A consultation with our orthodontist is the first step to a life altering payoff if Invisalign is the method selected for your orthodontic treatment. 

• Invisalign aligners are made of a clear, soft plastic making them practically undetectable, which is ideal for teens and young professionals.
• The aligners are removed to eat allowing the wearer to maintain a healthy diet without sacrificing any of the foods they love.
• Participating in sports activities where a mouth guard is recommended couldn’t be easier. Just remove the aligner to insert the mouth guard, and replace the aligner upon completion.
• Keeping your teeth and gums healthy during treatment has never been more effortless. Simply remove the aligner, brush and floss with ease, and replace the aligner.

Caring for the aligners is simple as well. Invisalign does provide a guide for taking care of your aligners. Simply brush and rinse the aligners daily to remove any film or particles that may have formed. And since each aligner is worn for the duration of only a couple of weeks, keeping them clean and free from odor is as easy as brushing your own teeth.

Invisalign works by updating the aligners every two to three weeks. As the aligners are gently shifting teeth back to their correct position, each new aligner has been designed to keep teeth progressing toward their proper alignment.

Periodic visits with your orthodontist throughout treatment will be needed. These visits are beneficial for several reasons. Both you and your orthodontist can monitor your progress and quickly identify any issues before they become problems. With traditional braces, dental decay is difficult to detect. This is no longer a concern with Invisalign.

Wearing your aligners for the minimum of twenty to twenty-two hours each day is recommended to keep treatment progress on track. But the process to take care of your teeth and aligners has been simplified thanks to Invisalign. The end result will be a correct bite and dazzling smile making this already simple process a winning proposition.

Contact our Pleasanton TX office to find out if you are a candidate for Invisalign. Call 830-281-2500 to schedule your professional consultation.

• Biting fingernails – Anxious patients often report they bite their nails due to boredom. But if you do a little research you might think twice before you ever bite your nails again. The germs on your hands and under your nails are now in your mouth. In addition to this unpleasant thought, the biting process can cause dental decay and gum disease, not to mention the damage done to your nail bed.
• Chewing and biting on ice, pens or pencils – Although teeth are generally very strong, repetitious biting on hard objects can result in cracks and breaking of teeth. Dental crowns, and possibly a root canal can be in your future thanks to this habit.
• Smoking or tobacco use – Periodontal disease and lost teeth are two good reasons to give up this habit.
• Sugary beverages and snacks – Exposing teeth to excess sugar throughout the day encourage plaque to build up on teeth and gums. This habit can lead to tooth decay and gum disease.
• Teeth grinding and clenching – Often done during the night, this habit can be due to anxiety or an abnormal bite. A mouth guard fitted by the dentist to wear during the night can help to reduce or eliminate this habit.
• Harsh brushing with a hard bristle tooth brush – Many people feel the more pressure they use when brushing, the more germs and plaque they remove. Patients who engage in this habit could be doing more harm than good as this can result in premature gum recession and abnormal wear on the teeth enamel.
• Using teeth as tools – Using teeth as a substitute for scissors, pliers or tools of any sort can lead to broken teeth or at the very least chipped enamel.

Good habits to develop do include daily flossing; brushing at least twice per day with a fluoridated tooth paste or gel; and seeing your dentist twice per year for a professional cleaning and exam. Eliminating harmful habits and developing good dental habits will be rewarded with healthy teeth and gums for many years.

For more tips and to schedule a consultation in Poteet TX, contact our experienced dental team at Brush Country Dental & Specialty Center.

• Gums are bleeding – Any bleeding is not normal, but using a hard toothbrush or applying too much pressure when brushing can result in gums bleeding. Switching to a soft bristle tooth brush can help. Using an electric tooth brush is also a good idea as the pressure exerted when brushing is more easily controlled with an electric tooth brush.
• Bad breath is ever-present – Bad breath, or halitosis, can be the result of eating certain foods or drinking strong beverages. But when bad breath becomes chronic, it is usually a sign that there is a build-up of bacteria that has developed. A professional cleaning can lead to eliminating this problem and finding out if a more serious problem exists.
• Gums are red or swollen – Healthy gum tissue that has become red or is swollen is a good indicator of gingivitis. This irritation might be due to trauma, but if it persists visiting your dentist for a proper diagnosis is needed.
• Discomfort – When teeth or gums are sore when eating or brushing, this might be due to the onset of gingivitis.

Excellent oral hygiene habits consisting of daily flossing and brushing at least twice per day with a fluoridated tooth paste or gel are necessary preventive measures to maintain good oral health. However, even the most conscientious patient might develop gingivitis.

Certain health problems, like autoimmune diseases, can contribute to developing gum problems. When the body chemistry is affected by an underlying illness, the gums can become one of the first areas affected.

Smoking or tobacco use can also contribute to gingivitis, which is just one more reason to quit.

Gingivitis is generally treatable with a professional cleaning by your dentist followed by vigilant good home oral health habits consisting of flossing and brushing. The consequences of ignoring the symptoms of gingivitis can result in more serious conditions that can eventually even lead to tooth loss.

A healthy diet, getting enough sleep, not smoking, regular visits to our dentist, and observing good oral hygiene habits will enhance good dental health and help to avoid developing gingivitis and gum disease.  To schedule your regular check-up, call Brush Country Dental & Specialty Center, serving Poteet TX, at 830-281-2500 today.

The causes for an over bite, under bite, or cross bite can be genetic. Too little jaw space for teeth to grow in properly, or the opposite problem of gaps or spaces between teeth are correctable. A child that has altered their bite due to sucking their thumb or fingers can obtain straight teeth as well.

Braces not only offer the gift of a pleasing smile, but correcting a malocclusion can prevent many potential problems from developing as the child grows. When the top teeth do not synchronize with the bottom teeth, the odds increase that your child will be faced with dental issues including:

• Bruxism – when the teeth are misaligned, grinding the teeth is a subconscious attempt to correct the bite. For many the solution for bruxism is to correct the bite.
• Speaking – A malocclusion can result in modifying how words are formed and spoken.
• Eating – When teeth do not line up, chewing becomes more difficult. Certain healthy fruits and vegetables might be more difficult to eat.
• TMJ – A malady impacting the jaw, TMJ might develop resulting in the potential for headache, earache, neck ache and toothache.
• Dental decay – Teeth that are misaligned offer many places in the mouth that are more easily overlooked when brushing and flossing. These areas are a breeding ground for bacteria to form resulting in plaque build-up and tooth decay.
• Periodontal disease – Plaque build-up, particularly around the gum line, can lead to bleeding and swollen gum tissue.

Teaching your child how to care for their teeth by daily flossing and brushing twice per day with a fluoridated tooth paste or gel is a great first step to a healthy smile.

If your child is dealing with problems associated with a malocclusion, there are solutions. The aesthetic value of straight teeth is obvious. A consultation with our orthodontist can explain how to guard against the potential pitfalls of leaving an incorrect bite. Avoiding the issues that can escalate to a lifetime of problems as the child grows is certainly worth taking the first step to see what braces can do. To schedule a consultation, call our Pleasanton TX office today.

A malocclusion is usually not a condition that causes discomfort. Many patients may not even be aware of a problem with their bite until their dentist diagnoses it or teeth become obviously crooked or out of position.

A malocclusion can occur for many reasons. Some are genetic and not preventable such as a lack of jaw space for the teeth to grow in correctly. Some are created such as those due to thumb sucking. But whatever the reason, Invisalign can be a very effective tool to treat a malocclusion.

Invisalign employs a series of clear, soft plastic aligners that work to gently shift teeth to their correct position. The orthodontist will take x-rays, photographs and dental impressions that will be used to create the aligners using 3-D digital technology. The aligners are updated every couple weeks to allow the teeth to adjust to their new position.

The advantages of Invisalign include:

• The aligners are clear making them ideal for a virtually undetectable method of teeth straightening.
• There are no wires to break or rub, causing abrasions on soft mouth tissue.
• The aligners are removed when eating so there are no diet restrictions.
• Excellent dental hygiene is easier to maintain because the aligners are removed for brushing and flossing.

It is important to wear Invisalign aligners at least twenty to twenty-two hours each day to attain the desired result in the prescribed time. For most adults, this can be six months to two years. Teens and young adults can expect to wear Invisalign for about the same time as traditional bands and brackets.

At the end of the straightening portion of treatment, the patient will be fitted with a retainer. Wearing a retainer is a critical step as teeth might have a tendency to drift back to where they started. Wearing a retainer will help keep them in place until new bone structure has formed to permanently keep your new bite in its correct position.

A consultation with our orthodontist will provide answers to questions about your malocclusion and the best treatment solutions available for you. Call Brush Country Dental & Specialty Center in Pleasanton TX at 830-281-2500 today!

What Are Dental Crowns?

Dental crowns are a restorative treatment that covers the entire tooth, matching its original shape and color. Crowns can be made of metal, porcelain, or porcelain fused to metal. The type of crown used depends upon the location of the tooth and the amount of stress it is expected to undergo in regular day-to-day use.

Dental crowns are placed in a two-part procedure. First the tooth is prepared for the crown. The tooth must be reshaped to make room for the crown. A mold is taken of the tooth both before and after this resculpting. After the tooth is ready, the dentist places a temporary crown to protect the tooth’s surface and allow you to bite and chew normally.

The crown is produced in an off-site lab in most cases, and will be complete in a few days. When it is ready, the temporary crown is removed and the permanent crown is set in place. Your dentist will also perform tests to be sure your bite is properly aligned.

Dental Crowns to Improve the Look of Your Teeth

There are many ways to improve the overall look of your teeth, whether they are crooked, have wide gaps between them, or are asymmetrical or damaged in some way. One approach is to use dental crowns.

Issues that can be addressed with crowns include:

• Cracked, pitted or severely discolored teeth
• Teeth that are too small in relationship to other teeth
• Chipped or broken teeth
• Teeth with multiple fillings that cause discoloration or damage

Whatever issues you have with your teeth, you and your dentist can determine the best treatment approach. To find out more about how crowns can help the look of your teeth, please contact our experienced team at Brush Country Dental & Specialty Center in Pleasanton TX.

Diagnosing Orthodontic Problems

The best way to spot early problems that can be treated with orthodontics is through regular orthodontic exams. For children, orthodontic exams should start around age seven. This enables your orthodontist to spot and diagnose problems as early as possible. Although the problems might not completely manifest until your child becomes older, signs that they will develop can occur at early stages.

Types of problems that can become apparent during the early years include:

• Crooked teeth
• Crowding
• Malocclusion, or misaligned bite

These problems can be treated with orthodontics, including braces or other methods. The next question to discuss with the orthodontist is what kind of treatment will be most effective and when this treatment should start.

When Should Treatment Start?

If problems appear, a consultation with your orthodontist will help you decide the best course of action. Depending upon the nature of the problems, treatment might need to begin right away, or might be more effective if it begins after a determined point in the future, such as after certain permanent teeth have emerged.

For example, if your child is experiencing crowding, or insufficient room in the mouth for the permanent teeth, the orthodontist might want to start treatment fairly early with a palate expander. This treatment is more effective with younger patients, because the bones of the palate are still growing. With braces, however, it might be more effective to wait until most or all of the permanent teeth have emerged, particularly the front teeth.

For more information about orthodontic treatment in Pleasanton TX, please call Brush Country Dental & Specialty Center at 830-569-2500 for a consultation for you or your child.

Applications of Lasers in Dentistry

Lasers can be used in many different ways in dentistry. Some of these uses are similar to those practiced in surgery and medical treatment, but others are specific to dentistry. These include:

• Removing tissue for biopsy
• Treating for gum disease
• Gum recontouring
• Performing tissue grafting for some type of restorations

Because of the way lasers work, using this form of highly concentrated light reduces discomfort for the patient. It also often eliminates the need for stitches, because the laser helps stop bleeding and seal the tissues closed. The laser also sterilizes the tissues, so healing is faster and the risk of infection in reduced.

Are You a Candidate for Laser Dentistry?

You might be able to take advantage of the benefits of laser dentistry. If you would like to know if you are a candidate, the best way to find out is to talk to your dentist. Depending upon the type of work you need to have done and your dentist’s recommendation, you might decide laser dentistry is right for you.

You might want to talk to your dentist about laser dentistry if you are considering any of the following treatments:

• Implant dentistry
• Fillings or crowns
• Crown lengthening for cosmetic or other reasons
• Periodontal treatment

If laser dentistry will help you receive safer, more comfortable, or more efficient treatment, your dentist can help you decide if this approach is right for you.

To find out more about laser dentistry, its benefits, and its applications, contact Brush Country Dental & Specialty Center serving Pleasanton TX.

There are several differences between standard dental implants and All-on-4. With standard implants, your implant dentist will surgically place the implants and cover them during the healing process with a temporary bridge. After your implant dentist is satisfied that the implants are successfully healed, the permanent dental bridge is cemented in place.

With All-on-4 technology, the implant dentist will strategically place the implants utilizing two in the forward part of the arch and the remaining two will in the posterior at an angle maximizing the strength of the implants to hold the bridge in place.

The permanent bridge is put in place at the same time as the implants, allowing the patient to leave the dental office with the procedure completed in one visit.

At the consultation appointment, your implant dentist will assess the viability of All-on-4 for the patient using the following criteria:

• Dental health – If excessive decay or periodontal issues are present, these problems will need to be addressed before moving forward.
• Smoking – It is a proven fact that smoking is one of the major contributors to dental implant failure. A patient will likely be advised to quit smoking before embarking on this procedure.
• General health – Patients need to be in relatively good health before proceeding with All-on-4 dental implants. Patients with a weakened immune system or with other chronic diseases need to have those issues assessed before moving forward.
• Commitment – A patient must understand the need for excellent oral hygiene care before pursuing All-on-4 dental implants. Infection is perhaps the leading cause of implant failure, and lack of excellent oral hygiene is usually at the root of infection.

Once all of these points have been addressed and it is agreed to move forward, your dentist will likely take photos, x-rays, dental impressions, and perhaps even order further testing to guarantee that bone strength to support the implants is present.

Upon completion of the All-on-4 dental implants, you will have a new smile makeover in one day. You will be able to eat, speak and enjoy your new smile from that first day for many years to come. Call our Pleasanton TX dental team at 830-569-2500 to schedule your All-on-4 consultation.

Invisalign is a process involving the use of clear plastic aligners to slowly shift teeth to their correct position. Your orthodontist will assess your dental situation and advise you on the best method for your particular needs.

If you are a candidate for Invisalign, your orthodontist will take pictures, x-rays and dental impressions that will be sent to the Invisalign lab. A series of clear, soft plastic aligners are developed through the use of 3-D digital imagery technology. The aligners are designed to slowly reposition your teeth over time by updating the aligners every couple of weeks during treatment.

As your teeth are gently shifted into place, you are able to achieve the same result as using the former method of braces. Once treatment is completed the final step of retaining your new smile is needed.

All forms of teeth straightening require the shift of teeth. During this process as teeth move, it is intended for the bones that help hold them in place to grow to keep the teeth from drifting back to where they were initially.

This is why a retainer is so important to the straightening of teeth. In order for teeth to stay in place and that bone growth to happen, the retainer will remind the teeth of their new position, allow bone growth to occur, and keep the teeth in place.

If a retainer is not worn after orthodontic treatment is complete, the teeth could shift back closer to where they were at the start of treatment.

There are different types of retainers and the length of time needed to wear a retainer at the completion of treatment varies. Our orthodontist will provide you with the most reliable information, so following your dental provider’s advice will allow you to maximize the benefit of your time during your orthodontic treatment. Schedule an appointment today with one of our dentists located in Pleasanton TX!