Dental Health

Tooth Replacement For The 21st Century

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Categories: Dental Health, dental implants, dentures

Boulder County tooth implant supported dentures

Not everything was better back in the “good old days.” Take dentures, for instance. Dentures have been around for generations and have certainly improved the lives of thousands of people. But they don’t compare favorably to modern implant dentures, like those available from Boulder County Smiles in Lafayette.

Traditional dentures can impede many critical oral functions: chewing, tasting, swallowing, talking, and smiling. You may know people who have stopped attending social activities because they are embarrassed by dentures that are far from inconspicuous.

As you may know, a dental implant is a titanium post that is placed in the jaw, where it fuses with the bone. Multiple posts, usually four, can support a set of dentures.

In most cases, implant-supported dentures are made for the patient’s lower jaw. That’s because lower dentures tend to be the most problematic; the uppers are more stable and don’t need the extra support that implants provide.

That said, implant-supported dentures can be made for the upper and lower.

Implant-supported dentures have a number of advantages over traditional dentures:

  • More stable. Because they are attached to titanium posts that have fused with the jaw, people have much greater biting and chewing power.
  • Natural in appearance. They look more like natural teeth, and are easier to care for.
  • Built to last. Because they are physically attached to the jaw, implants are long-lasting.
  • Prevents bone recession. With traditional dentures, the bone around missing tooth roots begin to deteriorate. The titanium posts replace some of the tooth rootes, so the bone is preserved.

Implant-supported dentures can transform your life, and they are among the procedures available at Boulder County Smiles. We also offer general and family dentistry. Call our office to schedule an appointment today.

Contact Boulder County Smiles:

720-862-3630

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

1140 W South Boulder Rd Ste 201
Lafayette, Colorado
80026

 

ArticleID 6958

Foaming At The Mouth: Are You Brushing Right?

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Categories: Dental Health, general dentistry

Lafayette affordable family dentist

In this post from Boulder County Smiles in Lafayette, we review some details about brushing your teeth. It bears repeating that brushing and flossing are the best ways to maintain good dental health.

One key to activating the value of toothpastes is creating foam when thoroughly brushing.

Working up a good foam is achieved by pre-wetting the toothbrush, then attacking at a 45 rather than 90 degree angle. The foaming assists in dislodging food debris from nooks and crannies in the mouth. Go ahead and swish it around at the completion of brushing to pick up any stragglers. The abrasives in toothpaste are designed to polish the teeth without damaging the enamel.

Because of the abrasives, soft toothbrushes are best for proper brushing. Harder bristles can put the enamel and gum line at risk. When the gum line recedes from aggressive brushing (or any other cause) a patient may see tooth pain, increased build-up and decay, tooth structure weakening, and in acute cases, tooth loss.

The fluoride in the toothpaste promotes remineralization when the paste has been rubbed around on all surfaces of all teeth in the entire mouth. This takes time so make certain you brush for at least 2-3 minutes.

Furthermore, remember that flossing is vital and rounds out the 5 minutes each day to give you healthy, pain-free chewing for years and years to come.

At Boulder County Smiles in Lafayette CO, we want all our patients to brush and floss twice a day, and see us for a checkup twice a year. Our services include general and family dentistry, and restorative dentistry. Schedule your next checkup today!

Contact Boulder County Smiles:

720-862-3630

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

1140 W South Boulder Rd Ste 201
Lafayette, Colorado
80026

 

ArticleID 6935

6 Good Reasons To Visit Your Dentist More Often

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Categories: Dental Health, Family dentistry, general dentistry, General health

6 Good Reasons To Visit Your Dentist More Often

Most people visit the dentist about once each year. As many as forty percent of Americans see their dentist less often. Some go as long as five years between visits. At Boulder County Smiles in Lafayette CO, we recommend a checkup every six months.

Here are six great reasons to visit us more frequently.

1. Oral Cancer Detection

That’s right: cancer detection. Not many people think about the risk of getting cancer in their mouth or throat. Patients with oral cancer have a far better prognosis when it’s detected early. Note that tobacco users have a substantially higher risk of developing oral cancer.

2. Cavity Damage

Unfortunately, almost everyone gets cavities. If cavities are caught when they are small, they aren’t difficult (or pricey) to fix.

The problem comes when they aren’t discovered early and the damage requires a serious fix. Cavities are one of the reasons many people avoid the dentist. Getting a tooth filled used to be painful. Not anymore.

3. Gum Disease, Gingivitis, or Periodontitis

Gum health is a part of an overall dental health. We will check your gums and treat gum disease, if need be.

4. Bad Habits

Bad habits can have a negative influence on your oral health. Smoking, poor diet, biting nails and clenching teeth are among the more common. It helps to have an experienced professional to help you deal with habits so they don’t become destructive.

5. Deeper Problems

X-ray technology allows us to detect potential problems before they become visible. Many issues can be fixed before damage occurs.

6. More Than Just Teeth

We are concerned about more than your teeth. We care about your overall physical health, and are trained in the anatomy around your mouth, including your neck, throat, lymph nodes and head. We always check for signs of trouble.

But we never lose sight of your dental health; at Boulder County Smiles in Lafayette CO, that’s what it’s all about. We offer general and family dentistry, and a full range of restorative procedures. Schedule your next checkup with us today!

Contact Boulder County Smiles:

720-862-3630

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

1140 W South Boulder Rd Ste 201
Lafayette, Colorado
80026

 

ArticleID 7785

How Often Should I Replace My Toothbrush?

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Categories: Dental Health, Family dentistry, general dentistry

How Often Should I Replace My Toothbrush?

Have you replaced your toothbrush lately? You don’t have to answer that. At Boulder county Smiles in Lafayette CO, we recommend replacing your toothbrush every three months. Too many people wait too long to get a new toothbrush, which can be bad for their dental health. It’s one of the reasons why most dentists hand out free ones at every checkup.

Of course, you don’t need to mark your calendar or set up a reminder on your smartphone. How often you replace your toothbrush depends on how often you use it. We recommend, strongly, that you brush at least twice a day. If you’re brushing twice a day, picking up a new toothbrush at the store every three months is recommended.

Why Replace It So Often?

A toothbrush can become familiar, like a comfy pair of shoes. Sometimes the idea of tossing out the old one and replacing it isn’t very appealing. But after three months, the bristles are going to be bent and frayed. There may be some gunk – dried toothpaste foam – starting to build up, too. So toss that old brush, and get a fresh one!

What kind of brush should you be using? There are so many choices. The most important thing is to choose a brush with soft bristles. They are gentle on the gums, but still effective in brushing away plaque.

Manual or Electric?

Should you use a manual toothbrush, or go electric? This boils down to personal preference. Provided you use them correctly, both do a good job cleaning your teeth. A manual toothbrush may take a little longer, and requires you to be sure to brush up and down and in little circles. But they’re a lot cheaper! At the end of the day, though, the choice is yours.

Electric toothbrushes are a tremendous benefit to those with issues like arthritis. There are two basic types: a regular electric toothbrush, and a sonic toothbrush. A sonic toothbrush is essentially a super-charged electric brush. They can give you up to thirty thousand brush strokes per minute!

To recap: for good dental health, the important thing is to change your toothbrush every three months. At Boulder County Smiles in Lafayette, we offer a full complement of general and family dentistry, as well as restorative dentistry and many other services. Schedule your next checkup with us today!

Contact Boulder County Smiles:

720-862-3630

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

1140 W South Boulder Rd Ste 201
Lafayette, Colorado
80026

 

ArticleID 7776

Why You Should Take Snoring Seriously

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Categories: Dental Health, Sleep apnea, Snoring

Snoring isn’t just an annoyance. It can have major health consequences. At Boulder County Smiles in Lafayette CO, we can treat sleep problems like snoring.

What is Snoring?

Snoring is caused by an an airway obstruction in the throat or nasal cavity. The obstruction can be caused by:

  • Poor muscle tone in the throat and tongue—when muscles relax they can collapse onto the airway. Alcohol use and sleeping pills can make this more likely
  • Thick throat tissue—Excess weight can be a contributing factor
  • Swollen tonsils and adenoids—Most common in children
  • Long uvula or soft palate
  • Nasal congestion
  • Deviated septum

People who snore may have a condition called sleep apnea—a serious health condition in which your breathing stops as you sleep. This can occur over and over through the night.

If your snoring keeps your bed partner from sleeping, his or her health is also impacted. Failure to get enough restorative slumber contributes to a host of physical and mental conditions.

Most of us have experienced difficulty concentrating when we haven’t had enough sleep. Did you know that can limit a person’s motor function and reaction time as seriously as intoxication?

Relief Is Here

So why is a message about snoring and sleep deprivation in a dental blog? We understand the connection between oral health and the rest of the body. At every checkup, we not only check your teeth and gums, we examine your glands, tongue, and throat for signs of oral cancer or other illnesses or disorders.

Whether it’s snoring or apnea, sleep problems can have a serious, negative impact on your life. At Boulder County Smiles in Lafayette CO we treat sleep apnea. Other services include dental implants. Schedule an appointment with us today.

Contact Boulder County Smiles:

720-862-3630

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

1140 W South Boulder Rd Ste 201
Lafayette, Colorado
80026

 

ArticleID 7731

Replace Old Silver Fillings

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Categories: Dental Health, general dentistry

white fillings Lafayette

Filling cavities with a resin composite material is increasingly popular in dentistry. They are commonly called “white fillings,” and they’re what we use at Boulder County Smiles in Lafayette CO.

One of the things that makes composite fillings so attractive is the color. They easily blend in with the color of your teeth, making them all but invisible. For that reason, we get requests to replace old silver fillings with composite.

Traditional silver fillings have been used in dentistry for more than 150 years. Often called amalgam fillings, they are made from a mix of different metals.

More and more people are concerned about the safety of those old-style silver fillings. And make no mistake, they still have the approval of the American Dental Association, the Food and Drug Administration, and the World Health Organization.

Yet many patients are concerned that in addition to silver, copper and tin, silver fillings contain mercury, a known toxin. They release low levels of mercury in the form of a vapor that can be absorbed by the body.

The FDA has reviewed the best scientific evidence and concluded that dental amalgam fillings are safe. Clinical studies have not established any links between silver fillings and health issues.

But at Boulder County Smiles, we would rather be safe than sorry. And besides, white fillings look so much better! We use them exclusively, so there are no safety concerns whatsoever. We offer general and family dentistry, and special services like dental implants. Schedule an appointment with us today.

Contact Boulder County Smiles:

720-862-3630

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

1140 W South Boulder Rd Ste 201
Lafayette, Colorado
80026

 

ArticleID 7296

Trust Us For Accurate Dental Info

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Categories: Dental Health, general dentistry

Lafayette family dentistry

In the Internet age, our patients at Boulder County Smiles in Lafayetete CO are better-informed than ever before. There are tons of information about dental health and treatment online.

We think this  is a good thing. Proactive self-education can be beneficial for you and your family, especially if it aids in living a healthy lifestyle. But we caution you not to count on online dental information exclusively. Always ask us to confirm or refute what you’ve read about.

Misconceptions about medical treatment in general, and dentistry in particular, began circulating long before the Internet emerged. But it has greatly accelerated the speed and distance it can travel.

Some of the most prevalent dental myths are focused on the safety of x-rays, the risk of root canals, and the facts about fluoride. Sometimes patients delay or avoid needed dental treatment because of something they read online. We encourage our patients to discuss all areas of concern with us.

At Boulder County Smiles in Lafayette, we are committed to keeping the smiles of our patients healthy and beautiful for life. We offer a full range of general and family dentistry services, and treat issues like sleep apnea. Call us to schedule an appointment today.

Contact Boulder County Smiles:

720-862-3630

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

1140 W South Boulder Rd Ste 201
Lafayette, Colorado
80026

 

ArticleID 7144

The Value of Dental Health

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Categories: Dental Health, general dentistry

At Boulder County Smiles in Lafayette, the dental health of each of our patients is important. Too often dental health is not taken seriously enough, even by people who should know better. In this post, we are going to review some of the most important reasons for taking good care of your teeth and gums.

First, let’s get to the most obvious ones. A healthy mouth helps to prevent:

  • Tooth decay
  • Gum disease
  • Bad breath

Those are three pretty good reasons. But there are other really good reasons why you should make brushing and flossing your teeth a practice you wouldn’t dream of skipping.

Poor dental hygiene may put you at greater risk of the following:

  • Heart attack
  • Stroke
  • Diabetes

You may wonder: why does my mouth have so much to do with my overall health? If the eyes are the windows to the soul, the mouth is a window to the rest of your body.

An examination of the mouth, and saliva in particular, can reveal the presence of systemic conditions such as AIDS and diabetes. Incredible as it may seem, more than ninety percent of systemic diseases reveal themselves in the mouth. Saliva testing can also reveal the presence of environmental toxins that indicate hepatitis and other serious illnesses.

Brushing and flossing may not help you ward off systemic conditions, but they can be detected by a dental exam.

We’ll wrap up this post with a predictable reminder: never go to bed without brushing and flossing your teeth first. Remember to brush for at least two minutes and to thoroughly brush the inside and outside of your teeth. And don’t forget your tongue!

At Boulder County Smiles in Lafayette, we want all our patients to have happy mouths – in other words, good dental health. Services include general and family dentistry, and restorative dentistry. Schedule your next checkup with us today.

Contact Boulder County Smiles:

720-862-3630

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

1140 W South Boulder Rd Ste 201
Lafayette, Colorado
80026

Dental Confidence Or Caution

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Categories: Dental Health, general dentistry

Broomfield cosmetic dental and tooth implants

Whether you are one of those who goes willingly to the dentist or are hesitant about getting work done, the team at Boulder County Smiles in Lafayette CO wants you to make and keep regular appointments for cleanings and checkups.

Regular dental appointments are important because they help keep your teeth and gums healthy. For most patients, we recommend a visit to our office every six months. We occasionally need to see a patient more often.

Appointments, Parts 1 & 2

There are two parts to a typical dental appointment: a cleaning and a checkup.

  • During a cleaning, one of our dental hygienists inspects your teeth and gums, and uses special tools to remove any plaque and tartar that have built up. It also includes polishing your teeth, which removes any surface stains. The last step is flossing.
  • During a checkup, the dentist checks your overall dental health. If there are any issues, like a cavity or signs of gum disease, we’ll usually schedule a follow-up appointment. It will be planned for your convenience, of course, but sooner is better.

What you do between your six-month visits is really important. Plaque is contantly forming on the teeth, so we recommend – and we cannot say it strongly enough! – that you brush and floss your teeth every day. Ideally, you’ll do it twice.

You have a lot of toothpaste choices. The flavor is up to you, but be sure to choose one with fluoride.

By seeing us twice a year, and maintaining a good dental health regimen at home, you can have confidence that your teeth and gums are in great shape. At Boulder County Smiles in Lafayette CO, our services include general and family dentistry. We also treat issues like sleep apnea. If you haven’t already, schedule your next appointment today!

Contact Boulder County Smiles:

720-862-3630

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

1140 W South Boulder Rd Ste 201
Lafayette, Colorado
80026

 

ArticleID 5517

Titanium: The Bone-Loving Metal

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Categories: Dental Health, dental implants, dentures

The key to a successful dental implant is osseointegration: the fusing of the implant with the patient’s jawbone. At Boulder County Smiles in Lafayette CO, we have performed many dental implants, and are proud that they have a success rate greater than ninety percent.

Some patients think of dental implants as replacement teeth. But strictly speaking, a dental implant is a titanium post that is inserted into the jaw, where it replaces the missing tooth root. One or more of these posts can support an artificial crown, bridgework, or even a set of dentures.

The entire procedure hinges on the implant attaching to the bone. And this is the real beauty of it: dental implants are made from titanium, a strong but light metal with a unique ability to fuse, or join, with the bone. There’s actually a word for this: osteophilic, which means “bone loving.” This unique property has made titanium the material of choice in dental implants.

Dental implants have a remarkably high success rate: over ninety percent. The biggest threat to an implant is infection. That makes it critical to keep a dental implant clean – as important as with natural teeth. Plaque collects on and around implant crowns the same way it does on teeth, so it is up to the patient to remove it every day. And that, of course, means brushing and flossing.

Like all technology, dental implants are constantly advancing. In the near future, dental implants are expected to have features that eliminate bacteria. That could mean an even higher success rate.

But it all begins with the titanium post, and osseointegration. At Boulder County Smiles in Lafayette CO we offer dental implants. We also offer general and family dentistry. Schedule an appointment with us today.

Contact Boulder County Smiles:

720-862-3630

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

1140 W South Boulder Rd Ste 201
Lafayette, Colorado
80026