Now that school is out, it’s time to make a Dental Appointment!

There’s no better time of the year for the entire family to schedule appointments – give us a call at (239) 732-9000 to get your appointment.  Hurry, the best times will be booked quickly!

Visit us at www.AyanDentistry.com for more information on dental care and procedures.

APRIL IS ORAL CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

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       EARLY DETECTIONS SAVES LIVES!

  

Oral cancer is a type of head and neck cancer that affects the mouth.  It can form in the lining of the cheeks, gums, root of the mouth, tongue and lips.

This a great time to come in for your regular dental cleaning which always includes a thorough oral exam and screening at our office.  Oral and oropharyngeal cancer (cancer of the mouth and upper throat) collectively kill nearly one person every hour of every day of the year [1].  Of the people newly diagnosed with these cancers, 40% will not survive longer than 5 years.  Moreover, many who do survive suffer long-term problems such as severe facial disfigurement or difficulties eating and speaking.

In between dental visits it’s very important if you notice any changes in our mouth to see a dental professional if these symptoms don’t go away in two weeks.

Some signs to looks for:

1.   White and red patches in the mouth or lips.

2.   A sore or blister in your mouth.

3.   Difficulty swallowing.

4.   Earaches.

5.   Change in the way your teeth fit together.

6.   Bleeding from the mouth.

The primary risk factor for developing oral cancer is tobacco use. Smoking cigarettes, cigars, and pipes all increase your risk of oral cancer. Smokeless tobacco, often called “dip” or “chew,” also heighten the risk. Alcohol consumption is another habit that is strongly associated with the development of oral cancer. It is now occurring more frequently in younger non-smoking people.  In addition, the sexually transmitted human papilloma virus 16 (HPV) is related to the increasing incidence of oropharyngeal cancer (most commonly involving tonsils and base of tongue).

Call Ayan Dentistry today to schedule your checkup.  239.732.9000

WHY CONSIDER DENTAL IMPLANTS?

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Best Dentist, Broken teeth, Dental Implants, dental office, Dental Products, female dentist

Losing one or more of your teeth creates a gap in your smile, affects your ability to chew properly, and can alter your diet and nutrition. While these are all serious issues, did you know that tooth loss also leads to bone loss?

 

Normal profile               After tooth loss           After Bone loss

Dental Implant Therapy

When a tooth is lost, the jawbone beneath it begins to shrink (or atrophy) and becomes brittle from lack of exercise. Not only does losing a tooth affect your smile, it also changes the shape of your face causing you to look prematurely aged.

 

ARE YOU A CANDIATE FOR DENTAL IMPLANTS?

Dental implants can be placed in most adults. Certain uncontrolled medical conditions may decrease implant treatment effectiveness, so first discuss your full medical history with Dr. Ayan. Patient results may vary. Only a trained clinician can determine the best treatment. Dr. Ayan will explain the benefits and risks to see if dental implants are right for you. The value of dental implants far exceeds conventional treatment options. Dental implants are the new standard of care for tooth replacement. They are secured into the bone to provide long term support for crowns and dentures.

Call Ayan Dentistry today to see if you are a candidate. 239.732.9000

All information courtesy of BioHorizons

DID YOU KNOW COLD SORES CAN BE TREATED WITH LASER TREATMENT

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Best Dentist, cold sores, dental, dental office, Dental Products, downtown naples, female dentist, herpes simplex virus, laser treatment, lesions, naples, Valtrex

Cold sores, which usually show up as unsightly, painful blemishes around the mouth, are caused by the herpes simplex virus.  The lesion that forms on the lip lies dormant inside a nerve cell and when released into the surrounding tissues, causes the lesion. The lesion is formed by the destruction of skin cells as they are burst from the invasion of the virus particles. Unlike most viral infections, Herpes outbreaks recur with regular frequency and have a tendency to recur in the same area.  Although there are many triggering factors among people, stress, high fever, exposure to sun, and a low immune system are the most common factors.

Most people will get a tingling or burning sensation 24 to 36 hours in the area where the lesion is developing.  Acyclovir or Valtrex are anti-viral medications that are helpful at this stage of development, but neither have the same long term positive effect as laser treatment of the lesion.  By treating the cold sore with a laser treatment they rarely recur or if they do, subsequent outbreaks are less severe.  Laser treatment for a cold sore is a fast and painless procedure.  Best treated at the first stage (tingly feeling) to prevent it from developing into the (full bloom) stage however, treatment after the blister has formed will still greatly reduce symptoms and shorten the course of the outbreak.

Call us immediately at the first sign of a cold sore…and we will get you in the same day.  239.732.9000

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A MOUTH GUARD AND A NIGHT GUARD AND DO I NEED ONE?

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Best Dentist, Broken teeth, contact sports equipment, dental, dental office, downtown naples, female dentist, Mouth Guards, Night Guards, Protecting your smile, spanish speaking, toothache pain

Mouth guards are used mainly to prevent sport related injuries to your mouth and night guards are used for several reasons, usually night time bruxism (teeth grinding, jaw pain, earaches or headaches).

NIGHT GUARDS: This is an easy way to treat bruxism. Often patients have no idea that they grind in their sleep which could be caused by several factors: stress, school, work or abnormal bite. It is very important this doesn’t go untreated because it can lead to broken teeth, cracked teeth, damaged restorations and even tooth loss. The earlier you stop the damage, the better the prognosis. A professionally made night guard is custom fitted to ensure comfort and a proper fit. They are not one size fits all. A store bought guard could cause more damage to teeth, gums and TMJ (temporomandibular joint). Once your dental night guard is in place, you can sleep soundly knowing that even if you do grind your teeth once you’re asleep, your upper and lower teeth will no longer make contact. Remember, your teeth deserve a rest, and so do you. Whether this is a temporarily situation or not the damage that you may be doing can mean expensive repair in the future.

MOUTH GUARDS: Injuries to the mouth and jaw are very common injuries to athletes especially when playing contact sports such as hockey, football, boxing, basketball rugby just to mention a few. While most of these sports will supply helmets, goggles, pads, as standard safety equipment it is also very important to remember to protect your teeth as well. Mouth guards offer an easy, reliable method to cushion your teeth during athletic and recreational activity. Besides cushioning your teeth from unnecessary force, using a mouth guard can prevent injury to the lips, tongue, face and jaw. Research has also shown mouth guards top protect against concussions. Patients who wear braces should be especially careful to protect their mouths during physical activity. We will create a custom mouth guard designed special for your teeth which will best fit your mouth for comfort and protection.

PROTECT YOUR SMILE: CALL AYAN DENTISTRY TODAY TO SEE IF YOU NEED TO BE FITTED FOR A CUSTOM NIGHT GUARD OR MOUTH GUARD. 239.732.9000

DO YOU HAVE ANXIETY IN THE DENTAL CHAIR?

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It’s not uncommon to experience some nervousness in the dental chair before having a dental procedure performed. Unfortunately, some patients are literally terrified of the dental chair and don’t get the treatment they need because of debilitating fear.

The good news is here at Ayan Dentistry we offer several options.
Local Anesthetic: This is the most common used for routine dental procedures. This is simply an injection that will numb a specific area so we can work on you without pain or discomfort. Lidocaine is the most common local anesthetic used in dentistry, however, there are many others. This is a temporarily numbing that will usually wear off over several hours. Since you are not sedated you are able to drive yourself home.

Nitrous Oxide (Laughing Gas): Nitrous Oxide is a safe and effective sedative agent that is mixed with oxygen and inhaled through a small mask that fits over your nose to help your relax. It is not intended to put you asleep just to make you feel more comfortable and calm. The effect of Nitrous Oxide wears off soon after the mask is taken off.

IV Sedation: This term is also referred to as “sleep dentistry or “twilight sleep”. In reality, you remain conscious during conscious IV sedation. You will also be able to understand and respond to requests from your dentist. However, you may not remember much (or anything at all) about what went on because of two things.

1. IV sedation induces a state of deep relaxation and a feeling of not being bothered by what’s going on.
2. The drugs used for IV sedation produce either partial or full memory loss (amnesia) for the period of time when the drug kicks in until it wears off. As a result, time will appear to pass very quickly and you will not recall much of what happened. Many people remember nothing at all. So it may, indeed, appear as if you were “asleep” during the procedure.

I am available to assist you in learning more about how to alleviate your dental anxiety. Please feel free to contact us so we can help you have your dental treatment as comfortable as possible. 239.732.9000

HOW DO I KNOW IF I NEED A ROOT CANAL?

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There are many signs to watch out for some of which are:
1. Severe toothache pain upon chewing or application of pressure.
2. Sensitivity (pain) to hot or cold temperatures.
3. Discoloration (darkening) of the tooth.
4. Swelling and tenderness in nearby gums.
5. A persistent or recurring pimple on the gums. Sometimes no symptoms
are present.

Does it hurt to have a root canal procedure?
Root canal procedures have the reputation of being painful. Actually, most people report that the procedure itself is no more painful than having a filling placed. The discomfort experienced in the period leading up to seeking dental care is truly painful, not the root canal procedure itself.

What is involved in a root canal treatment?
Root canal is a very common dental procedure. This treatment is the best way you can save your natural teeth and prevent the need of dental implants or bridges. The dentist will remove the diseased pulp to save the tooth and prevent further inflammation and infection. Sometimes this procedure can be done in one appointment other times it may take two appointments.

Call Ayan Dentistry today for an evaluation 239.732.9000

Do You Really Know What Your Teeth Look Like?

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Best Dentist, cavities, dental, downtown naples, female dentist, naples, spanish speaking

Every now and then, I come across a tool that I feel is a “no brainer”! This lastest generation dental imagery solution, SoproLife provides unsurpressed image quality. The SoproLife is a combine intraoral camera and a fluorescent caries indicator all in one device, providing exceptional and accurate diagnoses. SoproLife allows me to show details in real time video of fractures, both occlusal and interproximal caries which can often be missed by the eyes or x-rays. With this detection at an earlier stage allows me to determine the most adequate and more conservative treatment. Additionally, SoproLife can differentiate from healthy tissue vs. infected tissue, guiding us to excavate the diseased areas. When I show the immediate images to my patients they are always amazed at how their teeth really look and they fully understand what I see. SoproLife is free from ultraviolet or ionizing rays.
Call Ayan Dentistry Today for your exam 239.732.9000!!

Cavity Detection

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cavities, dental, dental office, downtown naples, female dentist, florida, naples

At Ayan Dentistry it is our goal to bring the most up to date technology available to our patients. It is always important to detect and treat cavities as early as possible. However, detecting cavities using only visual, probing, and x-ray clues has proven to be only 50-75% accurate. Because cavities can hide along fissure lines or inside biting or occlusal surfaces, detecting them early can be challenging. Additionally, probing by the dentist has also been proven ineffective, as the cavity would have to be as large as the probe head in order to be found.
DIAGNOdent is a revolutionary way to detect and find cavities. DIAGNOdent uses a laser diode to inspect the patient’s teeth. The light-emitting device is shined on the teeth and then gives a digital readout the dentist is able to use to detect decay. In fact, the DIAGNOdent laser is able to identify the tiniest bit of tooth decay before it becomes a major problem. Detecting decay early means that fillings can be shallower and simpler and more of the tooth structure can be preserved. And, because DIAGNOdent uses only light energy, not x-rays, it’s safe to use at each office visit.

Call Ayan Dentistry today for your exam. 239.732.9000

Periodontal Disease…a risk factor for heart attacks and stroke

Did you know?…

An estimated 80 percent of adults currently have some form of periodontal disease.

What is Periodontal disease?…

It is an infection of the gums and the bones that hold your teeth. The earliest stage of periodontal disease is gingivitis, inflammation of the gums. The more severe form of the disease is periodontitis, involving the tissues and the bone.

Gum inflammation and bone destruction are largely painless. Unfortunately, people erroneously think that is normal if their gums bleed when they brush or floss. If your skin bled when you washed it, you would be concerned!

In recent years, gum disease has been linked to a number of health problems. Bacteria can enter the bloodstream through bleeding gums and travel to the heart and other organs. Researchers are studying possible connections between gum disease and:

* Heart disease – gum disease may increase the risk of heart disease and may even worsen existing heart disease.

* Stroke – gum disease may increase the risk of the type of stroke caused by blocked arteries.

* Diabetes – people with diabetes and periodontal disease may be more likely to have trouble controlling their blood sugar than diabetics with healthy gums.

* Premature births – a woman who has gum disease during pregnancy may be more likely to have premature labor and the infant may be more likely to be of low birth weight. One study showed that up to 18 percent of premature births might be linked to maternal gum disease.

The American Dental Association website lists several factors that increase the risk of developing periodontal disease including:

* Crooked teeth

* Crooked teeth are harder to clean – toothbrushes cannot reach crevices between crowded teeth making proper oral hygiene more difficult.

* Toxic bacteria – Studies have shown that the bacteria living in the gums around crowded teeth are much more toxic than the normal bacteria found in mouths. By straightening and aligning the teeth, these toxic bacteria will be replaced by normal, healthy species.

* Diabetes

* Smoking

The solution…

1. See your dentist!

Have regular checkups and professional cleanings every 3 to 6 months. Regular cleanings make you feel good, look good, and could be a lifesaver!

2. Brush and floss daily.

3. Straighten your teeth.

Aligner therapy, such as Invisalign, can eliminate crowding without metal brackets and wires.

Sources:

ADA Website

AGD Impact

National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research

For more information call Ayan Dentistry 239.732.9000

www.ayandentistry.com