Blog | Taylor General & Cosmetic Dentistry
November 29, 2021 By Taylor Cosmetic Dental Leave a Comment
Your smile is one of the first things that people notice about you when meeting for the first time. Everyone’s smile is unique and beautiful in its own way — but there are methods you can take to improve and maintain the appearance of your teeth and gums. Why not make your smile the best and brightest it can be?
To help keep you smiling day in and day out, the team at Taylor Dental has put together a list of tips for the best way to have healthy teeth and gums.
This isn’t going to come as a surprise to anyone, but it is incredibly important that you brush your teeth at least twice a day to keep your teeth and gums healthy. At a minimum, the American Dental Association (ADA) recommends that you brush your teeth in the morning when you wake up and in the evening before going to bed. However, it can be beneficial to brush after every meal if you’re able to do so.
The more frequently you brush, the less time food and plaque will remain trapped in between your teeth and gums which will minimize the amount of bacteria in your mouth. For optimal results, use a soft-bristled toothbrush replaced every three to four months once the bristles begin to fray.
Stepping into the toothpaste aisle can be extremely overwhelming. With so many options to choose from, it can be hard to know which is the right choice. From whitening toothpaste to toothpaste for sensitive teeth, there’s something for everyone.
However, it is important that whatever toothpaste you choose contains fluoride and has the ADA seal of approval on the packaging. No matter what flavor toothpaste you opt for, making sure your toothpaste checks these two factors will ensure your teeth and gums are getting the most effective clean.
We’ve all sat in the dentist’s chair and lied to the question, “how often do you floss?” We get it. It’s an easy step in your oral hygiene routine to skip — but it shouldn’t be! Flossing is one of the best ways to remove the food and plaque that has become trapped between your teeth and gums.
If this buildup isn’t properly removed, it can become tartar and eventually lead to problems like gum disease. To reduce the risk of gum disease, floss at least once a day in the morning or evening.
Certain foods are more likely to cause dental health problems because of the way they stick to your teeth. Consuming sugary foods and beverages puts you at a greater risk of developing cavities due to increased acidity in your mouth. A diet high in sugar creates a breeding ground for bacteria, and if it isn’t removed properly through thorough brushing and flossing, it can lead to cavities and tooth enamel decay. Reducing your sugar intake will help cut back on the amount of bacteria buildup in your mouth.
Call Taylor Dental for Preventative Dental Care
To keep your teeth and gums healthy, you should be visiting the dentist once every six months. During the preventative dental cleaning, the team at Taylor Dental can find small problems before they turn into major health concerns such as gum disease and tooth loss. Instead of letting any oral hygiene issues fester, our top-rated preventative dental care helps you maintain a beautiful, clean smile.
Here at Taylor Dental, we specialize in providing preventive dental care for your entire family. If you or your loved ones are experiencing dental issues, schedule an appointment with the leading cosmetic dentist in Billings, MT.
November 7, 2021 By Taylor Cosmetic Dental Leave a Comment
You’ve probably heard how obstructive sleep apnea increases the risk of health problems such as hypertension, stroke, heart disease, obesity, and more. However, you may not be aware that untreated sleep apnea can also lead to oral health issues.
While sleep apnea can be diagnosed and treated by a sleep specialist, your dentist can also be looped in to provide treatment for sleep apnea as well. With background knowledge in sleep disorders, a dentist can uncover problems with your mouth or jaw that may be causing or worsening your sleep apnea.
To better understand the link between sleep apnea and oral health problems, Taylor Dental has put together a quick guide breaking everything down.
If you suffer from sleep apnea, you know just how bad it can wreak havoc on your life. Even when you get a full night’s sleep, you wake up feeling unrested and lethargic because of the countless breathing disruptions you experienced throughout the night. Unfortunately, sleep apnea not only affects your quality of sleep but can cause harmful damage to your oral health. Here are a few oral health problems sleep apnea patients should be aware of.
As you know, sleep apnea is caused by a blockage in the individual’s airway that leaves them gasping and choking for air in an attempt to reopen their airway. This reaction is natural but also causes the patient to open their mouth while they gasp for air.
Both gasping and snoring require the individual’s mouth to be open to bring in the oxygen they crave, leaving the patient with a bad case of dry mouth. While dry mouth might not seem like a big deal, it can reduce saliva production, promoting bacterial growth in the mouth. As a result, the sleep apnea patient’s dry mouth can lead to tooth decay, bad breath, and gum disease.
While the connection between sleep apnea and teeth grinding is still being debated, it’s believed individuals suffering from sleep apnea are likely to grind their teeth at night attempting to open their airway. Over time, the teeth grinding can cause severe and permanent damage to their teeth.
While some patients may choke, snore, or gasp for air, others grind their teeth or reposition their jaw in an attempt to remove the blockage in their airway. This moves the jaw out of its proper alignment, leading to additional pressure on the joint — leading to temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD). Similar to teeth grinding, the individual often unknowingly seeks out ways to reopen their airway while sleeping.
Types of Dental Devices for Sleep Apnea
Depending on your specific sleep apnea test results, your dentist may recommend a few different treatment options for your sleep apnea. While continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy is the most common form of treatment, less severe cases may be able to use one of the following dental devices to lessen the chance of oral health problems:
Mandibular Advancement Devices – A mandibular advancement device is custom-fit to the individual’s mouth by a dentist. This device is created using a hard plastic that snaps over the top of their upper and lower teeth to push the individual’s jaw forward in an attempt to help keep their airway open throughout the night.
Mouth Guards – If the patient needs their jaw adjusted slightly to prevent the soft tissues from collapsing into their throat, they may require a mouth guard to slightly reposition their lower jaw.
Tongue-Retaining Devices – When the individual’s breathing disruptions are caused by their tongue falling back into their throat as they sleep, the dentist may recommend a tongue-retaining device to hold the tongue forward throughout the night and prevent it from slipping back.
Before determining which form of sleep apnea treatment is best, you need to undergo a sleep study to determine how severe your obstructive sleep apnea is.
Call Taylor Dental for Dental Concerns
For all dental concerns, Dr. Taylor offers preventative care, as well as sleep apnea treatment options. Schedule an appointment with the leading dentist in Billings, MT.
Although you usually hear the phrase, “you’re never fully dressed without a smile,” that hasn’t been the case over the last year. Instead, you’re never fully dressed without a face mask. While face masks have been doing their part in helping to prevent the spread of COVID-19, dentists and orthodontists are now seeing a decline in oral hygiene due to the increase in face mask wear.
From wearing masks to staying home and eating more snacks to postponing dental visits, our oral health has taken a big hit over the last year — increasing the likelihood of patients experiencing tooth decay, gingivitis, and cavities. Even while we continue to wear face masks to protect ourselves from the coronavirus, it’s important to upkeep your oral hygiene to prevent problems from cropping up.
Today, the team at Taylor Dental is here to talk to you about maintaining your oral hygiene while wearing a face mask and ways you can keep your teeth clean when brushing isn’t available to you.
A newly coined term in the dental hygiene community is “mask mouth,” which refers to individuals who had healthy teeth and gums before the pandemic but are now exhibiting oral problems due to wearing face masks regularly.
Wearing face masks is part of our everyday routine and has caused an increase in the dryness of our mouths — and a dry mouth is a breeding ground for bacteria and viruses. Without the protective layer of saliva that our mouths usually have when mask-free, our mouths aren’t naturally protecting the teeth or gums from this buildup of bacteria. Along with the decrease in salvia, frequent mask wearers are less likely to stay hydrated throughout the day, impacting the mouth’s dryness.
Not only does this dry mouth lead to bad breath, but when unresolved, the bacteria growth can lead to problems such as gingivitis and tooth decay.
Dentists have also found that many kids are skipping critical parts of their oral hygiene routine, including brushing their teeth at least twice a day. Because the child or individual wears a mask when leaving their home, they may not think they need to brush their teeth since no one will be smelling their bad breath.
However, skipping brushing their teeth is causing an increase in bacteria and plaque on their teeth, causing problems to their teeth and gum lines — which can lead to irreversible damage if not treated.
If you are having a hard time getting your child to brush their teeth, there are a few ways you can help them clean their teeth without the use of a toothbrush:
Pack crunchy vegetables in their lunch – Include crunchy vegetables such as celery, carrots, broccoli, or cucumbers in your child’s lunch because they can help scrape plaque from the teeth, removing some of the odor-causing bacteria.
Make mouthwash readily available – Mouthwash is an easy and effective way to rid the mouth of bacteria that can wreak havoc on your child’s teeth and gums.
Pick up sugarless gum from the store – Sugarless gum not only can improve the smell of bad breath but can help release food particles that get stuck between teeth. It also promotes the production of saliva, which is helpful when dealing with dry mouth from wearing a mask.
If you’re concerned about your child’s teeth, Dr. Taylor and his highly trained staff can help you determine the steps to take to improve their oral hygiene. Contact Taylor Dental in Billings, MT, to schedule an appointment for preventative care. We look forward to helping you improve your family’s oral health!
September 24, 2021 By Taylor Cosmetic Dental Leave a Comment
When you think of your bi-annual visit to the dentist, you probably expect them to clean your teeth and send you on your way. While a traditional approach to dentistry is a tried and true approach to promoting oral health, holistic approaches, known as whole body dentistry, are becoming increasingly popular.
Oral health impacts your overall health — and this connection goes both ways! For instance, if you have an oral infection, it can spread to your bloodstream and cause other health issues. With a holistic approach to dental care, your dentist will not only look at your teeth but will factor in your entire body. By improving your overall health through a holistic approach, you’ll see improvement in your oral health as well.
Taylor Dental specializes in whole body dentistry and can help you with a customized treatment plan to improve your oral health and your overall health.
What Is Whole Body Dentistry?
When it comes to your oral health, it’s about more than just the individual teeth that make up your smile. A holistic dentist practicing whole body dentistry understands the connection of the mouth to the rest of your body, allowing them to not only treat oral health but simultaneously affect your body’s overall wellbeing.
If you’re suffering from oral infections, your teeth are spreading toxins throughout your body that can cause it stress and inflammation. The goal of your whole body dentist is to provide you with holistic treatment to your teeth or gums with the following factors in mind:
Nutrition – Holistic dentists believe that incorporating the right foods and supplements into your diet can naturally cure problems of the mouth, gums, and body. Not only does proper nutrition help prevent dental diseases, but can help reverse some of the damaging effects they have had on your health.
Toxins – To reduce the introduction of toxins into your body that can cause inflammation and other issues, whole body dentistry switches up some of the materials used for dental work. For instance, holistic dentists do not use amalgam when filling cavities due to mercury content. Whole body dentistry also recommends against using fluoride or root canal treatment due to their impact on your health.
Supplements – In many cases, a holistic dentist will make recommendations for supplements rich in vitamin C that can help treat and prevent gum disease.
Ready to improve the health and appearance of your smile — and your overall health? The team at Taylor Dental is trained on the holistic approach of whole body dentistry to provide you with the necessary treatment and recommendations that will leave you feeling your best.
Our top-rated dentists will be able to help you determine if whole body dentistry is the right approach for you and are happy to walk you through our process and answer any questions you may have.
At your appointment, Dr. Taylor and his highly trained staff can help you determine the steps to improve your oral hygiene using a holistic approach. We will work with you to provide a well-rounded treatment plan, from nutrition and supplement recommendations to alternative treatment methods. With our whole body dentistry services, you can have peace of mind knowing we are factoring in all aspects of your body, not just your teeth and gums, to improve your overall health and wellbeing.
Contact Taylor Dental in Billings, MT, to schedule an appointment for whole body dentistry. We look forward to helping you improve your oral health!
August 23, 2021 By Taylor Cosmetic Dental Leave a Comment
Your smile is one of the first things that people notice about you, which is why you might be feeling self-conscious if you have damaged, chipped, or discolored teeth. To restore your smile to its former glory, a cosmetic dentist may recommend porcelain veneers.
Veneers are used to improve the appearance of misaligned, gapped, or damaged teeth through a non-invasive procedure. Ceramic shells are customer-designed and bonded to your existing tooth to create a beautiful, uniform appearance.
Although porcelain veneers are a great option for transforming your smile, it’s important to understand the pros and cons before investing. To ensure you’re confident in your decision for veneers, Taylor Dental has compiled a list of advantages and disadvantages so you can get a well-rounded look at what to expect.
If you’re considering porcelain veneers to fix missing, misaligned, or discolored teeth, you’ll experience the following advantages.
Depending on your teeth, you may also be considering other smile restoration options such as dentures. Unlike other options, porcelain veneers are white and translucent, which creates a natural-looking smile. Most people won’t even realize you have veneers and will think your perfect smile is composed of your natural teeth!
Porcelain veneers offer you a set of pearly whites — and provide you with peace of mind knowing they retain their white color and resist stains! The last thing you want is to find yourself with another discolored set of teeth, and with porcelain veneers, you’ll never have to worry. With proper oral hygiene, they’ll retain their beauty for many years to come.
Because veneers are an investment, you want them to remain in top condition for a long time. Due to their durable nature, they’ll be able to withstand years of wear and tear that comes with talking and chewing. In most cases, you can expect your porcelain veneers to last for an upward of 20 years before needing to be replaced.
Unlike whitening products that will gradually improve the appearance of your teeth over time, porcelain veneers offer an instant refresh to your smile. As soon as you leave your cosmetic dentist, you’ll be able to show off your pearly whites without worrying about scheduling additional dental procedures.
You can rest easy knowing the veneers will give you the clean, white teeth you’ve been wanting. Their stain-resistant nature will keep them white for many years to come!
Like all things, porcelain veneers also have a few disadvantages for you to consider. Here are some of the cons for you to be aware of.
Although porcelain veneers are incredibly durable and resistant to damage, they can still become damaged, similar to a natural tooth. If you bite hard on a non-food item such as a pen or beer bottle, you could chip or crack the veneer and find yourself requiring a replacement.
To apply the porcelain veneer to your teeth, your dentist removes the outermost layer of tooth enamel to your teeth. As a result, you may notice an increased sensitivity to hot or cold foods and beverages. However, there are no-prep veneers that do not require the removal of enamel!
On average, you can expect porcelain veneers to last 10-15 years–or more– with proper dental care. While this is a decent length, porcelain veneers tend to have a shorter lifespan than dental bridges or dental crowns.
If you’re interested in cosmetic dentistry to enhance or correct your smile, Dr. Taylor and his staff can help you determine if porcelain veneers are the right solutions for you. Our team offers no-prep veneers, which are incredibly strong and transformative without the need to damage any enamel to apply the veneer.
Filed Under: Cosmetic Dentistry, General Dentistry, Special Services
How a Smile Makeover Can Transform Your Life
An imperfect smile may be impacting your life more than you realize. From preventing you from enjoying foods you love to diminishing your self-confidence, your smile places a big part in how you present yourself to the world.
If you’re tired of having a flawed smile, we have a simple solution that will leave you smiling for everyone to see — a smile makeover. By taking that smile from drab to fab with full mouth reconstruction, you’ll experience many benefits. Follow along as Taylor Dental walks you through how a smile makeover can transform your life.
Your smile is one of the first things that people notice when introduced for the first time. When you have blemished or flawed teeth, you may feel self-conscious when speaking or refuse to smile with your teeth showing for photos. This closed-mouth smile may lead others to believe that you’re shy or lack confidence, which can impact you both personally and professionally. With a new and improved smile, you’ll want to show off your pearly whites any chance you get, which will exude confidence to everyone you encounter.
With increased self-confidence, you’ll feel more comfortable in your own skin and put your best self forward in important situations like job interviews or first dates. Investing in full mouth reconstruction will leave you with teeth you’re proud of and ensure an imperfect smile isn’t the first thing someone notices about you.
If you have stained, chipped, damaged, or missing teeth, it can make you look older than your actual age. The wear and tear on your teeth automatically make people assume you’re older than you are, which can be resolved with a smile makeover. Improving the overall appearance of your teeth will not only leave you with a beautiful smile you’re proud of but will make you look your age!
Increase Durability and Strength
With damaged or missing teeth, you may have difficulty eating and chewing certain foods. Because of this, you may be missing out on eating your favorite foods because of the wear and tear it might have on your mouth — leaving you uncomfortable and in pain, worried about causing more damage to your smile.
By undergoing a smile makeover, your dentist will replace any damaged or missing teeth with dental implants that will provide the durability and strength needed to go about your daily life eating any foods you want without worrying.
Your smile is more than just a smile. When you smile and show off your beautiful teeth, it also changes the look of your face! Your eyes and cheeks change shape, brightening your entire appearance. This genuine happiness is evident, which will make you look and feel more confident and give you a positive demeanor that is noticeable to everyone you meet.
Ready to improve the health and appearance of your smile? The team at Taylor Dental is prepared to restore your smile to its full glory with a smile makeover. Our top-rated dentists will be able to help you determine which dental restoration procedure is the best option for your teeth and walk you through the process. If you still have questions about full smile reconstruction services, don’t hesitate to reach out to our knowledgeable cosmetic dentistry team.
Filed Under: Cosmetic Dentistry, General Dentistry, Whitening
Root Canal Failure, What Are My Options?
July 23, 2021 By Taylor Cosmetic Dental Leave a Comment
A root canal is not something anyone ever looks forward to. Even worse, there is a chance your root canal may fail. If you’re experiencing a root canal failure, it’s essential to contact your dentist right away to determine why it failed and what your options are. Taylor Dental explains everything you need to know if you’re experiencing an unsuccessful root canal.
Pain or swelling around your root canal is never a good sign and could indicate a more significant issue at hand, such as a root canal failure. Before we uncover what your options are, let’s take a look at three potential reasons why your root canal was unsuccessful.
When dealing with an infection, your dentist will likely recommend a root canal to remove the infection from your mouth. If the condition wasn’t caught early enough, the disease could have spread deeper into the tooth and infected the tooth’s innermost pulp and even into the bone. The earlier your tooth’s infection was caught, the better chance you have of a successful root canal treatment.
When your dentist performs a root canal, they work to remove all the dead or infected tissue in the pulp and root canals. Although this is often done thoroughly, it can pose challenges if the teeth have an intricate root canal network. When this happens, some of the diseased tissue is often accidentally left in the root canals, which can cause the infection to crop up again.
Tooth Age
The stronger your teeth, the greater the chance of a successful root canal. The older the infected tooth is, the higher the chance of infection and complications of the root canal. If you have a weak or old tooth, it is recommended that a crown is placed over the top of the tooth following the root canal to increase its structural integrity.
Treatment Options for a Failed Root Canal
Do you think you’re dealing with a failed root canal? If so, it is vital to get it looked at right away to prevent the infection from reaching other teeth. Your dentist will be able to determine which of the following recommendations is the best course of action, depending on the severity of your infection.
Removing any materials placed during the first root canal, your dentist will thoroughly clean out your tooth and the canals beneath it to remove the entire infection and prevent it from continuing to spread. Once cleaned, they will refill the canals with a sealing material.
Instead of going in the same direction as the root canal, your dentist will make a small opening in the gum to gain access to the tooth’s infected root. From there, the root is cleaned and sealed to prevent further spreading of the infection. In certain instances, your dentist may also use a bone or tissue graft.
If the infection is severe enough, your dentist may recommend total tooth extraction and dental implant to ensure the diseased tooth is removed and doesn’t create any other oral health problems.
Call Taylor Dental for Dental Implants
If you are dealing with a failed root canal, Taylor Dental can perform a thorough checkup and provide the recommended course of action to repair the tooth. Don’t put up with pain and swelling while the infection continues to spread. Instead, Taylor Dental can perform root canal retreatment or tooth extraction, if necessary.
If you have concerns about your dental implants or require other dental services, reach out to Taylor Dental’s team to schedule an appointment.
How Often Do Dental Crowns Need to be Replaced?
It’s all fun and games until you start feeling pain in your mouth from your dental crown. While your dentist may recommend a dental crown to repair a cracked or broken tooth, it isn’t going to give you a perfect smile for the rest of your life.
Instead, it’s going to wear down over time, often only having a lifespan of about ten to 15 years. Around this time, you may begin to experience signs indicating that it may require repair or replacement.
Are you experiencing discomfort with your dental crown? Follow along as Taylor Dental walks you through the signs to watch out for, to see if it’s time for a dental crown repair or replacement.
Have you noticed your gums beginning to show signs of recession around your dental crown? If so, it’s important to get it checked out right away to avoid infection, gum disease, or other dental issues.
Although oral hygiene is always crucial, it’s even more imperative if you have dental crowns. Dental crowns are more prone to bacteria buildup than the average tooth, which means you’re at a much higher risk of experiencing gum disease. You must reduce the chance of bacteria buildup that leads to receding gum lines.
You rely on your teeth a lot, which is why it’s incredibly noticeable when you have a toothache. Not only can it lead to nasty headaches, but it can make it difficult to eat or talk. If you have a dental crown and notice any swelling, pain, inflammation, or the early signs of an infection, you need to schedule an appointment with a dentist to have your dental crown looked at.
Pain and swelling could indicate an issue with the placement of the crown that needs to be repositioned for a comfortable fit. If your dentist determines the pain is caused by an infection or cavity, they will remove the crown, repair the damage with a root canal, and replace the dental crown.
Although dental crowns are designed to withstand years of wear and tear, they still show signs of aging over time. While wear and tear can be caused by eating hard or sticky foods, it can also occur when you grind your teeth throughout the night. Teeth grinding can cause damage to your dental crown, and you should work with your dentist to find a solution to prevent teeth grinding, which will limit the wear and tear on your crown.
Depending on when your dental crown was done or which dentist you went to, your dental crown can be made from various materials. While porcelain is more common, you’ll sometimes see crowns made from other metals.
If you have a metal dental crown, you may be looking for an alternative that seamlessly blends into your existing smile. If the cosmetic appearance of your dental crown is a concern, your dentist will provide you with the options available to you.
While your dental crowns are built to withstand a lot, they will gradually weaken or show outward signs of damage over time. If you’ve had your dental crown for more than ten years, it’s essential to keep a watchful eye on your oral hygiene and pay attention to any discomfort or damage. If taken care of, you can expect your dental crown to last for 15 years, and sometimes longer, before needing to be replaced.
Call Taylor Dental for Porcelain Veneers & Crowns
Whether you’re looking to enhance the appearance of your smile or you’re experiencing discomfort from your dental crown, Taylor Dental can help. For all dental concerns, Dr. Taylor offers preventative care, as well as porcelain veneers and crowns. Schedule an appointment with the leading cosmetic dentist in Billings, MT.