Our gums play a major role in the appearance and quality of our smile. Some people refer to the presence of an excessive amount of gingival tissue as a “gummy smile.” For people with this particular dental issue, teeth can appear small, almost like they belong in the mouth of a child. When gums are uneven, teeth can appear to be crooked even when they’re not. A surprisingly minimally invasive procedure is available from your Celina dentist, Dr. Newton. Reduction of the amount of gingival tissue in your mouth, can make your teeth appear straight and normal in size. We call it a gum lift. (more…)
Celina Cosmetic Dentist Offers Two Types of Teeth Whitening
Teeth whitening is an incredible cosmetic dental procedure. When you undergo professional teeth whitening, you’ll be amazed at how much younger it makes you look, and how much more confident you feel. There are plenty of over-the-counter whitening options, but most will offer limited results and can actually harm your teeth. When you want to opt for a white smile, your Celina cosmetic dentist, Dr. Newton, can help with two different teeth whitening options.
LumiBrite In-Office Whitening
LumiBrite is a teeth whitening procedure that can transform your teeth up to six shades (more…)
Posture and TMJ Related by Celina, TX Dentist
Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD) usually involves pain in the muscles and joints of your jaw every time your mouth opens and closes. The temporomandibular joint is the hinge that connects the temporal bone of your skull to the mandible (lower jaw). These joints allow movement by being flexible. When you chew, talk, or yawn, your temporomandibular joints are at work. If you suffer from TMD, many parts of daily life can be greatly affected by the discomfort you feel. Your Celina, TX dentist, Dr. Newton, will explain how standing up straight might actually help you lessen your TMD symptoms.
Jaw Pain and Posture
The Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) suggests that if you are experiencing frequent headaches and lower jaw pain, you should take a look at your posture. Poor posture puts your spine in a position that can cause potential stress to the jaw joint. When you slouch, the lower jaw will shift forward in accommodation of that posture. This creates a misalignment of the upper and lower teeth, and backwards movement of the skull on the spinal column. The inflammation from temporomandibular joint disorder is then aggravated.
Stand Up Straight
AGD spokesperson Ludwig Leibsohn, DDS points out that many people don’t realize how much proper posture can affect their oral health. Patients with facial pain often have unbalanced posture that rearranged facial muscle positioning, according to Dr. Leibsohn. This can lead to grooves and bumps developing on the teeth, and causing misalignment in the bite. Oral appliances from your dentist can help realign the teeth and prevent further damage. However, standing up straight is a great preventive measure to avoid needing any TMD treatment in the first place.
Celina, TX Dentist Offers TMJ Relief
If you’re looking for a dentist that can help you with TMJ issues, visit your Celina, TX dentist. To schedule an appointment, call our 75009 dental office. Also, visit the website to view services, print patient forms, or see our smile gallery. We proudly serve new and existing patients in Prosper, Frisco, McKinney, Gunter, Pilot Point, Anna, and the surrounding areas.
Sedation Dentistry: A Part of History
Sedation dentistry shines as one of the greatest innovations in recent years. The option to undergo dental work while sleeping comfortably makes all the difference for some patients. Multiple procedures can be done at one appointment, which saves time and reduces anxiety. Comfort in dentistry isn’t exactly a new concept, however. Celina dentist, Dr. Newton, provides a brief history of sedation in dentistry.
Why is Sedation Dentistry Important?
Close to 75% of adults in the United States admit to having some degree of dental fear. For a smaller, but still significant percentage, the fear runs deep enough to qualify as a phobia. When someone has a dental phobia, their anxiety is so severe that they will go to great lengths to avoid going to the dentist. Unfortunately, much of what causes the need for dental work involves infection. When issues like gum disease or tooth decay are allowed to spread, the treatment and reparations required become much more involved. This can lead to a vicious cycle where the anxious patient has even more reason to avoid the dentist. The amount of work necessary seems insurmountable.
Ether as an Early Anesthetic
The idea of sleeping through a visit to the dentist may seem completely new, but nitrous oxide has been used to relieve discomfort since the 1840s. Dr. William Morton, a dentist in Massachusetts, wanted to take sedation further, however. He experimented with ether to help avoid dental discomfort, and in 1846, the first tooth extraction under complete sedation was performed. (more…)
Back-to-School Dental Tips from Celina Children’s Dentist
It’s that time of year again. If kids in your neighborhood are not back to school quite yet, they’re probably getting pretty close. This is a good time to remind parents that poor oral health in children can relate to poor academic performance. To help you make sure that your child’s teeth aren’t affecting their grades, your Celina children’s dentist, Dr. Newton, will remind you of the steps you and your child should be taking for their dental well-being.
Brushing and Flossing
Your schedule is bound to get more hectic when the lazy days of summer are over. Trying to get yourself ready for work and your child ready for school at the same time can sometimes send you running out the door neglecting some of the family’s basic self-care needs. If you’ve ever heard your child say “I forgot to brush my teeth” as the bus is about to pull away, you’re not alone. Consider making a checklist of morning tasks so you and your child can stay on track and make sure nothing is forgotten. A solid two minutes is recommended for each brushing, and don’t forget to floss. (more…)
Celina Dentist Partners with Patients for Early Oral Cancer Diagnoses
Early detection of any malignancies is an imperative part of complete recovery. Oral cancer has a 50 to 80 percent survival rate if you are diagnosed when it’s just beginning. Your dentist will check your mouth for suspicious spots, ulcers, or lesions at your six month checkups. Celina dentist, Dr. Newton, explains the importance of oral cancer screenings and what they entail.
Identifying Oral Cancer Signs
You are bound to have bumps, canker sores, cuts, and unusual spots in your mouth at various times throughout your life. Don’t panic that every suspicious spot means cancer. Usually, the sore will be benign. Still, mouth lesions are one common way for your dentist to identify early cancer. If a bump persists, is particularly sore, seems to heal but then comes back, or looks unusual compared to anything you’ve ever experienced, you should call your Celina dentist and describe your symptoms. Dr. Newton will take a conservative approach in deciding when you should come in to see her.
Examination with a VELscope Tool
Bi-annual checkups are the time for your dentist to take stock of the health of your mouth. Dr. Newton will do a visual examination every time, but there are also helpful instruments to detect oral and pharyngeal cancer early. A VELscope tool scans your mouth with a blue-spectrum light. This will turn soft tissues visually fluorescent. The patterns that appear under the light will tell the story of whether or not you have any abnormal mouth tissues. VELscopes are safe, fast, and comfortable. The entire VELscope examination will be over in two minutes.
Oral Cancer Concerns? Contact Your Celina Dentist
If you are due for a bi-annual checkup, or have questions about our restorative, cosmetic, and preventive dentistry services, contact your Celina dentist at our 75009 dentist office by calling (214) 851-0130. Located in the 75009 area, we serve patients of all ages from Celina, Prosper, McKinney, Frisco, Anna, Pilot Point, and the surrounding areas.
Celina Dentist Challenges You to Dental Quiz
Throughout history, there has been a lot of trial and error in dentistry. Did you know that toothpaste has only been around for about one century? Before that, a variety of surprising substances such as chalk, charcoal, lemon juice, and even tobacco mixed with honey, were used as oral hygiene products. Your Celina dentist, Dr. Newton would like to challenge you to a true-or-false quiz on some intriguing dental facts that will make you a big hit at the next party you attend. (more…)
Cosmetic Dentist in Celina Offers Variety of Procedures to Improve Smiles
Summertime is a great time to sport a bright and confident smile. What goes better with a bikini and an influx of sunshine and cool blue water than a gorgeous grin. There are many reasons why someone might be unhappy with the way their teeth appear. There are an equal number of solutions that can be achieved with the help of your Celina cosmetic dentist, Dr. Newton.
Give the Sun a Run for Its Money
Stained teeth happen to literally everyone. If you live enough years, you will see marked dulling and yellowing of your teeth. It’s part of the aging process. Thankfully, cosmetic dentistry has discovered that whitening can be attained at a reasonable rate, thereby shaving years off of your appearance. Your Celina cosmetic dentist offers LumiBrite in-office teeth whitening which provides fast and comfortable results. Sensitivity can be a concern for patients who opt for whitening treatments. LumiBrite answers this issue with a desensitizer. Results can be as many as ten shades in as little as an hour. Summer fun, here you come. (more…)
A Word to the “Wise”: Avoid Cavities in your Wisdom Teeth
Cavities are one of the most common diagnoses that people hear when they go in for a dental checkup. You have many shapes, sizes, and positions of teeth that can be attacked. This includes your wisdom teeth. Dr. Newton, your Celina dentist, takes pride in providing patients with education to help them preserve their dental health. Enjoy today’s blog to learn more about cavities and wisdom teeth.
Weak Enamel Makes Cavities More Likely
Your tooth enamel is comprised primarily of calcium and phosphate as well as other minerals. Enamel is a complex and extremely strong compound. In fact, it’s the second strongest element on the entire planet. Your nutritional efforts and dental health routine can help to ensure healthy levels of calcium and other nutrients that keep your tooth enamel strong enough to combat cavities. Since your mouth is the home of hundreds of strains of bacteria (some good; some bad) you need all the help you can get to stop germs from infecting and rotting away at your teeth.
Wisdom for the Dental Ages
The average human mouth is inhabited by 32 teeth. This includes your wisdom teeth, though a number of people have issues with those back four molars and end up having minor oral surgery in order (more…)
Celina, TX Dentist Offers Suggestions for Handling a Dental Emergency
An emergency of any kind is unexpected and tends to cause people to panic—especially when it comes to a dental emergency. Trauma to the mouth isn’t an anticipated injury; however, by following the proper steps, your smile can make a full recovery. To help her patients handle a dental emergency effectively, your Celina, TX emergency dentist, Dr. Newton, gives her patients advice.
Take These Steps When Faced with a Dental Emergency
- Cavity relief. If you’re feeling some discomfort from a cavity, try icing the area on and off. You can also use clove oil since it’s a natural pain reliever. Furthermore, gently floss the affected area to remove any lingering particles or irritants; afterward, use warm salt water rinses to reduce swelling. Continue these steps until you see the dentist.
- Broken tooth. Warm salt water rinses can also aid this ailment. If you’re bleeding, apply light pressure to the affected gums—not the tooth. Additionally, take any tooth fragments and place them in milk; bring the pieces to the dental appointment.
- Bitten tongue. For severely bitten lips and tongues, apply a cold compress and gentle pressure to stop the bleeding. Take care to see the dentist immediately, if you can. However, if you can’t see the dentist soon enough, go to the emergency room to get your mouth examined.
- Crown or bridge fell out. Should a dental crown or bridge fall out, use a bit of denture adhesive to hold it in place. Keep in mind, this is only a temporary fix and a visit to your Celina, TX emergency dentist is in order. Moreover, don’t chew on the dislodged crown or bridge.
Celina Family Dentistry Offers Great Dental Care
If you’re looking for a dentist that’s committed to round-the-clock dental care, visit Dr. Newton. Regardless of the hour, she will mend your ailment and restore your oral function. To schedule an appointment, call our Celina, TX emergency dentist. Also, visit the website to view services, print patient forms, or see our smile gallery. We proudly serve new and existing patients in Prosper, Frisco, McKinney, Gunter, Pilot Point, Anna, and the surrounding areas.
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