Proper Flossing Technique

Many patients neglect to floss regularly or add flossing to their daily dental routine. This is a critical mistake. Flossing is just as important as brushing. Only through flossing can you reach areas of your mouth that your toothbrush cannot. Dr. Kathleen Falsey of Bayberry Dental Care hears a lot of reasons why our patients don’t floss regularly at their bi-annual appointments. Here are a few tips and tricks about flossing that can help you keep a better dental routine.

 

For many patients, the biggest issue is that they never learned to floss properly. This is an easy fix. When you are flossing, the first step is to take about 18 inches of floss out from the container. Wrap one end around each of your middle fingers. Twirling one finger will pull away dirty floss, with the floss twirling in from the other finger being clean. The next step is to guide the floss gently between your teeth. Try not to snap the floss. This will only hurt you and damage your gums. Once the floss is in, curve it around one of the two teeth in a “C” shape. Tightly hold the floss and slide it up an down. Make sure to do this for all of your teeth.

 

If you have trouble getting to certain areas of your mouth when flossing, there's no need to give up. Almost all grocery stores and supermarkets sell handheld flossing applicators. These small devices can fit into the tighter areas of your mouth. This allows you to clean them as well. For tight spaces between teeth, consider using a different type of floss. Floss comes in various thicknesses and types. A thinner floss should be able to fit between any teeth.

 

Bayberry Dental Care is located in Tinley Park, IL. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Kathleen Falsey, visit our website or call 708-802-8300.

Dental Bridges

As people age, their teeth naturally begin to lose their lackluster. A lost permanent tooth needs to be replaced in order to maintain proper alignment of your teeth. Your teeth are needed for speaking and chewing. Dr. Kathleen Falsey of Bayberry Dental Care offers dental bridges. Dental bridges are devices that attach artificial teeth to your natural teeth.

 

There are two kinds of dental bridges, fixed and removable. Fixed bridges are applied by placing crowns on your natural teeth or by bonding the bridge directly to the natural teeth. Removable or partial bridges are attached with metal clasps to the natural teeth. Fixed bridges are often recommended over temporary because they are more stable.

 

Dental bridges can help your teeth's appearance and functionality. In terms of aesthetics, a bridge supports your lips and cheeks. Losing a back tooth can also make your mouth and face sink in a way that makes you look older. Bridges correct these problems. For functionality, bridges keep your jaw and mouth from becoming misaligned. Teeth were meant to be in a complete set. When one is missing, the whole distribution of your bite is thrown off. Uneven pressure in your mouth can lead to jaw pain and other issues. Missing teeth can also increase your risk of gum disease.

 

The attachment procedure takes between 2-3 appointments with Dr. Falsey. At your first appointment, your teeth will be prepared by removing parts of the enamel and dentin. An impression will then be made of your teeth. This impression or mold will be used to create your personalized dental bridge. A dental laboratory will create the bridge and send it back to us.

 

Dr. Kathleen Falsey is located at Bayberry Dental Care, located in Tinley Park, IL. To schedule an appointment, visit our website or call 708-802-8300.

April 2019: Oral Cancer Awareness Month

This April is Oral Cancer Awareness Month. Dr. Kathleen Falsey of Bayberry Dental Care, located in Tinley Park, IL., offers oral cancer screenings and information for our patients. Dentists are often the first medical professionals to diagnose oral cancer. Prevention is the key to living a healthy life. If you experience anything new or weird happening in your mouth that lasts longer than two weeks, make an appointment ASAP.

 

Any new or strange anomalies need to be seen by your dentist immediately. If these issues are reoccurring or have lasted longer than two weeks than it is especially urgent. This is often the first indicator of something more serious. Be on the lookout for these symptoms:

 

Mouth sores that take over 14 days to heal, a new and strange coloring of the soft tissue, lumps or hard spots in the mouth, especially if they bleed easily, and/or a lump on the outside of the neck.

 

The symptoms for HPV-cause oropharyngeal cancer often vary from the symptoms above. For these patients, they might experience a sore or hoarse throat, a constant cough, lump on the neck, problems swallowing, and an ache in one or both ears.

 

The two major risk factors for oral cancer is heavy drinking and smoking. Patients should also be cautious of other tobacco products, such as chewing tobacco. The other risk factor is contracting the sexually transmitted human papillomavirus 16.

 

Don’t wait to make an appointment if you or a loved one are experiencing any of these symptoms. Your health isn’t worth the risk. Contact Bayberry Dental Care, located in Tinley Park, IL. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Kathleen Falsey, visit our website or call 708-802-8300.

 

Dental Implants

Bayberry Dental Care, of Tinley Park, IL., offers dental services such as dental implants. Dental implants are replacements for natural teeth that are missing or have been removed. They are a better alternative to dental bridges because other teeth are not affected. Dr. Kathleen Falsey is dedicated to helping you achieve the smile you deserve with our dental implants.

 

The process for dental implants will take place over a few appointments, spanning over a couple of months. The first part of the process is installing the implant itself. You will be placed under general anesthesia for the procedure. Dr. Falsey will make an incision in the gums, placing the titanium screw into the jaw. After, the gums are sutured shut. The entire procedure itself takes around twenty minutes to complete.

 

It takes between 3-6 months for the implant to completely heal. During this time the jaw bone will form around the implant in a process called osseointegration. You will be given crowns during the healing process. This will let you continue to eat and speak normally throughout.

 

Once the implant is fully healed, an abutment is placed. This will serve as the base for your new tooth. An impression is created from this and sent to a dental laboratory. There they will create your permanent restoration. At your final appointment, Dr. Falsey will attach the final restoration.

 

If you are interested in our dental implant services, or our other services, contact Bayberry Dental Care today. We are located in Tinley Park, IL. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Kathleen Falsey, visit our website or call 708-802-8300.