Mouth Guard Benefits for Athletes

Mouth guard use has been shown to reduce the risk of sport-related dental injuries. Imagine playing a sport that you love, when suddenly, a tooth gets knocked out. Smiling, talking and eating would be difficult and it would probably take you some time to recover. When it comes to protecting your mouth during sports, a mouth guard is an essential piece of athletic gear that should be part of your standard from an early age. Fortunately, our doctors at Advantage Dentistry can supply athletic patients of all ages with custom-fitted mouth guards for proper protection.

Custom mouth guards are made from exact and precise models of an individual’s own teeth. They are also made of resilient and tear-resistant materials ensuring a proper fit. A properly fitted mouth guard absolutely must be protective, comfortable, resilient, tear resistant, odorless, tasteless, and allow room for you to breathe. Because our custom-fitted mouth guards are made for your mouth and your mouth only, they are more reliable than over-the-counter mouth guards.

If you think you may benefit from a mouth guard, please give us a call. To learn about the services we provide at the practice, visit www.advantagedentistry.com. To book an appointment with one of our doctors at Advantage Dentistry in Kenmore, NY, call 716-877-2275.

How Invisalign Works to Move Teeth

If you want a straighter smile and healthier teeth and gums, orthodontic treatment may help. Orthodontic treatment involves correcting malocclusion, which is the misalignment of a bite or incorrect spacing between teeth. Here at Advantage Dentistry, we offer Invisalign to our patients so that they can straighten their teeth with comfort and confidence. Invisalign uses a custom-made series of plastic aligners created for you and only you. So how do these plastic aligners actually move your teeth?

The teeth-straightening process will vary from person to person, but the basic idea stays the same. First, one of our doctors will take X-rays, pictures, and impressions of your teeth, and then use that information to create a treatment plan. Through the use of Invisalign’s patented thermoplastic design, Invisalign aligners move your teeth through the appropriate placement of controlled force. The biggest difference is that the aligners not only control the force, but also the timing of the force application. During each stage, only certain teeth are allowed to move. Invisalign allows our patients to straighten their teeth without the stress of tightening brackets and wires. Give us a call if you want to get started, today.

If you would like to discuss your orthodontic treatment options, please give us a call or visit www.advantagedentistry.com for more information about Invisalign. To book an appointment with one of our dentists at Advantage Dentistry in Kenmore, NY, call 716-877-2275.

Choosing the Correct Mouthwash

Mouthwash or rinses are used for a variety of reasons: to freshen breath, to help prevent or control tooth decay, to reduce plaque, to prevent or reduce gingivitis, to reduce the speed that tartar forms on the teeth, or to produce a combination of these effects. Mouthwash has a few beneficial properties and our doctors at Advantage Dentistry would like to explain some of them.

• Antimicrobial agents act directly on oral bacteria to help reduce plaque, decrease the severity of gingivitis and control bad breath.


• Fluoride helps reduce tiny lesions (tooth decay) on tooth enamel and make teeth more resistant to decay.


•  Astringent salts can serve as temporary deodorizers that mask bad breath.


• Odor neutralizers act by chemically inactivating odor causing compounds.

If you have questions about oral hygiene, please give us a call. To learn more about services we provide at the office, visit www.advantagedentistry.comfor more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our dentists at Advantage Dentistry in Kenmore, NY, call 716-877-2275.

Basics of Bruxism

If your teeth are worn, damaged, or sensitive, or if you have pain in your jaw, face, or ear, it may be time to visit our staff at Advantage Dentistry. These are common symptoms of bruxism, a condition in which you grind, gnash, or clench your teeth and the condition can have a variety of causes. Some experts view this issue as nothing more than a habit, but this habit can wreak serious havoc on your teeth, provoking you to endure invasive dental procedures in the future.

People with severe bruxism can break dental fillings or damage their teeth. Rubbing the teeth together can cause the outer layers of enamel to wear away, exposing dentin, which can lead to tooth sensitivity. Severe bruxism can also be the result of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders as well as unexplained facial pain. If our doctor determines that you’re a “bruxer” he or she will discuss the best way to treat the condition. The treatment of bruxism typically depends on the cause.

If you suspect that you may be a “bruxer,” please give us a call to discuss your treatment options. To learn more about services we provide at the office, visit www.advantagedentistry.comfor more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our dentists at Advantage Dentistry in Kenmore, NY, call 716-877-2275.

Ridge Augmentation

Dental implants are a permanent tooth replacement that is able to last a lifetime; however, the conditions need to be right to place them. For patients that do not have a large enough bone ridge in their jaw, at Advantage Dentistry in Kenmore, NY, we can perform ridge augmentation. This ensures that implants are a possible option for replacement.

To begin the procedure, your doctor will lift the gums away from the bone. Bone graft material will then be placed into the area where the bone has deteriorated. Afterwards, the incision is closed and allowed to heal. The augmentation will take about twelve months to fully heal. During this time, the bone graft material will not only bond with your jawbone, but it will also promote the growth of even more jawbone. The end result is a strong ridge that is big enough to host a dental implant successfully. Depending on your specific case, a dental implant may be able to be placed during the augmentation procedure or after the twelve-month healing period.

Bone grafting is a very safe and successful procedure. The bone is often able to be taken from another area of your jaw.

To learn more about ridge augmentation and bone grafting, be sure to contact us or visit our website, www.advantagedentistry.com. To schedule an appointment with Advantage Dentistry in our Kenmore, NY office, call us at (716) 877-2275.

Electric Toothbrushes vs Manual Toothbrushes

There is often a debate about whether or not electric toothbrushes clean your teeth better than manual ones. As it turns out, the American Dental Association says manual toothbrushes can do just as good of a job as electric ones. At Advantage Dentistry in Kenmore, NY, we want all of our patients to know how to take good care of their teeth. Check out the differences between electric and manual toothbrushes.

As previously mentioned, the ADA has said that manual toothbrushes do just as good of a job at cleaning teeth as electric toothbrushes. It is mostly about the job the brusher is doing. However, this may change for those who have trouble using their hands. Those with conditions like arthritis may benefit from using an electric toothbrush since they do almost all of the work; you just need to hold them at the correct angle.

Electric toothbrushes do have other benefits, like timers and music. They let you know you are spending enough time brushing and also get kids more interested in brushing.

So while either toothbrush has the ability to do a good job, it really depends on the brusher and their needs. To set up your next dental exam and cleaning at Advantage Dentistry in Kenmore, NY, call our office at (716) 877-2275. For more information about us, visit our website, www.advantagedentistry.com. 

Choosing the Correct Toothpaste

When stepping foot into the oral hygiene aisle at the drugstore, our doctors at Advantage Dentistry understand that the selections of toothpaste can be overwhelming. Should you go for tartar control, fluoride, sensitive or whitening toothpaste? When it comes to choosing the toothpaste that is best for you, it’s important to consider your unique oral health needs. Here are some options to consider while browsing:

• Anti-cavity: This type of toothpaste contains fluoride. Fluoride plays an active role in preventing decay, and it actively strengthens tooth enamel.


• Anti-gingivitis: If you spit blood in the sink, this is an early sign of gingivitis, a mild form of gum disease. Anti-gingivitis toothpaste helps reduce oral bacteria and can be very effective at stopping gingivitis in its tracks.


• Desensitizing: If you’ve ever bit into an ice cream cone and felt a sharp pain in your tooth’s nerve, this type of toothpaste will provide relief by blocking the tooth’s pain signal to the nerve.


• Tartar-control: This toothpaste does exact what it says, however, the best way to remove tartar is by scheduling a professional dental cleaning with one of our doctors.


• Whitening: This toothpaste contains chemicals that are able to help maintain the natural color of your teeth.

If you have questions regarding oral hygiene, please give us a call. To learn more about the services we provide at our practice, visit www.advantagedentistry.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Advantage Dentistry in Kenmore, NY, call 716-877-2275.