Maintaining healthy dental habits is the best way to ensure that your teeth remain strong and healthy throughout your life. At our dental office in Denver, we help our patients follow a consistent, thorough and effective dental care plan to keep their smiles bright and perfect.

Taking Care of Your Teeth at Home

At-home care is vital for maintaining excellent oral hygiene and dental health. Brushing every day as well as daily flossing are the most effective ways to prevent decay and gum disease that can lead to tooth loss in the long term. Your dentist can help you determine what type of brush and floss are best for you. If you have mobility issues or particularly sensitive teeth, for example, different tools might work better to ensure you keep your teeth thoroughly clean and maintain the health of your gums.

It is also important to take measures to prevent injury. For example, if you play contact sports of any kind, you should wear a mouthguard to protect your teeth and jaws from injury. You should also always be prepared in case of a dental emergency, so that your teeth can be treated immediately for the best results and most thorough recovery.

Regular Care at Your Dentist’s Office

In addition to thorough, everyday care at home, you should visit your dental office at least twice a year. Your dentist will thoroughly evaluate your teeth, gums, and other oral tissues. He or she will also provide an oral cancer screening, and take X-rays to find structural problems or decay that is not immediately visible on the surfaces of the teeth.

Though it might be tempting to skip the occasional dentist appointment, it’s very important to keep your visits regular and up-to-date. Regular visits help the dentist keep track of any existing problems and determine if they are worsening so treatment can be recommend immediately.

Combining diligent at-home care with regular office visits will help you make sure your teeth and gums stay healthy for many years to come. If you are due for a dental check-up, please contact Governor’s Park Dental Group at 303-832-7789 right away for an appointment.

Xerostomia, also known as dry mouth, is an uncomfortable condition in which the mouth does not produce sufficient saliva. It can lead to a number of problems, from bad breath to increased tooth decay. Our dentist serving Downtown Denver CO treats dry mouth, and can help reduce the discomfort and other side effects associated with xerostomia.

What Causes Dry Mouth?

Dry mouth usually occurs as a symptom of another underlying problem. The most common cause of dry mouth, however, is as a side effect to certain medications. If you are experiencing dry mouth, you should consult with your dentist to determine the underlying cause.

Some systemic issues that can lead to dry mouth include:

• Sjögren’s syndrome, an autoimmune disorder
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Diabetes
• Cerebral palsy
• Thyroid problems
• Radiation therapy

If you suspect any of these issues, you should speak to a doctor and/or your dentist right away. Prompt treatment of the underlying condition will reduce the symptoms of dry mouth, as well as ensuring that any problems associated with the condition that causes the dry mouth are dealt with promptly and effectively.

Treatment for Dry Mouth

Since the most common cause of dry mouth is medication, the most common treatment is an alteration of the medication leading to the reduction in saliva production. When you visit the dental office, be sure to let the dentist know what kinds of medication you are taking. Without this knowledge, it will be difficult to determine the cause of your dry mouth symptoms.

If the dry mouth does not abate with changes in medication, or if the underlying condition will take some time to correct, other methods of treatment can help alleviate the symptoms. Saliva substitutes can be used to help moisten and lubricate the mouth, making it easier to eat and reducing the likelihood of infections or increased dental decay. Other treatments include medications to stimulate saliva production. There are also special toothpastes available that are formulated specifically to help people suffering from dry mouth.

For more information about dry mouth, its causes, and possible treatments, please contact Governor’s Park Dental Group in Downtown Denver to schedule your consultation.

When a tooth has been lost or extracted, many patients are primarily concerned with the effects on the smile’s appearance. More importantly, however, tooth loss can have a negative impact on a patient’s oral health.

Choosing dental implants in Vancouver is the best way for patients to protect their oral health against the detrimental outcomes of tooth loss.

People lose their permanent teeth for various reasons. A traumatic injury can dislodge a tooth or damage it so severely that the tooth cannot be saved. The inflammation associated with advanced periodontal disease can also attack bone and connective tissue, resulting in lost teeth. Advanced decay can also lead to a tooth’s extraction.

Regardless of the cause, tooth loss has wide-reaching effects. When a tooth is lost, the jawbone in the vicinity will eventually atrophy as well. This process can lead to further damage and the loss of additional teeth. An implant dentist can help to mitigate these issues.

Unlike alternatives like bridges and dentures, dental implants are the only tooth replacement method that mimics the entire structure of the tooth, including its root. The implant itself, a titanium screw, is able to integrate with the bone, essentially replicating the biological tooth’s root and preventing jawbone erosion.

Beyond its effects on the stability of the jawbone, tooth loss can influence other aspects of a patient’s well-being. A dental implant allows patients to maintain a normal diet. There’s no need to give up healthy foods like apples, baby carrots or celery sticks.

Although aesthetic concern is not the most important reason to replace a missing tooth with a dental implant, having a beautiful full smile does boost the self-esteem. In this way, dental implants benefit patients’ mental health, too.

If you have already lost one tooth – or more – to gum disease or decay, take steps to protect your remaining teeth even if you choose a dental implant for tooth replacement. Be sure to brush your teeth twice each day and floss daily. Good oral hygiene can prevent further tooth loss.

A dental crown is a cap, or cover, for a natural tooth in order to provide strength and stability for chewing and biting. These permanent restorations are generally made from strong noble metals with durable porcelain coatings. According to your particular needs, the crown may also be completely fabricated from porcelain or precious metals.

Crowns are typically useful in restoring teeth that are compromised due to large fillings, root canal treatments, traumatic fractures, or decay. If you believe that you could benefit from dental crowns in Denver CO, it is important to understand just how your dentist will prepare your tooth for the procedure.

Your dentist will first determine if the natural tooth is strong enough to support the crown. If a large portion of the tooth structure is missing, it can be reinforced with a permanent filling material known as a buildup or core. Your dentist will also ensure that there is enough surface area for your new crown to adhere securely.

Once your dentist has determined that the foundation for the crown is adequate, your tooth will be recontoured and reshaped. The tooth will be reduced in size on the sides and across the biting surface. At the gum line, a margin is created to allow a smooth transition from the crown to the tooth. This process of reduction will enable the natural tooth to fit completely inside the crown while also aligning with the neighboring teeth.

Following this precise preparation, an impression of the reduced tooth is obtained, and forwarded to the dental lab. In accordance with your dentist’s instructions, your new crown is designed and milled, then ready to be seated onto the designated tooth. Minor adjustments are sometimes necessary to provide a customized fit and feel.

Crowns are ideal restorations when strength and stability have been lost. Each tooth in the mouth is subjected to excessive biting forces. When the teeth can no longer support these forces, crowns can help to rebuild and reinforce. Call 303-832-7789 and schedule your appointment for dental crowns today and save your smile.

Dental implants supply durable, natural-looking, permanent replacements for missing teeth. Almost anyone with missing teeth can benefit from implants, but certain conditions might make you a better candidate and make your implants more likely to be successful. If you are looking for an implant dentist in Denver, here are some facts about dental implants to consider:

Am I a Good Candidate for Implants?

When you consult with our implant dentistry team, they will ask questions pertaining to your overall health as well as your dental health. Some questions that might determine your candidacy for implants include:

• Are you suffering from gum disease?
• Have you worn dentures for a long period of time?
• Are you in good overall health?
• Are you diabetic?
• Are you a smoker?

If you are diabetic or a smoker, this could affect your ability to heal thoroughly and quickly after the implant procedure, as can any condition affecting your overall health. Severe gum disease should be treated before implants can be considered, as infection in the gums will also affect the ability to heal.

Previous use of dentures may or may not affect your candidacy for dental implants. After a long period of wearing dentures, the bone in the jaw tends to break down, since dentures do not stimulate bone regeneration. If enough bone has broken down, a bone graft might be required before you can be successfully treated with implants.

Some types of implants or approaches to the implant procedure work better for some patients than others. If your teeth have been lost recently, or if you see an implant dentist immediately after tooth loss or extraction, implants can often be placed more quickly and easily than if you have been missing teeth for a long period of time.

To find out more about implants, or to determine if you are a good candidate, please contact our office at 303-832-7789 for a consultation.

Life with dentures can be tough. Simple tasks such as eating and speaking comfortably can be challenging. Finding dentures that can stay in place throughout the course of the day can be nearly impossible without the use of various denture glues and pastes.

The effort required to stabilize a traditional denture is easy to understand. Your soft gum tissue and the underlying bone do not typically provide enough surface area to hold the denture in position. There is also the inevitable possibility of bone resorption, in which case the jaw bone shrinks and the gum tissue loses its tone.  This can result in an even less stable denture that may rub and irritate the gum tissue. At this stage, due to the discomfort, many patients are unable or unwilling to enjoy the foods that they once loved.

Fortunately, patients who are seeking dentures in Surrey have access to more stable and comfortable denture options. Using various combinations of dentures and dental implants, our implant dentist can design a smile that you can live with.

One of the greatest disadvantages of complete tooth loss is gradual bone loss. In the absence of teeth, the jaw bone will eventually go away as well. By placing dental implants into the bone, bone loss can be prevented. The implants can also be used to anchor the denture to the jaw bone. Rather than rest the denture on the tender gum tissue, the implants can withstand the forces of chewing and biting, while holding the denture firmly in place.

The denture/implant combination can be designed to be removable (such as dentures that snap onto an implant) or permanent (such as the All on 4 method), completely dependent upon your personal needs and preferences. No matter the method, adding dental implants to your existing or new denture can provide a dramatic improvement to the quality of your life. You’ll find that implants can instantly add the comfort, confidence, and beauty that you deserve.

Whether you are wearing a traditional denture or considering tooth replacement for the first time, schedule an appointment to explore all of your options. You may learn that dental implants are right for you in more ways than one.

Traditional fillings are made of a metal amalgam containing mercury. Some people feel this amalgam is unattractive, while others are concerned that it might be bad for their long-term health and might cause additional damage to their teeth, since it does not expand and contract the way tooth enamel does. As an alternative to metal amalgam, our cosmetic dentist serving Denver offers tooth-colored fillings.

Advantages of Tooth-Colored Fillings

Tooth-colored fillings are made of a composite material that can be color-matched to your natural tooth enamel. Whether you are in need of new dental work or wish to have your metal fillings replaced, composite fillings offer some advantages over traditional amalgam.

• Tooth-colored fillings do not contain mercury
• Composite fillings expand and contract with heat and cold
• Composite fillings bond with the tooth
• Tooth-colored fillings do not create dark areas in your smile
• Composite fillings do not conduct heat and cold, reducing sensitivity

Because of these advantages, many people are choosing tooth-colored fillings for routine repair of decay. Others choose tooth-colored materials for restoration of broken or misshapen teeth.

Restorations—Inlays and Onlays

Inlays and onlays are used in cosmetic dentistry to correct problems with the shape of the teeth. Your teeth might have been broken, they might be naturally asymmetrical, or you might have a tooth that is noticeably smaller or misshapen in comparison to the rest of your teeth. In these cases, inlays and onlays can be used to reshape the tooth, giving it a natural appearance or making it look more symmetrical with the rest of your teeth.

Composite, tooth-colored materials are used for this kind of restoration so that your repaired teeth will match the rest of your smile. If you have issues such as this with your teeth, contact our cosmetic dentistry team to discuss how tooth-colored restorations can help you regain confidence in your smile.