Uncategorized Archives - Perfect Smile Maker

Improve Smile Alignment with Invisalign

April 23, 2014 by scb2thdoc Leave a Comment

A smile is one of the first things you notice when you meet someone new. When you are happy with the appearance of your smile, you appear confident and happy. We want all of our patients to love their smiles! Invisalign is a great way to improve your cosmetic smile alignment . Here are just a few of the benefits Invisalign has to offer. Benefits of Invisalign:

Appearance – The aligners appear virtually invisible when placed over your smile. Unlike metallic braces, Invisalign is made from a clear plastic that doesn’t show up in photographs and is not noticeable in conversation.
Comfort – There are no brackets or wires. The plastic aligners are smooth and fit comfortably over your smile.
Diet – Unlike with traditional braces, Invisalign aligners are removed during meals. This means that you don’t have dietary restrictions while you straighten your teeth. Just don’t forget to brush and floss after!
Health – Smile alignment also improves your overall oral health. People who are happier with the appearance of their smile are more likely to continue to care for it after their treatment!

Contact Perfect Smile Maker to learn more about Invisalign and whether or not it is the right alignment solution for your smile. Call 516-482-2215 to schedule an appointment for a consultation.

Emergency Dental Care Tips

April 2, 2014 by scb2thdoc Leave a Comment

<a href=”http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2a/Man_with_a_toothache..JPG”><img class=”size-medium wp-image-182 alignright” alt=”Man_with_a_toothache.” src=”/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Man_with_a_toothache.-300×238.jpg” height=”238″ width=”300″ /></a><!–mep-nl–><!–mep-nl–>A chipped, cracked, lost, or painful tooth can be frustrating. It can even keep you from being able to sleep, eat and function properly throughout the day. That’s why it’s so important to seek <a style=”line-height: 1.5;” href=”http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/guide/handling-dental-emergencies”>emergency care</a> from a dentist that you know and trust. Here are a few tips to help you handle dental emergencies until you can get to the dentist.<!–mep-nl–><!–mep-nl–>Emergency Care <a href=”http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/guide/handling-dental-emergencies”>Tips</a>: <!–mep-nl–><ul><!–mep-nl–><!–mep-tab–><li>Toothaches – Rinse your mouth with warm water. You can also use floss to remove lodged food or apply a cold compress to the outside of your mouth.</li><!–mep-nl–><!–mep-tab–><li>Chipped Tooth – Save the pieces and rinse your mouth with warm water. Apply a cold compress until you can get to the office.</li><!–mep-nl–><!–mep-tab–><li>Lost Tooth – Rinse off the tooth, but do not scrub it. Try to put the tooth back in place without forcing it into the socket. If you can’t reinsert it, place the tooth in a cup of milk with a pinch of salt. Getting to the dental office within the hour gives you the best chance of saving the tooth.</li><!–mep-nl–><!–mep-tab–><li>Objects Stuck – Use dental floss to gently dislodge the object. Visit a Portland Orthodontist if you have to, but never use a sharp object.</li><!–mep-nl–><!–mep-tab–><li>Lost Crown – You can ease tooth pain by applying a small amount of clove oil to the area with a cotton swab until you can get to the dentist.</li><!–mep-nl–><!–mep-tab–><li>Soft Tissue Injury – If your tongue, cheeks, gums and lips are bleeding, rinse your mouth with a mil salt-water solution. Apply pressure with a moistened piece of gauze – if the bleeding doesn’t stop, visit a dentist for treatment.</li><!–mep-nl–></ul><!–mep-nl–>In all cases, it is essential to schedule a visit to the dentist. At <a href=”http://perfectsmilemaker.com/”>Perfect Smile Maker</a>, we take care of dental emergencies and urgent situations ASAP. Call 516-482-2215 if you are experiencing a dental emergency or visit our <a href=”http://perfectsmilemaker.com/”>website</a> for more information on our Great Neck practice.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Emergency Dental Care, Emergency Dentist, Emergency Dentistry, Emergency Tooth Tips, Great Neck Dentist, Long Island Dentist, Nassau County Dentist, Perfect Smile Maker, Stewart C. Brody, Tooth Tips

What is a Dental Implant?

March 24, 2014 by scb2thdoc Leave a Comment

Do you have a missing or extracted tooth? Dental implants are one of the most realistic tooth replacement options available to you. While we offer several restorative dental services at our office, dental implants offer a real look and feel that many patients love. Dental implants are connected directly to the jaw bone, functioning just like a natural tooth. The restoration is made up of three parts:

Titanium Implant – The implant is attached directly to the jaw bone. Through a process known as osseointegration, the jaw conforms to the base of the implant. This securely holds the restoration in place and acts as the root of the tooth.
Abutment – The abutment attaches the implant base to the custom crown.
Crown – Each crown is custom created to match the shape, color and texture of your natural smile. The crown provides patients with a natural appearance that looks and feels real.

Learn more about dental implants here. It is important that patients with missing teeth take the time to restore their smile. Missing teeth can increase your risk of periodontal disease, bone loss and tooth misalignment. Visit our website for more information or contact our office to schedule a consultation by calling 516-482-2215. We can help you determine whether or not you are a good candidate for dental implants.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Dental Implants, Dentist, Dentistry, Great Neck Dentist, Implant Dentistry, Long Island Dentist, Nassau County Dentist, Perfect Smile Maker, restorative dentistry, Stewart C. Brody

Snoring and Sleep Apnea Risks

March 18, 2014 by scb2thdoc Leave a Comment

Does your spouse snore loudly at night? Do you? It could be more than just an annoyance. About half of people who snore loudly suffer from obstructive sleep apnea, a condition that occurs when breathing is partially obstructed during sleep. These are a few of the risks associated with obstructive sleep apnea:

Daytime sleepiness.
Decreased productivity and performance at work.
Strained personal relationships.
High blood pressure.
Increased risk of heart attack, stroke, diabetes, and depression.
Memory and concentration problems.

Although CPAP is a common treatment, it can be uncomfortable. At Perfect Smile Maker, we work with patients to find a comfortable treatment solution. Oral appliance therapy is a viable alternative to CPAP and many patients have found treatment to be successful. Similar to a mouth guard, oral appliances are custom fit to your unique smile. This means that they are comfortable, convenient and portable. If you think that you or a loved one is suffering from sleep apnea, contact Perfect Smile Maker by calling 516-482-2215. We look forward to helping you improve your health and treating sleep apnea in a way that is comfortable and convenient for you.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Family & Cosmetic Dentistry, Great Neck Dentist, Long Island Dentist, Nassau County Dentist, Oral Appliance Therapy, Perfect Smile Maker, Sleep Apnea, Stewart C. Brody

TMJ And How It Can Affect You

March 10, 2014 by scb2thdoc Leave a Comment

Temporomandibular Disorders or TMD has often been confused with TMJ (Temporomandibular Joint). Although everyone has temporomandibular joints, not everyone has TMD, a disorder that occurs at the jaw joint and muscles surrounding it. . Symptoms for TMD can include a pain in the jaw joint area; getting locked in the open or closed mouth position, clicking or popping sounds in the jaw joint when opening the mouth and many other symptoms. TMD is caused by a number of factors and vary from patient to patient. Dentists and researchers have begun to uncover them. One of the most common causes that researchers have found is stress. Stress often causes people to grind or clench their teeth together, especially at night. Over time, the pain that is associated with TMD begins to occur when one wakes up. Another reason why TMD occurs is from bite imbalances from crooked teeth, bad bites, or dental restorations that are too high. Missing teeth can be a major indicator for TMD due to a lack of vertical support. The remaining teeth can then cause overstimulation of the joints on both sides to make up for this lack of support. Hornsby dentist strives to provide the most current treatment modalities so that you can feel relaxed and confident about the advice and treatment you receive. When TMD occurs, one of the best solutions is to wear a night guard to protect the teeth from the clenching done while sleeping. However, if bite imbalance, like those occurring from missing teeth, is the problem then you must take immediate action and resolve those dental problems. Make an appointment today if you do feel that you might have TMD and would like to end the pain.

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Root Canals And What You Need To Know About Them

January 20, 2014 by scb2thdoc Leave a Comment

Across America, millions of teeth are saved by root canal procedures completed under dental or endodontic care. The root canal procedure has been exaggerated to be extremely painful; however, this pain is often mistaken for the pain prior to the treatment. The soft tissue known as the pulp is surrounded by the white enamel and the softer layer called dentin. The pulp, which is vital during development, contains nerves, connective tissue, and blood vessels. Issues regarding the root canal often point to either an infection in the pulp or inflammation of the pulp which have various causes such as: deep decay, faulty crowns, or even repeated dental procedures on that tooth. Per se, if those teeth which would have received multiple dental procedures, get misaligned, then braces los angeles would be one of the solutions one can resort to. If left untreated, the tooth undergoing infection or inflammation can lead to abscess under the tooth causing pain.<!–mep-nl–><!–mep-nl–><a href=”http://perfectsmilemaker.com/dentistlongisland/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/rootcanal.jpg”><img class=”size-full wp-image-154 aligncenter” alt=”rootcanal” src=”http://perfectsmilemaker.com/dentistlongisland/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/rootcanal.jpg” width=”213″ height=”206″ /><a href=”http://perfectsmilemaker.com/dentistlongisland/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/TreatmentOptions_2web.jpg”><img class=”aligncenter size-full wp-image-155″ alt=”TreatmentOptions_2web” src=”http://perfectsmilemaker.com/dentistlongisland/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/TreatmentOptions_2web.jpg” width=”223″ height=”176″ /></a></a><!–mep-nl–> The procedure that dentists use in order to treat an infected or inflamed pulp is simpler and less painful than most people believe. The dentist will first take an x-ray and apply local anesthesia to the tooth to numb the area. An access hole will be then drilled into the tooth where root canal files will be inserted to remove the pulp and decayed nerve from inside of the tooth. After full cleaning, a temporary is placed and on the next appointment the root canal will be sealed by inserting gutta percha (a rubber) into the root canal. Finally, the tooth needs full restoration so the dentist would typically apply a post and crown or would do further work depending on the nature of the patient.<!–mep-nl–> If you have questions please comment on our post on here or our Facebook page!

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Smart Teeth: The Future of Dentistry?

January 14, 2014 by scb2thdoc Leave a Comment

A new type of dentistry is emerging. Imagine a world where a patient has the dentist embed a chip in their tooth, which collects data on their daily habits. This may soon be a reality. Taiwan researchers have created a smart tooth that monitors the daily habits of the individual by understanding that every oral activity, from eating to smoking, introduces a different tooth motion. They placed a sensor with an accelerormeter on an artificial tooth and then covered it in dental resin in order to keep the device safe from saliva. This smart tooth had an accuracy of approximately 94% when it came to recognizing what oral motion the participants were making. The possibilities of this research are endless in dentistry. Although the smart tooth is only at the stage of using wires for data collection, scientists are now looking into the possibility of placing a miniature radio to transmit radiowaves to mobile devices to analyze data. A patient may monitor their oral activities better and reduce serious visits to the dental office.

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Why Is Bone Grafting Necessary After a Tooth Extraction?

January 7, 2014 by scb2thdoc Leave a Comment

After a tooth extraction, the jaw bone is left with an empty socket where the tooth originally was. Immediately after extraction the body starts to heal the socket. If a bone graft is not placed. Within 2 – 4 years the jaw bone surrounding this empty socket usually suffers 40% to 60% in bone loss, a monumental decrease. A host of problems occur from jawbone loss, such as a receding jawline, loose and shifting teeth, bite collapse, and appearances of aging. Loose and shifting teeth occur due to a lack of support between the teeth; the empty space where the extraction took place allows the teeth to shift.<!–mep-nl–><!–mep-nl–>With bone grafting, the dentist takes a synthetic material and places it in the empty socket where the extraction took place. The material acts as a scaffold where the bone and graft fuse forming bone, filling up the empty socket and stabilizing the teeth on either side of it. This highly successful procedure aids in preservation of the bone from the receding jaw and stabilizes the adjacent teeth. If an implant is desired, the bone graft allows for enough bone to support the implant. When the patient desires a three unit bridge, the supporting teeth are now stabilized. When the dentist performs advanced extraction therapy, such as placing the synthetic bone material into the socket; the height and width of the ridge is preserved. This allows a three unit bridge to be placed by having a fake crown (pontic) placed where the newly formed bone is and then having a crown on each side.<!–mep-nl–><!–mep-nl–>Bone grafting is by far one of the most successful procedures which allows the dentist to have better flexibility in creating a beautiful, full smile.

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Invisalign versus Conventional Braces

December 30, 2013 by scb2thdoc Leave a Comment

When dental treatment is needed for you or your teen due to overcrowding, overbite, underbite, or other problems; conventional braces are often the go to solution. However, many people don’t know that Invisalign is one of the most effective treatments on the market. Invisalign is a series of clear, removable aligners that treat most of the same problems that the bulky conventional braces treat. Comparing the two, they both offer similar cost, yet Invisalign offers clear advantages such as allowing the wearers to remove the aligners to eat whatever food they enjoy. Conventional braces cause food traps along the wires which can lead to plaque build up and tooth decay. Invisalign’s removable aligners give the wearer the ability to floss and brush, which prevent cavities and periodontal disease. In addition, while most people are self conscious about having the bulky metal and wires in their mouth; Invisalign’s custom, clear plastic will have people guessing how you achieved such straight teeth. It is clear that in many cases, Invisalign offers the best solution while allowing the wearer to have a significantly more comfortable treatment.

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What are porcelain veneers?

July 17, 2013 by scb2thdoc Leave a Comment

Porcelain Veneers (laminates) are an excellent and beautiful way to repair stained, chipped or misaligned teeth. By placing a personalized and customized porcelain covering on the front surface of your current teeth, we provide you with a beautiful and natural smile for years to come. Obtaining these veneers is simple and will only requires two appointments. The procedure is simple. Once the area is numbed, Stewart Brody, DDS will remove about .1 millimeters of enamel and will take an impression of your teeth. You will receive a temporary veneer and your final one will come in 1-2 weeks. Once Stewart Brody, DDS receives your permanent veneer, he will then bond it to your teeth permanently and you then have a bright and beautiful smile.

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