Diet and Dental Health

If you’ve heard the expression, “you are what you eat,” our doctors at Downtown Dental LLC hope that you are eating foods that benefit your teeth. A poor diet that is heavy on the sugar, can wreak havoc on your oral-systemic health, leading to periodontal disease and tooth decay. To maintain a balanced diet, we encourage patients to eat a variety of foods from each of the five major food groups and limit snack consumption.

Foods that are high in water content such as fruits and vegetables can prevent embarrassing bad breath. When choosing a snack, aim for nutritious foods such as cheese, plain yogurt, or anything that doesn’t contain sugar. Sugar feeds on the plaque that is left behind on the teeth and can lead to cavities and tooth decay if not careful. In addition to eating healthier foods, you should be practicing proper oral hygiene as well to maintain a healthy smile.

If you have questions or concerns regarding dental health, please give us a call. To learn about the services we provide at our practice, visit www.downtown-dental.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Downtown Dental LLC in Chicago, IL, call 312-782-8862. 

Wisdom Teeth Extraction

With age, comes wisdom teeth and depending on the individual, this can be a problem. Wisdom teeth are known as the third molars and usually erupt between the ages of 17 and 21. If wisdom teeth don’t erupt, they can remain impacted which means that they will stay under the gum unless removed. Impacted wisdom teeth can lead to pain, and infection, so allow our doctors at Downtown Dental LLC to explain what to expect from extraction.

Wisdom teeth removal is extremely common and our doctors promise to make you feel as comfortable as possible during the procedure. Once sedation is administered, an incision will be made into the gums and the teeth will be removed in sections. This procedure is outpatient, but you will need to take a few days off to rest and heal. Our doctors will give you post-op instructions to follow for a smooth recovery.

If you have questions or concerns regarding wisdom teeth extraction, please give us a call. To learn about the services we provide at our practice, visit www.downtown-dental.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Downtown Dental LLC in Chicago, IL, call 312-782-8862. 

Pain around Fillings

Patients with cavities at Downtown Dental LLC in Chicago are assured of getting high-quality fillings. But no filling lasts forever, which is why we want our patients to understand when they need to come in for a replacement.

Sometimes a filling can be made poorly and interfere with a patient’s bite or contribute to decay. A high filling is one which rises high enough to prevent the patient from comfortably closing their bite. A filling can also not be totally flush with the seal holding it in, leaving a gap for decay-causing bacteria to enter. There are also cases in which the decay went deeper than was thought or started again after the filling’s placement.

We don’t expect this to happen with any of our fillings, but the seal holding it in will only last for about ten years. After that, the filling may come loose or a gap may open. Replacing the filling is an easy process in which it and any new decayed material is removed and sealed over with another filling or a partial crown. Our advanced imaging technology allows us to determine exactly how deep the decay goes.

Downtown Dental LLC operates at 25 E Washington St, Suite 1921, Chicago, Illinois, 60602. To schedule an appointment, call 312-782-8862 or visit Downtown-Dental.com and fill out a contact form.

 

Inlays and Onlays

With our fully modernized office, restorations are easier and faster than ever at Downtown Dental in Chicago. It is often the case that patients are suffering from decay or other tooth damage that is too severe for a filling but not bad enough to necessitate a whole new crown. In these cases, we can provide partial crowns called inlays or onlays.

The pointy bits of the back teeth are called cusps. An inlay is a partial crown which is small enough to be placed in between the cusps. An onlay replaces at least one of the cusps while also covering the indentations between them. The molars and premolars’ indentations are a place where food commonly gets trapped, allowing decay-causing bacteria to build up there, which is why partial crowns are most often made for these teeth.

After the decayed material has been removed, a scan will be taken of the patient’s mouth. This is used as the basis for the partial crowns’ manufacturing. Once our CEREC machine has finished milling the inlay or onlay, we’ll be able to cement it in. While teeth are a little sensitive following the removal of decay, the patient will soon be able to chew comfortably.

Downtown Dental LLC operates at 25 E Washington St, Suite 1921, Chicago, Illinois, 60602. To schedule an appointment, call 312-782-8862 or visit Downtown-Dental.com and fill out a contact form.