Posted on

Does Your Child Have A Crossbite? | Ottawa Dentist

family smiling

Crossbites are considered a genetic disposition, yet for children who have been diagnosed with one, the dental community is split on when to begin treatment. Some suggest starting treatment at the time of diagnosis (for a child, this could mean around the age of three), while others want to wait until a child’s molars arrive (commonly around the age of six). No matter when you decide to begin treatment, dentists and orthodontists alike agree a cross bit should not be left untreated

What does it mean to have a crossbite?

Simply put, a crossbite is when your upper and lower jaws do not align properly. The upper jaw may rest to the right or left of your lower jaw, causing an improper alignment. This can cause a variety of issues such as grinding down your teeth, temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ), inability to chew effectively, facial asymmetry, uneven jaw development, and biting your cheek or tongue frequently.

Treatment options

Depending on the kind of crossbite, and how severe the misalignment is, its likely treatment will involve dental appliances that work to correct the bite pattern. This can be in the form of braces, sagittal expanders, and retainers that all work to correct the alignment over time. These methods are commonly employed when the entire alignment is off. If misalignment is being caused by a single tooth, it is more likely that a dental face mask, clear aligners, or braces are employed.

While crossbites are not very common, they are generally considered a genetic occurrence. In the case of discovering your young child has a crossbite, it should be treated before they sustain permanent damage to their face and jaw. Listen to all the options provided by your dentist, and choose the course of action that best suits your child.

For more information about smile makeovers, call Dr. Pliev in Ottawa, ON at 613-235-5348 or visit us online at www.ottawadentistryonkent.com

Dr. Konstantin Pliev proudly serves patients from Ottawa and all surrounding areas.

Posted on

How to Maintain Your Porcelain Veneers | Ottawa Dentist

woman brushing teeth

The longevity of your porcelain veneers can vary depending on how they are cared for. It’s important that when you make any investment in your oral care and health you understand not only the process you are about to embark on but as well as how to maintain your investment over time. We see a lot of patients making easily avoidable mistakes that should they continue to employ, will do more damage than good for their porcelain veneers. Here are some things to keep in mind if you have veneers that will help you maintain them for years to come.

Avoid Unnecessary Force- Nail biting, chewing ice, and forceful brushing can break or dislodge a veneer; they can also be the reason your dentist recommended veneers to begin with. It’s important to make an effort to avoid these habits for the longevity of your veneers.

Good Oral Hygiene- Maintaining good oral hygiene such as regular brushing, flossing, and incorporating a mouthwash is great for your natural teeth and veneers. Veneers are placed along the gemlike to retain the appearance of being natural, so it’s important to keep your oral hygiene up to avoid a receding gemlike that may expose the veneer.

Limit Staining- Porcelain is a material that resists stains, but the dental cement used to keep them in place unfortunately is not. Coffee, tobacco, wine, and any other food and beverage that may stain your teeth will stain the cement over time. Eventually, if not properly cared for along the way, the cement will become discolored and look odd against your veneers – or even start to make your veneers look discolored by association.

Stop Clenching and Grinding- This bad habit is a great way to chip or break your veneers over time. Bruxism, or the grinding of teeth at night, can be avoided by incorporating a night guard when you sleep. Reducing stress or finding alternative means to clenching your teeth will also go a long way in maintaining your new pearly whites.

For more information about smile makeovers, call Dr. Pliev in Ottawa, ON at 613-235-5348 or visit us online at www.ottawadentistryonkent.com

Dr. Konstantin Pliev proudly serves patients from Ottawa and all surrounding areas.

Posted on

Nail Biting Impacts Your Teeth, Here’s How | Ottawa Dentist

woman receiving dental work

We only get one set of adult teeth. They should be one of the most important things you work to protect through proper oral care and intended use. Biting your nails may seem harmless, but it can cause serious damage to a beautiful smile. It increases the risk you may chip a tooth, increase the number of harmful bacteria in your mouth and begin to shift your teeth.

Before you chip a tooth or otherwise damage your smile, here are some tips to help yourself keep from biting your nails:

  • Identify your triggers
  • Keep your nails trimmed
  • Get regular manicures
  • Apply a clear or bitter-tasting to your nails or the edge of your fingertips
  • Replace the nail-biting habit with a good habit
  • Try to gradually stop biting your nails, going nail by nail until the habit is kicked

Small steps may be the key to making a bigger change. The sooner you kick your nail-biting habit, the less time you spend unconsciously damaging your teeth.

For more information about smile makeovers, call Dr. Pliev in Ottawa, ON at 613-235-5348 or visit us online at www.ottawadentistryonkent.com

Dr. Konstantin Pliev proudly serves patients from Ottawa and all surrounding areas.

Posted on

Understanding Dental Implants and Bridges | Ottawa Dentist

implant diagram

Tooth loss can be a result of dental trauma, advanced gum disease, or deterioration of the underlying bone over time. If you have experienced dental trauma, it’s important to see your dentist sooner than later to assess surrounding teeth and gums. Either way, a cosmetic dentist may present two replacement options to consider; a fixed dental bridge or an implant. It’s important to understand what these options entail in order to make the best decision for you.

Implants

Dental implants require a more extensive procedure, but restore the entire tooth structure rather than simply fill in the gap. Simply put implants work by inserting a base into the jawbone into which a post with a crown on top can be placed. Implants provide stability and stimulation to the underlying bone which helps prevent resorption while looking and feeling like a natural tooth. 

Dental Bridges

A dental bridge can actually be thought of as a bridge. An artificial tooth (or teeth) are fixed to crowns on adjacent teeth on either end that attaches to healthy teeth, acting as the support posts if you will. The caveat to this solution is that if the tooth root is not replaced the bone may not get the stimulation it needs to remain healthy. Missing tooth roots could cause resorption, which causes the bone to lose density and shrink over time. Ultimately, this can cause one’s face to have a prematurely aged appearance.

Your dentist will review these procedures, benefits, and risks with you as you navigate your particular circumstances. While these are typically recommended, your dentist may encourage you towards one or the other option as they see fit. Be sure to ask your dentist any questions or concerns you may have prior to embarking on any given treatment option.

For more information about smile makeovers, call Dr. Pliev in Ottawa, ON at 613-235-5348 or visit us online at www.ottawadentistryonkent.com

Dr. Konstantin Pliev proudly serves patients from Ottawa and all surrounding areas.

Posted on

Oral Bacteria: The Good and The Bad | Ottawa Dentist

fresh breath

While good and harmful oral bacteria coexist, and certain behaviors can advance one or the other. In general, a good oral care routine and healthy eating will keep the harmful bacteria at bay without any serious issues. Yet, it’s still important to understand the difference between them and the ways they either help or hurt your oral hygiene.

Harmful Bacteria

Streptococcus mutans is specifically found on tooth surfaces and difficult-to-clean areas like pits and fissures on the teeth. It feeds on the sugars and starches you eat, leading to the formation of cavities. This bacteria is the main cause of tooth decay in humans because it produces enamel-eroding acids and thrives in a low pH.

Periodontitis is a serious inflammatory disease that affects the tissues and the alveolar bone that support the teeth. While this disease is caused by several types of bacteria, Porphyromonas gingivalis is strongly linked to it.

Helpful Bacteria

lactobacilli bacteria can fight several kinds of harmful bacteria and may help restore a healthy balance in your mouth. This bacteria can be found in some types of chewing gum and people with gingivitis may be asked to use it every day by their dentist.

Streptococcus Salivarius helps suppress oral pathogens like Streptococcus Pyogenes and Streptococcus Pneumonia that cause infections and autoimmune disorders. It also provides immune support to help reduce symptoms of oral and respiratory viral infections while crowding out other potentially harmful oral pathogens.

For more information about smile makeovers, call Dr. Pliev in Ottawa, ON at 613-235-5348 or visit us online at www.ottawadentistryonkent.com

Dr. Konstantin Pliev proudly serves patients from Ottawa and all surrounding areas.

Posted on

Oral Care Accessories to Enhance Your Smile At Home | Ottawa Dentist

woman brushing teeth

In the ever-evolving technological age, there are a number of ways you can enhance the hygiene and aesthetic of your smile. There are also a number of gadgets on the market specifically designed to fill whatever gaps you feel are present as you strive to enhance your smile. These means essentially fall into two categories; hygienic and aesthetic. Of course, a well-rounded oral care routine is the first step towards attaining the smile you want, but if your hygiene is quite good, and you still aren’t seeing the results you want, these care additions may do the trick.

Hygienic

Electric Toothbrushes: Do you even complete your two-minute scrub and think “my teeth don’t feel very clean”? It may be because the traditional toothbrush just isn’t cutting it anymore. Electric toothbrushes have gained popularity because they are designed to provide brush strokes that work to give you a better clean in the same amount of time. It can go a long way to providing the basic care your teeth need.

Flossers: There are so many ways to floss available for your choosing. Traditional waxed or unwaxed threads are no longer the only option. Water flossers and plush threads are great alternatives (if not better alternatives) to the floss we commonly associate with.

Tongue Scraper: While there is no definitive rule that these need to be employed in your care routine, the benefit of incorporating one is the added removal of potentially harmful bacteria. Tongue scraping removes the same bacteria that feed on the sugars left between the teeth after a meal from the surface of the tongue, improving overall hygiene.

Aesthetic

At-Home Aligners: At-home aligners are an easy, effective means of straightening out your teeth for an enhanced aesthetic. While they aren’t meant for everyone, and you should speak with your dentist prior to incorporating at-home aligners into your oral care practices, they can gently move your teeth into their proper position and enhance your smile.

Whitening Trays: These work similarly to the teeth aligners mentioned above. Instead of working to straighten your teeth however, you simply mold the trey to your teeth, brush on the included whitening solution to the inside of the tray and allow it to rest on your teeth for the prescribed amount of time. Kits are easily accessible and when done properly can make your smile up to a few shades whiter.

UV Light: This is another means of enhancing the color and brightness of your teeth. Typically, when you employ a UV light, you first brush on the whitening solution and allow the light to rest on that set of teeth for a number of minutes. The solution and the light combination works to enhance your smile and can potentially do so up to a few shades whiter.

For more information about smile makeovers, call Dr. Pliev in Ottawa, ON at 613-235-5348 or visit us online at www.ottawadentistryonkent.com

Dr. Konstantin Pliev proudly serves patients from Ottawa and all surrounding areas.

Posted on

The Link Between Smiling and Your Health | Ottawa Dentist

family smiling

Everything in the human body is connected, and smiles have real-life implications for our physical and mental health. Smiling can trigger mood-boosting and relationship-enhancing effects in our lives.

Positive Relationships. People who smile more often are seen as being more approachable, likable, creative, and productive. Smiling can also have a “ripple effect” as one person’s expression of joy can cause an onlooker to also feel joy and smile too. The next time you are out with friends, or a loved one could use a pick-me-up, remind them of their positive attributes and share a smile with them!

Overall Wellbeing. When we smile, our brains release neuropeptides and neurotransmitters that alleviate the stressors of our day. The most common hormones associated with these results are dopamine, serotonin, and endorphins. Dopamine and serotonin are “happy hormones”, acting as antidepressants. Endorphins offer mild pain relief; together, they have been shown to reduce stress and our heart rate. A smile a day can go a long way to making us feel better and look out for the world with a positive attitude.

It is important to note that there are individuals who experience smile anxiety, which occurs when an individual becomes reluctant to smile in public because he or she dislikes, or is embarrassed by, the aesthetic appeal of their smile. There are many factors that may cause someone to feel this way including trauma, decay or the angle adult teeth may have grown in.

Its important to retain gentle kindness if you know a loved one struggles with the appearance of their smile, though there are several means of restoration your dentist may recommend.

For more information about smile makeovers, call Dr. Pliev in Ottawa, ON at 613-235-5348 or visit us online at www.ottawadentistryonkent.com

Dr. Konstantin Pliev proudly serve patients from Ottawa and all surrounding areas.

Posted on

What Are Cavities and How Are They Treated? | Ottawa Dentist

woman receiving dental work

Cavities can be a source of anxiety and frustration for a lot of people; they seem to pop up out of nowhere and feel difficult to remove. Yet, cavities are preventable and treatable; it’s important to be aware of what causes cavities and how dentists treat them.

How Do Cavities Happen?

Sugar– While sugar doesn’t cause cavities, like citric acid, it contributes to the likelihood you may develop one. Sugar is a harmful bacteria’s favorite food, so the longer sugar lingers on your teeth, the more likely that bacteria will begin to eat it. This weakens your enamel and creates opportunities for that harmful bacteria to hang around and cause a cavity.


Acidic Foods– Citric acid contained in lemons, limes, and oranges also pops up as an ingredient in processed foods. Citric acid and others weaken teeth and put enamel in danger of erosion which in turn creates crevices for bacteria to stick and become a cavity. It would be difficult to avoid citric acid, so the best thing you can do is consume water throughout the day and keep the intake of acidic foods to a minimum.

Childhood Cavities- Believe it or not, children are not more prone to develop cavities than adults, but there are factors that may put children and elderly individuals at more risk for tooth decay. Children tend to crave and eat sugary foods while doing a poor job brushing their teeth. The elderly tend to take medication that reduces the amount of saliva they produce thus reducing the neutralization properties of saliva. Drinking water throughout the day and regular dental visits can help both children and their grandparents to reduce the chances harmful bacteria may cause a cavity.

How Are Cavities Treated?

If you wake up to a toothache or notice black spots on a tooth, you may have a cavity. Cavities are a common occurrence and dentists have several means of treating them. Treatment options vary depending on how advanced tooth decay has become.

Simple Decay- Fluoride treatments and fillings are viable treatment options if the cavity is in its early stages. Your dentist will apply a solution to the decaying tooth to kill harmful bacteria and place a filling where the cavity was to seal the area to prevent further decay. This is a fairly simple and painless method for cavity removal, as well as the most common treatment option.

Serious Decay- If the cavity has progressed beyond the ability of fluoride treatment to remove the bacteria, crowns, root canals and tooth extraction are a dentist’s next line of defense. Crowns are custom coverings for decaying teeth; typically made from porcelain, they work to strengthen your affected tooth once the bacteria have been removed. If the decay reaches the inner tooth or pulp, your dentist will remove the pulp, medicate it to clear any infection, and add a filling. Tooth extraction is a last resort option when the decayed tooth is beyond restoration. Your dentist may recommend a bridge or implant for the gap.

For more information about smile makeovers, call Dr. Pliev in Ottawa, ON at 613-235-5348 or visit us online at www.ottawadentistryonkent.com

Dr. Konstantin Pliev proudly serves patients from Ottawa and all surrounding areas.

Posted on

Do You Have Xerostomia? | Ottawa Dentist

Have you ever heard of the medical condition xerostomia? Dry mouth is a condition that may be a side effect of various medications, salivary gland problems, or continuous breathing through the mouth. But this isn’t the only symptom. It can also cause bad breath. Below are five easy ways to keep your breath fresh all day:

Stay hydrated. If you can’t brush your teeth after a meal, drinking a lot of water can help speed up the process of cleaning harmful bacteria and debris from between your teeth, by rinsing your mouth out as well. Drinking milk can even help deodorize some offensive breath odors.

Keep drinking a cup of joe to a minimum. It may be tasty, but coffee is a tough smell to get off the back of your tongue. If you feel like you can’t function without it, don’t quit completely. Instead, keep the intake to a minimum and have a toothbrush or sugar-free gum handy for afterwards.

Stave off tobacco products. Cigarettes, pipes, and snuff can not only make you more susceptible to health issues, but smoking gives people horrible breath. Keeping them out of your life will have multiple benefits.

Cut back on alcohol. Alcohol can lead to a dry mouth. Too much beer, wine, and hard liquor can make your breath smell less than fresh for up to eight to 10 hours after you finish drinking.

Chew sugarless gum. Wait for a good half hour after a meal before popping in a piece of sugarless gum. It can help with saliva flow, cleaning cavity-forming bacteria from your mouth before they can do any damage. Gum that’s 100% xylitol-sweetened can help reduce cavities, so feel free to indulge in this sweet treat after a good meal.

For more information about xerostomia, call Dr. Pliev in Ottawa, ON at 613-235-5348 or visit www.ottawadentistryonkent.com.

Dr. Konstantin Pliev proudly serve patients from Ottawa and all surrounding areas.

Posted on

‘Tis the Season for Pictures with Santa | Ottawa Dentist

Ask any tiny human their favorite time of year and chances are you will likely hear that it’s Christmas. And what’s more fun than taking your little one to have a photo taken with Santa? Yes, this is a magical season destined for loads of tiny smiles. Not only do they get lots of presents from Santa and no school in sight, but everywhere they go there is another delicious treat waiting for them to eat. Between the cakes and sweets, the holiday season is a child’s dream. What isn’t dreamlike is a parent trying to keep their little one from ruining their smile during the holiday festivities. In fact, it can be downright tough to keep a smile on their child’s face while keeping that smile healthy. But a healthy smile starts with a good foundation. Here are some tips to start your little one off on the right foot:

Daily routines. Repetition is the best way to start a good habit, so make sure your child brushes their teeth twice a day with a soft-bristled toothbrush. Supervisor their work until they can thoroughly do it themselves. Once teeth coming in begin to touch, introduce flossing.

First dental visit. The AAPD suggests baby’s first dental visit occur when their first tooth comes in, or around the age of one. Keeping them on a six-month dental schedule will not only ensure they keep a healthy smile but will also help prevent dental anxiety as they grow.

You are what you eat. We can instill all the dental knowledge we can, but if you have a bad diet, it won’t help. Same goes for your little one. Keep things in moderation. Limit the sugary snacks, cooked starches and sweetened drinks. 

For more information about holiday dental tips for kids, call Dr. Pliev in Ottawa, ON at 613-235-5348 or visit www.ottawadentistryonkent.com.

Dr. Konstantin Pliev proudly serve patients from Ottawa and all surrounding areas.