Between Your Teeth Cleanings and Checkups

If you don’t brush and floss your teeth often enough, bacteria can form plaque and harden into tartar, becoming impossible to remove with your toothbrush. If you spend too much time away from the dentist’s office, these bacteria can cause serious issues like tooth decay and gum disease. A lot can happen in the time between your teeth cleaning and checkup appointments. Yet, if you pay close attention to your teeth and gums, you might notice when it’s time to visit the dentist as soon as possible. (more…)

The Comprehensive Dental Hygiene List

Brushing and flossing your teeth may seem like simple enough procedures, but did you know that there is a right and wrong way to care for your teeth? Naturally, proper dental hygiene techniques can help keep your smile bright and healthy for life, whereas improper hygiene practices can cause more harm than good. To make sure you receive the utmost benefit out of your toothbrush, toothpaste, and floss, your Brighton family dentist, Dr. Thomas Villani, offers a comprehensive list of proper dental hygiene techniques. (more…)

Advantages to White Tooth Fillings

For many patients, the thought of dental fillings brings to mind metallic restorations that shine whenever the tooth is visible. Because of their strength and durability, metal fillings have been popular for over a century and a half. Now, however, you no longer have to substitute the natural appearance of your tooth for an effective, durable restoration. For patients who have cavities, or want a modern alternative to existing metal fillings, Brighton dentist, Dr. Villani, often recommends white tooth fillings made from customizable composite resin, rather than metal. (more…)

Reasons to Consider Dental Implants

Your teeth serve a number of important functions. Most notably, they process your food before digestion, but they also help you enunciate your words clearly, support many of your facial structures, and help provide stimulation that keeps your jawbone strong and healthy. Replacing lost teeth, then, does more than restore your confidence in smiling; it also helps restore your mouth’s ability to function properly. In many cases, and for many reasons, dental implants are often the preferred restoration. As the only choice for replacing your lost teeth’s roots, dental implants provide a more comprehensive and longer-lasting solution to rebuilding your smile after tooth loss. (more…)

Why You Shouldn’t Stress Your Teeth Out

Stress and anxiety are common this day and age. Unprecedented work schedules, family life, and the demands of modern society can be a lot to keep up with. While most people are aware that it can lead to serious health complications, the effects of chronic stress on your dental health is not as often discussed. You probably can’t make your stress just disappear, but by understanding how it affects your smile, you may be more apt to relax so that the tension doesn’t destroy your dental health. (more…)

3 Things You Might Not Know About Your Teeth

You should know that you have to brush them twice a day and floss them at least once to keep them clean and healthy. You should also know that you only grow one permanent set as an adult, and that losing them can often prove devastating. Still, there are many things you might not know about your teeth that, while not exactly common knowledge, are important to maintaining your healthy, natural smile. (more…)

Signs That You Might Have Gum Disease

According to recent data, approximately 70% of adults over the age of 65 have periodontitis—an advanced form of gum disease. Though it occurs more often in older adults, age isn’t the only factor. Inadequate hygiene and a lack of professional dental care are the main causes behind gum disease development. However, the reason why it’s the leading cause of adult tooth loss is because patients often don’t recognize the signs of gum disease, and therefore neglect to seek treatment in time. (more…)

Quiz: Do I Need an Oral Cancer Screening?

When was the last time you received an oral cancer screening? Each year in the United States, over 43,000 people are diagnosed with oral cancer. Without early diagnosis and subsequent treatment, nearly half of that number will succumb to the disease within five years. To protect your overall health, you should always undergo routine oral cancer screenings.

(more…)

FAQs: How Does Invisalign Work?

How do you feel about your smile? When you look in the mirror, do you see a perfect smile or one plagued with misalignment? Despite feeling self-conscious about misalignment, few adults and teens are eager to correct the issue with metal orthodontics. As an esthetically pleasing alternative to braces, Dr. Villani and Dr. Kondrat of Brighton Family Dental Group offer Invisalign clear braces.

(more…)

Is Tooth Replacement a Priority?

Losing a tooth can inhibit the confidence in your smile, especially if you’ve lost a tooth in the front of your mouth where its absence is more prominent. However, many people who’ve lost a single tooth in the back, where it’s less likely to be noticed, may not consider their loss much of an issue. After all, if no one notices your missing tooth, then what harm can it do? Quite a bit, actually. The loss of even a single tooth can devastate your smile’s integrity more than it can affect your confidence, regardless of how obvious or discrete the gap in your smile is, and tooth replacement is often critical to preserving what remains of your oral health. (more…)