Topical Application of Fluoride After a Cleaning

The topical application of Fluoride is a generally recommended treatment for maintaining gingival and tooth health for at-risk adults, and can be performed in a number of ways at your dental office.

Fluoride is an element that helps slow the progress of tooth decay by increasing the rate of enamel mineralization, and decreasing its demineralization. Mineralization refers to the process whereby essential minerals that support a hardened, healthy enamel, are resupplied to the tooth after loss caused by acid erosion. Acids from direct food consumption, and those created as a by-product of Streptococcus mutans feeding on carbohydrates in our mouths contribute to this erosion.

When the demineralization of teeth progresses without regular remineralization, the pores within the tooth enamel become larger, allowing more acids to penetrate the surface, and allowing further decay.  Topical fluoride treatments help arrest this decay cycle by proactively remineralizing the enamel.

Most of us have had a topical fluoride treatment at some point in our lives. Generally speaking, the process involves either the application of fluoride via a foam or gel that placed in a disposable tray and kept in the mouth for a specific period of time, or via a varnish applied directly to the teeth. While many of us have experienced fluoride treatments as children, after the age of eighteen, treatments can continue based upon a person's general oral health and the recommendations of a dentist. Adults continue to have fluoride treatments for this very reason.

Call 913-649-5017 for more information or visit www.kcgordondental.com

Tooth Extraction and Pulling a Tooth: Gordon Dental Kansas City, Overland Park, Leawood Kansas

Tooth Extraction

A tooth extraction may be recommended by your dentist for several reasons in order to maintain the overall health of your mouth.

Some of these reasons may be:

• A crowded mouth – Teeth may need to be extracted in order to prepare the mouth for braces or to make room for teeth that are trying to break through the gums.
• Infection – A tooth may need to be extracted if tooth decay has reached to the pulp, which is the center of the tooth that contains the nerves and blood vessels. Extraction will help prevent the further spread of tooth decay.
• Risk of infection – Finally, a tooth may need to be extracted if you have a low immune system from chemotherapy or an organ transplant. The risk of infection may be worth extracting the tooth in order to prevent it from spreading.

Your dentist will numb the area where your tooth is in order to lessen the discomfort from the extraction. You will need to rinse your mouth gently for several days after the extraction and apply ice to areas that are affected by swelling.

Tooth Decay and Dental Cavities: Gordon Dental Kansas City

Tooth Decay

Tooth Decay is a result of bacteria in the mouth that makes acids that eat away at the tooth. When sugar and starches are consumed on a regular basis and plaque is left on the teeth, it produces acids and destroys tooth enamel over a period of time.  Tooth decay will often lead to cavities if left untreated.

Most tooth decay can be treated by using fluoride, a filling, or, in more extreme cases, through a root canal or a crown.

You can prevent tooth decay by regularly brushing and flossing your teeth, regularly scheduling hygiene checkups with your dentist, and limiting foods that are high in sugar.

Call 913-649-5017 for an appointment or visit www.kcgordondental.com

Smile Makeover Kansas City: Gordon Dental Cosmetic Dentist

Smile Makeover

Imagine having a bright, perfectly even smile that radiates youth and vitality. With modern cosmetic treatments, it’s easier than you may think.

What is a smile makeover?
A smile makeover is a treatment or combination of treatments that your doctors will custom design to enhance the appearance of your unique smile. For some, a smile makeover may be as simple as a teeth whitening session. Others require a more comprehensive plan that may include porcelain veneers, replacement teeth or a cosmetic gum lift. Before we get started, have your cosmetic dentist first evaluate your unique case to determine which treatment options are right for you.

How long does a smile makeover take?
Modern treatment options make smile makeovers faster than ever before. You can potentially have a fresh, new smile in just two or three visits. The length and depth of treatment will depend on your oral status and the results you desire.

How do I get started?

1. Your dentist will discuss your concerns, goals and personal preferences before beginning treatment. With digital imaging technology, we can show you the potential results of your smile makeover before the procedures take place.
2. Before beginning the artistic phase of your smile makeover, it is important to first resolve all oral issues. A healthy foundation will ensure that your new smile lasts a lifetime.

You may want to consider a smile makeover if you have:

• Widely spaced teeth
• Crooked or overlapping teeth
• Stained or discolored teeth
• Worn, chipped or broken teeth
• Gummy smiles
• Old dental work
• Mismatched crowns 

Call Gordon Dental at 913-649-5017 for a free cosmetic consult

Or visit www.kcgordondental.com for more information

Grinding Your Teeth- Gordon Dental Kansas City

Stress and Your Teeth

Stress wreaks havoc on your teeth. All that pressure and grinding wears down not only the surface, but the bone and connective tissue too. This leads to the loss of teeth, and some pretty unsightly cosmetic concerns when the grinding occurs in the front of the mouth. This month, we’d like to fill you in on the reasons scientists believe we grind our teeth, and what you can do to protect your chompers from wearing away to nothing-ville. Trust us, your face and jaw will thank you for acquiring this knowledge!

Why We Grind Our Teeth

It would be nice if there were a single reason for teeth grinding (bruxism, as it’s officially known), but researchers, physicians generally agree there are multiple causes – often within a single patient. Here are the big three:

• Stress: We’ve all heard the familiar refrain that to live a healthy life, we need to reduce the level of stress in our lives. While science isn’t exactly clear as to why daytime stress causes one to brux at night, daytime bruxing often occurs as a person anticipates and experiences stress. There’s a big difference. Some researchers believe the stress causing us to clench and grind at night is actually due to the body's response to a blocked airway.
• How about Bite?: At one time it was believed the main reason for bruxism was a bite that didn’t fit together well. As science has advanced, however, the majority of doctors believe it to be of minimal consequence – particularly given that even people without any teeth at all can still be bruxxers!
• Certain Medications and Foodstuffs: There is conflicting research regarding whether or not prescription medication can contribute to nighttime bruxism. On the other hand, the over-use of caffeine, and products containing stimulants (like tea and chocolate) have been shown to interfere with sleep and prompt bruxism. Alcohol as well is another common trigger.
• Genetics: Yet another thing to blame on our parents? Turns out, our genes may make us predisposed to bruxism. Perhaps that’s tied to this idea of our blocked airway? That’s biology, after all. Maybe you could become a researcher and help everyone figure this all out!?

Protecting Against Bruxism

So, how do you lessen the damage bruxism can do to your mouth?

• Consult with a Loved One: First, find out if you’re a nighttime bruxxer.  Often the only way we know outside of a visit to the dentist is if we ask our partner sleeping next to us! So, ask them: Do they hear your teeth gnashing at night? Do they ever hear you snoring, or wake up suddenly gasping for air?
• Reduce Stress: No matter what, reducing stress is always a good thing, and there are countless ways to do go about it –maybe chewing gum instead of clenching.
• Consider a nighttime appliance: If you find out you’re a bruxxer, visit your dentist and speak with them about corrective options that may be available to you. There are mouthguards and “splints” that can help you from grinding your teeth down to nothing, and when worn according to a doctor’s prescription, can also help reduce headache and jaw tension.

Believe it or not, bruxism can cause serious cosmetic and structural damage to your teeth, and bone. Finding out whether you’re harboring a bad clenching and grinding habit is important, and finding a solution to it, even more so. Here’s to good sleep!

Call Gordon Dental for a free consult 913-649-5017

www.kcgordondental.com

Dental Veneers Help to Correct Smiles- Gordon Dental

Dental Veneers Help to Correct Smiles

Everyone wants that “Hollywood smile,” but not everyone is lucky enough to be born with pearly-white, perfect teeth. Chips, irregular shapes or discoloration of teeth is not uncommon and can make people hide their smiles or feel uncomfortable. If your teeth make you self-conscious for any reason, dental veneers may be a good solution to consider.

Sometimes called porcelain veneers, or porcelain laminates, veneers are thin shells of tooth-colored material that are adhered to the front surface of your existing teeth to improve their appearance. Your dentist may recommend veneers for one or several of your teeth to correct:

• Worn down teeth
• Fractured teeth
• Discolored teeth
• Chipped or broken teeth
• Misaligned, uneven or irregularly shaped teeth
• Gaps between your teeth 

Because veneers don’t usually require as much “shaping” of the tooth as crowns do, they are a strong and attractive alternative that preserves as much of the tooth as possible. Veneers appear very natural and are resistant to staining from coffee, tea or even cigarette smoking. With proper care (which is no different from your standard brushing, flossing and regular cleanings) veneers can last 5 to 10 years, at which point they can simply be replaced.

The cost of veneers is generally not covered by insurance as the procedure is considered cosmetic, but getting that Hollywood smile might just be priceless. If you would like to learn more about veneers, talk to your dentist at your next scheduled appointment. 

Call Gordon Dental at 913-649-5017

www.kcgordondental.com

Dentures & Partial Dentures at Gordon Dental Kansas City, Overland Park, and Leawood Kansas

Dentures & Partial Dentures

A smile just isn't a smile if it's incomplete. Missing teeth cause a host of problems, from difficulty speaking and eating to low self-confidence to jawbone deterioration. Don't give up on your smile. Advances in dental materials and technology have made full and partial dentures more lifelike and comfortable than ever.
Depending on how many natural teeth you have lost, your doctor may recommend a complete (full) or partial denture.

• Partial dentures are used to fill in the space created by missing teeth to fill out your smile.
• Complete dentures are used to completely replace all teeth.

If you prefer a secure full or partial denture and do not want clips or adhesive, then consider implant-supported dentures. In a brief surgery, an implant dentist can secure a few dental implant posts to hold your dentures in place. With implant-supported dentures, you won't have to worry about slippage, and your prosthetic will feel safe and sound.

Now that I have dentures, do I still need to visit a dentist?
Regular appointments with the dentist are as important for denture-wearers as for people with natural teeth. The mouth tissue, bony ridges and gums that support dentures are constantly undergoing changes and may impair the denture’s proper function. Even such general health ailments as vitamin deficiencies, extended illness, drug therapy, weight loss, diabetes or high blood pressure can change the way dentures fit.

Ill-fitting dentures can seriously damage the mouth, causing abrasions, bruises, inflammation and rapid destruction of the supporting bone.  It is important to have a dental checkup at least once a year to insure that your dentures are properly adjusted and that your mouth is in good health.

Call Gordon Dental for a free consult 913-649-5017

www.kcgordondental.com