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Good Dental Health Starts Early

May 15th, 2012

We teach our children to learn by our good example. Taking care of teeth is easily demonstrated by allowing your children to witness you flossing daily and brushing at least twice per day. Seeking affordable dentistry for you and your family will allow adults and children alike to maintain healthy teeth and gums for life.

The question is often asked when is the best time for a child to see the dentist for the first time. That first exam should take place around age one, with a couple of important facts to remember:

  • Making an appointment with your dental provider during a time that you know your child is cranky is a mistake. A well-rested child that is not hungry makes the best patient.
  • The child’s first appointments are usually reserved for exams to make sure there are no problems developing. This is best because if the child’s first visit is due to dental decay or trauma to a tooth, subsequent dental visits will be difficult.
  • As soon as teeth come in, brushing your child’s teeth with a soft bristle brush and age appropriate tooth paste or gel is important. Not only are good habits developing, but you are keeping plaque from forming on your child’s teeth.

Other facts to remember when considering your child’s dental health are:

  • Avoid putting your child down for a nap or to bed at night with a bottle of milk or juice. If you want to give your baby a bottle at these times, water is the only appropriate beverage to give. Beverages that include sugar can stay in the mouth for hours creating a bacterial haven for plaque build-up.
  • All foods in moderation are OK, but limiting sugary snacks is essential to maintain good dental health.
  • Don’t be misguided into believing that your child’s baby teeth will be replaced by their permanent teeth so there is no need to care for their deciduous teeth. This belief could be very damaging as those first teeth are laying the groundwork for permanent teeth and need to stay healthy and strong.

As your child grows, making sure they are brushing and flossing correctly is important. Excellent dental health contributes to good overall physical health, so encouraging strong dental habits supported by seeing your dental provider for a professional cleaning and exam twice per year will benefit your child for life.

 

If it’s time to schedule your child’s first exam, contact the Dallas office of Dr. Kozlow at 972-458-2464 today.

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What Causes Canker Sores

May 4th, 2012

Canker sores can be excruciating and seem to last for weeks. Recognizing trigger points that might result in canker sores is a good first step in prevention; unfortunately the origin of canker sores cannot be attributed to a single food, act or event. Your dentist should be consulted if canker sores are persistent (lasting longer than three weeks) or if a fever is present.

 

Canker sores form on the soft tissue inside the mouth. They are thought to occur due to a break in the mucous membrane in cheeks or on the tongue, roof of the mouth or even near the throat.  Most canker sores are small in size, and might appear as a whitish circle or oval at their onset. The discomfort that accompanies these mouth sores can be responsible for disrupting day to day life due to difficulty in eating and speaking.

 

Canker sores can range from a minor ulcer to a severe outbreak that ultimately requires professional treatment to heal.

 

Although girls seem to suffer this malady more often than boys, hormones do not seem to have a direct correlation. A primary cause can be more directly related to mouth trauma like abrasions from braces or even something as insignificant as a corn chip scraping against tissue can initiate the onset of a canker sore.

 

Once canker sores appear, they are likely to reoccur. Some patients report that they are troubled with canker sores monthly while others might suffer only a few times per year. Frequent sufferers might experiment with their diet to eliminate foods that seem to trigger canker sores like citrus fruits or spicy foods.

 

Other potential causes that should be considered are sleep habits, stress and diets deficient of the nutrients to keep the mouth and body in good health.

 

But since mouth trauma is a known cause for a canker sore to develop, steps you can take for prevention include:

  • People who wear braces can place wax over areas that rub against soft tissue
  • Take care when brushing to avoid an accidental bump with your toothbrush
  • Be more aware when eating foods that might cause an abrasion

If canker sores do develop, our dental team serving North Dallas can provide a variety of products that might bring relief. Mouthwashes and medications are available that may help ease discomfort, but will not actually heal the sores – only time can do that.

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Improve the Appearance of Teeth With Dental Bonding

April 26th, 2012

Cosmetic Dentist DallasA bright happy smile can tell a lot about a person’s confidence and personality. But if you are withholding that smile because of dental stain or other embarrassing dental imperfections, a visit to your cosmetic dentist will reveal how you can have a smile makeover that will fit your dental needs and budget with dental bonding.

Dental bonding is a process that allows your cosmetic dentist to place a very thin layer of composite resin on your teeth that can:

  • Correct the appearance of unsightly spaces or gaps between teeth.
  • Repair chipped or cracked teeth.
  • Cover stained teeth resulting from medication, age, diet or lifestyle habits.
  • Change the shape of teeth that are worn or never grew in properly.
  • Repair dental decay.
  • Protect the tooth’s surface that has been exposed due to gum recession.

Composite resin is a moldable product that your dentist can apply to one or more teeth that, adding stability to a cracked tooth or altering the appearance of a tooth needing a cosmetic uplift.

 

Your dentist can match the shape and shade of surrounding teeth with the composite resin material to correct many dental issues making dental bonding a very practical path to a new smile makeover. Since very little of the tooth’s surface is impacted with dental bonding, this becomes one of the least invasive dental procedures available to improve your smile.

 

Your dentist will prepare the teeth to be treated by lightly roughing up the surface. This will aid in the composite resin’s ability to bond. The tooth will be treated with a bonding agent which will be followed by the composite resin material. Your dentist has the ability to place the composite and shape it to the exact needs of the repair.

 

Once satisfied with the application, your dentist will harden the composite resin with a curing light or laser. A quick polish is applied to match your new dental bonding to the surrounding teeth. Your smile makeover is then complete.

 

Taking care of dental bonding is no more difficult than the care of your teeth before your makeover. Daily flossing and brushing with toothpaste or gel twice per day, along with those twice yearly visits to our cosmetic dentist for a professional cleaning and exam, will enhance your dental health and keep that new smile bright for many years. For additional information, contact the Dallas TX office of Dr. Kozlow at 972-458-2464.

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What Causes Baby Bottle Tooth Decay?

April 16th, 2012

Nobody wants to go to sleep hungry. This is true for babies, children, and adults alike. But providing your child with a bottle containing milk, formula, or juice just before or in their bed can lead to unforeseen problems that many parents do not consider. Beverages that contain sugar are major contributors to premature dental decay and having to see the family dentist earlier than planned.

 

When a youngster falls asleep with a bottle, it is very likely that an amount of the beverage in the bottle will remain in the child’s mouth throughout sleep. Unless your child’s bottle contains only water, the beverage likely will contain sugar. You wouldn’t allow your child to fall asleep sucking on a piece of candy, but allowing the practice of taking a bottle to bed can lead to similar consequences.

Good dental health is essential to overall good health, and it is never too early to initiate the positive habits your child will carry for a lifetime.

 

There are several reasons why giving your child a bottle to fall asleep can be problematic:

 

  • Your child’s primary teeth are essential to the proper growth of their permanent teeth. Early dental decay can lead to a lifetime of problems.
  • Dental decay will create considerable discomfort for your baby.
  • Having to visit the dentist for the first time due to dental decay can be a very traumatic experience leading to a lifetime of trepidation when faced with going to the dentist.

As soon as your child’s baby teeth erupt is not too soon to gently cleanse their teeth. Using a very soft bristle tooth brush and a small amount of age appropriate toothpaste to prevent the build-up of plaque is a very good start to a lifetime of positive dental habits. At one year of age, a visit to your family dentist is not too young to make sure your child’s teeth are healthy and that you are doing everything possible to ensure that those baby teeth will stay decay free.

 

Brushing your child’s teeth and visiting our dentist is not a free pass to allow a child to endlessly suck on a baby bottle unless you will be firm in your conviction that water is the only beverage you will allow. Good dental health is essential to overall good health, and it is never too early to initiate the positive habits your child will carry for a lifetime. Call our Dallas office today to schedule your six-month check-up.

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Root Planing and Scaling: Purpose and Procedure

April 6th, 2012

gum treatment DallasWe are told that we should see our dentist twice per year for a professional cleaning and dental exam. There is a very good reason to do this, but many people do not heed this practice, and as a result many end up needing gum treatment.

 

Gum treatment is a generic term to describe the many procedures that might be needed for a patient suffering from gingivitis or periodontitis.

 

One of those procedures is root planing and scaling. During your dental visit, your dentist might do a test to determine the depths of the pockets around your teeth. Called perio charting, this test allows a dental professional to measure the space where gum tissue is receding from the tooth. The readings are a diagnostic tool to determine the condition of your overall gum health and whether additional treatment is warranted.

 

If it is determined that you have one or more teeth that have pocket depths that exceed the accepted standard, this could signal the onset of gum disease and your dentist might recommend root planing and scaling.

 

Gum disease is attributed to a build-up of plaque on the teeth and at the gum line. Plaque is a sticky substance that feeds on bacteria and the food particles that remain on the teeth throughout the day and night. Excellent oral hygiene habits will help keep plaque to a minimum.

 

However, once plaque has had a chance to harden, it becomes calculus. At this point a professional cleaning is the only thing that will remove it. Bleeding or swollen gums may be an early indicator that you could be suffering from gum disease and further treatment is needed.

 

Root planing and scaling is basically a deep cleaning. It is similar to the cleaning you might receive every six months, but the dentist goes further to scrape the roots below the gum line to remove the bacteria and calculus that have built up. This is the scaling aspect.

 

The area below the gum line might contain irregularities that work to trap particles. With planing, the dentist will smooth the root to try to prevent this in the future.

 

Once our dentist has completed root planing and scaling, you can return to good dental health provided you continue to follow the rules of daily flossing and brushing. Also, make sure to keep those check-up appointments by calling the Dallas office of Dr. Philip R. Kozlow at 972-458-2464.

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Eliminate Tough Dental Stains With Teeth Whitening

March 27th, 2012

If you could change one thing about your smile, would it be to have whiter, brighter dazzling teeth? If that is your wish, a consultation about tooth whitening with our dental provider could be your answer. 

In-office whitening offers superior results as compared to the products made available across the counter.

 

In-office whitening offers superior results as compared to the products made available across the counter. The corner drug store offers kits, pastes, gels, and mouthwashes but none of them can give you the results you can achieve with Zoom! in-office whitening in about an hour.

 

We are besieged with information on late night TV and the internet that promise a whiter, brighter smile. But if you read the small print you will see that the process can take days, weeks or longer to see a minor improvement.

 

But Zoom! patients can walk into the office and leave a short time later with a “wow” smile up to eight shades brighter. How can your cosmetic dentist make that difference for you?

 

Dental providers have access to the finest whitening products available on the market today. These products contain the strongest whitening agents allowed and are only available through your dentist.

 

Your cosmetic dentist will assess your overall dental health to make sure you are a good candidate for Zoom! in-office teeth whitening. Since sensitivity can be an issue, your dentist might recommend using a tooth paste that offers sensitivity protection for a couple weeks prior to your whitening procedure.

 

At your whitening appointment, your dentist will prepare you for the process by protecting the surrounding gum and soft tissue areas.

 

A curing light or laser will be employed to enhance the process. Two, sometimes three, applications of the whitening agent are applied in 15 minute increments and allowed to work to whiten your teeth.

 

Prior to your procedure, your cosmetic dentist will advise you of any restoration work needed before embarking on your new smile. Since dental crowns and porcelain repairs do not respond to any whitening procedures, it is important that any dental work needed be considered before moving forward with teeth whitening.

 

Zoom! in-office teeth whitening can eliminate tough dental stains resulting from diet, medications, and lifestyle habits. Contact the office of Dr. Philip R. Kozlow, serving Dallas, to learn more about your options.

 

 

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CEREC Ceramic Restorations

March 16th, 2012

metal free dentistry DallasIn the fast paced world of today, eliminating the need for an extra dental appointment makes a lot of sense. Metal free dentistry with CEREC is a process that allows your dentist to complete a ceramic restoration in one visit.

 

The very word CEREC stands for Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramics. Each one of those words describes the wonderful attributes of this process and why so many dentists employ CEREC in their offices.

 

Having access to a dental provider with CEREC technology offers many advantages not available using traditional methods.

  • Crowns, inlays and onlays and veneers can be completed in one visit reducing the need for multiple anesthetic applications.
  • Since your dentist is fabricating your restoration chairside, there is no dental lab involved. And since there is no need to send impressions out for a restoration to be made, the need for protective temporaries is eliminated.
  • Using the most current imagery technology, restorations are milled directly from pictures and impressions taken in that same appointment. Using 3D digital technology allows the dentist to fabricate exactly what is needed to restore the tooth. This can mean less of your tooth’s structure is impacted when placing a CEREC versus a traditional restoration.
  • The material used in CEREC restorations offers durability in areas of high chewing pressure.
  • Available in multiple shades, a CEREC restoration offers the same aesthetic beauty you’ve come to expect making your CEREC restoration virtually undetectable.
  • Restorations employing metal as their base do not allow for decay detection, but with CEREC restorations your dentist can monitor your dental health on treated teeth.
  • In about the same time as the first appointment with traditional restorations, you will walk out of your dentist’s office with your final restoration in place.

Not all dentists offer this state of the art restoration capability. In addition to acquiring the CEREC technology, dentists must spend countless hours training to be able to offer you the high quality restoration you expect.

 

While traditional composite resins might be suitable for smaller cavities and areas of low chewing stress, when you are faced with the need for a more solid restoration, inquire about CEREC ceramic restorations in our Dallas Texas office. Call 972-458-2464 to learn more.

 

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What Types of Dental Procedures Can Be Performed With Lasers?

March 6th, 2012

The use of lasers in a dental application is becoming more widely accepted and implemented by more dental offices each day. The reason is very simple … laser dentistry allows our dental providers to be more accurate and proficient while providing a safer, more comfortable procedure for patients. 

Lasers allow for less tooth structure to be removed with the added benefit of destroying bacteria in the cavity.

 

Lasers have been developed for use with hard tissue (tooth and bone); soft tissue (gum tissue and the soft tissue areas in the mouth); and for diagnostic purposes (decay detection).  Laser is actually an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation, and the procedure will dictate which type of laser is needed.

 

Hard tissue: Your dentist can use exact precision when preparing a tooth to be filled. Lasers allow for less tooth structure to be removed with the added benefit of destroying bacteria in the cavity.

 

Soft tissue: Laser dentistry is gaining popularity in the treatment of periodontal disease and procedures such as crown lengthening, osseous surgery and similar issues that involve gum tissue.

 

What makes using laser technology so advantageous over traditional methods?

  • Laser precision reduces impact on surrounding tissue during many dental procedures.
  • There is less blood loss due to clotting advantages with laser usage.
  • Faster healing time is allowed because many procedures become much less invasive thanks to laser precision.
  • Because lasers destroy bacteria on contact, there is much less risk of infection.

Dental offices employ the use of laser technology for other purposes as well:

 

Teeth Whitening: Lasers are used to enhance the whitening effects of in-office dental whitening.

 

Surgical Applications: Low intensity lasers can be used to remove benign tumors from soft tissue areas. There are many different types of surgery from cosmetic to alter a “gummy smile” to the more serious issues that allow for repair of tongue restrictions and relief from excess tissue surrounding ill-fitting dental appliances.

 

Anxious Patients: For many patients, introducing lasers into treatment has provided an avenue for patients that fear needles (many procedures no longer require anesthetic). Down time and discomfort are reduced while safety and patient concerns remain at the forefront.

 

To learn more about laser dentistry in Dallas TX, contact the office of Dr. Philip R. Kozlow at 972-458-2464 today.

 

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Invisalign orthodontic treatment: An overview

February 28th, 2012

Invisaslign DallasTraditional braces involve unattractive brackets and wires that are worn for months and even years, but the Invisalign system improves upon that method. Invisalign patients’ smiles are visible throughout treatment, so they can experience the same outcomes without waiting a long time before being able to enjoy the results.

Using a progressive system of clear plastic trays, Invisalign re-aligns the teeth over the course of several months. Invisalign is based on the same core principles as conventional orthodontic treatment. The trays apply specific forces to the teeth in order to reposition them.

 

A specially trained dentist can work with patients to plan the Invisalign process. The dentist will gather information through x-rays, visual examination and dental impressions and ask you about your treatment goals.

 

The dentist then synthesizes all of that information to develop a treatment plan, which is provided to the laboratory that creates the patient’s Invisalign trays.

 

To get the best results, patients must wear the trays as recommended, for 20-22 hours per day. Patients should also take care to change out the trays approximately every two weeks and use them in the order prescribed by the dentist. Most patients finish treatment within a year to 18 months.

 

This method is also advantageous for patients because it eliminates the obstacles to a healthy home oral hygiene routine. Patients can take out the trays for brushing and flossing, and they maintain normal access to the spaces between the teeth, where disease-causing bacteria can collect.

 

Similarly, the Invisalign system has no brackets that can trap remaining food particles and hold them against the teeth, where they may promote decay.

 

The Invisalign technology has improved drastically since it was first introduced, and it can be useful in increasingly complex situations. For severe cases of crowding, bite problems or misalignment, the patient and dentist may also consult with another specialist, such as an oral surgeon, to correct problems beyond the alignment of the teeth.

 

If you are interested in straightening your teeth in Dallas TX, contact the office of Dr. Philip R. Kozlow to learn more about the Invisalign system.

 

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What’s involved in amalgam filling replacement?

February 15th, 2012

Years ago, patients who needed to have cavities filled were fitted with amalgam fillings that contained mercury in addition to other metals.

 

As the years pass, these patients may become dissatisfied with the noticeable dark fillings in their mouth. Some may be concerned about potential adverse effects of the mercury contained in the amalgam, or they may notice that an amalgam filling is damaged. In such cases, patients may seek help from a holistic dentist. 

In addition to replacing amalgam fillings, a holistic dentist can provide you with comprehensive dental care.

 

A holistic dentist can replace patients’ mercury-free fillings with a newer version made of composite materials that include glass and resin. In addition to eliminating the need for mercury in fillings, composites are tooth-colored, so they don’t detract from a patient’s smile.

 

Removing and replacing amalgam fillings is an effort that should be undertaken with great caution on the dentist’s part. It’s important to minimize the patient’s exposure to mercury vapors during the process of removing the fillings.

 

For that reason, it’s best to choose a dentist with experience in this procedure. You should also be sure that the dental office has the proper equipment in place to support the safe removal of amalgam fillings.

 

Specifically, the office’s treatment rooms should have an adequate ventilation system in combination with air purifiers to remove as much of the vaporized mercury as possible from the room’s atmosphere. This protects the safety of both the patient and the dental office staff.

 

Your dentist may also give you an alternate source of oxygen as a safeguard. A rubber dam can also be used as a barrier to keep fragments of the amalgam filling from entering the patient’s mouth.

 

After existing amalgam fillings have been removed, patients can chose composite materials to fill any future cavities. Not only does this limit the use of mercury in their mouths, it also helps to preserve more of the biological tooth material. Composite fillings require less drilling than their amalgam counterparts.

 

In addition to replacing amalgam fillings, a holistic dentist can provide you with comprehensive dental care. Contact the office of Dr. Philip R. Kozlow in Dallas and schedule an appointment to learn more about the specialty and what it offers to patients.

 

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