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Posts for: August, 2020

By Nashua Smile Makers
August 28, 2020
Category: Dental Procedures
Tags: dental implant  
TalkWithYourDentistAboutAntibioticTherapyBeforeImplantSurgery

Dental implants are far and away the most “tooth-like” restoration available today for missing teeth. Not only do they look real, they also mimic dental anatomy in replacing the tooth root.

To install an implant, though, requires a minor surgical procedure. And, as with any surgery, that includes a slight risk for a post-surgical infection. For most patients this isn't a major concern—but it can be for people with certain medical conditions.

One way to lessen the risk for implant patients whose health could be jeopardized by an infection is to prescribe a prophylactic (preventive) antibiotic before implant surgery. The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends the measure for patients with artificial heart valves, a history of infective endocarditis, a heart transplant and other heart-related issues.

In the past, their recommendation also extended to people with joint replacements. But in conjunction with the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgery (AAOS), the ADA downgraded this recommendation a few years ago and left it to the physician's discretion. Indeed, some orthopedic surgeons do recommend antibiotic therapy for patients before surgical procedures like implantation for up to two years after joint replacement.

These changes reflect the ongoing debate over the proper use of antibiotics. In essence, this particular argument is over risks vs. benefits: Are pre-surgical antibiotics worth the lower infection risk for patients at low to moderate risk in return for increased risk of allergic reactions and other side effects from the antibiotic? Another driver in this debate is the deep concern over the effect current antibiotic practices are having on the increasing problem of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

As a result, dentists and physicians alike are reevaluating practices like prophylactic antibiotics before procedures, becoming more selective on who receives it and even the dosage levels. Some studies have shown, for example, that a low 2-gram dose of amoxicillin an hour before the procedure can be effective with much lower risks for side effects.

If you're considering dental implants and you have a medical condition you think could be impacted by the procedure, discuss the matter with your dentist and physician. It may be that pre-surgical antibiotics would be a prudent choice for you.

If you would like more information on getting dental implants, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Implants & Antibiotics.”


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By Nashua Smile Makers
August 20, 2020
Category: Oral Health
Tags: cosmetic dentistry  

Want a whiter brighter smile? People want to smile confidently but discolored, cracked and chipped teeth don't usually add to someone's confidence. Cosmetic dentistry restores teeth and rejuvenates your smile, and Dr. Salvatore Guerriero and Dr. Salvatore Colletta can help at their Nashua, NH, office.

What is cosmetic dentistry?

Not all cosmetic procedures are created the same. Meaning, some are purely cosmetic, while other provide restorative or preventative care. Cosmetic dentistry isn't just for adults, but for children too, and is generally used to improves the appearance/aesthetic of teeth and gums in terms of their color, position, shape and alignment.

Types of Cosmetic Dentistry Procedures

  • Cosmetic Bonding repairs small chips or cracks in teeth that are a result of poor habits, like teeth grinding.
     
  • Dental Implants is a long-term solution for people who have lost teeth. Dental implants restore your smile and reinforce the jawbone to prevent bone deterioration.
     
  • Invisalign Clear Aligners are probably one of the best ways to straighten teeth for older teens and young adults because it's a discreet orthodontic treatment that fixes slight gaps and crooked teeth.
     
  • Porcelain Veneers are wafer-thin oral appliances that your Nashua dentist adheres to the surface of your teeth to hide large chips and cracks, discoloration, and reshape teeth.
     
  • Teeth Whitening brighten faded or discolored teeth to rejuvenate your smile, especially if you're an avid coffee or tea drinker.
     
  • Tooth-Colored Fillings restore cavities left in the wake of decay but the advantage of tooth-colored fillings is that no one will know the fillings even exist because they blend in with your natural teeth.

Who should you contact?

If you're interested in learning more about cosmetic dentistry, call Dr. Salvatore Guerriero and Dr. Salvatore Colletta at Nashua Smile Makers in Nashua, NH, at (603) 882-3727 to learn more.


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By Nashua Smile Makers
August 19, 2020
Category: Oral Health
Tags: veneers  

If you don't have a naturally beautiful smile, cosmetic dentistry can deliver one. At Nashua Smile Makers in Nashua, NH, experienced dentists, Dr. Salvatore Guerriero and Dr. Salvatore Colletta, transform lives one smile at a time. One of their most asked-for services is porcelain veneers, thin laminates custom-made to disguise dental flaws. Maybe you should consider them for your smile.

A healthy, but marred smile

It's not unusual for a tooth to be functional and healthy but spoiled by defects such as:

  • Chips
  • Cracks
  • Stains
  • Poor shape and size
  • Pitting
  • Craze lines
  • Mild misalignments such as crowding and gaps

Thankfully, today's cosmetic dentistry services address those defects and deliver the smiles people just love. From professional whitening to dental implants to complete smile makeovers, aesthetic treatments build on the foundation of good oral health.

What porcelain veneers can do

Porcelain veneers are thin shells of translucent dental ceramic. They bond to the front of flawed teeth, adding a layer of resiliency as well.

As part of your smile consultation at Nashua Smile Makers, your dentist will discuss your aesthetic goals. Are you satisfied with the shape, size and color of the teeth which show when you smile or laugh? Are minor twists or overlapping teeth marring an otherwise attractive smile? Did you chip or crack a tooth in a fall? Think carefully about how you wish to improve your smile appearance, and be specific with Dr. Colletta or Dr. Guerriero. They may advise placement of porcelain veneers.

The process

It takes two or three visits to your dentist's office in Nashua, NH. The doctor takes oral impressions, photos and digital X-rays to assist the dental lab in custom-fabrication of your veneers. Also, your dentist removes a thin slice (about 1/2 millimeter) of enamel from the front side of each tooth which will receive a veneer, ensuring correct bite and fit.

Between appointments, you'll wear temporary laminates, and when you come back to Nashua Smile Makers, the dentist will bond on the new veneers. The adhesive is color-matched to the rest of your smile, and the bond is activated by a special curing light. Over the next several days, your mouth will adjust to the feel of your beautiful veneers.

Keeping that smile bright

Porcelain veneers are easy to care for. Simply:

  • Brush with a non-abrasive, fluoride toothpaste twice a day.
  • Floss your teeth once a day.
  • See your dentist twice a year for a check-up and hygienic cleaning.
  • Keep away from nuts, taffy and other sticky/hard foods.
  • Wear a bite guard if you have the habit of clenching your teeth.

Contact us

At Nashua Smile Makers in Nashua, NH, Dr. Colletta and Dr. Guerriero deliver excellent cosmetic services and of course, protect smile longevity with the best in preventive and restorative care. For more information on porcelain veneers and other aesthetic treatments, call our office for a consultation: (603) 882-3727.


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By Nashua Smile Makers
August 18, 2020
Category: Oral Health
ListentoEllenDeGeneresDontThinkYouCanGetAwayWithoutFlossing

This year's Carol Burnett Award, presented at the Golden Globes, goes to Ellen DeGeneres for her “outstanding contributions to the television medium on or off the screen.” This is the latest in a long list of honors for the comedienne, talk show host and activist that includes Emmys, Grammys and Teen Choice Awards. And one not quite as well-known: a 2004 “Flossy” award.

DeGeneres received this honor from the National Flossing Council in recognition of her passionate promotion of oral hygiene, particularly flossing. She wrote about its virtues in her 2003 book, The Funny Thing Is…., saying, among other things, “Don't even think for a second that you can get away with not flossing.”

DeGeneres's motivational cheerleading for flossing is helpful and necessary because, well, many of us just don't like doing it. It requires more manual dexterity than its more popular sibling, brushing. And the tendency for the floss to gunk up with plaque residue for some is simply unpleasant.

Mainly, though, many folks think brushing is enough. Not so fast, according to dental professionals. While brushing removes disease-causing bacterial plaque from broad tooth surfaces, it can't effectively get into the spaces between teeth. It takes flossing to clear plaque from these more difficult areas.

But don't fret: There are ways to make flossing an easier—and more pleasant—task.

Ask us for help. As we said before, flossing does take some hand dexterity and coordination to perform. You may also wonder if you're doing it effectively. We can provide training and tips on how to be a more effective flosser at your next visit.

Practice, practice, practice. You probably think nothing of riding a bicycle, and yet it probably took you weeks or months as a kid to become proficient. Similarly, your first attempts at flossing might feel awkward, but you'll improve with practice, so don't give up.

Brush before you floss. Most people floss before brushing, but if you tend to encounter a lot of soft plaque debris that makes flossing “icky” for you, then try brushing first to clear a good portion of it out of the way before you floss. Just be aware, most professionals believe that flossing first is better because it loosens up debris between teeth so the bubbles from the toothpaste can carry it away. But any flossing is better than no flossing!

Try flossing tools. For some people, floss picks, small pre-threaded tools you can use with one hand, seem easier to maneuver than regular floss thread. If you have issues with manual dexterity, an oral irrigator can make the task easier: This handheld device uses a stream of pressurized water to loosen and flush away plaque between teeth.

So, follow Ellen DeGeneres's advice she gave Tulane University graduates during a commencement speech: “Remember to exfoliate, moisturize, exercise…and floss.” The latter, along with brushing, will certainly help keep your teeth and gums healthy.

If you would like more information about best oral hygiene practices, please contact us or schedule an appointment. To learn more, read the Dear Doctor magazine article “Daily Oral Hygiene.”


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By Nashua Smile Makers
August 08, 2020
Category: Oral Health
Tags: toothache  
YourToothacheMightSignalaProblemOtherThaninYourMouth

You expect a decayed tooth, a fracture or a gum infection to be the cause for that toothache causing you grief. Sometimes, though, the answer may be “none of the above”—there's nothing wrong going on in your mouth to cause the pain.

You pain is real—but its source is elsewhere in the body, a situation known as referred pain. It's important to find out the pain's true source to determine what kind of treatment you'll need to alleviate it.

Here are some of the likely candidates for a “toothache” that's not a toothache.

Facial nerves. Tooth pain may be associated with trigeminal neuralgia, a misfiring disorder of the trigeminal nerves that course through either side of the face. The nerve is divided into three branches, two of which are located in the upper face and one in the lower jaw. Because they're interconnected, a problem with one of the branches in other parts of the face could be felt in the branch around the jaw.

Jaw joints. Temporomandibular Joint Disorders (TMD) can cause pain in the pair of joints that connect the lower jaw to the skull. The joints can become inflamed due to stress or trauma and the associated muscles begin spasming, causing severe pain. Because of their proximity to the teeth, the pain from the joints can radiate into the dental area and mimic a toothache.

Ear or sinus infections. Both the ears and the maxillary sinus are subject to infections that can cause severe pain and pressure. With the close proximity of both the ears and the sinus to the upper jaw, it's quite possible for pain originating in these structures to be felt within the mouth.

These are only a few of the possibilities that also include migraines, shingles, fibromyalgia and even vitamin deficiencies. As such, your dentist or physician may need to do a little detective work to locate the true cause. But the effort to locate where your mouth pain is actually coming from will help ensure you get the right treatment to give you lasting relief.

If you would like more information on referred tooth pain, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Referred Pain: When a Toothache Is Not Really a Toothache.”


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