Posts Tagged ‘dentist hebron’
How to Whiten Your Teeth for the Holidays
If you are looking for solutions to whiten and brighten your smile in time for the holidays, Hebron Family Dentistry is here to help. We are pleased to offer professional teeth whitening treatments to restore your smile’s sparkle with beautifully natural results. Enjoy a bright, confident smile this holiday season and all year long!
How Does Teeth Whitening Work?
Over time, dark-colored foods and beverages like berries, coffee, and red wine can stain and discolor your teeth, as can the use of tobacco products. Tooth discoloration can also result from trauma, certain illnesses, or medications.
In-office teeth whitening involves applying hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide gel to your tooth surfaces and using a special light to enhance the whitening process. The bleaching agent breaks down stains in the enamel and dentin layers, leaving your teeth several shades whiter and brighter in one short office visit.
If you would rather whiten your teeth at home, we are happy to provide you with custom-fitted trays and professional-grade whitening gel. You’ll place some whitening gel in your trays and wear them for a few hours for about two weeks to achieve your desired results. Trusting our dental professionals for your teeth whitening needs is the safest and most effective way to transform your smile.
Are You a Candidate for Professional Teeth Whitening?
While teeth whitening can brighten yellowish stains resulting from dark-colored foods and drinks or tobacco use, it may not be as effective for brown or gray stains resulting from trauma or the use of medications. Additionally, teeth whitening may not lift stains off dental restorations like tooth-colored fillings, crowns, or dentures.
If teeth whitening is not right for you, Dr. Watson may recommend a different cosmetic dentistry option, like cosmetic bonding, porcelain veneers, or dental crowns. Aside from improving the color of your teeth, your restoration will mask any tooth imperfections, delivering a uniform smile.
Tips for Maintaining a White and Bright Holiday Smile
The holidays are often a time of indulgence and celebration, but there are ways to keep your teeth at their brightest. Here are some tips to help you maintain your smile’s sparkle this holiday season and all year long:
- Good Oral Hygiene: Maintaining good oral care is the foundation of a bright and healthy smile. Brush your teeth at least twice daily and floss daily to remove plaque and food particles that can dull and discolor your teeth.
- Limit Staining Foods and Drinks: While indulging in holiday treats can be tempting, be mindful of foods and drinks that stain your teeth, like coffee, red wine, berries, and dark sodas. If you must have your morning coffee, rinse with water or chew sugar-free gum to prevent new stains from setting in.
- Drink Plenty of Water: Water not only quenches your thirst but also helps wash away food debris and bacteria, preventing staining. It also helps promote saliva production, which naturally keeps your teeth clean and bright.
- Eat Plenty of Crunchy Fruits and Vegetables: Munching on crunchy fruits and vegetables like apples, pears, carrots, and celery stimulates saliva production, brightening your smile. Additionally, the fiber content acts like a toothbrush, gently scrubbing away plaque and debris.
- Schedule Regular Dental Exams and Cleanings: It is important to maintain regular dental exams and cleanings during the holiday season and throughout the year. Dr. Watson and her team will address any concerns in their earliest stages and help you maintain a white and bright smile.
Teeth Whitening Near Me in Hebron, KY
Visit Hebron Family Dentistry to learn more about whitening your teeth for the holidays. Dr. Watson and our dedicated team look forward to helping you enjoy a healthy, beautiful smile this festive season and all year long. We invite you to call us at 859-689-2021 to schedule your appointment today!
How Do I Maintain a Healthy Smile?
At Hebron Family Dentistry, we are proponents of prevention to ensure our valued patients enjoy healthy, beautiful smiles for life. We encourage you to maintain proper oral hygiene habits and stay current on your regular dental exams and cleanings to lower the risk of tooth decay, gum disease, and other oral health concerns. We look forward to working alongside you to ensure your smile stays healthy and sound.
How Often Should You See Your Dentist?
Most dental professionals agree that you should visit your dentist every six months for routine dental care. Dr. Watson may recommend more frequent visits for patients with periodontal disease or those at a higher risk of tooth decay. Most dental insurances cover twice-yearly dental exams and cleanings to detect early signs of dental problems and lower the risk of cavities, gum disease, and tooth loss.
Routine Preventive Dental Services
Even with the most meticulous home oral hygiene practices, it’s important to visit Hebron Family Dentistry for your routine preventive care. Being proactive and preventing the onset or progression of dental disease will avoid the need for costly and complex treatments down the road.
Maintaining a healthy smile will reflect on your overall health. Research shows a link between gum disease and serious health concerns, such as diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and stroke.
Here’s a look at what you can expect during your routine dental visits:
Dental Exam: We will capture diagnostic x-ray images of your mouth to uncover problems we can’t see during a physical examination. These include early signs of tooth decay, bone loss, cysts, or other potential concerns.
Dr. Watson will examine your teeth and restorations and evaluate your gums to detect and address any problems as they develop. She will also conduct a bite analysis, TMJ evaluation, and oral cancer screening to rule out abnormalities. Dr. Watson will use this information to create a personalized treatment plan to address any immediate needs and preventive measures required to restore and maintain a healthy smile.
Dental Cleaning: Our dental hygienist will use a dental instrument called a scaler to remove plaque and tartar buildup from your teeth and gum line. Next is professional flossing to remove any food particles or plaque from between your teeth. The final step is polishing your teeth to remove surface stains, leaving you with a whiter, brighter smile.
We may recommend a fluoride treatment, if needed, to strengthen your tooth enamel and make it more resistant to decay. Dental cleanings have been shown to lower the risk of cavities, gum disease, and bad breath.
Home Oral Hygiene Tips for a Healthy Smile
It’s important to care for your smile at home between dental visits. That includes brushing your teeth twice a day, flossing regularly, and rinsing with an antimicrobial mouthwash. Regular brushing and flossing remove leftover food particles and plaque, lowering your risk of tooth decay and gum disease.
Make sure to maintain a balanced diet to provide your teeth and gums with the nutrients they need to stay healthy. Avoid habits that can harm your oral health, including consuming sugary or acidic foods and beverages, biting down on hard objects, or using tobacco products. If you have any questions or need more tips on home oral hygiene practices, our team is here to help.
Preventive Services Near Me
Contact Hebron Family Dentistry in Hebron, KY, to learn more about keeping your smile in tip-top shape. We’re happy to offer cutting-edge preventive dentistry solutions for long-term healthy smiles. You can always count on Dr. Watson and her team for state-of-the-art, compassionate care. Call 859-689-2021 to schedule your appointment today!
How Long Do Same-Day Crowns Last?
Hebron Family Dentistry is pleased to offer cutting-edge CEREC technology, which allows us to design and place a custom dental crown in just one short office visit. The convenient same-day restorations eliminate the hassles of traditional crowns, including messy putty impressions, wearing a temporary crown, waiting weeks, and taking time away from your busy schedule for multiple appointments. The question is, how long do same-day crowns last?
What Are Dental Crowns?
Dental crowns, sometimes referred to as caps, are tooth-shaped custom restorations that encase the visible portions of weak or damaged teeth. They are commonly used for the following purposes:
- To restore teeth with deep decay
- To support teeth with large or damaged fillings
- To hold together cracked or fractured teeth
- To strengthen teeth after root canal therapy
- To replace missing teeth by covering dental implants or supporting dental bridges
- To make cosmetic enhancements in terms of a tooth’s color, size, shape, or alignment
Same Day CEREC Crowns – An Overview
CEREC stands for Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramic. The state-of-the-art system designs and produces high-quality porcelain restorations in a single appointment. CEREC uses computer-aided design or CAD and computer-aided manufacture or CAM technology to capture digital impressions of your teeth and create virtual, 3D models of your crown without needing messy impressions.
The digital model of your crown is sent to our on-site milling machine, which will create your ceramic restoration out of a single block of porcelain closely matched to the color and texture of your natural teeth.
How Long do CEREC Same-Day Crowns Last?
Many patients wonder if their same-day restorations are of the same quality as traditional crowns. You can rest assured that the porcelain ceramic same-day crowns are not only convenient and beautiful, but they are also incredibly durable, with the potential of lasting 10 to 15 years or even longer.
There are things you can do to ensure the longevity of your restoration. Make sure to brush and floss regularly and avoid hard foods which can chip or break your crowns as well as your natural tooth enamel. Limit sticky foods which can loosen your crown and are harder to remove, increasing your risk of tooth decay or gum disease. Make sure to avoid biting your nails or using your teeth for tasks more suited for tools. If you grind or clench your teeth in your sleep, a custom night guard can help protect your crown and your teeth from damage.
Lastly, it’s important to maintain your professional twice-a-year dental exams and cleanings. Dr. Watson and her team will ensure your smile stays healthy and your same-day crowns stay in tip-top shape!
Same-Day Dental Crowns Near Me
Contact Hebron Family Dentistry in Hebron, KY, to learn more about restoring your smile with a durable, aesthetic same-day crown. You can count on Dr. Watson and her exceptional team for the state-of-the-art care you deserve. Call 859-689-2021 to schedule a consultation today!
How Can Cosmetic Dentistry Transform My Smile?
If tooth flaws have you hiding your smile, your trusted team at Hebron Family Dentistry is here to help. We’re pleased to offer a range of cosmetic dentistry solutions focused on improving the color, shape, size, or overall appearance of your teeth with dramatic, long-lasting results. A consultation with Dr. Watson will get you on track to achieving a smile that will make you want to smile!
What Are the Most Sought-After Cosmetic Dentistry Procedures?
The following are some of the most popular cosmetic dental procedures offered right here at our Hebron office:
Teeth Whitening: If you’re in search of a solution to virtually erase teeth staining and discoloration, you’ve come to the right place. We’re pleased to offer in-office professional whitening treatments to brighten your teeth several shades in just one short office visit. We’re also happy to provide you with custom trays and a professional-grade bleaching gel if you’d rather whiten your teeth at home.
Cosmetic Bonding: Cosmetic bonding involves the application of a tooth-colored resin to your tooth surfaces to instantly mask any imperfections. The affordable and conservative cosmetic dentistry solution fixes those little things that may be bothering you about your smile. From repairing decayed, chipped, or cracked teeth to protecting exposed tooth roots, correcting the size or shape of teeth, closing small gaps between teeth, and covering stained and discolored teeth, cosmetic bonding delivers a flawless smile every time.
Dental Veneers: Veneers are wafer-thin porcelain shells that fit over your teeth to improve their color, shape, size, spacing, and overall appearance. These custom restorations are perfect for whitening severely discolored teeth and correcting gapped, chipped, broken, crooked, worn, or misshapen teeth. Porcelain veneers provide strength and resilience comparable to natural tooth enamel, dramatically improving your smile’s health and appearance.
Invisalign Clear Aligners: Invisalign, brought to you by Align Technology, is the world’s most advanced clear aligner system. Virtually invisible aligners worn snugly over your teeth will gently and discreetly straighten misaligned teeth without impacting your life. Imagine achieving the smile of your dreams without anyone having to know!
Same-Day Crowns: Dental crowns are tooth-shaped restorations used to repair teeth with large fillings, cover severely stained teeth, and improve the shape, color, size, length, and appearance of not-so-perfect teeth. Our same-day crowns look just like your natural teeth, delivering a seamless smile in one short office visit!
Dental Implants: Dental implants are the gold standard for replacing one or more missing teeth with unmatched results. Small titanium posts placed in your jawbone replace missing tooth roots, stimulating the bone in the area and preventing bone loss. Dental implants provide an incredibly stable foundation to support implant restorations, such as single crowns, implant-supported bridges, and implant-supported dentures. Your restorations will look, feel, and function just like your natural teeth!
Cosmetic Dentures and Partials: Dentures offer an affordable and time-tested solution to restore one or more missing teeth. Today’s modern dentures are sleeker, lighter, and more comfortable than ever. Once in place, a cosmetic complete or partial denture will allow you to chew your foods with ease, speak clearly, and smile with confidence once again!
Cosmetic Dentistry Near Me
Contact Hebron Family Dentistry in Hebron, KY, to learn more about transforming your smile with the help of our cosmetic dentistry solutions. Whether you want to correct minor tooth flaws or want a total smile makeover, Dr. Watson will create a treatment plan with one or a combination of cosmetic dentistry solutions to achieve your desired results. Call us and schedule your appointment today!
What Is Cosmetic Bonding?
If you are in search of a conservative solution to improve the appearance of your smile, you may want to consider cosmetic bonding. The quick and painless procedure will instantly mask any tooth imperfections, leaving you with astounding results. Talk to your trusted team at Hebron Family Dentistry to determine if cosmetic bonding is right for you!
What Is Cosmetic Bonding and What Are Its Uses?
Bonding is a highly sought-after cosmetic dentistry procedure that involves applying a tooth-colored resin to your tooth surfaces to correct flaws and prevent future damage to your smile. The gentle and affordable treatment requires minimal preparation and typically takes less than an hour to complete.
Dr. Watson may recommend cosmetic bonding for the following purposes:
- Masking tooth staining or discoloration
- Correcting the shape, size, or length of a tooth
- Closing gaps and uneven spaces between teeth
- Repairing decayed, broken, fractured, or chipped teeth
- Restoring teeth worn due to grinding (bruxism)
- Protecting exposed tooth roots
- Strengthening damaged teeth
Why Choose Cosmetic Bonding?
Cosmetic bonding is a gentle procedure that doesn’t require anesthesia. It is much more affordable and less invasive than other cosmetic dentistry options, including crowns and veneers, while delivering similar aesthetic results. We carefully match the color and shade of the bonding material to the surrounding teeth for a seamless appearance. Cosmetic bonding’s results speak for themselves. You’ll instantly enjoy flawless teeth and a stunning smile!
What Is the Cosmetic Bonding Procedure?
We will start by roughening the tooth surfaces with a conditioning liquid to help the resin bond. Dr. Watson will skillfully and artistically sculpt the bonding material to the desired shape and use a curing light to harden it. She will polish the treated tooth until it matches the sheen of the surrounding teeth. Be prepared to be amazed at the astounding, life-like results!
Caring for Your Bonded Teeth
Caring for your treated teeth will ensure the longevity of your restorations. Make sure to brush and floss regularly and visit Hebron Family Dentistry for your routine dental exams and cleanings. Our team will monitor your bonded teeth along with every aspect of your oral health to ensure your smile stays in tip-top shape.
The cosmetic bonding material can chip and fracture just like your natural tooth enamel, so you’ll need to avoid biting down on hard foods or objects or using your teeth for tasks better suited for tools. Moreover, the material can stain, so it’s best to refrain from smoking or consuming highly pigmented foods and beverages such as berries and coffee. With proper care, your cosmetic restorations will continue to enhance your smile for a decade or even longer!
Dental Bonding Near Me
Contact Hebron Family Dentistry in Hebron, KY, to learn more about enhancing your smile with cosmetic bonding. Dr. Watson and her outstanding team look forward to delivering the healthy, eye-catching smile you’ve always wanted. Call us and schedule your appointment today!
How Safe are Digital Dental X-Rays?
Dental x-rays have long been integral to preventive and diagnostic dental care. Today’s modern technology provides safer and more detailed images of the teeth and surrounding structures using digital dental x-rays. The question many of our patients have is, how safe are digital x-rays?
What Are Digital Dental X-Rays?
Digital radiography utilizes cutting-edge technology to capture dental x-rays. At Hebron Family Dentistry, we use sensors and phosphor plates instead of traditional x-ray film to take and store high-quality digital images. We can view and enlarge these images on a computer screen, allowing us to detect potential problems and address them before they progress.
Why Do Dentists Take Digital X-Rays?
Digital dental radiographic records, or digital x-rays, are essential preventative and diagnostic tools that provide us with valuable information not visible during visual dental exams. They detect hidden abnormalities, allowing us to create effective treatment plans for long-term oral health. Early diagnosis and treatment of dental conditions can prevent the need for costly and involved procedures down the road.
What Conditions Do Digital Dental X-Rays Reveal?
Digital x-rays reveal a wealth of information, including decay and cavities between teeth, infections, cysts, abscesses, bone loss, abnormalities of the jawbone, problems inside a tooth or below the gum, cancerous and noncancerous tumors, poor tooth and root positions, to name a few.
How Often Do You Require Digital X-Rays?
The frequency of digital x-rays depends on your dental history, unique needs, oral hygiene practices, age, and risk of developing dental disease. Most patients require a series of digital x-rays during their initial visits to our office and once or twice a year to detect any new dental problems. If, however, you experience pain or have symptoms of a problem, you may need additional x-rays to outline a prompt and targeted treatment plan.
How Safe Are Digital Dental X-Rays?
Digital x-rays are far safer than traditional ones. They reduce your exposure to radiation by about 90 percent as compared to the already low exposure of conventional x-ray equipment. Moreover, we take all the necessary precautions for added protection, including taking x-rays only when indicated and using lead shields to protect your body.
Digital Dental X-Rays Near Me
Visit Hebron Family Dentistry in Hebron, KY, to learn more about our cutting-edge x-ray technology for precise and comfortable dental care. We invite you to schedule your routine dental exam and cleaning to maintain long-term healthy smiles. Call us and schedule your appointment today!
How Can Food Choices Affect My Oral Health?
The foods you consume not only affect your overall health but can directly impact the health of your teeth and gums. We, at Hebron Family Dentistry, encourage you to be mindful of what you put in your mouth to ensure you enjoy long-term healthy smiles.
How Does Your Diet Affect Your Oral Health?
Consuming a nutritious diet plays a crucial role in maintaining a healthy smile. Lacking essential nutrients can leave the tissues of your mouth weak and vulnerable to infection, resulting in periodontal (gum) disease, a leading cause of adult tooth loss. Studies show that periodontal disease progresses faster and tends to be more severe in people with poor nutrition.
What Are Mouth-Healthy Food Choices?
Make sure you consume a nutritious diet, rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, and low or no-fat dairy products. If you’re craving a snack, choose a healthy option, such as raw vegetables, fresh fruit, cheese, or nuts, rather than processed or sugary foods. Don’t forget to drink plenty of water to stay hydrated and to prevent a dry mouth.
What Are Foods Choices You Should Limit?
Sugary treats and sweetened fruit drinks are harmful to your oral health. Plaque-causing bacteria feast on sugars, producing acids that erode your tooth enamel, resulting in tooth decay and cavities. Carbonated drinks are also harmful because they contain sugar and are acidic, which hastens the development of tooth decay and cavities. Even diet sodas are detrimental to your teeth because of the acids they contain.
We recommend limiting sticky foods, which cling to your teeth and are hard to clean off. The same applies to starchy foods, such as potato chips or white bread, because saliva breaks them into sugar, resulting in a pasty, sticky substance that lingers in your teeth’s crevices, elevating your risk of developing tooth decay or gum disease. Hard or crunchy foods can also pose a threat to your oral health. They can chip, crack, or even break your teeth, allowing the bacteria to enter the inner layers, resulting in a host of dental problems.
Healthy Oral Care Habits for Healthy Smiles
Make sure to brush your teeth no less than twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and floss daily. Remember to visit Hebron Family Dentistry for your twice-a-year dental exams and cleanings to ensure your smile stays bright, healthy, and free of disease.
Quality Dental Near Me
Contact Hebron Family Dentistry in Hebron, KY, to learn more about the preventive dentistry services we offer to safeguard your oral health. We are all about ensuring our valued patients maintain bright, clean, and healthy smiles. Call us and schedule your appointment today!
How Can Dental Veneers Transform My Smile?
If you are in search of a cosmetic dentistry solution to transform your smile, you’ve come to the right place. Your trusted team at Hebron Family Dentistry is proud to offer dental veneers to instantly correct teeth imperfections, with stunning, long-lasting results. Learn more about why veneers are such a sought-after aesthetic procedure at our Hebron, KY office.
What Are Dental Veneers and How Do They Help Transform Your Smile?
Dental veneers are wafer-thin, translucent porcelain shells designed to correct the shape, size, and spacing of teeth and improve their appearance. They provide resilience and strength comparable to natural tooth enamel and deliver dramatic results without the need for complex dental procedures.
Dental veneers offer a conservative cosmetic dentistry solution to improve the appearance of your smile without the extensive tooth shaping that restorations such as crowns require while providing a more aesthetic alternative. They offer incredible results when used to whiten stained and discolored teeth, or correct gapped, worn, chipped, broken, crooked, or misshapen teeth. They also repair teeth worn due to grinding, a condition known as bruxism. Veneers primarily serve a cosmetic purpose. However, in some cases, they are the choice solutions for correcting dental problems such as uneven bites.
Dental ceramic (porcelain) mimics the light-reflecting properties of your natural tooth enamel. We carefully match your custom-made restorations to the color and shade of the surrounding teeth, so they blend in seamlessly with your smile. With a skilled and experienced cosmetic dentist such as Dr. Watson, you can expect beautiful and incredibly natural-looking results.
What Is the Veneers Procedure?
We will remove a thin layer of tooth enamel to make room for your veneers then make impressions of your teeth that our dental laboratory will use to manufacture your restorations. We will place temporary veneers to protect your prepared teeth while waiting for your permanent ones. During a follow-up appointment, we will bond your veneers to your tooth surfaces, instantly delivering your perfect smile!
Caring for Your Dental Veneers
Make sure to brush and floss regularly. Avoid habits that can damage or chip your veneers, including nail-biting, eating hard foods, and using your teeth as tools. Don’t forget to visit Hebron Family Dentistry twice a year for your routine dental exams and cleanings to maintain healthy teeth, gums, and restorations.
Quality Dental Veneers Near Me
Contact Hebron Family Dentistry in Hebron, KY, to learn more about dental veneers and how they can transform your smile. We look forward to helping you look, feel, and smile your best. Call us and schedule your appointment today!
What is Root Canal Therapy?
Despite what you may have heard, root canal therapy is not a scary or painful procedure. In fact, it works to relieve tooth pain rather than cause it. Your trusted team at Hebron Family Dentistry will do everything possible to make sure you are completely relaxed and comfortable during treatment. Our gentle approach and sedation dentistry options will leave you with a positive experience.
What Is Root Canal Therapy?
The root canal is the area inside a tooth that houses the pulp tissues and nerves. Root canal therapy, also known as endodontic treatment, is a virtually painless dental procedure designed to repair and save teeth with inflamed or infected pulp tissue, usually resulting from severe decay, injuries, chips, or cracks. Root canal therapy can also preserve a dead tooth, which is one that no longer has blood flow to it.
A root canal procedure involves removing the diseased tooth pulp and filling the space with a material that helps maintain the structural integrity of the tooth’s root. If not treated, pulp infection and inflammation can cause severe pain and result in complications, which may eventually lead to tooth loss or the need for extraction.
What Are Common Symptoms You May Require Root Canal Therapy?
Symptoms of root canal problems include painful, tender, sensitive, or discolored teeth, or a pimple-like bump on the gum indicating an abscess. In some cases, a root canal problem may not show symptoms. Digital x-rays taken during your routine dental exams will help us detect any damage, allowing us to promptly treat your tooth to prevent complications or potential tooth loss.
What Should You Expect During the Root Canal Procedure?
Dr. Watson will administer a local anesthetic and a sedation option, if required, for your comfort. She will remove the affected pulp tissue, and clean, shape, sterilize, and seal the space. Following your root canal treatment, you will need a dental crown to strengthen the affected tooth and protect it from breakage. Your restoration will look, feel, and function just like a natural tooth.
Caring for Your Treated Tooth
A treated tooth requires the same care as your natural teeth. Make sure to brush your teeth and floss daily, and don’t forget to schedule your routine dental exams and cleanings. Given proper care and effort on your part, a tooth that has undergone a root canal treatment can last a lifetime.
Root Canal Therapy Near Me
Contact Hebron Family Dentistry in Hebron, KY, to learn more about root canal therapy and how it can save a damaged tooth. With our gentle approach and sedation dentistry options, you can rest assured that your time with us will be comfortable and free of stress. Call us and schedule your appointment today!
What is Orofacial Myology?
Orofacial myology is a specialized discipline that focuses on the evaluation and treatment of oral and facial (orofacial) muscles. Myofunctional therapy is dedicated to treating problems of the face, jaw, and mouth by retraining the muscles to function as they should.
What is an Orofacial Myofunctional Disorder (OMD)?
An orofacial myofunctional disorder occurs when an abnormal lip, jaw, or tongue position is present during rest, swallowing, or speech. Problems that result from OMDs may include pain in the face and neck, poor sleep due to breathing difficulties, or ongoing issues after dental surgery or orthodontic work.
What Are the Causes of OMDs?
OMDs often result from extended pacifier use, chronic thumb sucking, prolonged bottle use, lip licking, nail-biting, upper airway obstruction due to enlarged tonsils, adenoids or allergies, or a restricted lingual frenulum. They can also result from muscular and structural differences or genetics.
Signs and Symptoms of OMDs
Symptoms of OMDs include pain or discomfort around the face, jaw, or mouth, pain or impairment of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), mouth breathing, obstructive sleep apnea, and poor posture. Signs you need to see an orofacial myologist also include crooked teeth, a crowded mouth, an asymmetrical appearance of the lips or face, tongue thrust, incorrect chewing function, speech sound errors or distortion, and dental abnormalities such as an overjet and open bite. Some patients seeking treatment may not have OMDs, but want to improve an aging facial appearance, without the need for cosmetic surgery.
What Does Myofunctional Therapy Involve?
Treatment by your orofacial myologist involves short exercises, a form of physical therapy that trains your oral and facial muscles to function properly, similar to going to the gym to build up other muscles in your body.
What Are the Benefits of Orofacial Myology?
People of all ages enjoy multiple benefits from seeing an orofacial myologist. Patients report an improved quality of life after treatment without having to resort to surgery. The non-invasive and painless therapy addresses the root cause of the problem, which helps alleviate the OMD symptoms, and also contributes to successful orthodontic intervention. When it comes to children, addressing orofacial muscle problems early on prevents the condition from progressing and allows them to experience normal growth and development.
Orofacial Myology Near Me
Contact Hebron Family Dentistry in Hebron, KY, to learn more about myofunctional therapy and for you or your family members. Dr. Watson and her team take pride in offering outstanding services to support your oral health and wellness. We look forward to helping you maintain long-term healthy smiles. Call us and schedule your appointment today!