Take Time For Your Smile

Dr. Strutz and her team know your smile is important and it is just as important that you take time to take care of it. Minor issues that come up with your smile can seem small and no big deal, however, it is important that you have minor cracks, and problems with your teeth taken care of before they become bigger problem.

While a small crack in one of your teeth can easily be fixed, a crack in your tooth can mean that your bite is off and once one tooth is cracked other teeth may be impacted which eventually may lead to high levels of pain and more significant damage.  A smile that is not as lustrous and taken care of can then begin to negatively impact opportunities in your career. Dr. Strutz, suggests, “A smile is one of the first things that is noticed about you when you interview for a job. Don’t let yours go untended.”

 Sensitivity to food or drinks can cause a nightmare in your everyday activities. While you may think that it is no big deal, many times this is the first symptom of a cracked tooth. If you have sensitivity for three to four days or the pain is consistent it may mean something is wrong. . Don’t wait.  Taking care of these types of problems can prevent you from having more expensive problems later on down the line. If you are suffering with tooth sensitivity, call today to learn how Dr. Strutz and her team can help.

Frenectomy & Your Child

You are so excited to see your new baby born, and you should be. But then you find she is fussy and can’t seem to latch on to the breast correctly. She has gas and stomach pains after feeding. What is the problem? You’ve removed certain foods from your diet that you were told might cause a problem.  Still something isn’t quite right. Finally, in despair, you consult a lactation consultant or your physician to learn your child has a thicker than normal piece of skin under the tongue or the upper lip. This is commonly called being lip-tied or tongue-tied depending upon where the excess tissue is found.

Not only does this condition impact how your baby feeds, especially if you are a nursing mom, but it can also create challenges in the future in their speech.

And it isn’t only the baby who suffers. Babies who have a maxillary frenum may be unable to move the tongue into the correct location to eat correctly. While an improper latch may not seem important at first, it can cause your child discomfort and lead you to be sore as well. Untreated, a lip or tongue-tied breastfeeding child can cause damage to the nipples and breasts that may eventually lead to an infection.

Midwives used to snip a baby’s excess tissue or frenum using their sharp fingernail however, there are much better ways to handle this condition today. Dr. Strutz and her team are able to use a specialized laser that takes this procedure and makes it simple. “The first step is to come in for an exam,” says Dr. Judith Strutz. Once the exam is completed, if appropriate, Dr. Strutz will be able to perform the procedure in a short amount of time.

After your baby’s procedure is finished you will receive some simple after-care instructions. And best of all, most babies are able to eat immediately after the procedure.

Don’t be frustrated another day. Babies as young as a day or two have had the procedure and parents have seen immediate results. Call today to learn if you and your child can be helped by Dr. Strutz and her team.

 

Frenum And Your Infant

Laser surgery can be done on a young infant if they have a maxillary frenum in order to help alleviate the problems that they cause. A frenum is a muscle that is thicker than it should be and attaches to either the upper gums or the lower tongue to the floor of the mouth. When an infant is born with tongue-tie or a frenum, surgery may be necessary.

The surgery can be completed by prosthodontist, Dr. JudithStrutz, using laser technology.  It is a relatively routine procedure and can be done upon an infant that is only a few short days old. Dr. Strutz will have you hold your baby close, she’ll numb the area and then delicately use the laser to remove the thick skin. Usually infants that are struggling to nurse before the surgery are able to eat almost directly after the surgery.

For an infant, a maxillary frenum can impact how a baby latches on when they are nursing. “A baby unable to latch on correctly can cause them to not receive the nutrition that they need. Also a breastfeeding mother can become sore from the child not latching on correctly,” says Dr.Strutz.   The area corrected by the laser procedure may be sore for a few days but should heal rather quickly. Your child may be a little drowsy, but should recover quickly.   When a laser is used the recovery time is shorter and sutures are not required. To learn more, call our office.

Laser Surgery and Frenums

Laser surgeries are more common in dentistry, and there are a number of procedures that can be completed now. Dr. Judith Strutz now performs laser surgery to correct Lip and/or Tongue-Ties.

There are two types of frenum ties and each one impacts the individual differently depending on the thickness of the skin, the location, and your age.

Tongue-tie, otherwise known as a lingual frenum, is a condition where the muscle inside the mouth and under the tongue is thicker than it is supposed to be. This extra skin may attach between the bottom lower teeth and make it difficult for you to say certain sounds because you are unable to stick or position your tongue correctly to make the right sounds. It may also be painful to eat and you may have difficulty removing food particles from your teeth with your tongue.  

A maxillary frenum is when the thicker skin on the outside of the teeth attaches to the inside of the lips.  An individual that is impacted with this type of frenum may struggle with saying particular speech sounds, eating maybe difficult and, depending on the thickness of the skin, it may push a gap between the two front teeth causing other dental concerns.

The surgery for tongue-tie used to be completed by a midwife that had a sharp nail and would cut the frenum when a baby was born as frenums can prohibit a breastfeeding mother to be successful. However, lucky for us technology has advanced where a special laser can be used to fix either type of frenum easily and quickly. Call Dr. Judith Strtuz today to learn more.

The Dangers Of Chewing Ice

 

After you drink that refreshing Ice Coffee on that warm day the ice clinks around in the cup. The tempting nature of the “tink, tink” sound of the ice cubes is calling your name and before you think about it, you have begun to chew on the ice. However, according to Dr. Judith Strutz, “This is a very damaging habit that can impact your smile and cause you thousands of dollars to fix.”

The medical term for individuals that chew ice is called pagophagia.  It is part of a smaller medical term called Pica. Pica is a medical condition where individuals have a compulsion to eat food items that lack nutritional value.  While you are responding to a desire to chew on ice, what you may not realize is that you have a medical condition. For example, you may have an iron deficiency.  

Iron deficiencies that are left untreated can result in fatigue. Iron carries oxygen from the lungs throughout the body. Less oxygen in the body can reduce your ability to think clearly and solve those problems at work. While you may believe that grabbing that cup of ice can help replenish it, it is not a positive solution.

When you constantly chew on ice you are creating a hot-cold cycle in your mouth. This change in temperature can cause tiny fractures on your teeth, which can eventually lead to great damage to fillings and your overall tooth structure.

Furthermore, your gums are very sensitive and require protection. While chewing on a sharp piece of ice you can actually puncture the gums. This open hole in the mouth is then susceptible to bacteria as food particles are chewed.

One easy suggestion: if you are addicted to chewing on ice, try sugarless gum.

And of course, let your dentist or dental hygienist know so they can also help you come up with other solutions.

Bad Dental Habits

Bad dental habits may have become as routine as waking up at the same time everyday. However, over time these bad habits may be damaging your smile and you may not even realize it. While Dr. Judith Strutz can fix broken and chipped teeth, she recommends taking care of the first set in order to not need these services later on in life.  Take the short quiz below to see if you are putting your smile at risk.

1.     Do you brush and floss twice a day?

2.     Do you chew on pens?

3.     Do you use your teeth to open items?

4.     Do you chew on other items that are not food? (For example, hair, fabric, sticks)

5.     Do you chew ice?

If you answered yes to any of these questions you are putting your teeth in danger. While brushing and flossing removes bacteria from your teeth when not done on a routine basis, the enamel becomes damaged and deep pockets in the gum tissue may begin to develop. This process is the beginning stage of periodontal disease.

Chewing on pens or other non-food items can cause small fractures in your teeth. You are then more susceptible to fractures as you have weakened the tooth enamel. Chewing on an object that is hard can also cause a chip in the tooth. Once, a chip occurs it can be costly to repair the damage.

“There is a special tool that can be used to open up items,” says Dr. Judy Strutz. “While it is convenient to use your teeth as a pair of scissors, it is not worth the risk.”  You can cause a divot in your teeth from the plastic that you are opening. Any type of damage to the enamel of your teeth leaves you at risk for further damage.

After you have finished that ice cold drink you may be tempted to chew on the remaining ice cubes, especially on those warm summer days. However, this habit could cost you a crown to fix the broken tooth. There are multiple reasons why someone may choose to chew ice, but in the end, it isn’t work the risk.

If you or someone you love answered yes to any of the questions above, it’s time to visit your dentist for a complete exam. Call today to schedule your appointment.

Partial And Complete Dentures

Partial dentures are appliances placed in the mouth that attach to your other teeth. While the process may sound easy, in order to get the correct restorative function your prosthodontist will spend significant time getting the process right.  Partial removable dentures are generally recommended if you are missing one or more of your teeth on both sides of your mouth, either upper or lower. They enhance your smile and improve chewing, speech and digestion.

When you visit Dr. Judy Strutz on the first visit she will complete an exam that assesses what type of denture is needed. There are two types of partial dentures one is removable and the other is fixed. Fixed partials are usually referred to as a bridge. Partial removable dentures are recommended when you only have a few teeth in an upper or lower arch remaining.

The removable partial denture is attached to your other teeth using clasps or attachments. These attachments may take some getting used to when you first begin wearing your denture. You may also need crowns added to other teeth in order to have enough structure to clasp your partial denture on to.  This requires a good fit in order for your smile to be functional as well as esthetic. You may also require other visits to adjust the partial’s fit as it settles into place. 

Partial dentures may also need to be adjusted after you have had them for a while. While they should last for several years, dentures can crack, break and shift. It is important to take care of your appliance once it is created to keep it in the best working condition.  So it truly is important to see your dentist at least twice a year. If you haven’t seen your dentist recently – call today and schedule an appointment.