INVISALIGN

Invisalign dental braces are an alternative to traditional braces, and are virtually invisible to the eye. Invisalign uses a series of removable, clear custom trays that straighten the teeth over a period of time. The success of the treatment requires strict compliance of the patient. Not all cases can be treated with Invisalign. New City dentist Drs. Bernstein & Auerbach are certified Invisalign dentists, and can help you determine if you are a candidate for Invisalign. We call Invisalign “computerized orthodontics,” because impressions of patients’ teeth are scanned into a computer and teeth are moved using 3-D digital animation. Clear trays, known as aligners, are made to match the models fabricated from the digital computerized images. A patient receives a series of trays, and with each tray, teeth move a little more. The number of trays depends upon the amount of crowding or spacing a patient has.Research done by Invisalign reveals that 80% of patients with a bad bite or “malocclusion” can be treated and corrected with Invisalign dental braces. Because Drs. Bernstein & Auerbach were one of the first dentists to use the Invisalign system of orthodontics, they have a wealth of experience with this new technology. New City dentist Drs. Bernstein & Auerbach are both certified Invisalign dentists. Go to their website: teethandgums

LAYERS OF THE TOOTH

Cementum - Layer of tooth surrounding the root.

Crown – The part of the tooth you can see.

Dentin – The layer beneath the enamel.

Enamel – The outer surface of the tooth.

Gums – The soft tissue that surrounds the tooth.

Nerves - Nerves transmit signals (conveying messages like hot, cold, or pain) to and from the brain. Your dental nerves are inside the pulp of the tooth.

Periodontal membrane/ligament - the fleshy tissue between tooth and the tooth socket; it holds the tooth in place. The fibers of the periodontal membrane are embedded within the cementum.
Pulp - The soft center of the tooth.

Root – The extension of the tooth into the jawbone. The number of roots ranges from one to four.

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ORAL CANCER SCREENING

From The American Dental Association:
Oral cancer screening is a routine part of a dental examination. Regular check-ups, including an examination of the entire mouth, are essential in the early detection of cancerous and pre-cancerous conditions. You may have a very small, but dangerous, oral spot or sore and not be aware of it.
Your ada dentist will carefully examine the inside of your mouth and tongue and in some patients may notice a flat, painless, white or red spot or a small sore. Although most of these are harmless, some are not. Harmful oral spots or sores often look identical to those that are harmless, but testing can tell them apart. If you have a sore with a likely cause, your dentist may treat it and ask you to return for re-examination.
Ada dentists often will notice a spot or sore that looks harmless and does not have a clear cause. To ensure that a spot or sore is not dangerous, your dentist may choose to perform a simple test, such as a brush test. A brush test collects cells from a suspicious lesion in the mouth. The cells are sent to a laboratory for analysis. If precancerous cells are found, the lesion can be surgically removed if necessary during a separate procedure. It’s important to know that all atypical and positive results from a brush test must be confirmed by incisional biopsy and histology.
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ORAL HYGIENE

Periodontal Health
Non-surgical periodontal treatment aims to improve and maintain your periodontal health for a lifetime. Your periodontal health is vital because it affects your overall health. Your gums are a portal to your bloodstream and to your body, and poor periodontal health has been linked to heart attacks, stroke, cancer, diabetes, and premature births.
What Causes Periodontal Disease?
Periodontal Disease is caused by bacteria in the form of plaque. Periodontal disease begins when the bacteria in plaque cause the gums to become inflamed. Plaque can harden into bacteria-harboring tartar that brushing cannot remove. The longer plaque and tartar remain on the teeth and gums, the more harmful they become. The first level of periodontal disease is gingivitis, resulting in gums that are red, swollen, and bleed easily.
When gingivitis is not treated, it can advance to periodontitis, in which gums pull away from the teeth and form "pockets" that are infected. The body's immune system fights the bacteria as the plaque spreads and grows below the gum line. Bacterial toxins and the body's enzymes fighting the infection actually start to break down the bone and connective tissue that hold teeth in place. If not treated, the bones, gums, and connective tissue that support the teeth are destroyed.
Risk Factors in Periodontal Disease
There are many risk factors in addition to your oral hygiene that contribute to your periodontal condition. These are listed as follows:
Smoking. Smoking is one of the most significant risk factors associated with the development of periodontitis. Additionally, smoking can lower the chances of success of some treatments.
Hormonal changes in girls/women. These changes can make gums more sensitive and make it easier for gingivitis to develop.
Diabetes. People with diabetes are at higher risk for developing infections, including periodontal disease.
Stress. Research shows that stress can make it more difficult for our bodies to fight infection, including periodontal disease.
Medications. Some drugs, such as antidepressants and some heart medicines, can affect oral health because they lessen the flow of saliva. (Saliva has a protective effect on teeth and gums.)
Illnesses. Diseases like cancer or AIDS and their treatments can also affect the health of gums. Genetic susceptibility. Some people are more prone to severe periodontal disease than others.

PAIN FREE DENTISTRY

At our New City dental practice, we make every effort to provide our patients with the most pleasant and pain-free experience possible. When undergoing dental treatment, many patients prefer a local anesthetic. Before local anesthesia is administered, a topical anesthetic is applied to the area that requires treatment. Another option we offer our patients is a new, long-lasting deep anesthetia that does not require an injection, and is very well suited for hygiene. In addition, we offer nitrous oxide sedation (laughing gas). Some patients require anesthetics for teeth cleaning, and others do not want anesthetics, at all. We always discuss our patient's preferences with them prior to treatment.

Porcelain Crowns

A crown, also known as a “cap”, encases the tooth in order to strengthen a decayed tooth, repair a broken tooth, or improve the cosmetic appearance of a tooth. A crown creates a brand new outer surface for your tooth. The painless procedure consists of reshaping your tooth to accommodate the crown, then impressions of your tooth are taken and sent to the lab to fabricate your permanent crown. During the first visit, a temporary crown will be made and placed over your tooth. When your crown is ready, you will return back to the office, the temporary will be removed, and the permanent crown will be cemented to your tooth. A porcelain crown looks and feels exactly like a real tooth, so nobody, including you, should be able to tell the difference. If anything, your new crown will enhance the look of your smile. A crown may be the best option for a tooth that has had significant decay that a filling may not be an adequate means to strengthen the tooth. A crown is also a good choice for a tooth that has chipped or broken and must be restored.

PORCELAIN VENEERS

For an immediate smile make-over porcelain veneers are the most esthetic means of creating a more pleasing and beautiful smile. Porcelain veneers for teeth allow us to alter tooth position, shape, size and color. They are not only alternative for all esthetic abnormalities but are truly a remarkable restoration when they are the treatment of choice.
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ROOT CANAL TREATMENT

Root canal treatment is needed when the tooth’s root becomes infected or inflamed through injury or advanced decay. Special files are used to clean the infection and unhealthy pulp out of the canals. Irrigation is used to help clean the main canal and lateral canals. A pernmanent core build-up material is placed on top of the gutta-percha to seal the opening. A crown, also called a cap, is made to look like a natural tooth, and is placed on. In some cases, a post is placed to give the core extra support. The crown is cemented into place.

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SEALANTS

Sealants are plastic coatings applied to the chewing surfaces of molars and bicuspids, usually applied to children and adolescents.
Some back teeth, especially molars, can be difficult for a person to clean because the grooves found on their chewing surface (the tooth’s “pits and fissures”) are deep and narrow. Toothbrushes are simply too large to gain access into the depths of the tooth’s grooves. Because plaque can not be properly cleaned away, the tooth is at risk for the formation of decay. By bonding plastic resin (the dental sealant) into the grooves of a tooth a dentist can create a tooth surface that is smoother, so there are no longer and locations on the chewing surface of the tooth that the bristles of a tooth brush can’t access and clean. The sealant acts as a barrier protecting the tooth’s surface. Visit teethandgums

SOFT TISSUE DIODE LASER

The soft tissue diode laser cuts through gum tissue. The laser allows precision during procedures, with minimal to no bleeding…speeding the healing process.
The soft tissue diode laser is used to eradicate bacteria in deep periodontal pockets. · Sculpt tissue for aesthetic purposes; for example, if a patient is unhappy with the appearance of their gum line, it can be reshaped with a diode laser. · For Gingivectomies . · For Laser Root Planing · Eliminate painful canker sores.
To learn how you can benefit from treatment using the soft tissue diode laser, visit: teethandgums.org

Teeth Replacement

Teeth replacement can be done in a number of ways. During a consultation, your dentist lists which ones are best for you. Implants are usually the best choice for teeth replacement. Unlike dentures or fixed/cemented bridges that require support from the natural teeth, implants allow the replaced teeth to be independent of your other teeth. In addition, implants do not compromise how adequately you are able to clean your remaining natural teeth. Another option for teeth replacement is fixed/cemented bridges, where you use crowns to replace the missing tooth or teeth. You can also replace a missing tooth or teeth with removable dentures. A dentist can tell you which options are right for you. If you are considering replacing missing teeth visit: teethandgums

Tooth Whitening

Why Whiten?
Your smile is important - It's one of the first things you notice when you meet someone. The obvious reason to whiten is to have whiter teeth. Another is to remove brown spots that occurred during development - some people have tetracycline stains. Then there are the smokers and tea/coffee drinkers that whiten to remove heavy staining. Whitening can get your smile looking its best.

Considerations Before Whitening:
People generally need to know that success varies. I have been surprised by both success and failure. Predictabilty is definitely flawed; however, teeth whitening generally yields limited results on stains from tetracycline. Also, sensitvity can occur and sometimes to the extent that it is too unbearable to proceed. Whitening will not affect the color of bonding. If you have bonding and wish to whiten, you may need to redo any bonding to match the teeth that have been whitened. If you have bonding and plan to do in-office whitening, make sure the dentist knows that you have bonding before your whitening appointment.

At Bernstein & Auerbach, we offer several different whitening systems. When trays with bleach are used, impressions are taken and the resulting trays are filled with a bleaching agent. With an in-office whitening system, a stronger agent and a plasma light — to activate the agent — is used. Depending on the strength used, your teeth can be whitened 8 to 10 shades lighter.

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TOOTH COLORED FILLINGS

Composite resin fillings contain no mercury, and the customized shades make them nearly invisible. These tooth-colored fillings are bonded to the tooth structure, providing extra support.

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Tooth Extractions

An extraction is the removal of teeth. A dentist's priority should always be to do everything possible to save the natural teeth; however, you may need an extraction if a tooth is deemed hopeless by virtue of gum disease or lack of restorability. When extracting a tooth, local anesthia is used to numb the area of the tooth or teeth being removed, and instruments are used to remove the tooth or teeth. After the tooth is removed, sutures are sometimes placed at the extraction site, and pressure is applied with gauze. Though extractions are routinely done by general dentists, some complicated cases may need to be referred to an oral surgeon, such as impacted wisdom teeth. If you are taking any precription medication, especially blood thinners, such as Aspirin, Coumadin, or Plavix, it is imperative for you to inform your dentist prior to any procedure that may involve bleeding.
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ULTRASONIC DEVICE

An ultrasonic dental handpiece has a thin, flexible, elongated abrasive tool attached for removing calculus deposits from the surface of teeth. A thin, flexible abrasive tool having a specifically selected diameter is used in conjunction with an ultrasonic handpiece for the purpose of removing calculus from deep within a periodontal pocket without traumatizing the surrounding tissue and bone. The use of a diamond coated abrasive tool aids in tactually detecting fine calculus deposits deep below the gum line. An annular aperture surrounding the circumference of the abrasive tool is used to provide a fluid spray for washing away loosened calculus. The ease and efficiency of calculus removal is greatly enhanced. The best feature of the ultrasonic instrument is the virtual lack of discomfort, compared to other devices used to clean teeth.
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