Advanced Gum Disease Treatment Reduces Pain and Speeds Healing

Until recently, patients with gum disease dreaded the painful, invasive techniques and the long healing time involved in gum treatment procedures. Many patients delay treatment because of their anxiety over the grueling traditional approach to gum disease care and treatment which allows the disease more time to advance and cause tooth decay, gum erosion, and other health issues throughout the body.

Why is Early Gum Disease Care and Treatment so Important?

periodontitis what is gum diseaseGum disease afflicts many people and can lead to serious consequences. Some people are at higher risk of gum disease and may not know it. Misaligned bite, tobacco use, and some medications, including those that cause a dry mouth, may cause a higher risk of gum disease.  Poor dental hygiene and lack of regular dental care are other major causes of progressive gum disease.

Symptoms of gum disease include red, swollen gums and bleeding during toothbrushing. This stage of the disease is called gingivitis. If untreated, gingivitis can lead to periodontal disease in which the gum tissue itself retreats from the tooth and infection below the gum line sets in.  This can lead to a breakdown of the gums and bone tissue, as well as tooth decay and eventual loss of the tooth. And, the oral bacteria found in the gum tissue is implicated in other diseases as well, including colon cancer, heart disease, and diabetes.

A Less Painful Approach to Gum Disease Treatment is Now Available

Because many patients fear the discomfort of traditional gum disease treatment, finding a solution to making gum care more appealing is an important advance for dentistry. Dr. Jesus Medina, DDS, recently announced a new gum disease care and treatment option to his patients, offering the revolutionary laser dentistry.

Laser dentistry procedure eliminates the need to cut the gums, using a fine laser to remove infection instead. And, it stimulates the growth of new, healthy tissue and speeds the recovery process. The procedure is far less painful than traditional gum disease treatment, so it does not require anesthesia or shots.

dr jesus medina las vegas dentist

Dr. Medina is eager to get the word out so that patients who are putting off treatment for their gum disease due to anxiety over pain and healing time know that there is a more gentle and effective option for gum disease care and treatment.  Call or contact our office today for more information or to get started on taking good care of your oral health today.

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Why a Cosmetic Dentist Is a Good Choice for You

Let a Las Vegas Cosmetic Dentist give you a great Las Vegas smile!

call dr medina for cosmetic dentistIn Las Vegas, a party town, we tend smile a lot. We like to see and be seen. It’s no fun to dress up and go out on the town, but be afraid to smile and laugh with friends!  For anyone with stained, broken, missing or just unattractive teeth, smiling can be a real downer.

Already see a dentist regularly?  Maybe you’ve had work done on your teeth, but you still don’t have a smile that you’re totally happy to share with friends and strangers. Maybe your dentist does a great job on keeping your mouth healthy, but you still don’t like the way your teeth look. If so, a cosmetic dentist can make a big difference in your life and get you back out there to enjoy life in Las Vegas.

What is a Cosmetic Dentist?

Cosmetic dentistry is dental work that’s designed specifically to improve the appearance of your smile. While traditional dentists focus mainly on cleaning and fixing teeth and maintaining your dental health, cosmetic dentists focus not only on dental health, but also on how your teeth look, so you really have something to smile about. Cosmetic dentists are trained to perform a variety of procedures, including techniques to improve the color of your teeth, correct the spacing or alignment, repair chipped teeth and replace outdated dental treatments with something more attractive. A great cosmetic dentist will consult closely with you to develop your personal treatment plan to give you the great smile you want.

When Should You See a Las Vegas Cosmetic Dentist?

If you’re considering cosmetic dentistry, you’re not alone. There are lots of things a cosmetic dentist can help you with.  Here are some of the biggest reasons people go  to see a cosmetic dentist:

  • When your smile has lost its brightness. As you age, your teeth typically lose the bright whiteness of youth. Coffee, tea, wine and cigarettes can cause staining that yellows teeth, adding years to your looks. A cosmetic dentist can give you a younger-looking smile with bleaching, bonding or other whitening procedures.
  • beautiful older woman showing teeth after cosmetic dentistyWhen your teeth are noticeably damaged or worn. A chipped tooth can have an uncomfortable sharp edge in addition to leaving an imperfection in your smile. It’s also possible that your teeth have become ground down unevenly over time. Some wear is natural, but too much in one spot can lead to pain. A cosmetic dentist can repair or reshape damaged teeth and prevent additional wear, which can help maintain your good oral health.
  • When you have missing teeth. If you’ve lost a tooth to damage or decay, you don’t have to settle for old-fashioned dentures. Modern cosmetic dentistry offers a wide range of solutions, including bridges, crowns and implants. Replacing a missing tooth is also important for your overall oral health to keep the rest of your teeth in proper alignment.
  • When you feel self-conscious about your smile. If something’s holding you back from flashing your pearly whites, you don’t need to suffer in silence. Problems with your teeth can lead to lowered self-esteem and a lack of self-confidence. It can also hold you back from expressing yourself, and may even affect your ability to thrive in social situations or in your job, if you need to interact with the public. A cosmetic dentist can pinpoint the issue and offer the right solution for you.

Cosmetic Dentist in Las Vegas

Your smile is one of the best things about you, so don’t hide it away.  Dr Medina specializes in smiles through cosmetic dentistry in Las Vegas.  For a consultation, give him a call today  at 702-368-3627 or contact his office for an appointment, and take home a happy new smile!

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Do you have bad teeth due to teeth grinding?

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Find out how teeth grinding affects your teeth

Tooth grinding is a condition that is often overlooked and can lead to serious dental and other problems. Find out know what tooth grinding is, how you know you have it, and the treatment.

What is teeth grinding?

las vegas teeth grinding dentistTeeth grinding, also known as bruxism, is a disorder in which you clench your jaw and grind your teeth together, putting pressure on your teeth and jaws. The condition may be voluntary, involuntary, or both.  With voluntary teeth grinding, you habitually clench or grind your teeth during times of stress or anxiety. Involuntary teeth grinding, on the other and, causes you to grind your teeth during sleep. Many people experience both voluntary and involuntary teeth grinding, since one can lead to the other.

What are the symptoms of teeth grinding?

If you have voluntary tooth grinding, you are already aware there is a problem. However, if you have involuntary teeth grinding you may not know you have this condition since it happens while you sleep. Here are warning signs and symptoms to look out for:

  • Your teeth seem flatter or more worn than they used to
  • You have chipped or loose teeth that weren’t caused by injury
  • Increased teeth sensitivity
  • Sore or tight jaw
  • Pain or tightness in face, especially in the mornings
  • Earaches
  • Headaches
  • Pain and swelling on insides of your cheeks as if you’ve bitten them, but you don’t remember doing so
  • Fatigue
  • Fatigue in sleeping partner if the sound from tooth grinding wakes your partner

What causes tooth grinding?

There are various reasons you may grind your teeth. Here are the most common causes:

  • Stress and anxiety
  • Misaligned bite
  • Missing or crooked teeth
  • Sleep disorders
  • Sleep apnea
  • Neurological diseases
  • Medication side effect 

Why is it important to treat bruxism?

broken tooth from teeth grindingBruxism may seem like just an annoying bad habit. If you are noticing symptoms, though, you may wonder if the condition needs treatment or if you should wait for it to go away. Teeth grinding can cause serious dental issues if it’s not treated. The constant force and pressure from your jaw muscles can damage your teeth. Here are possible complications of tooth grinding:

  • Fractured, broken teeth
  • Tooth loss
  • Damage to existing dental work including crowns and bridges
  • Jaw disorders,including damage to temporomandibular joints (TMJ)
  • Headache

What can you do at home to prevent teeth grinding?

If you have voluntary bruxism, you need to become aware of your jaw and teeth. If you catch yourself grinding your teeth, take a deep breath and relax your jaw muscles. If you seem to be frequently under stress, find a way to relieve the stress before bedtime with exercise, meditation, and relaxation techniques. Here are other ways to help reduce your tooth grinding:

  • Avoid products that stimulate the nervous system and can cause anxiety such as coffee, soda, and chocolate
  • Reduce or eliminate alcohol
  • Avoid activities that simulate teeth clenching or grinding as these can lead to both voluntary and involuntary forms, like chewing gum or ice, or nervous habits such as chewing on the ends of pens and pencils.
  • Whenever you notice your jaw tightening, relax it and position your tongue between your teeth or use your tongue to push on the roof of your mouth.
  • Use a warm washcloth on your face and cheeks to encourage muscle relaxation before bed

See your Dentist for help with Teeth Grinding

teeth grinding help dentistWhen home remedies aren’t enough, or you are experiencing jaw or dental pain, it may be time to ask your dentist for help. A dentist can create a custom mouth guard that prevents damage to your teeth from sleep grinding. You simply use the mouth guard every night while you sleep. Mouth guards minimize the damage done to your teeth while you use other methods like stress management to reduce your bruxism. If your teeth grinding is caused by a misaligned bite or crooked teeth, dental work to correct these problems will help.

Tooth grinding may seem like a harmless condition, but it can cause big dental problems as time goes on.  When you wear your teeth down and damage them, you end up needed major repair or replacement of the damaged tooth with procedures like:

  • Crowns
  • Root canals
  • Bridges
  • Partial dentures
  • Implants

If you suspect you may have tooth grinding, make an appointment to see your dentist and work together on a plan to repair any damage and a solution to stop the tooth grinding for good.

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More Than a Pretty Face- Dr. Medina’s Cosmetic Dentistry

Jesus Medina Jr., DDS specializes in not only general dentistry in Las Vegas, but also is one of Las Vegas best cosmetic dentist practitioners. Cosmetic dentistry procedures run the gamut from simple whitening procedures or braces to porcelain veneers and porcelain fixed bridges to match your teeth’s natural sheen while fixing gaps and reshaping your smile. At https://drjesusmedinajrdds.com, you can get your new smile with little time and effort on your part. Of all the dentists in Las Vegas, Dr. Medina stands apart with his excellent service and wide range of dental procedures. Whether the job is bite correction, tooth filling, or a simple whitening procedure, Dr. Medina can handle it. One patient reports “My son – Sean had a complicated situation with his bite which Dr. Medina corrected perfectly!” showing that even pediatric dentistry is within reach at one simple location.

For many dental patients, tooth fillings are a necessary step in restoring their teeth, and what better to do that than composite fillings, offering a natural look and long-lasting effects? Cracked or missing teeth are also easy fixes, with everything from simple whitening procedures to enamel replacements.

Even removing tartar and plaque can be a cosmetic procedure, turning your teeth from stained and yellow to bright white in no time. The before and after picture below shows just how much a single visit can improve your smile:

dr medina cosmetic dentistry before after

A quick tartar removal to get a new, brighter smile!

You may need more than a cleaning to fix your teeth, however, and Jesus Medina Jr., DDS offers a wide array of cosmetic dentistry procedures for just that reason. Porcelain crowns, porcelain caps, porcelain veneers, and porcelain fixed bridges are all necessary implements for restoring your smile.

Occasionally decayed or broken teeth need to be fixed, and porcelain crowns and caps are used to not only repair them, but also match your teeth’s natural color and luster. Porcelain fixed bridges can literally “bridge” the gap between missing teeth, filling in and giving your smile a full appearance. This can be an alternative to dentures for many people, and many denture wearers upgrade from the removable appliance to a permanent dental replacement like these.

The cosmetic dentistry procedures listed here are just a few of those offered by Jesus Medina Jr., DDS. For more procedures, or to schedule an appointment online, visit https://drjesusmedinajrdds.com or call (702) 368-3627 for more information.

 

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It’s the Little Things that Count: Dental Care Without the Cost

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dr medina dentist dental care graphic

Ever wonder why your teeth aren’t perfect, no matter how often you brush? When it comes to oral hygiene, it’s the little things that count. Brushing may be the most common form of cleaning, but it’s not the only one. Jesus Medina Jr., DDS of Las Vegas offers some tips for maintaining your smile, even when you’re on the go.

There are more than toothbrushes in the dental care aisle of your grocery store; it takes an arsenal of tooth cleaning tools to keep your smile shining. Toothbrushes, including electric ones, obviously only work with toothpaste, and we recommend any brand that uses baking soda for maximum freshness. Toothpaste only covers where you can reach with your brush, however.

For getting those hard to reach places behind your molars and between your teeth, close to the gums, dental floss is essential. Flossing whenever you brush is one of the best ways to brush (hah!) up on your dental hygiene. After brushing, take a piece of floss between your fingers about an inch long (or just use one of the convenient disposable floss-picks that many stores now sell), and work it between each and every tooth to remove any deeply-wedged food particles. Flossing correctly can reduce your risk of tooth decay by 35% on its own!

Not feeling 100% clean yet? Mouthwash covers the rest of those hard-to-reach places, deep-cleaning your mouth and tongue and helping to freshen your breath. Dentists recommend the anti-plaque or anti-bacterial varieties, and Dr. Medina does as well. These ones have several additives that will not only keep your mouth minty-fresh, but will also fight plaque at the same time.

Lastly, don’t forget whitening strips, those thing minty films that you place on your teeth, and they melt away after a few minutes. These can help clean your teeth away from home, in between meals when brushing isn’t an option, and also help keep your breath fresh. These will help passively whiten your teeth, giving you a fresh smile over time in between brushings.

Jesus Medina Jr., DDS, hopes these helpful hints will encourage you to keep your teeth extra-clean in between visits. Maintaining a healthy mouth is a good start for improving your smile, and for everything else we offer a wide range of dental services– general, cosmetic, and restorative procedures should your teeth need that extra boost.

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Questions About Dentures and Dental Services?

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You’ve heard the terms before: partial dentures, full dentures, fixed bridges, removable dentures.   For anyone who grew up with the cartoon notion of dentures as a set of clacking teeth you might be surprised at the sophistication and variety of dental appliances that are available to restore your smile — and your ability eat all the foods you love.  Young or old, if you’ve lost even some of your teeth you owe it to yourself to check out your options.

For a brief explanation of dentures terminology and more, check out our updated page “types of dentures.”  And be sure to bookmark our site for more answers to your questions about dentures and dental services.

Also be sure to get in touch with our office if you’d like to learn just how affordable dentures can be for you.  Don’t spend another day in confusion.  Get your questions answered by Dr. Medina today.

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