Q: It’s a New Year. What can I do for my dental health?
A: You can keep at least one of your resolutions this year with nothing more complicated than making a phone call. The best thing you can do for your dental health is to visit your dentist regularly. If it’s been a while since your last checkup, resolve at this start of the year to call and make an appointment for a thorough examination and cleaning. 
It’s recommended that you visit a dentist twice a year. If you’ve gotten out of that routine, the time to call is now, when you’re in the mood to do something positive in your life. Regular visits to the dentist pay off in a variety of ways. For one thing, it’s just important to keep your mouth healthy. Secondly, the earlier you catch a dental problem, the easier—and less expensive—it will be to address it. And some problems, like the onset of gum disease, you’re not likely to notice yourself. It takes the eye of a professional to detect the telltale signs of the disease’s beginning. Since gum disease is the most common cause of tooth loss, it’s something you definitely want to eliminate as soon as possible.
A professional cleaning at the dentist’s office is another function you simply can’t do as well yourself, no matter how fastidious you are with brushing and flossing. So contact us today and check one of the New Year’s resolutions off your list.
If you, your family or friends need dental care, we would be honored to provide you with state-of-the-art dental care in our modern dental practice. Refer someone you love to someone you trust!
Presented as a service to the community by Doctors Hoover and Yanda,
39 Milford Drive, Hudson, Ohio 44236. 330-650-0360. www.drshooverandyanda.com
A: There are at least three main methods people use to have their teeth whitened. There are over-the-counter methods available in most pharmacies. There are methods that are done entirely within the dental office. Lastly, there are methods that involve having trays fitted by a dentist that are then worn at home. Over-the-counter methods are the least expensive. They do work to a certain extent but tend to take longer and their “one size fits all” feature doesn’t work for everyone. Methods that are done entirely within the dental office and those involving custom-made trays by the dentist that are then worn at home both are more likely to brighten teeth more quickly and effectively. We choose to fabricate trays in our office for one major reason. All bleaching eventually fades and then requires whitening again to regain that brighter smile. With “in-office only” methods, they need to be done entirely over at full fee and that fee is typically higher than the custom tray method. With the custom tray method, when whitening is needed again since you still have the trays, the only expense with subsequent treatments is to purchase the tubes of bleach. That cost is minimal compared to starting all over again. Many of our patients choose the start of a new year as the perfect time to whiten their teeth.
People with Alzheimer’s disease may need some help with basic grooming and dressing tasks, including taking care of their teeth and mouth. As a caregiver, you can help!
Brushing twice a day with an ADA certified fluoride toothpaste and flossing with dental floss or an interdental cleaner once a day is advised. Keep appointments with your dentist and hygienist for routine check-ups and teeth cleanings.
To perform the crown procedure, your dentist prepares the tooth and makes a molded impression or a digital scan of your teeth to send to a dental laboratory. A custom-made temporary crown is created during this visit to protect the tooth while the final restoration is being made in the dental laboratory. Once completed, the crown will be cemented or adhesively bonded at a second visit.
Dental crowns, also known as “caps,” preserve the functionality of damaged teeth. This common dental restoration may be used to protect a cracked tooth, restore functionality of a tooth with excessive decay or replace a pre-existing crown. It protects a weakened tooth with a custom-designed material.
When your treatment plan calls for direct composite restorations or adhesively bonded restorations, dentists start the process by isolating the teeth, to prevent interference from moisture. Depending on the extent of the treatment, anesthetic injections may be required.
The term bonding is used in dentistry to describe adhering dental materials to your teeth using specialized adhesives and a high-intensity curing light.
To determine if your dental problems can be solved with direct composite bonding, your dentist first will conduct a thorough examination and evaluation of your teeth and gums. During your consultation, your dentist will discuss the clinical and cosmetic problems that direct composite bonding can resolve, such as cavities, chips, cracks, fractures, gaps and spaces between teeth, and tooth discoloration. However, if you have teeth that are extensively damaged or your dentist feels other dental issues may affect the success and longevity of direct composite bonding treatment, other options may be presented to you, such as crowns or veneers.