Oral Cancer Screenings

Invisalign is an orthodontic treatment that helps straighten teeth without metal braces. Instead, it uses a series of custom-made clear aligners that fit over your teeth and gently move them into the proper position over time. They’re barely noticeable, and they can be removed, which is one reason why many patients choose Invisalign over traditional metal braces. Since they aren’t attached to the teeth, oral hygiene is much easier and they don’t require uncomfortable adjustment appointments. 

What Else is Invisalign Used For?

While Invisalign is primarily used for a straighter smile, it can also prevent chipping, wear, and TMJ. Beyond straightening the teeth, Invisalign can be used for:

• Gaps between the teeth
• Mild to moderate overbites, underbites, crossbites, and open bites
• Overcrowded teeth

Why Is Proper Teeth Positioning Important?

If the upper and lower teeth don’t fit together properly when biting or chewing, it can cause painful muscles and joints, headaches, worn teeth, and, in some cases, fractures. Over time, misaligned teeth can also become crooked or crowded. 

Although a straight smile has cosmetic benefits, it’s even more important for the way your mouth functions and overall oral health. Crooked or crowded teeth can affect your speech and ability to chew. Even worse, they can make it very difficult to brush and floss thoroughly, putting those teeth at a higher risk of cavities, tooth decay, and gum disease. Believe it or not, jaw alignment can even affect the way you breathe.

Find Out if Invisalign is Right for You

Having a straight smile is great—but it’s even better when you have fewer dental issues to worry about! And fewer dental issues equal a happier, healthier smile overall. For more information on Invisalign or to find out if you’re a good candidate for this treatment, contact an Enamel Dentistry near you!

Do you snore when you sleep? Wake up in the middle of the night out of breath? Feel tired all the time? If you answered yes to these questions, you may have sleep apnea.

What is Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder that affects an estimated 18 million adults in the United States. With sleep apnea, your breathing stops while you’re sleeping, then starts up again. The pause in between breaths can be 10 seconds or longer, and it can happen as often as 30 times or more each hour you sleep. Unsurprisingly, this can wreak havoc on getting a good night’s sleep. It’s not uncommon for patients with sleep apnea to wake up many times throughout the night.

There are three types of sleep apnea; the most common type is called obstructive sleep apnea. With obstructive sleep apnea, the tissues of the throat and palate relax while you sleep, which causes the tissues to sag and obstruct the airway. Although the daytime fatigue that comes with sleep apnea can make it difficult to go about your daily tasks, sleep apnea can have more serious consequences. It’s been linked to numerous health conditions, including:

• High blood pressure and heart problems
• Type 2 diabetes
• Metabolic syndrome
• Complications with certain medications or general anesthesia
• Liver issues

In addition, a lack of sleep can affect your overall well-being. You may find you have memory issues, moodiness, and difficulty concentrating. Fortunately, your dentist can help diagnose and treat sleep apnea!

How’s Your Sleep Quality?

This might not be a question you expect to hear from your dentist, but believe it or not, we have ways of spotting patients who might have sleep apnea. One of the first signs is bruxism, more commonly known as teeth grinding. Teeth grinding causes worn surfaces on your teeth, as well as cracks, broken teeth, and inflamed or receding gums. A sudden increase in cavities can also be a sign of teeth grinding because the force of grinding your teeth can cause damage that makes them more vulnerable to cavity-causing bacteria.

TMJ (temporomandibular joint) disorders are often closely associated with sleep apnea, although the relationship between the two isn’t completely understood. A study published in the Journal of Dental Research found that people with obstructive sleep apnea are twice as likely to have TMJ disorders than people without sleep apnea. Other signs of sleep apnea are a tongue with “scalloped” edges, a small jaw, redness in the throat, or unusually large throat tissues.

Dentistry to the Rescue!

There are several ways to treat sleep apnea; in the case of obstructive sleep apnea, you may only need to make some lifestyle changes. These include:

• Losing weight and maintaining a healthy weight
• Avoiding alcohol or drugs that relax your central nervous system
• Quitting smoking
• Taking antihistamines or other medications that help with nasal allergies

One of the most common ways to treat sleep apnea is with a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine. CPAP machines provide a gentle flow of air through a small mask that you wear at night, which helps prevent your tissues from obstructing your airway. Although they’re very effective, they can be bulky, and some patients have trouble sleeping with them.

Nightguards or other oral appliances can also be very effective for patients with mild-to-moderate cases of obstructive sleep apnea. They work by moving your jaw and throat into a position that prevents tissue obstruction while you sleep. Although rare, surgery is also an option for severe sleep apnea.

Get the Quality Sleep You Deserve

It might be easy to push aside sleep apnea symptoms as “just a snore” but poor sleep quality can have a serious impact on your well-being and ability to function throughout the day. However, the long-term effects are more concerning. Since sleep apnea affects the oxygenation of your blood and the way your heart and lungs function, it can increase your risk of heart attacks, stroke, and other serious health problems. Sleep is also very important for the body’s immune system and ability to heal!

If you have signs of sleep apnea, don’t ignore them! Schedule an appointment at Enamel Dentistry so we can evaluate your symptoms and create a custom treatment plan.

The AAPD (American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry) recommends that children visit a dental office at the age of 1 year, or whenever they get their first tooth. If you’re a new parent or are preparing to take your child to the dentist for the first time, you may not be sure what to expect. 

In this blog from Enamel Dentistry, we’ll discuss what will happen at your child’s first dental appointment, and how to prepare them for their first visit to our office.

Your Infant’s First Appointment At The Dentist

Very young children (1-2 years old) will get a lap exam at Enamel Dentistry. You will sit on the dentist’s chair and hold your child in your lap, and your dentist will examine their mouth, clean their gums and teeth gently, and answer any questions you may have about their oral health and development. This is a great time to ask your dentist questions about teething, oral hygiene for infants and toddlers, and other such topics. 

First Appointments For Older Children – What To Expect 

Kids who are between 2-3 years old and have most or all of their baby teeth will get a comprehensive oral exam and teeth cleaning, just like an adult. A dental hygienist at Enamel Dentistry will clean plaque away from their teeth, buff and polish their teeth, and floss to remove any remaining food particles. 

Then, your child’s dentist will examine their mouth and look for any signs of tooth decay, developmental issues, and more. X-rays may be recommended if we deem them to be necessary and you approve them. 

Tips For Preparing Kids For Dental Appointments

Not sure how to get your child ready for their first dental appointment? Here are a few suggestions and tips from Enamel Dentistry

• Get an early morning appointment – A well-rested child is more likely to behave and won’t be as cranky or fussy, so we highly recommend early morning appointments for first-time visitors to Enamel Dentistry.
  
• Maintain a good attitude – Your children can sense your emotions, even at a very young age. If you’re tense, nervous, or anxious about their appointment, they’ll notice. And they’ll be more likely to feel the same way. Do your best to remain positive.
  
• Use positive language – Don’t use negative terms like “shot” “hurt” “needle” or other threatening words that may make your child feel nervous. Use positive language to describe your child’s visit so that they don’t get nervous or anxious.
  
• Teach your kids more about dentistry – Teaching kids about dentistry can help them learn more about why it’s important, and can help with anxiety. Check out a few children’s books on dentistry, or watch some YouTube videos together so that they can learn about the basics.
  
• Explore sedation options – We offer sedation options such as nitrous sedation, which is appropriate for kids of all ages, and can be very useful for kids who are nervous about a procedure like a filling or a dental crown.

Come To Enamel Dentistry – Child-Friendly Dentistry For Kids Of All Ages! ‍

If you need to find a family dentist in Austin for your kids, Enamel Dentistry is the best choice. With our team of experienced dentists and staff, we serve children of all ages with professional, caring, and patient-focused dental treatment. Contact us online to learn more and get started.