The Advantages of Invisalign Over Traditional Metal Braces

A straight smile can boost confidence and promote a healthy mouth. Here at Maiden Lane Dental in New York, NY, we offer Invisalign for an effective and discreet way of straightening teeth. Invisalign has many advantages of traditional metal braces.

Invisalign is a teeth aligning system made of a series of clear, smooth, BPA-free plastic trays. The trays are completely customized to fit your teeth. Using a computer system, each tray will be created with minor adjustments so your teeth gradually shift into place. The length of each patient’s case will vary depending on the severity of their misalignments. The trays are switched out every two weeks and you will visit with us every four to five weeks to pick up your new trays and to make sure the process is going as planned. The Invisalign trays are to be worn for twenty to twenty-two hours per day. You can take them out to eat, brush, and floss, unlike with braces.

This also means that there are no restrictions on what you can eat with Invisalign, so you do not have to avoid crunchy, hard, sticky, or chewy foods. Since you can brush and floss normally, there are no special supplies you need to purchase. The smooth plastic is also more comfortable than metal braces, so the calluses and irritated spots that braces cause are much less likely. The biggest reason patients like Invisalign over braces is the appearance. Invisalign is nearly invisible; no one can tell you are wearing your trays unless they are looking at your teeth close-up.

Straitening your teeth can bring about many positive changes in your life. To set up your Invisalign consultation, call Maiden Lane Dental of New York, NY at (212) 509-4585 or visit our website, www.maidenlanedental.com. 

Exercises to Relieve TMJ Pain and Stiffness

TMJ pain can cause your jaw to stiffen up and cause problems with eating, talking, and even smiling. Here at Maiden Lane Dental in New York, NY, we are able to treat patients with TMJ pain. Read through some of these exercises that may help you and contact us about the other ways we can help.

There are several exercises that can help relax your jaw, relieve pain, and allow you more range of motion. Try out some of these for yourself. Remember to be gentle and if the exercises make the pain or stiffness worse, do not continue them.

• To relieve tension, smile as big and wide as you can. Have your teeth open two inches and hold your smile for a few deep breaths. Relax your face. Do this exercise a few times until you feel your muscles start to relax.


• To stretch a tight jaw, place your thumb under your chin with your mouth closed. As you open your mouth half way, apply pressure upward with your thumb. Do this ten times.


• To improve how far you can open your mouth, do opening exercises twice daily. Gently open your mouth as far as you can a few times in the morning and a few times at night. If you do this every day, you will begin to see improvement over time.

TMJ pain can be frustrating, but there is help. To schedule an appointment with Maiden Lane Dental in New York, NY, call our office at (212) 509-4585 or visit our website, www.maidenlanedental.com. 

Avoid These Foods to Avoid TMJ Pain

TMJ can be painful and since it affects the jaw joints, eating can aggravate the condition even more. At Maiden Lane Dental in New York, NY, we want our patients suffering with TMJ pain to find relief and avoid flare-ups. Keep reading to learn about the types of foods to avoid with TMJ/TMD.

Crunchy, hard, and chewy foods are the big three to avoid. When the jaw needs a lot of force to bite into something or if it needs to do a lot of work to chew through it, it TMJs can become irritated. Crunchy foods like pops and chips should be avoided. Hard foods like carrots, whole apples, and bagels should be avoided or made softer by cooking it or cutting it into smaller pieces. Chewy foods like gummies and candies should also be avoided. Choose more tender cuts of meat and stay away from chewier seafood options like shellfish. Fish is a much more tender option that is easier on the jaw.

In addition to these foods, avoid chewing hard non-food options. Bad habits like chewing pens and biting fingernails can do just as much damage or more.

TMJ can be painful but there are ways to avoid triggering it. If you are experiencing jaw pain, be sure to visit our New York, NY office for an evaluation. To schedule an appointment at Maiden Lane Dental, call our office at (212) 509-4585 or visit our website, www.maidenlanedental.com. 

Oral Cancer Facts

Oral cancer is a malignant growth that affects any part of the oral cavity, including the lips, upper or lower jaw, tongue, gums, cheeks, and throat. Anyone can get oral cancer, but the risk is higher if you are male, over age 40, use tobacco or alcohol or have a history of head or neck cancer. Understanding the causative factors of cancer will contribute to the prevention of the disease. Your health is important to us and you should schedule regular dental checkups with our staff at Maiden Lane Dental to detect oral cancer early when it is the easiest to treat.

The most common symptom of oral cancer is a sore in the mouth that bleeds easily and does not heal. Another common sign of oral cancer is developing pain in the mouth that does not go away. Our doctors at Maiden Lane Dental can examine the mouth and throat as part of a routine checkup if you are concerned about developing oral cancer. During regular checkups, abnormal tissue changes and oral cancer can be detected at its earliest stage when there is a greater chance for a cure.

If you are due for a dental checkup, please give us a call. To learn about the services we provide at our practice, visit www.maidenlanedental.comfor more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors here at Maiden Lane Dental in New York, NY, call 212-509-4585.

Oral Care for Senior Citizens

Advancing age puts many seniors at risk for a number of oral health problems. These problems include but are not limited to darkened teeth, dry mouth, gum disease, tooth loss, root decay and gum disease. Here at Maiden Lane Dental, our doctors offer plenty of restorative options for our patients to choose from. However, we encourage you to take care of your teeth on a regular basis, no matter how old you are. 

Seniors are more likely to suffer from a host of oral health issues resulting from their inability to provide themselves with adequate dental hygiene care. Certain medical conditions, such as arthritis in the hands and fingers that may make brushing or flossing teeth difficult to perform. These factors leave many seniors at risk of ignoring tooth decay and tooth infection until there is no alternative but tooth extraction. With regular checkups, problems can be caught in the earliest stages to help prevent serious conditions from occurring.

If you are due for a dental checkup, please give us a call. To learn about the services we provide at our practice, visit www.maidenlanedental.comfor more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors here at Maiden Lane Dental in New York, NY, call 212-509-4585.

How Grinding Your Teeth is Damaging

Grinding your teeth does more than just create an unpleasant sound. It can really affect the health of your teeth and your jaw. At Maiden Lane Dental in New York, NY, we can provide our patients with night guards for protection. Keep reading to learn the damaging effects of grinding your teeth.

When the teeth are continually ground together, it can start to affect the teeth in a way that will eventually affect their health. Grinding your teeth can start to wear down enamel. Dentists can usually tell a person grinds their teeth by looking for signs of this. When the enamel is worn down, it makes teeth more prone to cavities. It can also make them appear short if the grinding goes on for a long period of time. In addition, the places where the enamel is worn down can become sensitive due to exposed nerve tubules.

When a patient grinds their teeth, they are also likely clenching their jaw. This creates more damaging pressure on the teeth. It can loosen teeth, fillings, and other restorations. It can also begin to irritate the jaw joints, called the temporomandibular joints. The temporomandibular joints, TMJs, can become inflamed, swollen, tender, and stiff. Many patients notice clicking or popping sounds and pain. The jaw can also become stuck open or shut. This irritated condition is commonly referred to as TMD (temporomandibular joint dysfunction).

If you are experiencing any of the above symptoms, it is important to see us for an evaluation. We can help protect your teeth and jaw with a night guard. To schedule an appointment with Maiden Lane Dental in New York, NY, call us at (212) 509-4585 or visit our website, www.maidenlanedental.com. 

Veneers Blog

Ever wanted to completely change the look of your smile? With dental veneers, that is completely possible. At Maiden Lane Dental in New York, NY, we create custom dental veneers to create beautiful, natural-looking smiles.

Dental veneers can provide a perfect smile without extensive dental work. Veneers are a ceramic shell that is bonded over your existing teeth. They can fix the look of misaligned, misshapen, or discolored teeth, among other issues like gaps and chips. Dental implants are long-lasting and stain-resistant.

To begin the process of attaching veneers, a thin layer of enamel will be taken off the teeth. The thickness of the veneers will replace this enamel. An impression will then be taken of the teeth to create custom-fitted veneers. During the time the veneers are being created in a dental laboratory, temporary veneers will be worn. When ready, the permanent veneers are attached. We make sure they fit right and are functional. When taken good care of, veneers can last up to ten years. Veneers need to be taken care of just like normal teeth.

If you are looking to enhance your smile, dental veneers are a great option. To set up your consultation with Maiden Lane Dental in New York, NY, call our office at (212) 509-4585 or visit our website, www.maidenlanedental.com.