Miami Helpful Dental Information

Helpful Dental Information Miami, FL

At Dr. Rita The Smile Designer, we are passionate about oral health and ensuring that our patients have the tools and resources they need to maintain healthy teeth for a lifetime. As a rule of thumb, this demands ongoing, preventative dental care. It also requires education so that you become aware of your dental solutions and what you can do to stay healthy at home. Here, we provide some helpful dental information on oral health. We encourage you to find the section you are interested in and read more details on our website. If you have further questions, call our dental office at (305) 858-0505.

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    Q & A: Common Dental Questions

    Am I a Candidate for Dental Implants?
    We often recommend dental implants as a tooth replacement solution because it is the only solution that replaces both the missing root and tooth. However, in order to qualify for dental implants you need to have sufficient density in your jawbone along with healthy gums. If you do not, you may need to consider a bone graft or a hybrid solution. We can let you know for sure after an examination is conducted in our Miami dental office.
    Dental Anxiety
    Dental anxiety is an issue that more people deal with than some realize. If you are afraid of visiting the dentist or have extreme anxiety and worry when it is time to have dental work done, let us know. There are sedation options that can help you to relax and medication that can keep you comfortable during the entire procedure.
    Does Invisalign® Really Work
    Yes, clear aligners can straighten your teeth and give you a beautiful smile. They work by surrounding your teeth and placing pressure on specific ones. By switching your aligners out with a new one in the series, your teeth will continue to move into position until they are perfectly straight. To learn more, call our Miami, FL dental office and schedule a consultation.
    Options for Replacing Missing Teeth
    If you have lost teeth, you are not alone. The majority of adults will lose at least one permanent tooth. We can provide you with a variety of solutions that include dentures, a dental bridge, and dental implants. All three are an effective way to restore your smile and give you the ability to eat and speak clearly. However, there are distinct advantages to each procedure. To find out which one would work best for you, call 3058580505.
    Oral Hygiene Basics
    At Dr. Rita The Smile Designer, we are passionate about patient education and will take time to show you how to brush and floss properly when you visit our dental office. We recommend that you brush your teeth two to three times a day using a fluoride toothpaste for two minutes at a time. This will help to keep your teeth clean and healthy when also combined with daily flossing. You should still visit our Miami office for a professional teeth cleaning twice per year.
    Post-Op Care for Dental Implants
    After receiving dental implants, your gums will be sore for around a week. You can help to ease the swelling and discomfort using an icepack and ibuprofen. During this time, you should eat soft foods only and be careful not to irritate your gums in any way. You need to keep them clean so we may provide you with a medicated rinse to help do so. Once the gums have healed, you can return to a semi-normal diet, though you should avoid anything too hard or crunchy for a couple of weeks.
    Preventative Dental Care
    Preventative dental care is vital to maintaining lifelong oral health. When providing patients with helpful dental information, we always recommend regular teeth cleanings, fluoride treatments for children and potentially – dental sealants. These three things can work together to reduce the likelihood of you and your children developing cavities. At Dr. Rita The Smile Designer, we can create a preventative dental care plan for you and your family.

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    Questions to Ask at Your Dental Implants Consultation
    Make sure you ask us about the procedure and recovery process. By learning everything about the process, you will know what to expect and be better prepared for it. You should also ask if the dentist recommends that you have every one of your missing teeth replaced with an implant or if a hybrid solution would be better for you.
    The Dental Implant Procedure
    In the dental implant procedure, a titanium post is implanted under the gums and secured to the jawbone. Over the course of a few months, the process of osseointegration will take place and the jawbone will become fused with the implant. Once done, the jawbone will provide the same level of stability to the new tooth that it did to the natural one.

    For more helpful dental information, read our website or call (305) 858-0505 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Rita Dargham. At Dr. Rita The Smile Designer we will be happy to answer any questions you have about oral health from our Miami dental office.

    Definition of Dental Terminology
    Cosmetic Dentistry
    Cosmetic dentistry combines comprehensive dental principles with artistic sensibility to design and create optimally healthy and beautiful restorations intended to enhance the appearance of one’s smile while preserving ideal function and form.
    Decay
    Tooth decay is when the enamel of the tooth begins to breakdown as a result of bacterial invasion, causing an acidic induced erosion of healthy tooth structure.
    Dental Caries
    Dental caries are also known as cavities and can result from a lack of proper oral hygiene. A synonym of “decay”, and also called “cavities”, caries is a breakdown of teeth due to acids made by bacteria. The cavities may be a number of different colors from yellow to black.
    Dental Checkup
    A comprehensive oral examination that focuses on the evaluation of hard and soft oral structures including, but not limited to, the teeth, gums, jaw bone, jaw joint, bite, and cosmetic aspects of the smile. Both clinical and radiographic information is used to assess the status of the oral health while detecting any form of pathology that may affect the health of the oral cavity and its associated structures.
    Dental Filling
    A dental filling involves restoring the damaged structure of a tooth by using tooth colored resins or porcelain materials to restore natural form, function, and estethetics to the dentition.
    Dental Prophylaxis
    A dental prophylaxis is a professional and detailed cleaning that involves the removal of plaque, calculus and stains from the teeth,thereby reducing the risks of inflammation and breakdown of the dentition’s supporting structures.
    Dental Sealants
    Dental sealants are preventative restorations that contain a resinous material that is applied to the deep pits and fissures detected on the chewing surfaces of newly erupted teeth. These are used to help prevent dental caries from developing in children’s permanent molars and premolars.
    Dentist
    A dentist, also known as a dental surgeon, is a doctor who specializes in the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases and conditions of the oral cavity.
    Gingivitis
    Gingivitis is the inflammation of gum tissue that results from plaque, other infections in the mouth, and poor oral hygiene. Gingivitis can be a precursor to more advanced forms of periodontal disease if it is not controlled and reversed. Signs of gingivitis include soft tissue redness,inflammation, and bleeding. Proper brushing, flossing, and prevention helps to prevent and reverse signs of early gum disease.
    Preventive Dentistry
    Preventive dentistry focuses on education, modalities, and treatment designed to achieve and maintain optimal oral health, described as one free of structural, bacterial, and restorative breakdown.
    Tartar
    Tartar forms when plaque builds up on the surface of the teeth and calcifies into a hard surface that is much more difficult to remove. Its presence will require professional dental debridement and education on its prevention. Daily removal of plaque by proper brushing and flossing habits will reduce the incidence of tartar and the pathology associated with its presence.
    Tooth Enamel
    Tooth enamel is the outermost protective layer of the tooth. Enamel is white and visible. Its hard composition protects the underlying layers, dentin and pulp, respectively.

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