Amalgam Fillings

Amalgam fillings are just one of the fillings Dr. Kathleen Falsey DDS, offers at Bayberry Dental Care. When placing dental amalgam, Dr. Falsey first drills the tooth to remove the decay and then shapes the tooth cavity for placement of the amalgam filling. Next, under appropriate safety conditions, she then mixes the powdered alloy with the liquid mercury to form amalgam putty. This softened amalgam putty is placed and shaped in the prepared cavity, where it rapidly hardens into a solid filling.

Amalgam has been used for generations to help save decayed teeth in more than 100 million Americans. Amalgam has been thoroughly studied, and no properly designed research studies have linked dental amalgam to serious health problems. Dr. Falsey can talk about what type of filling is best for the patient. An amalgam filling is just one of a variety of dental filling options available at her practice. 

If you have questions or concerns regarding cosmetic dental services, 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.

Thank You for Your Positive Reviews!

Here at Bayberry Dental Care, Dr. Kathleen Falsey, DDS, and staff appreciate feedback from our patients because it teaches us how to improve as a team. Our staff would not only like to thank the following for leaving us reviews, but we would like to thank each one of them for being a dedicated patient. If you recently experienced exceptional service from our office, please let us know!  

• "Feeling so Much Better Thanks to You." -Janet


• "Thanks for making me feel so much better!" -Annie


• "I am not embarrassed to smile anymore all thanks to you Doc." -Mike


• "Cavity Free and Loving Every Second Of It!" -Rose

If you would like to leave a testimonial or are interested in learning more about the services we provide at the practice, visit www.bayberrydentalcare.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Kathleen Falsey, DDS in our Tinley Park office, call 708-802-8300.

Basics of Dental Instruments

It is important for everybody to get their teeth professionally cleaned twice a year. This is usually not a difficult process, but for some, visits to the dentist are a source of anxiety. We strive to create a gentle, caring practice at Bayberry Dental Care in Tinley Park, which is why we thought patients might feel more comfortable if they knew more about our instruments.

The instruments our hygienists use the most frequently are the handheld mirror, the evacuator, and the explorer. The evacuator is the hose which suctions saliva and debris out of the patient’s mouth. Explorers, or probes, are the hooked metal instruments used to test how hard enamel is and whether there is decay below the gum line. We also use explorers to break apart calculus that builds up between visits.

When we need to do a procedure such as drilling away decay, we generally numb the patient with localized anesthetic delivered through a syringe. The drill emits water to protect the patient from its heat. Our office uses white resin composites as filling materials, which we administer to a cavity using a blunt instrument called a burnisher. There are many differently-shaped burnishers for contouring fillings.

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.

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.