Our Palatka dental office provides preventative dental care to help keep our patients in excellent oral health and reduce the likelihood they will develop cavities or infections.

Preventative dental care involves several different methods

Fluoride Treatments

Preventative dental care can be proactive, rather than reactive, by cleaning teeth on a regular basis. We can help prevent cavities from forming by strengthening teeth through the use of fluoride. Fluorine is a naturally occurring mineral that can help strengthen your teeth and combat erosion that can occur while eating and brushing on a daily basis. Statistically, when children have a dental fluoride treatment, the risk for developing cavities decreases by 30 percent. The significant drop in risk of developing cavities can also reduce the likelihood your child will suffer from an unnecessary toothache.

Dental Sealant

Dental sealants are another step in preventative dental care. Not everyone needs sealant, but if your children do, this will help reduce the number of cavities they may get. When there are deep ridges on the chewing surfaces of the teeth, it is possible for food to become trapped between them. Brushing alone is often not enough to remove the buildup of plaque since the toothbrush cannot effectively get between the ridges. To prevent decay, we can brush a plastic-like sealant onto the chewing surfaces of the teeth that will serve as a barrier. When eating, food will touch the sealant and not the actual teeth. As a result, nothing will become trapped, and the likelihood of a cavity forming in that area is greatly reduced. Applying sealant is easy, and it only takes a couple of minutes per tooth. This means children can have this procedure without feeling uncomfortable and gain numerous health benefits.

Education.

This is an important part of preventative care because it allows us to provide you and your children with information on how to stay in good oral health between dental visits. We realize that while regular teeth cleanings can help prevent cavities and infections, we need our patients to participate in making healthy choices at home. This begins with your diet. We encourage patients to eat a diet low in sugar and processed carbohydrates, but full of dairy products, lean protein, green leafy vegetables, and nuts. These foods can help strengthen and remineralize teeth so they are strong enough to fight off decay.

Another aspect of education is teaching patients how to brush and floss correctly; this is especially necessary with children. Brushing, in general, is not enough, but brushing correctly can certainly help. Proper brushing involves starting the brush at the gum line and moving it in a circular pattern toward the center of the mouth. It is important to brush for two minutes at a time and use a soft toothbrush that will not irritate the teeth, along with a fluoride toothpaste. When combined with proper flossing, these at-home steps can help to keep you in good oral health in between dental visits.

For more tips and suggestions, call our Palatka dental office and schedule an examination.

Dental Office  >  Dentist

Is Cosmetic Dentistry Really the Solution to My Smile Problems?

As a cosmetic dentistry office in Palatka, we are in the business of transforming smiles and do so on a daily basis. We love what we do because it gives us the opportunity to give our clients a fresh start, a renewed confidence that really shines through. Still, many people call asking if cosmetic dentistry is really any different from regular dentistry and what we can do to help them. We understand that there is a great deal of confusion surrounding what we can and cannot do, which is why we focus on patient education.

Bottom line: As a cosmetic dentist, we can give you a beautiful smile and correct most aesthetic problems you have with your smile. How we do so and what the exact results will be, depend on the condition of your teeth right now.

Ways a Cosmetic Dentist Can Help You:

• Close gaps in between your teeth
• Whiten your teeth and remove deep stains
• Make crooked teeth appear straighter
• Change the shape or size of your teeth
• Promote a strong and healthy jawbone after tooth loss
• Replace your missing teeth
• Restore your damaged teeth

In our Palatka cosmetic dentistry office, we have a variety of tools to accomplish these goals. Our objective is to solve any challenges you are facing in a way that looks entirely natural. We want your replacement teeth or restorations to look like natural ones, so no one will know you ever had a dental health issue.  Whether you were in an accident or lost a tooth, we can help repair the damage. If we are completing a full smile makeover, our goal is to give you a smile that looks so beautiful and so natural, people will think you were born with it. Our skill and expertise allow us to make you look as though you were born with the most brilliant, beautiful and perfect smile.

A few of the ways we do so is with:

• Dental bonding. For a fast restoration, we can place bonding material on the surface of your tooth, shape, and harden it. This is an excellent solution if you have a cracked or chipped tooth that needs to be fixed immediately.
• Dental veneers. Our patients love dental veneers because they can solve virtually all aesthetic issues. They can cover dark stains, close gaps in between teeth, change their shape and size, and create a truly stunning Hollywood-style smile.
• Dental crowns. When teeth are more severely damaged or much of the enamel is missing, a crown can be placed around the tooth instead. A crown is a cap created using tooth-colored porcelain or ceramic. It works incredibly well when your tooth structure is missing.
• Teeth whitening. This is one of the easiest ways we can improve your smile in our cosmetic dentistry office. Whitening your teeth can make you look younger and healthier. Plus, it is very affordable.
• Dental implants. We can replace your teeth and strengthen your jawbone. By placing dental implants, we can restore your smile, appearance, and the functionality of your missing teeth.

There is so much we can do for you in our Palatka cosmetic dentistry office. To learn more, call and schedule an appointment.

Dental Office  >  Dentist

Why You Should Bring Your Teen to See an Invisalign® Dentist

As an Invisalign® dentist, we can straighten your teenager’s teeth and give them a beautiful smile they can be confident to show off. In our dental office, we typically recommend Invisalign® for our adult patients, because clear aligners work best when you have all your permanent teeth. However, by the time your son or daughter reaches their senior year of high school, they will likely be a good candidate for this treatment. To find out, call and schedule an examination so we can determine the best way to straighten their teeth and answer any questions you have about the process.
Why teens love Invisalign®

When it comes to straightening teeth, many kids start as young as elementary school or middle school. This creates an opportunity to straighten teeth young before self-esteem becomes a major issue. This is an excellent idea, but at this young age, traditional metal braces are typically the best treatment solution. For kids who do not get orthodontics at a young age, they become teens who have to decide either to wear metal braces or live with a crooked smile. If your teen is not interested in either of these options, straightening their teeth with clear aligners is an ideal solution.

As an Invisalign® dentist, we know that most teens love Invisalign® because of how discreet this solution is. Instead of wearing metal braces that stand out, teens can wear clear aligners that are virtually invisible. This means their friends will barely notice they are undergoing an orthodontics treatment and instead of being worried about their appearance, they can actually feel better about it. With each new aligner, their teeth will appear straighter, so the benefits begin to show almost immediately, instead of them needing to wait until the orthodontic treatment is complete, like they would when wearing traditional braces.

Teens also enjoy how convenient this solution is. Traditional braces come with several distinct challenges. Since a metal bracket is placed on each tooth with a wire threaded between them, it is very easy for food to become stuck around the brackets and under the wires. As a result, most people have to adjust what they eat, how they eat, and even where they eat. This can be inconvenient for anyone, especially for busy teens who want to enjoy a simple slice of pizza. Invisalign® works completely differently. Since teeth are being straightened with clear, removable aligners, there is no risk of food becoming stuck. The aligners are supposed to come out when eating, so there is no need to adjust eating habits.

As an Invisalign® dentist, we also appreciate how much easier it is to care for teeth when wearing clear aligners. They come out easily when it is time to brush and floss teeth, which means food is unlikely to become stuck in between them and there is less of a risk of your teen developing cavities or stains during the treatment process. These are only a few benefits of wearing aligners. To learn more, call and schedule an appointment.

The Convenience of Visiting a Family Dentist

The idea of a family dentist is one that closely mimics the idea of a family general practitioner or doctor. Its success is also very similar because it relies on the same trust and relationship that family doctors and a family dentist have in common. We understand that nobody ever really wants to go in to see either a doctor or a family dentist. Humans have an intrinsic discomfort with medical procedures, especially when it involves you. On the other hand, the families who come in on a regular basis to visit the family dentist find that the procedures they need are routine, with the maintenance helping to prevent emergency dental needs. At the same time, families who come in together often hold each other more accountable to keeping their oral hygiene routines, which means they have better cared for teeth overall. There are numerous benefits to having a family dentist.

From our perspective, the trust and relationship we have with families, often generations of families, plays a tremendous role in the work we are able to do for them. Think about it from the perspective of a child. When a child goes in to see the dentist or the doctor, they are in an uncomfortable and unfamiliar environment most of the time. There are strange sounds and smells, equipment that needs to be put in their mouth, and the dreaded dentist chair. All of this can cause a child and most adults to have a level of anxiety. On the other hand, when a child is coming in to see the family dentist, it is typically someone they are familiar with, having been to the office with a family member before. The friendly face of the family dentist can help to ease some of those fears, and people instinctively trust a doctor who has already treated other family members. This easing of fears goes a long way in helping with diagnoses and getting procedures done with as little fuss as possible.

From a purely convenience standpoint, there is nothing convenient about having to take multiple members of a family to different appointments. Juggling the timing, along with work and school schedules, as well as finding the right providers can be a hassle. At the family dentist clinic, we know how hard this can be, and so have two simple ways to make your life easier. First, we can have all the major family dentist procedures done right here at our family dentist clinic. Whether you need an x-ray or an extraction, braces or dentures, whatever the needs of your family, we can do them in one place. The only exception is extremely specialized work, in which case, we will help you find the best provider. The second thing we have done is to help streamline our scheduling so we can accommodate families. If we can get the entire family in and maximize your time by combining appointments, we know that we will not only save you time and effort, but that you are far more likely to come in together.

From our perspective, the trust and relationship we have with families, often generations of families, plays a tremendous role in the work we are able to do for them. Think about it from the perspective of a child. When a child goes in to see the dentist or the doctor, they are in an uncomfortable and unfamiliar environment most of the time. There are strange sounds and smells, equipment that needs to be put in their mouth, and the dreaded dentist chair. All of this can cause a child and most adults to have a level of anxiety. On the other hand, when a child is coming in to see the family dentist, it is typically someone they are familiar with, having been to the office with a family member before. The friendly face of the family dentist can help to ease some of those fears, and people instinctively trust a doctor who has already treated other family members. This easing of fears goes a long way in helping with diagnoses and getting procedures done with as little fuss as possible.

From a purely convenience standpoint, there is nothing convenient about having to take multiple members of a family to different appointments. Juggling the timing, along with work and school schedules, as well as finding the right providers can be a hassle. At the family dentist clinic, we know how hard this can be, and so have two simple ways to make your life easier. First, we can have all the major family dentist procedures done right here at our family dentist clinic. Whether you need an x-ray or an extraction, braces or dentures, whatever the needs of your family, we can do them in one place. The only exception is extremely specialized work, in which case, we will help you find the best provider. The second thing we have done is to help streamline our scheduling so we can accommodate families. If we can get the entire family in and maximize your time by combining appointments, we know that we will not only save you time and effort, but that you are far more likely to come in together.

A Family Dentist In Palatka, FL Take On Antibiotics

We are a family dentist in Palatka, FL, which means our focus is on finding the most effective ways of treating families dealing with dental challenges. One of our commitments is to find relief for discomfort as quickly as possible, especially when dealing with younger or elderly members of your family. Often, we have to reach into our tool box and pull out one of the most powerful tools that any dentist, including your family dentist in Palatka, FL, has at their disposal for fighting the microorganisms causing your problems. Antibiotics have made a huge impact on medicine, including dental medicine, since penicillin was first discovered by Alexander Fleming in 1928. Since then, we have used antibiotics to successfully remove all kinds of bacterial infections, and this has allowed modern medicine to make huge leaps of advancement in all kinds of treatments.

As with any great cure, however, there are limitations. When you come in to see your family dentist in Palatka, FL, one thing you can expect is this: While we have antibiotics as an option and it could never be taken off the table due to its effectiveness, it is often not our go-to option. We tend to ask the question, “Are antibiotics needed?” rather than, “Which antibiotics are needed?” when addressing any problem our patients have. This is because we are very aware that overuse of antibiotics can cause more problems than they can solve. Recently, there has been a great deal of news about antibiotic-resistant strains of microorganisms that have been found in increasing numbers across the medical spectrum. This situation has arisen in part due to the over-proliferation of antibiotics, which has allowed bacteria to develop a resistance to them. Our goal is to make sure that when we prescribe an antibiotic, it is because it is absolutely necessary, and that it is a targeted approach that ends up being very successful.

Sometimes as a family dentist in Palatka FL, we have to educate our patients that antibiotics, while an outstanding option, are not the only option. Often, people believe they can solve all their problems with a dose of these medications, and for good reason. When we do prescribe antibiotics, they have almost an immediate effect. Fevers associated with an infection, pain or discomfort, and even swelling because of the infection are very quick to go away, which gives the patient relief. There is little wonder that people want an antibiotic treatment. What is important to remember, however, is that antibiotics are designed to control the infection and restore a balance between your natural immunity and the invading infection. Once this happens, your body is able to quickly regroup, and it is your body's own antibodies that will kill the infection. In fact, in 60 perfect of infection situations, there is no need for any kind of interference or introduction of a foreign substance; your body will take care of the problem all by itself. In other words, antibiotics aren't the greatest fighter of infection, your body is.

Pediatric Dentist Palatka FL  >  Implant Dentist in Palatka FL

Antibiotics and General Dentistry: What You Should Know

In general dentistry, as with any of the medical fields, we have benefitted greatly from the discovery of antibiotics. In 1928, scientist Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin, changing how we fought bacterial infections forever. In this discovery, and subsequent medical advances we were able to help the body win the battle against previously serious infections. With the aid of modern medicine and a new holistic approach to the use of all medication, the practice of general dentistry has greatly improved how we fight dental infections. The challenge that you as a patient may face, and we certainly are empathetic to this, is the desire to be treated immediately with these wonder drugs. For us, as your dentist, it is important to have a slower and more systematic approach to resolving issues with bacterial infections. For the last several years, the world has been plagued by the appearance of bacterial strains that have changed and mutated to be resistant to the common antibiotics. This is primarily because there are too many antibiotics being handed out; and so we want to make sure we wait and properly treat whatever you have going on so that when you leave it is without any infection. In the practice of general dentistry, we get to hear all the urban legends and myths that float around, including some on antibiotics.

The myths general dentistry has to resolve are many, but perhaps none as acute as the ones associated with general dentistry and antibiotics. Here is the most common one: people actually believe that antibiotics cure diseases. This is a well-founded myth, which makes it the hardest to disprove because people know that when they take a course of antibiotics they tend to feel better. Infections, including those of the oral variety, tend to go away which means the pain, inflammation, and fevers associated with the infection also goes away. It is often hardest to argue with how people feel, but the reality is that patients cure patients. Your immune system will fight off 60% of all infections without any help from an outside agent. What antibiotics do is help to rebalance the body's own immune system so that it is stronger, reinforced by the antibiotics, and will go to work taking out the infection. In other words, your own body does much of the heavy lifting, while antibiotics provide the shot of confidence.

Another myth, which has persisted for all 80 plus years that antibiotics have been around, is that there is a set course of antibiotics for specific dental infections. Or that if you fail to take the complete course the disease will rebound worse than before. Our goal is to treat the source of the infection, which once removed cannot cause anything to rebound. Further, there is no exact science to how antibiotics work on any particular infection. Years of experience and knowledge help us to get very close to a “cured” date but regular checkups are the only way for us to know exactly when the antibiotic has helped your body to kill the infection. In other words, there is no set regime or timeline other than the one set by experience.

General Dentistry  >  Teeth Whitening

Teeth Whitening: The Pros of Using a Pro

As you consider teeth whitening, chances are you are going to run into the same dilemma that many of our patients run into: Which product to choose and how to use it? The good news is, if you are like most of our patients, you will realize that it is much easier to just come in and allow us to do all the work for you. Since there are so many choices and variables available, choosing the right solution for your teeth whitening may not be as simple as it looks. Teeth whitening has grown in popularity to the point of being a household endeavor. As a result, the market has responded with a multi-billion dollar industry in do-it-yourself and over-the-counter teeth whitening kits. Deluged with products, surrounded by fancy advertising that promises all kinds of results, and unsure what exactly you need, this describes how many of our patients feel before coming into the sanctity of their teeth whitening dentist office.

If you do try it yourself, you should remember that teeth whitening is actually a scientific process. The oxidization and release of free radicals are designed to make your teeth more transparent and hence, appear to be whiter. There are dangers with this in the form of overuse. Many patients do not know what to do if they do not get the results that they were hoping for the first time. The natural inclination and this would be a mistake, is to reuse the product repeatedly until the desired results are achieved. More often than not, this results in overuse with the consequence being highly sensitive teeth and a trip to see your dentist. There are numerous variables that should be addressed, like this one, and it is often easier just to come in and have you dentist take care of your teeth whitening needs.

There are other basic advantages that come with getting your teeth whitening done by a professional. One of the most obvious, or will become obvious as you use them, are the trays that we use for placing the whitening solution in. These trays need to fit over your teeth, allowing the solution to touch your teeth for a period of time. What you do not want is for the substance to get all over your gums and mouth, which could be sensitive and react badly to the chemicals in the solution. The challenge with over the counter products is that they are designed for the mass market, not for your individual teeth whitening needs. This means that the trays are a one size fits all or rather a one size that is supposed to fit all. This makes the process sloppy and inconsistent. On the other hand, when you come in to see a teeth whitening dentist, you know that the trays are going to be custom fabricated for your teeth. This allows for limited leakage and gives the teeth whitening solution the maximum contact with your teeth to whiten them evenly and perfectly.

Dentist  >  Endodontist in Palatka FL