Night Guards

Advantage Dentistry offers custom night guards to help patients overcome the negative effects of bruxism. Bruxism is regular teeth grinding or clenching of the jaw. Stress can intensify teeth grinding, but it is most often caused by an abnormal bite or crooked teeth.

Some teeth grinders consciously grind their teeth and clench their jaw.  Some only do so while asleep, and may not even realize it. Waking up with a dull headache or experiencing pain and stiffness in your jaw are signs you may be grinding your teeth overnight, and shouldn’t be ignored.  Patients who continually grind their teeth often end up needing crowns, bridges, root canals and implants. In severe cases tooth loss can occur, and partial or complete dentures may be needed.

Night guards look similar to mouth guards worn by athletes but serve a different purpose. A dentist uses an impression of your teeth to ensure a custom fit, and the night guard is manufactured in a dental lab. Wearing a custom night guard protects the surface of the teeth, and also properly aligns the jaw to improve breathing and sleep. If you think you a custom night guard could help you, please contact us.

Scott Seier, DDS, operates Advantage Dentistry at 2887, Elmwood Ave, Kenmore, NY, 14217. To set up an appointment, call 716-877-2275, or visit AdvantageDentistry.com and fill out a contact form.

ZOOM! Whitening

At Advantage Dentistry we receive inquiries from patients just like you about how they can whiten their teeth.  We offer ZOOM! Whitening to patients looking to treat stained teeth or whiten their natural teeth.  When surface stains penetrate the tooth enamel, they can darken the color of the dentin, the hard tissue layer of your tooth under the enamel. Once the dentin is darkened, it can make the whole tooth appear yellow. Successful whitening systems go below the tooth enamel to reach the dentin.

ZOOM! Whitening combines whitening gel with an activator light to penetrate the enamel and break up stains at the dentin layer. Once the gel is applied to your teeth, the light activates and accelerates the whitening process.  When the chemical reaction lightens the color of the dentin, the whole tooth is free to become whiter. A dentist can tell you based on the level of staining on your teeth what results you can expect from ZOOM!  Patients have left the office after an hour treatment with a smile up to ten shades whiter!

If you are interested in a professional whitening system that delivers dramatic results, contact us to find out more about ZOOM! Whitening. Scott Seier, DDS, operates Advantage Dentistry at 2887, Elmwood Ave, Kenmore, NY, 14217. To set up an appointment, call 716-877-2275, or visit AdvantageDentistry.com and fill out a contact form.

The Dangers of DIY Orthodontics

Last February, the American Association of Orthodontists released a survey which found that 13% of their members have treated someone who attempted to use homemade corrective devices on themselves. This was a follow-up to a public service announcement last year warning people of the dangers of this, and we at Advantage Dentistry want our patients to understand why DIY orthodontics are a bad idea, as well.

Orthodontics is basically the practice of shifting living bones through each other. This is not a process which should be rushed, as the jaw bones need to rebuild themselves after the teeth have moved position. If the teeth are pushed too quickly in an attempt to reduce costs or treatment time, it is likely the jaw will be so compromised that the teeth will fall out or shift back.

Many of the devices non-professionals suggest using as wires are also simply not safe to put inside the body. Fibrous ties can rot, and without brackets, they can slide into the gum pockets. Likewise, rubber bands placed directly on teeth instead of on brackets will choke off the teeth’s blood vessels.

We strive to keep prices low for our patients. Please see us if you are bothered by misaligned teeth instead of trying something on yourself which will end up costing you much more.

Scott Seier, DDS, operates Advantage Dentistry at 2887, Elmwood Ave, Kenmore, NY, 14217. To set up an appointment, call 716-877-2275, or visit AdvantageDentistry.com and fill out a contact form.

 

Effects of Thumb Sucking

Advantage Dentistry has been a resource for many families over the years, including those who have just had their first child. Often, parents are aware that there are potential dangers associated with pacifiers and thumb sucking but aren’t sure whether or not there’s a problem, so we wanted to offer some guidance.

Thumb sucking is normal and not a cause for worry in children under the age of three. However, if the child keeps doing it after beginning to lose their baby teeth, the habit could result in misaligned adult teeth, overbites, misaligned jaws, and changes in mouth structure. This is also true of sucking pacifiers and of thrusting the tongue against the front teeth, which is sometimes a habit children form to replace thumb sucking.

If possible, parents should explain to their child why thumb sucking is a bad habit and include them in efforts to get them to stop. Sometimes there is a deeper psychological issue behind it, such as anxiety, which may require the attention of a counselor.  But anxious parents should rest assured that if a child stops thumb sucking as a toddler, their jaws can usually shift back to the right position.

Scott Seier, DDS, operates Advantage Dentistry at 2887, Elmwood Ave, Kenmore, NY, 14217. To set up an appointment, call 716-877-2275, or visit AdvantageDentistry.com and fill out a contact form.

 

HPV-Associated Oral Cancers

Oral cancer screenings are a standard part of dental check-ups for adults, and at Advantage Dentistry in Kenmore, we want our patients to be aware of the medical community’s increasing concern about the link between cancers of the throat and the human papilloma virus. Vaccinations against HPV are now recommended by the Center for Disease Control for all children, but while these vaccinations look promising for some kinds of cancers, we are still awaiting further evidence on whether they work for oral cancer or are useful to adults.

The vast majority of adults get an HPV infection at some point in their lives without even being aware of it. Oral cancers caused by tobacco and alcohol are still much more common and deadly than those associated with HPV. However, HPV throat cancers tend to occur further back in the throat, in an area called the oropharynx. Patients are less likely to notice discoloration or growths this far back until their tissue has been badly damaged, at which point the cancer is more difficult to treat.

Cancers of the oropharynx also tend to occur in a younger population than the alcohol and tobacco-associated cancers in the front of the mouth. Therefore, regardless of a patient’s age or whether they smoke, if they are sexually active and feel odd sensations in their throat, they should remember their dentist as an important resource for more than just the health of their teeth.

Scott Seier, DDS, operates Advantage Dentistry at 2887, Elmwood Ave, Kenmore, NY, 14217. To set up an appointment, call 716-877-2275, or visit AdvantageDentistry.com and fill out a contact form.

 

Caring for Dentures

At Advantage Dentistry, we work hard to provide patients with quality restorations including full-mouth dentures. As part of our commitment, we want to make sure our patients understand how to care for their dentures so that their new teeth will serve them for as long as possible.

Patients should always brush their teeth with a soft-bristled toothbrush, and that’s just as true for their dentures. Each night, dentures should be removed (this includes ones supported by implants), and patients should brush their gums and tongue before putting them back in each morning. However, the dentures themselves should not be brushed with the same kind of toothpaste as natural teeth. Lacking a naturally-produced film covering, dentures are easily scratched by minerals in normal toothpaste, and should only be scrubbed with toothpaste that is particularly made for them.

Dentures should never be allowed to dry out. They can be soaked overnight in room temperature or cooler water or in a cleaning solution as long as they do not have exposed metal parts which could rust. But they must never be placed in hot water—the material they are made of warps in high temperatures. Any deformity in a denture should only be repaired by a professional.

Scott Seier, DDS, operates Advantage Dentistry at 2887, Elmwood Ave, Kenmore, NY, 14217. To set up an appointment, call 716-877-2275, or visit AdvantageDentistry.com and fill out a contact form.

 

Sedation Options at Advantage Dentistry

Here at Advantage Dentistry, we offer two common types of sedation options to our patients: oral conscious sedation and nitrous oxide. Neither of these options knocks you unconscious; however, they do ease your fears and help you receive treatment in a comfortable in a safe manner. If you are wondering what the difference is between the two, allow us to explain.

• Nitrous Oxide is also known as laughing gas and it is the most commonly used form of sedation in dentistry. We place a mask over the patient’s nose and it is administered by the patient inhaling the gas. You will fall into a euphoric state and our doctor can control the amount of sedation you receive. This is the only form of sedation where you may be able to drive yourself home.

• Oral conscious sedation allows you to remain awake during the procedure, but you will be in a heightened state of relaxation. It is also possible that you will not remember part or all of your procedure. Oral conscious sedation is as easy as taking an aspirin and you will feel relaxed and at ease. You will need to have someone drive you to and from the office if you use oral conscious sedation for your safety. 

If you have further questions about sedation options, give us a call. To schedule your appointment with Advantage Dentistry in Kenmore, NY, call our office at 716-877-2275 or visit our website www.advantagedentistry.com for more information about the services we provide.