Thursday, June 27, 2019

Cosmetic Care after Pulp Infections

We take care at the Oyster Bay Family Dentists that our patients will be pleased with the appearance of their smiles. When providing prosthetic teeth, we match their color to the teeth the patient already has, and we provide whitening services to remove external stains. But what do we do about intrinsic stains? Those could require a different approach because of their implication about a patient’s health.


Some intrinsic stains are harmless. Teeth may appear brown if a patient consumed too much fluoride during their childhood or black if they were exposed to tetracycline antibiotics. But those are rare cases. More often, intrinsic stains are due to an injury to the dental pulp. Besides causing a tooth to be black, red, or purple in color, pulp injuries and infections usually cause pain and a bad smell. If left untreated, an infection can spread, causing an abscess in the gum.


Root canal therapy is the normal way of removing infected pulp. Once the infected material is out and the patient is in less danger, their tooth may be filled with whitening gel and then sealed. After a week, the whitening agent can be removed and the tooth may be filled in normally. If the patient is still displeased with the color of their tooth, it may be covered with a veneer.


Drs. Denise VeyVoda and Robert G. West operate The Oyster Bay Family Dentists at 123 South Street, Oyster Bay, New York, 11771. To schedule an appointment, call 516-922-5730 or visit Oyster Bay Dentists and fill out a contact sheet.


 

Thursday, June 6, 2019

Periodontal Splinting

Having a loose permanent tooth doesn’t bring the same amount of excitement that it did when you were a kid. As an adult, it’s often a sign of injury, lost gum tissue, misalignment, or orthodontic treatment. Trying to eat or speak becomes uncomfortable. Drs. Robert G. West and Denise VeyVoda of The Oyster Bay Family Dentists offer a solution. Periodontal splinting attaches your weak teeth to strong ones, creating a single, stable unit. Contact our office in Oyster Bay, NY, to learn more.


 


Schedule an appointment with your Oyster Bay dentist as soon as a loose tooth is noted. Otherwise, it can damage other dental structures. Trauma is the biggest culprit for a loose tooth. Grinding or clenching your teeth is also a probable reason. Some patients even experience a combination of the two. Periodontal disease is also a likely cause.


 


By splinting your loose teeth, Drs. West or VeyVoda are able to correct your misaligned bite. This relieves the pressure behind the looseness. Temporary and permanent splints are offered. For temporary splints, there are extra-coronal and intra-coronal. The placement defines the kind needed. Extra are bonded to the enamel while intra requires a channel in the teeth. For permanent splints, a splint fuses the crowns of each tooth together.


 


Drs. Robert G. West and Denise VeyVoda are located in Oyster Bay, NY. To schedule an appointment at The Oyster Bay Family Dentists, visit our website or call 516-922-5730.