What are the Benefits of Dental Botox?

Botox is now used in dentistry practices. A growing number of dentists are showing an interest in adding dental Botox services to their practice. Because new and improved dental options are always being researched, dentists are incorporating alternative dental technologies to their list of to offer the best and latest to their patients.

What exactly is Botox?

One of the more popular reasons why a dentist would want to use botox in Dallas, TX is because it can act as a relaxing tool for facial muscles. When someone is experiencing a lot of facial pain often times a dentist is able to use Botox to relax the surrounding muscles, which is able to offer varying degrees of relief for the patient. It is often used for dental patients who have been diagnosed with bruxism or TMJ. These dental issues cause facial muscles to tighten often, causing sufferers quite a bit of discomfort and sometimes pain. Botox can often solve these issues by relaxing the muscles, helping to alleviate any discomfort and/or pain felt.

Botox can also be used to:

  • To help teeth from becoming too crowded
  • Improve the overall look of the gum line
  • Allow denture wearers to be more comfortable
  • Prevent people from grinding their teeth
  • Prevent people from clenching their teeth
  • Alleviate migraine headaches

Why dentists offer Botox treatments?

The reason why a number of highly skilled dentists are now choosing to offer their patients these specialized treatments is because they like to offer their patients choices when it comes to their dental treatment options. As we begin to see more proof that Botox is indeed helping so many dental patients with a variety of dental issues, its use is becoming more accepted each and every day. What potential users need to understand is that this particular dental treatment is only able to offer a temporary solution. While it is indeed better than no solution, patients will need to receive regular treatments in order to keep receiving the benefits

If you are someone who is interested in finding out whether or not Botox is indeed an option for you, contact us today and we our team at Village Family Dental will be happy to assist you. We truly believe it is important for all dental professionals to always be aware of any and all upcoming dental treatments that can help their patients in order to be able to offer them the best dental services possible. If you are looking for the best dentist for Botox in Dallas, TX; schedule an appointment with us today!

4 Things You Must Know Before Getting Dental Sealants For Your Child

Dental sealants are protective coatings that are applied on the chewing surfaces of newly erupted permanent teeth in your infant. How do you think you would ask us to put sealants on your child’s teeth? You need your reasoning, right? Below are four significant reasons why they are one of the best things you can do to keep your child’s oral health going:

Dental sealants prevent cavities from forming in small grooves on the teeth surface

Sure, these areas can be brushed but do you know that not one toothbrush bristle can ever penetrate a typical groove and clean acidic bacteria? Your child can effectively brush their teeth by sealing it off, and avoid cavities from targeting areas that are impossible to reach for the tooth brush.

These are among the most successful and preventive dental procedures available to children

In addition to using fluoride, teeth sealants may significantly reduce the likelihood that your child can develop cavities in very common areas. Most kids develop cavities in the grooves and pits of these back teeth and a sealant will prevent that perfectly.

Sealants are inexpensive

Some insurance providers will cover dental sealants before your child is 14. However, even if the policy is not going to cover it for any reason, the expense is typically less than most of the other dental procedures that your child will go through.

Sealants are simple and feel natural

Placing a tooth sealant is a very simple process , which requires no injections or drilling. The tooth is easily conditioned and rubbed to apply the sealant material, then healed with an ultraviolet light. The technique is so relaxed that your child will not even know the difference when applying a sealant or while brushing his or her teeth.

It doesn’t take long at all to get sealants put at Village Family Dental. It actually takes only about 5 minutes per tooth to complete. These may be put at a quick sealant appointment or at your child’s regular preventive care appointment. Village Family Dental and the ADA suggest putting sealants on the first and second set of molars in your infant, which are the permanent molars that erupt around 6 and 12 years old. Therefore, to get the best dentist for dental sealants in Duncanville TX for your kid, click here.

10 Facts About Your Teeth You Didn’t Know

Teeth are amazing! Without teeth, we wouldn’t be able to eat, speak, sing and smile properly. But most people don’t know much about the teeth. There is a lot more to teeth than meets the eye. If you give careful thought to your teeth and understand what they are meant for, you will be able to take proper care of your teeth and keep them strong and healthy. Here are ten fascinating facts about your teeth that you didn’t know:

1. The tooth enamel is the hardest substance in the body

Your teeth may be just bones, but they are the hardest substance in your body. They have to be strong so you can chew food and begin the process of digestion. The tooth enamel which is the outermost layer of the tooth is made of phosphate and calcium along with proteins that make it stronger. It is because of this strong enamel that our teeth don’t break. This is why it is necessary to brush regularly and protect the enamel.

2. Teeth are unique like fingerprints

Did you know that your teeth could be used to identify you? The cavities, size, shape and positions of your teeth are unique. Every person has a different bite. This is why you should never compare your smile to anyone else. Your teeth are unique and special.

3. Your teeth cannot heal themselves

Your teeth are the only part of your body that cannot heal themselves. Unlike your skin or hair that regrow, your teeth do not have the ability to heal injuries. This is why you need to make sure that your teeth are not affected in any way.

4. Your teeth are partly hidden beneath the surface

There is a reason why it is important to keep your gums healthy. About one-third of the teeth are actually hidden beneath the gums, supporting your teeth so they remain sturdy. This is why it is essential to ensure that your gums are always firm and pink in color.

5. You already have teeth when you are born

Babies start their life with a gummy smile. But this does not mean that they do not have teeth. Babies already have teeth beneath the surface of their gums. These eventually break through and become visible during teething.

6. Humans get only two set of teeth

Sharks and several other animals shed and re-grow their teeth at least once every year. But humans get only two sets of teeth. The first one is milk teeth that grow in babies and fall out throughout childhood. The other set in the adult or permanent teeth that last throughout life. Wisdom teeth are also considered to be a part of the adult teeth.

7. Humans have four distinct types of teeth

Carnivores and herbivores have just one or two different types of teeth. On the other hand, humans are omnivores and have evolves to have four kinds of teeth to fully grind and chew food before it exits the mouth and goes to the stomach. The four different types of teeth include – canines, molars, premolars and incisors. All these have different roles attributed such as tearing food, grinding food, mashing and cutting. Without these, you will not be able to eat the different types of food you enjoy.

8. You will spend about a month brushing through your life

If you add the time you spend brushing throughout your life, it will amount to something about 38 days! While this may seem like a lot in the beginning, it is definitely worth it to keep your teeth strong and healthy. Only then will you be able to avoid complex treatments and maintain a beautiful smile lifelong.

9. Your teeth have a layer called the dentin below the enamel

Below the teeth enamel, there is a layer called dentin. This continues to grow throughout your life. It constitutes microscopic tunnels that pass signals and tunnels to all parts of your tooth. This layer of your tooth is also strong, but weaker as compared to the enamel.

10. Your mouth can have upto 300 species of bacteria

Plaque accumulates naturally in your teeth when you don’t brush properly. This plaque can have about 300 species of bacteria. Some of these feed on sugar from your food and release acids that can harm your teeth and enamel. If the plaque continues to accumulate, your nerves may get infected necessitating root canal treatment in Dallas TX.

Your teeth are an important part of your body that you need to take proper care of. Keeping your teeth clean and healthy is important to ensure you have a healthy and beautiful smile. A dentist near you in Duncanville TX can help you maintain good oral health.

4 Ways Sedation Dentistry Can Improve Your Next Dental Visit

Dental anxiety is a common phenomenon. When it comes to going to the dentist, even the most grown-up adults can shake a little just at the thought of it! But does that fear make any sense? With the advent of sedation dentistry, people all across the world have been able to undergo painless dental treatments that have significantly got rid of their dental anxiety and trauma.

There are amazing benefits that sedation dentistry comes along with, which make going to the dentist no big deal at all. To give you further insights into it, here are 4 amazing ways in which sedation dentistry can improve your next visit to the dentist.

1.  Painless dental treatment

Does a “painless dental treatment” sound like something straight out of a storybook? Sedation dentistry makes that a reality! With sedation dentistry, most dental treatments feel completely painless.

Sedation can relax you to a point where you’d not be bothered by any dental object touching your mouth. It is because of this fact that you feel so relaxed at the dentist’s chair that you feel like sleeping, while still being alert enough to respond to the dentist’s instructions.

2. Trauma prevention

Sedation dentistry can significantly prevent any sort of traumatic experience at the dentist’s clinic, which is essential for future visits. Since you sustain no trauma at all, there’s no reason why you’d dread going to the dentist next time. In the long run, this will largely keep your oral health in shape.

3. Quicker treatment

Sedation dentistry relaxes you to a point where you don’t resist a dental treatment with your gag reflex. This helps the dentist to work on your treatment much faster, making longer procedures shorter and better.

4. Best suited for patients with special needs

Patients with special needs need to stay on top of their healthcare and oral health is one of the most important aspects of it. It takes a lot of caution to treat a patient with special needs and sedation dentistry helps achieve just that! Without sedation dentistry, treating patients with special needs would call for all sorts of trouble in treatment.

However, did you know that not every dentist is authorized to provide sedation? To help you find one that does provide sedation, you can find the best sedation dentist near you in Dallas TX by clicking here!

What Are The Types Of Dental Implants You Can Consider?

Have you lost a tooth? Are you set to undergo tooth extraction? How long do you plan on staying toothless? Dental implants provide a nearly permanent alternative to one or more missing teeth. They have a 98% success rate and millions of Americans have them. So if you have a missing tooth, why wouldn’t you get one?

If you think they’re not worth the cost, read the 4 invaluable benefits of dental implants to change your mind!

That’s not all! There are certain types of dental implants to suit your needs. What are they?

Based on surgical technique 

Based on the surgical technique used for the implant, dental implants could be divided into parts: endosteal and subperiosteal.

  • Endosteal dental implants are the most common way of implanting a root and a crown into your jawbone. Those who get endosteal implants have enough jawbone to support a tooth above it. Your jawbone is responsible for supporting the teeth over it.

When you lose a tooth, the jawbone beneath starts to recede. The more teeth you lose, the quicker the jawbone recedes. However, when you have enough jawbone underneath to support an implant, you get an endosteal implant, in which the root is planted into the jawbone and a crown is fitted on top of it.

  • Subperiosteal implants are the implants that you get when you do not have enough jawbone underneath to support an implant over it. This usually happens when you have been missing a tooth for too long.

A metal framework is inserted underneath your gum line that works as the jawbone. The root of the implant is attached to this metal framework and a crown is placed on top of the root. As you would guess, this is more invasive than endosteal implants.

Based on material 

Based on the material used in the implant, dental implants could be either made of titanium or zirconia.

Titanium dental implants are the most common and have been in the business for a long time! Titanium implants come with a root and a separate crown to be placed over it, thereby giving the dentist enough control over the surgical procedure in terms of adjusting and aligning the implant. They are immensely strong since they are made of titanium and are known to last for decades. However, some patients are allergic to metal and thus, opt for zirconia implants.

Zirconia implants are ceramic. This is why they are more aesthetic than titanium implants. The white color on top of the ceramic surface perfectly resembles your natural teeth. They are a little bit more expensive than titanium implants and are not as strong as them either. Furthermore, they come in only one piece, making it difficult for the dentist to align them perfectly.

So if you’re wondering which one would be better, titanium implants would always win the battle! Do you have different views? Are you considering dental implants but don’t know which one to choose? Perhaps, you should book a dental consultation, now!

8 Tips to Recover from Wisdom Teeth Removal

A wisdom tooth removal could take a serious toll on your physical fitness. Post-surgery, it is highly advised by dentists that you live in a very meticulous manner. Any disturbance near the surgical may not only make the excruciating pain worse but might even lead to further complexities. To guide you comprehensively through this recovery phase, here are the 8 tips that you must adhere to.

1. Keep your diet under control

It might be very tempting to get back to your normal diet after the first week from the surgery, when the pain gradually starts to subside. However, do not jump straight into your regular diet. It is advised that you rely highly on liquids for the first week. When the pain is lower at the start of the second week, you may try out puddings, ice creams, and even yogurt. Stay away from meat at any cost! For a complete guide on the diet that you may follow, you may go through the 24 food recipes from BuzzFeed that would help you during a wisdom tooth removal recovery!

2. Take enough rest

Even your dentist would warn you against being involved in any form of heavy physical activity. Ideally, you must give yourself 3-5 days before you can get back to your regular physical activities. Until then, take enough time to rest your head, elevated by pillows!

3. Use saltwater and tea-bags

There would be a lot of pain and swelling following in the few days post the surgery. To tackle this, create a mouth rinse made of a cup of warm water and two teaspoons of salt. Use this rinse after every meal or drink, to keep the swelling and pain away. You may also encounter unusual bleeding. Apply tea-bags to the area. Tea leaves are known to soothe pain and also help in clotting.

4. Get over that stiffness

It is very common to feel a stiff mouth, post the surgery. Do not hesitate in trying to slowly open up your mouth at times. Make sure you don’t open it up too wide, though! The idea is to get over the stiffness in a gradual manner so that the stiffness does not last longer than it should.

5. Don’t blow your nose

This tip might not seem to be too useful at first, but it is a lifesaver! The pressure you create when you blow your nose is enough to dislodge the clot near the surgery area. This can create far too many complications, profuse bleeding being one of them. As a matter of fact, try and hold in sneezes too, if possible.

6. Take prescribed medications

Some medicines like Oxycodone and Vicodin are likely to be prescribed to you by your dentist himself. In case of intolerable pain, always consult your dentist before taking over-the-counter medications. You never know the side effects and if any of those would worsen your condition. Also, remember never to overdose on any medication, regardless of the circumstance.

7. Avoid smoke and alcohol

An article published by Colgate on its official website says:

If you are taking a strong narcotic pain medication, you’ll be asked not to drive or operate machinery and to avoid alcoholic beverages.

Smoking is dangerous at this stage too. The tar contained in the smoke may infect the healing area in the mouth.

8. Keep your mouth clean

Despite every bit of caution, do keep healthy oral hygiene. Rinse your mouth gently, brush gently, and after the first week, you may even start to floss gently (avoiding the surgical area). Do not let the bacteria settle in your mouth, which elongates the healing process.

Don’t worry! It is not as tough as it may look at first. Once the pain subsides in the first few days from the surgery, it would become much easier to follow these tips. All you need to do is to do things gently and carefully under the guidance of a professional dentist near you who is expert in wisdom tooth extraction procedure. That doesn’t hurt much!

Are Cavities Contagious? Can You Catch A Cavity Like A Flu?

You can definitely catch a flu. But,

Can you ever catch a cavity?

Yes!

Children are most prone to catching cavities, primarily from the babysitter or from the mother. Additionally, adults, mainly couples are also prone to catching cavities.

So, in this post we will learn about:

  1. The main culprit – “Streptococcus mutans” responsible for the spreading of cavities
  2. How these bacteria spread from a person to another?
  3. Study on the “Factors influencing oral colonization of mutans streptococci among children
  4. How to prevent the transferring of bacteria from an adult to a child?
  5. As a parent what you must know?
  6. Preventive measures for adults to avoid the spreading of cavities and gum diseases
  7. How can a dentist help?

Contagious Tooth Cavities: The Real Culprits Are Bacteria, Called Streptococcus mutans

Research shows, bacteria that cause cavities can transmit from a person to another. Sugar, candies, and sweets are usually blamed for rotten teeth, but the real culprits are bacteria, called Streptococcus mutans, which are contagious. Just the way a cold virus can pass on from a person to another, cavity-causing bacteria can also move from one to another. They feed on food particles left in your mouth, and the acid they produce eats away teeth. The bacteria/bugs travel easily from person to person.

How It Spreads From A Person To Another?

These bacteria can spread from mouth to mouth via shared food and utensils, sneezing, kissing, and more. Studies has also shown many patients, who have clean, healthy mouths, discover a couple of cavities after entering into a relationship with a partner who has cavities, gum disease or hasn’t been to the dentist in many years.

Food For Thought: As an adult, you’re less susceptible to bacteria spread than children because they haven’t built up immunity yet.

Research On The Spreading Of Streptococcus mutans

A 2007 study found that cavity-causing bacteria was found in the mouths of 30% of 3-month-old babies, 60 percent of 6-month-olds, and more than 80% of 24-month-olds with primary teeth. Most common way bacteria is transferred to infants and children is mom putting the pacifier in their mouth when they want to “clean” it and then put it in their child’s mouth. Another very common way is by tasting the food themselves to make sure it’s not hot before feeding their child, or using the same spoon that mom ate from. This could also be the babysitter or any other person that is taking care of your baby.

Read More: Key factors involved in oral colonization of the cariogenic group of bacteria, mutans streptococci (MS)

How To Prevent Transferring Bacteria From Adult To Child

  1. No sharing food or utensils.
  2. Do not kiss your baby/child on the lips if you have cavities.
  3. Clean your baby’s gums with a wet gauze.
  4. Avoid giving kids sugary juices, especially at bed time.
  5. Teach your kids that there is no kissing on the play ground.
  6. Once they have teeth, use a small baby toothbrush to brush their teeth.
  7. If there is not a way to wash the pacifier, don’t use your mouth to do so.
  8. Teach your child that there is no sharing food or utensils with other kids.

As A Parent, What You Must Know?

The Use Of Power toothbrushes

Until children are about the age of eight they don’t have the manual dexterity to brush all of the plaque off by themselves.

The Use Of Sealants

Prevent four out of five cavities in children under the age of 15. Sealants are clear resin protective coatings for the chewing surfaces of your children’s teeth. Dentists usually start applying sealant as the permanent teeth start coming in but in especially cavity-prone kids, dentists are beginning to apply sealants to the children’s primary (baby) teeth to stop the chain of dental disease even earlier.

Must Follow Oral Care Practices For Parents:
  1. You need to brush and floss regularly.
  2. You need to keep your regular check up and cleanings every 6 months.
  3. Make your children aware about the importance of flossing and brushing.

Tips in preventing spread of cavity and gum infection in an adult:

  1. Chew sugar-free gum between meals.
  2. Good home care: brushing and flossing.
  3. Go to your dentist for regular check up and cleanings.
  4. Make sure your partner does not have cavities or gum disease.

How can your dentist help?

First, your dentist can make sure your mouth is free of decay and infection. After that, there are a couple of preventive measures listed below that are especially effective against these bacteria:

The use of antimicrobial rinses

A prescription rinse like Chlorhexidine can permanently disrupt the cell membrane of these bacteria reducing the levels of bacteria in your mouth thus preventing its transmission to your child or partner.

Fluoride application

Every 6 months your dentist can apply fluoride on your teeth for protection.

Using sealants

Usually applied on the chewing surfaces of permanent molars. Also, if there are cavities, a dentist might go for administering dental sealants to check further ailments.

Xylitol

Xylitol is a non-cavity causing sugar substitute found in some chewing gums that makes it almost impossible for Strep mutans to adhere and cause trouble.

Additional Info on Xylitol

Xylitol may be safely used in foods for special dietary uses, provided the amount used is not greater than that required to produce its intended effect.

Approved under: Code of Federal Regulations Title 21

Xylitol-US-Approval-by-Department-of-Health-and-Human-Services

CITE – 21CFR172.395

Finally,

Paying a visit to your dentist can help you understand and know the reason behind catching a cavity or a gum disease. Since cases can differ from individual to individual, a consultation can greatly help you to get started and grab an overview of the treatment process and its costs. If you are in need of immediate help, feel free to call us today!

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How Sedation Helps You Avoid Fear Of Dental Treatments?

Do you count yourself to be among the ones who dreadfully suffer from a dental fear? If yes, then you must have heard as well as researched about sedation dentistry a lot. Basically, sedation is the technique used by your dentist to help you relax when you are occupying the chair in front of him. So, depending upon both the level of your anxiety and the procedure to be carried out, sedation can be administered to the patient in various levels…

In a gist, the various degrees of sedation ranges from minimal to deep sedation and even general anesthesia!

1. The Inhaled Sedation

The patient is made to inhale nitrous oxide or “laughing gas” combined with oxygen. The patient inhales both by wearing a mask. The amount to be taken in can be well monitored by your dentist and he adjusts the dose as required. This sedation wears off easily and the patient can walk back home all by himself after the procedure is done.

2. Oral Sedation

This involves taking a pill orally which though keeps you awake, but drowsy. These drugs normally belong to the valium So, it will simply make you sleepy! It is often combined with the laughing gas and applied to the patient.

3. Intravenous sedation

Sedatives are directly injected into the veins of the patient. This sedation is slightly deeper and the recipient needs some time after the dentist’s job is done, in order to recover from his/her state of trance.

4. General anesthesia

This method makes the patient completely unconscious. Complex dental procedures which usually take a longer duration calls for a general anesthesia only. Otherwise it is not a very common tool that is used by dentists in general.

What Did You Miss?

At Village Family Dental of Dallas, TX, Dr. Paul Hung administers sedation on patients to help them relieve from their anxiety and fear. You must also know that sedation dentistry demands expert hands only. So make sure to check with your dentist before you opt for one.

Dr. Paul Hung is one of the best Sedation Dentist in Dallas, TX

Apart from receiving 2017’s America’s Best Dentist Award, Dr. Paul has amassed his patients with quality dental care and is loved by his patients.

Dr. Paul does not settle for the minimum, he has averaged over 70 CE hours every year in pursuit to train and learn from the masters of dentistry from all over the country. You can rest assure that you are in the hands of an amazing clinician who knows what to do when. Dr. Paul has taken over 50 hours of sedation courses and is Level 2 licensed which means he can perform multiple types of oral sedation techniques. Of the dozens of sedation cases, Dr. Paul has had 100% success.

Ready to schedule an appointment or book a consultation? We are eager to meet you in person and take you through the treatment process as per your individual needs.

Dental Crowns Can Alter The Condition Of Your Weak Tooth

A tooth loses its original strength if it is affected in any way. Right from having an impact on your bite to a throbbing pain, a lot of discomforts could emerge if a tooth is damaged. However, dental crowns have been well received by several people for mending their affected tooth and bringing back its functionality. Talking about porcelain crowns, they look exactly like your original tooth and are also sustainable. Crowns work like dental caps, they camouflage the damaged part and repair the tooth.

We have spoken about the benefits of dental crowns below. Go through them to understand why they are advantageous.

Ø  A dental crown has all the abilities to restore a cracked tooth which has fine lines in it. Your tooth may become sensitive to anything extremely hot or cold if there is a crack in it. Getting it reinstated with a dental crown will help prevent further damages and protect the cusps from splitting.

 

Ø  You may experience a dental fracture if your tooth has a heavy amalgam filling while frequent replacement of fillings could lead to reduction of tooth structure. And your nerves may swell if the same tooth is treated repeatedly. Getting the affected tooth restored with a dental crown can prevent such problems.

 

Ø  A tooth which is treated with a root canal therapy could be prone to get fractured as it gets hollowed out during the procedure. Therefore, dentists suggest getting the tooth completely restored with a dental crown after a certain period of time. It safeguards the tooth from further damages.

 

Ø  A minimal invasive procedure is involved to fix a dental crown which means it is not a complicated treatment and you can easily get through it.

 

Ø  The appearance of your teeth can get affected if a tooth is chipped, broken or cracked. Reinstating it with a dental crown will enhance the aesthetic appearance of your teeth.

 

Ø  A dental crown can last for several years due to its durability, but at the same time, you also need to look after its maintenance by following a meticulous dental routine.

Just like dental crowns even bridges are known as effective prosthetic devices. Both crowns & bridges are cemented to your implants or existing teeth in order to restore your smile.

Do you want to get more insight into dental crowns? Then call Village Family Dental today at (214) 643-8146. You can visit us at our dental office at 4041 W Wheatland Rd #202 Dallas, TX 75237.