When Was Your Last Semiannual Dental Checkup?

semiannual dental checkup overland park ks

If you are having trouble trying to remember, it is time to call your dentist and find out. Most people require these visits every six months, and some could stand to see their oral health provider even more frequently, so if you are not careful, it can be easy to miss an appointment. Your semiannual dental checkup is your opportunity to keep the focus on your oral health, and this is a great time to talk to your dentist about any changes that you have seen in your smile.

At Family First Dental in Overland Park, KS, we are here to help people keep up with their oral health maintenance, and that starts with a dedicated cleaning and examination at a dental checkup. If you have been meaning to make it into the office for your routine dental care, doing it no can bring distinct advantages. Since it is just about the midway point of the year, you still have time for a checkup now and before New Year’s Eve. To find out more about the advantages of consistent checkups, give us a call today!

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Enhance Your Smile With Cosmetic Dentistry

enhance your smile overland park ks

Are you tired of looking in the mirror due to the quality of your smile? If so, then it is time to talk to your dentist about your options in cosmetic dentistry. This field of study aims to improve an individual’s appearance through a range of procedures, from porcelain veneers, dental bonding, and more. Cosmetic dentistry also includes professional teeth whitening, so if you have been wanting to enhance your smile, talk to our team about ways to safely and effectively life those stubborn stains from your enamel.

At Family First Dental in Overland Park, KS, we are devoted to bringing great dental care to our community. Whether you are looking for a brighter smile or a fuller set of teeth, we are here to help you look your best. So, if you are ready to improve your smile with quality cosmetic dentistry, give us a call today. Speak with our front desk and schedule a time for a consultation, and discover the value of a beautiful smile!

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How Our Ultrasonic Scaler Helps You Manage Symptoms Of Periodontal Disease

Overland Park, KS, dentist offers gum management strategies

Finding out you have gum disease can be concerning. This is the number one cause of tooth loss for adults in the United States, so it’s essential that you do your best to prevent this infection and management if you develop it. Your team at Family First Dental in Overland Park, KS, offers ultrasonic scaling and root planings that can help minimize your symptoms and keep your smile safe.

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Start The Summer With A Healthy Smile

Overland Park, KS, dentist offers family dental care

Before the kids go to camp or your family starts their summer vacation, come in for a dental cleaning and examination. Family First Dental in Overland Park, KS, offers preventive care for patients of all ages. These visits should take place biannually to ensure your teeth and gums are healthy. The beginning of summer break is a great time to come in for a visit because your kids will not have to miss school or other important activities.

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Exploring The Benefits Of All-On-4 Implants

Overland Park, KS, dentist offers dentures supported by implants

Tooth loss can be a concerning condition that affects your smile’s health and appearance. If you are experiencing a progressive form of this or have lost the majority of your teeth, you may feel lost on how to regain your confidence and treat this problem. Your Overland Park, KS, dental team may be able to help address this concern with dentures secured in place with implants.

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Porcelain Veneers: Is This Cosmetic Treatment Right For You?

Overland Park, KS, dentist offers porcelain veneers and other cosmetic options

Making improvements to your smile can be an investment, so it’s important that you choose the best option for your needs. Family First Dental in Overland Park, KS, offers several cosmetic methods that patients can choose from. These may include professional whitening to help rid of stains or Invisalign to invisibly correct your smile. We also offer porcelain veneers, which are a helpful option for patients who want to address several needs at once. Today, we’re here with three reasons to choose this option.

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Correct Your Smile Discreetly

Overland Park, KS, dentist offers invisalign

Recently, we have discussed cosmetic treatments that can improve your appearance. While these can be helpful, they may not be able to address alignment issues. Having crooked teeth or gaps between them could cause you to feel self-conscious. If you are interested in addressing these concerns, Family First Dental in Overland Park, KS, offers Invisalign. This orthodontic method allows you to straighten your grin with clear trays that are nearly invisible to others.

Read more: Correct Your Smile Discreetly

The Benefits Of This Method

Every patient is different, and the way you choose to straighten your pearly whites will depend on your personal needs and preferences. Invisalign may offer some advantages over other options like metal braces. First, this option is more discreet. Adults looking to correct their grins may find this more convenient. The clear trays are also removable, which patients may find more comfortable. You will wear them for the majority of the day, taking them out only during meals or when doing your oral hygiene. This means you can continue eating your favorite foods and may have an easier time brushing and flossing than you would with other options. Our discreet option also takes about the same amount of time as others.

Aligning Your Teeth Can Improve Your Oral Health

There are other benefits of this cosmetic option besides enhancing your appearance. Having properly adjusted teeth can improve your oral health. If your teeth are overcrowded, it can be difficult to thoroughly brush and floss. When they sit in the correct position, it can be easier to do your oral hygiene, thus reducing the chances of developing cavities, gum disease, and other oral health problems. It can also help improve malocclusion, which may be able to help you stop grinding your teeth.

Find Out If This Is Right For You

Before starting this treatment, you will need to have a consultation with your dentist. Invisalign can correct a variety of problems. However, if your alignment problems are more severe, traditional orthodontic methods may be needed instead. This method is reserved for older teenage or adult patients because you will need to be mature enough to take care of your aligners. Your dentist will take an impression of your oral cavity to create the trays. This impression can also be used to estimate the time it will take to adjust your teeth. In many cases, patients can see a difference in about one to three years. One helpful advantage of this method is that if you have special events during this time, you will not need to worry about metal braces disrupting your appearance.

Talk To Our Team Today

If you are interested in this treatment, call Family First Dental in Overland Park, KS, today at 913-381-2600.

A Minimally Invasive Way To Improve Your Grin

Overland Park, KS dentist offers cosmetic bonding and contouring services

In our last blog, we discussed how a professional teeth whitening treatment can eliminate stains on your tooth’s surface and leave you with a brighter smile. This is a great option for patients with external discoloration. However, if these blemishes occur below the surface, alternative options like bonding may be recommended instead.  Family First Dental in Overland Park, KS, offers this conservative treatment to boost the appearance of your pearly whites.

Read more: A Minimally Invasive Way To Improve Your Grin

Who Could Benefit From Bonding?

Cosmetic bonding is the process of adding composite resin to areas of imperfection throughout your smile. This treatment is non-invasive and can take just a single appointment. Your dentist may recommend this option if your teeth do not respond to professional teeth whitening. Some types of discoloration may occur below your enamel, which the bleaching agent cannot reach. Cosmetic bonding can help you achieve an even-appearing smile by disguising minor chips and cracks or covering blemishes.

Before having this done, you will need to have a consultation with your dentist to ensure that the intrinsic discoloration has not been caused by damage or an infection. If that is the root of the cause, restorations will need to be done first. However, internal stains may also be caused by genetics or non-threatening problems. In this case, you will be able to move forward with this improvement.

Pair Contouring For Dramatic Results

For a full smile transformation, you can pair bonding with contouring. This process allows the dentist to reshape your teeth if they are jagged, overlapped, or crooked. Contouring is a great option for patients dealing with slightly asymmetrical smiles. Patients with more severe overlapping or crowding problems may be recommended an alternative, such as orthodontic treatments, instead. Reshaping only removes a small amount of your natural tooth and should not cause discomfort. Sedation options may be available for your comfort.

We Also Offer Gum Contouring

Your smile may appear uneven due to having an uneven gumline. This can be corrected with gum contouring. First, you will need to have a consultation with your dentist. You must have healthy gingival tissue before going through this process. If there are any signs of gingivitis, periodontal cleanings will need to be performed first.

Gum contouring will be performed using laser treatment. A light beam will be used to sculpt the tissue or remove excess amounts. Using a laser allows this treatment to be more efficient and more comfortable. You may experience some sensitivity after your appointment, but this should go down within a few days. Remember to continue your oral hygiene routine gently, avoid foods that could irritate the area, and take pain-reducers as necessary.

Schedule Your Appointment Today

You can Call Family First Dental in Overland Park, KS, today at 913-381-2600 to schedule a cosmetic treatment.

Refresh Your Smile With Professional Teeth Whitening

Overland Park, KS, dentist offers professional teeth whitening services

Are your pearly whites looking dull or yellow? This may happen over time due to the beverages and foods that we consume. While having a discolored smile may not necessarily mean your oral health is poor, it can look unappealing and lower your confidence. Family First Dental in Overland Park, KS, offers professional teeth whitening that can be done at home or in our office and can bring back vibrancy to your appearance.

Read more: Refresh Your Smile With Professional Teeth Whitening

Achieve This Safely At Home

Before reaching for the store-bought kits you can purchase, you may want to consult with your dentist. Some of these generic supplies can contain harsh ingredients that can harm your smile. Instead, your dentist can examine your pearly whites and create a personalized whitening set that can be used at home. A custom tray will be made based on the measurements of your oral cavity. You will apply the bleaching agent to these trays every day for about two weeks, as determined by your dentist. Then, you can show off your stunning results. This is a great option for patients who have a longer time before their upcoming special event.

See Rapid Results With Our In-Office Option

Do you need this done in less time? We also offer expedited treatment that can be done in our office. During your appointment, the bleaching agent will be applied to your teeth and activated with a light. This visit will take about an hour and can leave you with a vibrant smile. This option is great for patients who would like to improve the look of their pearly whites with less time. Before having this done, you will need to discuss this treatment with your dentist to ensure it is the right option for your needs.

If This Whitening Treatment Does Not Work

A professional brightening treatment is great for patients who have stains on their teeth due to external factors, such as coffee or soda consumption. For patients whose discoloration occurs internally, other cosmetic treatments may be necessary. This intrinsic staining may happen due to genetics, changes in health, or injury to the area. If the discoloration has happened due to trauma, restorations may need to be done first to ensure your teeth are healthy. After the problem has been repaired, you can discuss visual improvements that can be made.

One helpful way to improve the look of these blemishes is through cosmetic bonding. Your dentist can add composite resin to areas that are discolored or chipped. This can help you achieve an even-appearing grin in just a single appointment. You can also pair this with contouring to improve jagged or uneven-sized teeth.

Learn More About Your Options

You can Call Family First Dental in Overland Park, KS, today at 913-381-2600 to schedule a cosmetic treatment.

Helping You Manage Gum Disease

OVerland PArk, KS offers periodontal care

Poor oral hygiene and other risk factors may put you at risk of periodontitis. If you have gum disease, it is important to stay on top of your treatment plan so that the problem does not worsen. Family First Dental in Overland Park, KS, offers scaling and root planing services that help you manage periodontal disease. In today’s blog, we will be exploring what these treatments entail and why they help maintain your symptoms.

Read more: Helping You Manage Gum Disease

Symptoms That You Have Gingivitis

The first stage of periodontal disease is gingivitis. During this phase, you may notice that your oral tissue is swollen or more red. You may also bleed when you try to floss. In some cases, bleeding while you floss may not mean that you have gingivitis. It could just be a sign that you need to floss more often. However, if it causes you discomfort, it may be due to gingivitis. If caught and treated in this stage, periodontal disease can be reversed. However, if left ignored, this initial phase can progress into more advanced stages. As the condition worsens, you may notice that you have persistently bad-smelling breath, loose-feeling teeth, and swollen gums.

What To Do If You Have Periodontal Disease

Twice a year, you should be going to your dentist for a cleaning and examination. During this time, they will examine your oral cavity and check for common problems, such as gum disease. If you have signs of this problem, the dentist may put you on a treatment plan that includes deep cleanings. Depending on the severity of your condition, you may need several of these each year to maintain your symptoms.

Periodontal cleanings are more extensive than the ones done during your checkup. They include scaling and root planing, which help remove plaque buildup from below your tissue line. The tissue will also be smoothed to help them reattach to the root of your tooth. If you do not undergo treatment, you may be at risk of losing your teeth and many other health concerns may follow.

Prevention Is Key

Periodontal disease is one of the leading causes of tooth loss in adults. However, it can be prevented in many cases. Some risk factors can increase your likelihood of developing this problem. These may include smoking tobacco, stress, autoimmune disease, and of course, poor oral hygiene. To reduce your chances of developing gingivitis, make sure to take proper steps to care for your oral health. Brush and floss twice a day, see your dentist twice a year and try to cut out or reduce bad lifestyle and diet choices.

Schedule A Deep Cleaning Today

Call Family First Dental in Overland Park, KS, today at 913-381-2600 to schedule a periodontal service.