Lumineers Makeover Any Smile!

Dr. Kathleen Falsey, DDS is always being asked by patients about the latest cosmetic solutions available.  There are several methods for whitening or straightening teeth, but lumineers are the best way to give your smile a complete cosmetic makeover without undergoing a procedure.  Lumineers are thin shells made of the highest quality porcelain that bond directly to the surface of your teeth and look like your natural smile. 

To outfit a patient with a full set of lumineers, we begin with taking an impression.  This impression will be used to ensure a perfect fit for your new smile.  Some patients won’t require preparation of the teeth, but depending on your individual case your dentist may want to contour or shave teeth in select places.  This is only done when your dentist sees an area they determine could be a problem to fit the shells on.   A new set of lumineers is fabricated outside the office, and on a final visit they are bonded directly to the surface of your teeth to wear forever!

If you’re ready to makeover your smile or have questions about lumineers, please give us a call!  To learn about all the services provided, visit www.bayberrydentalcare.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Kathleen Falsey, DDS in our Tinley Park, IL office, call Bayberry Dental Care at 708-802-8300. 

Periodontal Maintenance

In its most advanced stages, gum disease can lead to gum recession and even tooth loss.  Dr. Kathleen Falsey, DDS and her staff want to make sure it never gets to that point for you and your family!  When plaque builds up on a tooth, the gum starts to pull away from the tooth and form a pocket around the buildup, which only leads to more gum recession.  A scaling and root planing procedure is used to treat this buildup and prevent the later stages of gum disease.

Scaling and root planning are two parts of a deep cleaning procedure your dentist can perform to help reverse the progress of gum disease.  The procedure beings with scaling, which is the process of the dentist removing plaque from the surface of the teeth, all the way down to the gums. Root planing is the term for any minor contouring to smooth the surface of a tooth near the root.  When plaque has been removed and the tooth root has been smoothed, the gums that have pulled away will have a clean, smooth surface to reattach to as they heal.

To learn more about deep periodontal cleaning and the other services provided at Dr. Falsey’s practice, visit www.bayberrydentalcare.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Kathleen Falsey, DDS in our Tinley Park, IL office, call Bayberry Dental Care at 708-802-8300. 

Reduce TMJ Pain with a Soft Food Diet

The temporomandibular joint is the hinge joint that connects the lower jaw (mandible) to the temporal bone of the skull, which is immediately in front of the ear on each side of your head. The joints are flexible, allowing the jaw to move smoothly up and down, side to side, and enabling you to talk, chew, and yawn. Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) occur as a result of problems with the jaw, jaw joint and surrounding facial muscles that control chewing and moving the jaw. Dr. Kathleen Falsey, DDS of Bayberry Dental Care can help diagnose and provide relief if you are suffering from TMD symptoms.

Soft foods give your jaw and temporomandibular joints the opportunity to rest and heal. Some excellent (and healthy) foods to eat include cooked vegetables and fruits, cottage cheese, mashed potatoes, scrambled eggs, smoothies, soup, and yogurt. If you must eat food that requires a heavy amount of chewing, we recommended chopping it up into small pieces. If you have a sweet tooth, soft cakes, cobblers, and cheesecake are good things to choose from.

If you have questions or concerns regarding TMJ/TMD, please give us a call. To learn about the services we provide at our practice, visit www.bayberrydentalcare.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Kathleen Falsey, DDS in our Tinley Park, IL office, call Bayberry Dental Care at 708-802-8300.

Dental Anxiety

Visiting the dentist is not always a calm task, which is why some people tend to avoid the dental office like a plague. If the idea of going to the dentist for a procedure brings on feelings of fear or anxiety, Dr. Kathleen Falsey, DDS of Bayberry Dental Care wants to help take the edge off. There are different types of sedation options we provide and they will be administered depending on the severity of the patient’s fright.

It’s common to feel anxious before a dental appointment. You may lose sleep the night before, or you may experience an increased feeling of nervousness while waiting in the office. One of the most important factors in overcoming dental anxiety is communicating with Dr. Falsey before, during, and after your appointment. If dental anxiety is left untreated, it can lead to oral health problems which will only require more dental treatment.

If you have questions or concerns regarding sedation options, please give us a call. To learn about the services we provide at our practice, visit www.bayberrydentalcare.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Kathleen Falsey, DDS in our Tinley Park, IL office, call Bayberry Dental Care at 708-802-8300.

Vertical Dimension Loss

When people lose teeth, it’s in their best interest to get them replaced right away. At Bayberry Dental Care in Tinley Park, we provide people with implants and prosthetic crowns. Not only do these new teeth improve the appearance of a patient’s smile and their bite function, they also prevent the loss of vertical dimension.

Vertical dimension loss is a phrase used when describing how the size of dental crowns relates to the overall proportion of the face. People whose teeth get worn down or are missing suffer from lack of vertical dimension. As a result, they are prone to temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJD) and all the pain in the jaw, neck, and head that come with it. Their mouths also have a scrunched-up appearance, resulting in wrinkles around their nose and upper lip.

At its worst extreme, vertical dimension loss is related to bite collapse. In the absence of some teeth, the others take on more biting force than they are capable of withstanding and get pushed over. People who have long suffered from lack of vertical dimension require complex rehabilitation, but in people whose loss was recent, new crowns and implants can prevent the jaws from becoming misshapen. If your teeth are damaged or lost, don’t wait to get them replaced.

Kathleen M. Falsey, D.D.S., operates Bayberry Dental Care at 8014 West 171^st St, Tinley Park, Illinois, 60477. To schedule an appointment, call 708-802-8300 or visit Bayberry Dental Care and fill out a contact sheet.