Dental Tips for Back To School

Your children may have the latest clothes, school supplies and sports equipment for the new school year, but do they have a healthy mouth and the tools they’ll need to maintain it?  Dr. Elzbieta W. Basil, DMD, a dentist with offices in West Hartford Center and Downtown New Britain recommends a few things for back to school.

To start, according to the American Dental Association, a dental examination is as important as immunizations and booster shots and should be a regular part of back-to-school preparations. Statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say that tooth decay affects U.S. children more than any other chronic infectious disease and about 1 in 5 children ages 2 to 19 years old have untreated tooth decay. 

Moreover, dental pain or disease can lead to difficulty in eating, speaking, playing and learning as well as millions of hours of missed school.  In a recent study published in the Journal of Public Health, it was found that between 58 and 80 hours of school were missed due to dental pain and toothaches out of every 100 students between the ages of 5 and 17.  The parents of those students missed an average of 2.5 work days to take their child to their pediatric dentist. 

Therefore, Dr. Basil suggests that your children’s back-to-school checklist should include:

• Regular dental examinations to diagnose and treat or prevent dental problems-Parents and teachers may not realize there's a dental problem, so regular checkups are important. Your dentist may suggest fluoride treatments or sealants to prevent decay and can diagnose and treat dental problems to save your child pain and lost school time.
• Regular brushing with fluoride toothpaste and flossing-Head for the dental care isle when you're out shopping for notebooks, binders and pencils. If parents buy several toothbrushes they could have their child change to a new one every three months or so, or after an illness. If it's hard to remember when to change a brush, try this: change it every time report cards come out. Ask your dentist for a recommendation on how often to change toothbrushes.
• Eating healthy lunches and snacks-Include portable healthy lunch items and snacks in your child's sack lunch, including grains, milk, cheese, raw vegetables, yogurt or fruit. If your child eats in the school cafeteria, review healthy, balanced food choices with him before the first day of school. Cut back on sugary foods and soft drinks.  An apple a day actually cleans the teeth, and is low in sugars and acids that could cause tooth decay.
• Wearing a properly fitted mouthguard-while participating in organized sports or activities where it is possible for the mouth to contact something hard (including the ground).  A custom mouthguard from a dentist is inexpensive, and is much better than anything you can find in a blister pack in the sporting goods aisle.
• Know how to handle Dental Emergencies-Occasionally, you will encounter a dental emergency.  Teeth can get knocked out or cracked due to falls or rough play, resulting in the need to provide emergency dental care. If your child accidentally knocks out his or her tooth, carefully pick up the tooth without touching the root.  The primary concern is keeping the tooth moist.  This can be accomplished by temporarily putting the tooth back in its socket or placing it between your child’s check and gum while enroute to your pediatric dentist.  If neither of those options are viable, pour a small glass of milk and place the tooth in the glass.

Keep smiling,

Dr. Elzbieta W. Basil, DMD is a private practice dentist with offices in West Hartford Center and Downtown New Britain, Connecticut.  She is a Clinical Instructor at the UConn School of Dental Medicine, and has won several awards naming her regional “Best Dentist” and “Top Dentist.” She is an active member of the Connecticut State Dental Association and the American Dental Association. Tel: 860-561-2121

What Porcelain Veneers Can Do For You

Are your teeth cracked, chipped, worn, yellow, or otherwise damaged? If so, then you know that sometimes a perfect smile seems like a distant dream.

Dr. Elzbieta W. Basil, DMD, a cosmetic dentist with offices in West Hartford Center and Downtown New Britain, CT, knows a thing or two about the obstacles that can stand in the way of fixing dental issues. Not all procedures are right for everyone. And sometimes the price and healing times for procedures can make the decision hard to make.

Of course, if you are missing teeth, a dental implant is almost always worth it. Not only will it boost your self-esteem and get rid of the unsightly gap in your smile, but it will also prevent jaw bone loss down the line – and trust us, you want to avoid that.

But for those folks who have their teeth, but they’re not in great shape, dental work can seem too much of an investment—both in time and money. But not anymore.

You can literally walk out of Dr. Basil’s cosmetic dental office with a perfect smile. Imagine that!

Veneers are often a less expensive option than crowns or dental implants, and the results are truly astounding. Just ask your West Hartford dentist to see some before and after photos of real patients, or look on DoctorBasil.com.

So what is a veneer? Dental veneers are custom-made, paper-thin shells of porcelain that are cemented onto the fronts of teeth to drastically change the appearance of your smile, to make it dazzling and outstanding. 

The veneers are custom made for you, and can be finished in a few weeks and, once placed, they literally require no recovery time. You can stop by, get a brand new smile, and head back to work (or anywhere you can show off your sparkling new teeth!). They are long-lasting with proper dental hygiene, and they look and feel like natural teeth.

If you want the miracle of a new, perfect smile, contacting West Hartford dentist, Dr. Elzbieta W. Basil should be your first choice. We take pride in the quality and excellence of service offered to our patients.

Keep smiling,





Dr. Elzbieta W. Basil, DMD is a private practice dentist with offices in West Hartford Center and Downtown New Britain, Connecticut.  She is a Clinical Instructor at the UConn School of Dental Medicine, and has won several awards naming her regional “Best Dentist” and “Top Dentist.” She is an active member of the Connecticut State Dental Association and the American Dental Association. Tel: 860-561-2121

What Porcelain Veneers Can Do For You

Are your teeth cracked, chipped, worn, yellow, or otherwise damaged? If so, then you know that sometimes a perfect smile seems like a distant dream.

Dr. Elzbieta W. Basil, DMD, a cosmetic dentist with offices in West Hartford Center and Downtown New Britain, CT, knows a thing or two about the obstacles that can stand in the way of fixing dental issues. Not all procedures are right for everyone. And sometimes the price and healing times for procedures can make the decision hard to make.

Of course, if you are missing teeth, a dental implant is almost always worth it. Not only will it boost your self-esteem and get rid of the unsightly gap in your smile, but it will also prevent jaw bone loss down the line – and trust us, you want to avoid that.

But for those folks who have their teeth, but they’re not in great shape, dental work can seem too much of an investment—both in time and money. But not anymore.

You can literally walk out of Dr. Basil’s cosmetic dental office with a perfect smile. Imagine that!

Veneers are often a less expensive option than crowns or dental implants, and the results are truly astounding. Just ask your West Hartford dentist to see some before and after photos of real patients, or look on DoctorBasil.com.

So what is a veneer? Dental veneers are custom-made, paper-thin shells of porcelain that are cemented onto the fronts of teeth to drastically change the appearance of your smile, to make it dazzling and outstanding. 

The veneers are custom made for you, and can be finished in a few weeks and, once placed, they literally require no recovery time. You can stop by, get a brand new smile, and head back to work (or anywhere you can show off your sparkling new teeth!). They are long-lasting with proper dental hygiene, and they look and feel like natural teeth.

If you want the miracle of a new, perfect smile, contacting West Hartford dentist, Dr. Elzbieta W. Basil should be your first choice. We take pride in the quality and excellence of service offered to our patients.

Keep smiling,





Dr. Elzbieta W. Basil, DMD is a private practice dentist with offices in West Hartford Center and Downtown New Britain, Connecticut.  She is a Clinical Instructor at the UConn School of Dental Medicine, and has won several awards naming her regional “Best Dentist” and “Top Dentist.” She is an active member of the Connecticut State Dental Association and the American Dental Association. Tel: 860-561-2121

What Porcelain Veneers Can Do For You

Are your teeth cracked, chipped, worn, yellow, or otherwise damaged? If so, then you know that sometimes a perfect smile seems like a distant dream.

Dr. Elzbieta W. Basil, DMD, a cosmetic dentist with offices in West Hartford Center and Downtown New Britain, CT, knows a thing or two about the obstacles that can stand in the way of fixing dental issues. Not all procedures are right for everyone. And sometimes the price and healing times for procedures can make the decision hard to make.

Of course, if you are missing teeth, a dental implant is almost always worth it. Not only will it boost your self-esteem and get rid of the unsightly gap in your smile, but it will also prevent jaw bone loss down the line – and trust us, you want to avoid that.

But for those folks who have their teeth, but they’re not in great shape, dental work can seem too much of an investment—both in time and money. But not anymore.

You can literally walk out of Dr. Basil’s cosmetic dental office with a perfect smile. Imagine that!

Veneers are often a less expensive option than crowns or dental implants, and the results are truly astounding. Just ask your West Hartford dentist to see some before and after photos of real patients, or look on DoctorBasil.com.

So what is a veneer? Dental veneers are custom-made, paper-thin shells of porcelain that are cemented onto the fronts of teeth to drastically change the appearance of your smile, to make it dazzling and outstanding. 

The veneers are custom made for you, and can be finished in a few weeks and, once placed, they literally require no recovery time. You can stop by, get a brand new smile, and head back to work (or anywhere you can show off your sparkling new teeth!). They are long-lasting with proper dental hygiene, and they look and feel like natural teeth.

If you want the miracle of a new, perfect smile, contacting West Hartford dentist, Dr. Elzbieta W. Basil should be your first choice. We take pride in the quality and excellence of service offered to our patients.

Keep smiling,





Dr. Elzbieta W. Basil, DMD is a private practice dentist with offices in West Hartford Center and Downtown New Britain, Connecticut.  She is a Clinical Instructor at the UConn School of Dental Medicine, and has won several awards naming her regional “Best Dentist” and “Top Dentist.” She is an active member of the Connecticut State Dental Association and the American Dental Association. Tel: 860-561-2121

Five Things You Should Know About Dental Implants

A few decades ago, the only remedies for losing a tooth or teeth were removable dentures or a fixed bridge. We all know the trouble we have to go through to maintain them, not to mention the attendant discomfort.  The introduction of dental implants was a breath of fresh air as well as a source of relief to members of the dental community.  

So what is a dental implant?

A dental implant is an artificial tooth “root” placed in your jaw to support a dental procedures such as a crown, denture or bridge. It is generally made from titanium or ceramic, and is fused within the bone supporting the dental arch, serving as a root or anchor where there is a missing tooth.

With a dental implant, then, you can have a fully functional replacement for missing tooth. You can also serve as an anchoring point for a denture or bridge.  It is the state-of-the-art.  But is it right for you?  Of course, to see if you are a good candidate for an implant, you should talk to a dentist experienced in this procedure.  If you are considering replacing a missing tooth, or you are tired of a traditional bridge or dentures, you should know a few things about dental implants:

  

1. Dental implant procedures have a high success rate. The success rate of dental dental implant procedures varies depending on the dental health of the particular individual. Generally, dental implants have a success rate of up to 95%. A 2014 study suggests greater implant success rates when carried out by an experienced practitioner. 
2. Implants look and feel natural.  When it comes to appearance and feel, the only difference between dental implants and real teeth is that an implant is not a real tooth.  Their customize the look, feel and fit exactly like all the other teeth in your collection. If done properly it should be a perfect clone of the missing tooth. It gets its natural feel from the fact that it is fused to your bone. Special care is also taken in the design of the crown to ensure that is almost not distinguishable from your other teeth.
3. Implants make eating easier.  Unlike other tooth replacement options, implants enable you to joy a most natural and satisfying chewing experience. Do not have to take special care when eating. Traditional dentures often slide, making it difficult for you to enjoy chewing or biting foods such as apples or corn on the cob. Since dental implants function like your natural teeth, you can eat all of your favorite foods without any extra effort or sensation of pain. 
4.  Implants help retain your jaw’s bone structure.  When you lose a tooth it creates a void where the root was situated. Unfortunately, most tooth replacement options only focus on replacing the crown of the teeth. Dental implants focus on the parts of the people cannot be seen-namely the root. Implants are installed in such a way as to make contact with the bone, tricking you into thinking that the root of the tooth is present. This encourages bone growth around the implant, creating a natural bond between bone and the implant anchor. Without the dental implant in the root position, you will lose jaw bone mass and density over time.
5. Implants can help protect healthy teeth.  When you lose a tooth, one of the most widely used replacement options has been a dental bridge. Oftentimes this involves attachment points to some parts of adjacent healthy teeth to ensure proper balance of the dental bridge.  This can lead to problems in some patients, whose adjacent teeth may become weakened or damaged while supporting the bridge.  Thanks to dental implants, we can now position a crown or bridge on the dental implant itself. Other teeth do not need to suffer because of the plight of one.

I perform dental implant procedures in my West Hartford Dental Office, and my New Britain Dental Office.  I see first-hand that dental implants are a way of ensuring that healthy teeth stay healthy by leaving them alone, and that the jawbone is maintained.  My patients who have dental implants love the result--especially removing the stigma of missing teeth.

Keep smiling,

Dr. Elzbieta W. Basil, DMD is a private practice dentist with offices in West Hartford Center and Downtown New Britain, Connecticut.  She is a Clinical Instructor at the UConn School of Dental Medicine, and has won several awards naming her regional “Best Dentist” and “Top Dentist.” She is an active member of the Connecticut State Dental Association and the American Dental Association. Tel: 860-561-2121

Braces for Grown-Ups—Are They Right For You?

Wearing braces is a rite of passage for many kids. But increasingly, adults are also getting braces to straighten their teeth, fix their bites and improve their smiles. Orthodontic options that make braces inconspicuous are a big part of this rising popularity. If you are thinking about getting braces here's what you should know.

First, you're not alone. A 2014 survey from the American Association of Orthodontists found that adults made up a record high of nearly 1.5 million orthodontics patients in the U.S. and Canada.

About three-fourths of the adult orthodonture patients at my dental office based in West Hartford Center and nearly all of the patients in my dental office based in New Britain, Connecticut, are there for cosmetic reasons.   Several years ago it was much more rare, but now the technology we have, and the clear options that exist, are helping adults feel more comfortable about getting braces as well.

Even for patients who get braces to look better, it's often a matter of "form follows function."  A beautiful smile is not only great aesthetics, but it's also easier to clean your teeth if they're well-aligned. You don't have those nooks and crannies.

Sometimes, functional reasons cause adults to seek out straighter teeth. Teeth may be missing, or patients might need space opened or bone built for an implant.   For instance, one of my patients sought out orthodonture only for her back teeth, which were crooked, painful and affecting her jaw.   Sometimes she would even talk funny because it would be so sore underneath her tongue, and she would bite herself in her sleep.  Often, time passes and things deteriorate as opposed to improve, so it's nice to know you've got something to look forward to as an improvement over time.

Options in my West Hartford and New Britain Dental Offices

• Metal braces. While we occasionally use stainless steel braces in our office, most of the work we do is cosmetic, and there are better choices.  Metal braces remain the best choice for some more-complex functional cases.  Most of my complex functional cases are sent out to specialists that are part of my team.  As with any complex matter, it is best to use someone who specializes only in that. 
• FastBraces® Clear or tooth-colored braces. These are also known as ceramic braces. "While they're still visible, they're less intimidating, and treatment with them only includes one wire.  Most of the cases with FastBraces can be finished in under a year, many in as little as six months.
• Invisalign® or Other Clear aligners. We are certified in a few different brands of clear aligner trays, but the most popular and arguably the best of these is Invisalign, by Align Technologies.  These appliances can be removed to eat, brush and floss, align the teeth without wires or brackets. Patients wear them 20 to 22 hours a day, and it does require a commitment to wear according to instructions in order to achieve the fastest outcome. While many people are attracted because they're so unnoticeable, clear aligners can be higher-maintenance for patients who prefer to snack and drink coffee throughout the day.
• Lingual braces. These are placed on the inner, tongue-side of the teeth. Lingual braces are an option for patients who shy away from wearing visible metal braces but whose cases are complex enough to need more than Invisalign.

Not Your Childhood Braces

Treatment with braces can be more challenging for adults.  Kids have really thick, healthy gums. With age, patients are more likely to have problems like receding gums or bone loss. Before they start with braces, a dentist treating adults makes sure gums are healthy and periodontal disease is under control.

If you had braces as a kid, you surely remember the mold-making process. It's different now. Digital X-ray technology is much more advanced,  cutting down on radiation and eliminating the need for dental impressions made with "goop" in your mouth.

In general, time spent wearing braces is shorter than in years past. The average time for all cases in our practice is 17 months. Simpler cases, like fixing small spaces in the upper teeth, may take as little as six months. Complexity drives the length of treatment.

After braces come off, teeth can continue to move and crowd even several years later.  Because of that, we now recommend retainers for life.  Retainers are worn at night. That could be every night for the first two years, he says, then eventually one or two nights a week.

Who Should Treat You?

As I said earlier, for complex functional cases, it’s best to have an orthodontist treat you, because the treatment will likely include metal braces and constant adjustments to perform major restructuring of your mouth. 

But for cosmetic cases utilizing clear aligner trays or ceramic braces, you want to make sure you are using a cosmetic dentist who is certified in the procedure, and has actually taken numerous cases from beginning to end. 

Covering Costs

Metal braces tend to be the most expensive option right now, but much of that is because of the longer treatment that is required with them.  They may  fall in the $5,000 to $6,500 price range.  Invisalign and FastBraces are usually much less expensive.  If your budget is tight, talk to the office treatment coordinator about working out an in-house payment plan.

Also, check your insurance. You may be pleasantly surprised to find that orthodontic treatment is partially covered!

Keep smiling!

Dr. Elzbieta W. Basil, DMD is a private practice dentist with offices in West Hartford Center and Downtown New Britain, Connecticut.  She is a Clinical Instructor at the UConn School of Dental Medicine, and has won several awards naming her regional “Best Dentist” and “Top Dentist.” She is an active member of the Connecticut State Dental Association and the American Dental Association. Tel: 860-561-2121

Five Myths You Probably Believe About Oral Care

There can be a lot of stress and anxiety surrounding dental health, and this has given birth to a hell lot of myths which increase our dental woes. Unlike conditions such as heart diseases, ALS, cancer and Type 2 diabetes which grab the headlines, the relationship between oral health and overall health is often forgotten by most people. In fact oral health is the most neglected part of our health and that’s why we don’t see too many headlines due to problems regarding teeth.

If you believe in the myths associated with oral care, you will probably not be able to take the right steps to take care of your teeth. That’s why this column is dedicated to clarifying facts so that you can start taking care of your teeth based on science, not on myths.

Myth #1: White teeth always means healthy teeth

Fact: False. Your teeth may be white as pearls but that doesn’t show whether or not there’s infection or cavities in between your teeth. Hence pearly white teeth can’t be assumed to be healthy teeth. People with healthy teeth may have darker teeth color than the other person—they can always be bleached. But tooth decay and erosion aren’t limited to people with dark or yellow teeth.

Myth #2: Table sugar, candy and soda are the only things that causes cavities

Fact: False. While it is true that bacteria that cause tooth decay love candy and sugar as fuel, they are not always the main culprits in tooth decay.   Any carbohydrate that you eat can start off this same process and this may include sugar and even other foods like potatoes, rice, fruits, bread and vegetables.  That’s one of the main reasons to brush after meals—to remove some of the bacteria, and also to remove some of the food particles that bacteria love to transform into their acidic tooth-destroying by-product.  A corn flake gets wrapped around one of your molars and it's PARTY TIME for your oral bacteria.

Myth #3: Bleaching can have a detrimental impact on your teeth

Fact: False. Bleaching has emerged as one of the most popular service which is being used by people who are craving for whiter smiles in a safer and faster method. Before 1990, the materials that were used in bleaching your teeth were truly acidic which could break down the enamel of your tooth. But nowadays, the bleach materials are PH neutral and they don’t cause any harm to the root or enamel of your tooth.

Myth #4: Gum disease is not very common

Fact: False.  This is a big myth, as gum diseases are just too common nowadays. As per a study by the CDC or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, around 50% of adults above the age of 30 and more have some kind of gum disease. With age, people become more and more vulnerable to infections including those that cause decay in the gums. 65% of adults above the age of 65 and more have some moderate or severe type of gum disease. Hence, you can well understand how much common gum diseases are.

Myth #5: Placing an aspirin on your tooth can reduce toothache

Fact: False.  You can’t cure a toothache by putting an aspirin on it.  In fact, if you hold aspirin against a tooth long enough, it can damage your gums and other soft tissues inside of your mouth.  Aspirin is able to damage the tissues in your mouth because it is an acid – acetylsalicylic acid to be exact.   Like most acids, it will damage your bodily tissues if you give it enough time.  If you’ve ever used an acidic bathroom cleaner without gloves on, you probably discovered that acids can burn your skin. Patients often can be their own worst enemies.  The array of chemicals that have been placed within the mouth in an attempt to resolve oral problems is amazing.  Aspirin, sodium perborate, hydrogen peroxide, gasoline, turpentine, rubbing alcohol, and battery acid are just a few of the more interesting examples.

So, if you’re a health conscious person, you should pay more attention to your teeth as they are often the neglected part of our body.  And forget about the myths and home-remedies.  They’re likely to get you into worse trouble.

Keep Smiling,

 

Dr. Elzbieta W. Basil, DMD is a private practice dentist with offices in West Hartford Center and Downtown New Britain, Connecticut.  She is a Clinical Instructor at the UConn School of Dental Medicine, and has won several awards naming her regional “Best Dentist” and “Top Dentist.” She is an active member of the Connecticut State Dental Association and the American Dental Association.