(217) 546-3333The Benefits of Preventative Oral Care
April 21, 2014
If you want a beautiful, healthy smile, preventative oral care is essential. Between daily oral hygiene routines at home and regular checkups with your dentist, proper preventative care can save you time, pain, and money.
It cannot be stressed enough: daily brushing and flossing are crucial for maintaining a healthy smile. Brushing and flossing keep particles from gathering between your teeth, keep bacteria at bay, and help prevent gum disease and tooth decay. Making basic oral care a part of your daily routine can prevent the need for costly dental procedures down the road.
Don’t skip on your regular dental checkups and cleanings. During your cleaning, your hygienist will attend to any of those spots you may miss during your daily routine and inform you of the areas you need to pay more attention to at home.
Your dentist is trained to catch serious dental issues. Early diagnosis and treatment for periodontal disease will ensure you have fewer office visits to the dentist down the road.
Your dentist can also determine which, if any, oral issues for which you may be at higher risk and can establish a plan to minimize your risk. The bottom line is preventative oral care will save you time and money. If you allow your teeth to become unhealthy, they may require expensive and painful procedures.
Many dental health plans cover preventative care visits with your dental office. One study found that many people are not taking full advantage of their health plans. We will work with you to establish a comprehensive preventative oral care plan that will ensure a healthy smile for years to come. Make an appointment with Advanced Dental Care of Springfield today. Call (217) 717-4551.
Sedation Dentistry for Multiple Dental Treatments
February 24, 2014
When you are considering dental treatments, you want your dentist to not only offer you experience and quality but also the maximum level of comfort with as little pain as possible. Often people avoid dental treatments all together because they are worried about the amount of pain involved. Some avoid procedures that will require multiple visits because they do not have the time or money. Sedation dentistry can eliminate pain during procedures, decrease office visits and allow your dentist to work quickly and efficiently.
Sedation keeps a person in a state of relaxation. If you opt for sedation during your dental procedure you will remain conscious throughout the process; you will be able to answer basic questions about your level of comfort. The sedation medication will reduce your anxiety, uplift your mood, and block pain receptors. You will feel light pressure in place of discomfort. You will be totally relaxed and calm during the entire procedure.
Many dental procedures are time-consuming and can require several appointments. If you have a complicated restoration, you may be weary of the long procedures and return visits. It can be difficult to schedule multiple appointments. Sedation dentistry allows many off these multi-visit procedures to be completed in a single visit. This can save time and money for the patient by reducing the number of clinic visits, time off of work and recovery time.
Many dentists find sedation dentistry beneficial as it raises their level of productivity and reduces the stresses that come with many dental procedures. Because you will be more relaxed during sedation, it is easier for the dentist to complete their work accurately and at a faster pace.
To learn more about sedation dentistry, call our friendly staff at Advanced Dental Care of Springfield at 217-717-4551 for an appointment with Dr. Matt VanderMolen. Our expert team will be happy to answer any of your questions.
Implant Dentistry: Preserving Natural Dentition
January 27, 2014
Preserving natural dentition
Dental implants have become one of the most comfortable and effective means of tooth replacement. The use of dental implants has become widespread because of the excellent aesthetic and functional properties they offer. Among the numerous benefits of dental implants, the most important is the preservation of natural dentition, or the natural array of the teeth.
When a tooth is lost, the surrounding bone loses support from the tooth and can undergo resorption, or bone loss. When a dental implant is placed into the same socket as the missing tooth, it provides support for the jawbone, helping to prevent unnecessary bone loss.
Tooth loss also creates an imbalance in the dental occlusion. The teeth that are near the missing tooth become functionally compromised. The rest of the teeth can drift, causing unnatural gaps between them. Food particles and debris can get trapped in these gaps and become difficult to remove. Trapped food particles can lead to tooth decay, gum disease or more serious dental problems if they are not treated correctly. Proper oral hygiene can become difficult when teeth lose their natural alignment, thus increasing the chances of periodontal disease. Dental implants can prevent these problems by providing a natural, functional replacement for the missing tooth.
In some other options for teeth restoration, such as bridges, the integrity of neighboring teeth can be adversely affected. This is mainly due to the fact that they derive their support from the adjacent teeth. The periodontal ligament and the bone of the adjacent teeth used as support have to bear extra stress which, over time, weakens them. This can eventually lead to loss of support teeth. Dental implants are inserted directly into the bone so they do not require support from the neighboring teeth. They function independently and look similar to your other teeth, leaving you with a natural, healthy smile.
Are you interested in learning more about dental implants? Dr. Matt VanderMolen and our staff would be happy to answer your questions. Call and make an appointment at Advanced Dental Care of Springfield today, 217-717-4551.
Keeping Current with Checkups as an Adult is Necessary
January 20, 2014
Preventative Dental Checkups Keep Your Mouth Healthy
Parents should develop a regular dental care routine for their children, including regular visits to the dentist. Once we reach adulthood, regular checkups are often overlooked. Many of us think that we will maintain a healthy smile as long as we practice good oral hygiene. While good at-home-care is essential for a healthy mouth, regularly visiting your dentist is an essential part of preventative dentistry for both children and adults.
Dental Visits Are Not Just for Emergencies
Only visiting the dentist when you have a problem or dental emergency is not good practice. Keeping your teeth healthy requires routine cleaning and evaluation. There could be more substantial issues developing with your teeth and gums that only your dentist will be able to notice. Early signs of periodontal disease and alignment issues can be detected well in advance during a routine visit to the dentist. No one should wait until they experience pain to visit the dentist. Without regular check-ups, tooth decay and gum disease can lead to costly procedures and additional appointments. These can often be avoided all together if they are caught early enough. Preventative dental appointments help keep your mouth and body healthy.
Teeth Change as We Age
Throughout our life, our body goes through many changes. Many of us work hard to keep fit through regular exercise and a balanced diet. While we clean and floss our teeth daily in our own homes, we are unable to get the deep clean and plaque removal that a dentist can provide over the long term. Deep cleaning and plaque removal help to prevent the development of cavities which, if not detected early, can result in much more expensive and invasive procedures.
Periodontal disease is very easy to detect by a dentist, but not so simple to diagnose by someone without training. Early detection will result in fewer treatments, and in turn, less money spent. To avoid developing serious dental issues, be sure to schedule checkups and annual exams with your dentist.
If you have been putting off those regular check-ups you should act now by calling Dr. Matt VanderMolen at Advanced Dental Care of Springfield today – 217-717-4551.
Preventative Dentistry: What can I do Between Visits?
December 30, 2013
5 Tips for Good, Preventative Dentistry at Home
Between regular dental visits, it is essential to maintain your oral health. Preventative oral care does not only happen at your dentist’s office. In fact, the majority of your dental care will occur at home, between visits.
Here are a few things to know about preventative dentistry at home:
Brushing and Flossing is Key. It seems basic enough, but maintaining a daily brushing and flossing routine at home is the best way to prevent further dental problems from developing. If you need help with your technique, talk to your dentist to see how you can better care for your teeth on a daily basis.
Maintaining a healthy diet is important for overall dental health. Eating nutrient-rich foods can help build strong bones and tissues while preventing dental problems from occurring down the road. It is also important avoid foods high in sugars, which can encourage tooth decay and gum disease.
Start at-home preventative care early on. Brushing and flossing should be taught to infants as soon as they develop teeth. By ingraining this daily routine into young minds, it helps set them up for a lifetime of strong and healthy teeth. This will also make their first dental visits easier and help reduce any anxiety that may develop over visiting the dentist in the future.
Ensuring that older children and teens have good brushing habits is essential. Remind them that spending 2 minutes brushing twice a day increases their dental health exponentially.
Stopping smoking can greatly improve your oral health. Not only does smoking cause teeth to turn yellow, but it can lead to gum and periodontal diseases. Gum disease causes the weakening of gums and can eventually lead to the loss of teeth in affected areas.
Overall health and dental health are related. There are many ways in which health problems can cause and be caused by poor dental health. By maintaining a regular exercise routine, minimizing drinking and keeping any other health problems at bay; you are setting yourself up for a lifetime of healthy, happy smiles.
If you need help establishing your at-home oral care routine, or have questions about preventative dentistry, call Dr. VanderMolen at (217) 546-3333 and schedule a visit. The friendly staff at Advanced Dental Care of Springfield – Your preventative dental care specialists!