Are You At Risk For Bone Recession?

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Categories: Dental Health, Dental Implants

dental bone grafting Provo

We all know that a healthy smile requires healthy teeth and gums, but how often do we appreciate our jaw bone? Teeth need a strong foundation to remain healthy and beautiful. In this post from Hammond Aesthetic & General Dentistry in Provo, we take a look at bone recession and dental implants.

Occasionally, a patient experiences bone recession in their jaw which can cause tooth loss and other problems. However, it is usually the other way around. The bone loss occurs as a result of a lost tooth. When a tooth is missing from the jaw, the blood supply and stimulus for maintaining healthy bone is taken away.

Missing Teeth
Bone is living tissue and needs stimulation to stay healthy and retain its size and density. Biting, chewing, talking and all the other normal mouth functions keep the portion of the bone surrounding the tooth root healthy.

When a tooth is lost due to extraction or some other issue, the bone that used to anchor the tooth root recedes as if it understands that it is no longer needed. A dental implant provides stimulation similar to the natural tooth and can prohibit bone recession.

Dental Implants

A dental implant is a titanium post inserted into the patient’s jaw. It acts as a replacement tooth root, providing the stimulation the bone needs to stay healthy.

One implant can support one artificial tooth. Several can support a dental bridge, and multiple implants can support a full dental arch.

At Hammond Aesthetic & General Dentistry in Provo, dental implants are among our specialties. We also have a full range of family dentistry services. Call our office to schedule an appointment 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 7006

Hiccups In Your Dental Routine

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Categories: Beautiful smile, Dental Health, Family Dentistry

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The most common times people brush their teeth are morning and night, either before or after breakfast, after dinner, or at bedtime. But sometimes hiccups in the schedule can knock you off a well-established routine. At Hammond Aesthetic & General Dentistry in Provo, we have some thoughts on that.

Sometimes after dinner isn’t super cut and dried. An irregular schedule generally disrupts regular dental maintenance. What are you to do?

One suggestion is to try doing a better job at cleaning your teeth during the day. One of the best things you can do is rinse your mouth with water after you eat. It’s no substitute for brushing, of course, but will give your entire mouth a quick cleansing.

A quick brushing is good, too. An excellent trick is what we call dry brushing. That means brushing your teeth without toothpaste. Yes, it sounds a bit strange – but it’s effective, especially if you can use a little water, too. (We’ve heard of dentists who do it themselves.) It isn’t the way you would brush at home, but it’s going to clean the surfaces of your teeth – and that’s half the battle.

The other half of the battle is the stuff that gets between your teeth. A good solution here is carrying floss picks with you.

The most important time to brush is after eating sugar or carb-intensive foods. Otherwise, these foods kickstart bacteria growth on the teeth.

We know that life gets busy, but hiccups in your dental routine can damage your teeth if you aren’t careful. The best approach is to brush and floss before bed, and see us at Hammond Aesthetic & General Dentistry in Provo for a checkup every six months. Our services include  family dentistry, and specialties like dental implants. Call for an appointment 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 6829

Healthy Lifestyles For Healthy Lifesmiles

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Categories: Dental Health, Family Dentistry

Provo dentist teeth whitening

Dental health and a great smile depend on more than simply brushing regularly. In this post from Hammond Aesthetic & General Dentistry in Provo, we present a quick refresher on important lifestyle practices that affect oral health.

You are probably familiar with most of these recommendations, but it helps to get a reminder once in a while. We encourage all of our patients to maintain a lifestyle that promotes dental health as well as overall physical health. After all, the two are inseparable.

DO:

  • Eat a nutritious diet.
  • Eat calcium-rich dairy products like milk, cheese, and yogurt to neutralize acids that attack enamel.
  • Brush gently but meticulously at least twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste.
  • Make sure you clean thoroughly between teeth with dental floss or interdental cleaners such as flossing picks.
  • Get your teeth professionally cleaned twice a year.
  • Have a dental examination twice yearly.

DON’T:

  • Eat a sugar frequently. Sugar triggers the production of cavity-causing acids that weaken enamel.
  • Snack throughout the day. This speeds up plaque production and subjects the teeth to constant bombardment with acids.
  • Chew on ice.
  • Use your teeth as tools. Ever!
  • Drink energy drinks.
  • Get oral piercings.
  • Ignore tooth pain or sensitivity.

At Hammond Aesthetic & General Dentistry in Provo, we are committed to dental excellence and the dental health of each one of our patients. Services include family and cosmetic dentistry, including porcelain veneers and dental implants. Schedule your next checkup 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 6560

Protect Your Enamel, Protect Your Teeth

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Categories: Dental Health, Family Dentistry

protect kids tooth enamel Provo

This message from Hammond Aesthetic & General Denteistry in Provo is about tooth enamel.

Your tooth enamel is uniquely suited to protect your teeth. If you keep your tooth enamel healthy, you will avoid many oral ailments. You won’t get cavities. Your teeth will be less likely to chip or crack. You will avoid many causes of tooth stains.

It’s best to form enamel-healthy habits when you’re young.

Teach your child to protect their tooth enamel. There are a multitude of collateral health benefits as well.

For Healthy Tooth Enamel, Avoid The Following

Frequently Eating Sticky Food

Gummy candy, protein bars, and dried fruit can break teeth.

Chewing On Hard Foods

For example, Beef jerky and pitted fruits.

Grinding Teeth

If you grind your teeth, talk about it with your dentist. It can cause headaches, tooth damage, and gum recession. An appliance can guard your enamel.

Drinking Anything Besides Water Frequently

If your teeth are awash in carbonated beverages (sugared or diet), juice, coffee, or sports drinks constantly, your enamel will suffer from the acids and sugar.

Playing Sports Without a Mouthguard

Sports pose a major risk of tooth damage. Custom-fitted mouthguards from your dentist are more comfortable than the boil-and-bite type.

At Hammond Aesthetic & General Dentistry in Provo, we offer family and cosmetic dentistry, and many other services. Call for an appointment 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 8136

Look As Young As You Feel By Replacing Missing Teeth

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Categories: Dental Implants, Dentures

tooth implants Orem

A wise person once said that everyone wants a long life, but no one wants to get old. Yet it happens. While some challenges that come with aging can’t be avoided, others can. At Hammond Aesthetic and General Dentistry in Provo, we help patients of all ages with their dental health issues.

Gaps In Your Smile?

Many dental problems common among retirees such as missing teeth, gum recession, tooth damage, and yellowed enamel, can be remedied.

Some people think losing their teeth as they age is inevitable. It isn’t. With a proper dental health routine at home and regular cleanings and checkups in our office (just like you’ve always done, we hope) your teeth can last a lifetime.

Changes

But the mouth does undergo changes as we age. The nerves in teeth may get smaller, to the point where teeth are not as sensitive to cavities and other issues. That means you may not feel as much tooth pain from a cavity as you once did. Regular checkups become that much more important.

If you do lose one or more of your teeth, dental implants may be right for you. Implants can:

  • Support a single artificial tooth
  • Support a set of dentures

To find out if you’re a candidate for dental implants, call Hammond Aesthetic and General Dentistry in Provo to schedule an appointment. We offer sedation dentistry for patients who are anxious about treatment. Call our office 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 8094

Signs Of Oral Cancer: What Not To Ignore

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Categories: Dental Health, General Dentistry

oral cancer signs Provo

This post from Hammond Aesthetic and General Dentistry in Provo focuses on a very serious matter—oral  cancers.

The medical community categorizes oral cancers as a subset of head and neck cancers.

Oral cancers can arise in the following locations:

  • The tongue
  • The roof of the mouth and under the tongue
  • The inside of the cheeks
  • The oropharynx (the part behind the soft palate)
  • The salivary glands
  • The lips

Oral Cancers Are Particularly Deadly

Over 50,000 people are diagnosed with a type of oral cancer every year, and 10,000 people die from it. They are more common in men than women. There is no disparity when it comes to race.

The prognosis is usually grim: statistics reveal that only 57 percent of those diagnosed this year will be alive in five years.

Warning Signs

Let’s consider the common, and the not-so-common, warning signs of oral cancer.

  • Any sore or lump in the mouth or throat should be taken seriously.
  • Any white or red patch could also be a symptom.
  • Numbness of any oral feature
  • Any type of lesion, cut, or canker-type sore that doesn’t heal within 14 days

Less-common symptoms include tongue pain and loose teeth. A hoarse voice that doesn’t go away should be a concern. Unexplained tooth discoloration is rare but not unheard of.

The link between any cancer and tobacco is by now well-established. Whay may not be widely known is that this includes vaping.

At Hammond Aesthetic and General Dentistry in Provo, oral cancer screenings are among the special services we provide at every checkup. We offer a full range of services, including dental implants. Call to schedule an appointment 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 8161

5 Reasons To Choose Cosmetic Dentistry

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Categories: Beautiful smile, Cosmetic Dentistry, Dream smile

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When was the last time you looked into the mirror? Were you totally satisfied by what you saw? If the answer is, “Not really,” then you may want to check out at these five great reasons to consider cosmetic dentistry improvements from Hammond Aesthetic and General Dentistry in Provo.

  1. The first reason is that a little cosmetic dentistry goes a long way. Some of the most popular cosmetic dentistry procedures, such as teeth whitening, are simple and easy to do, but they can have dramatic results.
  2. Next, you might be surprised at how reasonably priced it is! Next time you are in the office of your dentist, ask for a price chart. You may be pleasantly surprised.
  3. Don’t worry about pain, we will keep you comfortable. Many people expect the treatments to be painful, but we make sure you stay relaxed and free from discomfort.
  4. You’re never too old! Many people think cosmetic dentistry is for the young, but teeth continue to change throughout your life and these procedures may be exactly what is needed. Plus, many satisfied patients say they look years younger after the procedures are complete.
  5. We can treat your particular issue. Some folks have been led to believe that they have to live with chipped, cracked, or missing teeth, but we have the tools to correct a wide array of dental troubles.

At Hammond Aesthetic & General Dentistry in Provo, we transorm smiles with cosmetic dentistry every day! Services include dental implants and clear braces from Invisalign. Call to schedule an appointment 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 6241

When Something’s Gotta Give, Don’t Let It Be Your Smile

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Categories: Cosmetic Dentistry, Dental Health, Family Dentistry

general and cosmetic dentistry Orem

Life is chaotic for lots of people, and sometimes there just aren’t enough hours in the day. Sometimes your car has to wait another 500 miles for an oil change. Or you realize that you’ve had a leaky faucet for as long as you can remember. Many important things get put on the back burner, but at Hammond Aesthetic and General Dentistry in Provo, we urge you not to put off dental care.

Here are some common dental care shortcuts. Have you done any of them?

Rushing Through Brushing

Your teeth deserve an attentive two minutes or more. Slow and methodical beats quick and dirty. Use a system to make sure you get every tooth. Playing one of your favorite two- or three-minute songs may help you go the distance.

Only Seeing Your Dentist When You Have a Toothache

We hope none of our patients put off examinations and cleanings. When you feel tooth pain, it may be way too late to prevent a filling or even a root canal.

Neglecting Professional Cleanings

When softer plaque turns to calculus, you can’t clean it off with a toothbrush. Six-month cleanings help get rid of the tartar before it can impair your enamel or irritate your gums.

Using Floss Picks Instead of Dental Floss

While it’s better to floss with a floss pick than to not floss at all, it’s important to recognize that floss picks can only clean a part of the tooth’s surface. A floss pick holds just a small length of floss stretched in a straight line, so you can’t wrap them around a tooth to floss the entire thing.

At Hammond Aesthetic & General Dentistry in Provo, we urge our patients to brush and floss twice each day, and see us for cleanings and checkups twice a year. Our services include family dentistry, and specialties like porcelain veneers. Schedule an appointment with 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 7350

Why Is An Implant Better For Oral Health?

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Categories: Beautiful smile, Dental Health, Dental Implants

dental implants Provo

Dental implants are an ideal replacement for lost teeth, and at last count more than three million Americans have received one. At Hammond Aesthetic and General Dentistry in Provo, we are providers of these dental marvels.

What Is A Dental Implant?

A dental implant is a titanium post that is surgically implanted into your jaw. For a single missing tooth, one implant supports a base called an abutment, along with a crown. Several implants can support a dental bridge, or a full denture arch.

One of the benefits of dental implants is that they prevent bone recession, which is common in people who have lost teeth. The titanium post goes where the tooth root used to be, and helps strengthen the bone.

Why Is An Implant Better Than Dentures Or A Bridge?

With a dental bridge, tooth structure must be removed from the neighboring teeth. That compromises the teeth on either side of the missing tooth.

Conventional dentures may be more affordable than implant-anchored dentures. But because they are removable, most patients find they are unreliably loose. They can also affect the ability to enjoy food. These are not issues with implant-supported dentures.

Dental implants from Hammond Aesthetic and General Dentistry in Provo are like getting back lost teeth. To find out whether they’re right for you, please call our office to schedule 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 8131

Danger Zone! 5 Signs Of Gum Disease

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Categories: Dental Health, General Dentistry

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Here is some essential news for anyone who cares about their dental health: gum disease is a principal cause of tooth loss among adults. There is also evidence that it is connected to heart disease. Fortunately, gum disease is treatable at Hammond Aesthetic and General Dentistry in Provo.

What warning signs should you be looking for?

  1. Gums that bleed frequently
  2. Gums that appear tender, swollen, or very red, or gums that have visible pus in between them when they are pushed
  3. Your bite changes or your teeth suddenly don’t seem to fit together
  4. Gums that are pulling away from the teeth
  5. A bad taste in the mouth or chronic bad breath

We hope you are not suffering from any of these. If you are not removing plaque between your teeth, however, your gums are at risk. Brushing alone is not adequate—make sure you floss daily.

Regular check-ups are another critical weapon in the fight against gum disease.

At Hammond Aesthetic & General Dentistry in Provo, we take pride in caring for our patients and want them to have healthy and pleasing smiles. Services include family dentistry, and specialties like dental implants. Call for an appointment 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 4960