Metal-free Fillings from Dr. Lloyd Becker

At Maiden Lane Dental, Dr. Lloyd Becker offers metal-free fillings to restore teeth to normal function without taking away the beauty of the patient’s smile. Unlike amalgam fillings, metal-free fillings match the color of the patient’s teeth and contain no mercury, making them a safe and attractive way to achieve optimum oral health.

The majority of patients and dentists prefer these fillings to mercury amalgam fillings, for both their look and function. Not only are metal fillings dark and noticeable, the can also contract with cold and expand with heat to cause cracks that will let bacteria into the tooth and eventually require further dental work down the line. Tooth-colored, composite fillings, on the other hand, both look natural and feel natural. You won’t even be able to tell that you have a filling!

Metal-free fillings are made of a strong resin composite material that the dentist bonds directly to the surface of the tooth, allowing Dr. Becker to increase its durability and stability. At our practice, we strive to keep as much of the natural tooth structure as possible to prevent fracture, and metal-free, composite fillings help us do that.

To achieve the healthy and natural smile you desire in New York, NY, contact our office by calling 212-509-4585. For more information about the practice, please visit www.maidenlanedental.com.   

Wisdom Teeth Extractions in New York, NY

Your third and final molars to emerge are your wisdom teeth, which usually come in when you are between 17 and 25 years old. While many people do not experience problems with these new teeth, many others find that theirs must be removed. If your mouth does not have enough room for these molars to come in, a wisdom tooth extraction is necessary, and at our office in New York, NY, Dr. Lloyd Becker can determine whether a wisdom tooth extraction is the best course of action for you.

Wisdom teeth are usually removed because they become impacted, which means that the tooth does not have enough room to come in straight through the gums and instead emerges at an angle. This can cause pain, damage to the jaw and a more crooked smile. Additionally, the site of impaction can become a bacterial hotspot since impacted wisdom teeth are hard to clean.

Wisdom teeth extractions can range from removing a single tooth to removing all four teeth at once. Dr. Becker will let you know what he thinks is best for you. For the procedure, he will use either a local anesthetic to numb the area or a general anesthetic to sedate you while the teeth are extracted. The tooth will then be accessed through an incision in the gums and wiggled until it is loose enough to be lifted out. If the tooth is too deeply embedded to be removed this way, it will be broken up into pieces before being removed.

Whether you are already feeling pain due to impacted wisdom teeth or have not yet felt them come in, we can determine if your wisdom teeth will cause problems for you. To schedule an appointment at Maiden Lane Dental, call 212-509-4585. For more information, visit www.maidenlanedental.com. 

Why Water is Your Teeth’s Best Friend

If you’re one of those people who don’t drink enough water, then you should know that the clear, tasteless liquid is actually essential for achieving good health. This is because your body is between 60 to 65 percent water, and the liquid is used for a variety of bodily functions. Your body uses water to maintain its temperature, remove waste and lubricate your joints, and staying hydrated helps it function better as a whole. In addition to these benefits, water is also an important player in your oral health. Many dentists even consider water to be teeth’s best friend.

One of the many benefits that drinking water can provide our mouths is that it can help prevent bad breath. In fact, one of the most common causes of bad breath is dehydration. When there is not enough saliva in your mouth, bacteria is provided a suitable environment in which to thrive, and this can cause bad odors. By drinking water, you can cut down on these smelly bacteria. 

However, bacteria in the mouth do more than smell. The bacteria that cause bad breath are also the cause of cavities and gum disease, so drinking water can help keep your mouth healthy in addition to less smelly. Water provides a great way to keep your teeth clean between brushings since it is able to wash away foods and liquids that can damage your teeth. While it is not a replacement for brushing and flossing altogether, drinking water with your meal or afterward can help wash away the acid and particles that erode your enamel and attract bacteria.

Seeing a dentist is also a vital part of a good oral hygiene routine, and in New York, NY, Dr. Lloyd Becker has the skill and experience to provide the care you need for optimal oral health. Call 212-509-4585 to schedule an appointment. For more information about Maiden Lane Dental, visit www.maidenlanedental.com. 

A Healthy Smile is a Beautiful Smile with Dr. Lloyd Becker

Regular checkups and dental cleanings are a part of any good oral hygiene routine, and at Maiden Lane Dental, we provide dental care services of the highest quality to ensure that our patients’ smiles stay healthy year after year.

Plaque is a soft and sticky film of bacteria that can build up on your teeth despite regular brushing and flossing. Because teeth are constantly bathed in saliva, which contains calcium and other substances to strengthen and protect teeth, tartar or calcium deposits can also build up over time. Dental cleanings work to remove both plaque and tartar from the teeth. If it is not removed and is allowed to accumulate, bacteria will be provided a perfect environment and thrive on the gums and teeth, which can cause cavities, infection and gum disease.

While good for maintaining oral health between dentist visits, at-home brushing and cleaning are not enough to make sure teeth stay clean; regular dental cleanings are required. At our office, we can clean and polish your teeth, leaving the surface clean and smooth. The smoother the teeth, the more difficult it is for bacteria to stick to them and the more effective at-home brushing will be.

We recommend checkups and dental cleanings every six months for optimum oral health. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Lloyd Becker in New York, NY, call 212-509-4585. For more information, visit www.maidenlanedental.com. 

Rotary Endodontics at Maiden Lane Dental

If you’ve had root canal treatment to save an infected tooth, it probably didn’t occur to you to ask what types of tools your dentist used. But if your dentist used the old, manual file for removing the infected tissue, the procedure may have been pretty nerve wracking. Rotary endodontic tools, on the other hand, provide a much smoother, more comfortable experience during root canal procedures, which is why Dr. Lloyd Becker chooses to rely on them to treat infected teeth in New York, NY.

Rotary endodontics allows the dentist to remove the infected pulp in the inner root canal more quickly, more smoothly and with less chance of complications. These electric instruments prove to be superior to the traditional, stainless steel files in a multitude of ways since they are made of nickel titanium, which is much more flexible than stainless steel. Increased flexibility allows the tool to be inserted into the curved root canal without damaging the passageway.

The tools are also much quieter and do not produce a grinding noise like the other tools. This helps to soothe patients’ nerves during the procedure. While the manual method can adequately save teeth during root canals, rotary endodontic tools are easier and preferred by both the dentist and his patients. 

To schedule an appointment at Maiden Lane Dental, call 212-509-4585. For more information, visit www.maidenlanedental.com.

Oral Cancer Screening with Dr. Lloyd Becker

Being screened for oral cancer is an important part of maintaining your oral health and should be a regular part of your oral hygiene routine. At our practice in New York, NY, we take oral cancer seriously and are dedicated to keeping our patients safe with thorough screenings.

While everyone is at risk for oral cancer, certain factors can increase your risk in developing the disease. Lifestyle choices, such as heavy drinking or smoking, can greatly affect the health of tissues in the mouth, so it is especially important for you to receive regular screenings if you partake in these activities. If oral abnormalities are caught early, it will not only expand your treatment options, including less invasive and less radical treatments, but it will also increase your chances of beating the cancer.

Screening for oral cancer can be done during routine checkups by Dr. Lloyd Becker, who uses the VEL-scope system to spot abnormal tissue months or even years before they become identifiable by the unassisted eye. The VEL-scope handpiece shines a safe blue light into your mouth, exposing suspicious tissue. If the dentist thinks it might be cancer, he will order a biopsy.

Oral cancer is a serious issue, and at our practice, we strive to protect all our patients. To schedule an appointment at Maiden Lane Dental, call 212-509-4585. For more information about our practice, please visit www.maidenlanedental.com.     

Does Your Tooth Still Hurt After a Root Canal?

If you’re still experiencing pain after a root canal, you may be wondering why. Aren’t root canals meant to take your pain away? There are many reasons why your tooth may still be hurting. It is possible that the base of your tooth root (periapical) is still slightly tender or that your pain is caused by a temporary filling that is a bit too high. In these cases, taking OTC painkillers, preferably ibuprofen, may be all you need to alleviate your pain while your root canal heals.

However, if you’ve had a root canal at our practice in New York, NY and are still experiencing pain that is severe or persistent, you should call our office immediately. The dentist may need to prescribe you an antibiotic to make sure the infection does not remain, or he may need to perform retreatment.

At your follow-up appointment, Dr. Lloyd Becker will want to know what type of pain you are experiencing. Is your tooth sensitive to hot and cold? Is it the tooth root that is sensitive or the gums that are over the tooth? Is it a constant ache, or does it only hurt when biting? Is there any swelling, drainage or pus? The answers to these questions will give Dr. Becker the information he needs to diagnose your pain.

Root canals don’t always work, and there are many reasons for this, including fractures of the root, convoluted or twisted root structures and failure to protect the root canal after the procedure. If this occurs, you may need further treatment. If the root canal was successful, it should feel normal most of the time.

To schedule an appointment at Maiden Lane Dental, call 212-509-4585. For more information, visit www.maidenlanedental.com.