Many people are afraid of going to the dentist, choosing to delay their suffering until it gets to the point that it becomes unbearable.
This habit is definitely not healthy, as it can lead to all sorts of oral problems. Fortunately, there’s now a solution: sedation dentistry.
What is Sedation Dentistry?
Sedation dentistry is simply the practice of using anesthesia for putting patients into a sleep-like condition so they won’t be anxious or stressed out by the surgical instruments that are to be used, and to prevent them from making impulsive movements as a result of their anxiety.
Over time, with lifestyle and aging, our teeth can become discolored resulting in an un-esthetic smile. The Zoom Teeth Whitening System allows the cosmetic dentists at Shine Dental Associates in Syosset Long Island to whiten your teeth in just 1 office visit.
How Does The Zoom Teeth Whitening Work?
The procedure is simple… The gums are first covered and the teeth are left exposed for treatment. The Zoom whitening gel is then placed onto the teeth which are going to be treated. The Zoom Whitening System consists of the whitening gel and the zoom light which are designed to work together to break up the stains and discoloration on the teeth.
The light is applied to the gel covered teeth for 15 minutes after which time the gel is removed and replaced with fresh gel. This process is repeated 3-4 times. Once the treatment is completed the teeth are whitened. Zoom Teeth Whitening can help you achieve dramatic results and provide an esthetic smile.
For more information about Zoom, as well as other teeth whitening options please call our office at (516) 348-8500
Dental veneers are used to cover the surfaces of teeth to enhance their appearance.
What are Dental Veneers?
A veneer is a thin shell made of porcelain or plastic resin material which is used to cover the surfaces of teeth. In order to create room for the veneer a small amount of tooth structure must first be removed. Two appointments are generally required. During the first appointment the teeth are prepared, molds are made, and the color for the veneers is chosen. Temporary veneers may also be made at this appointment.
Once the veneers have been fabricated in our dental lab they are ready for bonding onto the prepared tooth surfaces. Veneers are an excellent restoration that can change the appearance of the teeth and give you a beautiful and natural smile.
For more information about veneers please call our Syosset Long Island office at (516) 348-8500 for a free consultation.
Bacteria lives in our mouths and if not removed daily through proper brushing and flossing it can cause bone loss.
You may not see the bone loss as it can occur underneath the gum tissues. However, plague and tartar are present on the roots of the teeth and the gums become red and loose.
Once the bone has been destroyed it cannot grow back. But by removing the bacteria we can prevent the bone loss from becoming worse and hopefully prevent the loss of your teeth.
Flossing is one of the most important things you can do to keep your teeth and gums healthy. If you floss correctly and regularly your chances of developing cavities and periodontal disease, or needing dentures, dental implants, and root canal treatment is greatly reduced. However, most people don’t know how to floss correctly. The video below will explain how to floss your teeth the right way.
Your teeth should be flossed daily to remove the plaque and bacteria that accumulates between the teeth and in the pocket of tissue around the teeth.
The floss is placed between the teeth, and with a gentle motion, is rocked between the tooth and gum tissue to clean within the pocket.
This procedure is repeated for all the teeth in your mouth.
Although this process may seem tedious at first, over time and with practice, it will become a quick and simple way to keep your teeth and gums healthy.
When you undergo a teeth whitening treatment it is advisable to take care in what you eat and drink to ensure your teeth stay whiter for longer. After a whitening treatment your teeth become more absorbent. Below are some of the foods you should stay away from after your procedure.
Shine Dental Associates is proud to announce our participation with an event in connection with PinkTie.org to help fight breast cancer.
On Monday, October 21st at Carlyle on the Green, from 6-9pm there will be a kick-off event where you will have an opportunity to:
- Make a difference while networking with other top notch real estate professionals in your area
- Give your company major exposure to other professionals in this dynamic industry
- Participate in a live auction (grand prizes include: An Exclusive Golf Package with NY Giants Super Bowl MVP Otis “OJ” Anderson, NY Giants Luxury Sky Box tickets, a Celebrity Athlete Evening with Steiner Sports, and much more!)
- Enjoy complimentary cocktails and canapés
- Sponsor an uninsured woman to get a mammogram (a unique and quantifiable way to make an immediate impact!)
- Aid in our efforts to fund research & development to find a cure for breast cancer
Click here to find out more about this Pink Tie breast cancer event…
Basically, mini dental implants (MDIs) are just implants with a smaller diameter. Dental implants often split into two distinct categories on the basis of diameter. If your implant has a diameter of fewer than three millimeters, it is a “mini.”
What Are Mini Dental Implants?
National Dental Hygiene Awareness Month is here to help raise awareness about oral health. The most important thing to remember is, “brush, floss and rinse”.
Brushing for 2 minutes twice a day cleans teeth and gums effectively. Research has shown that brushing teeth for 2 minutes two times a day helps reduce plaque, cavities and gingivitis.
Rinsing your mouth daily with an anti-microbial mouth rinse is another important step to prevent gingivitis. If gingivitis is left untreated it will advance into periodontitis. Periodontitis is an inflammatory disease which causes bone loss around teeth which in turns becomes loose and eventually fall out. It is very important that you treat periodontal disease because it is associated with many other systemic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and premature births.
Also, hygiene is very important around dental Implants. Dental implants are posts that provide foundation for a fixed or removable denture. It is very important that you keep the dental implant clean because you don’t want to develop an infection and get bone loss around the implants.
Maintenance or routine dental cleanings are very important not only around dental implants but also around your own teeth. If you have any questions regarding how to maintain or clean your teeth or dental implants please contact Shine Dental Associates of the North Shore at 516-348-8500 for a complimentary consultation with our Board Certified Periodontist.
Here at Shine Dental Associates we strive to give back to our community. Now that it is officially fall and Halloween is quickly approaching we would like to take this opportunity to give back to our brave troops.
Operation Gratitude’s Halloween Candy Buy Back Program allows Shine, as a practice, to give back to our troops. Shine Dental will be buying back Halloween candy through mid-November to send in care packages overseas. We encourage our patients and community members to help us in our efforts by making candy donations as well. This is a great way to give back to our community and show our military the appreciation and gratitude that they deserve.
Shine will be paying $1 per pound of candy (maximum 5 lbs. per person) brought in by our patients and community members. We will also be including other items in the care packages such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss and mouthwash to keep our troops smiling. We encourage and appreciate your participation to help us all give back and bring smiles to our service member’s faces.
Visit Operation Gratitude’s website
Are E-Cigarettes Safer Than Regular Cigarettes?
Are E-Cigarettes Safer Than Regular Cigarettes?We have noticed that many of our patients have switched from cigarettes to the electronic cigarettes. E-cigarettes don’t burn tobacco. Instead, they contain cartridges that are filed with nicotine and other chemicals. Once the e-cigarette is used the liquid chemicals turn into vapor.
There is limited research on e-cigarettes with respect to oral cancer. However, there are chemicals such as nitrosamine in the e-cigarettes that are known to cause cancer.
In our opinion, there needs to be more research on this product to determine the risks vs. benefits compared to regular cigarette smoking.
Screening for oral cancer is very important whether you use e-cigarettes or whether you smoke regular cigarettes, cigars, or a pipe. Shine Dental Associates of the North Shore does a thorough intra-oral examination for our patients to make sure no lesions are missed.
If you have any questions, please contact us at 516-348-8500.
Dental implants have become an important advance in dentistry over the past few decades, and the procedure has also been recognized as the best solution for replacing missing teeth.
Before dental implant technology came on the scene, persons with missing teeth had few options. Depending on how many teeth needed to be replaced and where they were located, fixed or removable bridges and dentures were the recommended treatments. Because additional dental problems typically occurred within 15 years after fixed bridges or dentures were used to treat the problem, replacement was necessary. Dental implants have a much better record of performance, with the majority of implants still functioning well after 20 years or more.
Periodontal disease is caused by bacteria that live in the mouth. The bacteria can cause an infection of the gums and leads bleeding and swelling and can eventually destroy the supporting bone around the teeth.
How Do You Prevent Periodontal Disease?
As the disease advances the teeth become loose and maybe lost. Periodontal disease may be prevented by proper oral hygiene and regular dental visits.
To find out what we can do to help you avoid periodontal disease, or to stop and reverse the disease process if you already have it, please give us a call today for a free consultation with our board certified periodontist.
You can reach our Syosset Long Island office at: (516) 348-8500.
To Nominate a Family Please Email Us At: Shinedentalassociates@gmail.com
Why is it so important to get your teeth cleaned regularly?
In a healthy mouth the gum tissue is firm and pink in color. They wrap around the teeth with a small collar at the top. If we measure this collar it is generally around 3mm deep.
If teeth are NOT brushed and flossed daily plaque builds up on the teeth. Plaque is a soft, sticky accumulation of bacteria and if NOT removed it WILL cause dental decay and gum problems.
If plaque is not removed from the teeth it calcifies and becomes a hard substance called calculus or tartar.
The bacteria causes the gum tissue to become inflamed and swelling occurs. If we measure the collar of the gum tissue after there has been a build up of calculus and tartar it WILL be deeper.
Calculus cannot be removed by brushing or flossing and must be removed by a dental hygienist. If calculus is left on your teeth it can cause dental decay, and it can also destroy the bone around your teeth.
When calculus is removed the gum tissue can return to a healthier state.
Call Shine Dental Associates in Syosset Long Island today at (516) 348-8500 to schedule your next appointment to have your teeth cleaned.