Regular dental checkups and cleanings from Dental Smiles of West Loop in Chicago help prevent gum disease and tooth decay and also maintain overall general health. Routine Preventative Care, including dental cleanings, will remove plaque and calculus(tartar) accumulation on teeth and prevent gum disease.
Digital X-rays help us diagnose cavities and check the condition of the bone between your teeth that usually cannot be seen during regular exams. Dental Smiles of West Loop recommends regularly scheduled digital X-rays to every patient so that we may evaluate the teeth and mouth for conditions such as cavities, erupting teeth, extra or missing teeth and bone disease. New, state-of-the-art digital X-rays have a number of advantages over traditional X-rays including:
With digital X-rays, the team at Dental Smiles of West Loop in Chicago can provide the safest and most pleasant dental experience for you and your family.
Oral cancer can affect lips, cheek lining, gums, tongue, floor and roof of the mouth, and back toward the throat. About 30,000 new cases of oral cancer are found each year. Your dentist stands as your first line of detection and defense against this disease.
Always report to your dentist if you discover any of these possible signs:
Your dentist also needs to know if you notice problems chewing, swallowing, speaking or moving any part of your mouth or tongue. After a thorough physical examination of your head, neck and mouth structures from your dentist at Dental Smiles of West Loop in Chicago, you can be confident you have the information you need.
Food and bacteria often become packed in the grooves of the back molars, and even the most careful brushing and flossing cannot fully clean these areas. Dental sealants from Dental Smiles of West Loop in Chicago are clear plastic coverings that protect the chewing surfaces from tooth decay by providing a barrier to food and bacteria. Application is simple and painless:
Children should get sealants on their permanent molars as soon as the teeth come in — before decay attacks the teeth. Teenagers and young adults who are prone to decay may also need sealants. Dental Smiles of West Loop’s sealants are safe, completely BPA free and can be done during any standard appointment. Call our Chicago office today to learn more.
Dental injuries are among the most common sports injuries. Studies have shown that athletes not wearing mouthguards are 60 times more likely to suffer mouth injuries. Football is the perfect example: the required use of mouthguards in high school and college prevents over 200,000 injuries each year, according to the American Dental Association.
Mouthguards reduce the risk of mouth, face and jaw injuries, as well as broken teeth. The basic types of mouthguards include:
Dental Smiles of West Loop can help you determine the best option for your budget and needs to protect your face and preserve your natural teeth.
Headache, jaw pain, tooth pain, fractured or unevenly worn teeth – all can be caused by grinding your teeth at night. You probably aren’t even aware of doing it, but your spouse may hear you. Or you may be a silent grinder, but you’re still grinding.
Grinding can be caused by:
Getting to the root of the problem is critical for your physical, emotional and oral health. Until you determine the cause and cure it, you can protect your teeth and reduce or eliminate the pain grinding causes you by sleeping with a nightguard from Dental Smiles of West Loop in Chicago. Nightguards are custom made appliances that fit your unique teeth and prevent damage to your teeth from constant grinding. Dental Smiles of West Loop can custom-fit a nightguard for your mouth and give you a restful night’s sleep free of grinding and pain.
For our younger patients, in the case of early loss of a primary (baby) tooth/teeth, space maintainers are used to prevent loss of space and movement of existing teeth. Not only are primary teeth used for chewing and speech development, they are also crucial for guiding permanent teeth into their proper spaces, preventing orthodontic and crowding problems in the future. Spacers are removed when the new tooth erupts.
Not every space needs to be filled:
Space maintainers are made of stainless steel or plastic, and come in two forms:
Regular brushing and good oral hygiene are especially important. During your child’s regular dental check-ups at the Dental Smiles of West Loop in Chicago, Dr. Shah will inspect and monitor the space maintainers and let you know when your child is ready to have the appliance removed.