleep during quiet moments of the day when you’re not active. Here are more common signs and symptoms to be aware of:

  • Morning headaches
  • Memory or learning problems
  • Waking up frequently to urinate
  • Dry mouth or sore throat when you wake up

ABOUT YOUR MANSFIELD,TX DENTIST

Dr. Jones and Dr. Harris of Mansfield Dental Associates rely upon their years of experience, training, and cutting-edge technology to offer patients expert dental care at each and every visit. They listen to each patient’s concerns and offer gentle, informative guidance about future treatments. If you would like to schedule a consultation, call 817-473-6227. Dr. Jones and Dr. Harris proudly treat patients from Mansfield, South Arlington, Kennedale, Southeast Ft. Worth, Alvarado, Midlothian and neighboring areas.

filed under: General Dentistry, Sleep Apnea

Tips and Techniques for Teeth Whitening

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When it comes to the appearance of your teeth, there are numerous factors they are exposed to on a daily basis that may alter their look, feel, or how they rest in your mouth. Your teeth are the epitome for attention as they are generally one of the first things people notice during a first impression. While everyone may enjoy having a pearly white smile, not everyone may be aware of how to obtain their own.  A white smile is not something that is impossible to achieve, and can be accomplished through a teeth whitening procedure, along with proper dental care at home.

How to Achieve a Perfect Smile

Before discussing a suitable treatment option, the severity of discoloration must first be determined as there are multiple reasons why teeth may be discolored. If your tooth enamel becomes stained, which is typically due to anything consumed, stains may be removed through regular at home dental care, along with receiving professional dental cleanings. If the inside of your tooth, clinically known as the pulp, becomes discolored, this may be a potential sign of infection and cannot be reversed through a normal teeth whitening procedure.

Keep Your Teeth Clean At Home

Once you have obtained a beautiful, white smile, it is important to maintain proper dental care to keep your teeth looking fresh and new.  This can be achieved through a few simple, at-home tasks that, if exercised daily, will allow your teeth to maintain their shine. For instance, brushing and flossing regularly will remove bacteria and food particles that can lead to the staining of your teeth. This will also assist in maintaining proper dental health as this removes bacteria that, if allowed to settle on or around your teeth, can lead to infection and further dental complications.

ABOUT YOUR MANSFIELD, TX, DENTISTS:

Dr. Jones and Dr. Harris of Mansfield Dental Associates rely upon their years of experience, training, and cutting-edge technology to offer patients expert dental care at each and every visit. They listen to each patient’s concerns and offer gentle, informative guidance about future treatments. If you would like to schedule a consultation, call 817-473-6227. Dr. Jones and Dr. Harris proudly treat patients from Mansfield, South Arlington, Kennedale, Southeast Ft. Worth, Alvarado, Midlothian and neighboring areas.

filed under: Cosmetic Dentistry, Preventive Dentistry, Teeth whitening

Learning the Truth About Tooth Extraction

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Ideally, you would retain all of your healthy, natural adult teeth for life; hence the reason they are often called your permanent teeth. Unfortunately, that might not always be an option; accidental impacts, severe dental infections, and more often cause the premature loss of one or more adult teeth. Sometimes, teeth may need to be extracted to prevent it from causing harm to your other teeth, or the soft oral tissues surrounding it. Though many patients may feel a bit apprehensive about tooth extraction, the procedure may prove to be the most beneficial option, depending on the state of your dental health.

When is tooth extraction the preferable option?

In most cases, the preferable dental treatment is the one that allows you to preserve as much of your healthy tooth structure as possible. Though tooth extraction may seem to contradict that notion, the truth is that the procedure is often recommended to protect the rest of your dental health. Common reasons for tooth extraction can include (but are not limited to);

  • A tooth that is too infected for root canal treatment to resolve
  • Wisdom teeth that have become impacted, pushing against and potentially damaging your other teeth
  • A tooth with too much structural damage to save it (particularly a tooth with a cracked or broken root)
  • One or more teeth that have grown loose due to severe gum disease and/or jawbone deterioration

Will I have to replace my tooth after it is extracted?

With the exception of your wisdom teeth, whose removal actually benefits your dental health, most extracted teeth will require replacement. With one or more teeth missing, your smile could suffer subsequent consequences, such as shifting teeth and a deteriorating jawbone. We may recommend replacing your extracted tooth with a dental implant and crown, which mimic the root and crown of your natural tooth to create a lifelike restoration.

ABOUT YOUR MANSFIELD, TX, DENTISTS:

Dr. Jones and Dr. Harris of Mansfield Dental Associates rely upon their years of experience, training, and cutting-edge technology to offer patients expert dental care at each and every visit. They listen to each patient’s concerns and offer gentle, informative guidance about future treatments. If you would like to schedule a consultation, call 817-473-6227 . Dr. Jones and Dr. Harris proudly treat patients from Mansfield, South Arlington, Kennedale, Southeast Ft. Worth, Alvarado, Midlothian and neighboring areas.

filed under: Dental Health, Patient Education, Restorative Dentistry

How Good Are You at Brushing Your Teeth?

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Modern advancements in science, medicine, and dentistry have provided an impressive array of means for restoring smiles that need cosmetic or restorative care. Still, the most efficient method of protecting your smile remains the prevention of common dental issues. The cornerstone of prevention is good dental hygiene, and although most of us learned the tenets of good hygiene as children, many patients still slack in certain areas when keeping their teeth clean and healthy. To help you maximize your preventive efforts, we take a look at one of the building block of good hygiene – brushing your teeth – and how you might be able to do so more effectively.

Use the Right Equipment

Unlike washing your hair, or cleaning dirt and grime from your skin, removing plaque and food particles from your teeth does not require elbow grease. On the contrary, the harder you scrub, the more likely you may strip your teeth of their protective outer layer, called enamel. To reduce the risks of enamel damage, be sure to use a toothbrush with soft bristles (preferably nylon), and with the American Dental Association’s (ADA) Seal of Approval. Also, using toothpaste with fluoride will help boost the strength of your enamel against plaque and harmful bacteria, which can lead to tooth decay, cavity development, tooth damage, and more.

The Bigger Picture of Good Dental Hygiene

While the few minutes you spend at the bathroom sink every day are critical, your brushing and flossing routine is only one part of a good dental hygiene routine. The plaque that settles on your teeth contains a variety of oral bacteria that can significantly threaten your teeth and gums. Before long, plaque calcifies into tartar, which requires the professional tools and attention of your dentist and hygienist. Every six months (or more often, if necessary), you should attend a dental checkup and cleaning appointment so we can more thoroughly clean your teeth and gums.

ABOUT YOUR MANSFIELD, TX, DENTISTS:

Dr. Jones and Dr. Harris of Mansfield Dental Associates rely upon their years of experience, training, and cutting-edge technology to offer patients expert dental care at each and every visit. They listen to each patient’s concerns and offer gentle, informative guidance about future treatments. If you would like to schedule a consultation, call 817-473-6227. Dr. Jones and Dr. Harris proudly treat patients from Mansfield, South Arlington, Kennedale, Southeast Ft. Worth, Alvarado, Midlothian and neighboring areas.

filed under: Dental Hygiene, General Dentistry, Patient Education

A Brief History of Chocolate!

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The sweet, nearly irresistible taste of chocolate can lead you to believe that it must be bad for your health. To the joy of chocolate lovers everywhere, however, studies have shown that regulated amounts of chocolate can benefit your health, and may even help protect against oral health issues like tooth decay. To celebrate the good news about chocolate, we list a few interesting facts that you may not have known about the well-beloved treat.

The Historic Journey of Chocolate

  • Early use of the cocoa bean, from which chocolate is made, differed from common uses today. The Aztec people traded the beans as currency.
  • The Olmec people, who lived between 1400 and 500 BC, are often credited with the first consumption of cocoa, turning the beans into a tasty drink.
  • After the Spanish conquered the Aztecs during the 16th century, they introduced chocolate to Europe. It soon became a popular drink throughout Europe, but was only available to royalty and the well-connected.
  • The modern milk-chocolate drink was invented by Hans Sloane, a Scottish physician and collector. During a trip to Jamaica, Sloane was introduced to a popular chocolate drink favored by the locals. The concoction made him nauseous, which he rectified by adding milk to the mixture. Upon returning to England, Sloane manufactured his “chocolate milk,” and it was sold in apothecaries as medicine.
  • In 1897, Sloane’s recipe was sold to the Cadbury brothers.
  • In 1937, chocolate became a part of the basic field rations provided to US Army soldiers. The army-issued chocolate did not taste very well, until the 1980s, when a better-tasting and heat-resistant chocolate bar was developed for the army.

ABOUT YOUR MANSFIELD, TX, DENTISTS:

Dr. Jones and Dr. Harris of Mansfield Dental Associates rely upon their years of experience, training, and cutting-edge technology to offer patients expert dental care at each and every visit. They listen to each patient’s concerns and offer gentle, informative guidance about future treatments. If you would like to schedule a consultation, call  817-473-6227. Dr. Jones and Dr. Harris proudly treat patients from Mansfield, South Arlington, Kennedale, Southeast Ft. Worth, Alvarado, Midlothian and neighboring areas.

filed under: Family Dentistry, Nutrition

Learn More About Supportive Dental Implants

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For many patients, dental implants make tooth loss much less of a threat to their oral health than it otherwise would be. Even conventional replacement teeth, like dental bridges and dentures, can only do so much when it comes to restoring your dental health following tooth loss. As the only option for replacing your lost teeth’s roots, dental implants do more than just replace teeth—they restore the vital functions that keep your smile and oral structures healthy.

What is a dental implant?

A dental implant is a small, root-like post, usually made from biocompatible titanium, that can be inserted into your jawbone after you’ve lost one or more teeth. After your jawbone has healed, an abutment is placed on top of each post. The abutments protrude above the gum line so we can attach a dental crown, partial, or denture (depending on how many teeth you’ve lost).

What are the long-term benefits of dental implants?

Besides the restored ability to bite and chew, and the restored beauty of your smile, dental implant-supported prosthetics provide a number of unique, long-term benefits. For instance, stabilizing your replacement teeth on implanted anchors means unmatched stability for your new smile. Also, replacing lost teeth roots reestablishes stimulation in your jawbone, which keeps it strong and reduces the risk of further tooth loss

Do dental implants really last for life?

Once an implant is placed in your jawbone, your jawbone begins fusing to the implant’s titanium surface as it heals. Known as osseointegration, this process makes the implant(s) a permanent part of your oral anatomy, meaning they will last for life with the right care and maintenance. Your restoration (i.e., dental crown, partial, or denture) may need replacement after several years of use; however, the new restoration can be secured on the same dental implant posts.

ABOUT YOUR MANSFIELD, TX, DENTISTS:

Dr. Jones and Dr. Harris of Mansfield Dental Associates rely upon their years of experience, training, and cutting-edge technology to offer patients expert dental care at each and every visit. They listen to each patient’s concerns and offer gentle, informative guidance about future treatments. If you would like to schedule a consultation, call  817-473-6227. Dr. Jones and Dr. Harris proudly treat patients from Mansfield, South Arlington, Kennedale, Southeast Ft. Worth, Alvarado, Midlothian and neighboring areas.

filed under: Dental Implants, Missing Teeth, Restorative Dentistry

Why Your Dentures Might Appreciate Dental Implants

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As one of dentistry’s longest-standing restorative appliances, dentures have come a long way in mimicking the natural teeth they are meant to replace. Innovative dental porcelain and other materials help create highly-realistic replacement teeth (pontics), while advanced acrylics provide comfortable, customized bases for the lifelike pontics. Still, even advanced dentures need a little assistance when it comes to fully rebuilding your smile. For instance, only by securing your dentures to a series of dental implants can you ensure that your new smile is as sturdy and reliable as your healthy, natural teeth.

The Limitations of Modern Dentures

Partial and complete dentures are custom-designed to replace several or all of your lost teeth (respectively). Doing so reestablishes your bite’s capacity to process food, enunciate words, and more, but over time, their firm fit can loosen, causing the prosthesis to shift and move around when you speak or eat. Loose dentures are often due largely to a shrinking jawbone, which occurs after losing one or more of your teeth’s roots. Once they become loose, you will have to schedule a visit as soon as possible to have them refitted, or replaced with a better-fitting prosthesis.

Exceeding Expectations with Dental Implant Dentures

Before you receive a denture, we will thoroughly discuss the pros and cons, and whether you might benefit more from a dental implant-supported denture. Because dental implants replace your teeth’s roots and hold your denture in place more securely, they also help reduce the risks of jawbone deterioration and eventually further tooth loss. To find out if you qualify for dental implants, we will perform a thorough consultation and examination to determine your medical history, state of your oral health, and whether or not your gums and jawbone can support the prosthetic roots.

ABOUT YOUR MANSFIELD, TX, DENTISTS:

Dr. Jones and Dr. Harris of Mansfield Dental Associates rely upon their years of experience, training, and cutting-edge technology to offer patients expert dental care at each and every visit. They listen to each patient’s concerns and offer gentle, informative guidance about future treatments. If you would like to schedule a consultation, call (817) 473-6227. Dr. Jones and Dr. Harris proudly treat patients from Mansfield, South Arlington, Kennedale, Southeast Ft. Worth, Alvarado, Midlothian and neighboring areas.

filed under: Dental Implants, Patient Education, Restorative Dentistry

Frequently Asked Questions: Root Canal Therapy

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If you have been suffering from a toothache, the news that you need root canal therapy to improve your oral health may not be exactly what you were hoping to hear. What you may not realize, though, is that this information should be music to your ears. Yes, we realize that you may have heard a lot of myths over the course of your life, most of which probably paint root canals in a pretty bad light. However, we can tell you with absolute certainty that this restorative treatment offers a long list of benefits and is not the monster you think it is. Not sure you’re ready to smile just yet? To make sure you feel good about your appointment to protect your smile, we have answered some FAQs about root canals:

Question: Why do I need root canal therapy?

Answer: You need this treatment because your dental pulp is damaged. It may be injured or infected or both. Your dental pulp is the tissue that lines your roots – these are the hollow structures that make up the lowest portion of your tooth. Pulp houses nerves and blood vessels, keeping your tooth alive and healthy. Sadly, the pulp will not heal, so we must remove it. Fortunately, even without dental pulp, your tooth may remain standing in your smile.

Question: Can’t you just remove my tooth?

Answer: We only remove teeth when absolutely necessary. Your tooth actually helps keep your teeth aligned and your jawbone healthy – removing it will result in an open space and the need for costly tooth replacement.

Question: I’m afraid of root canal therapy, though – won’t it hurt?

Answer: No, your treatment will be comfortable. First, we will numb the tooth and the tissue around that tooth so you do not feel any discomfort. Next, we offer sedation dentistry options. If you require additional numbing or are simply too anxious, we can accommodate your needs, so you enjoy your visit.

ABOUT YOUR MANSFIELD RESTORATIVE DENTISTS:

Dr. Jones and Dr. Harris of Mansfield Dental Associates rely upon their years of experience, training, and cutting-edge technology to offer patients expert dental care at each and every visit. They listen to each patient’s concerns and offer gentle, informative guidance about future treatments. If you would like to schedule a consultation, call (817) 473-6227. Dr. Jones and Dr. Harris proudly treat patients from Mansfield, South Arlington, Kennedale, Southeast Ft. Worth, Alvarado, Midlothian and neighboring areas.

filed under: Restorative Dentistry, Root Canals