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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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When You’re Adjusting to Braces: Mealtime | Kenilworth Dentist

When a patient needs braces, one of the first questions is how will my daily life change? Will I still be able to eat my favorite foods? How do I brush my teeth? And it’s safe to say that there will be some adjustments made to the way you brush and floss, and your diet will change a bit as well, especially if you choose to have traditional braces. And this is because brackets are attached to your teeth using a basic dental cement, so eating foods that are hard or sticky can cause the brackets to pop off, which will mean an unexpected dental visit for repair and delaying your treatment.

Not only that, but food that cannot be cleaned off braces with a simple brushing and flossing, which may lead to discoloration and decay of your teeth. Things aren’t going to drastically change, but you will need to learn to do things differently for a while. The good thing is, if you stay on task, your experience will go smoothly. Here is a quick reference guide to the various food choices that will become suspect during your times wearing braces:

  • Absolutely no gum, sugarless or otherwise
  • Chewy foods like bagels, hard rolls and licorice
  • Crunchy foods, such as popcorn, ice and chips
  • Sticky foods, including caramels, taffy and gum
  • Hard foods like nuts are healthy but can break your teeth like hard candy, so beware
  • Crispy foods you bite into, like corn on the cob, apples or carrots
  • Also, avoid biting into non-food items, such as nail biting and pencil-chewing habits

For more information regarding food restrictions while wearing 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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Dental Emergencies: What to Do when They Happen | Kenilworth Dentist

No matter how careful we try to be, accidents happen, and they happen without warning. And if this accident leads to a dental emergency, it is important to know how to handle the situation in order to cause the least amount of trauma to your smile’s health. Now, if this incident causes issues to one or more teeth, it’s important to contact your dentist immediately. Sometimes the neighboring teeth can suffer additional, unnoticed injuries that can only be detected by a dental exam. When you happen to damage your teeth, here is how your dentist may try to repair your smile, based on the type of injury to your mouth:

Chipped tooth. Most times a chipped or fractured tooth can be repaired by either replacing the broken piece or by bonding a tooth-colored filling. If a large portion of the tooth is broken off, then a crown will likely be required. If the pulp is exposed or damaged a root canal treatment may be needed.

Dislodged tooth. A dislodged tooth is when a tooth pushed sideways, out of or into the socket. In these cases, a patient will usually require a root canal and a dentist or endodontist will focus on stabilizing the tooth.

Knocked out tooth. When a tooth is completely knocked out of the socket it may be able to be saved if the patient arrives to the dentist in time, and the tooth is handled properly. Do not touch the root of the tooth, and keep it moist (either in the socket, on the gum against your cheek, or in milk).

For more information regarding CEREC same day crowns, 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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ClearCorrect: The Clear Alternative | Kenilworth Dentist

When we have a nice smile, it is easy to show it off to everyone we meet. But for those of us that have a less than stellar smile, we need to pursue other ways to achieve it. When it comes to orthodontics, we have a couple of options, depending on the condition of our issues – traditional braces and invisible braces. Crooked teeth won’t stand a chance. Braces are ideal to fix this dental issue. Unfortunately, as we age, the less we want to improve our smile with traditional braces. The alternative to metal braces with no brackets and no wires. The answer is ClearCorrect invisible braces.

With ClearCorrect, your dentist or orthodontist can straighten your teeth using a series of clear, customized removable aligners. Each aligner moves your teeth just a little bit at a time until you eventually get straight teeth. What goes into this discreet transformation? Take a look…

First, your dentist will take impressions, photos and x-rays of your teeth that ClearCorrect uses to create your custom aligners. These are sent to ClearCorrect, along with a prescription for your new custom aligners. A 3D model of your teeth will then be created so you and your dentist are able to see the projected results of treatment. When you are satisfied with the projected results, ClearCorrect will begin manufacturing your custom aligners.

You will wear the aligners at all times, except when eating, drinking and brushing/flossing. The ClearCorrect aligners are barely noticeable and won’t interfere with daily life. Your teeth will slowly adjust and align with each new aligner you receive, and eventually you will have the straight beautiful smile you have always dreamed of.

For more information regarding ClearCorrect aligners, contact Drs. Chad Freund and Cathy Waterloo today at 847-251-8990 or visit www.villagedentalpc.com.

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

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When a Good Night’s Sleep Seems Impossible | Kenilworth Dentist

There is nothing better than getting a good night’s sleep. You wake up feeling refreshed and ready to take on the day. So, when you don’t get that quality sleep on a regular basis, it can begin to affect various aspects of our lives. Poor sleep can cause loss of concentration, headaches and low energy, but it can also lead to increased rates of infection, cardiovascular problems, and hypertension. This is why it is important to get a sleep study done if your daily sleep intake isn’t what it should be in order to diagnose a treatment option.

During an overnight sleep study, doctors will record your airflow, heart rate, oxygen and brain activity to determine whether breathing is impacting your sleep. If a sleeping issue is diagnosed, treatment options are available. Various techniques can help with airflow, like lifestyle changes, medical devices, or surgery.

One anti-snoring device available is the Mandibular Advancement Device, or MAD. It will move your jaw and tongue forward and away from the back of your throat in order to prevent the blockage to your airways causing you to snore. There are three types of MAD devices: boil-and-bite, semi-custom and custom. The price will vary but investing in a custom-fitted MAD device will give the best results to your sleep issue.

It will take a minute to get used to it, but it is important to continue to use it until you get used to it. Some patients will find that the moving of the jaw can cause stiffness or soreness while you get used to things, but it will go away eventually. The important thing is that soon you will be having a good night’s sleep nightly.

For more information regarding Mandibular Advancement Devices, contact Drs. Freund and Waterloo today at 847-251-8990 or www.villagedentalpc.com.

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