Cover

Cover

Wednesday, June 29, 2016

How Does a Dental Bridge Replace a Tooth?

Replacing your missing teeth will allow you to chew properly, it will help maintain your jaw structure, and it keeps your smile looking like you. One option for tooth replacement we offer here at Alta Loma Dental Care in our Alta Loma, CA office is the dental bridge. Being around for a long time, the bridge is a popular option.


11_1.jpg


Dental bridges work by attaching a replacement tooth to dental crowns. The dental crowns are placed on the teeth next to where the opening is and the replacement tooth sits snugly in the opening. Dental bridges are made to last a long time and they can look just like the rest of your teeth. Here at Alta Loma Dental Care, we have a dental laboratory create a completely custom crown for each of our patients.


To get started with the bridge process, first, your teeth adjacent to the opening are reshaped so that crowns can be fitted on them. Next, an impression of the area is taken so the dental lab can create the bridge. You will wear a temporary bridge while your permanent bridge is being created. When it is ready, the bridge arrives with the replacement tooth, called a pontic, attached to one or more crowns. We then cement the bridge into place.


Tooth replacement is important for a variety of reasons. If you have recently lost a tooth, do not hesitate to find out your replacement options. To schedule an appointment with Alta Loma Dental Care of Alta Loma, CA, call our office at (909) 987-6268 or visit our website, www.altalomadentalcare.com

Wednesday, June 22, 2016

Bad Habits to Stay Away from While Wearing Braces

While wearing your braces, it is important to follow any precautions. Holding onto bad habits while wearing braces can slow down the process or damage the braces. At Alta Loma Dental Care in Alta Loma, CA, we want all of our patients to understand how to take good care of their braces. Keep reading to learn about habits to avoid.


Biting Hard Objects


Biting your fingernails is already bad for your teeth, but when you bite them while wearing braces, it could create enough pressure to cause one of your brackets to break or pop off. Even if the brackets remain intact, the pressure will make the braces less effective, therefore delaying treatment. The same goes for biting pencils, water bottles, etc. While wearing braces, you should even stay away from hard foods like raw carrots, bagels, and popcorn. In addition, skip sticky foods like caramel and gum.


 


Brushing Abrasively


When brushing your teeth, only a light scrubbing with a soft bristled toothbrush is needed to remove plaque. Brushing too abrasively can wear down enamel and while wearing braces, it can damage brackets or wires.


 


Daily Sweet Tooth


Do you have a sweet tooth? Sugar leads to cavities so eating too much of it daily can really affect your teeth. If you drink pop every day, especially, consider cutting down. Not only is pop filled with sugar, but is also often has acid that can lead to the wear-down of enamel.


Braces_1.jpg


Wearing braces should be a healthy experience for your teeth so they are in great shape when the braces come off. To schedule an appointment at Alta Loma Dental Care in our Alta Loma, CA office, call us at (909) 987-6268 or visit our website, www.altalomadentalcare.com

Wednesday, June 15, 2016

Oral Cancer Detection

Oral cancer is a malignant growth that affects any part of the oral cavity, including the lips, upper or lower jaw, tongue, gums, cheeks, and throat. Anyone can get oral cancer, but the risk is higher if you are male, over age 40, use tobacco or alcohol or have a history of head or neck cancer. Understanding the causative factors of cancer will contribute to the prevention of the disease. Your health is important to us and you should schedule regular dental checkups with our staff Alta Loma Dental Care to detect oral cancer early when it is the easiest to treat.


The most common symptom of oral cancer is a sore in the mouth that bleeds easily and does not heal. Another common sign of oral cancer is developing pain in the mouth that does not go away. Our doctors at Alta Loma Dental Care can examine the mouth and throat as part of a routine checkup if you are concerned about developing oral cancer. During regular checkups, abnormal tissue changes and oral cancer can be detected at its earliest stage when there is a greater chance for a cure.


If you are concerned about oral cancer, please give us a call to discuss your prevention options. To learn more about services we provide at our practice, visit www.altalomadentalcare.com for more information. To schedule an appointment in our Alta Loma, CA office, call Alta Loma Dental Care at 909-987-6268.

Thursday, June 9, 2016

Choosing a Toothpaste That’s Right for You

When stepping foot into the dental health aisle at the drugstore, our doctors at Alta Loma Dental Care understand that the selections of toothpaste can be overwhelming. Should you go for tartar control, fluoride, sensitive, or whitening toothpaste? How do you decide? When it comes to choosing the toothpaste that is best for you, it’s important to consider your unique oral health needs. The best way to discover what those are is by scheduling an oral exam with one of our doctors here in Alta Loma, CA. In the meantime, here are some options to consider while browsing:



  • Anti-cavity: This type of toothpaste contains fluoride. Fluoride plays an active role in preventing decay, and it actively strengthens tooth enamel.

  • Anti-gingivitis: If you spit blood in the sink, this is an early sign of gingivitis, a mild form of gum disease. Anti-gingivitis toothpaste reduces oral bacteria and can be very effective at stopping gingivitis in its tracks.

  • Desensitizing: If you’ve ever bit into an ice cream cone and felt a sharp pain in your tooth’s nerve, this type of toothpaste will provide relief by blocking the tooth’s pain signal to the nerve.

  • Tartar-control: This toothpaste does exact what it says, however, the best way to remove tartar is by scheduling a professional dental cleaning with one of our doctors.

  • Whitening: This toothpaste contains chemicals that are able to help maintain the natural color of your teeth.


alta_loma_logo.png


If you have questions about oral hygiene and dental health, don’t hesitate to give us a call. To learn more about services we provide at our practice, visit www.altalomadentalcare.com for more information. To schedule an appointment in our Alta Loma, CA office, call Alta Loma Dental Care at 909-987-6268.

Wednesday, June 1, 2016

Dental Abscess Details

An abscess is an infection in or around the root of the tooth which may or may not be painful. It occurs when the pulp, the soft tissue inside the root canal, dies and becomes inflamed and goes untreated. The most common symptom of an abscess is an ache in the bone around the tooth, but you may also experience pain when chewing, or swelling of the gums. If you are currently experiencing any of these symptoms, give our staff at Alta Loma Dental Care a call today.


A dental abscess is usually treated with endodontic surgery. If necessary, our doctors at Alta Loma Dental Care will remove the bacteria from the empty canals within your tooth, clean, shape and fill the root canals, and seal the space. In addition, a crown or other restoration will be placed on the tooth to protect and restore it to full function. After the new restoration, your tooth will be good as new.


To learn more about the services we provide at our practice, visit www.altalomadentalcare.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Alta Loma Dental Care in Alta Loma, CA, call 909-987-6268.