General Dentistry & Preventive Care

General Dentistry

Prevention is the key to great dental hygiene. Our staff at Advanced Dental Technology of Ithaca II PLLC makes it their priority to ensure you receive the highest quality dental care available. Treatment starts in a warm, caring, and patient-friendly environment, where Dr. Zax will use her 30+ years of experience to help you achieve and maintain your gorgeous smile. We will also discuss the variety of treatment options, including cosmetic and dental implants, that may be possible for any dental conditions that may surface after an exam and cleaning. Dr. Zax is meticulous in her care and will do everything possible to ensure that your restorations are both beautiful and comfortable.

We will provide you with a detailed diagnosis and comprehensive treatment plan usually staged for immediate care followed by further treatment that can be timed to meet your needs as well as a preventive discussion about how home care, diet and regular dental visits all work together to keep your smile healthy and beautiful.

Dental Exams | Dental Cleanings | Veneers Bridges | Crowns | Non-Surgical Gum Care

PREVENTIVE DENTISTRY

Preventive Dentistry

As human beings, we are prone to tooth decay, gum disease, and even oral cancer. What can we do to minimize our chances of getting these problems?

1. Brush twice a day using a soft, or even better, an electric toothbrush. With an electric toothbrush, just move it gently along the surfaces of the teeth—do not scrub; it does all the work for you.

2. Floss between your teeth and gently in the gumline area every night before bed.

3. Don’t use tobacco products, and don’t drink alcohol excessively. Both of these can lead to oral cancer, and heavy use of alcohol and tobacco increases your chances of getting oral cancer exponentially (that’s a lot).

4. Seek regular dental care at least every six months. That means having your teeth cleaned, having routine dental x-rays taken, and having the dentist check your teeth, gums and other soft tissues of the mouth for cavities, gum disease, and oral cancer screening. If you or a close family member are especially prone to any of these conditions, you may need to have your check-up frequency increased to every three months. Remember, prevention is always better than treating the breakdown associated with disease.

5. Pay attention to your diet. Limit the amounts and frequency of starchy and sugary snacks.

We all eat starches and sugars, and so we are all going to have some acid forming in our mouths, which causes tooth decay. In fact, our mouths are rather like test tubes; there is always going to be some tooth mineral dissolving, but there is also repair, remineralization occurring.

The secret is to have more remineralization and less demineralization!

Dental Exams | Dental Cleanings | Veneers Bridges | Crowns | Non-Surgical Gum Care

WHY FLOSS?

Flossing is critical to remove the plaque that we all get in our mouths, both to prevent cavities and maintain health of the gingiva (gums) and bone supporting the roots of our teeth. As we eat, the bacteria we all have digest the starches and sugars to form acids. Acids dissolve tooth structure. The outer tooth layer is enamel and it is extremely hard, but the inner layer is made up of dentin which is much weaker. Notice in this photo that the edge of the tooth appears chalky but not brown. Chalky enamel is porous due to mineral loss but actual decay begins when the porosity allows the acid to reach the inner dentin layer. Notice how the outer edge is chalky and suddenly at the dentin layer the brown “mushrooms” out. Fortunately we found this area of decay before the dentin became too extensive.

EROSION

This patient had damage due to soda sipping. Note the extreme erosion of the chewing surfaces of the teeth. Dental erosion happens when acids—like those in soda—gradually wear away the tooth’s protective enamel. This can lead to eroded chewing surfaces, tooth sensitivity, and weakened bite strength over time.

In this case, the teeth were restored with composite resin material, bringing back both their function and natural appearance. The patient also quit her soda sipping habit, which is key to preventing future damage.

ABFRACTIONS

They often appear as small wedge-shaped notches near the gumline and can cause sensitivity or discomfort. Causes like clenching, grinding teeth, and a diet with lots of very hard foods (whole almonds, granola, etc.) are believed to be responsible for abfractions.

The good news is they can easily be restored with cosmetic tooth-colored resin material, which blends seamlessly with your natural tooth and helps protect against further wear and possible need for root canal treatment if they become very advanced. For patients who clench and grind their teeth they may need an appliance to prevent this habit.

DENTURES

If you have suffered with soft teeth very prone to decay and loss of bone supporting the teeth, you may need to have removable dentures. They can be made to look attractive and restore your chewing function. There is usually an adjustment period as you learn to eat and even speak clearly with dentures in place.

Conventional Dentures

These are made once all the teeth have been extracted and the mouth has completely healed, following the extractions.

Immediate Dentures

These are fabricated as temporary dentures to be placed in the mouth immediately after the teeth have been extracted. In this manner, the patient does not have to go without teeth for any length of time. Once the tissues heal following extractions, most patients will need either a relining or a definitive denture to replace the bulk oral tissues which have remodeled following the loss of teeth.

Preventative Planning

Deep Vertical Bite

A deep vertical bite (often called a deep bite) occurs when the upper front teeth overlap the lower front teeth too far. Over time, this can lead to severe wear on the lower front teeth.

Early evaluation can help prevent this damage. We recommend considering an orthodontic consultation in the teenage years, once the 12-year molars have erupted. Addressing a deep bite early can help prevent excessive wear and protect your smile long-term.

Do you recognize this bite pattern? If so, it’s a good reason to schedule an orthodontic consultation as soon as the 12-year molars have erupted.