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What Is Laser Dentistry?

It is a modern technique that uses laser technology to perform dental procedures. Lasers in dental procedures feature a highly focused beam of light for removing or reshaping teeth and gums.

Laser dentistry has increasingly become popular, and often preferred over traditional dental techniques because it can be less invasive, more precise, and may cause less pain and discomfort for the patient.

How Does It Work?

Laser dentistry near you works by focusing a highly concentrated beam of light energy on a specific area of the mouth. The light energy will selectively remove or reshape tissue with precision and accuracy while leaving surrounding tissue intact. Dentists can adjust and control the intensity and duration of the laser energy depending on the tissue and the desired outcome.

There are two main types of lasers used in dentistry:

1. Hard tissue lasers – are for procedures involving the teeth and bone, such as removing decay and shaping teeth.
2. Soft tissue lasers – are for treatments involving the gums and other soft tissues.

During a laser dentistry procedure, the dentist in Wall Township, NJ, will determine whether or not you need a local anaesthetic to numb the treatment area. Often, fewer patients need sedation and anaesthesia during procedures with lasers compared to traditional dentistry. Further, laser dentistry procedures are quicker and less invasive than traditional dental procedures, resulting in less bleeding and discomfort.

Common Treatments Performed with Laser Dentistry

Dentists may employ laser dentistry for restorative, cosmetic, or surgical procedures, depending on your underlying needs. Some of the ways dentists can use laser dentistry include:

1. Gum disease: Lasers can treat gum disease by removing the infected portion of the tissue and promoting the growth of healthy tissue through gum grafting surgery.
2. Tooth decay: Lasers can remove decay from teeth and prepare them for dental fillings without needing a drill or anaesthesia in some cases. However, it is relative to the depth of the cavity and the severity of the infection.
3. Teeth whitening: Many dentists employ laser technology in teeth whitening treatments to activate the bleaching agent and speed up the process. In this case, laser dentistry improves the efficacy and effectiveness of teeth whitening treatments.
4. Biopsies: When a dentist at Susan J. Curley DDS, has to confirm your diagnosis of diseases like oral cancer, they may use lasers to remove small pieces of tissue for biopsy.
5. Lesion removal: Lasers help remove benign lesions with great precision, such as canker sores, cold sores, or cancerous lesions.
6. Root canal treatment: Endodontists use laser technology to clean and disinfect an infected tooth canal during a root canal procedure. Using lasers will be faster and more efficient than traditional methods.
7. Gum contouring: Lasers can reshape and contour gums to improve the appearance of a gummy smile or uneven gum line.

Does Laser Dentistry Help If You Have Dental Anxiety?

Laser dentistry can be a good option for people who suffer from dental anxiety as a less intimidating alternative to traditional dental treatments.

Generally, laser dentistry offers several advantages over traditional dental treatments, including faster healing times, targeted and precise treatments, less pain and discomfort procedures, and a reduced risk of infection. Therefore, if you have dental anxiety and phobias, it is comforting that you can undergo a smooth and often pain-free experience with laser dentistry.

However, laser dentistry may not completely eliminate dental anxiety, and not all dental conditions can be treated with lasers. Therefore, liaise with your dentist about your phobias and anxiety. The dentist will help you explore other solutions for dental anxiety, including sedation dentistry. It allows you to be calm and relaxed or unconscious during dental treatments. Other solutions may include:

1. Communicate your concerns with your dentist. Your dentist can work with you to develop a plan that addresses your fears and provides a comfortable dental experience.
2. Relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, and visualization can reduce stress and promote a sense of calm during dental procedures.
3. Distraction techniques like listening to music or watching a movie during dental procedures can help to distract from any anxiety or discomfort.
4. Gradual exposure to dental procedures over time, starting with simple cleaning and gradually progressing to more complex procedures.
5. Having a loved one accompany you to dental appointments can provide comfort and support during dental procedures.

What Is Cosmetic Dentistry?

It is a specialty of dentistry that focuses on improving the appearance of your teeth, gums, and smile.

While traditional dentistry focuses on diagnosing, preventing, and treating oral diseases and conditions, cosmetic dentistry near you primarily focuses on enhancing a person’s smile and overall appearance.

What Does Cosmetic Dentistry Entail?

The treatment protocols in cosmetic dentistry revolve around improving teeth structure and elevating appearances. Some procedures entail a quick fix, while others may require prolonged procedures. For example, the treatment protocols for removing surface stains on teeth can involve a simple professional teeth bleaching treatment. However, when replacing missing teeth, you may require surgery to support bone health and permanently replace your teeth.

Cosmetic dentists use various applications to achieve success in smile makeovers. The type of appliance will depend on the underlying problem and the degree of damage. Examples include:

1. Dental crowns
2. Dental veneers
3. Composite bonding
4. Invisible braces or clear aligners
5. Dentures, dental bridges, or implants

What Are the Common Problems to Treat in Cosmetic Dentistry?

Did you know you can undergo a complete smile makeover at Susan J. Curley DDS through various cosmetic procedures? The treatment protocols available can treat several oral imperfections, including the following:

1. Stained or discolored teeth: Teeth whitening procedures, such as in-office bleaching, at-home whitening kits, composite bonding, and even dental veneers, can remove stains and discolorations caused by various factors.
2. Misaligned or crooked teeth: Orthodontic treatments using clear aligners are aesthetic alternatives for straightening teeth, correcting bite problems, and restoring misplaced midlines.
3. Chipped or cracked teeth: Cosmetic bonding or porcelain veneers can repair chipped, cracked teeth or other tooth fractures.
4. Gaps between teeth: Dental bonding or porcelain veneers are approaches that cosmetic dentists frequently use to fill spaces between teeth unrelated to tooth loss.
5. Uneven gum line: Gum contouring procedures can reshape the gums if you have a gummy smile or a receded gum line.
6. Missing teeth: Dental appliances for replacing teeth, like oral implants, bridges, or dentures, can be cosmetic dental procedures that dentists use for aesthetic modifications to restore your smile and bite function.
7. Worn or uneven teeth: Porcelain veneers or dental bonding can restore the shape and appearance of worn or uneven teeth.
8. Overly prominent or small teeth: Dentists in Wall Township, NJ, can use tooth reshaping procedures to adjust the size and shape of teeth, creating a more balanced and aesthetically pleasing smile.

Is Cosmetic Dentistry Worthwhile?

Generally, cosmetic dentistry opens up the avenue of professional dental care for anyone. If you have any flaw that displeases you about your smile, you do not have to bear with it any longer. Instead, you can lean on the invaluable impact of cosmetic dental procedures on your smile and general oral health.

Cosmetic dentistry offers a range of benefits for people looking to improve their teeth’ appearance. Some of the key benefits of cosmetic dentistry include the following:

1. Improved appearance: The most obvious benefit of cosmetic dentistry is that it significantly improves your teeth and smile appearance by correcting imperfections.
2. Boosted confidence: When people feel good about the way their smile looks, they are likely to feel more confident and self-assured in social and professional situations.
3. Better oral health: Some cosmetic dentistry procedures, such as dental implants and orthodontics, can have functional benefits that improve your oral health. For example, dental implants can replace missing teeth, making it easier to chew and speak, while orthodontic treatment corrects bite problems and reduces tooth decay and gum disease risk.
4. Long-lasting results: For example, porcelain veneers can last 10-15 years with proper care and maintenance.
5. Personalized treatment: Cosmetic dentistry procedures are highly customizable. Therefore, a dentist will usually tailor each patient’s treatment plan to their needs and goals. The personalized approach will achieve the best possible results for each patient.

Summary

Overall, cosmetic dentistry offers a range of treatments that can help improve your teeth and smile appearance, boosting your confidence and self-esteem.

Yes, depending on the severity of the gum disease, teeth affected by periodontal disease may be saved. Scaling, root planing, and antibiotic therapy can help reduce inflammation and slow the progress of periodontal disease. Surgery may sometimes be required to repair and restore the lost tissue and bone.

Bacterial infections in the gums cause periodontal (gum) disease. Untreated gum disease puts the underlying tooth-supporting jaw bone at risk.

The first sign of gum disease is red, inflamed gums that frequently bleed. Allowing the condition to progress causes the gums to separate from the teeth and pockets to form. Bacteria grow in these spaces, destroying gum tissue and bone and eventually resulting in tooth loss.

Diagnosis

Your dentist in Wall Township, NJ, may perform the following tests to determine whether you have periodontitis and how severe it is:

• Examine your medical history for any factors causing your symptoms, such as smoking or taking medications that cause dry mouth.
• Examine your mouth for plaque and tartar buildup and easy bleeding.
• Place a dental probe beside your tooth beneath your gumline, usually at several locations throughout your mouth, to measure the pocket depth of the groove between your gums and teeth. The pocket depth in a healthy mouth is usually between 1 and 3 millimeters (mm). Periodontitis may be indicated by pockets deeper than 4 mm. Pockets deeper than 5 mm cannot be effectively cleaned.
• Check for bone loss with dental X-rays in areas where your dentist notices deeper pocket depths.

Periodontitis may be classified into stages and grades by your dentist based on the severity of the disease, the complexity of treatment, your risk factors, and your overall health. Visit Susan J. Curley DDS if you want periodontal disease treatment near you.

Gum Disease Treatment

A periodontist or a dentist may provide treatment. Periodontitis treatment aims to thoroughly clean the pockets around teeth and protect the surrounding bone.

1. Nonsurgical therapies

If periodontitis is not advanced, treatment may consist of less invasive procedures such as:

• Scaling. Scaling removes bacteria from the surfaces of your teeth and beneath your gums. It could be done with instruments, a laser, or an ultrasonic device.
• Planing the roots. Root planingsmoothes the root surfaces of your teeth, discouraging further tartar and bacteria buildup, and removes bacterial byproducts that cause inflammation and delay gum healing or reattachment to the tooth surfaces.
• Antibiotics. Bacterial infection can be controlled with topical or oral antibiotics. Topical antibiotics can include mouth rinses or the placement of antibiotic-containing gels between your gums and teeth or into pockets after deep cleaning. Oral antibiotics, on the other hand, may be required to eliminate infection-causing bacteria.

2. Surgical procedures

If you have advanced periodontitis, you may need to have dental surgery, such as:

• The flap surgery: Your periodontist will make tiny incisions in your gums to lift back a section of gum tissue, exposing the roots for more effective scaling and root planing. Because periodontitis frequently results in bone loss, the underlying bone may be recontoured. Cleaning these areas and maintaining healthy gum tissue once healed will be easier.
• Grafts of soft tissue. Your gumline recedes when you lose gum tissue. Some of the damaged soft tissue may need to be reinforced. This is typically accomplished by removing a small amount of tissue from the palate or using tissue from a different donor source and attaching it to the affected site. This can help to prevent further gum recession, cover exposed roots, and improve the appearance of your teeth.
• Grafting of bone. This procedure is used when periodontitis has destroyed the bone surrounding your tooth root. The graft could be made of small fragments of your bone or synthetic or donated bone. By holding your tooth in place, the bone graft helps to prevent tooth loss. It also serves as a platform for natural bone regrowth.
• Tissue regeneration with guidance. This allows for the regeneration of bone that bacteria have destroyed. In one method, your dentist will sandwich a biocompatible fabric between your existing bone and your tooth. The material keeps unwanted tissue out of the healing area, allowing bone to regrow.

What is Obstructive Sleep Apnea?

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a disorder that causes you to stop breathing or have shallow breaths during sleep. You may also experience snoring, gasping for air, and loud, raspy noises while asleep. This can be dangerous because it prevents your brain from getting enough oxygen and nutrients to function properly during the night.

Sleep apnea can be diagnosed with an overnight sleep study called polysomnography (PSG). During this test, sensors are placed around the body to record brain activity while sleeping; our dentist in Wall Township analyzes that data to see if there were any problems with how much oxygen reached their brains at night.

• • High blood pressure.

Sleep apnea can negatively affect your health, like an increased risk of high blood pressure. When you suffer from sleep apnea, your breathing stops and repeatedly starts during the night. This causes your body to become deprived of oxygen, which can increase blood pressure. In addition, the lack of restful sleep caused by sleep apnea can cause stress hormones to be released into the bloodstream, further contributing to high blood pressure. Therefore, it is important to seek treatment for sleep apnea if you are at risk for high blood pressure.

• • Stroke or heart attack

If you have untreated OSA, you are at an increased risk for stroke or heart attack. People with severe obstructive sleep apnea tend to develop coronary artery disease (CAD), where plaque builds up in their arteries and narrows them. This affects blood flow and causes heart attacks later in life when the plaque has built up enough that the heart muscle becomes damaged by plaques on its own or when there’s inadequate oxygen supply due to constriction caused by narrowing arteries.

• • Irregular heartbeat.

Sleep apnea is a condition that causes irregular heartbeats. When you have sleep apnea, your breathing is interrupted during sleep. This can lead to serious health problems, including heart disease. If you notice an irregular heartbeat, visit an emergency dentist near you.

• • Heart failure.

Sleep Apnea can lead to several life-threatening complications, including irregular heart failure. It is caused by the interruption of regular breathing during sleep, which can cause a decrease in oxygen levels in the body and increase stress hormones. This can predispose you to heart disease, stroke, and other cardiovascular issues.

• • Diabetes.

OSA can also increase the risk of insulin resistance, making it difficult for cells to use insulin properly. Diabetes can also lead to problems like heart disease, stroke, and kidney failure.

It’s important to note that sleep apnea doesn’t cause diabetes per se. However, it can predispose you, especially if you already have pre-existing risks like obesity or high cholesterol (both factors in developing insulin resistance).

• • Depression.

Sleep apnea can have a major impact on mental health. People with sleep apnea suffer from interrupted breathing during sleep, which can cause fatigue, irritability, and difficulty concentrating. This can lead to depression if left untreated. Several studies suggest that people with sleep apnea are more predisposed to depression and anxiety than those without the disorder. In addition, the lack of quality sleep caused by sleep apnea can lead to decreased energy levels and an inability to focus or concentrate, which can further contribute to feelings of depression.

• • Daytime fatigue and sleepiness

Daytime fatigue and sleepiness are common symptoms of untreated OSA. You might also experience these issues in the morning, before getting up, or trying to fall asleep at night. Your dentist near you will likely ask you questions about how much daytime sleepiness affects your life, what activities cause it to improve or worsen, and whether there’s anything else in your life that could be causing it.

A CPAP machine is often recommended for the treatment of sleep apnea. Other treatments that can be used include mouth devices, medication, lifestyle conditions, and surgery if needed.

Schedule an Appointment

Visit Susan J. Curley DDS for more information about OSA prevention and treatment options.

The end-of-year holidays are packed with sugary treats. It is impossible to avoid indulging in sugary desserts, cookies, cakes, candies, and sodas during the festive season. However, consuming these treats can lead to oral health issues. Read on to learn how you can enjoy your sweets and avoid oral health problems.

How Does Sugar Impact Teeth?

You probably heard that sugar harms your dental health but do not know how or why. It is because you may not immediately notice the effect on your teeth when you take sugary foods or drinks. However, according to the dentist in Wall Township, NJ, the impact on oral health is gradual.

Your mouth has bacteria that combine with starch from what you eat to produce plaque. Plaque is a thin film full of bacteria and acids that coat your teeth’s surface. When you do not clean your mouth to remove it, the acids start damaging your teeth.

They erode the protective covering on your teeth known as the enamel, in a process named demineralization. When the enamel is weakened, decay occurs, causing small holes known as cavities to form on the tooth. They cause toothache, tooth sensitivity, and difficulty eating.

Without cavity treatment, the holes enlarge and spread into the inner parts of the tooth. As a result, they may reach the root canals leading to a tooth infection. Tooth infections cause extreme pain and may lead to gum disease and tooth loss.

Fortunately, tooth decay does not occur every time you take sugary things. Your saliva contains calcium and phosphate, which reverse the damage to your teeth. It also helps to balance your mouth’s pH by neutralizing the acids that destroy your tooth enamel.

How Can You Keep Your Teeth Healthy as You Enjoy Your Holiday Sweets?

Now that you know the effects of sugar on your teeth, you may be wary of eating sugared treats. Fortunately, you do not need to stress about avoiding sweets. Instead, below are some instructions to help you take care of your teeth as you enjoy the festivities.

1. Maintain proper oral hygiene

Brushing your teeth at least twice daily and flossing once daily are important. When you brush, you remove the food debris from the surface of your teeth preventing plaque formation. Flossing helps get rid of food particles and bacteria hiding between your teeth. Rinsing your mouth with mouthwash or water also helps to reduce bacteria in the mouth.

Ensure that you brush before bed every day. This reduces the activity of acids on your teeth, preventing decay. Get the right toothbrush with soft bristles. Brush gently to avoid damaging your enamel. Also, use fluoride toothpaste that helps strengthen your teeth to reduce decay.

2. Take plenty of water

Water flushes out food debris containing sugar from your mouth, preventing plaque formation. It also reduces the acids and bacteria in your mouth, preventing enamel damage. So, drink water throughout the day as you enjoy your sweets. Take some water after every meal. Swish it in your mouth to eliminate decay-causing bacteria and food particles.

3. Eat sweets at the right time

The dentist in Wall Township, NJ, advises people to eat sweets when taking other foods. Therefore, you should only eat sweets during meals. Also, you can combine them with healthy nuts, fats, fibers, whole grains, or seeds. Doing so helps reduce the sugar and prevent its reaction with oral bacteria to form plaque.

Alternatively, you can save your treats and have them when you can brush your teeth right away. Brushing avoids keeping the sugar in your mouth for a long time. It helps reduce the risk of cavities and other oral health issues.

4. Visit your dentist

Do not skip your regular checkups during the festive season. The dentist will clean your teeth to get rid of plaque. They will also examine your teeth for early signs of decay. If necessary, they will provide tooth decay treatment to prevent cavity formation. Visit the dentist if you notice signs of decay, such as tooth sensitivity, when taking hot, cold, or sugary treats.

You can schedule an extra dental appointment for you and your family at Susan J. Curley DDS. The dental experts will help prevent caries through cleaning, fluoride treatments, and sealants. In addition, if you have cavities, they will treat them to avoid further complications.

A lot goes into having an amazing smile. You need diligence and discipline to keep your pearly whites clean and bacteria-free. In other words, it is a lifelong commitment since you wish to have your teeth for your entire lifetime. However, life has a way of throwing curve balls at us, and once in a while, you might find yourself needing some form of tooth restoration from our dentist in Wall Township, NJ.

Missing, cracked, damaged, or even decayed teeth will negatively affect your smile and oral health. For this reason, we offer various treatments within restorative dentistry that will help you get your smile back.

Restorative dentistry near you comes with a lot of perks. But before we see how it can help improve your smile, let’s get acquainted with what restorative dentistry is all about.

Restorative Dentistry 101

Just as the name suggests, restorative dentistry refers to the services offered to restore gums and teeth to their functional and aesthetic state. These procedures are used in restorative dentistry to repair damaged sections of your gums and teeth and replace missing teeth.

So, if your teeth have been affected by developmental issues, trauma, or even lifestyle habits, restorative dentistry has you covered.

All restorative dental procedures fall under two main categories:

• Direct dental restoration. This option will complete all the dental work in the mouth. In other words, our dentist will not need a laboratory to fabricate the restoration. Thus, the dental restoration is completed in the mouth.
• Indirect dental restoration. An indirect restoration is fabricated outside the mouth and placed on the damaged tooth. This is because the procedures need more work, thus making them more robust and long-lasting.

Some of the procedures that you can encounter are veneers, dental fillings, dentures, dental implants, dental crowns, and dental bridges.

Why Are Restorative Dental Procedures Essential?

Some of the key benefits of restorative dentistry may include the following:

Transforming Your Smile and Appearance

As you know by now, restorative dentistry aims to fix decayed, broken, and cracked teeth, replace missing teeth and cover up discolored and misshapen teeth. These dental issues will mar your smile and even affect your confidence.

Most materials used in tooth restoration and replacement are tooth-colored, so they look natural. Therefore, your appearance will be transformed when these procedures are carried out.

Preserve the Jawbone

When your teeth are severely damaged, our dentist may need to extract them. However, you will need to replace the missing teeth, ideally with a dental implant, to prevent jawbone deterioration. When you lose a tooth, your jawbone will begin to deteriorate. Using tooth restorations will preserve the jawbone.

Improving Your Oral Health

Rehabilitating your damaged teeth goes beyond improving your dental aesthetics. Most of the issues that restorative dentistry seeks to solve always affect your oral health.

For instance, decayed teeth may seem discolored; but you must deal with the infection by using a filling. Using a filling will deal with the aesthetic and functional issues associated with decayed teeth.

If you choose to go for a root canal, the infected part of the tooth is removed, and a crown is placed over it to strengthen it. Therefore, the tooth will be restored functionally as well as aesthetically.

Preventing Future Dental Complications

When you have an unresolved dental issue, there will come a time when you might have to deal with some complications. For instance, if a decayed tooth is not treated, you are bound to deal with further complications such as infections, tooth loss, and overall health issues. However, getting a cavity filled or covered with a tooth cap can save you from other issues.

If you go for orthodontic treatment, you will straighten your teeth, preventing the chances of further complications such as TMD, tooth decay, and gum disease.

Restoring Tooth Functionality

Tooth restoration is about ensuring that all your teeth function as they should. Dental implants, fillings, dentures, dental crowns, and dental bridges are used to reinforce, repair, and replace missing teeth.

Your teeth can be restored to their normal functionality by performing tooth restorations. After undergoing tooth restoration, you will get to enjoy your favorite meals and smile freely.

As you have seen, restorative dentistry can really help your oral health. Therefore, contact our dentist near you, Susan J. Curley DDS, to schedule an appointment if you need tooth restoration.

Our smile is one of our most noticeable features. It is one of the first things people notice, so it only makes sense that so many people are invested in improving their smiles. Veneers and Invisalign aligners are some of the best teeth restoration options available for people with missing teeth. We will compare their features and benefits to help you decide which is better than the other.

Invisalign

Invisalign is a dental device that applies pressure to crooked teeth to move them to the correct position. First, a dentist in 07719 will inspect your mouth and make a mold which they will send to the dental lab for fabrication. Once complete, you will receive a set of customized Invisalign trays with instructions on how and when to put and take them off.

The best thing about Invisalign is that they are transparent. Therefore, you can laugh, talk and smile openly without having to worry about people noticing them. In addition, you can take them off before eating and brushing your teeth, making them easier to clean. However, you should avoid removing them unnecessarily or for long periods as this will reduce their effectiveness. You should at least wear them for 22 hours daily so the treatment can be effective.

Veneers

Dental veneers are thin layers of resin or composite material used to mask minor dental imperfections like chips, cracks, dental gaps, and misaligned teeth. They take a different approach to fixing dental problems by hiding dental imperfections instead of applying corrective pressure, as with Invisalign aligners.

Veneers are more versatile in that they can be used to correct a variety of dental imperfections. In addition, recovery after treatment is not time-consuming or painful so you don’t have to alter your daily work routine before getting veneers in Wall Township. Like Invisalign, veneers are hard to spot since they are made from natural-looking, aesthetic materials.

Invisalign vs. Veneers: Which Is Better?

Invisalign and veneers are both good tooth replacement options. Choosing which of the two is better is challenging since they work differently but still provide good cosmetic benefits. Invisalign is best suited when:

Your Teeth Are Severely Crooked or Spaced Apart

Invisalign is best for correcting crooked teeth since it addresses and treats the problem instead of just disguising it. Severely crooked teeth can cause overbite and underbite issues which cause discomfort and teeth to wear fast. Veneers are not suitable in this case since they can’t treat underbite and overbite issues but rather offer a cosmetic solution. So, if you have severely damaged teeth, visit our dental clinic for the best Invisalign near you.

Want to Use Your Teeth for Eating Hard Food

Dental veneers are made of thin shells from natural-looking materials. This guarantees your teeth will look attractive, but you’ll have to watch your diet as the materials are fragile and can easily damage when subjected to chewing pressure. You should avoid using your veneers for chewing or biting hard food to protect your veneers from damage.

On the other hand, you should consider dental veneers if:

You Have Minor Misalignment Issues

Dental veneers can be the best option if you have minor dental gaps and misalignments. A dentist near you will use veneers to adjust the size and shape of your teeth to reduce the gaps in your teeth and fix misaligned teeth. This will make your teeth more attractive and prevent food particles from constantly getting stuck between the tooth gaps.

Want the Best Cosmetic Results

Veneers offer better cosmetic results compared to Invisalign. It is also more versatile as it can treat other minor cosmetic problems apart from dental misalignment. Therefore, veneers will be best suited for your needs if you are more concerned about your teeth’s appearance or want to correct other dental problems like tooth discoloration simultaneously.

Conclusion

The debate on which dental restoration is better between Invisalign and veneers is not going to end soon. If you still can’t decide which is better suited for your dental needs after reading this article, visit Susan J. Curley DDS for consultation. During the visit, we will inspect your teeth and recommend which of the 2 procedures best suits your dental needs.

The dental industry has improved, with new technology and procedures constantly developed, and laser dentistry treatment is one of the most common. Laser dentistry treatment can be used for various procedures, from teeth whitening to cavity removal.

Laser dentistry is also known as “laser therapy” because it uses high-powered beams of light from an operating room laser machine to break down plaque on teeth and gums. This process removes the bacteria that cause plaque formation on your teeth, so they don’t have time to form tartar (calculus).

How Does Laser Dentistry Work?

Laser dentistry is a dental procedure that uses a laser to remove or shape a tooth structure. Lasers can be used to address teeth whitening, cavity removal, and gum surgery. Laser dentistry is often used because it is less invasive than traditional dental procedures and can be less painful for patients. There are different types of laser dentistry, and each type of laser is used for different dental procedures.

What are the Types of Laser Dentistry Procedures?

• Gum reshaping and contouring

Laser dentistry can reshape the gums and contour them to the teeth. Enamel shaping is a cosmetic dentistry procedure involving removing or reshaping tooth enamel to improve the appearance of the teeth. Laser dentistry can be used to remove small amounts of enamel and create smooth, even surfaces.

• Gum disease

Laser dentistry can treat periodontal disease by removing diseased tissue and killing bacteria without harming healthy tissue. It is also used in gum pocket reduction, where our dentist in Wall Township, NJ, will reduce cut the gums, clean the pockets, and reattach them to the teeth.

• Dental implant placement

Dental implant dentistry is a branch of dentistry that deals with the placement of dental implants. Teeth implants are artificial roots placed into the jawbone to support a dental prosthesis, such as a crown, bridge, or denture.

These restorations are made of titanium, a biocompatible material that integrates with the bone. This integration process, known as osseointegration, ensures that the implant is securely anchored in place.

• Biopsy

Laser biopsy is a procedure that uses a laser to remove tissue samples from the mouth to diagnose oral cancer. The procedure is quick, painless, and requires only local anesthesia.

• Soft tissue removal

Soft tissue removal is a procedure that uses lasers to remove infected or diseased tissue.

Soft tissue removal is often used when there is an infection or other problem with your gums. Because it’s relatively easy to access the soft tissues in this area, practitioners will use laser dentistry to remove them safely and effectively.

• Crown lengthening

There are many dental crowns, and the best type for you will depend on your individual needs. Porcelain crowns can be used for both cosmetic and functional purposes. Metal crowns are a good option if you need a durable crown that will withstand a lot of wear and tear. Zirconia crowns are also becoming increasingly popular, as they offer the strength of metal crowns with the aesthetics of porcelain.

What are the Benefits of Laser Dentistry?

Laser dentistry is the right choice if you’re looking to get rid of your bad breath or painful gum disease. It’s a minimally-invasive procedure used to remove diseased tissues, prevent gum disease and treat tooth decay.

Are There Any Risks of Laser Dentistry?

Laser dentistry is a relatively new field, and there is still some uncertainty about the potential risks involved. However, the procedures and treatments that are currently available are generally considered to be safe. Laser dentistry’s most common side effect is temporary discomfort or sensitivity, but this is typically mild and goes away quickly. More serious complications are rare, but as with any medical procedure, there is always a small risk of infection or other complications. If you are considering laser dentistry near you, be sure to discuss the risks and benefits with your dentist to make sure it is the right choice for you.

Schedule an Appointment

Visit Susan J. Curley DDS for more information about laser dentistry procedures and how they are performed.

Life throws curve balls at us all the time. Sometimes, the curveballs might come in the form of dental emergencies. Some require immediate dental care, and some require a few deep breaths and patience. If it’s an emergency, it’s always advised you know whether you should visit your dentist or should call or visit your local emergency room. Determining the severity and symptoms of your conditions will help you decide which way is the right one for you.

What is Dental Emergency?

A dental care emergency is anything but a dental routine. With dental emergencies, you’ll need immediate action to address the discomfort, severe pain, or trauma to your mouth that can cause bleeding and lacerations to your gums and fracture or dislodge teeth.

Some instances, such as chipped veneers, fillings, or broken dental appliances, don’t constitute an emergency when it’s extremely inconvenient.

Seven Common Dental Emergencies and How to Handle Them

Some of the dental emergencies one can encounter include:

Toothache

Pain in your tooth is never a good sign. The pain can indicate different conditions, including tooth decay. And although some toothaches can be managed without emergency treatment, certain signs like swelling requires urgent attention. You should avoid turning to common remedies like taking painkillers such as aspirin because contact with the affected gum might burn the tissue.

Instead, you should apply a cold compress to your cheek and call the dental clinic for emergency treatment.

Broken and Chipped Teeth

A broken or chipped tooth doesn’t just ruin your smile but also hurts. First, you should rinse your mouth with warm water and apply a piece of gauze to the bleeding area. Then, ensure you use a cold compress face on the part closest to the chipped or broken teeth to help reduce swelling and relieve pain. While seeking emergency care, your dentist in Wall Township will advise you to be conscious of biting down on crunchy and hard foods.

Knocked out tooth

As you handle a broken or chipped tooth, ensure you pick up the tooth by the crown and rinse off the dirty root. Otherwise, you should avoid removing and scrubbing attached tissue fragments.

Depending on how you’re injured, you might be able to put the tooth back in place, but carefully avoid pushing it to its socket. If you can’t put back the tooth into the socket, put it in a small cup with water or milk with a salt pinch. This helps preserve the tooth in time for emergency restoration at our dental office at Susan J. Curley DDS.

Lost Crown or Filling

Fillings and crowns restore teeth that were previously damaged back to their normal function and appearance. So when they break, you need to get treated immediately to avoid reinfection or further damage. You should try fixing them temporarily while waiting for emergency care. Try sticking a sugarless gum into your cavity and restoring the tooth to avoid damaging it.

Broken Orthodontics

Dental braces are hard because they are designed to withstand daily wear and tear with eating, chewing, or talking. But even though they are hard, they can still break or stick out and poke the gums and cheeks. This causes discomfort and can slow down or reverse progress in straightening and aligning the teeth.

When this happens, you should try pushing the broken wire into a more comfortable position. If this is impossible, try covering the exposed end with orthodontic wax, a piece of gauze, or a small cotton ball. Please don’t cut the wire to avoid swallowing it, no matter how uncomfortable it is.

Abscess

Infections in your mouth, especially in the space between the gums and teeth, are serious. When left untreated, they spread to the gum tissue, surrounding teeth, and the rest of your body. If you’re unsure if it’s an abscess, look for a painful pimple-like swollen part in your gums. Then, ensure you call an emergency dentist near you for treatment and prevent worse oral health problems.

Bleeding and Pain after a Tooth Extraction

It’s normal to feel pain and bleed after tooth extraction; however, if it persists even after an hour, you should visit a walk-in dentist near you. In the meantime, you should place a thick gauze pad over the extraction area and apply pressure by biting the gauze.

Have you been experiencing interrupted breathing episodes while asleep? Then you have a sleep disorder known as sleep apnea. Sleep apnea can cause serious health issues such as high blood pressure and cardiovascular complications if not treated.

There are different types of sleep apnea and the most common being obstructive sleep apnea(OSA). When you have OSA, your breathing pattern will be repeatedly obstructed or deprived for 10 seconds and longer while asleep.

Sleeping on your back, obesity, taking certain medications, or taking alcoholic beverages before bed will increase your chances of getting OSA. Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when your airway is blocked by the soft tissue at the rear of your throat collapses while sleeping. Visit our dentist in Wall Township, NJ, if you have any questions about obstructive sleep apnea.

Diagnosing Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea diagnosis is made by evaluating your signs and symptoms, sleeping history, and tests and examinations. The dentist could also send you to a sleep specialist for further evaluation if necessary. This could involve you sending a night at a sleep center where they will monitor your breathing and body functions.

During the physical exam, the dentist will check your nose, mouth, and the back of your throat for abnormalities. They will measure the circumference of your neck and waist and check your blood pressure. Other tests that can be used to help diagnose obstructive sleep apnea treatment near you are, Nocturnal polysomnography. This test involves you being hooked up with a piece of equipment that will monitor your lungs, heart, arm and leg movements, brain activity, and blood oxygen levels when you are asleep. The test is done all night or part of the night in a split-night sleeping study. In the split night study, you must be monitored for the night’s first half. Then, if the diagnosis rules out that you have obstructive sleep apnea, your assigned staff will wake you up and give you continuous positive airway pressure for the remaining part of the night.

Home Tests. Your dentist may provide you with simple tests that can be used at home to diagnose sleep apnea. The test will measure your airflow, heartbeat, breathing patterns, and oxygen to blood levels. However, portable monitoring equipment cannot detect all cases of sleep apnea. Therefore, a polysomnography test can be recommended if your initial results are normal.

Effective Treatments For Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Obstructive sleep apnea treatment options could include lifestyle changes, surgery, or medical equipment such as CPAP.

1. Changes

If you suffer from mild obstructive sleep apnea, your dentist will recommend lifestyle changes.

• Stop smoking and taking alcoholic drinks before bedtime
• Lose weight if you are obese
• Avoid sleeping on your back
• Take decongestant or allergy medications
• Positive Airway Pressure (PAP)

This is gold when it comes to obstructive sleep apnea treatment. Studies have proved it to be an effective treatment for sleep apnea. PAP delivers air pressure through a mask fitted on your mouth and nose while sleeping. The air pressure from the machine is greater than the surrounding air, and it’s enough to keep open the airways, preventing snoring and apnea.

Despite the positive airway pressure being the most reliable treatment, it can cause discomfort to some people. However, with time one can learn to adjust the tension from the straps, making it comfortable and secure. Do try one or more masks until you find one that’s comfortable. If you start having complications, don’t stop using the PAP. Visit your doctor for adjustments.

There are various forms of positive airway pressure devices. The most common is fixed or continuous airway pressure (CPAP). In fixed CPAP, the pressure is always constant. Some CPAP machines contain adaptive pressure functions that improve comfort if you begin having problems with the air pressure. For example, one might benefit from using a humidifier with the  CPAP.

Get in contact with us at Susan J. Curley DDS despite the treatment if your weight increases or decreases by more than 10 percent or if you start snoring again.

2. Upper Airway Stimulation

This is used by people with moderate and severe obstructive sleep apnea who can’t withstand CPAP. A surgical procedure implanted a small impulse generator under the skin of your upper chest. The device detects your breathing patterns and controls the stimulating nerves that control your tongue when necessary.