Dental Health

Oral Cancer: Early Diagnosis Makes A Big Difference

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Categories: Dental Health, General Dentistry

oral cancer screening Provo

Cancer remains one of the scariest diagnoses anyone can get. Oral cancer is especially frightening, because it generally has a higher mortality rate than other cancers. Please keep reading this post from Hammond Aesthetic & General Dentistry in Provo UT, because we actually have some encouraging things to tell you.

The reason that the death rate for oral cancer tends to be higher than in other types is not because of the disease itself, or that it’s hard to diagnose. The reason is that it is often discovered late in its development. The oral cancer screenings we provide might just save your life, or the life of someone you love.

The symptoms for oral cancer don’t always produce any pain or other obvious symptoms. That’s why it tends to be discovered in later stages. The goal of screenings is to detect any precancerous lesions that could develop into cancer.

When oral cancer is found in its early stages, of course, the chances for successful treatment are at their highest.

If you have any concerns about the state of your oral health, be sure to talk to us about it at Hammond Aesthetic & General Dentistry in Provo UT. Patients from American Fork and Lehi come to our office for general and cosmetic dentistry. Contact us today!

Contact Hammond Aesthetic & General Dentistry:

801-374-0070

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

3575 N 100 E Ste 200
Provo, Utah
84604

 

ArticleID 7428

Are Dental Implants Experimental?

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Categories: Dental Health, Dental Implants, Restorative Dentistry

tooth implants Orem

Dental implants are tooth replacement marvels that have been placed in millions of people. They look and function just like the real thing, and are available at Hammond Aesthetic & General Dentistry in Provo UT.

Technically, dental implants are not replacement teeth. The actual implant is a titanium post that is inserted into your jaw. In a few months’ time, it fuses with the bone. One implant is a solid support for one artificial tooth. Several can support a bridge or full dental arch.

Humans have tinkered with implanting teeth for thousands of years. The origins of modern dental implants date back to the early 1950s, when it was discovered that titanium can fuse with bone.

An implant was successfully placed in a human in 1965. The technology has steadily improved, and, today, dental implants have gone from experimental to mainstream.

It’s the ability to fuse with the bone that make implants so successful. Some studies have shown a success rate as high as 98%! Cases of the body rejecting them are rare.

Dental implants dramatically improve your ability to bite and chew. In most patients it is normal to near-normal. They restore your smile, too. But they also prevent the bone loss common to people with missing teeth.

Are dental implants experimental? Far from it! At Hammond Aesthetic & General Dentistry in Provo UT, we have placed implants on patients from American Fork and Lehi. People also come to us for general dentistry. Contact us today!

Contact Hammond Aesthetic & General Dentistry:

801-374-0070

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

3575 N 100 E Ste 200
Provo, Utah
84604

 

ArticleID 8258

Fluoride Treatments: Not Just For Kids

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Categories: Dental Health, Fluoride, General Dentistry

fluoride treatment Provo

You rarely hear the word “toothpaste” without it being preceded by “fluoride.” Fluoride toothpaste is good for teeth, and at Hammond Aesthetic & General Dentistry in Provo UT, we encourage its use.

Fluoride is an essential mineral that helps your teeth stay strong. It is found in some foods and water and makes toothpastes more effective at fighting cavities. It helps teeth by making them stronger and more resistant to the harmful acid that is formed by bacteria.

If you wonder if you or your child is getting enough fluoride, talk to us about fluoride supplements. We will let you know if they are required and determine the precise supplement dosage.

At Hammond Aesthetic & General Dentistry in Provo UT, we are committed to maintaining the dental health of each of our valued patients. Patients from American Fork and Lehi come to us for general dentistry and dental implants. Contact us today!

Contact Hammond Aesthetic & General Dentistry:

801-374-0070

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

3575 N 100 E Ste 200
Provo, Utah
84604

 

ArticleID 7073

Think It’s Not Necessary To Replace Missing Back Teeth?

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Categories: Dental Health, Dental Implants, Restorative Dentistry

dental implants Provo

Sometimes when people lose a back tooth, they wonder whether they should bother doing anything about it. After all, the gap doesn’t show when they smile and there are other teeth to do the chewing. Why not leave it be and save some money? Actually, there are several very good reasons to replace a back tooth with a dental implant from Hammond Aesthetic & General Dentistry in Provo UT.

The adjacent tooth (or teeth) may start shifting. If a tooth tilts, moves, or rotates, it can impact the bite. The unopposed tooth can also move, though it generally moves outward from the bone (over-eruption). Teeth that are displaced can become more vulnerable to gum disease, decay, or TMJ pain.

The underlying bone will begin to atrophy. Without the tooth root, the jaw bone shrinks. This changes the dimensions of the face and gives it a sunk-in look due to a decline in supporting bone. The vertical shortening progresses and becomes more pronounced as you get older.

There will be additional stress on the teeth that take over the chewing functions. This can bring about excessive wear, fracture, or pain.

If you have a missing back tooth and want to learn about dental implants, call Hammond Aesthetic & General Dentistry in Provo UT. People from American Fork and Lehi come to us for dental implants and for comprehensive general dentistry services. Contact us today!

Contact Hammond Aesthetic & General Dentistry:

801-374-0070

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

3575 N 100 E Ste 200
Provo, Utah
84604

 

ArticleID 7768

Toothache Relief at Hammond Aesthetic & General Dentistry in Provo

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Categories: Dental Health, General Dentistry

urgent dental clinic Provo

There is nothing quite like a severe toothache to get your attention and hold it. If you’ve got a painful toothache, remember us at Hammond Aesthetic & General Dentistry in Provo UT, where we provide toothache relief and general dentistry.

A toothache usually happens when the nerve inside the tooth, or surrounding it, becomes irritated. While a severe toothache might indicate an easily-remedied cavity, it might also be a sign of something more serious, like trauma or an infection.

There are certain signs that your toothache is serious:

  • Throbbing Pain: It may be in the tooth itself, in the jawbone, or in your neck.
  • Swelling: The area immediately by the infected tooth may swell, the cheek in particular.
  • Sensitivity: You may experience pain when sipping or eating things that are hot and/or cold, or from the pressure of biting and chewing.
  • Swollen Lymph Nodes: If the areas on either side of your neck are swollen or tender, it might be a sign that your immune system trying to fight a serious dental infection.

If you notice any of these signs, you should have them checked out right away. At Hammond Aesthetic & General Dentistry in Provo UT, we are just a phone call away. Patients from American Fork and Lehi come to us about their tooth pain, dental infections, and other general dentistry treatments. Contact us today for an appointment.

Contact Hammond Aesthetic & General Dentistry:

801-374-0070

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

3575 N 100 E Ste 200
Provo, Utah
84604

 

ArticleID 8674

The ADA: Promoting Dental Health Since 1859

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Categories: Cosmetic Dentistry, Dental Health

American Dental Association Provo

Here’s a suggestion from Hammond Aesthetic & General Dentistry in Provo UT: when you go to the store for dental products, be sure that what you choose has the American Dental Association Seal of Acceptance.

Here are four ways the ADA seal can help you make good oral care choices for you and your family.

  1. Products with the seal have to be safe and effective, so you won’t waste your dollars on something that won’t work, or worse, can harm you.
  2. The ADA only places its seal on a product after serious scientific testing. This usually means that manufacturers have to meet higher standards than those required by law.
  3. When you purchase products with the ADA seal, it’s practically like shopping with us right by your side! Who wouldn’t want that extra knowledge and information?
  4. The ADA seal is not the organization’s endorsement of one particular product or another, but a verification of the claims made by that product. This means that you can get accurate, unbiased information on your product before you purchase it.

At Hammond Aesthetic & General Dentistry in Provo UT, we want all our patients to enjoy good dental health, and one of the ways you maintain it is using quality dental care products. People from American Fork and Lehi come to us for our cosmetic dentistry services, including porcelain veneers and teeth whitening . Contact us today!

Contact Hammond Aesthetic & General Dentistry:

801-374-0070

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

3575 N 100 E Ste 200
Provo, Utah
84604

 

ArticleID 7411

When it Comes to Your Smile, Don’t Settle For Less

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Categories: Cosmetic Dentistry, Dental Health

cosmetic dentistry Provo

No one likes to settle for less than the best, especially with something as important as your smile. At Hammond Aesthetic & General Dentistry in Provo UT, we have cosmetic dentistry solutions that can improve any smile.

As the years go by, teeth naturally lose their youthful luster. They are also subjected to any number of unforeseen difficulties, like chips, cracks, or misalignment.

We have procedures that can address these issues and restore your smile:

  • Teeth Whitening: Professional teeth whitening is a quick and highly effective way to remove years of discoloration and revitalize your smile.
  • Porcelain Veneers: Dental veneers are thin shells of medical-grade porcelain that can cover chips, cracks, and gaps between teeth.
  • Clear Braces: Invisalign® braces are so subtle that they’re sometimes called invisible. They consists of a series of aligners that restore the integrity of your bite.

Any one of these techniques can improve your smile. Put two or more of them together and you have a complete smile makeover!

When it comes to your smile you should never settle for less! Cosmetic dentistry from Hammond Aesthetic & General Dentistry in Provo UT can renew your gorgeous smile! We’ve improved smiles of patients throughout American Fork and Lehi, who also come to our practice for general dentistry and dental implants. Contact us today!

Contact Hammond Aesthetic & General Dentistry:

801-374-0070

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

3575 N 100 E Ste 200
Provo, Utah
84604

 

ArticleID 8573

Love Your Smile

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Categories: Cosmetic Dentistry, Dental Health, Family Dentistry

Love Your Smile in Provo

There is nothing like bright white teeth that light up a person’s face when they smile and laugh. No one has to settle for dull, yellow teeth. With cosmetic dentistry from Hammond Aesthetic & General Dentistry in Provo UT, anyone can have a fabulous smile.

Our team adheres to a process that draws on different cosmetic dentistry procedures to improve your smile. We can whiten your teeth, restore missing teeth, close gaps between them, and repair chips, cracks, and other damage. We have an array of tools and techniques that can improve any smile.

Let’s consider teeth whitening as just one example. Our teeth get dull and discolored as the years go by, stained by the things that we eat and drink. Tobacco, too, can take a toll on your teeth. We offer several whitening procedures to restore the brilliance of your smile.

If you have an important upcoming event such as a wedding, party, or formal family portrait sitting, our services will give you extra confidence as you pose for photos (even close-ups).

You can learn a lot from someone’s smile, and cosmetic dentistry from Hammond Aesthetic & General Dentistry in Provo UT can help you make great impressions on others. We’ve improved smiles on patients from American Fork and Lehi, who also come to us for complete general dentistry. Contact us today!

Contact Hammond Aesthetic & General Dentistry:

801-374-0070

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

3575 N 100 E Ste 200
Provo, Utah
84604

 

5 Critical Oral Cancer Facts

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Categories: Dental Health, Family Dentistry, General Dentistry

oral cancer dental checkup Provo

At Hammond Aesthetic & General Dentistry in Provo UT, we want to see our patients at least twice a year for a checkup and cleaning. A checkup can give you real peace of mind, especially since every one we do includes an oral cancer screening.

Lung and breast cancer get a lot of public attention, and rightfully so. But there is less awareness of oral cancer, even though it claims almost 10,000 lives in the United States every year.

If you smoke or have contracted HPV, you have a higher risk for developing oral cancer.

Here are five critical things to know about oral (mouth) and oropharyngeal (back of mouth and throat) cancers.

  1. About 80% of men and women with oral cancer use some type of tobacco (cigarettes, chewing tobacco, pipes).
  2. 40% of those who receive late-stage diagnosis of oral cancer pass away within five years. The survival rate for early stage diagnosis is 90%.
  3. In many cases, it is difficult for someone to detect oral and oropharyngeal cancers on their own, because they can produce indistinct symptoms or no symptoms at all. Any abnormality in the mouth or throat, even if small and painless, should be evaluated by a dentist or doctor.
  4. HPV (the most prevalent sexually transmitted disease in the US) is the most common cause of oropharyngeal cancer. Of the many strains of HPV, HPV16 is the one most often linked to oropharyngeal cancer.
  5. African American men have a higher risk of dying from oral cancer than do other ethnicities.

At Hammond Aesthetic & General Dentistry in Provo UT, we screen for oral cancer at every checkup. People from American Fork and Lehi also come to us for cosmetic dentistry. Contact us today!

Contact Hammond Aesthetic & General Dentistry:

801-374-0070

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

3575 N 100 E Ste 200
Provo, Utah
84604

 

ArticleID 7438

What Are Impacted Wisdom Teeth?

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Categories: Dental Health, General Dentistry

wisdom teeth Provo

When a wisdom tooth tries to come in but is obstructed by the adjacent tooth, it becomes impacted and can result in such complications as pain, inflammation, or tooth decay. At Hammond Aesthetic & General Dentistry in Provo UT, we can extract wisdom teeth.

It’s challenging to clean partially-erupted wisdom teeth. Since they have a high risk of decay, we pay special attention to them. They can also cause decay in the neighboring molars.

For most people, wisdom teeth come in in the late teens or early twenties. As many as 85% of wisdom teeth need to be extracted. It is a routine outpatient procedure; most patients experience minimal discomfort and recover in a few days.

If you or your teenager has wisdom teeth that need attention, please call us at Hammond Aesthetic & General Dentistry in Provo UT. People from American Fork and Lehi come to us for complete general and cosmetic dentistry. Contact us today!

Contact Hammond Aesthetic & General Dentistry:

801-374-0070

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

3575 N 100 E Ste 200
Provo, Utah
84604

 

ArticleID 8078