As an informed dental patient, you probably spend a good amount of time taking care of your teeth. You most likely brush at least twice a day, floss regularly, and see a dentist on a regular schedule…but are you taking care of your gums? In the world of dental care, gums are often overlooked—patients feel that if they’re cleaning their teeth, they won’t have any dental problems. Unfortunately, ignoring your gums can lead to serious health problems, and gum disease is the leading cause of tooth loss in adult patients.

To make sure that you’re maintaining healthy gums, take the time to evaluate your mouth for signs of gum disease. Gum disease can be effectively managed and treated once it’s identified, but the first step is to see our O’Fallon dentists and seek treatment.

So what should you look out for?

In the first stages of gum disease, called gingivitis, the gum tissue is infected with harmful oral bacteria. You may notice that your gums are:

·      Red and inflamed

·      Sensitive

·      Prone to bleeding, especially when aggravated by brushing

·      Swollen or puffy

As gum disease progresses it turn into a condition called periodontitis. Patients with periodontitis not only have infected gums, they also have infected teeth, connective tissues, or facial/jaw bones. Periodontitis is a serious condition that can lead to:

·      Shifting/misaligned teeth

·      Tooth loss

·      Bone density deterioration

Treating gum disease requires regular maintenance and a proper, personalized oral hygiene routine. Working with a dental professional, you can take control of your oral health and reclaim a health smile! Give our O’Fallon dental office a call for more information or to schedule a consultation—the sooner you begin treatment the less likely it is that you’ll suffer long-term complications.

Did you know that younger looking teeth can actually transform the appearance of not only your smile but your entire face? When teeth are white and luminous, they appear younger than darker or dull teeth. Unfortunately, many patients find that their teeth begin to show wear and tear with age. The good news is that even teeth ravaged by time can be rehabilitated with cosmetic dentistry options. Our O’Fallon cosmetic dental office specializes in helping patients find cosmetic treatments to fit their lives and goals.

You may have noticed that your teeth begin to appear darker with age. This is a common problem that many adults face, and the reason for darkening teeth is quite simple; as the white dental enamel around the tooth wears thin, the darker layer of dentin, which lies beneath, begins to show through. Many times, these aging teeth are not responsive to teeth whitening products. Patients can, however, pursue benefit from dental veneers. Porcelain veneers can whiten the appearance of teeth—veneers cover the entire existing tooth, so they can completely transform the appearance of worn down dental enamel.

Veneers are also beneficial for patients with small cracks or chips in their teeth. These minor dental cracks accumulate over time, and become more frequent as the dental enamel becomes weaker. With porcelain veneers, you can resurface your teeth, covering all the irregularities in your enamel.

It’s natural that teeth change with age, becoming more worn down or susceptible to damage. If, however, you’re dissatisfied with the appearance of your older smile, you still have cosmetic options that can help you reclaim your youthful, radiant smile.

Call our O’Fallon cosmetic dental office for more information or to schedule a consultation. We’ll walk you through the treatment process, and help you determine whether this cosmetic option could work for you.

One of the most requested cosmetic treatments in our O’Fallon cosmetic dental office is teeth whitening. Clean, white teeth look younger and friendlier, and for many patients, it is fairly easy to achieve the ideal white smile. For most patients, achieving a white smile simply requires regular dental hygiene and some professional teeth bleaching sessions. However, some patients find that teeth bleaching treatments are inadequate for their teeth. Patients with very stubborn stains or, more likely, teeth stained due to the antibiotic tetracycline, may need to look beyond conventional whitening treatments to achieve the white smile of their dreams.

Conventional whitening treatments are designed to bleach the surface layer of the tooth. Consequently, surface stains caused by environmental factors such as foods, drinks, or tobacco can be virtually erased. However, some stains, like tetracycline stains and fluorosis discoloration, are actually embedded in the tooth. Patients with these embedded or calcified stains often benefit from cosmetic treatments that completely cover the tooth’s surface.

Dental veneers can be a useful treatment to cover tetracycline stained teeth. Dental veneers are simply thin layers of multi-dimensional porcelain that are placed over dental enamel. Because veneers completely cover the natural tooth, they can totally change the appearance of a patient’s smile quickly and easily. Another advantage of dental veneers is that they can be used to correct multiple cosmetic problems at once. For example, if you have tetracycline stained teeth that are also uneven, you can achieve a white, straight smile with one cosmetic treatment using veneers.

If you’re trying to keep your teeth healthy and strong, you probably already have a good basic hygiene routine at home. Ideally, you’re already brushing and flossing at least twice a day, and maybe you’re using an oral antiseptic wash as well. If, despite your best efforts, you find that your teeth still seem to be losing strength and vibrancy, you may be suffering from acid erosion. Although acid erosion is not always well known among patients, it is an incredibly common condition that weakens and softens dental enamel. Many adult patients suffer from acid erosion without even realizing it—so read on to learn how to identify this harmful condition.

Acid erosion results when dental enamel is degraded or weakened due to long-term exposure to acidic foods or drinks. Acid demineralizes dental enamel, so over time the enamel becomes less resilient, softer, and more prone to dental infections. Patients with acid erosion often find that their teeth are more sensitive than before, and also more easily damaged or infected.

A number of common substances can contribute to acid dental erosion, including fruits, fruit juices, wines, and carbonated beverages. Now, minimizing dental erosion doesn’t mean that you need to avoid these substances all together—after all you need fruits in a healthy diet—rather, the goal is to minimize the length of time that teeth are coated in these acidic substances.

Here are some simple tips from our O’Fallon dentists:

Drink acidic beverages through a straw, thereby bypassing many teeth

Rinse your teeth with water after eating or drinking to help neutralize acids

The best way to protect your teeth from acid erosion is to maintain a regular schedule of semi-annual professional dental cleanings with your dentist. Your dentist can help you develop an oral hygiene routine that will work for your specific situation. Give our O’Fallon dental office a call for more information or to schedule an appointment!

My patient Vanessa came in to our office looking for a way to rejuvenate and brighten her smile. Vanessa had suffered from some severe cavities, and chronic dental problems had definitely left their mark on her smile.

When your tooth becomes infected with harmful bacteria, one of the first signs of infection that you may notice is dental discoloration. Dental enamel—the hard white outer surface of the tooth—is the first line of defense against infection. If the enamel wears away and becomes infected, it can become dark brown or black in spots.

As the infection moves through the tooth to the dentin and dental pulp, which lie below the dental enamel, the entire tooth can take on a darker, duller appearance. Once these dental infections are treated, you may still notice some residual staining and dental darkening.

The good news is that with modern cosmetic dentistry techniques our O’Fallon cosmetic dentists can drastically improve the appearance of teeth that appear duller or darker due to infection. If you natural enamel isn’t as white as you’d prefer, professional whitening treatments can lighten the appearance of your teeth. These treatments utilize hydrogen or carbamide peroxide to actually bleach teeth beyond their current level of whiteness.

If your teeth have been severely damaged, and dental bleaching treatments are not effective, you may benefit from cosmetic treatments that actually resurface the appearance of teeth. Dental veneers, because they completely resurface dental enamel, can correct even the most damaged dental enamel. Dental veneers may be especially useful if you experience both discoloration and pits or grooves in your enamel, because both of these problems can be corrected at once.

The first thing to do, no matter what your cosmetic concern, is to have your teeth assessed and treated for any infections. Once your teeth are healthy, our O’Fallon cosmetic dental office will help you reclaim your brilliantly white smile.

Sleep apnea is a disruptive and uncomfortable disorder that may be preventing you or someone you love from getting a healthy, restful night’s sleep. Unfortunately, many people can’t readily identify the signs and symptoms of sleep apnea, so they suffer needlessly from this disorder without seeking treatment. Our O’Fallon sleep apnea dentists want to educate our patients about how sleep apnea manifests itself and who it commonly affects, so that you can take control of your health!

What is sleep apnea?

Sleep apnea is an under diagnosed condition that afflicts patients of all ages. Obstructive sleep apnea causes sleep disruptions because oral tissues obstruct the airway and prevent patients from breathing freely during sleep. Patients may exhibit loud snoring or even gasping and choking episodes while asleep, because their airways are not clear.

Over time sleep apnea can cause a variety of uncomfortable and very serious complications. Along with chronic fatigue and sleep problems, patients may experience debilitating headaches especially upon first waking or falling asleep. Sleep apnea can also increase your risk of heart disease, stroke, an diabetes over time.

Sleep apnea can affect many different kinds of patients, but there are certain factors that put you at risk of experiencing sleep apnea symptoms, including:

Gender: male patients are more likely than female patients to suffer from sleep apnea

Age: patients over the age of 40 are at greater risk

Weight: if you’re overweight you’re more likely to have sleep apnea

Damage to you nose: if you’ve previously broken your nose, or have a deviated septum you’re more likely to have breathing problems associated with sleep apnea

The good news is that there are a variety of treatment options available for patients struggling with sleep apnea. Give our O’Fallon sleep apnea dental office a call for more information or to discuss your situation in greater detail!

Losing a tooth is a traumatic experience, so when searching for a tooth replacement solution, you may be tempted to rush into a decision. The better course of action by far is to take your time, evaluate the benefits of different tooth replacement treatments, and then choose the solution that fits in with your life. Here we’ll review how to maintain a dental implant,

Dental implants are small titanium rods that are surgically implanted into the jawbone. Once the bone and titanium fuse together, the dental implant is capped with a natural-looking restoration. Dental implants, unlike dentures and dental bridges, are not removable for cleaning and maintenance. Rather, you care for your dental implant as you would care for your regular teeth. Our O’Fallon dental implant dentists recommend that you:

Brush and floss as least twice a day to clean plaque away and help prevent dental infections. It’s important also to see your dentist semi-annually for a professional dental cleaning. At this appointment your dentist will also access the health and stability of your implant.

Don’t chew on harmful substances. Dental implants are designed to be strong enough for you to eat and drink normally. Although you can enjoy all of your favorite foods and drinks, it’s still important to avoid chewing hard candies or ice. Both of these things can wear down your dental implants prematurely—they can even cause your restorations to crack or chip.

By following a few simple guidelines and keeping up with your dental health routine, you can help maintain your smile and dental implants for years to come. Before you choose a tooth replacement solution, take the time to discuss your situation and your options with a professional. Give our O’Fallon dental implant dentists a call for more information or to schedule an appointment—(636) 614-1217.

In our O’Fallon cosmetic dental office, we’ve found that many patients are looking for the same thing—a whiter, brighter smile. As teeth become stained and discolored through years of wear and tear, it’s only natural that many patients want to reclaim the young-looking, white teeth they remember. As we know the first step to achieving this white smile is diligent dental hygiene. Patients should brush and floss at least twice daily and maintain a schedule of regular dental appointments. But what if this isn’t enough?

If dental hygiene alone isn’t keeping your smile as sparkling as you’d like, it may be time to investigate teeth whitening products to rejuvenate dental enamel. What we commonly refer to as teeth whitening products are actually teeth bleaching products, because they use either hydrogen or carbamide peroxide to whiten teeth. These products do more than simply remove surface debris and plaque, they have the ability to whiten teeth beyond their natural, or base shade, of whiteness.

The effectiveness of a teeth bleaching product depends on the formulation of the whitening agent and the way that the product is applied. Over the counter whitening strips and gels utilize less potent bleach formulas. The goods news is that this means that these products can be used at home without dentist supervision. The bad news is that at-home strips and gels take longer to whiten teeth, and ultimately don’t provide the same level of whiteness.

Professional teeth whitening treatments, on the other hand, are administered in a dental office. Most patients see results after only one or two appointments. Professional bleaching is suitable for a wide variety of patients, and may be the only effective treatment for patients with persistent staining or tetracycline-darkened teeth.

Before you begin a whitening regimen, discuss your plans with your dentist. He or she can help you decide what bleaching treatment will work best for you situation. Give our O’Fallon cosmetic dentists a call if you have any questions—(636) 614-1217.

Our O’Fallon cosmetic dental office treats a wide variety of cosmetic issues, and offers a number of different cosmetic solutions for patients of all ages. What we’ve found, through years of treating patients, is that all patients want a whiter smile. In-office teeth bleaching treatments can be used alone or as the finishing touch on a complete smile makeover. Once you’ve whitened your smile, however, you’ll want to maintain it, which is why so many patients as the question, “why are my teeth becoming discolored in the first place?”

The truth is dental enamel changes color for a variety of reasons. Some causes of staining are avoidable and some are just natural byproducts of aging. Here are some common causes of dental discoloration:

• eating and drinking—discoloring substances such as wine, cola, coffee, and tea can leave stains on white enamel.
• chewing or grinding—chronic bruxism—dental clenching and grinding—can cause small cracks in dental enamel. Eventually discoloring substances accumulate in these weak areas, causing dental stains.
• dental trauma—dental trauma or accident may cause your tooth to darken because it is no longer healthy.
• poor oral hygiene—plaque and tartar make dental enamel appear yellow or brown. If you are not cleaning plaque off of your daily and having professional cleanings for tartar control, you’ll notice that your teeth appear darker and dirty.
• tobacco use—both chewing and smoking tobacco can drastically change the color of dental enamel. To keep your smile sparkling white, avoid tobacco products!

If you want to maintain a bright, white smile you can take certain steps to avoid stains. Don’t use tobacco products, seek treatment for bruxism, and limit your use of staining substances. If you do find that your smile is still darker than you’d like it to be, know that there are cosmetic whitening options available to you. Give our O’Fallon cosmetic dentists a call for more information or to schedule an appointment—(636) 614-1217.

Sleep apnea is a pervasive and disruptive disorder that can contribute to a number of health complications. Obstructive sleep apnea is caused with soft oral tissue relax and fall into the airway during sleep. Sleep apnea patients may experience snoring, restlessness at night, and extreme fatigue and mood changes during the day. In extreme chronic cases sleep apnea can lead to anxiety, depression, and memory problems due to exhaustion.

The traditional treatment for obstructive sleep apnea is the use of a CPAP machine. The sleep apnea sufferer wears the CPAP machine over his or her mouth in the night. The CPAP mouthpiece delivers a forceful, steady stream of air into the patient’s airway, preventing the patient’s soft tissues from relaxing back into the throat and obstructing breathing.

Although CPAP machines are somewhat effective, patients often resist using them because the apparatuses are so cumbersome and uncomfortable to wear. Our O’Fallon sleep apnea dentists understand that CPAP machines simply don’t cut it for many patients. That’s why we’re proud to offer an alternative to CPAP sleep apnea treatment.

Our office strives to treat sleep apnea with simple, comfortable oral appliances. Sleep apnea oral appliances are designed to fit into a patient’s mouth like a mouth guard or retainer. It is custom-fitted to the patient’s mouth, and designed to keep the jaw in proper alignment, thereby preventing soft tissues from obstructing airflow.

These appliances are FDA-approved, and many patients see results in just days or weeks. When you meet with our sleep apnea team, we determine whether or not you’re a candidate for CPAP-alternative sleep apnea treatment. If you could benefit from a sleep apnea mouth guard, we’ll explain your treatment plan in greater detail.

Give our O’Fallon sleep apnea dentists a call for more information or to schedule an appointment. As always, we’re here to help—(636) 614-1217.