Don’t Wait Another Minute For Your Cosmetically Enhanced Smile

The New Year is here, and you shouldn’t live one more day with a smile that is not beautiful and healthy. While most people think that cosmetic procedures are extra procedures that are only done to improve the superficial look of your smile. “That in fact, is not the truth,“ says Dr. Judy Strutz. “Several cosmetic procedures can actually improve gum and jaw health as well as improve opportunities.” 

When you have been missing teeth, your other teeth can shift into the position of the missing teeth, causing your bite to be off. When your bite is off, it can cause jaw pain, a cracked tooth, and long-term damage. Fixing missing teeth, improves the overall look of your smile and the alignment, allowing you to look years younger. 

Black or discolored teeth are many times caused from decay that may be running rampant through your mouth. While we all have bacteria in our mouth, when the teeth turn color, they are no longer healthy. Decay that is not taken care of can turn into problems with lost teeth, and extreme pain.  

For more information on which cosmetic procedures you need to improve the health of your smile, contact Dr. Strutz & her team today.  

Lip Tie Vs. Tongue Tie

You may take a look at the piece of skin that is between the teeth and gums in your baby's mouth and believe that it is a lip tie that is causing your breast feeding challenges, but in fact, it may be a tongue-tie. Dr. Judy Strutz suggests, "each one impacts breastfeeding differently and can eventually lead to speech or reading problems, and both may require laser surgery in order to release to the tie." Here are two differences between a tongue and a lip tie. 

A lip tie is the piece of skin that attaches to the top of the lip versus a tongue-tie, which is the piece of skin that attaches the tongue to the bottom of the mouth. When a lip tie impacts your baby, the frenulum may come between the two-front teeth and wrap around, while, a tongue-tie may be thick and inhibit the full movement of the tongue.

When nursing, a lip tie can cause the baby to have an improper latch, because they may not be able to open the mouth wide enough for correct suction to occur. A tongue-tie, can position their tongue in the wrong spot. When their tongue is not able to be in the correct position, they may suck on the side of the breast, take a long time to get any milk and become tired. The tongue is what allows proper pressure to be placed on the nipple in order to release milk properly.

Each type of tie requires a different type of laser surgery and will impact your baby’s ability to properly breastfeed. 

For more information on lip and tongue-ties, contact Dr. Strutz today.

Holiday Habits & Your Smile

The holidays are often talked about as a time for family and friends to spend time together. People laugh, eat and enjoy each other’s company. But you often do not hear about the potential negative impact that the Holidays can have on your smile. Be aware of 4 pitfalls people often fall into during the holiday season that can impact your smile, and wallet, for a lifetime.

1.                    People increase the amount of sugar they consume during the holiday season. While a cookie here and there may not cause a problem, individuals are usually consuming two times the amount of sugar that should be consumed in treats and holiday drinks. Don’t fall into the pitfall of a sugar craze this Christmas. Bake with sugar alternatives, or slim down on the amount of treats you eat.

2.                    Brush and floss regularly. Millions of Americans forget their toothbrushes, and floss when they travel. Create a dental kit, which you keep ready to go throughout the year. This will make it easier to remember the dental items you need.

3.                    "Drink more water." suggests Dr. Judy Strutz. Water helps to rinse your teeth in between brushing and flossing. If you are going to consume sugary foods and drinks, drinking water can also help to rinse the sugar from the enamel of your teeth, thus decreasing the amount that stays on your teeth.

4.                    Brush & floss at the same time you normally do. It can be a busy time of year, and people often forget to brush and floss as they are focused on what they need to do during the day. Focus on brushing and flossing during your regularly scheduled time to decrease the risk of forgetting. If you put it off until later, it often does not get done.

For more information on your smile this Holiday season, contact Dr. Strutz & her team today.

3 Role’s A Dentist Can Play In Sleep Apnea

While it is relatively new to have your dentist involved in your sleep problems, Dr. Judy Strutz and her team have been spending extra time studying how to help you with this process. Sleep apnea is a process where your body quits breathing multiple times throughout the night, due a problem with your tongue cutting off your airway. While there are other treatments available, dental devices and support from Dr. Strutz & her team can make this process less painful and more helpful to your overall health.

Sleep is critical for the body to recharge itself. Without proper sleep you may end up feeling tired, or restless, which can lead to problems at work. Step 1 is diagnosis. Before any treatment can begin, you first need to be diagnosed with sleep apnea. This can occur through a sleep study and/or by answering a few questions during your initial examination about sleep patterns, whether you snore, and how you feel when you wake up in the morning.

Dr. Strutz can evaluate what type of device is best going to work for your sleep apnea. In order to decrease the problems that occur with sleep apnea, the key is to keep your jaw and tongue in a certain position. Dental devices can keep your tongue from falling in the back of the throat and cutting off your airway.

Once you have been evaluated, and the type of device you need as been determined, Dr. Judy Strutz and her team can design a custom appliance. By having it done in the office it ensures you have an amazing fit that will get you on your way to a restful night’s sleep.

For more information on sleep apnea contact Dr. Strutz & her team today.

Dental Implants Vs. Bridges

Dental implants and bridges are not just cosmetic dentistry. They are designed to restore the natural, beautiful smile you want to show off. Dr. Judy Strutz recommends dental implants if you have one or more lost teeth and want a permanent option to replace the absent tooth. A bridge can also be used if you have missing teeth in order to ‘bridge’ the gap and replace the missing tooth. Both options provide you with a cosmetically beautiful smile. 

 

An implant is a titanium rod that is placed in the bone. When an implant is placed, a crown is placed over it in order to hold it in place. Dr. Judy Strutz states, “Once an implant is placed and secure, it will act like a natural tooth.” It is critical that you brush and floss your teeth once the implant is fully healed as periodontal disease can occur around the tooth. The rod and the jaw bone will bond together, and your new cosmetically beautiful smile can be shown to the world. 

“A bridge is secured to other teeth,” says Dr. Strutz. It will fill in the gap between the two teeth and feel natural. A fixed bridge does not move or come out after you eat. One of the concerns of a bridge can be that you are not able to floss between the replaced tooth and the ones the bridge are attached to. 

No mater the cosmetic procedure you choose, a bridge or a dental implant can provide you with the smile you are looking for. 

Correct Tongue Tie Examination

It can be tricky to know if your baby has a tongue or lip tie because we are not trained to exam our babies for this type of problem. When you are breastfeeding, all you may know is that your baby is not latching on correctly, but you may not know why. These 3 examination tips by Dr. Strutz can help you to know what she is looking for when she examines your baby.  

1. First, when the examination begins, having great light is critical. This will allow the dentist to be able to see inside your baby’s tiny mouth. If you are looking yourself to determine if a tongue-tie exists prior to an exam, it is recommended you use a light that allows you to use your hands and give you a great view of their mouth.
2. The dentist then needs to correctly position the baby. It is recommended by Dr. Judy Strutz to have your baby lie across your lap with their head in her lap. This allows the dentist to be able to see into their mouth as well as evaluate the tension of the frenulum. At home you can position your infant on the bed, facing away from you.

3.     Once the baby is properly positioned, the examination can begin. By assessing the tightness of the frenulum, Dr. Strutz can determine if your baby has a lip or tongue-tie. Once the examination is complete, this will give the doctor the information she needs in order to determine the appropriate next steps. At home, you are also looking at the tightness of the tongue and lips, but generally a mom knows because of pain or discomfort when breastfeeding or by symptoms that baby experiences such as clicking, popping off the breast or an inability to be satisfied.

If you think, your baby may have a lip or tongue tie, and you are struggling to breastfeed due to latching issues, contact Dr. Strutz and her team today.  

3 Reasons To Chose Cosmetic Procedures

Many of us go about our daily schedule not really giving much thought to our smile. We may abuse our teeth and gums by consuming soda, not flossing regularly and forgetting to schedule that regular dental cleaning. Dr. Strutz states, "you don’t want to keep not giving your smile the attention it deserves." The sooner you take care of any problems, the sooner you can save your smile and your pocketbook. Here are five reasons why cosmetic procedures are great for your smile and your health.

1.     Fixing broken or cracked teeth can help you to appear younger. When you have missing teeth, the other ones tend to shift into the position where the teeth are missing. This can cause your mouth to sink in and your cheeks to look more hallow.

2.     Improving your smile can allow you to consume food that may hurt sensitive teeth.  While fixing broken teeth, helps to improve your overall smile, it can also save you from a lot of pain in the future.

3.     Research shows, individuals who have a healthy smile have a higher rate of being offered promotions.  When you have a smile to show off, you are more likely to share it with the world. People love other happy people and want to be a part of whatever they have going on. Happier people tend to get what they need and deserve in life because they are more likely to go after promotions and other advancements they desire.  

Dr. Strutz advises patients to come in for an initial exam in order to determine which cosmetic procedures are right for them.

10 Signs You May Have Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea can cause multiple long-term negative effects to your body and your mind. “After months or years of never really getting a good night’s sleep, your body can begin to break down,” says Dr. Strutz. You can feel that you’re never fully rested, and /or fall asleep at work or while driving. Don’t wait until it is to late. Answer these few questions to see if you have sleep apnea and get help today.

1.     Do you wake up tired even after you feel you have gotten enough sleep?

2.     Do you feel very tired after you have awoken?

3.     Do you feel that you are walking through a fog?

4.     Do you snore?

5.     Do you gasp for air or feel you are chocking?

6.     Do you wake up throughout the evening?

7.     Do you wake up with dry mouth or sore throat?

8.     Do you struggle with memory loss?

9.     Do you wake up with morning headaches?

10.  Do you feel moody, irritable or depressed?

If you answered yes to any of these questions you may be one of several thousand people that are impacted by sleep apnea. Contact Dr. Judy Strutz and her team today for help.

3 Ways A Dental Implant Can Save Your Smile

Dental implants can save your smile from a number of problems that can occur if you do not have teeth. The problem with missing teeth is when space is left open other teeth will move into the spots in order to compensate for the lack of teeth. As your teeth shift and move, it can then cause you to look older, have jaw trouble and/or experience cracked or broken teeth. Here are four ways that a dental implant can fix your smile.

1.     A dental implant can take the place of missing teeth. This helps realign your smile to guarantee that all of your teeth are correctly lined up. When your teeth fit into the proper place you can avoid unnecessary problems in the jaw.

2.     Implants can guarantee a healthy smile for years to come. Once you are missing one or more teeth, it is twice as likely that you will lose other teeth.  Missing teeth can limit your self-confidence, cause problems eating and impact your overall health.

3.     Implants take the place of missing teeth but have the same impact as your real teeth. They are implanted into the jaw-bone and therefore stay in place. Dr. Judy Strutz reminds, “It’s critical to take care of implants, much the same way you take care of teeth.” That means having them checked regularly by your dentist.

If your self-confidence is impacted by missing teeth, contact Dr. Strutz & her team today for a consultation.

Don’t Get Frustrated. Breastfeeding & Your Tongue-tied Infant

It can be very frustrating, especially if you have visited several doctors and done research to help your baby, to run up against a wall. Some medical providers have a very difficult time reommending surgery on a posterior tongue-tie because they don’t believe that it exists and because they may not completely understand the anatomy involved with a breast feeding baby.

Dr. Strutz suggests, “Not understanding how your baby breastfeeds can lead people to believe that a posterior tongue-tie is attached at the back of the throat by the tonsils. This however, is not the case. Understanding the anatomy of a posterior and an anterior tongue-tie can help you and your baby get all you both deserve from the breastfeeding relationship.”

Tongue-tie is rated on a one to four scale, but it does not necessarily describe the amount of trouble or pain that your baby is in when they are breastfeeding. It is a description of where the tongue attaches in the mouth. While some babies may be able to eat with a tongue-tie position of one, other babies who have a tongue-tie position of two or three can experience a very difficult feeding situation.

Dr. Judy Strutz and her team recommends, setting up an appointment with a dentist who is trained in tongue-tie laser surgery in order to get the best treatment.

Dangerous Holiday Food For Your Crowns

The food you consume can cause havoc not only to your permanent teeth, but also to your newly placed dental crowns. Brushing, flossing and visiting your San Bernardinocosmetic dentist regularly are critical to having your smile stay in great condition. During the holidays, don’t let food choices, impact your dental crowns or your natural teeth by following these simple food rules. 

Avoid extra sugar and treats. Sugar can cause your tooth underneath the crown to decay. While you are consuming pie or more sugary drinks, the bacterium in your mouth is feeding off of the sugar, this combination can cause major problems. If you are going to consume treats or candy, it is recommended you either brush your teeth right away if you can, or chew a piece of sugar-free gum.  

The extra saliva can help to remove sugar and other food debris from your teeth. 
Avoid consuming lots of breads and high carb foods. “While these traditional Thanksgiving foods are available, you may want to avoid them in large quantitties to protect your smile,” says Dr. Judith Strutz. Small portions, brushing immediately and consuming fruits or vegetables can help protect your crowns. And any food that has a larger water content can remove food from between the teeth.  

      For more information on healthy food to consume contact Dr. Strutz & her team today.  

Sleep Apnea During The Holidays

Don’t let sleep apnea hold you back from visiting family or staying where ever you want to go. You may be embarrassed because you know you snore loudly, or you don’t want to travel with all the necessary supplies for your breathing machine. There are current options that may change this traveling dilemma for you. 
Sleep apnea is caused when, during sleep, your tongue blocks your airway when you lay down reducing your ability to breathe normally. During your sleep pattern, you may wake up several times a night in order to get air to your lungs. This can be dangerous if your brain does not get the oxygen it needs.  
While it seems out of place that you would call and set up a consultation with your prosthodontist, this is exactly what you need to do. Dr. Judy Strutz and her team are available to complete a consultation with you. During this time, they will evaluate the shape of the roof of your mouth and discuss other problems or symptoms you may be experiencing from sleep apnea. 
Once the consultation is over, you and Dr. Strutz will work together to create a plan to provide support to you. This may include a removable dental device that widens the pallet of the mouth. By having the pallet of the mouth widened, she may be able to prevent the blockage from your tongue when you are sleeping. 

              Don’t spend one more Holiday by yourself embarrassed about your sleep apnea.