Kara and I are proud to announce that we have been recognized as top Indianapolis and Noblesville dentists by the 2012 topDentists database. The listing will appear in the December issue of Indianapolis Monthy in an article featuring the top dentists in the Indianapolis area.
It’s a privilege to be commended for the high quality care we provide. Receiving the recognition two years in a row is a testament to our team’s dedication to outstanding treatment and personalized service. We are grateful for being selected as two of the top dentist in the Indianapolis area. It is such a great honor to be recognized by our fellow peers for the quality of dental care we provide to our patients. We look forward to continuing to provide the same quality care for years to come.
Nomination for inclusion in the topDentists list is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey in which hundreds of dentists and specialists throughout the Indianapolis area cast thousands of votes on the abilities of other dentists and specialists. The topDentists survey enables dentists to honor their peers, bolstering the significance of being included on the list
At Family Dental Innovations we are committed to providing top dental care services to the Noblesville community. Our practice provides comprehensive treatment planning and uses restorative and cosmetic dentistry to achieve patients’ optimal dental health. Our team is dedicated to providing patients with excellent, personalized care to make each visit as comfortable and relaxing as possible.
See the complete topDentist list here.
Have you ever wondered how someone ends up needing dentures? Many of us think losing our teeth is something that simply won’t happen to us. But did you know that one of the keys to never needing dentures is maintaining healthy gums? Gum disease is the leading cause of tooth loss among adults. It is important to understand the warning signs of gum disease because the sooner you treat it, the better your chance for keeping your teeth for the long haul.
Gum disease is usually caused by a buildup of plaque that then turns to tarter. The best way to avoid gum disease is by regular brushing and flossing to remove plaque, and having regular dental cleanings to remove tarter. Remember, the longer plague and tarter stay on your teeth, the more harmful they become. Other factors that can increase your risk for gum disease include hormonal changes, smoking or chewing tobacco, diabetes, serious illnesses like cancer, taking certain medications and having a history of gum disease in your family.
Gum Disease Warning Signs:
If you have any of the above signs, talk to your dentists about them. He or she will be able to determine if these signs are in fact related to the progression of gum disease.
Bad breath is one of those things that no one wants to talk about – or tell you if you have it. Everyone suffers from bad breath from time to time, especially in the morning. The causes can range from habits like smoking to poor dental hygiene to eating certain types of foods or taking certain medications. If you suffer from bad breath- or know someone who does- don’t fret. There are simple solutions that can help you achieve fresh, confident breath.
1. Visit your dentist regularly
Studies show that about 80% of bad breath is caused by an oral source such as cavities, gum disease, cracked fillings or unclean dentures. Visiting you dentist regularly will help you maintain your oral health and avoid the most common sources for bad breath.
2. Brush and floss more frequently
Plaque is a major culprit for bad breath and the best way to fight it is by brushing and flossing. You should brush your teeth twice a day and floss daily. If you are concerned about bad breath, brush and floss more frequently.
3. Scrape your tongue
Bad breath is caused by bacteria breaking down food in your mouth. Much of this bacteria lives on your tongue. Use your toothbrush to gently scrape your tongue. If you don’t find this effective at removing the coating on your tongue, try using a tool called a tongue scraper. This can be found at drug stores.
4. Stop smoking
In addition to multiple other health risks, smoking is a prime offender when it comes to your breath. The sooner you can kick the habit, the better.
5. Rinse regularly
Mouthwashes are an effective add on to your daily oral cleansing routine. Anti-bacterial mouthwash can freshen your breath immediately and provide longer protection by helping to combat plaque-causing bacteria.
The short answer – your toothbrush is most likely not making you sick. However, it is possible that is could be. Toothbrushes have been found to harbor more than 100 million bacteria. But don’t panic. Regardless of how many bacteria live in your mouth, or have gotten in there by brushing your teeth, your body’s natural defenses make it highly unlikely that you’re going to catch an infection simply from brushing your teeth.
There are hundreds of microorganisms in our mouths every day that cause no harm to your health. Problems only start when there is an unhealthy balance of bacteria in the mouth.
Still, you should exercise some common sense about storing your toothbrush, including how close it is to the toilet. Most bathrooms are small. And in many homes, the toilet is close to the bathroom sink where you keep your toothbrush. Every toilet flush sends a spray of bacteria into the air. And you don’t want the toilet spray anywhere near your open toothbrush.
Toothbrush Storage Tips
Once you’ve moved your toothbrush away from the toilet, here are a few other storage tips to keep your brush as germ-free as possible:
Full mouth restoration is a way to bring your smile back to a natural, healthy state. It involves rebuilding or restoring all of the teeth in the upper and lower jaw. Oftentimes, it can be the solution for patients who have multiple dental problems. Causes can range from trauma related injuries, fractured teeth, decayed teeth, disadjustments in the bite, grinding the teeth or long-term avoidance of dental care. Sometimes a full mouth restoration will be done for cosmetic reasons.
There are several ways of restoring a person´s mouth:
Crowns: completely caps or encircles a tooth. They are often needed when a large cavity threatens the ongoing health of a tooth. They are typically bonded to the tooth using a dental cement.
Porcelain Veneers: are a cosmetic procedure made to reshape a chipped or broken tooth, for tooth discoloration, to extend the length of a tooth, to make teeth whiter, to reshape the line of your teeth or to give you a beautiful new smile. Veneers cover the visible portion of the tooth or teeth and are usually performed on the upper and lower front 6 teeth.
Inlays: are used to replace mercury or amalgam fillings for a more pleasing esthetic appearance. When a cavity is too big, an inlay is used to prevent the tooth from getting fractured or breaking.
Implants: Dental implants have become a popular and successful option used by dental professionals for restoring missing, severely damaged or diseased teeth. They are usually made from titanium and resemble an actual tooth root. They can also improve or restore chewing and/or speech problems that can be caused or be related directly to missing teeth.
To give you an idea of how dramatic the results are, here are a few pictures of full mouth restorations from around the web:
http://www.aksdental.com/gallery.html
Source: http://www.punedentalclinic.com
source: http://malikashay.blogspot.com/
Source: http://www.yelp.com/biz/comfort-dental-weymouth-weymouth
What is Sedation Dentistry?
Sedation dentistry is also called relaxation dentistry. You won’t actually be asleep, but you will feel very sleepy, comfortable and very little to no pain. Sedation is effective and extremely safe.
Sedation Options
Local Anesthesia
Local anesthesia is used to numb the area being worked on. It is given through injection or swabbing a topical anesthetic gel on the injection site. Depending on the type and amount, you may feel numb for as little as five minutes up to three hours after your treatment.
Nitrous Oxide (Laughing Gas)
With nitrous oxide, a small inhaler is placed over your nose. At first, this provides pure oxygen for you to breath. After a few minutes, nitrous oxide is introduced into the oxygen flow. Most patients say that nitrous makes them feel light-headed and comfortably warm throughout the appointment. With this method, you remain completely conscious. When the treatment is over, you will receive pure oxygen to ensure you don’t leave lightheaded.
Oral Sedation
Oral sedation is an option if you don’t want to remember your visit or if complex treatments are to be performed. Oral sedation involves first determining if you are good candidate. If you are, you will be prescribed a sedative to take an hour before your dental procedure. Someone will need to accompany you to the office, as you will be very drowsy when you arrive. While you won’t be completely unconscious, you probably won’t remember the appointment. Once complete, your companion can escort you home to relax.
Yes, sedation is safe and works well. Before you can receive any sedation, however, you need to discuss your medical history with your dentist. You will be asked whether you or anyone in your family has had difficulty with sedation or anesthetics. You will also be asked if you are pregnant, taking steroids or on any medication.
If you have had a past traumatic dental experience, difficulty becoming numb, a bad gag reflex, very sensitive teeth or complex dental problems, sedation might be right for you. Sedation eliminates anxiety by helping patients stay calm and relaxed. Most patients have little to no memory of the dental procedure. If you need extensive or complex dental treatments, sedation may reduce the number of appointments necessary to accomplish your treatment plan. Finally, by helping patients decrease their overall anxiety, many patients don’t need sedation during their next visit.
An unpleasant trip to the dentist during childhood can lead to a lifetime of anxiety about visiting the dentist. People who had a negative experience as a kid are less likely to have regular checkups and more likely to have poor dental hygiene. This is why it is so important to make sure your child’s first visit to the dentist up goes as well as possible.
Although dentists now recommend that kids see a dentist for the first time by their first birthday, twice-yearly dental checkups and proper care at home are the keys to ensuring pearly whites throughout childhood. For toddlers however, the first dental visit can be a scary proposition. Strange instruments, loud noises and new faces can upset even the most nonchalant 2-year-old. But with careful preparation, a first trip to the dentist can actually be fun.
Here are some tips to make the trip as smooth as possible:
2. Be prepared to provide information on your child’s medical conditions and any medications they are taking. Bring your pediatrician’s contact information in case additional information is needed.
3. Let the dentist know if your child has a sucking habit, since this may affect your child’s teeth or jaw.
4. Prepare your child for the visit by talking to them about what is going to happen. A good way to get them ready is by “playing dentist” and practicing brushing their teeth so they are used to having a toothbrush in their mouth.
5. Introduce your child to the dentist and stay with them throughout the entire visit. This will help assure them that they are safe and secure.
Everybody loves a bright white smile. So it is no surprise that teeth whitening treatments are becoming more popular. I’ve debunked some of the common myths to help you decide if teeth whitening is right for you.
Teeth whitening is not painful, but it can cause some added sensitivity to gums and teeth. The hydrogen peroxide in the teeth whitener causes this sensitivity. Most people will experience an increase in tooth sensitivity for 24 hours after the procedure.
Both professional and at home treatments can produce results. The benefit of having your teeth professionally whitened is that you have a dentist ensuring you’re a good candidate for teeth whitening, and professional whitening is faster. Also, since at home treatments require the use of gel or strips for a certain amount of time each day for a given period of time, the teeth are exposed to hydrogen peroxide daily. This will cause you to experience teeth sensitivity for the duration of the treatment rather than just 24 hours.
Our teeth are not naturally white — they are either a shade of yellow, brown or gray. Whitening your teeth will polish off the stains, but not change the natural color of your teeth. However, bleaching can whiten beyond teeth’s natural color. It is important to remember that results vary with each individual, even for bleaching.
Teeth whitening is not recommended for people under the age of 16, pregnant or lactating women, people with sensitive teeth, who are allergic to peroxide, have gum disease, untreated cavities, worn enamel, exposed roots, or teeth restorations such as veneers.
Teeth whitenening is not permanent. Your teeth will still be susceptible to staining from drinks such as coffee, tea and wine even after you whiten.
Although teeth whitening has been associated with damaging teeth enamel, a recent study by The Journal of American Dental Association concluded that teeth whitening agents do not increase the susceptibility of wear on tooth enamel.
A dental emergency is like any other medical emergency and should not be ignored. Oftentimes, people are not sure how to handle a dental emergency, so they put off treatment. Doing this can increase the severity of the problem. Below is a brief overview of the most common dental emergencies and how to handle each.
Sometimes a dental emergency will require immediate action while other times the dental emergency can wait until a scheduled visit. To be safe, always call your dentist to find out the best course of action to take if you find yourself in a dental emergency.
The ADA makes available a free website that is filled with straightforward information about dental procedures and other helpful topics. It’s called MouthHealthy, and it conveniently groups usefulinformation to different age demographics from infants all the way up to adults over 60. There’s even a section for pregnant women.
You can see the answers to common questions such as, “Why are my teeth so sensitive?” There’s also some quizzes to test your dental IQ.
