Gingivitis Prevention

While brushing your teeth, are you spotting blood in the sink? If so, this is the first sign of gingivitis and it’s time to visit our doctors at Riverwalk Dental. Gingivitis develops when the gums are inflamed and if left untreated, this condition can lead to a more serious form of gum disease called periodontitis. Both gingivitis and periodontitis can increase your risk of diabetes, heart disease, and other medical conditions. This is why prevention is your best option.

After consuming carbohydrates, if you don’t brush your teeth, plaque will begin to form. If left untreated, this plaque will turn into tartar which only a dental hygienist is able to remove.  The most common cause of gingivitis is poor oral hygiene, which is why it’s important to schedule professional dental cleanings twice a year. Though gingivitis is reversible, we encourage you to brush at least twice a day, floss at least once a day and use a mouthwash daily to kill bacteria.

If you have questions or concerns about gum disease, please give us a call. To learn about the services we provide at the practice, visit www.riverwalkdental.ca for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Riverwalk Dental located at Canada, Alberta, T1B 4Y2, Medicine Hat, 101-7 Strachan Bay, SE, 403-456-4994.

Veneers

Veneers are among the most sought-after cosmetic restoration and are one of our specialties at Riverwalk Dental. They can be thought of as shields for the teeth which, by covering the fronts and tips, are able to mask chips, stains, and slight misalignments.

While previous generations of veneers required significant tooth reshaping, those of the Lumineers brand are thin enough to require very little change to the natural teeth. Once a patient’s teeth have been cleaned and smoothed, we will take a scan of them from which we can use software to design the custom-fitted shells. After being milled, the veneers can be cemented onto the patient’s teeth.

Being made out of porcelain, veneers have a very similar color to natural teeth, and Dr. Chen will consult with the patient to make sure the color is satisfactory. They are still vulnerable to decay and discoloration, so patients will have to maintain their oral hygiene. But they also create an immediate and lasting improvement in the teeth’s appearance and can somewhat improve bite function when being used to fill small chips and gaps.

Riverwalk Dental is located at 540 6^th Avenue SE, Calgary, Alberta, T2G 1K5, Canada. To schedule an appointment, call 1-403-456-4994 or visit RiverwalkDental.Ca.

 

The Implant Procedure

Riverwalk Dental’s Dr. Roger Chen provides his patients with a number of technologically advanced treatments to replace missing or damaged teeth. One of the most effective of those is the endosteal implant. A permanent fixture in the mouth, this type of artificial tooth replaces the root as well as the crown.

The word “endosteal” refers to the endosteum, an inner layer of bone. An implant is a screw, usually made of titanium, which is inserted into the endosteum. Placing it requires an incision to be made into the patient’s gums, and it will take between three and six months for a new matrix of bone tissue to grow around the implant, fusing it into the jaw in a process called osseointegration. When osseointegration is complete, Dr. Chen will place an abutment on top of the implant, which will be exposed on the inside of the mouth. He will then take an impression or scan of the patient’s mouth which will be used as the basis for an artificial crown. Once the crown has been manufactured, it can be cemented over the abutment.

Though the implant process is long and requires the patient to have a certain amount of stable jaw bone, it is one of the best means of restoring bite function and appearance. The implant helps to maintain the structure of the jaw bone, preventing the patient’s face from warping, in addition to the other benefits of replacement teeth.

Riverwalk Dental is located at 540 6^th Avenue SE, Calgary, Alberta, T2G 1K5, Canada. To schedule an appointment, call 1-403-456-4994 or visit RiverwalkDental.Ca.

 

Signs and Symptoms of TMJ Disorder

A temporomandibular joint (TMJ) syndrome is a disorder of the jaw muscles and nerves caused by injury to the temporomandibular joint. This joint is the connection between the jaw bone to the skull. Located on each side of the head, your TMJ muscles work together when you chew, speak or swallow and include muscles and ligaments as well as the jaw bone. They also control the lower jaw (mandible) as it moves forward, backward and side to side. When these muscles become sore, our staff at Riverwalk Dental can provide you with relief.

Signs and symptoms of TMJ disorders may include pain or tenderness in your jaw, aching pain in and around your ear, difficulty chewing or discomfort while chewing, aching facial pain, and locking of the joint, making it difficult to open and close your mouth. You may also have toothaches, headaches, or ear aches. To treat the problem, you will need to schedule a consultation with your dentist. He or she may suggest a night guard, or dental work depending on the case.

If you wake up with aching jaw pain, please give us a call to discuss your treatment options. To learn about the services we provide at the practice, visit www.riverwalkdental.ca for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Riverwalk Dental located at Canada, Alberta, T1B 4Y2, Medicine Hat, 101-7 Strachan Bay, SE, 403-456-4994.

Invisalign Orthodontic Treatment

At Riverwalk Dental, we offer Invisalign to our patients who desire a straighter smile, but don’t want the interference of traditional metal braces. With Invisalign, your daily activities will never be interrupted because the aligners are virtually invisible. To help you decide if Invisalign is right for you, we’d like to explain what to expect during treatment.

From overbites to underbites, and open bites to gapped teeth, Invisalign treats many cases of malocclusion. Before beginning the treatment process, your doctor will then take 3D images of your teeth and map out a precise treatment plan. Once you receive your aligners, you will need to wear them 20-22 hours a day for the best results. The advantage of Invisalign over traditional braces is that you can remove them to eat, brush, and floss.  When your treatment is complete, you can opt for a Vivera retainer, a retainer that is custom-made using the same state-of-the-art technology as Invisalign clear aligners.

If you wish to inquire about Invisalign, please give us a call. To learn about the services we provide at the practice, visit www.riverwalkdental.ca for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Riverwalk Dental located at Canada, Alberta, T1B 4Y2, Medicine Hat, 101-7 Strachan Bay, SE, 403-456-4994.

Understanding Dentures

We provide full-mouth restorations at Riverwalk Dental, which means we replace all the teeth in a patient’s mouth. While modern dentistry has created means of permanently affixing false teeth (prosthodontics), such as all-on-four implants, there are still many cases in which the patient benefits from dentures.

Dentures are distinguished by being removable, but they still require permanent changes to the patient’s mouth. Partial dentures, which only replace the front teeth, require the reshaping of the teeth on either side of them. Full-mouth dentures require all the remaining teeth in a jaw to be removed. This is often a sticking point for patients, but it’s usually done because the patient does not have the bone support for implants and should not or does not want to receive a bone graft.

As an office which values our patients’ comfort, we regularly adjust our patients’ dentures throughout their lives to ensure they are comfortable and working properly. If cared for properly, dentures can make a big improvement in the life of a person suffering from poor oral health.

Riverwalk Dental is located at 540 6^th Avenue SE, Calgary, Alberta, T2G 1K5, Canada. To schedule an appointment, call 1-403-456-4994 or visit RiverwalkDental.Ca.

 

Thumb Sucking

At Riverwalk Dental, Calgary’s first-time parents often ask us whether their child’s thumb sucking habit is harming their oral health. The answer mainly depends on the age of the child. Thumb sucking is a common behavior in children under four, but as they begin losing their baby teeth, it could become a problem.

Very young children’s facial bones are not fully fused together and can shift back from the pressure put on them by sucking a thumb or a pacifier. But this does not remain true for children over about the age of five. Persistent thumb sucking can cause an overbite or other malocclusion, or even misaligned jaws.

Children over four should be coaxed out of their bad habits, but parents should be aware there could be an underlying psychological reason for their child’s need to self-soothe. When this isn’t addressed, children often develop a habit of thrusting their tongues against their front teeth as a substitute, which isn’t any better. There are orthodontic devices to discourage tongue-thrusting, but general practice is to use these as last resorts.

Riverwalk Dental is located at 540 6^th Avenue SE, Calgary, Alberta, T2G 1K5, Canada. To schedule an appointment, call 1-403-456-4994 or visit RiverwalkDental.Ca.