dental health

Fixing a Gummy Smile – What are my options?

Patients often ask if veneers or braces are the right option for them to correct a “gummy smile.” When you come into our office for an free initial consultation, Dr. Ken Cirka and Dr. Jessica Meier will evaluate your smile and see how to best achieve perfection.  “Actually there are several options and considerations that we dentists have to take into consideration to fix this problem,” Dr. Cirka says. Many times when we evaluate patients a main concern is their “gummy smile.” They may feel that their teeth appear small or their gums show too much when they laugh. There is … Read more…

10 Ways to Prevent Tooth Sensitivity

 There are many different causes for tooth sensitivity. Teeth are considered sensitive when you have something hot, cold, sour or sweet and it causes sensitivity, discomfort or even pain, ranging from a quick zing to a lasting throbbing feeling. Unfortunately this is quite a common problem that people suffer from. We’ve listed the different causes below to help you prevent tooth sensitivity in the future or help you narrow down the reason for sensitivity you may be experiencing today.   1. Over using mouthwash. When used properly, mouthwash is a great tool for helping to keep the oral cavity healthy. … Read more…

5 Ways to Keep Healthy – Starting with your teeth!

The gums and the teeth are frequently overlooked important areas of our health. Not only will healthy teeth give you a beautiful smile, they will increase your quality of life.  Protect Your Teeth If you are an active athlete then it is highly recommended you protect your teeth with a mouth guard. This can prevent major damage to the teeth. Additionally if you are clenching or grinding your teeth then you need protection while you sleep.  Clenching and grinding can also cause major headaches and jaw pain.  The dentist will make you a night guard that will protect the teeth from significant … Read more…

12 Signs of Oral Cancer – When to be concerned?

Patients ask us dentists about oral cancer, mouth cancer, and oral cancer symptoms and how alcohol, tobacco and smoking contributes to forming cancers. This information will be helpful to you. Oral cancer presents itself in many different ways. Below are some of the most common ways that they appear: – Red and white patches in the mouth or lips – Lumps or swelling on the gums, lips, cheeks, and at the back of the throat – Non-healing of a sore in the mouth or lips – Unexplained weight loss – Difficulty in speaking, chewing, or swallowing – Swollen lymph nodes in … Read more…

8 Tips for Keeping Your Smile Bright

Patients often come into the office looking for the best way to whiten their teeth. Surprisingly, the solution to whiten is not always the same for each patient! There are several different methods for whitening the teeth. Detailed below are 8 different options that may be the right solution for you to achieve a brighter, whiter smile 1) Dental Cleaning The first place to start is at your dentist’s office. A dental cleaning is a great way to remove surface stains and the polishing that is performed by the dental hygienist will brighten up the enamel as well as make … Read more…

Dental Visit for the New Year

We dentists often get asked “DO I REALLY NEED TO HAVE A DENTAL EXAM?” Here are the reasons why you need to be healthy for 2016! Avoid Major Dental Work You can save time and money when we dentists see something small that can be fixed quickly and easily with no discomfort.  The longer you wait, the bigger the problem (and expense) it becomes. Protect Your Heart With regular cleaning and checkups, we dentists and our hygienists can identify and treat gum disease in its early stages, or even prevent it from developing in the first place.  This inflammation leads to … Read more…