We at the office of Advanced Dental Care of Ridgewood are oral healthcare experts and know “all things dental.” In emphasizing the importance of preventive dental care, we are dedicated to helping every patient enjoy the benefits of a healthy and beautiful smile. We provide a comprehensive program of preventive care designed to protect your teeth and reduce your risk of dental disease.

Read on for six fun facts!

A tooth is like an iceberg in that its visible portion is only 25 to 33 percent of its whole structure. The remainder of the tooth is firmly ensconced in the surrounding gum and bone.

Baby teeth, also known as milk teeth, deciduous teeth and primary teeth, act as placeholders for your permanent teeth. That’s why it’s essential that each of these 20 teeth stay in place for as long as possible, until the permanent 32 are ready to present themselves.

Not all teeth have a good sense of direction. One or more can grow in backwards, sideways or upside down.

Teeth don’t always debut in flawless condition. Some erupt already dinged with a cavity.

Your body is great at healing itself—except when it comes to a cavity. This divot of decay grows only worse until a dentist drills away the corrosion and replaces it with a filling.

Some folks get a raw dental deal when one of their baby teeth doesn’t have a permanent tooth under it. Attribute your genes for this regrettable rip-off. But not every genetic trait is disadvantagous. People are sometimes born with only either upper-jaw or lower-jaw wisdom teeth.

Now that you’re armed with these fun facts, you’re ready to bedazzle your friends and family with your extensive knowledge.

When searching for a dental practice that’s dedicated to providing the topmost standard of personalized care, look no further than the office of Advanced Dental Care of Ridgewood. We offer an extensive menu of high-quality dental services for people of all ages. Our skilled team has your needs in mind. For more information about our many services, please call to schedule an appointment.

At Advanced Dental Care of Ridgewood we encourage our patients to take an active role in their oral health, including getting regular checkups and cleanings, and following a flossing and brushing routine to guard against cavities. Mouthwash can be a positive addition to that routine — if you choose a brand that has therapeutic value, rather than one that’s purely meant to wash away bad breath and leave your mouth feeling refreshed. Therapeutic mouthwashes contain active ingredients that fight bacteria and reduce plaque (that sticky film that coats the teeth), tartar (hardened plaque) and fight tooth decay, gum disease, as well as bad breath.

Therapeutic mouthwash, much like dental floss, can get in between teeth where a toothbrush can’t reach. It can really come in handy at times when you don’t have a toothbrush or dental floss with you while on the go. Most therapeutic mouthwashes are sold over the counter, but there are some varieties that require a prescription.

We recommend that our patients look for the American Dental Association’s seal of approval on over-the-counter brands, which signifies they have been tested for effectiveness and safety. The ADA includes some natural and organic products among its selections. It is also important to note that some brands contain alcohol and should not be used by children younger than six years of age.

At Advanced Dental Care of Ridgewood we discuss all aspects of oral health with our patients, including whether mouthwash should be a part of their daily routine. Contact our office today to arrange a comprehensive examination with our friendly, attentive staff!

Although you may be brushing your teeth with a fluoride toothpaste and rinsing with a mouthwash that includes fluoride each day, the team at Advanced Dental Care of Ridgewood recommend having this vital mineral applied topically during your visit. And that goes for children and adults, even if your drinking water at home contains fluoride. That’s because the fluoride used by your dentist is applied at professional strength directly onto your teeth and exposed roots, providing an even stronger level of protection.

So, what is fluoride, and why is it so crucial to oral health? This naturally occurring mineral helps our teeth fight off unhealthy acids caused by bacteria, and also strengthens the hard outer surface of our teeth known as the enamel against tooth decay. Toothpaste containing fluoride has played a major role in reducing cavities in the general population since 1960. Fluoride has been added to many public water supplies for the same reason. Despite these advances, tooth decay remains an all-to-common problem among children and teenagers, damaging not only baby teeth but permanent ones as well.

The topical fluoride applied quickly and painlessly by our dentist comes in a variety of forms, including gels, varnishes and foams that go directly onto our patients’ teeth following routine cleanings. These provide an additional layer of protection against cavities for patients of all ages, and particularly those at risk for tooth decay.

The team at Advanced Dental Care of Ridgewood use the most up-to-date treatments to help safeguard our patients’ oral health. We want your smile to stay healthy and radiant for years to come. Please contact our office today for an appointment.

With esthetic dentistry, there is no reason to feel self-conscious about your smile any longer. You’ll first have the opportunity to sit down with our highly skilled cosmetic dentist to discuss your treatment goals and describe the smile you envision. We’ll also provide a comprehensive examination to determine a course of care that meets your needs. If you’re concerned about stains or discoloration affecting the brightness of your smile, we may recommend professional teeth whitening treatment. With in-office whitening or our customized take-home kit, you can enjoy a more radiant set of pearly whites. For teeth that are more deeply discolored, chipped, misaligned or too small, porcelain veneers may be the right approach to treatment. Veneers are wafer-thin facings, which are bonded to the front surfaces of your teeth to improve their size, shape, color and overall appearance. Dental bonding and tooth-colored restorations also offer a conservative approach to improving the appearance and function of your teeth. Our team will work with you to design your individualized treatment plan.

At the office of Advanced Dental Care of Ridgewood, we provide personalized solutions to help you smile with the utmost confidence. With esthetic dentistry in Norwich, you’ll find yourself smiling so much more. To learn more about our cosmetic services or to schedule a smile makeover consultation, call today.

Everyone receives expert clinical services for a wide range of oral care issues. We use time-tested techniques and employ the latest technology, combining the best of both worlds to provide the highest standard of care for patients of all ages. Whether you need a checkup, cleaning, filling, cosmetic smile makeover, replacement of a missing tooth or appointment for a dental emergency, we’re superbly equipped to handle it all.

To help our patients—who are younger, older, and in-between—preserve exceptional oral health that will last a lifetime, we stress the significance of preventative attention. That means urging all of your family members to get a checkup and professional cleaning every six months.

To improve the appearance of your smile, we offer a wide range of cosmetic services that include dental bonding, tooth-colored fillings, teeth-whitening procedures, porcelain veneers, and aesthetically appealing crowns. Using dental bridges as well as full or partial dentures, we can also overhaul the smiles of family members who are missing teeth.

If you’re scouring your area for the perfect family dentist, let the office of Advanced Dental Care of Ridgewood be your trusted caregiver for all of your needs. For more information on our practice and many services, please don’t hesitate to contact us today. We look forward to hearing from you!

If you’ve experienced tooth loss due to periodontal disease, traumatic injury, tooth decay or for any other reason, you may be a candidate for implants. A dental implant is a small surgical post, made of biocompatible materials, which integrates with the jawbone overtime to support a dental prosthesis. By behaving in much the same way as the root of a natural tooth, a dental implant provides ongoing stimulation to the surrounding bone to prevent a loss of volume and preserve facial fullness. Once your dental implants are placed and fully integrated, we can restore them with dental crowns, fixed bridges or overdentures. At Advanced Dental Care of Ridgewood, we can even replace a full arch of upper or lower teeth with an implant-supported full arch dental bridge, which offers a permanent, stable alternative to traditional dentures. Not only do dental implants have an astonishing 98% rate of success, but also people living with dental implants typically report an improvement to their overall quality of life following treatment.

At Advanced Dental Care of Ridgewood we make it easier to smile, eat and speak with implants. Our experienced dentist and staff keep pace with the most advanced solutions in prosthodontic care. To learn more about our office and all the possibilities offered by dental implants or to schedule an appointment, give us a call today.

That’s why at the office of Advanced Dental Care of Ridgewood, our dental experts pay close attention to your tongue to ensure that it’s healthy. Of course, we also take immaculate care of your teeth and gums. Everyone on our team is a friendly, highly trained specialist who helps you and your family feel comfortable and relaxed, while providing the very best in oral healthcare.

Cancer can show up on tongues. The most conspicuous form of tongue cancer starts in the thin, flat squamous cells that line the tongue’s exterior, where it’s more likely to be perceived. This type of tongue cancer tends to be diagnosed when the cancer is small and more simply removed through surgery.

White patches on your tongue imply that you are a smoker. The patches, which are also called lesions, are made up of the growth of excess cells. There’s a 17 percent chance that they could develop into cancer. Your tongue is actually doing you a favor in that it’s telling you that your prolific consumption of cigarettes is making the cigs’ bad chemicals overproduce the cells that make up those white patches.

If you notice that it looks like cottage cheese is covering your tongue, whether you’re male or female, you probably have a yeast infection called thrush. Thrush crops up for a variety of reasons, but it’s often due to using antibiotics because antibiotics kill certain types of bacteria in your body. (Your body has untold types of “good” bacteria, which are used to keep your body running smoothly.)

Thrush or other kinds of yeast infections upset the normal balance of microorganisms in your mouth. Thrush can cause a disagreeable taste in your mouth and sometimes a little pain. While it sometimes disappears on its own, other times medication in the form of prescription tablets and mouthwash are required.

At the office of Advanced Dental Care of Ridgewood, our compassionate and highly educated staff of professionals enthusiastically provide our patients with personal and superior care in all aspects of your oral health. Whatever your needs, please call us today to schedule an appointment!

At the office of Advanced Dental Care of Ridgewood, our holistic approach takes into consideration every aspect of your health. Our attentive, highly skilled staff delivers state-of-the-art care in a setting that provides our patients with maximum comfort.

Dry mouth, a lack of saliva also known as “xerostomia,” can make everyday oral functions like chewing, tasting, swallowing, and even speaking more difficult and cause germs to collect in your mouth — leading to bad breath, tooth decay, gum disease, and creating fertile conditions for numerous oral infections. It can result in a sticky or burning feeling in the mouth, sore throat, hoarseness or a roughness on the tongue.

Did you know that there are hundreds of salivary glands in your mouth working to produce about two to four pints of this precious liquid every day? And it’s not just water; your saliva also contains electrolytes, enzymes, and proteins, all mixing together to cleanse and protect your teeth and the surrounding soft tissue. What causes the drop in the amount of saliva we produce? There are a host of reasons, including our age (this condition is often seen in the elderly), side effects of medications we have taken, our use of tobacco, dehydration, disease, an injury or surgery, and treatments for cancer.

Don’t let xerostomia cause you to lose the enjoyment you get from eating, or leave you at risk for developing myriad dental or digestive problems. Our staff at Advanced Dental Care of Ridgewood know the best approach is to be proactive about dry mouth. We’ll identify its underlying cause and provide the most up-to-date treatments to keep your good oral health flowing.

At the office of Advanced Dental Care of Ridgewood our friendly, highly trained staff guides our patients in recognizing how diabetes affects their oral health and establishes a treatment plan to preserve their smile.

Diabetes, which is diagnosed through a blood test by a doctor, is characterized by symptoms including weight loss, fatigue, excessive thirst, a frequent need to urinate, and can even trigger fainting when blood-sugar levels plunge.

If left untreated, diabetes can cause a loss of taste and a drop in the production of saliva, which can lead to an increased number of cavities. You may be prone to gingivitis — inflamed and bleeding gums. Wounds can take longer to heal and you may be susceptible to oral infections. Children’s teeth may develop at an earlier age than normal. Overall, one in five cases of total tooth loss is linked to diabetes.

The most common dental ailment affecting people with diabetes is periodontal disease, which affects nearly 22 percent of those diagnosed. This chronic, inflammatory affliction can damage your gums, the tissue supporting your teeth and even your bones. When considered with advancing age, poor blood sugar control raises the chances of contracting gum disease and puts you increasingly at risk of developing infections.

Having professional deep cleanings done by your dentist and developing a strong oral hygiene routine are crucial parts of controlling your diabetes, so contact the office of Advanced Dental Care of Ridgewood today to make an appointment. Our attentive team will make you feel comfortable while providing the latest treatments for protecting your healthy smile and putting the brakes on your diabetes.

Cavities are small holes that form in the teeth produced by the bacteria found in plaque. This sticky film is where harmful bacteria that feed on sugar tend to reside. The acids produced by the bacteria wear away at the hard outer surface of your tooth. In order to prevent cavities from forming, plaque must be removed before it builds up to cause damage to the teeth.

It can’t be stressed enough that daily brushing and flossing are ways to maintain a clean mouth, free of plaque. But plaque can also be present in areas that only a dental healthcare professional can reach. A tooth cleaning by a professional, who administers a complete oral hygiene routine, is important for preserving a cavity-free smile. Children are especially prone to developing cavities due to their eating habits, and protecting their teeth with dental sealants, fluoride treatments, and checkups prevent the onset of tooth decay.

We will conduct a thorough examination of the teeth, gums and their supporting bone structure. In treating a cavity, we make use of the most cosmetically pleasing and durable tooth-colored fillings made of the highest quality composite resin materials. These fillings look natural and blend seamlessly with the rest of your teeth for a smile you can be proud of.

At the office of Advanced Dental Care of Ridgewood, we are committed to helping you and every member of your family enjoy problem-free mouth problems and a lifetime of healthy, beautiful smiles. Count on us to provide the highest quality care for all of your dental needs. To learn more, or to schedule an appointment, give us a call today.