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Are You Scared of the Dental Exam Chair? | Kenilworth Dentist

As we embark on 2023, many of us sit and contemplate changes we want to make for our new year. And for many, this involves health changes. And in the new year, we make appointments for checkups to kickstart the new year. But are you making time for your smile as well?

The good thing about returning to the dentist after a long hiatus is that the encounter is going to be virtually painless. Are you skeptical? Well, the goal for this visit is to get to know you and your oral health. So… What are you to expect?

When your appointment begins, your dentist is going to do is ask about your health history. It may seem intrusive because dentists focus on oral health, but a lot of issues can be determined orally, so it’s important that everyone is on the same page when it comes to your general health.

Next, will be x-rays. They’re necessary in order for your dentist to monitor your bone & jaw health. If you have recent ones, bring them with you to bypass this step. But prepare to have them done. A cleaning comes next in order to help see any issues, like chips and cavities that may be developing due to your daily oral care or other health issues.

Now it’s your turn to ask the questions. Take this time to discuss any questions or concerns you have going forward. They will have the best ideas about how to treat any issue they find necessary and prepare you for any surgeries that may need to take place.

So, as you can see, it isn’t bad to think about your oral health in the new year. All it takes is an appointment.

For more information regarding dental exams, contact Drs. Freund and Waterloo today at 847-251-8990 or visit www.villagedentalpc.com.

Drs. Chad Freund and Cathy Waterloo proudly serves Kenilworth and all surrounding areas.

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We Have Revolutionized Your Dentist Appointments | Kenilworth Dentist

Did you know that our practice was among the first to add a 3D extraoral imaging system to its office, revolutionizing patient treatment and perfecting the way the practice treats oral infections? The Sirona GALILEOS 3D CBCT Scanner enables us to obtain low radiation dose, high-resolution, three-dimensional images, as well as panoramic images.

With the addition of this state-of-the-art 3D unit, our practice will greatly improve its level of patient care. Three-dimensional technology allows doctors to better visualize their patients’ dentition, without having to send patients for radiology scans. Viewing an unprecedented level of anatomical detail helps us diagnose more accurately and treat with confidence. The Sirona GALILEOS 3D CBCT Scanner will transform dental imaging in the same way that CT scans have changed the medical field, in terms of care through better visualization.

This unique “two-in-one” system (3D and panoramic) is well suited for dental professionals who regularly perform complex diagnostic, restorative, surgical, and endodontic procedures. The highest resolution imaging capabilities provided by this unit will enable Drs. Waterloo and Freund to detect lesions with more accuracy. This breakthrough technology provides unprecedented x-ray views of the oral cavity.

Periapical and panoramic radiography have been augmented by the recent introduction of high-resolution cone beam computed tomography (CBCT), allowing 3D assessment of oral lesions, canal morphology, retreatment cases, root fractures, implants, and so forth. The Sirona GALILEOS 3D CBCT Scanner uses less radiation than other systems, radiating only one small area of view at a time. Comfortable patient positioning and wheelchair accessibility make this unit patient friendly. The system enables us to perform a wider range of diagnoses and treatments in the office, helping reduce multiple visits, saving patient’s time and making the treatment more affordable.

For more information regarding 3D imaging, contact Drs. Freund and Waterloo today at 847-251-8990 or visit www.villagedentalpc.com.

Drs. Chad Freund and Cathy Waterloo proudly serves Kenilworth and all surrounding areas.

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Why You Shouldn’t Be Eating Popcorn with Braces | Kenilworth Dentist

It’s a staple to every movie night. During the holidays, they’re shaped into a ball with things like caramel or marshmallow. It’s delicious and somewhat healthy, depending on the way you consume it. Yes, I’m talking about popcorn. Those tiny kernels of goodness are a favorite during the autumn season, but there is a sector of human that can’t enjoy this fluffy treat – people with braces.

Yes, for our patients receiving orthodontic care, there is a list of foods that aren’t going to be best during this time. But there is a reason popcorn isn’t good for our patients with braces – the corn hull. Popped corn hulls are the leftover parts of corn seeds, which get hard and stay in popcorn kernels after the popcorn is popped. These hulls can easily become trapped in between your braces and your teeth, and very difficult to remove.

Hard or crunchy foods are off limits during this time has a double component you need to watch out for. Damaging your braces is easy when the foods you eat are hard. Not only can you bend the wires, but you can snap off the brackets, which means an additional trip to the orthodontist. And when food gets stuck in between your braces, it can cause tooth decay and cavities. Dental hygiene is imperative with braces.

The good news is that there are lots of delicious snacks you can enjoy while your teeth get straightened out. And they are arguably much more fun to eat:

  • soft baked cookies, muffins, and baked goods
  • baked (not fried) potato chips
  • soft crackers
  • cheese slices
  • baked kale or carrot chips
  • veggie sticks
  • yogurt
  • strawberry, pear, banana, or other soft fruit slices
  • hard-boiled eggs
  • soft pretzels
  • soft chocolate

For more information regarding snacks with braces, contact Drs. Freund and Waterloo today at 847-251-8990 or visit www.villagedentalpc.com.

Drs. Chad Freund and Cathy Waterloo proudly serves Kenilworth and all surrounding areas.

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Heavy Is the Head Who Wears the Dental Crown | Kenilworth Dentist

We all have the desire to have a gorgeous smile. Unfortunately, most of us weren’t born with one; we need some help from our dental staff. The good news is that there are many options available to improve our smile. If they’re dingy, we can get a good cleaning and whitening treatment. If we’re missing teeth, we can get replacements like dentures or implants. When it comes to tooth decay, a simple option for teeth is a dental crown. Not familiar? Here is a quick rundown of the basics. If you find this is the option for you, it’s time to make a dental appointment for a consultation to get that smile you’ve been dreaming of.

Crowns are a cosmetic restoration used to improve your tooth’s shape or to strengthen a tooth. Crowns are most often used for teeth that are broken, worn, or have portions destroyed by tooth decay.

Crowns are “caps” cemented onto an existing tooth which fully cover the portion of your tooth above the gum line. In effect, the crown becomes your tooth’s new outer surface. Crowns can be made of porcelain, metal, or both. Porcelain crowns are most often preferred because they mimic the translucency of natural teeth and are very strong.

Crowns are often preferable to silver amalgam fillings. Unlike fillings which apply metal directly into your mouth, a crown is fabricated away from your mouth. Your crown is created in a lab from your unique tooth impression which allows a dental laboratory technician to examine all aspects of your bite and jaw movements. Your crown is then sculpted just for you so that your bite and jaw movements function normally once the crown is placed.

For more information regarding bad dental habits, contact Drs. Freund and Waterloo today at 847-251-8990 or visit www.villagedentalpc.com.

Drs. Chad Freund and Cathy Waterloo proudly serves Kenilworth and all surrounding areas.

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Your Bad Habits Are Affecting Your Smile | Kenilworth Dentist

There are lots of reasons our teeth may not be the brightest at all times. We go to the dentist for regular cleanings, but in the end, they always seem to go back to the way they were. But why? What are we doing to make our smile dingy or flawed? A lot of times, it isn’t how well we clean our chompers. In many cases, discolored or damaged teeth are the result of our own bad habits, other problems are caused by chemicals that entered teeth during childhood. The way we eat, what we put into our mouths, even habits you don’t realize you’ve picked up, like biting your pencil, can all do small damages to our teeth. Here are the biggest dental offenders:

  • Drinking tea. Hot or cold, tea stains teeth more than any other kind of drink.
  • Smoking, because tobacco yellows teeth.
  • Drinking coffee; it stains the teeth.
  • Drinking red wine; it stains the teeth.
  • Consuming too many soft drinks, which leave sugars on teeth that can create cavities.
  • Eating highly acidic foods, including starchy snacks such as potato chips and tortilla chips. They can drive enamel-busting acids deep into teeth, breaking the teeth down.
  • Ingesting too much fluoride during childhood, which can actually damage teeth.
  • Treating childhood diseases with antibiotics, such as Tetracycline, that can discolor teeth.
  • Chewing ice or your nails; it cracks teeth.
  • Grinding teeth; habitual grinding damages teeth.

If you find that you have these habits, there are lots of ways to reduce or completely quit your usage. Let your dental professional know – they will likely have a tip or two.

For more information regarding bad dental habits, contact Drs. Freund and Waterloo today at 847-251-8990 or visit www.villagedentalpc.com.

Drs. Chad Freund and Cathy Waterloo proudly serves Kenilworth and all surrounding areas.

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Ways to Brighten Your Smile | Kenilworth Dentist

Many brands of toothpaste claim to whiten teeth, and stores sell all varieties of tooth whitening products – trays, gels, strips, and rinses – over the counter. The most basic form of teeth whitening is available as toothpaste – toothpaste, whether it’s labeled as whitening or not – typically contains small abrasive components that gently polish the surface of your teeth, removing discoloration caused by surface staining.

Other over the counter whitening products typically contain a bleaching agent – such as hydrogen peroxide – to lighten the color of your teeth by chemically bleaching them.  By applying the bleaching chemical to strips or trays, the peroxide can stay in contact with your teeth for 30 minutes at a time, often twice a day, providing quite a bit of whitening benefit.

Your dentist, however, can typically offer two different whitening options. The first is take-home tray based, using chemicals stronger than over-the-counter trays, but working on the same basic principle. Often times dentist provided trays are custom-molded to the patient’s teeth, providing a smooth, comfortable fit suitable for wearing for multiple hours each day – often even overnight.  Beyond the trays, dentists can often perform whitening in the office, using light and heat activated bleaching chemicals, providing a significant whitening in as little as 60 minutes. Because the procedure is supervised by a dentist, much stronger chemicals can be used, and much more dramatic results can be seen almost immediately.

No matter which method of teeth whitening you choose, the results will likely not be permanent. After all, our diets don’t really allow for a permanently white grin. Your teeth are exposed to foods and drinks that will stain them over time, but your dentist can advise you on the proper procedure for repeating the whitening process at regular intervals.

For more information regarding teeth whitening, contact Drs. Freund and Waterloo today at 847-251-8990 or visit www.villagedentalpc.com.

Drs. Chad Freund and Cathy Waterloo proudly serves Kenilworth and all surrounding areas.

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Celebrate National Smile Day with a Bright Smile | Kenilworth Dentist

Every day you see commercials for teeth whitening products, toothpastes, kits, whitening rinses. It can be almost overwhelming, the pressure to have a bright Hollywood smile. Because we all want one, but it isn’t an easy task, especially if we have poor lifestyle habits. Smoking, too much coffee and sodas can all cause our teeth to stain over time. So, what do we do? How do We get our smile back to a brilliant white shade?

There are plenty of over-the-counter products that claim to whiten your teeth, but they will generally take time and may not turn out as bright as you’d like. For quicker results, opt for an in-office whitening procedure. These procedures are considered safe, though you can expect some sensitivity in your teeth and gums for a while afterwards. And because it is not uncommon for the tooth color to dull a bit a week or two following this type of treatment, using an at-home product may help maintain the results.

If choosing a professional whitening treatment, you have two options – in-office and take home. The take-home tray uses chemicals stronger than over-the-counter trays, but oftentimes you’re provided with custom trays, providing a smooth, comfortable fit suitable for wearing for multiple hours each day, even overnight.

When performing a whitening treatment in-office, dentists use light and heat-activated bleaching chemicals, providing a significant whitening in as little as 60 minutes. Because the procedure is supervised by a dentist, much stronger chemicals can be used, and much more dramatic results can be seen almost immediately.

Afterwards, keeping your smile bright depends on your habits and how you look after your teeth, so it is important to be diligent with your daily dental routines.

For more information regarding teeth whitening, contact Drs. Freund and Waterloo today at 847-251-8990 or visit www.villagedentalpc.com.

Drs. Chad Freund and Cathy Waterloo proudly serves Kenilworth and all surrounding areas.

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Reasons You May Have Bad Breath | Kenilworth Dentist

Fresh Breath

Nobody wants to realize that they have bad breath. We can’t always have minty fresh breath, but if it’s a common occurrence, it may be because of a more serious issue. So, pop a stick of sugar-free gum in your mouth and take a look at reasons you may have bad breath:

Food. Stinky foods enter your bloodstream as we digest them, travel to your lungs and affect your breath. But food in general increases the bacteria that causes bad breath as it breaks down.

Tobacco products. Tobacco products stink as is, but smokers and oral tobacco users are also more likely to have gum disease, another source of bad breath.

Poor dental hygiene. If you don’t brush and floss daily, food particles remain in your mouth, including your tongue, causing bad breath.

Dry mouth. Saliva helps cleanse your mouth, removing particles that cause bad odors. Dry mouth can contribute to bad breath as saliva production decreases. Dry mouth naturally occurs during sleep, leading to the dreaded “morning breath”.

Medications. Some medications can indirectly produce bad breath by contributing to dry mouth. Others can be broken down in the body to release chemicals that can be carried on your breath.

Infections in your mouth. Oral surgery, tooth decay, gum disease or mouth sores, can all cause your breath to turn.

Other mouth, nose and throat conditions. Infections or chronic inflammation in the nose, sinuses or throat, which can contribute to postnasal drip, also can cause bad breath.

Other causes. Diseases, such as some cancers, and conditions such as metabolic disorders, can cause a distinctive breath odor as a result of chemicals they produce.

For more information regarding bad breath, contact Drs. Freund and Waterloo today at 847-251-8990 or visit www.villagedentalpc.com.

Drs. Chad Freund and Cathy Waterloo proudly serves Kenilworth and all surrounding areas.

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Are You Thinking About a Smile Makeover? | Kenilworth Dentist

Let’s face it – having a great smile is worth its weight in gold because your smile is typically the first thing that people will notice about your appearance, whether good or not so good. Unfortunately, we aren’t all born with a perfect set of pearly whites. This is where a smile makeover comes into play.

The term smile makeover usually refers to the combination of certain dental procedures to give someone a flawless smile. Because when you go in to discuss your wish list with your dental professional, you will both come up with a treatment plan to follow. Because smiles are like snowflakes – no two smile is the same because no two faces are the same. You need a smile to match your face.

Some of you may think, “My smile is pretty bad. I can’t believe there is a way to fix my grin.” But you need not worry – a smile makeover can address a broad range of aesthetic flaws, including:

  • Discoloration of the teeth
  • Cracked or chipped teeth
  • Eroded, misshapen, or disproportionately sized teeth
  • Gummy smiles
  • An uneven gumline
  • Gaps between teeth
  • Slightly crooked teeth

Smile makeovers are designed to enhance or even transform your self-image by giving you a brighter and more youthful smile, making your teeth look and function better through cosmetic and restorative dental procedures. Keep in mind the primary focus of a smile makeover is to improve the appearance of your smile rather than the health of your mouth. Therefore, if you have underlying oral health issues, they will need to be addressed before your makeover can begin.

For more information regarding smile makeovers, contact Drs. Freund and Waterloo today at 847-251-8990 or visit www.villagedentalpc.com.

Drs. Chad Freund and Cathy Waterloo proudly serves Kenilworth and all surrounding areas.

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Simple Ways to Prevent Tooth Decay | Kenilworth Dentist

In order to maintain a healthy smile, we need to adhere to a few basic rules. Because if we don’t, it will lead to many dental issues down the road. One of the first dental afflictions is tooth decay, or the dental issue that leads to cavities, making it one of the common most problems seen among patients. The good news is that it isn’t all that difficult to stave off tooth decay. In fact, here are five easy steps to cavity prevention and maintaining a bright healthy smile for years to come:

Fluoride therapy. It is the delivery of fluoride to the teeth topically or systemically in order to prevent tooth decay (dental caries) which results in cavities. Fluoride therapy delivery involves fluoride supplementation using water, salt, tablets or drops which are swallowed. Tablets or drops are rarely used where public water supplies are fluoridated.

Brushing your teeth. Brushing and flossing properly, along with regular dental checkups, can help prevent tooth decay and gum diseases. Brushing your teeth three times a day makes your teeth stronger.

Regular checkups. It is very important to seek the help of a dentist since they know a lot about it. They know what to do and where to focus on your teeth.

Dental sealant. It is the dental treatment that consists of plastic material that covers one or more teeth, for preventing of cavities and tooth decay. Dental sealants are applied in a dentist’s office.

Dietary snacks. It is good to limit sweet snacks as excessive intake of sweets alters your blood sugar. If you avoid snacks, you may be depriving your body of nutrition from food. Good snacks should include healthy proteins and fats.

For more information regarding tooth decay, contact Drs. Freund and Waterloo today at 847-251-8990 or visit www.villagedentalpc.com.

Drs. Chad Freund and Cathy Waterloo proudly serves Kenilworth and all surrounding areas.