Tips for Keeping a White Smile

A professional teeth whitening system is the best route to go for a bright, white smile. After your whitening treatment, you want to make sure you keep that smile bright by taking some tips to avoid staining. Maiden Lane Dental wants to inform their patients of tips and tricks to keep a white smile.

First, you want to avoid foods and drinks that are dark in color such as blueberries, coffee, wine, and soy sauce. However, we know that it is not always possible to skip these foods, especially if they are a favorite. Something that will help stop these foods from staining is to rinse your mouth afterwards. You can also drink dark liquids through a straw to minimize contact.

Brushing and flossing three times per day is great for keeping away sticky plaque that can hold in stains. Squeeze in that third time by keeping a toothbrush and toothpaste with you at work. If you are in a pinch, eat carrots or an apple. They are known to remove plaque from teeth as you eat them. Then brush when you get a chance.

Avoid over-doing home whitening treatments like baking soda scrubs. Baking soda is very abrasive, which means that it can start wearing away at your enamel. This can actually make your teeth appear darker!

To find out about our professional whitening options here at Maiden Lane Dental, visit our website or give us a call. To schedule an appointment or learn more information, call us at (212) 509-4585 or visit our website, www.maidenlanedental.com. 

Aftercare for a Dental Crown

Dental crowns are fantastic for strengthening a tooth that can still have a long life. After a crown is placed, it is important to follow some guidelines so that the healing process is smooth. Maiden Lane Dental of New York, NY is aiming to inform patients of how to take care of a crown for a successful outcome.

A dental crown is a cap that goes on a tooth that has some damage but also still has a healthy root. The crown can be made of metal, ceramic, or ceramic-covered metal. The tooth can be made to look and feel just like one of your natural teeth. Because this process involves sending impressions to a lab for the crown creation, you will likely wear a temporary crown until the permanent crown is ready.

To make sure this temporary crown does not pop off, you will want to be careful with what you eat. Stay away sticky or chewy foods. Also be careful when brushing and flossing. Brush gently in the area of the crown and do not pull up when flossing the spaces around it.

After the temporary and permanent crowns are placed, there may be some irritation to the gums, which is normal. As healing progresses, the gums will heal and any irritation will subside.

Having a dental crown installed is a healthy choice, so make sure to keep making healthy choices so it is a successful crown placement. To schedule an appointment with Maiden Lane Dental of New York, NY, give us a call at (212) 509-4585 or visit our website, www.maidenlanedental.com. 

Oral Hygiene Basics

Bacteria can live in your mouth in the form of plaque, causing cavities and gingivitis, which can lead to periodontal (gum) disease. In order to keep your mouth clean, you must practice good oral hygiene every day. Dr. Lloyd Becker at Maiden Lane Dental is here to help you understand the basics of oral hygiene and establish a proper dental routine.

Good oral hygiene results in a mouth that looks and smells healthy. This means your teeth are free of debris; gums are pink and do not hurt or bleed when you floss and bad breath is not a constant problem. In between regular visits to our office, there are simple steps that each of us can take to greatly decrease the risk of developing tooth decay, gum disease and other dental problems. These include: brushing thoroughly twice a day and flossing daily, eating a balanced diet and limiting snacks between meals, using dental products that contain fluoride, rinsing with a fluoride mouthwash.                                                              

If you need assistance maintaining a proper oral hygiene routine, give us a call today! To learn about other services offered at Maiden Lane Dental, visit www.maidenlanedental.com for more information. To schedule a consultation with Dr. Lloyd Becker in New York, NY, call 212-509-4585.

Video Glasses at Maiden Lane Dental

Video glasses have become a great distraction for the fearful dental patient. Many dentists use sedation and nitrous oxide for helping nervous patients get through their dental appointments, but sometimes a patient cannot give up a whole day to be sedated and some patients don’t want to resort to nitrous oxide. Here at Maiden Lane Dental Care, Dr. Lloyd Becker wants patients to sit back and relax and uses video glasses to distract them from their dental procedure.

With these video glasses, patients can watch an assortment of 2D or 3D video content that may include movies, TV shows, video games, or informational programs given by the dentist -- or the patient can select their own favorites from an iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch simply by plugging their own device into the Cinemizer OLED. It can also be easily connected to a PC, Mac, handheld touch device, Blu-ray player or standard DVD player.

If you want to learn more about our video glasses give us a call today! To learn about other services offered at Maiden Lane Dental, visit www.maidenlanedental.com for more information. To schedule a consultation with Dr. Lloyd Becker in New York, NY, call 212-509-4585.

VELscope Technology

Oral cancer is often deemed the “forgotten disease” because it kills more people than testicular cancer, cervical cancer, and cancer of the brain each year and receives little publicity in return. Many people believe that if they abstain from tobacco and alcohol use, oral cancer will not affect them, however, sometimes it’s too late. Here at Maiden Lane Dental, Dr. Lloyd Becker utilizes VELscope technology to visualize oral tissue abnormalities, including cancer and pre-cancer.

The VELscope system is an adjunctive device which means it must be used together with and as a supplement to the traditional intra and extraoral head and neck exam. The VELscope handheld device emits a harmless, bright blue light which is used to inspect the mouth and tongue. The device is extremely sensitive to abnormal tissue changes and the distinctive blue-spectrum light causes the soft tissue of the mouth to naturally fluoresce. Healthy tissues fluoresce in distinct patterns that are visibly disrupted by trauma or disease, such as neoplastic lesions, and fungal, viral or bacterial infections.

To learn more about VELscope and other services offered at Maiden Lane Dental, visit www.maidenlanedental.com for more information. To schedule a consultation with Dr. Lloyd Becker in New York, NY, call 212-509-4585.