Author: Familydentalcare_aDMeeN

At Family Dental Care^TM, with locations in Chicago and the surrounding communities is dedicated to our patients’ oral and overall health. Due to this, we only offer digital imaging (digital x-rays) at our practice. Although traditional, film x-rays were invented over 125 years ago, dental technology has come a very long way, allowing us to now offer safer, quicker and more effective diagnostic options for our patients and their loved ones. Wondering what some of the benefits of digital x-rays are?

• Digital x-rays are less expensive to perform at our dental office and in return are less expensive for our patients as well.
• Digital x-rays produce less radiation than traditional x-rays and are better for our community, planet, and environment.
• When it comes to diagnostic imaging, our digital x-rays use 70% less radiation than traditional, film x-rays, making them a safer and healthier option for our patients.
• Our digital x-rays are also easier to take and take less time than traditional, film x-rays, making our patients’ appointments much shorter and comfortable.
• Digital x-rays require no development process and are actually viewable almost immediately, also reducing our patient’s appointment time and allowing us to diagnose any problems quickly.
• Digital x-rays are imported directly into a computer, allowing us to have better quality images and even zoom in, making it easier to spot areas of concern before they become a bigger problem.
• Due to the fact that digital x-rays allow for better quality and the ability to zoom, fewer issues at our practice go undetected and/or are missed by our dental professionals.
• Digital x-rays are stored on a computer, making them easily transferable to the patient along with other dental or medical professionals, reducing the need to visit our practice and pay for copies.

Get Your Digital X-Rays Today!

Looking for a dental practice in Chicago, Calumet City, Evergreen Park, Oak Lawn or the surrounding communities that offer safe and healthy dental care? Contact Family Dental Care^TM today and schedule your routine dental checkup with digital x-rays. We are always happy to see new smiles and look forward to helping you maintain optimal oral health.

Gingivitis is, thankfully, very easy to prevent. The greatest culprit behind gingivitis symptoms is less than satisfactory oral hygiene. If you think you’re already practicing great oral hygiene, give this article a read, and you might even find tips or tricks to keeping gingivitis out of your life.

Brushing

There are quite a few things you can take into consideration when revising your brushing techniques. Of course, we all know the regular tips, for example, brushing for a full two minutes and making sure it’s done that way twice a day, but consider this. Always use a soft-bristled toothbrush in order to avoid gum recession and enamel abrasion. Think about getting an electric toothbrush, and even assess your brushing method. Be sure to angle your brush at a 45-degree angle toward the gumminess, and focus on just two teeth at a time.

Flossing

Another technique you should watch out for is your flossing technique. Wrap your floss around each tooth in a “C” shape and slide up and down two to three times under the gumminess to leave no debris behind. You may even want to consider getting a water flosser for an even more thorough clean.

Lifestyle Choices

Thankfully, there are things every day that you can do or begin to implant into your lifestyle in order to avoid gingivitis. They include:

• Eat a balanced diet and get enough exercise. Strengthening your cardiovascular anemone systems make it easier for youth fight all infectious diseases. You can do this by making sure you eat the right foods, stay active, and fill in any gaps with nutritional supplements.
• Avoid tobacco. By smoking, you make yourself more susceptible to untreatable gum disease. Smoking even makes it harder to pinpoint the formation of gingivitis on the gums as smoking causes blood vessels to atrophy.
• Receive routine preventative care from your dentist. Routine cleanings ensure that any calcified bacterial deposits, also known as plaque, don’t become a problem. If you’re looking for a great dental practice to get these routine check-ups done at, and you live in the South Chicago, Evergreen Park, East Side, Oak Lawn, or Calumet City area, look no further as we would love to help keep your mouth clean and healthy! Give us a call today.

Does your partner complain about your loud snoring? Feel like you never actually sleep? You may suffer from a common condition known as sleep apnea. Wondering what all the signs to look out for are? Patients typically experience:

• Loud Snoring
• Loud Breathing
• Stopping Breathing
• Daytime Sleepiness/Fatigue
• Insomnia
• Sleep Deprivation
• Dry Mouth
• Sore Throat
• Headache
• Mood Instability
• Irritability
• Depression
• Weight Gain

If you notice any of the above symptoms, we recommend speaking to your doctor about a sleep study to determine if you do in fact suffer from sleep apnea. Treatment of sleep apnea can reduce the associated symptoms and reduce your risk from further complication later in life.

What is Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea is an extremely common condition in the United States; in fact, it is estimated that 22 million Americans are affected. What happens during sleep apnea is that the upper airway becomes repeatedly blocked while the patient is trying to sleep, reducing and sometimes completely stopping airflow. This lack of airflow can reduce oxygen through the entire body, including your brain. Sleep apnea may be caused by someone’s physical condition along with various medical conditions.

Sleep Apnea Treatment

Left untreated, sleep apnea can result in debilitating symptoms that affect a patient’s day-to-day life. Sleep apnea can also increase a patient’s risk of high blood pressure, diabetes, heart attack, irregular heartbeat, heart failure and even strokes. At Family Dental Care^TM, we are proud to offer oral dental appliances for the treatment of sleep apnea.

Prior to any sleep apnea treatment, a sleep study must first be conducted to determine the severity of a patient’s symptoms. This can have a direct impact on the recommended sleep apnea treatment options.

Oral Dental Appliance for Sleep Apnea

Our sleep apnea oral dental appliances are personalized per patient to ensure proper fit, maximum comfort, and the best treatment. Your oral dental appliance is meant to be worn only while sleeping and are designed to push the lower jaw and tongue forward, preventing collapsing of the airway, allowing you to breathe normally while attempting to sleep.

Visit Our Sleep Apnea Dentist Today

Ready to start treatment for your sleep apnea? Contact Family Dental Care^TM today to schedule an appointment with us. We are always accepting new patients and would be happy to discuss whether our oral appliances for sleep apnea treatment may be the right option for you.

Our dentists at Family Dental Care realize the importance of regular oral cancer screenings to protect your overall health. What does your dentist look for during a screening? Why is it so vital to receive regular oral cancer screening from your Family Dental Care dentist? Read on to learn more.

How are oral cancer screenings performed?

Oral cancer screenings take just a few minutes of your time and are a comfortable procedure. Your family dentist will fully examine your mouth for any possible signs of something they will need to further look into. They will examine the following warning signs:

• Changes in color to the tissue
• Changes in texture to the tissue
• Lumps or bumps in the tissue
• Sores that won’t heal in the tissue
• A continued hoarse voice or difficulty swallowing
• Any swelling or inflammation in your lymph nodes

These are a few warning signs of oral cancer and if you notice any of these in yourself contact our clinic right away. Your dentist will also ask you additional questions to learn of any possible nonvisual warning signs.

What are the benefits of oral cancer screening?

Early diagnosis of oral cancer can save your life and eliminate countless other issues. Early diagnosis is vital for this to happen. Our dentists recommend regular oral cancer screenings at least twice a year to ensure protection. This allows your dentist to notice the warning signs as soon as possible to begin treatment plans if needed.

For further questions or concerns regarding oral cancer screenings or your oral health, contact our dental clinic. Don’t hesitate to provide yourself with the best of care! We encourage you to schedule a dental checkup for oral cancer with our dentists at Family Dental Care today!

Do you dream of a smile like the ones you see in the movies? At Family Dental Care^TM, we are proud to offer a wide range of cosmetic dentistry services perfect for improving the appearance of your pearly whites. Whether you are interested in brightening your teeth, straightening your teeth or even concealing your teeth, we have the right treatment option for you.

Teeth Whitening

For patients that suffer from tooth discoloration and staining, our professional teeth whitening treatments can be an affordable, quick and comfortable way to brighten your smile by a few shades in just one appointment. Unlike store-bought teeth bleaching products, our professional treatment removes both interior and exterior stains, causes no tooth sensitivity and won’t irritate your gums.

Porcelain Veneers

For patients that are interested in concealing a variety of dental imperfections including tooth damage, tooth gaps, tooth misalignment and even tooth staining, our porcelain veneers can be an excellent option. Our veneers are thin shells of porcelain, which are durable, natural-looking and even stain resistant. Each veneer is bonded to the front of your tooth, completely concealing your natural smile.

Dental Bonding

Dental bonding can be an excellent cosmetic dentistry treatment option for patients interested in correcting dental imperfections quickly, comfortably and affordably. We can use dental bonding to correct gaps in teeth, alter the color or shape of your tooth and even to repair decay or damage. Our composite bonding material is designed to match your natural tooth, making it virtually unnoticeable.

Tooth Contouring & Reshaping

For patients with dental imperfections which may require some reshaping of the tooth, our tooth contouring & reshaping service can be the perfect cosmetic dentistry option. Contouring and reshaping of teeth can be used to correct a variety of imperfections such as chips, uneven teeth, pointy teeth or even minor bite problems.

Invisalign

For patients interested in correcting the spacing, positioning or alignment of their teeth and/or bite, our Invisalign treatment can be a discrete option. Unlike traditional braces, Invisalign aligners are designed to be virtually invisible, making them the perfect option for patients that want to conceal their cosmetic orthodontic treatment.

Smile Makeover

Our smile makeovers combine a variety of cosmetic dentistry procedures to re-create the appearance of your smile completely. Whether you need straighter teeth, whiter teeth or even smaller teeth, a smile makeover can completely alter the way your smile looks. Our cosmetic dentist will sit with you to discuss our ultimate smile goals and design your brand new smile.

Visit Our Cosmetic Dentist Today

Looking for a cosmetic dentist in Chicago, Calumet City, Evergreen Park, Oak Lawn or the surrounding Illinois communities? Contact Family Dental Care^TM today; we’re always happy to have new patients and look forward to helping you achieve that smile you’ve always dreamed of having.

Root canal therapy is a common procedure our dentists provide for our patients at Family Dental Care. It helps to clean out the infected part in your tooth. It helps to provide pain relief and stops the spread of infection to your surrounding teeth. But when is root canal treatment necessary and what should you expect during your treatment? Continue reading to find out more.

When is root canal treatment necessary?

Contact your Family Dental Care dentist immediately if you are experiencing any of the following symptoms:

• Severe toothache
• Pain when biting down or chewing
• Sensitivity that lingers to extreme heat or cold beverages and foods
• A significantly darker colored tooth
• Swollen or sore gums in a specific area of your mouth
• A sore on your gum

Even if you aren’t experiencing pain or sensitivity in your mouth, you may still need root canal treatment. This is one reason our dentists recommend dental cleanings and exams at least twice a year to ensure healthy canals and gums. The sooner you resolve the issue, the quicker you can get back to having a pain free smile.

What to Expect During Root Canal Therapy

Tooth canals are needed when the tooth’s pulp becomes infected. Before performing the procedure, your dentist will supply you with some form of anesthesia to avoid pain. They will make a small hole to fully clean out the pulp and detach the nerve that causes the pain. Afterward, they will apply a dental crown to restore your tooth.

Do you need root canal therapy? Contact our dentists today to set up your next consultation at our clinic and get back on the road to a healthy and pain-free smile.

Wisdom teeth extractions are among the most common dental surgeries that a dentist or oral surgeon will perform. They are often routine and can typically be accomplished without any sort of complication. A wisdom tooth extraction can typically be performed in-office in just a single visit.

Wisdom teeth often emerge later in a person’s life, and often at a strange angle that can cause future problems. Many wisdom teeth become impacted, which means that the angle that they are growing does not allow them to ever break the surface.

The Wisdom Tooth Extraction Procedure

When the patient arrives at our office, the site will be examined, and the area around the wisdom tooth will be given a local anesthetic. Many people who desire to be asleep during the procedure, or those with dental anxiety, typically elect for general anesthesia. Once the area is numb, or the patient is asleep, the gums above or around the wisdom tooth will be opened up by making a small incision. Then, the wisdom tooth will be separated from the jaw bone and removed, usually with no complications. Some patients will be given stitches at the operation site if it is necessary to keep the area from bleeding excessively.

What to Expect Afterwards

The patient will be given a gauze pad to bite down on once the procedure is done. This serves to sop up any blood that is still leaking from the operation site, and it is also to keep the patient from biting their own tongue or cheek since the area may still be numb.

The patient should apply ice every 10-15 minutes to help reduce the swelling. Typically, a painkiller is given, but if that is not enough, then moist heat can be applied to reduce some pain. The patient should also gargle with salt water every day for the first few days to help keep the site free of bacteria.

A healthy smile is the first step to a healthy body. That includes your gums and jaw bone. Your jaw bone is an essential part of keeping your gums and teeth stable and healthy. At times, people require a jaw bone graft. Bone grafting reconstructs the jaw bone and is vital for your teeth. When you have a missing tooth, it begins to recede. Read on to learn more about bone grafting and how it helps your smile.

• Bone grafting after an extraction. If you are having a tooth extracted, then your dentist at Family Dental Care™ may recommend a bone graft to fill the area where the tooth once was. This typically takes just one visit to your dentist to complete. You may need to come back the next day and again a week later so your dentist can check on the healing process.

• Bone grafting after a mild bone loss. The bone may already have been restored if your tooth has been missing for a while. In this case, your dentist may use bone in another area of your mouth to rebuild the area. Your body will readily accept it as it is your own bone. You may need to take antibiotics to fight off infections. This circumstance has longer healing time.

• Bone grafting after an extensive bone loss. Similar to a mild bone loss, when a tooth has been missing for an even longer time you will require a larger bone graft. The healing time depends on how much bone grafting is needed.

Nearby Bone Grafting

There are many benefits to bone grafting. The grafting procedure takes about a half-hour and is a common way to achieve a healthier smile. Talk to your dentist at Family Dental Care™ to see if bone grafting is needed for you.