General Dentistry Visits Are Helpful for Your Oral Health: Learn Why

Visits to our general dentistry office are the one that we often describe as routine visits. Typically these are scheduled six months apart so that we can keep a careful watch on your oral health and ensure that you do not have any unforeseen problems with your mouth. Luckily there is a growing segment of educated patients that see the importance of these visits, and we can get them scheduled easily. The question about why these visits are so important is actually an easy one to answer. Your mouth, teeth, and gums should be inspected every six months because they are the first step in your digestive process. Everything that goes in the mouth, or occurs naturally in the mouth, ultimately will end up in your digestive system and could, therefore, end up causing other health problems if an oral infection exists. Keeping your teeth and gums in perfect health is a good way to ensure that the rest of your body also has limited exposure to risks like oral infections.
 
Ironically the routine that we put you through when you come in for these visits are the very things that cause some patients to question if they really need to see their general dentist once every six months. From an outside perspective, we always seem to do the same things but there are important reasons why. First we will clean your teeth, which includes a polishing so that they are gleaming white. During the cleaning process, we will remove excess plaque from the teeth and the gums themselves. This helps to reduce the potential of erosion and decay. Next you may receive a fluoride treatment if necessary. Then the dentist will perform an oral examination. During this examination, we are looking for soft spots that may become cavities in the future and also active cavities that need to be filled. Sometimes x-rays may be in order to check on the inside of the tooth, the root, and the jawbone.

Finally, we will send you home with a brand new toothbrush and floss. Handing you, a toothbrush and floss is one of those subtle things that we do to keep your oral health in good condition. We know that most people forget to change their toothbrush once every six months, as is recommended. So when you come to our general dentistry office to get an examination we hand you a toothbrush as a reminder that the time has come to throw away the old one and replace it. We do not expect you to, necessarily, use the one we provide as long as you replace the old toothbrush at home.

Another thing we do but do not talk about, is give you a screening for oral cancer when we are examining your mouth. Oral cancer is a deadly disease that can, at times, go unnoticed. In order to combat this, we have made it a practice to examine your mouth, looking for signs of oral cancer every time you come in for a routine well visit. While your physician may be able to give you similar exam, when you visit our general dentistry office once every six months it is easier because nobody knows your teeth better than we do.

Teeth Whitening  >  Dental Restorations

An Invisalign® Dentist Makes it Easy to Straighten Teeth

For many, a trip to an Invisalign dentist is the key to having a far more full, and productive social experience. It is this quest for a better social experience that has led many adults to seek out an Invisalign® dentist. Today, 1 in every 5 patients that seek orthodontic care are adults. This is revolutionary considering that just a few short years ago, few adult would consider straightening their teeth, regardless of their need. The idea of having a mouth full of metal that is both hard to hide and restricting keeps adults away from getting their malocclusion fixed.

Today, however, we know that a smile is one of the most important, and potentially one of the most influential, expressions that we have. In a recent study, it was found that 89% of people surveyed agreed that a great smile is one of the most important factors that makes a person more attractive. In fact, 53% of people stated that the first thing they noticed about a person and used to make that first judgment about them, was their smile. This is a hugely important statistic for an adult with crooked teeth, especially when you factor in the reality that most people make their first impressions about a person within 15 seconds of meeting them. This means that how confident you are in your smile, and how willing you are to use it, could make a significant difference in how people perceive you in a first impression scenario. For many Americans, 52%, smiling would be a lot easier, and they would do more of it if they only had a better looking smile. This is where we can help.  As an Invisalign dentist, we have the skills to do so.

The first steps in working with an Invisalign dentist are going to be the most exciting. As you come in and realize that you are starting down a journey that will end with perfectly straight teeth, there is excitement and, for some, a little bit of concern. All of this is completely normal, as is the desire to ask a lot of questions. We know that patients want to learn as much as they can about Invisalign® dentistry and are happy to answer all of your questions. One of the most frequently asked questions is why Invisalign® is so popular. The answer to that lies in the fact that Invisalign® is customizable, that it is very comfortable, and that the aligners are completely clear which makes them virtually invisible.

During your initial visits, we will be taking a lot of measurements. This allows the laboratory to create a custom set of aligners that are designed to fit your mouth, and your mouth alone. These aligners change every two weeks to move the teeth gradually into a better-aligned place following a plan that we will help to create. The customization also means that the aligners are completely comfortable with over 86% of patients reporting they were absolutely used to the new aligners within a few days of receiving them. For patients, the most exciting aspect of working with an Invisalign® dentist is the fact that the aligners are virtually invisible, meaning you can wear them for the prescribed 22 hours per day without most people noticing that you have them on.

Dental Restorations  >  Teeth Whitening

Visit a Family Dentist in Franklin, TN for Help With Your Dental Anxiety

Being a family dentist in Franklin, TN places us in an extremely important position, one that is unique to family physicians, and dentists. We become your confidant and the people most likely to talk about dental issues that nobody else would necessarily be willing to do. This includes the question of fear. Fear of dentists is a phenomenon that spans the globe and can be found in every country that practices dentistry. From right here at the office of a family dentist in Franklin, TN to all around the country, there are people who are deadly afraid of going to the dentist. Even among people who do go, they have a level of anxiety before the visit. We have found that anywhere from 9 percent to 20 percent of patients experience mild to severe anxiety before a dentist visit, especially while in our waiting room. For people who do actually go to the dentist, this anxiety can be the result of many things, including a bad experience somewhere else, or because they have not been in for a while and are concerned about the state of their teeth. We are happy that you are coming in regardless of your fear because there is an entire group of Americans who will never visit a dentist office barring an emergency dental situation. For 26 percent of the country, they would rather have bad oral health and terrible teeth than ever consider visiting a dentist office. This kind of fear and anxiety is perfectly normal. It is something we deal with every day as a practicing family dentist in Franklin, TN.

How your family dentist in Franklin, TN can help you overcome your fear of dentistry

What we have discovered is that we can help you make the transition from absolute fear to a level of understanding, and thus make the visit less intense and more comfortable. To do this, you have to be willing to do three things. First, you must confront the fear that you have and identify it. Unnamed and non-specific fears tend to become exaggerated in our own minds. In order to counter this, we want to narrow down what you are afraid of. Some people are afraid of the tools we use, others are afraid that they may experience pain while still others are concerned that they cannot be in control when sitting in the chair. All of these are legitimate, and once we isolate what fear is bothering you the most, we can work around it to make you more comfortable. Second, you must be educated about the processes and work we do. When you know how much care we take, the precautions, and the skill that goes into the work, you will know that you are in good hands. Even more importantly, the more you know about something, the less likely you are to fear it. We are always here to answer questions and even show you the equipment if you need to do so to overcome some fears. The final step is to establish a routine of care. When you make a habit of coming in at least two times per year for maintenance, cleaning, and a routine examination, you build up a sense of familiarity with the dentist, the equipment, and the processes, which will help you greatly in completely overcoming your fears.

General Dentist  >  Cosmetic Dentist

Visit Our Invisalign® Dentist Office to Straighten Your Teeth This Summer

As an Invisalign® dentist, we know that visiting our office could be the best way for you to kick off your summer. Summer is the season for fun. With kids out of school, families heading off on vacation, there are pool parties, barbecues, and celebration all around. Now the drab, dullness of winter is in the past people are getting rid of their woolen socks, packing away their comforters and heavy jackets, and heading outside. People even tend to smile more. As a result, if you are one of the millions of Americans that is conscious about your smile, then you should definitely consider visiting our office to speak with an Invisalign® dentist.

With the invisible retainers working all summer long, you will be well on your way to having a perfect smile and the confidence that goes with it. Visit our office this week, and you could be starting your treatment by the end of summer. For many of our patients, this means that by the time Thanksgiving rolls around, with the family gatherings and photographs, you could already be seeing noticeable differences in the straightness of your teeth. The bottom line is that you don’t have to let malocclusion, also known as crooked teeth, ruin your confidence summer after summer. Take the plunge and start down the road to a beautiful straight smile by coming to our Invisalign® dentist office.

As an Invisalign® dentist, we will share with you the many benefits of using the Invisalign® system to straighten your teeth. For the purposes of a summer treatment, perhaps the most important is that you will not have a mouth full of metal the entire season. As the summer heats up so do people eating out, with things like barbecues being the focal point of socializing. With traditional braces, you always have to watch what you eat. You cannot eat certain foods, and when you are enjoying smoked ribs, there is always a chance that food could get caught in the metal around your teeth. This is uncomfortable and requires that you spend extra time cleaning your braces. With clear aligners, you have no such worries. You can eat virtually everything since you are supposed to remove the aligners for the duration of your meal. We do not recommend removing them for more than a few hours, since Invisalign® works best if it is in place at least 22 hours a day, but this is an option that you do not have with traditional braces.

By virtue of being almost completely invisible, your Invisalign® aligners will quietly and privately go to work giving you the straightest teeth possible. Very few people will notice the thin plastic trays in your mouth, and those that do may ask about them because they too have been considering how do deal with their own malocclusion. Fewer people will notice your aligners than would your braces, but virtually everyone you know will recognize the straight, beautiful, and confident look that you will have once the treatment is completed.  To get started, call our Invisalign® dentist office today.

Most people aspire to have a more attractive smile, and a great way to accomplish that is by having a teeth whitening service done by our office. Many people practice perfect oral hygiene, but that doesn’t necessarily mean your smile will be stain free. Yellowing and staining can happen due to several factors, but don't be discouraged, we can help.

Causes of Teeth Staining

Smoking and tobacco: This habit is not only unhealthy, but it is also bad for your teeth and dental hygiene. It can cause oral cancer or other oral tissue sores, and it can encourage periodontal disease. Smoking and tobacco use can also stain your teeth with a yellow tinge.

Drinks and Food: Drinking soda, tea, red wine, dark juices, and coffee can yellow your teeth fairly quickly if you don’t brush your teeth right after you consume them. Not only are these beverages mostly dark colored, but they are also acidic which can soften your enamel and encourage stain wear. Many healthy fruits and vegetables like beets, tomatoes, berries, cherries, curry, and many other foods can actually stain your teeth when you eat them. Don’t let this hinder you from enjoying healthy foods. Brush your teeth following consumption or swish water in your mouth to help remove stains before they set in. It can also be helpful to use a straw when you drink dark colored or acidic beverages. Rich colored candies can also stain your teeth. If it is staining your tongue, it is a good indicator that it is also staining your teeth, just in a less obvious way.

Poor Dental Hygiene: If you do not brush your teeth adequately, you are not properly removing plaque, grime, and staining substances.

Disease: Many diseases can discolor teeth as well as soften the enamel that protects your teeth.
Age: As you age, your enamel becomes weaker than it once was. As your enamel weakens, your teeth become more susceptible to staining.

Dental Trauma: If you have had an accident that injured your tooth’s roots, it can cause discoloration. An accident can also harm your dental enamel which and make your teeth more likely to yellow.  
These are not the only reasons you have tooth staining and softening of dental enamel, but these are a few of the more common causes. If you can avoid foods and drinks (or brush your teeth after) and bad habits that cause staining, your teeth will be more likely to remain a whiter shade. If you would like immediate teeth whitening, we can help.

Our office can offer you a variety of teeth whitening options that will lighten your teeth to a whiter shade. Many people complain of teeth sensitivities when they go through teeth whitening, but we have options that don’t contain harsh chemicals. We also have special toothpaste that you can use following whitening to relieve sensitivities and strengthen dental enamel. Whatever your particular needs are, we can look over your teeth and determine what the best teeth whitening options are for you.

Get Your Smile Makeover Following an Accident

If you need a smile makeover following damages caused by an accident, our office can help. Even if the damage to your teeth is not very noticeable, it can turn into bigger health problems in the future. By visiting us for a smile makeover, you can prevent further unappealing damages to your teeth. We offer several procedures that will reverse your smile back to normal or leave it looking even better than it once did. If you have any of the damages below, visit our office for a smile makeover as soon as you can.

Mild Tooth Chip or Crack:

For a mild tooth chip or crack, we can offer you our excellent bonding services. We use a tooth-colored, hard material to cover your vulnerable areas. The material will be coated over the damages and will be hardened to a long-lasting finish. Bonding may help your tooth from facing future damage, and it will leave your tooth looking natural.  This procedure can be completed in one visit for your convenience.
 
Severe Tooth Damages:

If you have a more severe crack or chip, or your tooth has been misshapen in any way, a crown or veneers may be the best options for you. A crown will be placed over your whole tooth and can cover more problematic cracks and chips. Our dental crown will keep your tooth safe when faced and allow you to bite down like normal. It will also protect your tooth from decay and sensitivities. Veneers can change the entire appearance of your smile if you need a complete smile lift. They can cover a variety of flaws and even discoloration. The veneers will be bonded to the front of your teeth and will provide a hard, smooth surface that will look like your natural teeth.

A Missing Tooth or Multiple Teeth:

If your tooth has been knocked out, a dental bridge or dental implant will be your most valuable options. A dental bridge can replace one or more teeth. The fabricated teeth are natural looking and tough so they won’t look out of place with your other teeth. Your dental bridge will be anchored to a few of your other teeth to provide security and staying power. This option looks attractive and provides durable results. A dental implant will require a more invasive procedure, but it will be our most permanent option for replacing a missing tooth. Our implant will be secured to your jawbone with a titanium post. This post will graft to your bone with time so that it will create a permanent structure much like your natural tooth. A personalized tooth will be created to look like your other teeth and will be attached to it at the surface of your gums. A dental implant is an incredibly durable and attractive solution to missing teeth. It will work just as well as your original teeth did.
No matter how big your needs are, we have services that will remedy them. Our dentist can provide you with the best smile makeover you could hope for and a permanent, attractive smile solution.

Our Emergency Dentist Office Can Keep You Out of the ER

Contacting an emergency dentist is really not a hard thing. Making sure you have a relationship with one so that you are comfortable when you do need urgent care, and know the people and doctors, takes a little more effort. The reality is that most Americans do not give much thought to their teeth at all. In fact, over 40% do not even visit the dentist with the frequency that they should to maintain optimum health. When you start to consider that most people do not believe or think about, the fact that they might one day need urgent medical attention, it becomes apparent why most people do not have an emergency dentist in their contacts. A toothache, however, can appear at any time and usually, it would seem, tends to do so at the most inconvenient times and locations. Not having an emergency dentist you can call means you will be scrambling at two o'clock in the morning to google the name of someone who can take away your discomfort, or will mean jumping in the car for a trip down to your local emergency room. Taking the precaution to have emergency contacts for dental and medical emergencies is a small but potentially important step that can help you to plan ahead.  As such, we recommend putting our office number in your cell phone.

An Emergency Dentist vs. an ER Doctor
An emergency dentist is trained as a dentist and offers services outside of regular business hours as well. As one, we are similar to the doctors in an ER, given our ability to treat you immediately, but there are notable differences. Over the last several years, there has been an uptick in the number of people visiting the emergency room of their local hospital for dental issues or emergencies connected to their teeth. In a three-year study, that encompassed 24 states, the Federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality found that the number of dental patients visiting the ER had increased by 16%. This means that there are literally thousands of patients getting dental attention from doctors that are not trained to be emergency dentists. Unfortunately, skilled as they are, these emergency room physicians are not trained to diagnose and treat the dental illnesses that may be causing your discomfort. As a result, they can treat the symptoms but will not be able to treat the actual cause of the symptoms and chances are you will need to return to the ER or go see an emergency dentist sooner rather than later. The same study found that over 20% of the people seeking dental help in the ER were actually returning patients, coming back with the same symptoms.  If they had visited an emergency dentist, the issue causing the discomfort would have been addressed in the first place.
The most common reason why people seek out emergency care for their teeth is a toothache. A toothache is also a perfect example of why you should be treated by an emergency dentist, not just a regular doctor. A toothache can be just that, a simple tooth pain, or it can be a symptom of a much deeper problem like an infection or gum diseases that need treatment by a dentist.  When you visit our emergency dentist office, we can address any oral health problem you are facing and do so quickly so that you don't need to visit the ER.

Family Dentist  >  Dentist