How to Choose the Right Toothbrush For You

Choosing the right toothbrush can be vital to the proper care of your teeth. It is important to know the facts about toothbrushes to know which to choose. Maiden Lane Dental of New York, NY wants our patients to be confident in their choice the next time they are replacing their toothbrush.

The first major difference you may notice while walking down the toothbrush aisle is that some of them are electric. Electric toothbrushes do most of the work, so they are good for those who have trouble using their hands. They may actually get a better brushing out of an electric toothbrush. However, for most users, it all depends on the brusher. Manual toothbrushes have shown to do just as good of a job.

Toothbrushes should have a small head and a good grip. This is what makes it easy to maneuver the brush around the mouth and reach every surface. It is also important to choose a toothbrush that has bristles that are not too soft and not too stiff. Stiff bristles can actually wear down enamel and irritate gums. Soft bristles are ideal for removing plaque; however do not choose a toothbrush that is labeled as soft unless directed by your dentist. Instead, choose one labeled medium.

With your newly chosen toothbrush, make sure to brush two to three times per day, two minutes long each. To schedule your regular cleaning and exam here at Maiden Lane Dental in New York, NY, call us at (212) 509-4585 or visit our website, www.maidenlanedental.com. 

Cosmetic Dentistry in New York, NY

Having a nice smile tops of the wish list of many. At Maiden Lane Dental of New York, NY, we have options to improve many types of cosmetic issues. Whether you have cracked teeth, misaligned teeth, discolored teeth, or missing teeth, we have solutions for you.

For teeth whitening, we have a couple of different options including a customized tray whitening system you take home and a chairside whitening system called ZOOM! whitening. Both options are customized to benefit your unique situation in the best way. ZOOM! whitening is used in-office and combines whitening gel with an LED light to accelerate the chemical reaction. Inlays and onlays, also called partial crowns, are another option to improve the look of decayed or otherwise weakened teeth, making them white again.

Invisalign is a very convenient, comfortable, and nearly invisible way to straighten your teeth. For those who want straighter looking teeth almost instantly, Maiden Lane Dental offers dental veneers. Veneers can create the look of perfectly straight teeth, as well as improve problems like chips and cracks. Veneers also provide long-lasting whitening.

For tooth replacement, dentures, bridges, and implants are available. Depending on what is best for your specific situation and lifestyle, our experienced doctors will be able to help you make the right choice for replacement.

If you have been dissatisfied with the look of your smile, schedule a consultation at our New York, NY dental office. Call us at (212) 509-4585 or visit the Maiden Lane Dental website, www.maidenlanedental.com. 

Tooth Replacement at Maiden Lane Dental in New York, NY

Replacing a missing tooth is important for the health of your mouth. Here at Maiden Lane Dental of New York, NY, we have several options for tooth replacement and our skilled dentists will be able to choose the right option for your situation.

Dental bridges are created in a dental laboratory so they look and feel just like your natural teeth. They work by using the adjacent teeth to the space for creating a bridge across the gap. The adjacent teeth are reshaped, and crowns are placed with a full tooth replacement attached in the middle. Bridges are long lasting and should be cared for like a natural tooth.

Dentures are available here at Maiden Lane Dental in both full and partial. Dentures are a removable option and can be placed immediately or conventionally. Partial dentures are similar to a bridge fixture, except they are able to be taken out. Your dentist will fit the dentures to your mouth for the best function and the best smile.

Dental implants are a permanent option here at Maiden Lane Dental. It is a single-tooth replacement and it bonds with your jawbone like a natural tooth. With good care, a dental implant should be able to last for a lifetime.

Replacing missing teeth will repair your smile, ensure good gum health, and prevent the jaw from changing shape. To schedule a consultation at Maiden Lane Dental in New York, NY, call us at (212) 509-4585 or visit our website, www.maidenlanedental.com. 

Flossing for Oral Health

Flossing every day is important, but doing it correctly is what makes it worthwhile. Maiden Lane Dental of New York, NY wants to share tips on how to floss correctly, as it is vital to the health of your teeth and gums.

Flossing your teeth should be done every day. It does not matter if flossing happens before you brush, or after, it is just important that it happens. Bacteria that get trapped can cause cavities in between your teeth. There are a lot of different flavors of floss, as well as waxed, non-waxed, and multi-filament or single-filament floss. All types will do the trick.

To start, get a good grip on the floss. Eighteen inches is recommended for good grip and for enough to use. A new section of floss should be used for each space. The floss should be slid in between two teeth and held in a curve around the tooth. Use a back-and-forth motion to move up and down the tooth, and make sure to rub both sides of the space. Floss in every space, do not skip any! Pay special attention to the molars, as they do most of our chewing.

For more instructions on how you can keep good oral hygiene, visit the Maiden Lane Dental website, www.maidenlanedental.com or give us a call at (212) 509-4585. Call or visit our website to schedule a cleaning at our New York, NY location.

Post-Extraction Care

After a tooth extraction, it is important to keep the extraction site clean and undisturbed to allow proper healing and to avoid infection. Maiden Lane Dental of New York, NY wants to prepare their patients for an extraction by preparing them for the extraction after-care.

After an extraction has been performed, it is important to minimize bleeding. It is recommended to relax for the rest of the day after the extraction and to avoid any vigorous activity for the first twenty-four hours. While lying down, lie with your head propped up with some pillows as not to increase blood flow and cause more bleeding.

A diet of soft foods will be recommended until healing progresses. Make sure to drink plenty of water, but do not drink through a straw. The suction created from straws may un-clot the blood at the extraction site. Smoking and other tobacco products should be avoided as they can slow the healing process and lead to infection.

Pain and swelling can be controlled by using the pain medication as directed by your dentist. An ice pack or a salt water rinse can help, as well. To keep the area clean, continue to brush your teeth, tongue, and roof of your mouth but avoid the extraction site. Do not rinse your mouth vigorously.

For more information about post-extraction care, visit our website, www.maidenlanedental.com. To schedule an appointment at our New York, NY location, call Maiden Lane Dental at (212) 509-4585 or visit our website.

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.